duncan228
12-17-2009, 04:21 PM
Spurs bits from Hollinger's chat today (http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/29904).
I think the Lakers will take the west but many think that San Antonio will be their biggest challenge. I say it's going to be Denver what do you say?
- Mike (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
John Hollinger: Having seen both teams in the past 72 hours, I'd go with Denver pretty strongly. I'm a little worried about the Spurs right now, but they have a 10-game stretch of cupcakes here where they can start feeling better about themselves. They better kill it, though, because their late-season schedule is brutal.
Tiger Woods was the AP athlete of the decade. If you had to pick the best NBA player of the 2000's thus far, would it be Kobe? Shaq? Duncan? Someone else?
- LebronJohn (CT)
John Hollinger: Tim Duncan, hands down. Not the sexy answer, but if you're looking at effectiveness and winning there's no defensible alternate conclusion.
Duncan is a great answer to that question, but "no defensible alternate conclusion?" Kobe and Shaq have more rings during that span.- phletchuer (CA)
John Hollinger: Duncan was the only one to win as his team's sole All-Star. He was the only one whose teams won 50+ every year in the decade. He was the only one who didn't go through a stretch where the "Me" clearly trumped the "We." About the only negatives I can come up with are that he didn't make many highlight plays and he didn't play in L.A. That shouldn't be the criteria.
The concern for the Spurs coming into the season was health, but now it seems like Tony Parker falling off drastically is really hurting them. What's the deal with Parker and do you see him turning it around?
- patrick (san antonio)
John Hollinger: I'm still trying to asses how much is Parker and how much is that they've gone back to running everything through Duncan so Parker isn't getting the same opportunities. It does appear he's scoring less in transition, though, and if he's lost a step that would be a very worrisome thing given that his quickness is his differentiating skill.
Do you think the Spurs need to tweak the lineup by starting Manu considering their inconsistent start?
- Kevin (Denver)
John Hollinger: That's always been Pop's go-to move -- change Manu from starter to bench and back -- but with Jefferson already there at the 3 it's a more difficult switch than it was in the old days. Now you're asking Manu to guard Kobe/Wade/etc. at the 2.
follow up: with Jefferson and Manu's comparable size, seems like Jefferson could guard opposing 2 guards instead of Manu if that is a concern.
- Kevin (Denver)
John Hollinger: Our readers in New Jersey are howling with laughter right now.
I think the Lakers will take the west but many think that San Antonio will be their biggest challenge. I say it's going to be Denver what do you say?
- Mike (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
John Hollinger: Having seen both teams in the past 72 hours, I'd go with Denver pretty strongly. I'm a little worried about the Spurs right now, but they have a 10-game stretch of cupcakes here where they can start feeling better about themselves. They better kill it, though, because their late-season schedule is brutal.
Tiger Woods was the AP athlete of the decade. If you had to pick the best NBA player of the 2000's thus far, would it be Kobe? Shaq? Duncan? Someone else?
- LebronJohn (CT)
John Hollinger: Tim Duncan, hands down. Not the sexy answer, but if you're looking at effectiveness and winning there's no defensible alternate conclusion.
Duncan is a great answer to that question, but "no defensible alternate conclusion?" Kobe and Shaq have more rings during that span.- phletchuer (CA)
John Hollinger: Duncan was the only one to win as his team's sole All-Star. He was the only one whose teams won 50+ every year in the decade. He was the only one who didn't go through a stretch where the "Me" clearly trumped the "We." About the only negatives I can come up with are that he didn't make many highlight plays and he didn't play in L.A. That shouldn't be the criteria.
The concern for the Spurs coming into the season was health, but now it seems like Tony Parker falling off drastically is really hurting them. What's the deal with Parker and do you see him turning it around?
- patrick (san antonio)
John Hollinger: I'm still trying to asses how much is Parker and how much is that they've gone back to running everything through Duncan so Parker isn't getting the same opportunities. It does appear he's scoring less in transition, though, and if he's lost a step that would be a very worrisome thing given that his quickness is his differentiating skill.
Do you think the Spurs need to tweak the lineup by starting Manu considering their inconsistent start?
- Kevin (Denver)
John Hollinger: That's always been Pop's go-to move -- change Manu from starter to bench and back -- but with Jefferson already there at the 3 it's a more difficult switch than it was in the old days. Now you're asking Manu to guard Kobe/Wade/etc. at the 2.
follow up: with Jefferson and Manu's comparable size, seems like Jefferson could guard opposing 2 guards instead of Manu if that is a concern.
- Kevin (Denver)
John Hollinger: Our readers in New Jersey are howling with laughter right now.