Win or lose, everyone should be proud of this team

[hitmantb]

No superstar, and a bunch of unproven role players. This team massively overachieved, which has led to spoiled fans such as yourself developing unrealistic expectations.

Make no mistake. This team isn't soft, and they're very mentally tough. They just don't have as much elite talent and athleticism as other playoff teams.

Wow, thank you!

Spurs fans are THE most spoiled fans in the NBA.

We don't have a superstar in his prime to attract free agents anymore (not even Horry, Bowen's of the world, forget about LeBron/Harden/Howard's, and before you say anything I guarantee you Rockets would be a strong contender with Popovich replacing McHale to play with the same deck of cards), no one wants to play in a small market, and the team massively overachieved last year getting as close to the title as they did and came right back with the best record in the NBA despite a crushing defeat. Heck even Mav's has a better 1-2 punch than the Spurs! Dirk/Ellis > Duncan/Parker at this stage of their careers.

Spurs talent is nowhere near Heat/Thunder or even Rockets/Blazers(you will see in the next round if you get there), it beats these teams with mental toughness and great team work. But if these other teams develop mental toughness and team work like Thunder suddenly did in 2012 after two losses? Spurs has no chance! It saddened me to see Thunder regressed into their game 1 and 2 form against the Heat that year. The version that showed up against the Spurs in 3-6 would have won the title.

Talent wins championships, outside of 1999 with David Robinson still at the tail end of his prime, and maybe 2005 when Ginobili was at peak of his power with legendary role players like Bowen/Horry, Spurs just never had top talents. Even the 0.4 was really because the Lakers had vastly superior talents. Duncan made a super lucky shot and Fisher canceled it out. We got reverse swept because the other team figured out how to stop Parker and that was that.

It is end of the GDP era, I am enjoying every game of Duncan knowing this will be a lottery team for the foreseeable future. Anything they win is a bonus and should not be taken for granted.

[baseline bum]

LOL being proud if they blow the series to a much less talented 8-seed after playing like shit the entire series.

:cry Everyone's a winner :cry
:cry We got our participation ribbon :cry

http://www.athleticawards.com/images/products/winnerspop.jpg

[baseline bum]

:cry Spurs can't match the talent of Devin Harris, Brandan Wright, and Dejuan Blair :cry

[Kyle Orton]

LOL being proud if they blow the series to a much less talented 8-seed after playing like shit the entire series.

:cry Everyone's a winner :cry
:cry We got our participation ribbon :cry

http://www.athleticawards.com/images/products/winnerspop.jpg
:lmao

[Shastafarian]

That ribbon is fly. I want at least 50 of them.

[DarrinS]

Well, the last 15 years of Spurs basketball were much more enjoyable (and heartbreaking) than the previous 15 years. Could never get over the hump until Duncan arrived. Really going to miss that dude when he retires.

[dbreiden83080]

Not this year.. 62 wins and losing to a team we own. Nope not proud..

[hitmantb]

Why do people believe Spurs is more talented than Mavs when their 1-2 punch is clearly stronger than Duncan/Parker?

Everyone else are just supporting players who go on and off. Honestly the current Mav team is not too different from 2011 version other than the decline of Dirk.

And Spurs fans always use the regular season doesn't matter clause.

[DarrinS]

Why do people believe Spurs is more talented than Mavs when their 1-2 punch is clearly stronger than Duncan/Parker?

Everyone else are just supporting players who go on and off. Honestly the current Mav team is not too different from 2011 version other than the decline of Dirk.


Because we had the best bench in the NBA, who are mostly no-shows in this round (other than Boris).

[szkorhetz]

:cry Spurs can't match the talent of Devin Harris, Brandan Wright, and Dejuan Blair :cry

This, TBH.

[Godbama]

yeah, let's cut this "spoiled" Spurs fan entitlement bullshit, we just have standards, would you have us be Bobcat fans just happy to have made it in the playoffs? No, I will not be proud if we get taken out in the first round especially after all that happened last year.Yeah, I still love the Spurs and am glad for every moment I get to watch them play but losing in game 7 to the Mavs is not a "oh shucks let's be thankful for what we've got". Why should we lower standards and expectations? We're no more spoiled than Millenials who would prefer something better than McDonalds wages. It's called having standards, watch out for the sort of dipshit who tells you to lower yours. Sorry, but we're not Wizards and Raptors fans, we're Spurs fans. :rolleyes

[hitmantb]

Bench and role players only matter if your 1-2 punch is strong. When was the last time bench won a title? It helps regular seasons and reduce fatigue on your starters. It can not win if your stars are much weaker than the other team.

Even when Pistons beat the lakers Wallaces and Billup tore it up.

[smaka]

I'd be proud if we lost Game 7 to a superior team. Mavs are not superior team and were total underdogs before the series started.
I'd be proud if everyone on this team would play their ass off to win the game, but some of them are not. So I see no reason to be proud of them if we lose.

[Chomag]

I may not be able to act like a blind homer most times but I am and will all ways be proud to call myself a spurs fan.

[DarrinS]

Bench and role players only matter if your 1-2 punch is strong. When was the last time bench won a title? It helps regular seasons and reduce fatigue on your starters. It can not win if your stars are weaker than the other team.

When is the last time a bench player helped win a title?

Jaren Jackson
Steve Kerr
Speedy Claxton
Robert Horry
Malik Rose

Should I continue?

[Chomag]

Remember that being disappointed in them does not allways mean you are not proud of them. Whoever is a real parent here i think understands this most of all.

[baseline bum]

When was the last time bench won a title?

http://cdn.solecollector.com/media/sneakers/images/ray-allen-clutch-three-pointer-air-jordan-xx8-pe-02.jpg

http://gamedayr.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/jesus-shuttlesworth-ray-allen-three-pointer-570x423.jpg

http://sports.cbsimg.net/images/visual/whatshot/61813_Clutch.jpg

http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1198882/thumbs/o-RAY-ALLEN-facebook.jpg

[AFBlue]

Spurs will win, so this debate is moot.

[Beaverfuzz]

Spurs will win, so this debate is moot.


This, but a loss is absolutely devastating. Spurs by 9.

[Chinook]

Hell no. This will be one of my least favorite Spurs teams in recent memory if they lose. Hell, they'd be behind the 2011 team, since at least that team lacked talent. There's no reason why the Spurs didn't sweep the Mavs other than Pop's poor management.

[rascal]

Because we had the best bench in the NBA, who are mostly no-shows in this round (other than Boris).

Regular season success clouding your judgment on how really good the bench is.

[Clipper Nation]

LOL being proud if they blow the series to a much less talented 8-seed after playing like shit the entire series.

:cry Everyone's a winner :cry
:cry We got our participation ribbon :cry

http://www.athleticawards.com/images/products/winnerspop.jpg

:lol..

[quentin_compson]

Sorry, but there is no reason to be proud of what the Spurs have done so far this postseason. They are performing underwhelming against a decent but pretty flawed team. If they win tonight and play a decent second round, then things might be different and the OP might have a point.

[Embedded]

Good post, hitmantb. I will be a proud Spurs fan win or lose. Last name WonGame7. First name Spurs.

[benstanfield]

If Blair keeps out hustling our bigs and out rebounding TD there is nothing to be proud of.

[Harry Callahan]

The body of work for the last 17 years is definitely something to be proud of. This 2013-14 team losing to a collection of unwanted parts outside of Dirk is not.

I hope they win today - I don't want to listen to the Sportstalk radio in Dallas about how awesome the Mavericks are when the SAS have really played uninspired basketball for 5 or 6 of these seven games. The Mavericks also got some critical home cooking they did not deserve in this series.

[Jimcs50]

I did enjoy my NBA league pass this year more than I thought I would. Great regular season, I had great time watching Spurs' games. I'm hoping the ride continues for another 6-7 weeks.

[heyheymymy]

you can be pround of the team and dissapointed at the outcome of the season at the same time imo

[Arcadian]

They can't lose today...not after what happened last June...they still need redemption.