Kori Ellis
06-21-2005, 05:55 AM
Spurs set example worth following
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
John Canzano
The Oregonian
http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/john_canzano/index.ssf?/base/sports/1119347813315010.xml&coll=7
SAN ANTONIO - Just the other night I had Spurs general manager R.C. Buford with his back against the wall. Literally. I mean, he was standing outside the San Antonio locker room, back against the bricks, so I walked up and popped the question:
"What's the secret?"
Then, I got ready to duck.
Because I figured the architect of the team now standing one win from its second NBA championship might glare at me. Or throw an elbow. Or tell me he wanted to tie me to a wheel and throw daggers at me. That's what magicians usually do, anyway.
So, well, yes, what is the secret to the Spurs' trick?
"Tim Duncan," Buford said.
Sounds good. Except for one little thing. Buford gave up the secret formula way too easily. And the Spurs were successful before Duncan's arrival. Also, Buford had the uncanny foresight to draft Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker. So I asked again, and something happened.
"Why would I give up my secret?" Buford said, smiling. "Why would I want to share that? It starts with Tim. But it's a philosophy. There's a lot to it."
So it was just the other day in Detroit that I had Spurs assistant P.J. Carlesimo on the telephone after practice. And since his mind was on basketball, I asked the most singular question that should be on the mind of a rebuilding franchise such as Portland:
"How did the Spurs do this?"
"It's not just Timmy," Carlesimo said. "I mean, Timmy buys into the philosophy and that helps because other guys follow, but it's more than that. And part of it is that ownership here has given a coaching staff time. The staff here has had 11 to 12 years to implement a philosophy. That helps.
"And what makes the philosophy different is that the things being preached here aren't rhetoric."
Now we're getting somewhere.
We'll come back to P.J. in a minute.
First, it was early in this series, between Games 1 and 2, that I stopped by the Spurs' off-day practice and watched them. They were running a four-man weave at the end of practice. Really working. Really moving. And then, immediately after that, on the eve of what was a monumental game, they ran liners.
Duncan was out front, working hard. Leading his heat, even. But halfway through, someone on the far end of the court shot past him and surged to the front. And Duncan, with those long legs, ran as hard as he could, looking over, but he couldn't stay with him.
It was Glenn Robinson, the bad apple.
"Contagious," someone said.
Maybe.
Now, understand, Duncan is a special player with a gifted attitude. Some guys get it. Some guys almost get it. He absolutely gets it.
But maybe it's plausible that his development as this all-around player with the perfect attitude and understanding was aided by the fact that he came into the league in a system that already had it together.
So while we're all wondering if the Spurs would be the Spurs without Duncan, maybe it's worth asking another question: Would Duncan be Duncan without the Spurs?
Don't answer yet.
Because Carlesimo is talking again.
"They were lucky enough to get David Robinson. And they also had Sean Elliott. Then, they got Timmy. That helps, but Pop (coach Gregg Popovich) has absolute control here. Top to bottom. And the players know that. That's why they buy in. Not just because of Timmy, even though it helps.
"When Pop says something, the difference between here and other places is that it's law. His word is the final word. And he has authority on personnel, and when he says we're going to play great team defense, it's not just rhetoric.
"You either buy in and play great team defense, or Pop gets you out of our way and finds someone else who will."
Buford has been the Spurs' scouting director, assistant general manager, and in 2002, became general manager. He's invested heavily in scouting in Europe. And in recent drafts he stole Parker and Ginobili, maybe with his "Moneyball"-style approach.
You understand why he doesn't want to share the secret.
You also see why the Blazers have devised a "Moneyball" formula of their own, and employed a mystery man with a background in statistics to help them implement it. And also, maybe it's a good thing that the Blazers hired Kevin Pritchard away from the Spurs and made him director of player personnel.
It seems the Blazers already are studying San Antonio.
Just the other day I contacted Blazers President Steve Patterson. I asked him what three factors he thought were most important to building a successful franchise.
Patterson's answers: 1) The organization has to be philosophically aligned; 2) Talent has to be balanced with character; 3) Compensate talent in line with performance in order to maintain cap flexibility.
And we're about to find out if it's rhetoric.
What were you saying again, R.C.?
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
John Canzano
The Oregonian
http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/john_canzano/index.ssf?/base/sports/1119347813315010.xml&coll=7
SAN ANTONIO - Just the other night I had Spurs general manager R.C. Buford with his back against the wall. Literally. I mean, he was standing outside the San Antonio locker room, back against the bricks, so I walked up and popped the question:
"What's the secret?"
Then, I got ready to duck.
Because I figured the architect of the team now standing one win from its second NBA championship might glare at me. Or throw an elbow. Or tell me he wanted to tie me to a wheel and throw daggers at me. That's what magicians usually do, anyway.
So, well, yes, what is the secret to the Spurs' trick?
"Tim Duncan," Buford said.
Sounds good. Except for one little thing. Buford gave up the secret formula way too easily. And the Spurs were successful before Duncan's arrival. Also, Buford had the uncanny foresight to draft Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker. So I asked again, and something happened.
"Why would I give up my secret?" Buford said, smiling. "Why would I want to share that? It starts with Tim. But it's a philosophy. There's a lot to it."
So it was just the other day in Detroit that I had Spurs assistant P.J. Carlesimo on the telephone after practice. And since his mind was on basketball, I asked the most singular question that should be on the mind of a rebuilding franchise such as Portland:
"How did the Spurs do this?"
"It's not just Timmy," Carlesimo said. "I mean, Timmy buys into the philosophy and that helps because other guys follow, but it's more than that. And part of it is that ownership here has given a coaching staff time. The staff here has had 11 to 12 years to implement a philosophy. That helps.
"And what makes the philosophy different is that the things being preached here aren't rhetoric."
Now we're getting somewhere.
We'll come back to P.J. in a minute.
First, it was early in this series, between Games 1 and 2, that I stopped by the Spurs' off-day practice and watched them. They were running a four-man weave at the end of practice. Really working. Really moving. And then, immediately after that, on the eve of what was a monumental game, they ran liners.
Duncan was out front, working hard. Leading his heat, even. But halfway through, someone on the far end of the court shot past him and surged to the front. And Duncan, with those long legs, ran as hard as he could, looking over, but he couldn't stay with him.
It was Glenn Robinson, the bad apple.
"Contagious," someone said.
Maybe.
Now, understand, Duncan is a special player with a gifted attitude. Some guys get it. Some guys almost get it. He absolutely gets it.
But maybe it's plausible that his development as this all-around player with the perfect attitude and understanding was aided by the fact that he came into the league in a system that already had it together.
So while we're all wondering if the Spurs would be the Spurs without Duncan, maybe it's worth asking another question: Would Duncan be Duncan without the Spurs?
Don't answer yet.
Because Carlesimo is talking again.
"They were lucky enough to get David Robinson. And they also had Sean Elliott. Then, they got Timmy. That helps, but Pop (coach Gregg Popovich) has absolute control here. Top to bottom. And the players know that. That's why they buy in. Not just because of Timmy, even though it helps.
"When Pop says something, the difference between here and other places is that it's law. His word is the final word. And he has authority on personnel, and when he says we're going to play great team defense, it's not just rhetoric.
"You either buy in and play great team defense, or Pop gets you out of our way and finds someone else who will."
Buford has been the Spurs' scouting director, assistant general manager, and in 2002, became general manager. He's invested heavily in scouting in Europe. And in recent drafts he stole Parker and Ginobili, maybe with his "Moneyball"-style approach.
You understand why he doesn't want to share the secret.
You also see why the Blazers have devised a "Moneyball" formula of their own, and employed a mystery man with a background in statistics to help them implement it. And also, maybe it's a good thing that the Blazers hired Kevin Pritchard away from the Spurs and made him director of player personnel.
It seems the Blazers already are studying San Antonio.
Just the other day I contacted Blazers President Steve Patterson. I asked him what three factors he thought were most important to building a successful franchise.
Patterson's answers: 1) The organization has to be philosophically aligned; 2) Talent has to be balanced with character; 3) Compensate talent in line with performance in order to maintain cap flexibility.
And we're about to find out if it's rhetoric.
What were you saying again, R.C.?