Spurs best start ever?

[Rummpd]

Spurs are 9-2, I recall one year they were something like 13-4 or so and may even had if I recall in the Robinson years something like a 17-4 or 16-5 start.

Anyone recall their best start to say the first 1/4th of the season?

Not saying Spurs will match but they have the potential to do so or exceed if they begin to remember it is a 48 minute game.

[SouthernFried]

Yeah, they seem to be having a good start...while still play sub-par ball. As of now, I'm still not comfortable with the way the Spurs are playing. But, it's early, and a lotta new faces. The fact they're winning so much, is a pleasant surprise.

Still, I'd take a few losses to see more cohesion in the defensive game and team chemistry. It's not about wins this early (yeah, right ;))...but making the team better.

I think Nick and Finn could provide some good minutes, both seem to be contributing (on offense at least, haven't seen too many great defensive plays by either)...Oberto, not too sure about.

Parkers quick penetrations and scorings has been good...but has also made the game pace a little quicker, which I'm not sure is an overall advantage to the Spurs. Defense seems not there yet. Defense is a more of a "mind-set" thing, and hopefully, after the all-star break, that mind-set will start to sink in.

Still, it's early...and it sure doesn't hurt to rack up a few wins.

[Vashner]

Yea and people where like freaking out after 2 losses...
Oh ye bandwagonneer have little faith...

It's ok what's neat is you can see who is a fair weather fan and who is not from the journal.

[JMarkJohns]

You could just as easily be 7-4.

I think you are the favorites to win the title, but you've struggled against some lesser teams. Parker looks great, as does Duncan, but something just seems to be missing.

[Kori Ellis]

You could just as easily be 7-4.

I think you are the favorites to win the title, but you've struggled against some lesser teams. Parker looks great, as does Duncan, but something just seems to be missing.

Injuries have held them back a bit so far.

Manu has been banged up and forced to play because of the injuries to Barry and Finley.

And sometimes they have a tendency to get lackadaisical and coast through games.

Defensively this team is no where close to where they'll be near the end of the season.

I don't think this team will really start to click until January or February.

[Brutalis]

You could just as easily be 7-4.

I think you are the favorites to win the title, but you've struggled against some lesser teams. Parker looks great, as does Duncan, but something just seems to be missing.

That says a lot about the rest of the league. Thanks!

[Rummpd]

Good teams win games, and even with some close ones Spurs are not doing so far what they maddenly did last year, lose odd games time and time again. Many teams blow leads, Spurs are sitting fine and have had some injuries. Anytime a team starts 9-2 with 6 games on the road - they are just in fine shape!

Dear Suns Fan

By the way, how can a team with the reigning MVP and Marion and a "genius coach" be 4-5???

[JMarkJohns]

Injuries have held them back a bit so far.

Manu has been banged up and forced to play because of the injuries to Barry and Finley.

And sometimes they have a tendency to get lackadaisical and coast through games.

Defensively this team is no where close to where they'll be near the end of the season.

I don't think this team will really start to click until January or February.

I've noticed Ginobili has been hit and miss. Maybe he should limit his flops to 1/2 per game to give his body a bit of a rest :)

If your defense ever returns, I think you'll cruise through the West. Houston hasn't lived up to billing and really needs some perimeter shooting and while Dallas has a fine record, Dampier and Diop are nothing to be concerned with.

I think if Memphis can swing a deal for a third big, they could be your only competition and even then, I don't think that will be much.

[Vashner]

I have not addressed the issue yet of "what if we win". But I do admit.. in the back of my mind I see another river parade and it would be like Nirvana....

[JMarkJohns]

Dear Suns Fan

By the way, how can a team with the reigning MVP and Marion and a "genius coach" be 4-5???

Um no... Because they don't have a genious coach, unless'n your counting Nash as the coach now?!

D'Antoni is average, Marion's shot is gone and Nash is over-dribbling and shooting those insanely low-percentaged 20-foot, hand in face, fall-away floaters.

Without Barbosa, they have no one that can't be guarded somehow.

[SequSpur]

Um no... Because they don't have a genious coach, unless'n your counting Nash as the coach now?!

D'Antoni is average, Marion's shot is gone and Nash is over-dribbling and shooting those insanely low-percentaged 20-foot, hand in face, fall-away floaters.

Without Barbosa, they have no one that can't be guarded somehow.

You flop more than Manu. In the other thread, you were a couple of number ones away from dynasty. :lol

[Rummpd]

At least you are a realistic fan. Suns get back Amare they will move right back up there though.

Hard to like your owner though for passing on Pop for the Olympics for a college coach, even coach K, purely a marketing move period.

[SequSpur]

I don't think Pop was a good choice for the team either. Dude was with Larry Brown in the worst olympic performance ever for nba players.

That team needs a whole new look. We don't need to go there and compete against them foreigners, the NBA needs to do what they did before, restore order, impose their will against those teams and destroy them from the tip off.

Pop is not the answer either.

[JMarkJohns]

You flop more than Manu. In the other thread, you were a couple of number ones away from dynasty. :lol

This is the type of mispeak and half truth that keeps me here.

Respect, just like Title is earned, not granted. Just because I'm on a Spurs site, doesn't mean I should show it's posts respect unless its posts show respect.

I said the Suns will be all right. That's pretty much my exact words.

[polandprzem]

Thy started 13-3 in the 1999-2000 season as I remember. You know how it ended.

The spurs are not plaing their basketball yet. They usualy doing it after the all star break.
I just hope that TP won't get 'tired' at the end of a season.
And I just hope that Beno will get more minutes after Nick understands the spurs system. Then he just might relax and wait till tyhe playoffs.
Where is Nazr? He must get an extra trening sesion. I hope he can be beter at D cause it is his the most weak side in spurs system (oh there is also catching the ball and finishing at the rim :) ) rasho is right now in a good production with his defense, and you can even see a little aggression 9n him this year.

Pop is good in limiting minutes to players who need it. He is the best in it.
Damn he is a great coach with treating every guy equaly and giving the same atencion. Just hope the spurs will be healthy.
What can we say about Tim? I think he is in a good position to contribute at the end of a season and the PO.

[JMarkJohns]

...Hard to like your owner though for passing on Pop for the Olympics for a college coach, even coach K, purely a marketing move period.

Colangelo is no longer the owner. He's like the CEO for another few years, but Chicken man Sarvar is the new owner.

I don't dislike him as much as some, but I do wish he'd paid JJ 50 million over 6 years two summers ago.

Oh well...

Ya live, ya learn, ya pray really, really hard for a top-5 pick from the Hawks.

[SequSpur]

When Amare gets back and you find another big to help out, Joe Johnson will not be needed. They did the right thing, see how many wins Atlanta has.

[JMarkJohns]

I think they did the right thing by passing on him for 70 million, but they could have had him for 6 years and 50 million. It would have been nice.

I like Diaw and with Johnson here, Barbosa is probably still wasted.

I never liked Richardson or his unnecessary threes, so he's not a loss, even with the piddly production Thomas has given.

[TDMVPDPOY]

this spurs team is still missin a piece part of the puzzle.....hell i would get rid of nazr+rasho for drob n elliot on the team now!!!

[MI21]

The Spurs started out 20-4 in 2001/2002 season.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

C'mon people, the Spurs rarely kick into gear until January at the earliest (except last year) - this is great early season form from our late-risers!

Never seen Parker look better (except maybe gmes 1-3 2003 Finals) - penetrating with ease, using both hands to finish, making better decisions.

Timmy has more energy than any time since April-June 2003, looks like a different player from the last two seasons when he looked tired... still got it done, but not with the same energy.

Rasho is doing a great job in the middle, especially on D and the O boards. He even made a big-step rainbow fadeaway look good the other day.

Bruce is his ever consistent self...

But then you gotta realise the team hasn't gelled at all yet. It's all good, be patient! :D

[Supergirl]

THe rest of the NBA should be very, very scared.

The Spurs are 9-2 and have barely showed up to play yet. They're playing at about 75%. Parker has woken up. He's won 2 NBA titles and he's only just BECOMING a great player - imagine what he'll be when he's in his prime.

[MI21]

The Spurs are 9-2 and have barely showed up to play yet. They're playing at about 75%. Parker has woken up. He's won 2 NBA titles and he's only just BECOMING a great player - imagine what he'll be when he's in his prime.

Let's not forget our starting SG is playing below his usual standards and is only now getting back to what we know he can be as well as both backup swingman missing half the season so far with injury, I'd say 9-2 is a decent effort.

[Rummpd]

As the thread starter I see the Spurs right on course to what I predicted about 64 wins.


Even with some sluggish play, i cannot see this Spurs team as composed, losing more than 18 reg season games or more importantly any series - I can see them tested by the Mavs or Suns (if they have Amare) and by the Eastern Finalist. Add the right trade and they could walk over the competion.

Repeat.

[GoSpurs21]

I hate the way the Spurs are struggling to close out games. But its early in the season and I'm sure Pop will have hammered it out by the all star break.

[conqueso]

Best Spurs starts ever (minimum 10 games, maximum 25 games, minimum 70%):

80-81: 12-3 (.800)
81-82: 9-1 (.900)
89-90: 19-6 (.760)
90-91: 19-6 (.760)
91-92: 10-3 (.769)
95-96: 17-7 (.708)
97-98: 7-3 (.700)
99-00: 14-3 (.824)
00-01: 11-5 (.733)
01-02: 20-4 (.833)
04-05: 16-3 (.842)
05-06: 9-2 (.818)

[gameFACE]

Not a bad start cosidering we've only seen flashes of the full potential of this lineup. The only criticism I would have is that the two losses they have are against likely playoff teams.

[BigVee]

This team is not even close to be turned loose yet. Pop will have a group out there that will be absolutely demolishing the opposition and at a time out he changes 2-3 positions. If he were going for the kill he would not be doing that. Many of those wild combinations lead to stagnation, blown defense, turnovers, etc. Yet, they have the talent this year to still hang in and win the game. 2 years ago they would be 6-5 now. Can't wait until it all clicks and he lets the team play. It will be something.

[Rasho Fan 88]

As long as we keep the starters we have now, and get more production from manu, I think it going to be a repeat.

[Solid D]

Best Spurs starts ever (minimum 10 games, maximum 25 games, minimum 70%):

80-81: 12-3 (.800)
81-82: 9-1 (.900)
89-90: 19-6 (.760)
90-91: 19-6 (.760)
91-92: 10-3 (.769)
95-96: 17-7 (.708)
97-98: 7-3 (.700)
99-00: 14-3 (.824)
00-01: 11-5 (.733)
01-02: 20-4 (.833)
04-05: 16-3 (.842)
05-06: 9-2 (.818)

Great work conqueso! How could people so soon forget last season's 16-3 start?

[nkdlunch]

damn who said we were slow starters? :lol

That's the thing, Spurs ARE starting slow, but the rest of the league sucks even more this year!!!

[Vashner]

Right now it's Spurs and Detroit at the top of the kingdom... :)

[remingtonbo2001]

Conqueso, I believe it was 02-03, not 01-02 when they begun the season 20-4. I'm almost sure of it. I went to the very next game. It was against the Mavaricks. Duncan scored 52 points, but the Spurs lost in overtime. It was also the same year we won the championship, if I am correct. David's last season. Every event in my life is somehow related to Spurs basketball. That's pathetic. Haha.

[boutons]

rbo:

http://www.nba.com/spurs/schedule/results_2002.html

Jan 2003

Fri 3 Golden State W 98 - 95 20-13

.. no way the 02/03 Spurs started 20-4, and then lost 9 straight games in Dec/Jan.

02/03 was medorcrity in the first half season, and NBA champs in the second half.

[conqueso]

Better useless stat...Spurs records after 11 games, all time:

76-77: 5-6
77-78: 5-6
78-79: 6-5
79-80: 6-5
80-81: 9-2
81-82: 9-2
82-83: 7-4
83-84: 4-7
84-85: 6-5
85-86: 6-5
86-87: 3-8
87-88: 5-6
88-89: 4-7
89-90: 6-5
90-91: 8-3
91-92: 8-3
92-93: 5-6
93-94: 6-5
94-95: 5-6
95-96: 7-4
96-97: 2-9
97-98: 7-4
98-99: 5-6 (NBA Title)
99-00: 8-3
00-01: 8-3
01-02: 9-2
02-03: 7-4 (NBA Title)
03-04: 6-5
04-05: 8-3 (NBA Title)
05-06: 9-2

0-11: 0
1-10: 0
2-9: 1
3-8: 1
4-7: 2
5-6: 5
6-5: 7
7-4: 4
8-3: 5
9-2: 4
10-1: 0
11-0: 0

Interesting statistical distribution, centering around a median of 6-5. I have way too much free time.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Exactly, we were playing pretty poorly until about January (20-13 at the end of 2002), then Tony found his jumpshot and started playing with some confidence and the whole demeanor of the team changed.

By the time I got to SA in March we were hitting top form and finished the season 15-4 (I saw us win 11/13 games I saw live, with one great OT loss to Minnesota and a great away OT win over Dallas on TV at ???? as well... man, I drank a lot that night). Then 4-2, 4-2, 4-2, 4-2, goodnight nurse, the trophy is ours!