Not cliff-jumping but if we dont repeat would it be because:

[SpurPadre]

1: father time caught up with the team
2: team was emotionally spent after last season and satisfied
3: couldn't fully adapt to different offense structured to feature more Kawhi
4: Pau Gasol turning us down in the off-season
5: PATFO sitting on their asses and not having a plan B after Gasol turned us down
6: the rest of the league simply got better

[Darius Bieber]

7. Pop still has a beard.

[TheGreatYacht]

3, 5, 6

[Sean Cagney]

2 IMHO. 6 is another thing and a little bit of #1 as well but I will say #2 is the best option up there. They also were hungry last year after that huge loss and motivation after that is a HUGE key, that part is not there this year nor is the urgency it seems.
7. Pop still has a beard.
Wild card!!!

[Va Spur]

we lost

[Aremid]

1: father time caught up with the team
2: team was emotionally spent after last season and satisfied
3: couldn't fully adapt to different offense structured to feature more Kawhi
4: Pau Gasol turning us down in the off-season
5: PATFO sitting on their asses and not having a plan B after Gasol turned us down
6: the rest of the league simply got better

2
4
5
6

same old story after 99, 03,05,07

The FO still hasn't learned in 5 tries lmao

[timtonymanu]

#1 is the most likely.

We have to remember that this team has been to the WCF 3 straight seasons and the Finals twice. Injuries and fatigue are the two things in the way of a repeat this season.

[Malik Hairston]

Just #1 and part of #2..I don't think they're "spent" or "satisfied", but there's clearly something missing from a number of key players on the team, particularly Diaw and Splitter..

Injuries have been a massive factor, too, they haven't been able to establish any type of rhythm as a team, this season..

I don't think any FA moves would have changed anything, it wouldn't have magically fixed the problems of key players from last year's title run losing their effectiveness..

The rest of the league is slightly better, but that doesn't really have anything to do with the way the Spurs are playing..they're losing to a lot of mediocre teams, this season, the level of competition hasn't really been a factor..they seem to treat bad teams with the same amount of respect as great teams..

[SpurPadre]

I agree #1 would most likely be the reason with a little of #2 but Gasol turning us down could really prove to be damaging and it's ironic saying that considering Pau is old. He would've done wonders for us. In that case, maybe we should just blame that lying piece of shit tspence?

[Sean Cagney]

Just #1 and part of #2..I don't think they're "spent" or "satisfied", but there's clearly something missing from a number of key players on the team, particularly Diaw and Splitter..

Injuries have been a massive factor, too, they haven't been able to establish any type of rhythm as a team, this season..

I don't think any FA moves would have changed anything, it wouldn't have magically fixed the problems of key players from last year's title run losing their effectiveness..

The rest of the league is slightly better, but that doesn't really have anything to do with the way the Spurs are playing..they're losing to a lot of mediocre teams, this season, the level of competition hasn't really been a factor..they seem to treat bad teams with the same amount of respect as great teams..
Yes, but Pau Gasol certainly would not have hurt had he come to SA though! I agree on most of what you said though, dead on.

[BatManu20]

#1 and #6. Other teams have improved, and we've regressed a bit with age (naturally). We rely on Tim, Tony, and Manu still to be our core scorers, and they're all too old for that.

[ElNono]

I'll cross that bridge when and if we get there, tbh...

[daslicer]

I would say 1 but in general guys outside of the big 3 also just regressed along with injuries. Diaw,Splitter,Mills, are worse than what they were last year. That's 3 key guys who were in the rotation whose performance has dropped which has a huge overall effect on the team. The spurs need a 8-10 game win streak to establish some theme and consistency something they haven't been able to do this year due to the injuries and tough schedule.

[Russ]

7. Pop still has a beard.

The elephant in the room.:downspin:

[-21-]

I wouldn't say it's #1. Our old guys have declined for sure but they're playing well compared to the rest of the squad (Splitter, Diaw, Mills).

[Hoops Czar]

8. Can't get a defensive stop

[wildchild]

5: PATFO sitting on their asses and not having a plan B after Gasol turned us down

It's hard to believe we couldn't do nothing with Belli and Ayres contracts

[kobyz]

1. Pop's beard, 2. R.C. Buford is drunk and falling a sleep, 3. Pussynelli.

[Fireball]

I'll cross that bridge when we get there, tbh... fixed

[z0sa]

Far too early to make calls like this still, tbh... playoffs are an entirely different animal that may bring new perspectives, win or lose..

[Raven]

1. the force is strong in cancernelli

[cd98]

Age and 3 point shooting has been in the toilet. Last year our shooters were knocking down the open 3, but not this year. Mills and Green have struggled and Manu has been hot and then really cold.

[Cowboys_Wear_Spurs]

Quit complaining guys. They lost against the Clips at home after a whole week off. This is first time all season the Spurs have had everyone healthy. Its about gelling and finding their rhythm again.

The key is Diaw, especially when it comes to the bench. He has been playing awful of late. But I suspect him to turn it around like Horry would towards the end of the season and playoffs. Last year it was the bench that carried this team. Of late they have not been playing well and that is because they haven't been healthy all season. I suspect that to change in the a week or so.

[cd98]

Our 2nd unit has not dominated other teams' second units like they did last year.

[Chomag]

The Spurs are just playing satisfied. Oh ya and Pop's beard too lol

[024]

Spurs should always be finding ways to improve. Another year means the big 3 is another year older and the Spurs need to recognize this team is weaker than last year's. To make matters worse, the top teams in the NBA seem to be much deeper so the Spurs' bench advantage just doesn't seem overwhelming anymore (especially with injuries). The Spurs should have learned this lesson in 2008 that standing pat after a championship isn't a good idea. With the emotionally satisfied Spurs, they just don't play as hard and need new blood to inject some hunger back.

Honestly, it's just how the Spurs operate and it is what gave them 5 championships so I can't be too mad. It also doesn't help that their free agent pitch seems to be the worst in the league. Propensity to want to stay the same and not being able to attract good free agents is a double knockout blow.

Good thing the Thunder have a chance at landing the 8th seed so if the Spurs stay 6-7th, they only have to face either the Thunder or the Warriors. They're probably equally matched against the Rockets and Mavs and have decent chances of beating the Blazers, Grizzlies, and Clippers. Right now they would not be the favorites against a healthy Thunder and Warriors team.

[MarCowMar]

7. General decline/falloff/struggles of Parker, Splitter, Diaw, Manu, Patty, and even Leonard. If those guys can pick their games up closer to last year's level we'll be fine.

What's funny is Duncan is the guy you'd most expect to struggle from age but he's doing awesome.

[hater]

Mentally and emotionally spent.

5 rings bitch

[r0drig0lac]

2 and 3

[T Park]

Weren't good enough and Pop's stupid ass beard.

[peacemaker885]

6 1 2 and 3

[Arcadian]

"father time" has nothing to do with Leonard and Green becoming less productive, and those are two of our best three players.

[Legacy]

:lol NOBODY wants to come to SA. Will OP ever figure that out yet?

I say it's too soon to tell as well. ;)

[Legacy]

Also, I don't understand why people keep saying that we're not doing well because the team is too old when Timmy and Manu have been doing all the heavy lifting this season. TD just scored 30 pts last night even after participating in the All-Star game. That's phenomenal for a player his age. Manu has been Manu from what I've seen so far... Playing extremely well for a 37-year old. Where is their help? ... Like I said, too soon to tell.

[HI-FI]

8. Parker getting that big contract and returning the favor by playing like garbage.