biba
03-17-2010, 01:59 AM
Spurs showing some life, but don't have that dynasty aura
March 16, 2010 By Jamey Eisenberg
http://www.cbssports.com/nba/story/13068886/spurs-showing-some-life-but-dont-have-that-championship-feel
MIAMI -- At least Richard Jefferson still has his sense of humor.
Before Tuesday's game, Jefferson joked that the only time in his life he ever considered quitting basketball was this season. It has been that tough for him.
Jefferson has been the focal point of the Spurs' struggles this season. He was added before the season in a trade with Milwaukee, and he was expected to turn the "Big Three" of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili into a bigger four and a championship contender.
But it hasn't worked out that way so far, and it's not only Jefferson's fault. The Spurs have dealt with injuries to Parker and Ginobili, struggled to integrate new players like Jefferson, and have lost the defensive edge that helped them win four championships since 1999.
It has led to the perception that the Spurs' dynasty is over.
"Everything doesn't stay the same forever," San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. "Sometimes you do better, sometimes you do worse."
Right now, Popovich is aware the Spurs are fighting their way out of the worst of times, and they don't scare teams like they used to. They entered this game in seventh place in the Western Conference, which would be their lowest seed in the playoffs since their dynasty started.
San Antonio, which has won the most games of any NBA team since 2000, can still turn things around, and the Spurs are known for being a dangerous second-half squad. They beat the Heat 88-76 Tuesday night for their fourth victory in a row and eighth in nine games, but the Spurs might not be championship caliber any more.
San Antonio (40-25) is 3-9 against the Lakers, Nuggets, Mavericks and Jazz, who are the top four teams in the West. This recent stretch of victories has come against the likes of the Clippers, Timberwolves, Knicks, Grizzlies and Hornets. The only teams the Spurs recently beat that are currently in the playoff picture are the Suns and Heat.
And it doesn't get any easier. The Spurs still have to play seven games against elite competition -- the Lakers (twice), Nuggets, Mavericks, Magic (twice) and Cavaliers.
"This is the best time for us to be playing quality basketball," Jefferson said. "You want to test yourself and prove yourself. We weren't playing good basketball early in the season. Now we have to make up for it."
This all comes with Parker out with a broken right hand, and he might not return until the start of the playoffs. He also dealt with hip and ankle injuries earlier this season. Ginobili has missed time with groin and hamstring injuries, and the Spurs never got in sync.
That's difficult when you lose key role players familiar with the system like Bruce Bowen and Kurt Thomas, who were dealt to Milwaukee as part of the Jefferson trade. (Bowen retired before the season.) The Spurs also decided to part ways with Michael Finley earlier this month, which was a sign that things were going bad.
Finley wanted to leave to play for -- get this -- a contender. He lost faith in the Spurs, and Popovich granted him the request to sign in Boston.
The Spurs have moved on and incorporated a new set of role players like Jefferson, DeJuan Blair, George Hill and Antonio McDyess. They've played well at times, but chemistry has been an issue.
"We had some important players not playing very well for a long time this season," Popovich said. "Sometimes the new players were catching the grief for that. That's just not fair. Everything has to go together, and your main players have to play well on any team to be successful. If that's not happening on a consistent basis, then it makes it even more difficult.
"It was a bad combination. We never really got the team put together the way we usually do. It's taken us about a month-and-a-half longer than usual to become a good basketball team. We're a pretty good basketball team right now, but there are seven or eight teams that are obviously playing better."
Duncan, a 12-time All-Star, remains a force and can still take over games. He had 15 points and 11 rebounds against the Heat.
Popovich said Ginobili, who has taken off since Parker got hurt, is the key for the Spurs. Ginobili had 22 points and five rebounds Tuesday.
"When he is Manu Ginobili, we are a significantly better basketball team, and he has been Manu Ginobili for the last month," Popovich said.
Even Jefferson is playing well of late. He has three games in a row with double figures in scoring after getting 15 points, eight rebounds and three assists against the Heat. He called the process of trying to fit in with the Spurs "an interesting season for me."
But do the Spurs have enough for another championship run? Can they win their fifth NBA title since Duncan joined the team in 1997-98 and first since sweeping Cleveland in 2007?
Sean Elliott, a former Spurs standout and now a TV analyst for the team, remains confident. He dismissed the notion that the dynasty is over.
"They've been saying that about us for a long time," said Elliott, who played for the first championship team. "They said that in 2007, and no one gave us a shot to win it that year. If we're all healthy and playing good basketball in the playoffs and somebody beats us, I think then people can say that."
Based on all the changes this season, the injuries and the tough opponents still ahead, it might be too hard for San Antonio to muster another championship run this spring. As Popovich said, everything doesn't stay the same forever.
March 16, 2010 By Jamey Eisenberg
http://www.cbssports.com/nba/story/13068886/spurs-showing-some-life-but-dont-have-that-championship-feel
MIAMI -- At least Richard Jefferson still has his sense of humor.
Before Tuesday's game, Jefferson joked that the only time in his life he ever considered quitting basketball was this season. It has been that tough for him.
Jefferson has been the focal point of the Spurs' struggles this season. He was added before the season in a trade with Milwaukee, and he was expected to turn the "Big Three" of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili into a bigger four and a championship contender.
But it hasn't worked out that way so far, and it's not only Jefferson's fault. The Spurs have dealt with injuries to Parker and Ginobili, struggled to integrate new players like Jefferson, and have lost the defensive edge that helped them win four championships since 1999.
It has led to the perception that the Spurs' dynasty is over.
"Everything doesn't stay the same forever," San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. "Sometimes you do better, sometimes you do worse."
Right now, Popovich is aware the Spurs are fighting their way out of the worst of times, and they don't scare teams like they used to. They entered this game in seventh place in the Western Conference, which would be their lowest seed in the playoffs since their dynasty started.
San Antonio, which has won the most games of any NBA team since 2000, can still turn things around, and the Spurs are known for being a dangerous second-half squad. They beat the Heat 88-76 Tuesday night for their fourth victory in a row and eighth in nine games, but the Spurs might not be championship caliber any more.
San Antonio (40-25) is 3-9 against the Lakers, Nuggets, Mavericks and Jazz, who are the top four teams in the West. This recent stretch of victories has come against the likes of the Clippers, Timberwolves, Knicks, Grizzlies and Hornets. The only teams the Spurs recently beat that are currently in the playoff picture are the Suns and Heat.
And it doesn't get any easier. The Spurs still have to play seven games against elite competition -- the Lakers (twice), Nuggets, Mavericks, Magic (twice) and Cavaliers.
"This is the best time for us to be playing quality basketball," Jefferson said. "You want to test yourself and prove yourself. We weren't playing good basketball early in the season. Now we have to make up for it."
This all comes with Parker out with a broken right hand, and he might not return until the start of the playoffs. He also dealt with hip and ankle injuries earlier this season. Ginobili has missed time with groin and hamstring injuries, and the Spurs never got in sync.
That's difficult when you lose key role players familiar with the system like Bruce Bowen and Kurt Thomas, who were dealt to Milwaukee as part of the Jefferson trade. (Bowen retired before the season.) The Spurs also decided to part ways with Michael Finley earlier this month, which was a sign that things were going bad.
Finley wanted to leave to play for -- get this -- a contender. He lost faith in the Spurs, and Popovich granted him the request to sign in Boston.
The Spurs have moved on and incorporated a new set of role players like Jefferson, DeJuan Blair, George Hill and Antonio McDyess. They've played well at times, but chemistry has been an issue.
"We had some important players not playing very well for a long time this season," Popovich said. "Sometimes the new players were catching the grief for that. That's just not fair. Everything has to go together, and your main players have to play well on any team to be successful. If that's not happening on a consistent basis, then it makes it even more difficult.
"It was a bad combination. We never really got the team put together the way we usually do. It's taken us about a month-and-a-half longer than usual to become a good basketball team. We're a pretty good basketball team right now, but there are seven or eight teams that are obviously playing better."
Duncan, a 12-time All-Star, remains a force and can still take over games. He had 15 points and 11 rebounds against the Heat.
Popovich said Ginobili, who has taken off since Parker got hurt, is the key for the Spurs. Ginobili had 22 points and five rebounds Tuesday.
"When he is Manu Ginobili, we are a significantly better basketball team, and he has been Manu Ginobili for the last month," Popovich said.
Even Jefferson is playing well of late. He has three games in a row with double figures in scoring after getting 15 points, eight rebounds and three assists against the Heat. He called the process of trying to fit in with the Spurs "an interesting season for me."
But do the Spurs have enough for another championship run? Can they win their fifth NBA title since Duncan joined the team in 1997-98 and first since sweeping Cleveland in 2007?
Sean Elliott, a former Spurs standout and now a TV analyst for the team, remains confident. He dismissed the notion that the dynasty is over.
"They've been saying that about us for a long time," said Elliott, who played for the first championship team. "They said that in 2007, and no one gave us a shot to win it that year. If we're all healthy and playing good basketball in the playoffs and somebody beats us, I think then people can say that."
Based on all the changes this season, the injuries and the tough opponents still ahead, it might be too hard for San Antonio to muster another championship run this spring. As Popovich said, everything doesn't stay the same forever.