Sean Elliott Does His Part

[timvp]

Sean Elliott: Don't believe that this will be cakewalk for Spurs
San Antonio Express-News

It's been kind of surprising to me, actually, hearing the talk about the NBA Finals.

I think that people are looking at this like it's an 8-inch putt for the Spurs, and it's far from that.

It's going to be a lot tougher. This series scares me in so many ways, I don't even know where to begin.

The thing that gets me is I always hear the question, "Can the Spurs beat LeBron?"

In the past I've heard, "Can the Spurs beat the Mavericks?" or "Can the Spurs beat the Lakers?" But what's interesting, and what people are overlooking, is that Cleveland is bigger and more athletic than we are.

The Cavaliers are a lot more proficient than people think. A lot of what they do, they've adapted from us, especially on the defensive end of the floor. Taken from our defensive principles, for example, they're not going to give us the middle. Penetration is going to be a lot tougher.

They have inside knowledge, thanks to Mike Brown, Hank Egan, Danny Ferry and Lance Blanks — they have a plethora of guys who know all our terminology, all our plays, all that we try to do. We haven't faced anybody like that in the playoffs all year.

The last time we did face someone like that in the playoffs, we lost in the second round to Avery Johnson and the Mavericks last year.

We don't know how Cleveland is going to open it up. Will they have Drew Gooden on Tim Duncan, with Zydrunas Ilgauskas coming over to help? One thing that can bother Timmy is size, and if he has Ilgauskas, he's giving away 4 or 5 inches.

The thing that the Cavs have, more importantly, is that there is no answer for LeBron James. What he does, not only scoring the basketball, but drawing the attention to him, makes it so difficult.

If you're going to come out to him on the perimeter, he'll make the right pass and now you're caught with less people on the defensive glass. That's why they were able to murder Detroit on the glass in that series.

But the Spurs are not going to change their stripes. You can't do that.

You're going to go with what got you here, because it works. They've been doing the same thing here for how many years?

The Spurs aren't going to all of a sudden get to the Finals and change things. That's a recipe for disaster.

Instead, you do what you have always done, and then it becomes: Can you execute better than they can?

The thing favoring the Spurs is that they've been there before. I look at the way Cleveland celebrated after winning the East — I know people on the inside there, and the Cavs celebrated until 3 a.m. If they come in and act like they already have won, like they have accomplished what they want to accomplish and don't remember playing this series, it favors the Spurs big time.

The NBA Finals are intense, and I remember the first time we made the Finals in 1999, and Steve Kerr told our locker room that everything is different. The playoffs are different than the regular season, and the NBA Finals are completely different than the playoffs.

The Spurs know that. They've been there, they're a veteran ballclub, and they're not going to listen to people telling them they're going to sweep or win in five games.

On top of that, the Spurs are playing the best ball I've seen them play in a long time. As good as Cleveland plays defense, how can you hope to contain Timmy, Manu and Tony? And, how can you talk about LeBron and not talk about Bruce Bowen and the defense he's played in these playoffs?

Finally, we have possibly the best bench in Spurs history.

I think this is a six-game series, and the Spurs fans should really hang on and hope that this doesn't go seven like they did against Detroit in 2005. If it goes seven, then you have the most gifted player in the league on the other side.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA060707.08S.COL.BKNelliott.spurs.3898c3f.html

[timvp]

Everyone is aware that the Spurs are the favorites in this series. I don't think anyone can deny that.

But this season isn't over. The championship has not been won.

If the Spurs and their fans enter this thing overconfident and lacking energy, bad things will happen. The Cavs are hungry and they never play scared. They have perhaps the best player in the league on their team.

It's not going to be easy. If the Spurs win, they will have earned it.

The Spurs and their fans need to remain humble and realize that the Spurs have accomplished nothing in this season to date. This season is still a failure.

Come hungry and ready to compete.

Believe.

1.

[kris]

Best bench in Spurs history?

Don't think so, but give me the Spurs in 5.

[kris]

Everyone is aware that the Spurs are the favorites in this series. I don't think anyone can deny that.

But this season isn't over. The championship has not been won.

If the Spurs and their fans enter this thing overconfident and lacking energy, bad things will happen. The Cavs are hungry and they never play scared. They have perhaps the best player in the league on their team.

It's not going to be easy. If the Spurs win, they will have earned it.

The Spurs and their fans need to remain humble and realize that the Spurs have accomplished nothing in this season to date. This season is still a failure.

Come hungry and ready to compete.

Believe.

1.

Spurs could play the Duke Lacrosse team and I can't imagine your script would be much different.

[dbreiden83080]

I hear what Sean is saying but i am telling ya the Cavs do not have enough offense to beat them. The Suns offense was so good that a 20 pt lead still had me nervous. The Cavs D is not so amazing that the Spurs will not be able to get at least 90 a game. Spurs offensively in so many spots are superior to them.

[Solid D]

Sean's warning sounds familiar.

[ploto]

Finally, we have possibly the best bench in Spurs history.

Manu is great- but after that- who is Sean talking about? Horry was better two years ago and Vaughn and Elson suck. Those are the four main bench guys with an occasional appearance by Brent.

[gilmor]

Manu is great- but after that- who is Sean talking about? Horry was better two years ago and Vaughn and Elson suck. Those are the four main bench guys with an occasional appearance by Brent.

Manu from the bench is worth any bench in recent Spurs' history.. Come up with the bench in years past.. and see if we can agree the current bench is better.. Of course Rasho doesn't count because he hardly play in the playoffs

[T Park]

Manu is great- but after that- who is Sean talking about? Horry was better two years ago and Vaughn and Elson suck. Those are the four main bench guys with an occasional appearance by Brent

way better than the shit coming off the bench in 05.

[MI21]

Manu from the bench is worth any bench in recent Spurs' history.. Come up with the bench in years past.. and see if we can agree the current bench is better.. Of course Rasho doesn't count because he hardly play in the playoffs

:lol

Manu off the bench could make this the best bench the Spurs have had. It's not the deepest though.

[ploto]

Manu, Speedy Claxson, Malik Rose, Steve Kerr, Kevin Willis, and Danny Ferry in 2003.

[timvp]

2007 Manu by himself makes this the best bench in the Tim Duncan era. When you have arguably the second best player on the team and an All-Star talent coming off the bench, that trumps any other bench the Spurs have had in recent years.

[MI21]

Manu was ok in 2003. More of a spark, and nowhere near the Manu he is today.

Malik was a monster that year, had some incredible games against Phoenix and Dallas and provided perhaps a series turning moment against New Jersey with the dunk on Dikembe.

Ferry didn't do a whole lot, but he has that amazing effort in Game 2 against Phoenix. Spurs down 1-0 and without Robinson, he comes in and hustles, grabs 10 boards and the Spurs win.

Kerr obviously with Game 6 against Dallas and Game 5 against New Jersey.

Claxton with some good moments against Phoenix and New Jersey.

I'm still not sure if that bench is actually "better". Deeper, yes. More effective...not sure.

[Kori Ellis]

Best bench, I guess.

Deep bench, hell no.

Even the Cavs have a much deeper bench than San Antonio. The Cavs bench has quality 4 1/2 deep. The Spurs bench has quality 1 1/2 deep.

[Budkin]

I've watched most of the Cavs games in the playoffs this year and they just do not look all that good to me. I still don't know how they got by Detroit. I guess it's because they just couldn't get their shit together... but even they were showing signs of weakness against the Bulls. This series doesn't scare me in the slightest. One man can't stop a whole team as good as ours. Unless there are injuries (knock on wood) we got this shit.

[Kori Ellis]

I've watched most of the Cavs games in the playoffs this year and they just do not look all that good to me.

I know. I never understood how they were winning in the last round even though I was watching the games. But somehow, they were still better than the Pistons in all six games. :lol

[T Park]

remember what i said at game 2 GTG vs Phoenix Kori?

Cavs Nets game was on

"This is the worst series in NBA history maybe"

:lol

hell if I knew the Spurs would face the damn winner of that series.

[itzsoweezee]

I've watched most of the Cavs games in the playoffs this year and they just do not look all that good to me. I still don't know how they got by Detroit.

detroit would look to be in control, but then they would go on loong droughts on offense. whether those droughts were due to the cavs' D or to the pistons just not being a very good offensive team, i can't say for sure. but i guess we'll find out very soon.

[T Park]

Damn, thanks to Elliott, now I'm nervous as all hell about this game.

Son of a bitch.

[ATXSPUR]

Elliot is just trying to instill "appripriate fear" into us. However those of us who have appropriate fear every series are not worried about this article. I say Spurs in 5.

[BeerIsGood!]

It's all the drama of the finals. The Cavs are a good team and have size, but it's not quality size. If we were playing Shaq of 2000 then I'd be worried. Z's bionic feet are so bad the guy's a light post. He can't move for shit.

I tend to go with Pippens analysis of the so called "coaches" knowing the system. At this level, every head coach knows every team's system. D'Antoni, Karl, and Sloan know the Spurs inside and out. They know what plays the Spurs run, everything about the personnel, and what the Spurs are going to bring out, and yet that didn't help them one bit because you still have to have the players to beat it.

I like the drama in the series and all, but you can't sell me on the Cavs being some great monster on defense or especially offense that can even rival the Suns, Nuggets, or Jazz much less the Spurs. This one's simple: if the Spurs show up and play the way they have all PO, hell the way they have since the All Star break, and the Cavs play the way they have all PO the Spurs win in 4, 5 tops. Only the Spurs can beat the Spurs in this series because the Cavs don't have the horses to do it alone.

[Avitus1]

I still give it to the Spurs in 6.

[Obstructed_View]

As with any opponent, the Spurs have to show up and play their game with effort and intensity. That said, there is no excuse for this series to go past five games. People keep saying "believe". I believe this team should dominate the series against the weakest opponent it's faced because it is prepared and focused.

[SAGambler]

Well, I hope Sean is just trying to instill the appropriate fear. No doubt he can probably see things in teams that I don't, but I did watch every game of every series, and I still say the Cavs would be extremely lucky to get out of round 1 in the West.

I still say the Spurs, Jazz, Suns, Nuggets, Mavs, and possibly even GS ( Little D, but could run them in the ground) would be favored over the Cavs in the Finals.

Z is slow and sluggish, Hughes is playing injured, and I don't see Gooden posing any huge offensive threat. As well as Gibson played in the POs, I really doubt he will have any huge games against the Spurs.

So that pretty much leaves Lebron to do it all.

It's not hard to understand why Spurs fans exude so much confidence in winning this thing. If our superstar and their superstar are even close to a wash, our other 4 aree>>>>than their other 4. While their bench may be deeper, Manu alone could have a wash against their entire bench, and even beat their entire bench.

Maybe we aren't "giving them their due" since we all saw what a cakewalk they had getting to the ECF. And then Detroit playing like they were uninterested in being there, and I think Spurs fans have cause to wonder just how good the Cavs really are, and do they even deserve to be here.

The great thing about being a fan and not a player is you can exude all that confidence. I'm sure the team is not as overconfident as we as fans are, and I'm sure Pop would never let them fall into that trap.

That is the only way I see the Spurs losing this. If they played like all they had to do was show up.

But I still say the Team is on a mission. I think they know they let one get away last year, and they aren't going to let this one slip through their fingers. Look at the WCF trophy presentation scene. Everyone looked like, Okay, this is great, but we still have plenty of work to do to reach our goal. And I certainly think they will reach that goal in the near future.

[ObiwanGinobili]

Manu, Speedy Claxson, Malik Rose, Steve Kerr, Kevin Willis, and Danny Ferry in 2003.

Yep, that gets my vote.

[romsho]

Best bench, I guess.

Deep bench, hell no.

Even the Cavs have a much deeper bench than San Antonio. The Cavs bench has quality 4 1/2 deep. The Spurs bench has quality 1 1/2 deep.

Varejao, Gibson, Marshall and Snow-w/ an occasional Damon Jones sighting-that's their rotation. I think I will take the Ginobili, Horry, Barry, Vaughn combo with a small dose of Elson and Bonner if neccesary.

[Marcus Bryant]

It's all the drama of the finals. The Cavs are a good team and have size, but it's not quality size. If we were playing Shaq of 2000 then I'd be worried. Z's bionic feet are so bad the guy's a light post. He can't move for shit.

I tend to go with Pippens analysis of the so called "coaches" knowing the system. At this level, every head coach knows every team's system. D'Antoni, Karl, and Sloan know the Spurs inside and out. They know what plays the Spurs run, everything about the personnel, and what the Spurs are going to bring out, and yet that didn't help them one bit because you still have to have the players to beat it.

I like the drama in the series and all, but you can't sell me on the Cavs being some great monster on defense or especially offense that can even rival the Suns, Nuggets, or Jazz much less the Spurs. This one's simple: if the Spurs show up and play the way they have all PO, hell the way they have since the All Star break, and the Cavs play the way they have all PO the Spurs win in 4, 5 tops. Only the Spurs can beat the Spurs in this series because the Cavs don't have the horses to do it alone.

:tu

[FromWayDowntown]

I think Sean makes a whole bunch of valid points in his column, particularly about Spurs fans' assumptions about this opponent. They are three regular season games, but the last three times the Spurs have seen the Cavs, Lebron James has been absolutely unstoppable.

As good as he was in November at the AT&T Center, he was even better in the game in Cleveland in 2005-06. That night he put up 44 points on 33 shots, while dishing out 5 dimes and collecting 4 steals, as the Cavs won going away.

The differences in that game were the very things that the Spurs must protect against in this series: Lebron James and the Cavs' offensive rebounding. That night, both Gooden and Ilgauskas each had more offensive rebounds than the total rebounds pulled down by any Spur not named Duncan or Ginobili (Gooden and Ilgauskas each had as many offensive boards as the entire Spurs team). The Spurs shot 51% from the floor, 54% from three, and got to the line almost twice as often as the Cavs and still lost by 14.

To be sure, that was a regular season game and one against a Spurs team that gave 38 minutes to the Rasho Nesterovic/Nazr Mohammed combination at center (and a Cleveland team that gave 26 minutes to Stephen Graham). But it still, I think, points to the very issues that could be decisive in this series. If the Spurs aren't attentive to their defensive glass -- if they're outhustled for those rebounds or don't box out -- they're going to have to play exceedingly well to win; they're going to have to shoot the ball like they did in Games 1, 2, and 5 against Utah, I'd think.

Lebron's game should go up a level at this point. I think that's a safe assumption. Dude seems to live for moments like this and I don't anticipate that he will disappoint his fawning admirers. He might not get 44 on 33 shots (and only 8 FTA) throughout the series, but the fact that he CAN do that against the Spurs should be frightening to Spurs fans. I know it ensures that I'll maintain a level of appropriate fear throughout this series.

It's there for the Spurs to win, but it's certainly not going to be given to them. I think this series will be a really tough one, even if it ends in 5 or 6 games.

1.

[Marcus Bryant]

That game was the 2nd of a back to back after the Spurs took a close one at Conseco with the Cavs scoring 30 in the 4th on a tired Spurs team with a different rotation.

[Marcus Bryant]

In addition, 2 of the last 3 regular season games the Spurs have had against the Cavs were the 2nd game of back to backs. Both times the Spurs played in a game down to the wire the night before. In the other Beno was the backup point and Matt Bonner saw 20+ minutes.

[FromWayDowntown]

That game was the 2nd of a back to back after the Spurs took a close one at Conseco with the Cavs scoring 30 in the 4th on a tired Spurs team with a different rotation.

I understand that the circumstances were different -- I understand that it was just a regular season game, too. And I'm not going to put all of my analytical focus on a single game that happened 16 months ago.

My point, though, is to demonstrate the sort of perfect storm that can undermine the bravado blustering from so many Spurs fans right now. If the Cavs rebound like that and if Lebron is that kind of spectacular again, the Spurs could face some serious adversity in this series.

1.

[Marcus Bryant]

The beauty of a 7 game series is that all that can be cast aside. When the Spurs have time to focus on a single opponent instead of being ambushed a couple times in the regular season they usually prevail in the postseason. The only time they didn't in the last 3 playoffs they faced a team with a far superior offense to their current Finals opponent who also forced them to make a major change to their rotation.

[FromWayDowntown]

The beauty of a 7 game series is that all that can be cast aside. When the Spurs have time to focus on a single opponent instead of being ambushed a couple times in the regular season they usually prevail in the postseason. The only time they didn't in the last 3 playoffs they faced a team with a far superior offense to their current Finals opponent who also forced them to make a major change to their rotation.

Yes, I agree with all of that. I'm just also agreeing with Elliott that there are reasons to think that this series won't be easy and that the Cavs are a worthy opponent who might prove themselves to be rather formidable before the Finals are over.

[Marcus Bryant]

The Spurs were 2-2 against the Jazz in the regular season and took them out in 5 when it was winning time. That was also a great rebounding team with a solid defense and a much better offense than the one the Spurs will be facing in the Finals.

Sure, anything can happen. But the probability is rather low.

[steppy]

I don't quite get what fans being cocky has to do with anything. The Spurs are ultimately responsible for their own fate. Last time I checked, Pop didn't invite me to suit up tonight.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

I think the Spurs should win, but I agree that the games will likely be very close.

I wouldn't put the Cavs in the same class as the '06 Mavs. The Mavs not only knew our plays but also have a team hand-picked to beat us.

The Cavs don't have quite the same manpower as the Mavs, but perhaps better overall coaching and front office. It should be fun.

Spurs in 6.

[2centsworth]

We will find out the outcome of the Series tonight. If the Spurs blowout the Cavs it's over IMO. If it's close or Cavs win then it gets much tougher.

Spurs need to crush any glimmer of hope the cavs have. OF course it's going go have to wait until the second half, because the Spurs haven't played in nearly a month and should be rusty.

[Jimcs50]

Manu, Speedy Claxson, Malik Rose, Steve Kerr, Kevin Willis, and Danny Ferry in 2003.


Best bench by far.

Had Speedy and Kerr not stepped up, the Spurs would not have won the title, of that I am sure

[Obstructed_View]

I understand that the circumstances were different -- I understand that it was just a regular season game, too. And I'm not going to put all of my analytical focus on a single game that happened 16 months ago.

My point, though, is to demonstrate the sort of perfect storm that can undermine the bravado blustering from so many Spurs fans right now. If the Cavs rebound like that and if Lebron is that kind of spectacular again, the Spurs could face some serious adversity in this series.

1.
If the Spurs decide that they are too damn good to go out and compete, they deserve to get beat and it certainly isn't the fault of the posters on this board. There is no basketball related reason that the Cavs should sniff a single game in this series. None. This is the Spurs' series to lose. There's pressure that goes along with that. If the Spurs don't deal with it properly, then congrats to the Cavs for being the better team.

[Obstructed_View]

Best bench by far.

Had Speedy and Kerr not stepped up, the Spurs would not have won the title, of that I am sure
Kerr was good for more than just the playoffs, too. He had to step in as the backup point guard when Speedy was hurt during the season. He was great in that role, and knew when to push the tempo and when to slow it down. That helped him in the playoffs.