Lowe: I like Spurs, People Sleeping On Them, Potential 50 Win Team

[TD 21]

Slightly past 1:12 . . .

http://www.espn.com/espnradio/play?id=27537763

What changed? He hated them as recently as the end of last season and obviously they didn't exactly make sweeping changes . . . which leads me to believe he's heard something specific about the development of the youth, that could potentially alter their ceiling, like Murray's 3 has improved to the extent that playing their best 5 in stretches would become tenable.

[Chinook]

The West has way more parity than it used to, but everyone has at least moderate question marks. The Spurs are the only team whose question marks are good (essentially can chemistry and improve play make a 48-win team better). With continuity and stars who are usually not injury risks, it's not hard to see the Spurs as a team that fights for a top-two or -three record for most of the before maybe giving up the chase in the last month of the season. A lot of teams might struggle out of the gate or during the season due to the attrition.

Of course, maybe he did hear something about Murray or just really loves White or the other young'uns. I don't think that's the most likely explanation, but it would sure be a welcomed one.

[MultiTroll]

Slightly past 1:12 . . .

http://www.espn.com/espnradio/play?id=27537763

What changed? He hated them as recently as the end of last season and obviously they didn't exactly make sweeping changes . . .
:lol
Works for ESPN. :jack
Combined BBIQ of sub zero.
Get paid just to make chit up.

[Uriel]

The Spurs were a 48-win team last season without their starting PG, and they'll only get better next year when he returns. Barring major injury, I don't think it's unreasonable to believe they could be a 50-win team.

[ZeusWillJudge]

Tim Duncan Effect, TBH. No team with Tim Duncan on the bench is going to win less than 50. :D


Truthfully, there is no reason why this team shouldn't be better than last season. I know some teams have gotten better (at least on paper - we'll see). But some teams have gotten worse. Low saying "potential 50 win team" pretty much means playing as good as last year, and winning a couple of coin-toss games.

If White can hold up, under the increased attention he'll be getting, and Murray is healthy enough to live up to his 17-18 form, the Spurs should win 50. I think Keldon Johnson will bring some regular season help, and LWIV should as well. If Carrol gives the Spurs what PATFO expects? I don't think there's a snowball's chance in Hell that they could challenge for winning the West, but there's no reason this team shouldn't win 50 regular season games. Lowe isn't exactly out on a limb with that prediction.

[Down Under]

I listen to a fair bit of Lowe. I'm not sure he's a Spurs hater as such, I think a lot of fans get defensive if you say anything negative about their team. You add DJ & DMC to a 48 win team, there's no reason why you shouldn't expect 50 wins from a team that should be significantly better defensively.

[MultiTroll]

I listen to a fair bit of Lowe. I'm not sure he's a Spurs hater as such, I think a lot of fans get defensive if you say anything negative about their team. You add DJ & DMC to a 48 win team, there's no reason why you shouldn't expect 50 wins from a team that should be significantly better defensively.
This.
I mean there's really nothing to what he has to say.
Barring injury, ya the Spurs should win 50. Big deal.

[Keepin' it real]

YES!!!

I'm officially stoked! I just bought League Pass and am watching the standard "no game on tv right now" screen with the easy listening background music. Will leave it on this channel until opening night!!

Thanks, Zach Lowe!!!

[SpursDynasty85]

Forbes, Murray, White, Walker, and DEROZAN are all going to make a step or a jump in their game. Demarre Carrol was also a solid pick up. Not to mention Gay and Aldridge are solid vets who are promoting a good culture. This team should win at least 50 and be able to compete at least with everyone this season if we can peak at the right time.

[John B]

I think White exposure in the USA team has something to do with it also. But I’m hoping he heard something about Murray knocking down 3’s. It would be a good season. I can’t wait.

[monty4329]

Tim Duncan Effect, TBH. No team with Tim Duncan on the bench is going to win less than 50. :D


Truthfully, there is no reason why this team shouldn't be better than last season. I know some teams have gotten better (at least on paper - we'll see). But some teams have gotten worse. Low saying "potential 50 win team" pretty much means playing as good as last year, and winning a couple of coin-toss games.

If White can hold up, under the increased attention he'll be getting, and Murray is healthy enough to live up to his 17-18 form, the Spurs should win 50. I think Keldon Johnson will bring some regular season help, and LWIV should as well. If Carrol gives the Spurs what PATFO expects? I don't think there's a snowball's chance in Hell that they could challenge for winning the West, but there's no reason this team shouldn't win 50 regular season games. Lowe isn't exactly out on a limb with that prediction.

Spurs are due for a healthy season, and that alone means 4-5 wins more.
Except...we are an even worse 3pt threat than last season. I am afraid we'll end up dead last in 3pt taken -albeit with a nice %. So I don't know, 50 wins are no joke if you can't make 12 3s per game (yes, last year 48 wins with only 10 per game, I know)

[Dverde]

Lowe and Simmons always slurping Morey and the Rockets every year. I bet they are still on their “championship island”. Lowe is garbage now.

[exstatic]

Lowe was good before he decided to jump on the 'insider' bandwagon, and get involved in all of the player issues, instead of sticking to analysis of the game.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

LMA needs to stay healthy and the young guys need to contribute and the Spurs can improve upon last season. 50 wins is certainly within the realm of possibility for this group, but the West should have a lot of parity. Probably a lot of teams in that 44 to 48 win range.

[gameFACE]

Forbes, Murray, White, Walker, and DEROZAN are all going to make a step or a jump in their game. Demarre Carrol was also a solid pick up. Not to mention Gay and Aldridge are solid vets who are promoting a good culture. This team should win at least 50 and be able to compete at least with everyone this season if we can peak at the right time.

Pretty much this. Only exception is that Aldridge could start showing age.

[TD 21]

The West has way more parity than it used to, but everyone has at least moderate question marks. The Spurs are the only team whose question marks are good (essentially can chemistry and improve play make a 48-win team better). With continuity and stars who are usually not injury risks, it's not hard to see the Spurs as a team that fights for a top-two or -three record for most of the before maybe giving up the chase in the last month of the season. A lot of teams might struggle out of the gate or during the season due to the attrition.


Of course, maybe he did hear something about Murray or just really loves White or the other young'uns. I don't think that's the most likely explanation, but it would sure be a welcomed one.

There could be enough veteran decline to offset whatever the youth gain. Aldridge and Gay are so big and overpowering that I'd guess them falling off a cliff this season is unlikely, but at their respective ages it could happen anytime.

There's also the matter of their projected 5 best players probably not being tenable together, which means having to force feed a defensive liability (who can't more than offset it by being a superstar or star offensively) into a role they shouldn't be in.



This.
I mean there's really nothing to what he has to say.
Barring injury, ya the Spurs should win 50. Big deal.

Sure, but the point isn't the comment, it's the source. He's been as down on the Spurs as anyone in the national media in recent years. I thought he'd be leading the "Spurs are most likely to fall out" or "Spurs won't make the playoffs" charge. Instead, he's going the other way.

[Leetonidas]

Lol Zach Lowe is a hack when it comes to Spurs predictions. Didn't this guy predict Spurs to not win 50 the year they won 61? Didn't he claim the Spurs would miss the playoffs both of the last two years? :lol if anything this prediction guarantees a 30 win season

[ZeusWillJudge]

Spurs are due for a healthy season, and that alone means 4-5 wins more.
Except...we are an even worse 3pt threat than last season. I am afraid we'll end up dead last in 3pt taken -albeit with a nice %. So I don't know, 50 wins are no joke if you can't make 12 3s per game (yes, last year 48 wins with only 10 per game, I know)



I was talking to a Miss. State fan about Weatherspoon's junior year. He had a couple of ideas about why his 3P% was down that one season. I don't know if any of them are true. But if you just count the other 3 years, he shot 39% from 3, on pretty good volume. You can't count on a guy who's on a 2-way to provide much, but I'm hopeful he's going to provide some range in the future.

The Spurs are in trouble on 3's, no doubt. I think they're going to be trying to give Gay more opportunities to take more from downtown, and I'm sure they are going to count on Carrol to take and make a good number. If any of the youngs have improved in that department, the team should be okay. Murray is the most obvious, since he had a whole year to work on his shot.

[Rummpd]

Lowe knows a helluva a lot about basketball analytics and film breakdown etc even if he has blown some past predictions - he must have some credible info to make this pick.

[Kawhitstorm]

I listen to a fair bit of Lowe. I'm not sure he's a Spurs hater as such, I think a lot of fans get defensive if you say anything negative about their team. You add DJ & DMC to a 48 win team, there's no reason why you shouldn't expect 50 wins from a team that should be significantly better defensively.

Softridge /Rudy would have to hold up & Bertans shooting is going to be missed

[R. DeMurre]

I'd guess that White, Murray, Walker, and Poeltl will all be better/ more impactful, and there will be little or no drop off with Aldridge, DeRozan, or Gay-- so that's a plus. But the West has improved over last year, with The Clippers, Lakers, Jazz, & Pelicans getting better, and Golden State & OKC getting worse-- so that makes the schedule a tad more difficult. Barring major injuries, I'd still bet on a 50 win team.

[John B]

I'd guess that White, Murray, Walker, and Poeltl will all be better/ more impactful, and there will be little or no drop off with Aldridge, DeRozan, or Gay-- so that's a plus. But the West has improved over last year, with The Clippers, Lakers, Jazz, & Pelicans getting better, and Golden State & OKC getting worse-- so that makes the schedule a tad more difficult. Barring major injuries, I'd still bet on a 50 win team.:lmao no they didn’t. I expect Pels to be still at the bottom of the barrel. Agree Spurs are 50 plus win. I really thought with Morris, Spurs were locked at WCF vs nephews team tbh.

[SpurOutofTownFan]

Slightly past 1:12 . . .

http://www.espn.com/espnradio/play?id=27537763

What changed? He hated them as recently as the end of last season and obviously they didn't exactly make sweeping changes . . . which leads me to believe he's heard something specific about the development of the youth, that could potentially alter their ceiling, like Murray's 3 has improved to the extent that playing their best 5 in stretches would become tenable.

I wouldn't call this guy a Spurs hater but I get what you are saying

[sasaint]

:lmao no they didn’t. I expect Pels to be still at the bottom of the barrel. Agree Spurs are 50 plus win. I really thought with Morris, Spurs were locked at WCF vs nephews team tbh.

I am very interested to see how the Pels do this season. I don’t know if they will be better or not, but they intrigue me. AD’s on/off numbers were not very good, iirc. Plus he was injured a lot last season and his contract/trade sideshow had a disruptive effect on the team. They have a few players I like - especially Randle. Ultimately their season seems to depend on how good Zion is, and how well he and Randle mesh. They could be a very dynamic duo.

[exstatic]

I am very interested to see how the Pels do this season. I don’t know if they will be better or not, but they intrigue me. AD’s on/off numbers were not very good, iirc. Plus he was injured a lot last season and his contract/trade sideshow had a disruptive effect on the team. They have a few players I like - especially Randle. Ultimately their season seems to depend on how good Zion is, and how well he and Randle mesh. They could be a very dynamic duo.

Julius Randle signed with the Knicks.

The only veteran player they have that I like is Jrue, and they'll probably flip him. He doesn't fit on what is clearly otherwise a rebuilding team.

[R. DeMurre]

:lmao no they didn’t. I expect Pels to be still at the bottom of the barrel. Agree Spurs are 50 plus win. I really thought with Morris, Spurs were locked at WCF vs nephews team tbh.

New Orleans added Derrick Favors at C, Zion at PF, and Brandon Ingram at SF... they're not a powerhouse, but they're definitely better than last year's team that had Anthony Davis playing 20 mpg amidst high drama & zero team unity for 33 wins...

[R. DeMurre]

Julius Randle signed with the Knicks.

The only veteran player they have that I like is Jrue, and they'll probably flip him. He doesn't fit on what is clearly otherwise a rebuilding team.

You don't like Derrick Favors at Center at all? I think he's an improvement over Randle, more defensive minded, more efficient, lower usage rate, better BPM.

[exstatic]

You don't like Derrick Favors at Center at all? I think he's an improvement over Randle, more defensive minded, more efficient, lower usage rate, better BPM.

He's OK, but as as center, I'm not sure he's even better than 20 minute AD, and Randle is flat gone, replaced by a rookie in Zion. Right now, I like AD/Randle a lot better than DF/Zion. Ask me in a couple of years, and my answer will likely be different.

[sasaint]

Julius Randle signed with the Knicks.

The only veteran player they have that I like is Jrue, and they'll probably flip him. He doesn't fit on what is clearly otherwise a rebuilding team.

Wow! I completely forgot about Randle’s defection to the Knicks. That’s a pity.

[Phenomanul]

Lowe is all over the place with regards to the Spurs... Here, he tip-toes the line in order to avoid having to bring up the Spurs at all because it would essentially negate his arguments.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/27533126/is-big-two-better-big-three-nba-teams

[DAF86]

This means this is probably the year the Spurs don't make the playoffs, tbh.

[Maddog]

If you really take a step back and look at this rationally (spurstalk rational?) this pretty damn impressive to be in the discussion for a 50 win season in what amounts to a transition year. Would have even been a WCF contender or even final contender if certain individuals did not desire the big city...
This will be an extremely interesting year for the Spurs. They have a good group of young promising players-Decent to good future cap flexibility. The flip side is while they have a promising young core- they are still just potential and may never be elite players. For example look at the Utah core thread..after all this time, not entirely certain Utah's long term prospects are any better. Add in this may be Pop's last year or at bare minimum his penultimate year . Yes we will miss him once he's gone.

[Rummpd]

Reality is though our coach seemingly not what he was. 47 wins more likely

[YGWHI]

It's very, very likely the Spurs will make the playoffs.

I can see (no order) Rockets Clippers Nuggets Jazz Spurs Lakers Warrios Blazers in playoffs

[ismael-robert]

Spurs top 3

[rascal]

A Homer take here - clueless