What if?

[barbacoataco]

What if Leonard returns and the Spurs start to gel, and make a run in the playoffs? Will all the negative "fans" on this forum be able to support them? Maybe it's not quite as bleak as some make it out to be.

[DAF86]

It still won't be enough to beat the Warriors, which is what the Front office should have aimed for. Or at least chip away at the difference. Get better basically. They didn't do that either.

[acoelho1]

It still won't be enough to beat the Warriors, which is what the Front office should have aimed for. Or at least chip away at the difference. Get better basically. They didn't do that either.

Really. How do you know that? We have missed our franchise player but somehow are in 3rd place in the west. I bet you were in the camp that said we could never beat Miami or even make it passed OKC. You like the majority of the posters here would have broken up this team many years ago. You were wrong then and you are wrong now.

[barbacoataco]

We all know that the Spurs don't like to bring in players mid-season, and it takes time for Pop to trust players and give them pt. I don't think that's going to change. They went to the Conference Finals last year with the same team. Why not just hope everyone gets healthy? Sure it would be great to make a trade and pick up young, athletic talent. But many teams are trying to do that every year. There weren't a lot of teams looking to pick up overpaid veteran players while giving up young cheap players. Spurs fans should try to support the team and not whine so much. Also I think all the "bad blood" stuff with Leonard is overblown. Everyone's frustrated over the injury and things get heated. If he returns the Spurs are contenders.

[Ice009]

AGAIN, ALL YOU FUCKING IDIOTS SAYING "we're in 3rd place" take a fucking look at the schedule for once if your darn stupid lives. This team will start dropping big time if Kawhi and Gay BOTH don't return soon and are at least close to 100% as possible.

The margin for error is going to be gone, even with those two guys back the Spurs could still drop. Wake the fuck up and stop drinking the FO kool-aid.

[acoelho1]

Wow.. what an intelligent take.. if Kawhi and Gay don't return, we will struggle. Shocker. I rather drink the FO kool-aid then someone in his mama's basement trying to play GM.

[barbacoataco]

Ok so the schedule has been easy, but our best player isn't even playing. Imagine the Cavaliers without Lebron. The fact remains if Leonard and Gay return the Spurs are contenders. If not, it doesn't matter what trade they make.

[Ice009]

The reason they're third is because they've played an easy schedule. It's needs to be pointed out because some people here are too stupid to realize that. They think the Spurs can hold onto that spot without Kawhi and Gay. That's not going to happen when they start playing the better teams in the league, and on the road too. Even with those guys back, they may still lose to a bunch of those teams because the roster overall, isn't that good.

We'll see if they can turn it around, but the way they've been playing lately, they're going to be in for a rude wake-up call when they head into their upcoming schedule and start playing some of these teams. They need to play a hell of a lot better to not drop to 7th or 8th.

[barbacoataco]

It's true that the remaining schedule is a biatch, but I just don't see what kind of trade you're going to make that would save the day. The Spurs really need a new PG, but who was available that you could see Pop putting in at this point in the season? And teams weren't looking to pick up dead weight.

[Ice009]

I didn't say nothing about a trade. I'm just pointing out for those people that think this roster can keep winning games with this upcoming schedule is in for a bit of a shock.

I keep seeing people post, "we're third in the west, we're third in the west." I just want those people to realize that may not be the case very soon at all, and this team isn't as good as people think by just looking at their record. The easy schedule has gotten them to that record, and to top it off, they still lost a bunch of easy games in that period that they should have won. They're not going to be winning too many with this upcoming schedule unless they play A LOT better.

[DAF86]

Really. How do you know that? We have missed our franchise player but somehow are in 3rd place in the west. I bet you were in the camp that said we could never beat Miami or even make it passed OKC. You like the majority of the posters here would have broken up this team many years ago. You were wrong then and you are wrong now.

Yeeeah, nop.

http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=233193
http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=201576

Neat presumption out of nothing though. :lol

I'm on record for saying that I thought the Spurs could win it all from 2012 to 2014. You know why? Because I saw the team was good enough on those years. I just don't see it this year, even with everybody healthy.

I'm neither a homer nor a hater, I'm a poster that calls it how I see it, and most often than not I've been proven to be right.

[acoelho1]

There is nothing to see yet because Kawhi hasn't played at full strength and we haven't seen what this team is yet.

[ECOV]

doesnt fucking mattttterrrr, third in the fucking wesssstttttt!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Snaq O'Meal]

Ok so the schedule has been easy, but our best player isn't even playing. Imagine the Cavaliers without Lebron. The fact remains if Leonard and Gay return the Spurs are contenders. If not, it doesn't matter what trade they make.

The Spurs’ best player did play a few games. Rudy Gay also played, and played very well too on many occasions. Together with a very easy schedule, they managed to place third.

Let’s see whether this “third place” argument is still valid at the end of this month.

[Ice009]

Yep, unless these guys start playing way better than they have been, let's see if all you guys that keep shouting out "we're 3rd" are going to be doing that in a month's time.

I hope Kawhi and Rudy are both coming back soon.

[pad300]

The reason they're third is because they've played an easy schedule. It's needs to be pointed out because some people here are too stupid to realize that. They think the Spurs can hold onto that spot without Kawhi and Gay. That's not going to happen when they start playing the better teams in the league, and on the road too. Even with those guys back, they may still lose to a bunch of those teams because the roster overall, isn't that good.

We'll see if they can turn it around, but the way they've been playing lately, they're going to be in for a rude wake-up call when they head into their upcoming schedule and start playing some of these teams. They need to play a hell of a lot better to not drop to 7th or 8th.

I'd actually be pretty OK with that - call it the Grizzly maneuver - we are going to have to face Houston and/or Golden State and beat them without HCA if we want to win a ring. We are not beating those teams without Kawhi playing, and playing well. So, we have to hope that Kawhi is healthy and can fit in quickly. Meanwhile, the farther we drop, the better our draft pick. If he doesn't come back, well a lottery pick is a decent consolation - hope we are scouting carefully.

[vy65]

https://img.memecdn.com/3rd-place-Army-National-Guard-combative_o_25977.jpg

[DPG21920]

The only thing that matters is if the Spurs keep Kawhi. No one should judge anything else. Their entire reputation and future of the franchise depends on their ability to keep Kawhi.

IF SA loses Kawhi, we will all be able to point to why: This last off season and this trade deadline. Time will tell.

[DAF86]

https://img.memecdn.com/3rd-place-Army-National-Guard-combative_o_25977.jpg

:lmao

[tholdren]

What if Leonard returns and the Spurs start to gel, and make a run in the playoffs? Will all the negative "fans" on this forum be able to support them? Maybe it's not quite as bleak as some make it out to be.

Im sticking to my preseason shot call that spurs ring

[Hoops Czar]

https://img.memecdn.com/3rd-place-Army-National-Guard-combative_o_25977.jpg

[Darius Bieber]

https://img.memecdn.com/3rd-place-Army-National-Guard-combative_o_25977.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/8vg9bMt.jpg

[vy65]

:lmao

[LittleCriminal]

Cant live life on what ifs.. dwelling in the make-believe territory.

[DMC]

What if Tim Duncan comes out of retirement and averages 50 a game and Durant and Curry break their ankles and James Harden get arrested for drug possession, and Lebron joins the Spurs and they win 400 rings in a row? What then?

[cd98]

Spurs are built to win it all if Curry, KD, Harden, LeBron, and CP3 have season ending injuries.

[Arcadian]

I didn't say nothing about a trade. I'm just pointing out for those people that think this roster can keep winning games with this upcoming schedule is in for a bit of a shock.

I keep seeing people post, "we're third in the west, we're third in the west." I just want those people to realize that may not be the case very soon at all, and this team isn't as good as people think by just looking at their record. The easy schedule has gotten them to that record, and to top it off, they still lost a bunch of easy games in that period that they should have won. They're not going to be winning too many with this upcoming schedule unless they play A LOT better.

If anything, the Spurs are better than their record, considering how they've been ravaged with injuries.

[spurs10]

The only thing that matters is if the Spurs keep Kawhi. No one should judge anything else. Their entire reputation and future of the franchise depends on their ability to keep Kawhi.

IF SA loses Kawhi, we will all be able to point to why: This last off season and this trade deadline. Time will tell. This is indeed all that matters. Does he come back this season? Does he not have motivation to do so? This season the thought of Kawhi returning from ankle injury, LMA playing to his potential, and the addition of Rudy Gay gave me high hopes. If Kawhi returns, gets back in form, and gets a max contract then the Spurs will have no worries.

I’d much rather believe the ‘Kawhi wants to leave’ narrative is off the mark. All this being said I’m not confident of when he’s coming back. The return of Kawhi is the whole story.

[Chinook]

The Spurs are third without Kawhi. Who knows where they'll end up, or where they'd end up if Kawhi didn't come back. People can't really bitch about the schedule though until we see what happens. They played easier teams early on, but it's not like in an alternate reality where the SOS were flipped between the halves they wouldn't also play these same teams eventually. Hell, for all we know, they might even end up with a better record had they faced more of the stronger teams when they had Gay healthy (to put it into perspective, they lost Gay in Game 36, so Rudy was in the rotation for almost half the season). The team's SRS is still seventh in the league, so it's not like they weren't playing like a playoff team back then. If anything, they've gotten worse since the half-way mark, regardless of competition.

[Robz4000]

Spurs are built to win it all if Curry, KD, Harden, LeBron, and CP3 have season ending injuries.

Forgot about Westchimp, PG13, and Jimmy Butler tbh.

[spurs10]

The Spurs are third without Kawhi. Who knows where they'll end up, or where they'd end up if Kawhi didn't come back. People can't really bitch about the schedule though until we see what happens. They played easier teams early on, but it's not like in an alternate reality where the SOS were flipped between the halves they wouldn't also play these same teams eventually. Hell, for all we know, they might even end up with a better record had they faced more of the stronger teams when they had Gay healthy (to put it into perspective, they lost Gay in Game 36, so Rudy was in the rotation for almost half the season). The team's SRS is still seventh in the league, so it's not like they weren't playing like a playoff team back then. If anything, they've gotten worse since the half-way mark, regardless of competition. That they’ve gotten worse is the truth. I think they’ve been waiting on the cavalry and no telling if that’s going to happen. In the end we aren’t going far in the playoffs unless that happens. Manu and Tony both were saying they wanted to stay pat saying they don’t really know their potential without Kawhi and Gay. They are uncertain whether 23 games will be enough to get up to speed, but they know it’s hard to be making decisions without those two playing anD us knowing what we have.

[Ice009]

I'd actually be pretty OK with that - call it the Grizzly maneuver - we are going to have to face Houston and/or Golden State and beat them without HCA if we want to win a ring. We are not beating those teams without Kawhi playing, and playing well. So, we have to hope that Kawhi is healthy and can fit in quickly. Meanwhile, the farther we drop, the better our draft pick. If he doesn't come back, well a lottery pick is a decent consolation - hope we are scouting carefully.

Personally, I'd rather not make the playoffs if we fall below 4th and Kawhi isn't back. I'd rather the higher pick. I was mad in 2015 and 2011 losing in the first round. I would have much rather have not made the playoffs both those years and gotten higher picks. I know we got Kawhi in 2011, but they got lucky with a trade to get that pick.

So basically if Kawhi comes back healthy for the rest of the season, I'd want to try for a top 4 seed, if not, I'd rather not make the playoffs at all.

[Stabula]

Why do some of you even watch basketball? Do you slit your wrists, sob uncontrollably, and combine alcohol with your sleeping pills while you watch? A lot of you certainly make it sound that way, I wonder why some of you even watch basketball if it's such a source of pain for you. For fuck's sake this team has had injuries all over the board, not just Leonard and Gay. Parker wasn't playing for a while, Danny Green was hurt, Fathead was hurt, Ginobili was hurt, Leonard has been out pretty much all season, Gay has been out a good while, Gasol has rested a lot, and Pop has barely been coaching. The easy schedule is over blown as well, any team can beat any team in the regular season on any given night, it's not until the playoffs where you see what a team is really capable of. Your faggot crying posts have no impact on the FO's decisions so shut the fuck up and enjoy the team we've got (which has a winning record, third place, and a championship pedigree) or do something you find more enjoyable with your time.

[r0drig0lac]

What if Leonard returns and the Spurs start to gel, and make a run in the playoffs? Will all the negative "fans" on this forum be able to support them? Maybe it's not quite as bleak as some make it out to be.

can not you support the team and still see the clear shortcomings of the roster in relation to the elite teams in the league?

[r0drig0lac]

The only thing that matters is if the Spurs keep Kawhi. No one should judge anything else. Their entire reputation and future of the franchise depends on their ability to keep Kawhi.

IF SA loses Kawhi, we will all be able to point to why: This last off season and this trade deadline. Time will tell.

fair

[superbigtime]

Why do some of you even watch basketball? Do you slit your wrists, sob uncontrollably, and combine alcohol with your sleeping pills while you watch? A lot of you certainly make it sound that way, I wonder why some of you even watch basketball if it's such a source of pain for you. For fuck's sake this team has had injuries all over the board, not just Leonard and Gay. Parker wasn't playing for a while, Danny Green was hurt, Fathead was hurt, Ginobili was hurt, Leonard has been out pretty much all season, Gay has been out a good while, Gasol has rested a lot, and Pop has barely been coaching. The easy schedule is over blown as well, any team can beat any team in the regular season on any given night, it's not until the playoffs where you see what a team is really capable of. Your faggot crying posts have no impact on the FO's decisions so shut the fuck up and enjoy the team we've got (which has a winning record, third place, and a championship pedigree) or do something you find more enjoyable with your time.

Couldn't have said it better.

[tenbeersbold]

Why do some of you even watch basketball? Do you slit your wrists, sob uncontrollably, and combine alcohol with your sleeping pills while you watch? A lot of you certainly make it sound that way, I wonder why some of you even watch basketball if it's such a source of pain for you. For fuck's sake this team has had injuries all over the board, not just Leonard and Gay. Parker wasn't playing for a while, Danny Green was hurt, Fathead was hurt, Ginobili was hurt, Leonard has been out pretty much all season, Gay has been out a good while, Gasol has rested a lot, and Pop has barely been coaching. The easy schedule is over blown as well, any team can beat any team in the regular season on any given night, it's not until the playoffs where you see what a team is really capable of. Your faggot crying posts have no impact on the FO's decisions so shut the fuck up and enjoy the team we've got (which has a winning record, third place, and a championship pedigree) or do something you find more enjoyable with your time.

Hey faggot,tv is for watching games,forums are for discussing..well anything about the Spurs
Tuck in yer pre-op member and don't read it if it throws yer cycle off :bobo

[Dex]

The Spurs are third without Kawhi. Who knows where they'll end up, or where they'd end up if Kawhi didn't come back. People can't really bitch about the schedule though until we see what happens. They played easier teams early on, but it's not like in an alternate reality where the SOS were flipped between the halves they wouldn't also play these same teams eventually. Hell, for all we know, they might even end up with a better record had they faced more of the stronger teams when they had Gay healthy (to put it into perspective, they lost Gay in Game 36, so Rudy was in the rotation for almost half the season). The team's SRS is still seventh in the league, so it's not like they weren't playing like a playoff team back then. If anything, they've gotten worse since the half-way mark, regardless of competition.

Good points.

If Kawhi and Gay really ARE returning after the ASB, then the schedule couldn't be better suited to it. At least we can hope to tackle the toughest stretch with all of our guns.

Imagine what our record would look like if SOS and we had to face all the tough teams with our piece-meal rotations. There would not be enough cliffs in San Antonio.

[Proxy]

Why do some of you even watch basketball? Do you slit your wrists, sob uncontrollably, and combine alcohol with your sleeping pills while you watch? A lot of you certainly make it sound that way, I wonder why some of you even watch basketball if it's such a source of pain for you. For fuck's sake this team has had injuries all over the board, not just Leonard and Gay. Parker wasn't playing for a while, Danny Green was hurt, Fathead was hurt, Ginobili was hurt, Leonard has been out pretty much all season, Gay has been out a good while, Gasol has rested a lot, and Pop has barely been coaching. The easy schedule is over blown as well, any team can beat any team in the regular season on any given night, it's not until the playoffs where you see what a team is really capable of. Your faggot crying posts have no impact on the FO's decisions so shut the fuck up and enjoy the team we've got (which has a winning record, third place, and a championship pedigree) or do something you find more enjoyable with your time.

I read Ice's post and wonder what that's like, getting that angry about sports

[Ice009]

I read Ice's post and wonder what that's like, getting that angry about sports

I'm not mad at all, well not right now, quite relaxed actually, but yeah, I can get white hot at times ;).

When I say I'd rather not make the playoffs, it's coming from seeing the Lakers miss the playoffs and ending up getting Andrew Bynum out of it. Missing the playoffs helped them get a key piece to win two more Championships. The Spurs can't seem to get any big name free agents, so sometimes having a bad season and getting a lottery pick is the only way for a team like the Spurs to get some talent.

I'd rather Kawhi come back healthy and Spurs make it past the first round, but if he can't, I don't see the point of playing to most likely lose in the first round. If Kawhi's healthy and we can get into the second round, I'll take my chances with that, because I feel Kawhi at his best (as we saw last season) can really make some things happen. I don't mind losing in the second round if we can get a crack at Goldenstate or Houston with a fully healthy team.

[spurs10]

I'm not mad at all, well not right now, quite relaxed actually, but yeah, I can get white hot at times ;).

When I say I'd rather not make the playoffs, it's coming from seeing the Lakers miss the playoffs and ending up getting Andrew Bynum out of it. Missing the playoffs helped them get a key piece to win two more Championships. The Spurs can't seem to get any big name free agents, so sometimes having a bad season and getting a lottery pick is the only way for a team like the Spurs to get some talent.

I'd rather Kawhi come back healthy and Spurs make it past the first round, but if he can't, I don't see the point of playing to most likely lose in the first round. If Kawhi's healthy and we can get into the second round, I'll take my chances with that, because I feel Kawhi at his best (as we saw last season) can really make some things happen. I don't mind losing in the second round if we can get a crack at Goldenstate or Houston with a fully healthy team. It’s not particularly cliff-jumping saying you don’t care much about our playoff chances without a healthy squad. We are an okay team as is and may or may not make it to the second round. I’ve got tickets to every playoff game and hope I’m still seeing basketball in June.
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