What are the Spurs chances this year?

[vanvannen]

By looking at this year's roster it seems the team is weaker in every position. It has no dominant center (either on offense or defense), Tim and Manu are a year older, Tony is unlikely to have a better year (let's hope he does at least as well as last season), Bruce is not getting any younger (and still we haven't found a long athletic SF) and the rest of the team is just the same, but older. Not only do we not have improved, but I think this 2006/7 Spurs are worst than the former team, while other teams have improved (Phoenix, Chicago) or at least stayed the same (Dallas, Miami). What do you guys think?

[FromWayDowntown]

The 05-06 Spurs had a dominant offensive or defensive center?

[nkdlunch]

We have no rasho or nazr thats a big plus.And im sure spurs will make a big move mid-season. our stars will be hungrier than last year. Bowen is pissed off... I think they have as good a chance as the last couple of years.

plus Dallas is beatable as it was shown in the finals. and Miami, come on , they are very beatable. who else is there to challenge?

[FromWayDowntown]

Actually, I think the Spurs will be fortunate to win 50 games and will likely finish 4th in the Southwest and will go out in the first round as a 7-8 seed.

:rolleyes

[Bruno]

Let's see your points :

- no dominant center (either on offense or defense) : sure but centers like Nazr or Rasho are useless against Mavs and Suns. We are weaker in the paint but we are more versatile and we match up better against top teams.

- Tim and Manu are a year older : but they aren't really old. both were injured last season and both can be better this year.

- Bruce is not getting any younger : last season was maybe his best season, he is old but he can still play.

This offseason has been quite bad but I wouldn't say that we are a weaker team than last year against teams like Mavs and Suns. I don't think too that Spurs are favorites to win it all. To me, Suns have the better team.

My only concern is the long SF but the situation isn't hopeless :
- Eric Williams is a great fit if he has something left in the tank.
- Melzer or Smith can be good surprises.
- Spurs can still do a trade (likely with barry) before the deadline.

BTW, we are fovourite for Vegas that you can consider as the most unbiased source :
2006/2007 NBA Championship Outright :
San Antonio Spurs 5.50
Miami Heat 6.00
Dallas Mavericks 6.50
Detroit Pistons 7.50
Phoenix Suns 8.00
Chicago Bulls 13.00
New Jersey Nets 15.00
Cleveland Cavaliers 21.00
...

[rayweb_on]

book it ..manu is gonna have the best season and tim its going back to big numbers again ..the spurs will win 61 games ..and a ring.

[venitian navigator]

I have to say I'm a little worry about the off season we had.

On the front court, I think that Alson / Butler for Mohammed (that's what's happened...the $ numbers are quite like the same) could have been worth a risk.
But I don't see the Rasho for williams/bonner deal as an improvement...no more big center in situations that need it (shaq, ming...).
I don't see the real deal in Bonner or an Oberto...with more plaiyng time next season.

Also the back court could have been "rejuvaneted" or, at least, worth the risk of been ...improved (B. Wells anyone?)

Instead, I see a little improvement in point guard, with J. Vough like a decent option...he can control and move well the ball and in last years he's improved on offense.

We'll see...time is not over and I have a great confidence in the spurs management...

[TMTTRIO]

I think Tim will be Tim again and have an awesome season just like he played in the playoffs and Manu will have a better year this year. He was injured the whole year and had an awful year and we still got close to winning. Tony's just going to continue to get better so I'm not worried.

[FromWayDowntown]

This offseason has been quite bad but I wouldn't say that we are a weaker team than last year against teams like Mavs and Suns. I don't think too that Spurs are favorites to win it all. To me, Suns have the better team.

I know that I'm in the minority here, but I actually don't think this offseason has been "quite bad." I think the Spurs have actually been rather productive, given the constraints that they faced and the limited market of available players.

At the end of last season, we knew that a 7-man Spurs rotation with a beat up backcourt was essentially on the same footing as the Mavericks in a playoff setting. What the Spurs lacked was some useful depth and long players who are athletic. They managed to find guys who at least might be those things without: (1) burdening themselves with long-term contracts for project-type players; (2) settling to overpay guys who can't provide the things the Spurs need; and (3) trading away anything they were really going to need come playoff time in 07. They've collected some useful assets now and will have a few months to see how the pieces fit and what else needs to be done to fill whatever holes still exist. They've got expiring contracts to deal and have actually managed to get a bit younger. If one or more of the projects work out, the Spurs will be set. If none of them do, the Spurs aren't really any worse off than they were in the middle of the Dallas series.

[LEONARD]

http://covers.eppg.com/Jpeg_140-wide/0071410694.jpeg

[davi78239]

Right now, I'm gonna say 3 or 4 seed in the West.

[Louis]

By looking at this year's roster it seems the team is weaker in every position. It has no dominant center (either on offense or defense), Tim and Manu are a year older, Tony is unlikely to have a better year (let's hope he does at least as well as last season), Bruce is not getting any younger (and still we haven't found a long athletic SF) and the rest of the team is just the same, but older. Not only do we not have improved, but I think this 2006/7 Spurs are worst than the former team, while other teams have improved (Phoenix, Chicago) or at least stayed the same (Dallas, Miami). What do you guys think?

Sad but true...

[Bruno]

I know that I'm in the minority here, but I actually don't think this offseason has been "quite bad." I think the Spurs have actually been rather productive, given the constraints that they faced and the limited market of available players.

You're right, Spurs moves have been good : the Rasho trade is a steal, the draft day trade is good and Spurs haven't overpaid FAs.
I've just had higher expectation : Duncan, Manu, Parker, Bruce and Finley is such a great core to win a championship and I've hope that Spurs get better players around them.
Disapointing sum up maybe more my feeeling than "quite bad". Maybe too that my expectations were too high given what you called "the constraints that they faced and the limited market of available players".

[cheguevara]

with a Duncan somewhat near 100%????

Very, very good.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

Right now, I'm gonna say 3 or 4 seed in the West.

[Kori Ellis]

If Duncan, Ginobili and Parker stay healthy, the Spurs will be fine and contending for a Championship. I don't have a lot of confidence in the Elson/Butler combination, but hell, the Spurs won a title with Nazr/Rasho in 2005.

[bdictjames]

Well I'm excited with what Elson and Butler can do, I hope Butler's improved his defense and Elson's improved his rebounding. I'm not so sure about Bonner though. But I do agree we will have one of the top 3 playoff spots next year

[Dex]

I like the Spurs chances just about as much as I did last year. A couple teams got stronger, a couple teams got weaker, the Spurs are still right in the mix, and nobody is gauranteed to win a thing.

The Spurs can't hit a jackpot every offseason. The majority of the moves made this summer were financial, clearing up space in the books for the future. For those of you who seem to have forgotten, basketball WILL extend beyond the 2006-2007 season.

They dropped deadweight in Nazr and Rasho. So even if all we got back is more deadweight in Elson and Butler, at least it's deadweight that's a hell of a lot cheaper. If ONE of those guys can manage to surprise us, then we're better off at the center position than we were last year.

In his third year, Udrih should be able to provide more stability than the Van Exel Experiment ever did. We've got A third string point gaurd, I think the previous years have come to show that it doesn't particularly matter who that is. (Unless, of course, your name is Steve Kerr).

Other than that...we've still got the same core that could've gone all the way last year, a few new pawns to play with, and a new chip on our shoulder.

I know I'd take the Spurs' odds over anyone elses in the league. But I may be a little biased. :smokin

[bigdog]

Sad but true...

no, the only thing that is "sad but true" is the fact that you are posting on here

[confined]

We have no rasho or nazr thats a big plus.And im sure spurs will make a big move mid-season. our stars will be hungrier than last year. Bowen is pissed off... I think they have as good a chance as the last couple of years.

plus Dallas is beatable as it was shown in the finals. and Miami, come on , they are very beatable. who else is there to challenge?

if dallas and miami r beatable...then the spurs are VERY beatable...both those teams have numerous advantages over the spurs...pheonix is a big question mark...but if amare is healthy then u can add them to that group

[cheguevara]

if dallas and miami r beatable...then the spurs are VERY beatable...both those teams have numerous advantages over the spurs...pheonix is a big question mark...but if amare is healthy then u can add them to that group

miami has big advantages over the Spurs??? how so?

Spurs were so close to beating Dallas last playoffs that I don't see big advantages for Dallas either. it could have gone either way

please enlighten me on the BIG Advantages?

[confined]

well....for miami it would have to be shaq...maimi holds the advantage at center over every team...
dallas has a quickness advantage
and the dallas young players are far better than the spurs young players
and yes i do agree that the spurs almost took the seris from the mavs...but mostly becuse of the mavs lack of experience, KVH, and the depth they lost when they had to start harris because griffen wasnt athletic enough to guard the spurs guards....but look now...van horn is gone...we have learned a valuable lesson from the defeat by miami...and griffen is replaced by buckner and george

[ATX Spur]

well....for miami it would have to be shaq...maimi holds the advantage at center over every team...
dallas has a quickness advantage
and the dallas young players are far better than the spurs young players
and yes i do agree that the spurs almost took the seris from the mavs...but mostly becuse of the mavs lack of experience, KVH, and the depth they lost when they had to start harris because griffen wasnt athletic enough to guard the spurs guards....but look now...van horn is gone...we have learned a valuable lesson from the defeat by miami...and griffen is replaced by buckner and george

What did Dallas learn from the Miami defeat? How would we be able to tell? Training camp hasn't even started.

And Dallas doesn't have a single young player that's anywhere close to Parker. How are the Mavs young players far better?

And the Spurs didn't almost take the series from the Mavs because of KVH. He played much better than anyone expected. Remember those huge shots in Game 7?

[Emily Rose]

:rolleyes :rolleyes So the Spurs being the defending champs at the time and being a tough/great team in general I guess has nothing to do with it going 7 games?? I give the Mavs their props and admit they have scoreboard over us until we rematch in a 7 game series but dont act like you are head and shoulders ahead of the Spurs and everyone else in the West. Also who knows if the Mavs learned a lesson from the Finals because we have to see how that affects them in the playoffs next year. It is a tossup in the west and their is no clear cut favorite and the top 3 teams in the west are all capable of beating each other in a series.

[FromWayDowntown]

Fairly typical of Mav fan to construe a by the skin of their teeth series win as a ringing statement of superiority. The Mavs were better -- barely -- in the 2006 playoffs. We'll see about 2006-07.

[cheguevara]

well....for miami it would have to be shaq...maimi holds the advantage at center over every team...
dallas has a quickness advantage
and the dallas young players are far better than the spurs young players
and yes i do agree that the spurs almost took the seris from the mavs...but mostly becuse of the mavs lack of experience, KVH, and the depth they lost when they had to start harris because griffen wasnt athletic enough to guard the spurs guards....but look now...van horn is gone...we have learned a valuable lesson from the defeat by miami...and griffen is replaced by buckner and george

typical mav fan.

FYI Shaq is not even close as dominant at all anymore, and Spurs match up with the Heat very well.

so u're blaming KVH for the fact that Spurs almost beat them and Heat did??? :lol

[David Stern]

Of making the Finals? Slim to none unless the Heat/Cavs represent the East. If I am going to have a boring team in my finals I am also going to need to have a team who is entertaining for me and the fans. I would prefer to have 2 shittalking, flashy teams on and off the court, but I can/will tolerate one boring team that cares about winning :wakeup.... and have family like chemistry if it comes to that :vomit: :shootme . :rolleyes :rolleyes I lost alot of Money from 2005!! :madrun

[confined]

ok look...
howard + harris > parker
and if u argue that then u guys seriously need to start watching more games...and no i didnt blame just KVH...he had to guard TD when our centers were in foul trouble...i dont kno abotu u guys but from what ive seen van horn cant play D at all so now that hes gone avery wont be tempted to play him...and yes shaq still has an advantage over every other center in the league...who r teh spurs gonna guard him with?...elson, butler? please...and TD cant guard him cuz hed get in foul trouble way too easy....bottom line is the mavs r more athletic...we DO have an athletic small forward...several as a matter a fact...and if the mavs were strong enough to take down the spurs last season and now theyve upgraded their roster whcih makes them even more dangerous....

and i hope to god shaggy doesnt see this thread...we'll be going back and forth for days... :rolleyes

[shaggy17]

ok look...
howard + harris > parker
and if u argue that then u guys seriously need to start watching more games...and no i didnt blame just KVH...he had to guard TD when our centers were in foul trouble...i dont kno abotu u guys but from what ive seen van horn cant play D at all so now that hes gone avery wont be tempted to play him...and yes shaq still has an advantage over every other center in the league...who r teh spurs gonna guard him with?...elson, butler? please...and TD cant guard him cuz hed get in foul trouble way too easy....bottom line is the mavs r more athletic...we DO have an athletic small forward...several as a matter a fact...and if the mavs were strong enough to take down the spurs last season and now theyve upgraded their roster whcih makes them even more dangerous....

and i hope to god shaggy doesnt see this thread...we'll be going back and forth for days... :rolleyes


:rolleyes :rolleyes Dont post about how much more superior the Mavs are compared to the Spurs and maybe we wont be going back and forth for days. Or better yet dont post at all :) BTW the Mavs were by far much more athletic and quicker then the Heat and they lost in 6. The Heat are also much older then the Spurs. Shaq is still a big part of the heat but he is also on a serious decline. Shaqs not gonna revert to 2000/2001 Shaq if we happen to play them in a series. He isnt going to give us as big of issues as you would like to think.

[dbreiden83080]

They will be fine it is really all about their health at this point. I am really crossing my fingers that Timmy is due for a big Timmy type of season where he can stay healthy all year and just kick peoples asses. I think with what we have added and lost we are basically the same as we were last year talent wise. If Timmy, Manu and Tony are all healthy and firing on all cylinders year round, Spurs will have a dominant year and be right there for the title in June.

[RC's Boss]

You mofos worry to damn much. The Spurs train will come through as it always does! :smokin

[kobe_bryant]

spurs will have an excellent chance of winning the ring

[confined]

:rolleyes :rolleyes Dont post about how much more superior the Mavs are compared to the Spurs and maybe we wont be going back and forth for days. Or better yet dont post at all :) BTW the Mavs were by far much more athletic and quicker then the Heat and they lost in 6. The Heat are also much older then the Spurs. Shaq is still a big part of the heat but he is also on a serious decline. Shaqs not gonna revert to 2000/2001 Shaq if we happen to play them in a series. He isnt going to give us as big of issues as you would like to think.
the guy asked me a question and i answered what can i say...if the mavs can beat the spurs then obviously they have some kind of advantage over them ...thats all im sayin...and the spurs dotn have any good centers liek they have in the past years so shaq could be a problem

[Vingianx]

no faith, #1 Seed

[AdmiralMVP]

I think the Spurs could win 60 games again this year. However, I'd like to see the Spurs win 50-55 games this year and not overplay Duncan or Ginobli. Having the best regular season record and home court advantage is nice, but a healthy Tim Duncan for the playoffs would be better.

As long as Duncan is healthy, the Spurs have a chance to make the Finals.

[mavs>spurs2]

I think the Spurs could win 60 games again this year. However, I'd like to see the Spurs win 50-55 games this year and not overplay Duncan or Ginobli. Having the best regular season record and home court advantage is nice, but a healthy Tim Duncan for the playoffs would be better.

As long as Duncan is healthy, the Spurs have a chance to make the Finals.

This guy knows what he's talking about. Homecourt advantage is nice, but not as nice as having a healthy Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili come playoff time. The spurs don't have too much depth, so having everyone healthy is key. As long as they stay healthy they have just as good a shot as any other team, as long as Stern keeps his ass out of things. (Miami)

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

What Bruno said - nice summary buddy.

Also, what more could we have done? Convince Bonzi to be a role player for $4.2mil is about the only other thing possible, but that is a pipe-dream.

I'd say that right now the top teams in the league are Spurs, Mavs, Suns, Heat, with the second echelon of Clips and Bulls. Beyond that there are about 8 other teams that should make waves but don't have the experience to go all the way.

We've got as good a shot this year as in 2003 or 2005. I never really liked the 2004 Spurs that much... :lol

[cherylsteele]

Of making the Finals? Slim to none unless the Heat/Cavs represent the East.
How will those 2 teams prevent the spurs from making the finals? Last time I checked they are in different conferences.

[David Stern]

How will those 2 teams prevent the spurs from making the finals? Last time I checked they are in different conferences.

Those 2 teams wont prevent the spurs from going... I will! If Heat/Cavs dont make it then I am going to have the Lakers/Suns or someone who gets blown by espn in MY Finals! I refuse to lose $$$ on a series that is "only about what happens on the court".
:madrun :madrun

[David Stern]

This guy knows what he's talking about. Homecourt advantage is nice, but not as nice as having a healthy Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili come playoff time. The spurs don't have too much depth, so having everyone healthy is key. As long as they stay healthy they have just as good a shot as any other team, as long as Stern keeps his ass out of things. (Miami)

What are you talking about? I like teams who dont bring off the court drama to the game and who arent shit talking flashy sob's! :drunk :drunk :drunk