Spurs' back to back woes

[SPARKY]

...seem likely to continue with their 3rd attempt at defending a championship. Oh well, 3 banners are still 3 banners.

[ducks]

yeah because this was a playoff game

oops playoffs have not started yet and the spurs are still in first place in the west

[Amuseddaysleeper]

this just wasn't our year. it wasn't meant to be

oh well this team will get healthy next year

and the daily dime on ESPN had a ton of stuff about Parker and the Spurs though I'm sure it was already posted

[Kori Ellis]

:lmao @ Spurs fans giving up before the playoffs start.

[BillsCarnage]

That's part of being a fan... Always one hand the bandwagon while running along side. :lol

[SPARKY]

The 3 times the Spurs have won a title they were on some kind of roll, or at least would not drop games on their home court to playoff bound teams in April. At the moment I'm not seeing it. There isn't the intensity and focus that has been there in championship runs past.

A lot of attention is paid to TD and Parker in this forum but the playoff wildcard as I see it has been Manu. Now, if you had a Jack type player then any drop in Manu's game wouldn't matter as much, but you don't. Manu has to bring the energy to liven up a fairly dead perimeter rotation. Something's off with Manu this season. I don't think he's gotten his game back. The timing's off. Well, at least they'll have the season to get healthy again, which is what I thought last summer was about...

[SPARKY]

Yeah, I guess I'm the penultimate bandwagon fan. Unless something changes with this team, soon, this offseason is not going to be a happy one.

[Pistons < Spurs]

WTF????


Some of you already throwing in the towel is just ridiculious...... :yield

[Cant_Be_Faded]

I agree...i am a pessimist by nature, but steppin outside the box, I just don't see the truck haulin along like in previous spurs championship seasons...

It's easy for other team fans to say we're quittin, but who's quittin? im not..I'm just admitting that I don't see that firey streak that we all see in previous championship season-closers.

Other team's fans just see our record.

I think they should look towards any other team in previous seasons that was worse than their record indicated. And this has happened. Often. (see: kings)

[Kori Ellis]

Last year late in the season, Rasho and Duncan had gone down with ankle injuries. And you guys were more optimistic then?

I don't think so. I just think a lot of fans love to panic and I'd venture to bet you were panicking and worried just as much last year at this time as you are now.

[SPARKY]

Not really. Last year's team was considerably different than this one in its performance. Also Duncan and Manu didn't look as bad as they do now. Apparently plantar facilits-whatever is more debilitating than a hurt ankle.

[BillsCarnage]

I just think a lot of fans love to panic and I'd venture to bet you were panicking and worried just as much last year at this time as you are now.

Yeah, but did they suffer two consecutive loses to potential PO teams AT home last year? That's what has everyone so nervous.

Last year they owned the Suns in the regular season and they were there only real challenge. Take the experience away and the Spurs/Mavs are about even. It is too bad they they'll have to meet in the 2nd round rather than the WCF's like they should.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

Last year late in the season, Rasho and Duncan had gone down with ankle injuries. And you guys were more optimistic then?

I don't think so. I just think a lot of fans love to panic and I'd venture to bet you were panicking and worried just as much last year at this time as you are now.


I was not panicked last year because Manu was having a solid season, and Manu is THE x-factor. He can do anything if he's 100%...absolutely anything.

But I don't see Manu having all of his faculities this season: I see him missing free throws, missing wide open threes, and getting fouled alot harder in the paint.
Parker has had shitty games every time I see him, but apparently his jumper is very solid now.
But what the hugest difference for me is (mostly bc i dont watch many games) is duncan's lack of output on the offensive end.

No go-to guy.

I don't give a shit if we have a player to guard Dirk, if we can't give it to a single player on offense come crunch time and have him be reliable, we're fucked.
Pop doesn't konw how to coach without having a go to guy.

[SPARKY]

The losses this week are emblematic of what I've seen all season from this team. Nice collection of talent, but where's the heart? Where's the energy? Consistency?

Sure, they're good enough to rack up a bunch of easy regular season wins but anytime there's been a tough one, be it at home or on the road, this team is more likely to fold than anything else.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

Last year late in the season, Rasho and Duncan had gone down with ankle injuries. And you guys were more optimistic then?

I don't think so. I just think a lot of fans love to panic and I'd venture to bet you were panicking and worried just as much last year at this time as you are now.


to be honest Kori, i do remember having my heart come to a complete stop when duncan had the ankle injury in detroit. we weathered the storm a bit while he was out but the biggest difference between this year and last year is that I knew this team was definitely the best team in the NBA. the only team that was supposed to be a threat to us was Phoenix, and the fact that the only time they beat was BARELY and that was when we didn't have manu or TD I felt very confident in us getting the championship. Especially when you factored in that the lakers weren't gonna be there to stop us. Detroit was a team that I respected but didn't realize how well they were gonna play us till after game 4. Miracuously we pulled that series and to this day I watch that 4th quarter over and over tryin to figure out how we pulled it off. This year we aren't nearly as good as detroit. had we been 100% healthy then obviously things would be different but we have been injury plagued so it just didnt work out this season. also there are way too many IF's for us to win it all. biggest being that we NEED brent, fin and nazr to step up in every single game. the biggest things we need are outside shooting and REBOUNDING. rebounding we can do with concentrated effort but our bench is WAY too inconsistent for them to get us over the hump. we have too many guys going 2-9 one night then doing well and going 5-8 then shooting 34% for the next three games. thankfully this team is stacked so not everyone has had to show up for us to win games but if detroit is who face should we make it to the finals i realistically give us a 20% chance of winning. I'm not "off the bandwagon" I'm still gonna be there rootin for this team in the playoffs and I'll be here for training camp next season (on the boards of course, not at the actual training camp, way way too tiring to go through!) but basically to me the Spurs are that sick Horse that you know used to be a champion but just doesn't have what it takes this year b/c of its sickness to go #1 in the race. so you take it to the race anyway, hoping that it does well but deep in your heart you know its gonna be too much to overcome.

[Kori Ellis]

It's too late to read all that, Amuse. I know you've probably been a negative guy your whole life. And you know what, it takes all kinds, so that's okay.

You say that we need outside shooting and rebounding. Our bench players (Fin, Brent, even Beno) have shot very well since the A-S break. On the season, the Spurs are actually a better rebounding team than the Pistons.

[Extra Stout]

My inebriated ass still thinks they'll win the West.

But I doubt they can beat Detroit.

This Pistons team is one for the ages.

[SPARKY]

It's too late to read all that, Amuse. I know you've probably been a negative guy your whole life. And you know what, it takes all kinds, so that's okay.

You say that we need outside shooting and rebounding. Our bench players (Fin, Brent, even Beno) have shot very well since the A-S break. On the season, the Spurs are actually a better rebounding team than the Pistons.

Right, what happened when the Spurs faced the Pistons this season? Whenever this team is pushed, when it can't win on talent alone...easily, then it hasn't been able to rise to the occassion. There are very few teams who can push this Spurs team in the league. The Spurs' record bears that out. But titles aren't won by regular season records, they are won by pushing the other teams over the edge and out of the playoffs.

This team is too good for its own good. It's like the team started to believe its shit doesn't stink.