The Secret to the Spurs' Success

[duncan228]

The Secret to the Spurs' Success (http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/12/02/the-secret-to-the-spurs-success/)
By Bethlehem Shoals

The Spurs lost to the Clippers last night for the first time in a million years. Luckily for San Antonio, it didn't really register because Blake Griffin had left us all in shock.

More importantly, San Antonio is still the league's best team. Not in the usual, "those Spurs are sneaky, at some point they will hit their stride." This team is 15-3, running opponents out of the gym, and doing it as Tim Duncan gradually recedes. The retooling act continues -- except Duncan's aging was supposed to be the one variable the organization couldn't simply adjust around, or tinker with until they found a new sweet spot. Their franchise player was the cornerstone, and as the team's identity changed, he remained constant.

Keep Reading... (http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/12/02/the-secret-to-the-spurs-success/)

[99-03-05-07]

the secret is we had a horrible year and then hit the lottery(tim duncan). and 4 championships later we sit where were at now.

[Blake]

Duncan helped take the Spurs to new heights, and yet even he isn't essential. Nor should Spurs fans be measuring out how many years Manu has left. It might sound mystical, more suited to college ball than the pros, but at this point, the Spurs are the Spurs. This has been true for years; this season just happens to bring an especially dramatic reminder of it.

so basically "the Spurs are the Spurs with or without Duncan and/or Manu because they are the Spurs."

just stupid.

[maddnezz]

Tanking, is what they call it.Shave and a hair cut 2 bits!

[johnnyblues]

Tanking, is what they call it.

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g12/tackielarla/lettermanidiot.jpg

[Mav-elous Man]

the secret is we had a horrible year and then hit the lottery(tim duncan). and 4 championships later we sit where were at now.

You are the smartest Spurs fan ever!!! :toast

[SenorSpur]

Tanking, is what they call it.

Duncan has truly been a gift for the Spurs franchise.

Very similar to the sort of gift (Pau Gasol) that your Fakers franchise received, via special delivery, courtesy of former Grizzlies GM and HOF player (Jerry West).

Moral to the story:
If you live in a glass house, don't throw stones.

[99-03-05-07]

You are the smartest Spurs fan ever!!! :toast

o well thank you!!:toast

[rascal]

Everyone knows you guys tanked. Now that the party of officially over, you want to act like you did it the legit way. No, you tanked.

Robinson could have played towards the end of that season.
I was pulling for the tank because thats the only way the spurs could get star players, is through the draft.

[ShoogarBear]

lol, legit

http://thesportshernia.typepad.com/blog/images/2007/04/18/jerry_west_2.jpg

[jjktkk]

That man is the face of the NBA. Watch your mouth, son.

Or what, you gonna cast a magic 4 game losing streak spell on the Spurs?

[ShoogarBear]

That man is the face of the NBA. Watch your mouth, son.

More like the Two-Face Who Boned Memphis, but whatever.

[sananspursfan21]

More importantly, San Antonio is still the league's best team.

this. im not really concerned about last nights loss. i kinda saw it coming. i still think the spurs are playing the best ball right now and this game was no big thang

[Spurminator]

Would have been pretty stupid to bring Robinson back and risk further injury when the Playoffs were out of the question.

Oh, and lol legit +1

[Vito Corleone]

Lakers have been gifted how many titles because it's good for the NBA to have them good?

The Lakers need to change their name to the Sterns, he is your best player.

[Gutter92]

Everyone knows you guys tanked. Now that the party of officially over, you want to act like you did it the legit way. No, you tanked.

Prove it, son.

[SenorSpur]

Everyone knows you guys tanked. Now that the party of officially over, you want to act like you did it the legit way. No, you tanked.

:lol

As if Pau Gasol trade wasn't the result of a deliberate tank by the Grizzlies, all orchestrated with an assist from a former Faker, turned-Grizzlies GM. Being a hot property, the Grizzlies were offered packages that were either the equivalent or better, but West only made Gasol available to his former organization. That sham of a trade was the equivalent of the Indians selling Manhattan for a song. It ended up in a considerable money dump for the Grizz and we know how it turned out for the Fakers.

The Spurs good fortune was not as easy as you try to make it sound. They had only the second worst record in the NBA that season and still had to emerge as the winners of a freaking ping-pong ball lottery! While the Fakers good fortune in the Gasol deal, was the direct result of their former GM doing them a solid. In case you have forgotten, there were no competitors in the Gasol trade, because West and the Grizz dealt exclusively with the Fakers - and no one else.

C'mon Luva, get over your elitist attitude, man.

[LoneStarState'sPride]

When the commish himself is on record saying his dream NBA Finals would be "lakers vs. the lakers," you really have NO room to talk about tanking, IMO.

[arodz]

Michael J. Fox??

http://www.flix66.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Secret-of-my-success.jpg

[jag]

To me the Spurs' identity was established during the early 90's with Robinson. It's hard for me to see it any other way.

[purist]

Duncan was a fortunate gift that allowed and expedited the emergence of the present-day Spurs. Robinson had a hand in it, btt with or without Duncan, it was Popovich with the buy-in from owner Peter Holt that articulated the transition in culture of the Spurs. Even in that so-called "tank" year, when Pop took over from Bob Hill there was a discernible difference in how the team played. That team played with more energy and with more purpose although it didnt' result in wins. Prior to Pop, there was no such thing as "the Spurs way."

[99-03-05-07]

Everyone knows you guys tanked. Now that the party of officially over, you want to act like you did it the legit way. No, you tanked.

even if we did tank it, which we didn't, we weren't guaranteed the first pick in the draft