Let's take a step back and realize where we're at right now

[SpursFan86]

11-1 record (tied for best in the NBA)
5-0 at home, 6-1 on the road (best in the NBA)
12th best offense in the league, 2nd best defense (allowing .5 points per 100 possessions more than #1 Indiana)
1st in SRS (for those who don't know about SRS: http://www.basketball-reference.com/about/glossary.html#srs )
best point differential in the league (+10)


We're doing all of this while Duncan is having one of his worst stretches of basketball in his career. Even if he doesn't get back to where he was last year (which, tbh, was an unrealistic expectation in the first place), he will certainly improve from where he's at now.

We finally aren't dealing with "back-up PG by committee" bullshit. Mills seems to have the spot locked up, and he's doing a damn solid job. In 186 minutes, he has only turned the ball over 7 times this year. He's playing with much improved defense, and his shot looks better than ever.

Diaw's newfound aggressiveness is paying off. He looks much better than last year.

Belinelli is definitely an improvement over Neal. Even if you aren't high on Belinelli, I have a hard time seeing an argument for Neal being better. Belinelli isn't Pippen, but he's sure as hell better than Neal defensively.

Splitter looks better than ever. He still is goes up like a pussy around the rim sometimes, but it's hard to complain when he's playing such great defense. He's holding opponents to 32% on attempts at the rim...that's 2nd best in the league for players who play more than 20 minutes per game.

Ginobili has been streaky, but at least he's not turning the damn ball over so much. He seems to have least gotten back his playmaking ability, which honestly is more important than his scoring IMO (especially now that Diaw/Mills/Belinelli seem to be good scorers).

Parker is playing about as good as he was last year, which is great news.

Kawhi looks better than he did last year. I still would like to see more from him though...he needs to be more aggressive. I'd like to see Pop run more plays through him.

Ayres seems to be getting more comfortable. I'm not completely sold on him, but I seriously doubt he'll be any worse than Blair. He plays better defense...that's for sure.

Bonner hasn't been getting as much playing time, which is fine with me. I'm all good for him being put in for certain situations/matchups, but I don't like when he's getting ~15 mpg.

I don't know about y'all, but I'm really liking the way things are going right now. It's still early and our schedule has been relatively easy (8th easiest in the league...Indiana has had the easiest, though, and Miami has had the 3rd easiest), but we're taking care of business. Once Duncan gets going, we're going to be seriously dangerous.

I'm excited to see how we play over the next week. 5 games in 7 days, including games OKC and vs. Houston. This will definitely be our biggest test of the season.

:toast

[benefactor]

:crynone of it means shit unless we win it all:cry

[Ibleedslvrnblk]

Often times people get their panties in a bunch because we did not get a certain player, or did not make some crazy move or hate on a player. Truth is that this organization is smart and has made moves that have always been of benefit to the team. Questionable to the couch coach but that is why they are exactly that. This team has the depth of the Horry/Pistons series and players who are stepping up when others are failing, Green zero points?! Oh so and so is soft, oh Manu is playoff Manu, gi Aryes was bad move cause he did not become a 10 and 10 guy right away etc give me a break. If you as a Spurs fan are not excited about what this team is doing and the possibilities, once again, then you will never be happy.

Everything you said is spot on. Belli has given Manu life and if one is off the other is on. Diaw, is great and a big factor to the success of this team, loved watching him in the summer championships with France.

Anyhow, Go Spurs Go, barring injury I don`t see anyone beating this team in the West and I don`t usually say those type of things this early as I am always a see what happens..

[Obstructed_View]

If Bonner could step in a hole and snap his ankle I'd feel much better about the team's prospects going forward.

[SpursFan86]

Yeah, obviously it's still very early and things are bound to change. I'm just pretty damn impressed with how things are going so far, as any Spurs fan should be IMO.

If someone told you we'd be 11-1 and have the 2nd best defense in the league while Duncan is having one of the worst slumps of his life, what would you have said? Probably something along the lines of "you're a dumbass".

[Cry Havoc]

The schedule's been pretty easy so far. Not too many signature wins. Memphis doesn't really even count considering they lost Gasol.

[hater]

nba teams are shit and tanking early.

[moisaenz]

one thing nobody is noticing is that Splitter is rebounding better.

[Baam]

nba teams are shit and tanking early.

Yeah while the 72-10 thread is crazy, this year the level is attrocious especially in the East, tanking has never been so hard, the Bucks are last and only like one win away from the 8th seed...


Often times people get their panties in a bunch because we did not get a certain player, or did not make some crazy move or hate on a player. Truth is that this organization is smart and has made moves that have always been of benefit to the team. Questionable to the couch coach but that is why they are exactly that. This team has the depth of the Horry/Pistons series and players who are stepping up when others are failing, Green zero points?! Oh so and so is soft, oh Manu is playoff Manu, gi Aryes was bad move cause he did not become a 10 and 10 guy right away etc give me a break. If you as a Spurs fan are not excited about what this team is doing and the possibilities, once again, then you will never be happy.

Everything you said is spot on. Belli has given Manu life and if one is off the other is on. Diaw, is great and a big factor to the success of this team, loved watching him in the summer championships with France.

Anyhow, Go Spurs Go, barring injury I don`t see anyone beating this team in the West and I don`t usually say those type of things this early as I am always a see what happens..

Imo Golden State, Portland and Okc are legit threats. Portland scored 250+ points in the last two games against the Spurs, I wouldn't underestimate these teams that have both great iso players and plenty of range... The GS series was closer that it looks now because that game 1 was so huge...

[TXstbobcat]

It's a great start to the season. Once Tim gets out of his slump, this team will really start rolling. 11-1 :flag:

[Obstructed_View]

one thing nobody is noticing is that Splitter is rebounding better.

I haven't really touched the issue because someone called him the best center in the NBA and I couldn't think of a good argument against it. It sounds ludicrous on its face but the team is really good on both ends when he's in the game.

[racm]

It's a great start to the season. Once Tim gets out of his slump, this team will really start rolling. 11-1 :flag:

4-6 from the field, hit a few Js...

[Darius McCrary]

If Bonner could step in a hole and snap his ankle I'd feel much better about the team's prospects going forward.
:lol I've never seen O_V ever post with such a tone unless it's about Bonner

[Obstructed_View]

:lol I've never seen O_V ever post with such a tone unless it's about Bonner

I'm not wishing for him to die, just wishing for him to require a walking boot to get to his expensive seat behind the bench.

I think I wished aloud for Keith Bogans to die, but I edited the post.

[Darius McCrary]

I'm not wishing for him to die, just wishing for him to require a walking boot to get to his expensive seat behind the bench.

I think I wished aloud for Keith Bogans to die, but I edited the post.
ROFL

I still like Bonner as a regular season win booster. He's good depth.

But if Ayers has potential to be a better rotation big defensively, and therefore the playoffs, he should be given the chance.

[jon123spurs]

9/10

[Sean Cagney]

I'm not wishing for him to die, just wishing for him to require a walking boot to get to his expensive seat behind the bench.

I think I wished aloud for Keith Bogans to die, but I edited the post.
I am with you I can't stand that RED HEAD FUCK and never could :lol

[Holden_Caulfield]

i would enjoy it if we were aiming for title six :cry :cry :cry

[Trainwreck2100]

If Bonner could step in a hole and snap his ankle I'd feel much better about the team's prospects going forward.

honestly we need to lose Ayres before bonner

[Splits]

Airs led the team in minutes tonight. That means.... something

[SpurPadre]

Yeah while the 72-10 thread is crazy, this year the level is attrocious especially in the East, tanking has never been so hard, the Bucks are last and only like one win away from the 8th seed...



Imo Golden State, Portland and Okc are legit threats. Portland scored 250+ points in the last two games against the Spurs, I wouldn't underestimate these teams that have both great iso players and plenty of range... The GS series was closer that it looks now because that game 1 was so huge...

Nah, it wasn't closer than it seems. We were lucky to win Game 1 but people tend to forget we blew Game 4, which we had under control for most of the game and let slip away in the fourth quarter. No disrespect to the Dubs as they gave us a tough battle for a 6 game series, though.

[ceperez]

11-1 record (tied for best in the NBA)
5-0 at home, 6-1 on the road (best in the NBA)
12th best offense in the league, 2nd best defense (allowing .5 points per 100 possessions more than #1 Indiana)
1st in SRS (for those who don't know about SRS: http://www.basketball-reference.com/about/glossary.html#srs )
best point differential in the league (+10)


We're doing all of this while Duncan is having one of his worst stretches of basketball in his career. Even if he doesn't get back to where he was last year (which, tbh, was an unrealistic expectation in the first place), he will certainly improve from where he's at now.

We finally aren't dealing with "back-up PG by committee" bullshit. Mills seems to have the spot locked up, and he's doing a damn solid job. In 186 minutes, he has only turned the ball over 7 times this year. He's playing with much improved defense, and his shot looks better than ever.

Diaw's newfound aggressiveness is paying off. He looks much better than last year.

Belinelli is definitely an improvement over Neal. Even if you aren't high on Belinelli, I have a hard time seeing an argument for Neal being better. Belinelli isn't Pippen, but he's sure as hell better than Neal defensively.

Splitter looks better than ever. He still is goes up like a pussy around the rim sometimes, but it's hard to complain when he's playing such great defense. He's holding opponents to 32% on attempts at the rim...that's 2nd best in the league for players who play more than 20 minutes per game.

Ginobili has been streaky, but at least he's not turning the damn ball over so much. He seems to have least gotten back his playmaking ability, which honestly is more important than his scoring IMO (especially now that Diaw/Mills/Belinelli seem to be good scorers).

Parker is playing about as good as he was last year, which is great news.

Kawhi looks better than he did last year. I still would like to see more from him though...he needs to be more aggressive. I'd like to see Pop run more plays through him.

Ayres seems to be getting more comfortable. I'm not completely sold on him, but I seriously doubt he'll be any worse than Blair. He plays better defense...that's for sure.

Bonner hasn't been getting as much playing time, which is fine with me. I'm all good for him being put in for certain situations/matchups, but I don't like when he's getting ~15 mpg.

I don't know about y'all, but I'm really liking the way things are going right now. It's still early and our schedule has been relatively easy (8th easiest in the league...Indiana has had the easiest, though, and Miami has had the 3rd easiest), but we're taking care of business. Once Duncan gets going, we're going to be seriously dangerous.

I'm excited to see how we play over the next week. 5 games in 7 days, including games OKC and vs. Houston. This will definitely be our biggest test of the season.

:toast
great observations. my sentiments exactly!

[Prime Time]

Duncan isn't the only one coasting, you can tell Parker/Leonard/Manu are taking a much smoother approach as well. Hell, the only players really pouring their heart out is just Patty Mills and Boris Diaw.

It's November Basketball and Spurs are showing it while taking care of business. 12-1 Baby

[TampaDude]

Duncan isn't the only one coasting, you can tell Parker/Leonard/Manu are taking a much smoother approach as well. Hell, the only players really pouring their heart out is just Patty Mills and Boris Diaw.

It's November Basketball and Spurs are showing it while taking care of business. 12-1 Baby

:toast

[Darkwaters]

If Bonner could step in a hole and snap his ankle I'd feel much better about the team's prospects going forward.

Harsh.

[Horse]

How can anyone not be happy with Ayers he took gaysol out, more than whataburger ever did.

[Obstructed_View]

honestly we need to lose Ayres before bonner

Honestly you need your fucking head examined. :)

EDIT: Smiley face added

[exstatic]

I'm not wishing for him to die, just wishing for him to require a walking boot to get to his expensive seat behind the bench.

I think I wished aloud for Keith Bogans to die, but I edited the post.

I think your wishes have some sort of opposite effect. Bogans got $5M from the Celtics this year to make that abortion of a trade with Brooklyn work.

[superbigtime]

I think your wishes have some sort of opposite effect. Bogans got $5M from the Celtics this year to make that abortion of a trade with Brooklyn work.

Man there are some ludicrous salaries in the league.

[SupremeGuy]

:crynone of it means shit unless we win it all:cryFuck, major truth bomb right here.

[TheGoldStandard]

The Spurs have had the luxury of being able to give Ayers minutes because they're in the driver seat most of the night they can have a few offensive screw ups. Defensively he's a bigger body than humpty dumpty but he's got a lot to learn.