Are the Spurs peaking too early?

[Uriel]

There are still 13 games left to play in the regular season, and 3 months of basketball left until June. Yet, it seems as if the Spurs are already hitting their stride and playing their best basketball of the season.

2 years ago, in 2012, we also peaked at around this time last year and wound up winning 20 straight. But then we lost Game 3 in the WCF against OKC, and the team's entire rhythm collapsed. We were never able to recover.

Last year, however, we actually came into the playoffs slumping badly, going a pedestrian 10-10 over our last 20 games. But we ended up gathering momentum in the first round against the Lakers and peaking right around June, where we made it all the way to Game 7 of the NBA Finals.

[Kidd K]

I actually don't think we've peaked tbh. We can still get an extra 5-10% out of them.

I would like if it this was happening a tad later. . .but I doubt this team will ever get too big a hard on after how the last 3 seasons played out. I'm not worried about them mentally tbh. Just hoping they get and stay 100% healthy by the 2nd round.

[timtonymanu]

Parker still doesn't look himself. Duncan is struggling on his jumpshot. Don't even think we've peaked yet.

[jkid12456]

No, they aren't. i can see they put about 90% of their potential in these reg games of recent. Even if they do peak now, it is the right time for the the playoffs, to shake off the rust and gain chemistry with a healthy full team which just happened recently

[SpursFan86]

It's not like we played great tonight. Diaw/Mills played HORRIBLE. Leonard and Parker played decent. We were without Duncan/Ginobili.

If this team is healthy and has HCA throughout the entire playoffs, I like our chances. It won't be easy, but we have as good of a shot as anyone IMO.

[313]

This isn't like 2012, I don't know why people keep making the comparison.

As far as peaking too early, I don't think so. We're not winning because of flukey shooting, but with good defense and playing Spurs basketball.

[ElNono]

I think they're finally honing in on the defensive side, and taking advantage of the easy schedule in general... finally everyone is healthy, so great timing, tbh

[Ditty]

No. They can play a lot better at times.

[KawhiLeonard]

Honestly we aren't even close to peaking. Parker hasn't played to his all star level. Duncan has been a little inconsistent on offense. Kawhi can still go to another level.

[SanDiegoSpursFan]

I don't think the peak is here, every team they've played just sucked. And I think this year's Spurs are much better on defense and aren't quite as reliant on being on a roll or being hot.

[Leetonidas]

Spurs haven't played anywhere near as good as they can yet tbh like Nono said it's a combo of the team returning to health and having a relatively easy schedule. Still haven't peaked imo

[Assman]

Yes. I would much rather them lose every other game just so the fans don't think they're peaking during the regular season.

[PingPong]

Since Enrique said it, the Spurs had two horrible games.

[ElNono]

I don't think the peak is here, every team they've played just sucked. And I think this year's Spurs are much better on defense and aren't quite as reliant on being on a roll or being hot.

ehhhh... Warriors are a good team... they just don't matchup well with us. You don't win 44 games sucking.

We also had solid wins against Miami, Chicago on the road, Portland...

[Horry Hipcheck]

No. They've strung together 13 wins with a lot of help from a cupcake stretch of games of late and a few good games from the role players. They've looked dominant by playing decent against a lot of bad teams or a lot of okay teams playing poorly. This is hardly these Spurs at their peak.

In any case, Pop's pushing the Big 3 a little harder than usual this time of year. OKC, Miami, and Indiana are slipping and this team wants HCA.

[Spursfanfromafar]

They are simply the best "team" out there. When all are healthy, they are just better than the rest except the individually more talented Heat and the more athletic Thunder. They just have to stay healthy and integrate everyone in the process oriented approach. Will do them good against Thunder and the Heat.

[jkid12456]

we need to figure out how to play OKC and rockets, how do we beat em??

[SanDiegoSpursFan]

ehhhh... Warriors are a good team... they just don't matchup well with us. You don't win 44 games sucking.

We also had solid wins against Miami, Chicago on the road, Portland...
Sucked (compared to the Spurs) :hat

[Arcadian]

I can see why one would be worried after what happened in 2012. But that is precisely why I'm not worried - because our guys will never feel secure after what they've been through. They're not going to lose focus and fall apart. After the 2013 finals, this team should be one of the most motivated teams in history.

[SpursFan86]

We beat Miami by 24, Portland on the 2nd night of a back-to-back, Chicago on the road, Dallas (who is a good team, we just have their number), and Golden State on the road and on the 2nd night of a back-to-back.

Our average margin of victory during this 13 game win streak is 15 points. Everyone has easy stretches in their schedule...not everyone goes on 13 game winning streaks where they're blowing everyone out.

And btw, this team is much different than the 2012 squad. We weren't elite defensively in 2012. We were giving Bonner, Neal, and Blair meaningful minutes lol. Kawhi played under 30 mpg in the playoffs. Green wasn't a legitimately good defender. A lot has changed.

[pgardn]

Belinelli (huge addition), Mills (improved) Diaw (fully integrated), Manu (rested; no national team)

We are a better team. I have no doubt.
But as always, it's match ups in the playoffs.

What are the Vegas odds? Don't take us now, wait till we suckagame.

[jARS mEsH sEt]

Belinelli (huge addition), Mills (improved) Diaw (fully integrated), Manu (rested; no national team)

We are a better team. I have no doubt.
But as always, it's match ups in the playoffs.

What are the Vegas odds? Don't take us now, wait till we suckagame.

To win the championship? Vegas odds right now are:

1) Heat (2.4)
2) Pacers (3.5)
3) Spurs (5)
4) Thunder (5.5)
5) Clippers (10)
6) Rockets (18)
7) Warrioprs (30)
8) Blazers (45)
9) Nets (50)
...
30) Nuggets (9999)

The lower the number, the more confidence Vegas has in the team.

[jARS mEsH sEt]

Vegas thinks we'll win the western conference by a hair over OKC

1) Spurs (2.4)
2) OKC (2.5)

[pgardn]

We would be more likely to beat Miami or Indiana than get out of the West IMO.


Yes I know it's not the correct order of operations.

Lotta eastern money at play since the Lakers are a void.

[SupremeGuy]

We haven't peaked, so no.

[Chinook]

The only player peaking is Splitter. People may not believe it, but the team still has a couple of notches on their ratchet.

[LoneStarState'sPride]

Haven't peaked.

Winning streak =/= peaking.

Plus, as others have stated, even if we WERE "peaking" right now, I'm not worried one iota about the mental fortitude of this team. They've seen how it can all fall apart, so they're motivated to disallow that from happening.

If we get beat, we get beat, but it won't be due to "peaking" too early, IMHO.

[still.focused]

I think Pop still player Ayers to keep the team from performing optimally
Heel get no PT the last 5-8 games and Spurs will rip thru the POs and Finals
Its all in the plan mayne!

[Mikeanaro]

No, I dont think so, anyway a team could start peaking at the first round and collapse in the conference finals or even the finals so is not about peaking... its about how long can you sustain that high note, Portland was peaking since game 1 holding the note 50 something games so I like our chances.

[HI-FI]

We beat Miami by 24, Portland on the 2nd night of a back-to-back, Chicago on the road, Dallas (who is a good team, we just have their number), and Golden State on the road and on the 2nd night of a back-to-back.

Our average margin of victory during this 13 game win streak is 15 points. Everyone has easy stretches in their schedule...not everyone goes on 13 game winning streaks where they're blowing everyone out.

And btw, this team is much different than the 2012 squad. We weren't elite defensively in 2012. We were giving Bonner, Neal, and Blair meaningful minutes lol. Kawhi played under 30 mpg in the playoffs. Green wasn't a legitimately good defender. A lot has changed.
+1


this Spurs' team is definitely not at its peak. Tonight's game was really ugly yet they kept plugging away, guys stepped in and stepped up.
HCA is great and within reach, but health is everything to me. D. Verde said it best, getting guys healthy and in rhythm is what matters.

[Old School 44]

No...It's still March and everyone knows SPAM!

[SequSpur]

WADA

[wildbill2u]

Did Miami peak too early in 2013 with a 27 game win streak that ended in March? Some folks over think basketball, looking for answers to non-existant problems in tea leaves, the entrails of sheep, or their own limited knowledge of professional basketball.

If there is ever a coach who takes each individual game as its own dynamic, it's Pop and the players buy into it. Witness his shrugging off the possibility of ending the season with home advantage in all playoff series by resting the Big 3 and limiting their minutes no matter what is the circumstances or who they are playing.

[Baam]

It's only a question because Pop used that as his answer for the 2012 elimination, which looking back was pretty weak... So I'd say no.

[Horse]

We can and will get even better. Didn't even show up against the lakers and won. Shot horrible against the kings and won by 20. Won easy last night without Duncan or Manu. This looks like the best team in the nba.

[N0 LyF3 ScRuB]

We had a brief peak around the time we beat Miami.. but it seems like we aren't quite on that level consistently. We've had two straight nights shooting horribly.. But how we've won them both speaks volumes.

[PÒÓCH]

Are you suffering from premature epeakulation?

[dunkman]

Vegas knows best, tbh.

[DesignatedT]

What a stupid poll

[xmas1997]

Hope not.

[SpurSwag]

This is a really good argument, but I'm going to say no. Duncan can still play a lot better, which I expect he will come post season. It's still up in the air whether Parker is still coasting or not, but he definitely has room to ramp it up come playoff time. Danny's 3 point stroke could stand to be more consistent on a night to night basis, though he's definitely getting there. Kawhi looks great though, so does Tiago who has definitely learned to be a more aggressive finisher.

[superbigtime]

Spurs can play alot better. Theyre rounding into form though.

[Sean Cagney]

This isn't like 2012, I don't know why people keep making the comparison.

As far as peaking too early, I don't think so. We're not winning because of flukey shooting, but with good defense and playing Spurs basketball.
^^^^^^

[Budkin]

Tbh even though we're on this streak it doesn't feel like we're peaking

[exstatic]

Vegas knows best, tbh.

Vegas knows shit. Their line is designed to have money come down equally. That means it's based on the bets of ordinary schmoes who are spoon fed crap by ESPN, and lap it up like caviar.

[heyheymymy]

still build up a perfect steam coasting but ramping up the effort little by little and forecast to peak at just the right time deep in the playoffs.

perfect timing is the focus after losing last year by so close.

[#2!]

To me there are a few individual performers that could get better. I'd add Diaw to that list. His shooting has been off, although even when it's on he's not spectacular. The Spurs need him to be able to hit threes at least at the league average (34%ish) to keep the defense honest. Plus when he's a threat to hit outside jumpers and threes his drives to the basket open up. That's the key to his game because he has the skillset to both make the layup or dish out on the move. It might be overblowing it a bit, but honestly Boris's individual game really encompasses what the Spurs overall offensive scheme wants to be. Not inside-out or outside-in, but a perfect relationship in which the both the drives and the perimeter shooting are constantly helping each other to function.

As a whole, the looks as though they could be playing at a faster tempo.

[Raven]

Diaw, Green and Spiltter have been nothing short of illegal for long stretches since Green came back, it's hard to say they are not peaking. Nothing looked fluky though, so i believe they can keep this level of play. The amount of wide open threes will steadily decrease in the play offs though.

[exstatic]

The Spurs aren't anywhere near their peak. Apparently, while the defense is locked in, we can't shoot the rock away from the ATT Center. That'll have to be cleaned up.

[BoricuaSpursFan]

They will peak, when they give Jeff Ayres 0 minutes.

[look_at_g_shred]

The spurs should've been this good as soon as the calendar hit January. They're not peaking too early and playing their best b-ball of the season. Just sit back and enjoy it. Stop worrying about it. Losing a game now does not eliminate us from the playoffs.

[exstatic]

The spurs should've been this good as soon as the calendar hit January. They're not peaking too early and playing their best b-ball of the season. Just sit back and enjoy it. Stop worrying about it. Losing a game now does not eliminate us from the playoffs.

Spurs WERE playing pretty well in January, until Danny went out, and Kawhi went out, and Tiago went out, and Manu went out...and, you get the idea.

[Uriel]

:wakeup

[jimbo]

Did Miami peak too early in 2013 with a 27 game win streak that ended in March? Some folks over think basketball, looking for answers to non-existant problems in tea leaves, the entrails of sheep, or their own limited knowledge of professional basketball.

If there is ever a coach who takes each individual game as its own dynamic, it's Pop and the players buy into it. Witness his shrugging off the possibility of ending the season with home advantage in all playoff series by resting the Big 3 and limiting their minutes no matter what is the circumstances or who they are playing.

Well, yeah. They struggled during the playoffs and let Danny Green become the best 3 point shooter in Finals history.

[TE]

:wakeup
No we aren't. Still a long ways to go defensively. However there are certain players in a rhythm shooting wise but that's what they do imo.

[Mel_13]

Popovich isn't exactly the biggest fan of long winning streaks saying, "Maybe this comes too easy. Losing is not a bad thing at this point of the year."

http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=400489957

[Mugen]

the April schedule is brutal tbh. There's no way they don't get at least a couple of losses during that stretch. the first round opponent shouldn't pose much threat so they'll have some time to amp it up again before the 2nd round.

[dg7md]

No, you need at least a few months of great play to keep a streak into the playoffs. If we did this in January, then yes, it'd be too early, but after March and it's a solid time to play your best until the playoffs.

I still think we can play better, Duncan and Parker haven't been at their best. Our bench though, is playing their hearts out. They need to continue that if we want to advance to win the Finals.

[RD2191]

Who cares, I still say we flame out in the 2nd. Just enjoy the wins and especially Tim and Manu.

[Sean Cagney]

Tbh even though we're on this streak it doesn't feel like we're peaking

No you are correct, they are playing some damn good bball though to say the least during this streak! I still feel they have another level though.

[TE]

Who cares, I still say we flame out in the 2nd. Just enjoy the wins and especially Tim and Manu.
Against who? The Rockets?

A part of me entertains this idea for the sole reason that I think we rely too much on depth and role players...people are going to have to step up, the big three aren't going to do it alone......they need a little help from their friends imo

[RD2191]

Against who? The Rockets?

A part of me entertains this idea for the sole reason that I think we rely too much on depth and role players...people are going to have to step up, the big three aren't going to do it alone......they need a little help from their friends imo

Yes, and the fact that Harden can get to the line at will. I'm also more worried about the defense than offense. We picked it up last year though so I guess we'll see what happens.

[Uriel]

This is the very definition of peaking, tbh.

450794765190066176

[Mugen]

:lol damn the Spurs for being too dominant tbh

[playbonner15]

So are they peaking too early?

[DesignatedT]

Lol 1 seed is all but locked up. Of course they're going to take their foot off the gas. Especially when all they hear around them is nothing but injury concerns.

[TheGreatYacht]

Fuck....

[Darius McCrary]

Yep..

[TheGreatYacht]

Wtf happened to "the others"

[therealtruth]

Is it the same team?

[Uriel]

:wakeup

[Uriel]

:lol OP thinking Spurs peaked too early