duncan228
11-07-2009, 09:42 PM
Spurs still experiencing growing pains (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Spurs_still_experiencing_growing_pains.html)
By Jeff McDonald
All along, the Spurs knew this wouldn't be easy.
Even as they stockpiled more talent than they've ever assembled, even as NBA pundits rushed to announce them as the most obvious Western Conference threat to the Los Angeles Lakers' dominance, the Spurs knew.
Transforming a remade team into a championship contender isn't as simple as snapping your fingers, waving a magic wand or sprinkling pixie dust. It doesn't happen overnight.
“A lot of teams are going through growing pains right now, whether they've been together forever or whether they're putting some new pieces together,” Spurs forward Tim Duncan said. “It's all about getting through those early-season jitters and trying to figure out what exactly your team is made of and how you're going to play.”
The Spurs went west this week in search of both traction and an identity, finding neither. In a road trip that would have been an abject disaster had it happened in March and not November, they went 0-2 on their sojourn, losing by 14 in Utah and 12 in Portland.
After it, the Spurs returned home Saturday with a 2-3 record and a renewed sense of how difficult any major remodeling project can be.
“Obviously, it's going to take some time,” said Tony Parker, the Spurs' All-Star point guard who could miss the next few games with a sprained left ankle. “But we can do a better job to play together.”
The Spurs are not exactly off to the start many NBA observers predicted after they spent the offseason upgrading their roster with high-powered additions such as Richard Jefferson and Antonio McDyess.
Perhaps that was to be expected, given the seven new faces on the roster. This is a team built for a slow burn, not a fast start. It is a team unquestionably filled with talent — with a league-high six players who were once All-Stars — but whose early-season ceiling could be limited by roster turnover.
“We're a veteran team, but we have a bunch of new guys,” said Duncan, whose team will play six of its next seven at home, beginning Monday against Toronto. “Veteran or not, we still have a bunch of stuff to learn. We have a lot of players to implement into what we do and get used to what they do.”
Other teams — in Portland, in Cleveland, in New Orleans, in Dallas — have likewise faced a similar slog in trying to integrate new pieces this season.
The Spurs' growing pains have been felt most often on defense, and most acutely in Thursday's 113-99 loss to Utah. In that game, the Spurs allowed 100 points to the Jazz for just the second time in 40 regular-season games, 64 of which came in the paint.
Gregg Popovich casts a wide net when assigning blame for his team's defensive breakdowns.
The culprits, he said, are “new guys who maybe didn't have it as an emphasis in the past, new guys who don't know our system, and returning players that just haven't gotten in a groove yet.”
“It's a five-man deal,” Popovich said. “When one guy screws up his job, it puts pressure on everybody else. And it puts pressure on everybody else to where as a group, you lose your focus, your tenacity, your edge.”
The Spurs played better defense in a 96-84 loss at Portland but had trouble scoring. Even so, Popovich called that game “a step in the right direction.”
On the heels of a road trip that only served to show them how far they have to go, the Spurs can only hope for many more such steps to come.
By Jeff McDonald
All along, the Spurs knew this wouldn't be easy.
Even as they stockpiled more talent than they've ever assembled, even as NBA pundits rushed to announce them as the most obvious Western Conference threat to the Los Angeles Lakers' dominance, the Spurs knew.
Transforming a remade team into a championship contender isn't as simple as snapping your fingers, waving a magic wand or sprinkling pixie dust. It doesn't happen overnight.
“A lot of teams are going through growing pains right now, whether they've been together forever or whether they're putting some new pieces together,” Spurs forward Tim Duncan said. “It's all about getting through those early-season jitters and trying to figure out what exactly your team is made of and how you're going to play.”
The Spurs went west this week in search of both traction and an identity, finding neither. In a road trip that would have been an abject disaster had it happened in March and not November, they went 0-2 on their sojourn, losing by 14 in Utah and 12 in Portland.
After it, the Spurs returned home Saturday with a 2-3 record and a renewed sense of how difficult any major remodeling project can be.
“Obviously, it's going to take some time,” said Tony Parker, the Spurs' All-Star point guard who could miss the next few games with a sprained left ankle. “But we can do a better job to play together.”
The Spurs are not exactly off to the start many NBA observers predicted after they spent the offseason upgrading their roster with high-powered additions such as Richard Jefferson and Antonio McDyess.
Perhaps that was to be expected, given the seven new faces on the roster. This is a team built for a slow burn, not a fast start. It is a team unquestionably filled with talent — with a league-high six players who were once All-Stars — but whose early-season ceiling could be limited by roster turnover.
“We're a veteran team, but we have a bunch of new guys,” said Duncan, whose team will play six of its next seven at home, beginning Monday against Toronto. “Veteran or not, we still have a bunch of stuff to learn. We have a lot of players to implement into what we do and get used to what they do.”
Other teams — in Portland, in Cleveland, in New Orleans, in Dallas — have likewise faced a similar slog in trying to integrate new pieces this season.
The Spurs' growing pains have been felt most often on defense, and most acutely in Thursday's 113-99 loss to Utah. In that game, the Spurs allowed 100 points to the Jazz for just the second time in 40 regular-season games, 64 of which came in the paint.
Gregg Popovich casts a wide net when assigning blame for his team's defensive breakdowns.
The culprits, he said, are “new guys who maybe didn't have it as an emphasis in the past, new guys who don't know our system, and returning players that just haven't gotten in a groove yet.”
“It's a five-man deal,” Popovich said. “When one guy screws up his job, it puts pressure on everybody else. And it puts pressure on everybody else to where as a group, you lose your focus, your tenacity, your edge.”
The Spurs played better defense in a 96-84 loss at Portland but had trouble scoring. Even so, Popovich called that game “a step in the right direction.”
On the heels of a road trip that only served to show them how far they have to go, the Spurs can only hope for many more such steps to come.