This Spurs team is better than the "Bad Boys"

[Solid D]

The 2006-07 San Antonio Spurs are better than the 1988 Detroit Pistons bad boys team. After re-watching the replay of Pistons @ Lakers Finals Game 6, it is my opinion that this Spurs team is better defensively than they were...had better offensive efficiency...and even execute their screen/rolls better than that great Pistons team did.

Sorry, Pistons' fans. It is what it is.

:smokin

[polandprzem]

It is what it is, you take what's given

All in all the tactics are done with more precision then it used to be.

[Marcus Bryant]

The 2006-07 San Antonio Spurs are better than the 1988 Detroit Pistons bad boys team. After re-watching the replay of Pistons @ Lakers Finals Game 6, it is my opinion that this Spurs team is better defensively than they were...had better offensive efficiency...and even execute their screen/rolls better than that great Pistons team did.

Sorry, Pistons' fans. It is what it is.

:smokin

Yeah, I wonder how rare it is for a team to be top 4 in the NBA in FG% (2nd), 3pt FG% (4th), own turnovers (4th), opponents' FG% (4th), opponents' 3pt FG% (2nd), opponents' points per game (1st), own personal fouls (1st), own ejections (1st), opponents' assists per game (1st), & assist differential (3rd). Spurs were also 6th in rebounds allowed.

[baseline bum]

That team had some serious depth. Bill Laimbeer / Adrian Dantley / James Edwards / Dennis Rodman (back when he used to play defense) / Rick Mahorn / John Salley, and then the trade for Aguire the next year made them really sick in the frontcourt. On top of that, Isiah and Joe Dumars with Vinny Johnson off the bench made them one of the most talented teams in NBA history. The 2003 Spurs team is the only one to boast that kind of depth and versatility.

[Obstructed_View]

For those of you that are afraid of Lebron James, nobody was scarier than Isiah, and Joe Dumars was almost as good. I don't like comparing teams from different eras, but the Pistons were pretty good, and had to beat some incredible teams to win their championships.

[Marcus Bryant]

Spurs were 17th in rebounds, but overall won the war on the glass with a positive rebounding differential (10th). The Spurs do know how to control the defensive glass as their 6th best in the league ranking indicates and that is with a significant number of offensive rebounding opportunities for their opponents (as indicated by the opp FG% and opp 3pt FG% rankings).

Of note is that the Spurs are in the Finals this year without being a top 3 shotblocking team (10th). That certainly puts their other defensive rankings in perspective. This is a team that knows how to defend extremely well without blocking a lot of shots or committing a lot of fouls. And those rankings are with the Spurs playing a majority of their games against the Western Conference and its plethora of offensive juggernauts.

[Fillmoe]

they are dirtier than those teams too

[Marcus Bryant]

they are dirtier than those teams too

As indicated by the fact that the Spurs committed the fewest personal fouls and received the fewest number of ejections this season. Great observation.

[ClingingMars]

Yeah, I watched the same game on ESPN classic today, and I agree.

(they are not dirtier you idiotic troll)

-Mars

[Obstructed_View]

As indicated by the fact that the Spurs committed the fewest personal fouls and received the fewest number of ejections this season. Great observation.
That's about as in-depth a basketball observation as you are likely to get from the Kings fans on this board.

[Cry Havoc]

After watching a "few" games from the 1980s era, I can say with a fair amount of certainty that this Spurs team would have knocked off everyone but the Lakers and Celtics, and even then, I could see us taking either to 7 Games.

Keep in mind that my 2nd favorite player of all time (after David) is Larry Bird, who I feel is slightly underrated as a player in NBA history because he lacked the explosive athleticism that people so highly prize as they stare at highlight films.

I'll just say this. This Spurs team is as good defensively as any team I've ever seen. I wasn't around for the 60s and 70s teams, but from the games I remember and have watched of the 80s, the defenses weren't too tight then. Players had wide open looks from 15 feet out all game, every game, in the FINALS! We'd NEVER give up a shot like that without at least contesting it. And given the fact that our team presents mismatches galore for every other team in the league, I think we'd be more than equipped to "upset" anyone, except perhaps the 96 Bulls.

[ClingingMars]

After watching a "few" games from the 1980s era, I can say with a fair amount of certainty that this Spurs team would have knocked off everyone but the Lakers and Celtics, and even then, I could see us taking either to 7 Games.

Keep in mind that my 2nd favorite player of all time (after David) is Larry Bird, who I feel is slightly underrated as a player in NBA history because he lacked the explosive athleticism that people so highly prize as they stare at highlight films.

I'll just say this. This Spurs team is as good defensively as any team I've ever seen. I wasn't around for the 60s and 70s teams, but from the games I remember and have watched of the 80s, the defenses weren't too tight then. Players had wide open looks from 15 feet out all game, every game, in the FINALS! We'd NEVER give up a shot like that without at least contesting it. And given the fact that our team presents mismatches galore for every other team in the league, I think we'd be more than equipped to "upset" anyone, except perhaps the 96 Bulls.

Jordan wouldn't be Jordan anyway with the rules as they are now. Plain and simple.

(awaits flame)

-Mars

[SequSpur]

This team is the best Spurs team ever...

It's over.

[ShoogarBear]

What did you bowl Thursday?

[EvenFlow]

Defensively the Spurs are a hell of alot better than the teams you saw in the 80's, yes even better than the Lakers and the Celtics. Back then teams didn't have the indepth gameplans they have now, and defenses are much smarter in general than they were back then.

[baseline bum]

Jordan wouldn't be Jordan anyway with the rules as they are now. Plain and simple.

(awaits flame)

-Mars

Jordan would be Wilt under the present-day rules. There has never been a better player off the dribble. Could you imagine if no one could put a hand on him on the perimeter? He scored 37.6 a game back when you could legally throw your forearm into a guy (ie, Derek Harper), and when a clothesline was a personal foul.

[Obstructed_View]

Jordan would be Wilt under the present-day rules. There has never been a better player off the dribble. Could you imagine if no one could put a hand on him on the perimeter? He scored 37.6 a game back when you could legally throw your forearm into a guy (ie, Derek Harper), and when a clothesline was a personal foul.
:clap The only way to beat Jordan before '91 was to flagrant foul him every time he went into the paint. After that he never actually lost again. Jordan would have averaged 45 a game easy.

[SRJ]

I wasn't around for the 60s and 70s teams, but from the games I remember and have watched of the 80s, the defenses weren't too tight then. Players had wide open looks from 15 feet out all game, every game, in the FINALS!

I see the same things when I watch games from the eighties. For the most part, defenders were on an island and at the mercy of great offensive players. Even before the zone defense was legalized, modern defenses switch and double-team much more frequently than teams did in the eighties.

It is hard to compare eras, and to make the attempt arouses an unusual amount of passion and negativity, so I try not to make any comparisons without providing a lot of supporting data and reasoning. In this case, though, I don't really have to - I ask that you only watch those old games and try to say that team defense wasn't woefully inadequate compared with today.

[EvenFlow]

I also noticed that teams didn't pass as well and run pinpoint halfcourt sets like they do today. You saw alot of players, who as soon as they saw daylight would jack up a shot even if they had like 18 secs left on the clock. Its kinda odd watching an eighties game in comparision to today.

[MannyIsGod]

Jordan wouldn't be Jordan anyway with the rules as they are now. Plain and simple.

(awaits flame)

-MarsDid you really just post this? I mean really? In a day and age when the defense can't do jack to penetrators you think Jordan would be worse?

Wow.

[Obstructed_View]

I also noticed that teams didn't pass as well and run pinpoint halfcourt sets like they do today. You saw alot of players, who as soon as they saw daylight would jack up a shot even if they had like 18 secs left on the clock. Its kinda odd watching an eighties game in comparision to today.
The thee pointer wasn't a weapon then either. That may be the reason scoring was actually higher back then, but it's another reason you can't compare teams from different eras in head to head scenarios. The old teams wouldn't even know how to defend what they were seeing, and the recent teams would get the piss beat out of them.

[Cry Havoc]

Did you really just post this? I mean really? In a day and age when the defense can't do jack to penetrators you think Jordan would be worse?

Wow.

I'm pretty sure we'd do to Jordan what we're doing to LeBron right now.

Only since he has Pip, I'd slide Bowen over to guard Scottie, and have the other two guards picking up Jordan on the double.

You can't really stop them, but I bet our defense could do a hell of a lot better job than any team of the 90s. I mean, Jordan isn't some immortal. He lost when he didn't play the full year in the playoffs. And I guarantee if he has to fight through a double team and THEN have Duncan sitting there at the rim waiting for him, he -will- tire eventually.

Not saying we could beat the Bulls, but I don't see any team out of that 96 squad in NBA history that could honestly match up with the Spurs and give us a lot of problems. Perhaps the Lakers of this early decade, but our defense is much more swarming now, and I think we'd give Shaq fits every time he touched the ball with the kind of fast double-teams we have now.