Resolved: no more B2B excuses

[ShoogarBear]

It's BS. The media, coaches, and now players have bought into the "tired" excuse so much that the Spurs basically defeat themselves before the game even starts. No other team in the league uses this crutch as much as the Spurs do.

That wasn't a tired team in the third quarter last night. That was a team that had been told in no uncertain terms to pull their heads out from where they had been. There's no reason they can't do that more often.

Sure there's some physical fatigue. But the reason for all this drag-ass is mostly mental.

[SenorSpur]

They did well to come back from a huge deficit, they just failed to finish the job. You can't trade baskets and miss free throws and expect to overtake an opponent and win the game.

[ShoogarBear]

You can't come out whining to yourselves about how tired you are in the first two quarters either. How about starting the game with some fire and then you don't have to come back from a huge deficit.

[leemajors]

You can't come out whining to yourselves about how tired you are in the first two quarters either. How about starting the game with some fire and then you don't have to come back from a huge deficit.

yeah we need to start slow on TNT games only because THEY KNOW DRAMA

[1Parker1]

I don't know Shoog. Spurs are an experienced, championship team. I think they're mature and smart enough not to let media hype get into their heads. More importantly, they know that they are struggling to win the SW div right now and catch up with the Pistons for the best overall record...they know how important these last games are...I don't think they'd go in with the losing mentality before the game even starts...they're too good for that and Pop would never let them.

I think it's the fact that injuries, old age, and the Carmelo just flat out owning them that got them the win yesterday.

[Trifecta]

When the media asked Parker about the B2B aspect, he was saying that maybe they were too old! Sounds like he was repeating what everyone else has said.

I agree that this is an excuse! That 3rd Qtr proved it! They got some wind from somewhere! Oh, it was Manu -- the person who was forgotten in the 4th Qtr!

POPS was on crack to have Finley try to guard MELO!

This spelled doom for us!

[TDMVPDPOY]

Let me tell you this, the spurs are build for SPAM only and into the playoffs. I dont really care about the b2b games, we dont have any excuses though for those loss games, since we have a bad trend with b2b. We accept teh defeat and give the winnin team credit where its due, unlike sum other teams who always complain there star player is not even on teh team

[spur219]

It's all mental

[nkdlunch]

Or they could have been just very tired. Parker looked very tired after the first 5 minutes.

[BillsCarnage]

Who cares.. There are no B2B games in the PO's so it's all moot.

[SpursWoman]

I thought it was going to be more of a "it must be the altitude" excuse rather than a B2B one.

:fro

[ShoogarBear]

Let me tell you why we should care:

Example 1: In 2004, after 0.4*, Spurs, down 2-3, lose game 6 in LA.
Example 2: In 2005, after Rasheed Rotates Off Horry, Pistons, down 2-3, win game 6 in SA.

I submit that the same mental toughness that gets you over B2Bs is what allows you to come back from other tough predicaments. The Spurs are going to need that, especially if they don't have HCA against the Pistons.

[polandprzem]

I'm frickin tired of those who are telling that there are no b2b games in the playoffs.

Tell us something we don't know.

[BigVee]

I am always amazed at some of the stuff people write, like the NBA is new to them. This is the regular season. The Nuggets with 3 days rest...planning for this game, gettting knocked out last year by the Spurs. New thugs, eh players trying to impress the coach. The crowd in a frenzy. In walk the Spurs playing a game the night before play a fairly decent game, but run out of gas in the fourth quarter. These are facts, not excuses. It happens every night in the NBA. You don't think Miami fatigued v. the Pistons? You could see this loss coming when the schedule came out in August.

[MoSpur]

I am always amazed at some of the stuff people write, like the NBA is new to them. This is the regular season. The Nuggets with 3 days rest...planning for this game, gettting knocked out last year by the Spurs. New thugs, eh players trying to impress the coach. The crowd in a frenzy. In walk the Spurs playing a game the night before play a fairly decent game, but run out of gas in the fourth quarter. These are facts, not excuses. It happens every night in the NBA. You don't think Miami fatigued v. the Pistons? You could see this loss coming when the schedule came out in August.

I agree, but they also need to step it up when it counts. Last night and every night counts because to finish with the best overall record is important. Do the Spurs win game seven last year if it was in Detroit? Maybe. Not sure though. They need to keep pace with the Pistons. I don't care what anyone says.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

I'm frickin tired of those who are telling that there are no b2b games in the playoffs.

Tell us something we don't know.

Iceland consumes more Coca-cola per capita than any other nation.

[leemajors]

Iceland consumes more Coca-cola per capita than any other nation.

in a test performed during downtime at a bar, diet coke and sprite removed dirt from a penny faster than coca cola, dr. pepper, barq's root beer, and club soda.

[myhc]

I am always amazed at some of the stuff people write, like the NBA is new to them. This is the regular season. The Nuggets with 3 days rest...planning for this game, gettting knocked out last year by the Spurs. New thugs, eh players trying to impress the coach. The crowd in a frenzy. In walk the Spurs playing a game the night before play a fairly decent game, but run out of gas in the fourth quarter. These are facts, not excuses. It happens every night in the NBA. You don't think Miami fatigued v. the Pistons? You could see this loss coming when the schedule came out in August.


Agreed. We all want the team to win but nights like this are going to happen. That's life in the NBA and unfortunately some people can't accept that. Oh well, when Duncan and Manu retire and we're mired in a 5 game losing streak, I can only imagine what this board will be like then. :lol

[ShoogarBear]

I'm amazed that someone can watch that first half and say the Spurs played a "fairly decent game".

[tlongII]

As I've said previously...The Nuggets are now a very good team! I believe they will be San Antonio's biggest hurdle in getting back to the Finals provided they remain healthy. Reggie Evans and Ruben Patterson were terrific additions to their team. Sometimes you need to give credit to the opponent.

[BigVee]

We all heard that Nugget bullshit last year....hottest team at the end of the season, etc. Well they got their ass kicked in 5 games. They are no threat. Camby is made of China, K-Mart is hurt, Boykins is out and Patterson and Evans are loose cannons just waiting to do something stupid.

[BigVee]

I'm amazed that someone can watch that first half and say the Spurs played a "fairly decent game".


They did play a fairly decent game. Got down, which happens to all teams. made adjustments and came out in the second half and took the game back. Unfortunately, they didn't have much left for the fourth quarter. Manu was way more than decent, TP was decent and Tim was decent. Overall fairly decent.

[Extra Stout]

You could see this loss coming when the schedule came out in August.
It's pretty easy to pick the losses on the schedule. Last night was an obvious one. Luckily, there is only one more game that they'll probably lose, maybe two if the final game is meaningless.

No matter though. Even if the Spurs finish 65-17, many Spurs fans will bitch and whine about how mentally soft they are, and how the Kings/Lakers/Clippers are going to knock them out in the first round.

[ALVAREZ6]

That one ESPN guy (white guy from Philly, I forget his name at this particular time, but well-known), was talking about this last night during the game. He mentioned how the Spurs use the B2B shit as an excuse.


I agreed with him, it's just the people that keep reminding them that they suck on B2B games, it gets in their heads. I personally don't see what's so hard about playing B2B games, maybe it's because I'm not 30, but I can play 40 mins per game many nights in a row, and these Spurs are in the NBA, professional athletes, they are supposed to be conditioned.

Anyway, this B2B shit has to end. Last night they proved to themselves that they can play basketball on B2B nights as long as they get this crap out of their heads. And last night was against a hot team.

I guess that this loss tought a lesson. No more excuses, you guys CAN play 2 nights in a row.

[ALVAREZ6]

Or they could have been just very tired. Parker looked very tired after the first 5 minutes.
I hope he wasn't.


TP is what? 25 years old???


That's around the age where you should be in your athletic prime, around 22-25 years old. If he really was tired, then he better start workin his ass off in practice, start running everyday or something.

[Kori Ellis]

I'm frickin tired of those who are telling that there are no b2b games in the playoffs.

Tell us something we don't know.

I'm tired of it too. Especially since it's not necessarily true. There CAN be back to back games in the playoffs; it is just not likely.

As for the topic, I'm sure it is somewhat mental but there's definitely been some physical aspects to it this season.

[BigVee]

Alvarez6, dude, you really think that your 40 minutes is anything close to the pace, physicality, of an NBA game? Especially after travel and at altitude. And, against at team that has been off 3 days waiting for you? Get real.

[BigVee]

I'm tired of it too. Especially since it's not necessarily true. There CAN be back to back games in the playoffs; it is just not likely.

As for the topic, I'm sure it is somewhat mental but there's definitely been some physical aspects to it this season.

But, if it does happen in the playoffs it will be a back to back for both teams.

[Buddy Holly]

It's BS. The media, coaches, and now players have bought into the "tired" excuse so much that the Spurs basically defeat themselves before the game even starts. No other team in the league uses this crutch as much as the Spurs do.

That wasn't a tired team in the third quarter last night. That was a team that had been told in no uncertain terms to pull their heads out from where they had been. There's no reason they can't do that more often.

Sure there's some physical fatigue. But the reason for all this drag-ass is mostly mental.

When 9 of your teams 15 losses come on the second of back to backs, it stops becoming coincidental.

[ALVAREZ6]

Alvarez6, dude, you really think that your 40 minutes is anything close to the pace, physicality, of an NBA game? Especially after travel and at altitude. And, against at team that has been off 3 days waiting for you? Get real.
No, but it's still high-paced, competitive basketball.


I'm just saying that they use this excuse every B2B, not just the ones against Denver IN Denver.


They are professionals. Now I can see if Tim has trouble because he's a 7' 30 year old with that planar fascitis shit or whatever it is, but most of the guys shouldn't have that much of a problem with it.

[BigVee]

But, the margin between winning and losing in the NBA can be very slight at times. The advantage of having not played for 3 days versus a team that played the night before and arrived in the middle of the night is dramatic. Forgetting back to backs, why do you think there are only 5 teams out of 30 with winning records on the road?

[SouthernFried]

I turned off the TV when Pop took Manu out early in the first quarter. He was on a tear, scoring like mad, making steals and passes. Then Pop pulled him while he was on this tear, and Denver immediately took over the game. Went to bed.

[ALVAREZ6]

But, the margin between winning and losing in the NBA can be very slight at times. The advantage of having not played for 3 days versus a team that played the night before and arrived in the middle of the night is dramatic. Forgetting back to backs, why do you think there are only 5 teams out of 30 with winning records on the road?
That's true, I agree.


I'm just saying that in general, this back to back crap has to go.

[smeagol]

Well its either physical or mental.

Case closed!

[BigVee]

That's true, I agree.


I'm just saying that in general, this back to back crap has to go.
I hear you, it is just a fact of the NBA that the schedule affects wins and losses. For instance, the Spurs are sitting in a Portland hotel right now, while the Blazers are playing in Phoenix. I would guess they will show fatigue tomorrow night.

[Spurminator]

When 9 of your teams 15 losses come on the second of back to backs, it stops becoming coincidental.

Doesn't sound like he's suggesting it's coincidental.