Championship or bust for spurs fans?

[spursfaninla]

I enjoy watching the spurs. I am happy after any win, and more so after a playoff win. However, outside of a championship, I can only get so excited now in the playoffs. I think it will take us missing the playoffs for a few years to get me excited about making the playoffs or being happy about just advancing a round or two.

Given we have not been champions in over 5 years, is just making the playoffs meaningful, or even exciting as spurs fans? I deluded myself last year about our chances but was not surprised at the result.

[TXstbobcat]

I will still enjoy watching the spurs in the playoffs even if they are not the favorites to get to the finals. As a spurs fan, feel lucky to follow a team that has only missed the playoffs once since I started watching them in 1990.

[dbestpro]

Accepting failure is not part of my vernacular.

[Blake]

I thought it's been championship or bust every year since somewhere around 1996

[timtonymanu]

It's hard to watch players like Jefferson, Blair, and Bonner get so much playing time, but I still love watching the team no matter what. Watching Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili is worth a game, win or lose. Also add to that Tiago Splitter and Kawhi Leonard.

I've accepted the fact that this team is no longer a championship team. What bothers me about it is Pop isn't putting the best players out on the floor (Bonner/Blair over Splitter Jefferson over Leonard). I would rather the Spurs lose playing their best guys out there instead of thinking "What if?"

[therealtruth]

It's hard to watch players like Jefferson, Blair, and Bonner get so much playing time, but I still love watching the team no matter what. Watching Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili is worth a game, win or lose. Also add to that Tiago Splitter and Kawhi Leonard.

I've accepted the fact that this team is no longer a championship team. What bothers me about it is Pop isn't putting the best players out on the floor (Bonner/Blair over Splitter Jefferson over Leonard). I would rather the Spurs lose playing their best guys out there instead of thinking "What if?"

I think everyone pretty much wants them to play the best players. Tiago should have played last year. There's no way we lose to the Grizzlies with Tiago playing big minutes. In fact the team could probably have contended.

[ffadicted]

People who can't enjoy and love their team and the game unless they can win a championship make me puke

[Brutalis]

It's everything or nothing.

Who thinks Duncan is counting the trips to the playoffs or the rings?

[Blake]

People who can't enjoy and love their team and the game unless they can win a championship make me puke

/donald sterling

[Nathan89]

Championship or bust.

[DMC]

I would have quit years ago if it was championship or bust, long before we got our first.

[silverblackfan]

I would have quit years ago if it was championship or bust, long before we got our first.

This. I love when the team is playing their best ball and think they are contenders when they do. Otherwise, I like having the extra playoff games to extend my season as a fan.
You have no chance of winning it all, unless you make the playoffs.
Hope springs eternal.

[Obstructed_View]

I thought it's been championship or bust every year since somewhere around 1996

1991. We were just happy they had a chance to go to the conference finals in 1990. Though getting into the second round seemed like an accomplishment, the Spurs won enough games for people to believe they had a shot until David Robinson got quadruple teamed for 40 minutes a night.

[Blake]

1991. We were just happy they had a chance to go to the conference finals in 1990. Though getting into the second round seemed like an accomplishment, the Spurs won enough games for people to believe they had a shot until David Robinson got quadruple teamed for 40 minutes a night.

I guess Im really thinking 98 or 99 after the Spurs got Tim. I'm not sure anyone thought title or bust during the Jordan era.

I think the only other year that was title or bust year was Dave's mvp season.

[baseline bum]

Championship or bust is kind of a ridiculous philosophy to me, and it diminishes how hard an NBA title actually is to win when one thinks his team should take it every single season. With the monster teams the Spurs put together they still needed Rob's shot to drop in 05. Amare being a dumbass and running off the bench in 07 was another incredibly fortunate break that completely turned the tide of the series after the Suns got one of the 2 or 3 the biggest wins in their franchises history. Conversely, the Spurs got beaten by the ultimate fluke shot in 04. They should have eliminated Dallas and repeated in 06 but Manu acted like a moron on one possession. I don't view either of those two seasons as failures though, as the Dallas series in 06 was one for the ages. The 04 Spurs were one of the most complete defensive teams of alltime and would have been a great matchup in the Finals with one of the few teams that could be considered better on the defensive end. Hell, I thought the 08 season was great with the way they handled Shaq and rallied from down 0-2 to win game 7 on Chris Paul's homecourt. The 2010 upset of Dallas was awesome to see.

[Blake]

I definitely view 04 and 06 as busts.

They get a pass for the Manu/Tim injury years though, imo

[baseline bum]

Is 05 a bust if Rob's shot rims out? Lots of those seasons could go either way, and one good or bad break shouldn't make a season.

[jjktkk]

Championship or bust is kind of a ridiculous philosophy to me, and it diminishes how hard an NBA title actually is to win when one thinks his team should take it every single season. With the monster teams the Spurs put together they still needed Rob's shot to drop in 05. Amare being a dumbass and running off the bench in 07 was another incredibly fortunate break that completely turned the tide of the series after the Suns got one of the 2 or 3 the biggest wins in their franchises history. Conversely, the Spurs got beaten by the ultimate fluke shot in 04. They should have eliminated Dallas and repeated in 06 but Manu acted like a moron on one possession. I don't view either of those two seasons as failures though, as the Dallas series in 06 was one for the ages. The 04 Spurs were one of the most complete defensive teams of alltime and would have been a great matchup in the Finals with one of the few teams that could be considered better on the defensive end. Hell, I thought the 08 season was great with the way they handled Shaq and rallied from down 0-2 to win game 7 on Chris Paul's homecourt. The 2010 upset of Dallas was awesome to see.

Well said. Its been a helluva ride with the Spurs.

[Blake]

Is 05 a bust if Rob's shot rims out? Lots of those seasons could go either way, and one good or bad break shouldn't make a season.

How are we defining bust.

[baseline bum]

I define a bust as a lousy season that can't really be built off of, excusing seasons destroyed by major injuries (e.g., 2000 or 2009). For instance, 2001 was a complete bust because the team laid down and died when confronted with a major challenge and because the Derek Anderson experiment had awful results even before Howard ripped him arm out by the shoulder. By contrast, 2002 was a very hopeful year despite the Spurs getting outed in 5 by the Lakers. They gained an excellent point guard prospect in Parker and got the defensive star they needed once Sean Elliott's game was sabotaged by his kidney issues. Malik Rose really took a step forward in his game also. Not to mention Ginobili completely blowing up at Kinder Bologna. So while I was disappointed to not see the Spurs go all the way that year, it was hardly a bust.

[therealtruth]

Is 05 a bust if Rob's shot rims out? Lots of those seasons could go either way, and one good or bad break shouldn't make a season.

They don't necessarily lose if Rob's shot goes out. That was a 7 game series regardless.

[Cry Havoc]

Accepting failure is not part of my vernacular.

So you only care about a ring?


How about the joy of watching a perfect Tim Duncan bank shot?


How about the camaraderie that exists between our seasoned vets that have been playing with each other for a decade?


What about just, you know, appreciating good hard basketball like the whipping they put down on Atlanta last night?

Championship or bust is for front-runners and people who only care about winning. I love watching the Spurs play, regardless of whether or not they hoist at year's end.

[stephen jackson]

i think even when we really suck and timmy & manu leave, ill still be hoping for a championship in the back of my mind :(