Matt Moore: Spurs' supporting cast the worst in San Antonio's history as a contender

[Uriel]

This is the same guy who wrote the article (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/kawhi-leonard-is-so-great-at-defense-hes-actually-hurting-the-spurs/) about Kawhi Leonard making the Spurs' defense worse.


[The Spurs] flummoxed, frustrated and outworked the Cavaliers, which isn’t hard these days, but still a credit to the season Gregg Popovich has constructed around Kawhi Leonard (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/1715792/kawhi-leonard) and a supporting cast that may be the worst in San Antonio’s history as a contender. They are a terrifying assortment of weapons versus good teams, or at least they have been in the regular season.
The rest of the article, he goes on about how bad the Cavs are and essentially downplaying the Spurs win.

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/cavs-brutal-loss-to-spurs-means-the-time-for-rationalization-is-over-the-concern-is-real/

[SAGirl]

Wow ... he's a hater...

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

He's not exactly wrong though.

It's a little ambiguous whether all of the last 20 years are considered contending, but Duncan had DRob and a bunch of vets, then had Manu and Tony. 2003 is the obvious outlier where Duncan was just that great, but other than that it's easy to argue the current Spurs's 2nd and 3rd best players are worse than in most of the previous seasons. What they have, though, are a bunch of very experienced vets, who can have throwback games, and this raises their ceiling as a team. They also have a very well constructed and balanced team that could play different types of basketball and throw different looks at anyone.

[spurs10]

This is the same guy who wrote the article (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/kawhi-leonard-is-so-great-at-defense-hes-actually-hurting-the-spurs/) about Kawhi Leonard making the Spurs' defense worse.


The rest of the article, he goes on about how bad the Cavs are and essentially downplaying the Spurs win.

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/cavs-brutal-loss-to-spurs-means-the-time-for-rationalization-is-over-the-concern-is-real/
Kind of a major contradiction- are they the "worst" or are they terrifying?"

[SAGirl]

He's not exactly wrong though.

It's a little ambiguous whether all of the last 20 years are considered contending, but Duncan had DRob and a bunch of vets, then had Manu and Tony. 2003 is the obvious outlier where Duncan was just that great, but other than that it's easy to argue the current Spurs's 2nd and 3rd best players are worse than in most of the previous seasons. What they have, though, are a bunch of very experienced vets, who can have throwback games, and this raises their ceiling as a team. They also have a very well constructed and balanced team that could play different types of basketball and throw different looks at anyone.
Everything that you're describing there doesn't equal the worst supporting cast of a contender. There are several years in the Duncan era that are worse than this crew and well you could say there were not contenders back then. But something leaders like Manu have said is that they believe every season that they can contend for a championship. If your only contenders were the championship teams that's a very narrow definition of contender after the fact bc they also could have won it other seasons.

It still remains to be seen... but this team doesn't rank in any absolute objective way as the worst supporting cast for a Spurs contender I think. There's a lot of subjectivity there. The statement would be a bit less subjective if he compared it to the championship teams as you did and even then it's not that clear, unless they underachieve which is after the fact again.

[SAGirl]

Kind of a major contradiction- are they the "worst" or are they terrifying?"
And the Spurs bench has been the best in the league.

I think he might have meant that the star power is the weakest of a Spurs contender bc he doesn't believe in Lamarcus, Pau and the rest of the HOF talent bc they are old...

[ElNono]

He posts here under Robz4000, tbh :lol

[Mister Sinister]

Fuck 'em.

[Arcadian]

It's actually one of the better supporting casts we've had in a while :lol

[BillMc]

It's actually one of the better supporting casts we've had in a while :lol

[Hoops Czar]

He's not exactly wrong though.

It's a little ambiguous whether all of the last 20 years are considered contending, but Duncan had DRob and a bunch of vets, then had Manu and Tony. 2003 is the obvious outlier where Duncan was just that great, but other than that it's easy to argue the current Spurs's 2nd and 3rd best players are worse than in most of the previous seasons. What they have, though, are a bunch of very experienced vets, who can have throwback games, and this raises their ceiling as a team. They also have a very well constructed and balanced team that could play different types of basketball and throw different looks at anyone.

Simmons, Dedmon, Anderson and Bertans (unplayable) are experienced? Manu's more off than on these days, Lee is a journeyman (situational big) and Mills is wildly inconsistent. I'd say this is the tied with the 2016 season as the worst depth the Spurs have had since 2011.

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

Simmons, Dedmon, Anderson and Bertans (unplayable) are experienced? Manu's more off than on these days, Lee is a journeyman (situational big) and Mills is wildly inconsistent. I'd say this is the tied with the 2016 season as the worst depth the Spurs have had since 2011.

Uhh hate to answer to trolls but they have 87 seasons of NBA experience between their 9-man playoff rotation. No one relies on the 10-15th players to contend.

[TampaDude]

Simmons, Dedmon, Anderson and Bertans (unplayable) are experienced? Manu's more off than on these days, Lee is a journeyman (situational big) and Mills is wildly inconsistent. I'd say this is the tied with the 2016 season as the worst depth the Spurs have had since 2011.

And yet they utterly cucked your team last night. GTFOH with that bullshit.

[DeRozan m8]

This bench rules.

What a dumb ass

[SpursIndonesia]

Everything that you're describing there doesn't equal the worst supporting cast of a contender. There are several years in the Duncan era that are worse than this crew and well you could say there were not contenders back then. But something leaders like Manu have said is that they believe every season that they can contend for a championship. If your only contenders were the championship teams that's a very narrow definition of contender after the fact bc they also could have won it other seasons.

It still remains to be seen... but this team doesn't rank in any absolute objective way as the worst supporting cast for a Spurs contender I think. There's a lot of subjectivity there. The statement would be a bit less subjective if he compared it to the championship teams as you did and even then it's not that clear, unless they underachieve which is after the fact again.

Yeah, the years with washed up Bowen/without him & before Kawhi, those were pretty awful rosters outside the big three.

[Chinook]

Spurs are better than last year, so fuck Moore once again.

[UNT Eagles 2016]

He's not exactly wrong though.

It's a little ambiguous whether all of the last 20 years are considered contending, but Duncan had DRob and a bunch of vets, then had Manu and Tony. 2003 is the obvious outlier where Duncan was just that great, but other than that it's easy to argue the current Spurs's 2nd and 3rd best players are worse than in most of the previous seasons. What they have, though, are a bunch of very experienced vets, who can have throwback games, and this raises their ceiling as a team. They also have a very well constructed and balanced team that could play different types of basketball and throw different looks at anyone.

2003 was definitely worse than this year in terms of supporting cast. It was Duncan and a bunch of turnover prone youngsters, washed up David, and 4 mostly bench warming reserves that were near 40 years old at the end of the bench.

[UNT Eagles 2016]

Yeah, the years with washed up Bowen/without him & before Kawhi, those were pretty awful rosters outside the big three.

Yes..... Aside from the big 3, it was George Hill, washed up McDyess, the Original Turd Towers, George Hill, and D-League players (and Splitter warming the bench) beyond that.

[TheDoctor]

Spurs are just missing the Ferrari piece tbh. We got Forbes tho.

[peacemaker885]

More reason why KL is MVP.

[Dex]

Now we have a problem. Maybe. Probably. Or not. It’s the Cavs, in the East. But this was a bad look.

This quote right here pretty much sums up how shitty this article is.


First off, don’t overlook how great the Spurs are. On track for 60-plus wins, again, they are currently 3-0 vs. the Warriors and Cavaliers headed into Wednesday’s final matchup with Golden State.

Oh, and he got this wrong, too.

[elbamba]

I like having Manu, Pau, Lee and Patty coming off the bench. I think Murry and Bertans will be better next year. I am not a big fan of Simmons or Anderson, but in certain stretches, they are fine. Not sure where this guy is coming from with this bench being bad.

If anything, our starting lineup is probably the worst that it has even been because Tony Parker is old and Danny Green can't make a shot, or simple pass.

[horsielove]

2002 has the weakest supporting cast in SA history tbh and it's not even close :lol

[LaMarcus Bryant]

This is the same guy who wrote the article (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/kawhi-leonard-is-so-great-at-defense-hes-actually-hurting-the-spurs/) about Kawhi Leonard making the Spurs' defense worse.


The rest of the article, he goes on about how bad the Cavs are and essentially downplaying the Spurs win.

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/cavs-brutal-loss-to-spurs-means-the-time-for-rationalization-is-over-the-concern-is-real/

He's one of those weiners who will block you on twitter if you talk smack to him. He also jacks it *hard* to Chris Paul.

[snickles]

2002 has the weakest supporting cast in SA history tbh and it's not even close :lol

you beat me to it. i had to google to make sure the roster was as weak as i remember it? it was.

[LaMarcus Bryant]

you beat me to it. i had to google to make sure the roster was as weak as i remember it? it was.

We had to use Danny Ferry against the LakeShow bc no one else would defend or rebound.

[rjv]

perspective helps. league is diluted in general so even if this bench was not the same as the one from even 2014, it still is one of the strongest benches in the league and that is really what matters.

[Hoops Czar]

Uhh hate to answer to trolls but they have 87 seasons of NBA experience between their 9-man playoff rotation. No one relies on the 10-15th players to contend.

The Spurs do in the regular season. Manu, Mills, Dedmon (starter) and Lee are not between 10 and 15 in Pop's rotation. Experience doesn't win playoff games, talent does and it's going take more than Kawhi Leonard hitting difficult shots to win in the postseason. It's a pretty good bet the Pop will reach deep into his bench during the postseason.

[Hoops Czar]

And yet they utterly cucked your team last night. GTFOH with that bullshit.

Typical regular season fan boy with a 3rd grade mentality, still living in the Duncan Era. Cleveland didn't lose in the 2nd round last year, did they?

[TheDoctor]

Regarding the Spurs Matt Moore is a troll. A good one. He really knows the game but use and bend stats to fill his narrative and pick on fans which is clever.

[hater]

It's actually one of the better supporting casts we've had in a while :lol

I still remeber we used to trot out Oberto and Elson night in and night out :lmao


This supporting cast is stellar

[Spur|n|Austin]

Gasol, Lee, Manu, Patty, etc. are a solid juice unit!

Matt Moore is salty AF.

[PopTheGOAT]

Typical regular season fan boy with a 3rd grade mentality, still living in the Duncan Era. Cleveland didn't lose in the 2nd round last year, did they?
One title and you're talking shit? Gtfoh if you're gonna act like a dumbass.

[mclinejr]

Typical regular season fan boy with a 3rd grade mentality, still living in the Duncan Era. Cleveland didn't lose in the 2nd round last year, did they?

No, but they will this year :lol

[sananspursfan21]

I'd say it's fair that this is one of the lesser known benches the Spurs have had. If you're unfamiliar with the roster, aren't you likely to wonder who the heck Simmons and Anderson are?

[TampaDude]

Typical regular season fan boy with a 3rd grade mentality, still living in the Duncan Era. Cleveland didn't lose in the 2nd round last year, did they?

If I'm a 3rd grader and I just totally owned you, where does that leave you, Mr. Short Bus? :lol

[LaMarcus Bryant]

Matt Moore blows goats for quarters, he was on twitter suicide watch after we punked Memphis in the WCF

[cjw]

His useful content to total tweets percentage has to be a record low. This reminded me I should unfollow him and stick to journalists and not tweetbait trolls.

[mookie2001]

HP paroxysm? Lol Dudes been exposed

[Leetonidas]

What a load of shit. This is one of the better casts we've had. We just don't have prime Tim to make them look better.

[Hoops Czar]

One title and you're talking shit? Gtfoh if you're gonna act like a dumbass.

I wasn't talking shit but one championship in 10 years? If I were you, I'd fall off dat pedestal.

[Hoops Czar]

If I'm a 3rd grader and I just totally owned you, where does that leave you, Mr. Short Bus? :lol

"Regular season games are meaningless unless the Spurs win in which case they're meaningful." Keep those cliche responses coming.

[Chinook]

I wasn't talking shit but one championship in 10 years? If I were you, I'd fall off dat pedestal.

Either one in nine or two in 10. You don't get to count a year that hasn't concluded yet. The Spurs have won two of the last 10 titles, as much as anybody.

[Hoops Czar]

No, but they will this year :lol

I'm shaking in my booty. :lol How will I go on with my life?

[Hoops Czar]

Either one nine or two in 10. You don't get to count a year that hasn't concluded yet.

Your choice Chinook. Prime Duncan, Ginobili and Parker aren't walking through those doors.

[Trueblood]

I wasn't talking shit but one championship in 10 years? If I were you, I'd fall off dat pedestal.

You can't really count this year since no champion had been decided so from the 07-16 season it's actually two championships

[Chinook]

Your choice Chinook.

You know what I meant. You keep pedaling a dishonest statement.

[Hoops Czar]

You know what I meant. You keep pedaling a dishonest statement.

Sure, I know what you meant but Prime Duncan, Ginobili and Parker aren't walking through those doors.

[Chinook]

Sure, I know what you meant but Prime Duncan, Ginobili and Parker aren't walking through those doors.

Doesn't have anything to do with what you said. The Spurs have won two titles in 10 years, not one. You want to argue they aren't likely to make it two in four this year, and I don't think you'll get a ton of argument.

[I. Hustle]

I'm shaking in my booty. :lol How will I go on with my life?

Shaking in your booty?

[GSH]

I'm worried about three guys in the SL, but he's talking about the bench? Forget comparing them to Spurs teams of the past. How do they compare to the rest of the league? The Celtics have the best record in the East now. They have Marcus Smart playing over 30 minutes per game off the bench, so he's good bench player (or a sixth starter like Manu used to be.) After that they have:

Kelly Olynyk
Terry Rozier
Gerald Green
Tyler Zeller
Jonas Jerebko

The Spurs are going to have a bitch of a time getting out of the West. But if they do, I'll take their bench over any team in the East. And if the bench plays like it did last night, they may have a good of a shot as anyone in the West. So if this is the worst bench they've had in 20 years, why hasn't he been writing articles about how overpowering those other bench units were?

Just a stupid, stupid clickbait article.

[TD 21]

I don't agree with Moore ('02-'04 only were contenders because they had the best player in the league), but too many are taking "supporting cast" to automatically mean bench. There's no question that the Spurs have the best 6-9 in the league, but he's probably referring to anyone not named Leonard and maybe Aldridge.

By virtually every metric, they're worse than last season. It's nice that they have two able bodied, legit centers and their best player has gotten incrementally better, but their second best player has fallen off a cliff and their already no longer starting caliber starting point guard has gotten incrementally worse.

[GSH]

I don't agree with Moore ('02-'04 only were contenders because they had the best player in the league), but too many are taking "supporting cast" to automatically mean bench. There's no question that the Spurs have the best 6-9 in the league, but he's probably referring to anyone not named Leonard and maybe Aldridge.

By virtually every metric, they're worse than last season. It's nice that they have two able bodied, legit centers and their best player has gotten incrementally better, but their second best player has fallen off a cliff and their already no longer starting caliber starting point guard has gotten incrementally worse.


Well, hell... you're right. He didn't say bench, he said supporting cast. He's probably right on that count.

That's a good catch.

[spursistan]

They need to make the Conference Finals this year; otherwise no one is going to take this team seriously anymore and pundits being dismissive about them would be more than warranted..

Has it ever happened that a back-to-back 60+ win reg season team failed to reach the conference Finals in those years?

[PopTheGOAT]

I wasn't talking shit but one championship in 10 years? If I were you, I'd fall off dat pedestal.
I talked 0 shit. Just called you out for it. Not sure what made you think I'm putting the Spurs on a pedestal. I damn sure have more right to it than you do, though