San Antonio Spurs Mid-Season Report Card | NBA.com

[honestfool84]

http://www.nba.com/reportcard/midseason/2011/spurs/

http://img713.imageshack.us/img713/7446/reportrk.jpg

[Sec24Row7]

Spurs have the 6th rated D... they get a B...

Lakers get a B+ at 7...

Mavericks get a A- at 10th...

I'm all for the Spurs improving their D... but jesus... use something as a basis for your grading hah...

[Cry Havoc]

How the Bulls can be anything other than an A or an A+ with the injuries they've had and the brutal schedule is baffling. An A- isn't bad but damn, that's still pretty harsh.

[Rummpd]

And a solid F for their first half of a game the 2nd half of the year.

[buttsR4rebounding]

How the Bulls can be anything other than an A or an A+ with the injuries they've had and the brutal schedule is baffling. An A- isn't bad but damn, that's still pretty harsh.

I am surprised how little love the Bulls are getting. They are rarely mentioned with Chicago, Miami and Orlando in the East. They actually have the best defense in the league so far. When you combine that with Rose and Boozer you have a recipe for beating anyone in a 4 game series.

[Rummpd]

And a solid F for their first half of a game the 2nd half of the year.

But a B+ for the 2nd half -not pretty at times but defense solid and nice win - last year the SAS would have surely lost that kind of game and 5-6 others by now in a similar fashion and be sitting in the pack in the West: this year the relentless Spurs seem never are out of game unless Pop caves ala NYK. Credit in particular Blair and Neal last PM plus Manu/Dice did their things (including an older version of skywalker Diceman on 2 dunks)

[fyatuk]

I am surprised how little love the Bulls are getting. They are rarely mentioned with Chicago, Miami and Orlando in the East. They actually have the best defense in the league so far. When you combine that with Rose and Boozer you have a recipe for beating anyone in a 4 game series.

I would think the Bulls are often mentioned in the same sentence as Chicago. Normally right after....

[honestfool84]

:lol

[duncan228]

NBA Midseason Grades (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/britt_robson/01/19/midseason.grades/index.html)
Britt Robson
SI.com

A+ San Antonio Spurs They are on a 70-win pace without a viable MVP candidate -- now that's a team. Everyone has a specific role but is expected to be proficient in other areas. Manu Ginobili is a premier closer, and Tim Duncan and Tony Parker have postseason game-winners on their résumé, but no one is surprised if the likes of Gary Neal and Matt Bonner are called on to take the big shot. Much has been made, with good reason, of the Spurs' up-tempo reforms on offense, but two other things to keep in mind: In the Gregg Popovich/Duncan era, the Spurs have almost always improved in the second half by tightening their defense; and they're running away with the NBA's best record despite little production from rookies James Anderson (who played six games before breaking his foot) and Tiago Splitter, and the fact that Richard Jefferson's much-ballyhooed renaissance has been mostly hype.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/britt_robson/01/19/midseason.grades/index.html

*********************


A few other unofficial midseason awards (http://nba-point-forward.si.com/2011/01/20/a-few-other-unofficial-midseason-awards/#)
Zach Lowe
The Point Forward
SI.com

...SURPRISE TEAM

1. San Antonio Spurs

I had the Spurs among my five title contenders (http://nba-point-forward.si.com/2010/10/13/key-questions-for-the-five-title-contenders/) when the season opened, but 36-6? The second-best offense in the league? Forty percent three-point shooting? No one expected this.


...BEST OFFSEASON ACQUISITIONS … SO FAR

Honorable mention:

• The Spurs unearthed Gary Neal.


...BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK (among non-rookie deals)

2. Gary Neal

Of course the Spurs found an undrafted, high-volume, 40 percent three-point shooter in the Vegas summer league. Of course they signed him to a three-year, minimum-salary deal. And of course he’s played his way into Gregg Popovich’s playoff rotation.

http://nba-point-forward.si.com/2011/01/20/a-few-other-unofficial-midseason-awards/#

[Mel_13]

Charley Rosen:

SAN ANTONIO SPURS: Kudos to Pop for opening up the offense and saving the physical demands of TD’s post-up battles for the playoffs.
GRADE: A+

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/Miami-heat-get-an-f-on-midterm-report-card-011911

[jestersmash]

Charley Rosen:

SAN ANTONIO SPURS: Kudos to Pop for opening up the offense and saving the physical demands of TD’s post-up battles for the playoffs.
GRADE: A+

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/Miami-heat-get-an-f-on-midterm-report-card-011911

Given the way he's grading teams, an A+ is almost somewhat of an insult for the Spurs. I'd rate the Spurs an A-/B+ at best overall. If we're just talking offensive prowess, the Spurs get an A+ hands down. I don't think the overall defensive efficiency of the first half is any indication of how good the defense will be come playoff time.

Giving the now 30-13 Heat an F while they are riddled with injuries is far too generous. I'd give the Heat a C+/B- according to Rosen's metric.

[Sean Cagney]

Given the way he's grading teams, an A+ is almost somewhat of an insult for the Spurs. I'd rate the Spurs an A-/B+ at best overall. If we're just talking offensive prowess, the Spurs get an A+ hands down. I don't think the overall defensive efficiency of the first half is any indication of how good the defense will be come playoff time.

Giving the now 30-13 Heat an F while they are riddled with injuries is far too generous. I'd give the Heat a C+/B- according to Rosen's metric.

I agree......

[timtonymanu]

Given the way he's grading teams, an A+ is almost somewhat of an insult for the Spurs. I'd rate the Spurs an A-/B+ at best overall. If we're just talking offensive prowess, the Spurs get an A+ hands down. I don't think the overall defensive efficiency of the first half is any indication of how good the defense will be come playoff time.

Giving the now 30-13 Heat an F while they are riddled with injuries is far too generous. I'd give the Heat a C+/B- according to Rosen's metric.

According to this guy, the Hornets and Knicks have been playing better than Boston. Really?

[jestersmash]

According to this guy, the Hornets and Knicks have been playing better than Boston. Really?

No, his grades aren't meant to be comparative. A "C" means you have lived up to your expectations.

Giving the Spurs an "A+," he's essentially suggesting that the Spurs have played to their full potential this season and physically can't play any better than they already have. I'd say he's wrong, particularly when it comes to defense. I don't think our defense has peaked by any stretch of the imagination.

Giving Boston a B and the Spurs an A+, and given that Boston and SA have virtually identical records, Rosen is suggesting that Boston playing to their full potential > Spurs playing to their full potential, which I actually have no problem with.

I don't mind Rosen giving Boston a "B" according to his metric. But the Heat an F...really? He thinks the Heat have been playing just shit awful basketball and managed a 30-13 record. I think that's being far too generous for the Heat. They deserve a grade lower than C. An "F" is too much, though.

Given that the Heat have a good record, Rosen's kooky method of grading means he is complimenting the Heat by giving them as low a grade as possible.

[jestersmash]

I just noticed Rosen was contradictory with his grading of Atlanta.


These grades are not meant to be comparative. Instead, they are designed to evaluate how each team is measuring up to preseason expectations. So a C-rated team is playing approximately the way it should be playing. An A-rated team is performing way above expectations. And so on.


ATLANTA HAWKS: Still erratic and underachieving. Still struggling to live up to their potential. Looks like they’ll never get there.
GRADE: C

You'd think he'd give Atlanta a D+/D- given his comments. Who knows what he's thinking.