hitmantb
12-17-2013, 08:56 PM
Some of you guys are just too spoiled by Spurs success during the Duncan era. I dare you name ONE team that won three titles with bargain bin parts like Parker (late first round), Ginobili (second round) and role players surrounding one tier 1 player. Look at the stats of the Spurs players last a few seasons, individually they were really really weak!
With the exceptions of Pistons (they did not have a tier 1 star, but they had 3-4 tier 2 stars) who got lucked out against Lakers in strife, you need at least one player top 3 in the league, and at least another in the top 10 to win a title. Last year Spurs got extremely close because Danny Green of all people got possessed and played like a finals MVP for five games. And Popvich had to take a lot of risk with rosters to get there. Sometimes it backfires but most of the times it works, every now and then you get someone like Green doing more than what anyone imagined and allows your team to overachieve.
Seriously, if Pop/Duncan got Phil Jackson rosters and big markets they would have won so much more. Be grateful what they managed to do in a small market and always contended, until super teams like Celtics (the title team with big three still near prime), Lakers (Gasol/Artest theft), Thunder (what a scary roster with Durant/Westbrook/Harden) and Heat (super friends) started to pop up left and right. For everyone who is laughing at Brooklyn Nets today, my prediction is if fully healthy they would beat Spurs as well simple because their roster is so incredible stacked. Cuban eventually bought enough talents to win a title, the Russian will eventually buy a ring as well, just watch. Cash rules everything around me, NBA is no exception. If the owner has deep pockets and has a good GM to make aggressive deals, he is going to win a title eventually. Just imagine what Spurs front office would be able to do if they are in Brooklyn. It is incredibly hard when you can not land any tier 1 free agents ever!
With Duncan regressing, Parker overstretched himself from summer games, Green took a gigantic step backward, and Leonard not stepping up, it is amazing where Spurs is today standing wise. They are a second round exit with the way they are today, but it is only December we can only hope they are holding back and will figure it out. I have never seen a team that lost every game against top teams in regular season, and ended up winning it all. Regular season does mean something especially after all star break when you really need to start building momentum.
Give credit! Coaches with more success than Pop have vastly superior rosters, and even then they don't have the same longevity. Just look at Utah without Sloan, that is where Spurs will be in a few years.
With the exceptions of Pistons (they did not have a tier 1 star, but they had 3-4 tier 2 stars) who got lucked out against Lakers in strife, you need at least one player top 3 in the league, and at least another in the top 10 to win a title. Last year Spurs got extremely close because Danny Green of all people got possessed and played like a finals MVP for five games. And Popvich had to take a lot of risk with rosters to get there. Sometimes it backfires but most of the times it works, every now and then you get someone like Green doing more than what anyone imagined and allows your team to overachieve.
Seriously, if Pop/Duncan got Phil Jackson rosters and big markets they would have won so much more. Be grateful what they managed to do in a small market and always contended, until super teams like Celtics (the title team with big three still near prime), Lakers (Gasol/Artest theft), Thunder (what a scary roster with Durant/Westbrook/Harden) and Heat (super friends) started to pop up left and right. For everyone who is laughing at Brooklyn Nets today, my prediction is if fully healthy they would beat Spurs as well simple because their roster is so incredible stacked. Cuban eventually bought enough talents to win a title, the Russian will eventually buy a ring as well, just watch. Cash rules everything around me, NBA is no exception. If the owner has deep pockets and has a good GM to make aggressive deals, he is going to win a title eventually. Just imagine what Spurs front office would be able to do if they are in Brooklyn. It is incredibly hard when you can not land any tier 1 free agents ever!
With Duncan regressing, Parker overstretched himself from summer games, Green took a gigantic step backward, and Leonard not stepping up, it is amazing where Spurs is today standing wise. They are a second round exit with the way they are today, but it is only December we can only hope they are holding back and will figure it out. I have never seen a team that lost every game against top teams in regular season, and ended up winning it all. Regular season does mean something especially after all star break when you really need to start building momentum.
Give credit! Coaches with more success than Pop have vastly superior rosters, and even then they don't have the same longevity. Just look at Utah without Sloan, that is where Spurs will be in a few years.