Spurs Still Lead Race.. By Far

[Pistons < Spurs]

Everybody wants to be the Spurs.

Even with the remodeling of franchises such as Houston, Boston, New York and others, it’s been two months through the offseason and this much is true: San Antonio is still the team to beat.

At this time last year, clubs such as Dallas or Phoenix were said to be the league’s best; the two teams that would ultimately lay claim to the NBA title.

But what’s been realized is that staying pat is often times the best thing to do. With job security dwindling at an all-time rate, clubs are pushing full throttle to try and steal the crown.

The problem is that the moves are made out of desperation, not from actual need.

Take Boston, for example. The acquisitions of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen undoubtedly make it better. For the next two years, three max.

But will the Celtics truly threaten the Spurs, or even the Suns or Mavs? What about the Bulls or Pistons?

The answer is no. Boston had a plethora of young talent in its stables. What the Celtics needed was time to grow and nourish that talent; young studs such as forward Al Jefferson and wing Gerald Green.

Given adequate time, the Celtics could have been an Eastern Conference force in two years, and would probably have made the postseason next year.

Here’s a little secret that Danny Ainge doesn’t realize: the team’s problem was not its youth or lack of veteran leadership. Its problem was coach Doc Rivers, who in all his years as coach has yet to understand the concept of a rotation and continues to blunder late-game situations.

Celtic mainstay Paul Pierce may have been upset and threatened to trade had Ainge not pursued the aforementioned All-Stars, but, hey, trading Pierce would have been in the team’s best interest as well.

Imagine the quality young pieces that could have prospered alongside Jefferson and Green, as well as Ryan Gomes and guard Sebastian Telfair; all of whom deserved a chance to see what they could do in due time in a conference that is still considerably weak.

Instead, what Ainge ultimately bought Boston way maybe one or two 50-win seasons, and a few trips to the Conference semis. Because at this point, the Celts are still in the rearview mirror of the Heat, Pistons, Bulls and Cavs.

The Rockets also got better, but they added veterans when what they needed was a tremendous dose of youth and quickness.

Mike James? Steve Francis? Standing by perennial malcontent Bonzi Wells to take more distraction and responsibility away from Yao and Tracy McGrady?

The moves to acquire Luis Scola, Aaron Brooks, and Jackie Butler – those were sound, positive moves to add youth and energy around an aging core.

Houston needs a leader and identity of itself in the worst way. McGrady and Yao have proved they’re anything but leadership quality. While remarkable talents, either of them have yet to prove capable of taking over when it matters.

The Rockets are hoping something can be salvaged of James and Francis, both of whom provide a nice sense of nostalgia but whose best years are buried deep within the past.

Entering the offseason, Houston needed depth at point guard behind starter Rafer Alston, a starting power forward, and athletic depth at all spots.

Today? There is still no depth behind Alston (anyone who considers Francis and James as players who aren’t anything more than undersized scorers are kidding themselves), the Rockets still have not legit starting forward, and the only athletic talents (Brooks and Butler) won’t see the light of day because they’re not ready to contribute significantly this year.

Realistically, the Rockets are probably good enough for a 52-win this year. And that’s precisely how many wins they compiled last year.

What’s worse? They’re still not better than the Spurs, Mavs, Jazz, and Suns.

It’s always an interesting watch, this NBA offseason.

Everybody wants to be the Spurs but nobody’s figured out how.

http://spurs.realgm.com/articles/65/20070820/spurs_still_lead_race.._by_far/

[Roxsfan]

Everybody wants to be the Spurs.

The Rockets also got better, but they added veterans when what they needed was a tremendous dose of youth and quickness.

Mike James? Steve Francis? Standing by perennial malcontent Bonzi Wells to take more distraction and responsibility away from Yao and Tracy McGrady?

The moves to acquire Luis Scola, Aaron Brooks, and Jackie Butler – those were sound, positive moves to add youth and energy around an aging core.

Houston needs a leader and identity of itself in the worst way. McGrady and Yao have proved they’re anything but leadership quality. While remarkable talents, either of them have yet to prove capable of taking over when it matters.

The Rockets are hoping something can be salvaged of James and Francis, both of whom provide a nice sense of nostalgia but whose best years are buried deep within the past.

Entering the offseason, Houston needed depth at point guard behind starter Rafer Alston, a starting power forward, and athletic depth at all spots.

Today? There is still no depth behind Alston (anyone who considers Francis and James as players who aren’t anything more than undersized scorers are kidding themselves), the Rockets still have not legit starting forward, and the only athletic talents (Brooks and Butler) won’t see the light of day because they’re not ready to contribute significantly this year.

Realistically, the Rockets are probably good enough for a 52-win this year. And that’s precisely how many wins they compiled last year.

What’s worse? They’re still not better than the Spurs, Mavs, Jazz, and Suns.

It’s always an interesting watch, this NBA offseason.

Everybody wants to be the Spurs but nobody’s figured out how.

http://spurs.realgm.com/articles/65/20070820/spurs_still_lead_race.._by_far/

Yep, I agree teams are trying to copy the spurs, the Rockets organiz. has gone on record saying that much.

I do however, disagree with your assessment of the Rox offseason moves. Brooks, Scola, Butler are solid however you down-play any possible contributions from James, Francis and Bonzi........not to mention that talent was had while retaining Battier.

If you think that a Rox-team that won 52 games last year with Yao out 34 games and Tmac out 10 games that has significantly improved this offseason will only = 52 games this year? Mmmkay. I'll be surprised to see them anywhere below double-nickel wins.

There will be a big adjustment in the begining where perhaps they look out of sorts, but when the new Adelman system is in place, I expect you and others will be singing a different tune. But that's why the games are played.

Can't wait for the season to start. I don't yet consider 27-28 yrs old an "aging-core" btw; even with Tmac in the league from H.S. Especially when they have more depth this coming season. :smokin

BS if you think they are not as good as the Jazz, please. They went 7 games with them and it came down to the last few seconds. The jizz lost Derek fischer, and imo got worse...while the roxs improved. How we stack against the mavs, spurs and suns...I suspect we will be competitive with the mavs and spurs, but I still don't know about the suns.

[Switchman]

Damn. The west will be brutal this year.

Gulf Coast > West Coast > East Coast

[boutons_]

Rockets have MUCH to accomplish, new coach, new players, and keeping Tracy and Ming healthy.

[MrChug]

Rockets have MUCH to accomplish, new coach, new players, and keeping Tracy and Ming healthy.

Exactly. I contend that regardless of talent, they still have a long way to go to mesh. That's what the Spurs have...cohesion.

The Spurs have mastered the mesh. (write that down)

[Roxsfan]

Exactly. I contend that regardless of talent, they still have a long way to go to mesh. That's what the Spurs have...cohesion.

The Spurs have mastered the mesh. (write that down)

Yes they have, but I don't think "mastered the mesh" will take-off.

[FromWayDowntown]

I expect the Rockets to win about 68-70 games in 2007-08.

[TDMVPDPOY]

I expect the Rockets to win about 68-70 games in 2007-08.

thats if bonzi wells shows up to play on a regular basis....

[BeerIsGood!]

The cornerstone of the Spurs success has been the system. The offensive system, but especially the defensive system. They put together a great system for doing things and targeted players they believed were the best fit within that system. On some they were right and on some they were wrong, but the core is what is driving strong.

Hell, with the same system Mike Brown and Hank Egan took a much less talented and deep Cavs team to the NBA Finals. That's how powerful it is. That system took a Cavs team to places they shouldn't have gotten with the lack of depth and talent (outside of Lebron).

[spursfan09]

You can try to be like the Spurs all you want, but last I checked there was only 1 Tim Duncan.

[leemajors]

I expect the Rockets to win about 68-70 games in 2007-08.
how many of those will be in the postseason, though? :stirpot:

[BronxCowboy]

He must be counting every preseason game. No way does anybody win that many this year. The west is just too competitive. And definitely not the Rockets. The biggest difference from last year will be picking up Rick Adelman, which could go either way.

[Avitus1]

It will be interesting to say the last but I still dont see Houston getting out of the 1st round.

[florige]

If they fail to get out the the 1st round next year, I think you will probably see T-Mac get shipped out of Houston. They may not have to win the championship or anything, but with all that talent and to still fail in the 1st round would be devastating.

[Testing]

Rockets may or may not win as many games as last season...but they will def at least make it out of the 1st round, and possibly even the 2nd round. What this author fails to mention is that anything can happen in the playoffs.......just look at what Miami did 2 years ago. Regular season and on paper no one thought they were good enough to reach the finals past Detroit and company, let alone beat whoever came out of the West.

When you have super-star power like the Rockets and Boston now have, you can at least get ur team to the post season, and once that happens, anything is possible.

[tlongII]

The Blazers will be the surprise team this year. They will hit their stride in the second half of the season and be loaded for bear come playoff time.

[fyatuk]

Just to be a pain...


they will def at least make it out of the 1st round, and possibly even the 2nd round. What this author fails to mention is that anything can happen in the playoffs.

These two statements are incompatible. "Definitely" contradicts "anything can happen".

:smokin

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

What's funny about that article is that the Celtics and Rockets probably had the best offseasons by far.

With Boston, why not go for it now? Cleveland proved that it doesn't take a lot these days to make the Finals from the East.

And Houston? They hadn't made it past round 1 with McGrady. I'd ink everybody willing to sign a contract too in that situation. Honestly, what have they got to lose?

And most of the contenders didn't exactly "scramble" this offseason. Most teams, I felt, were fairly quiet in their moves.

[FromWayDowntown]

He must be counting every preseason game. No way does anybody win that many this year. The west is just too competitive. And definitely not the Rockets. The biggest difference from last year will be picking up Rick Adelman, which could go either way.

Actually, I was being rather sarcastic. Some of our Rocket fan friends seem to think that Luis Scola is the 2nd coming of the Mailman, that Bonzi Wells will play the entire 2007-08 season like the last 4 games of the 2006 first round series between the Kings and Spurs, and that with Yao missing fewer than 34 games and McGrady and Francis together, the Rockets will substantially improve their 52-win season.

I'm guessing they'll finish right around the same position.

[ShoogarBear]

I expect the Rockets to win about 68-70 games in 2007-08.Rockhead Fan sure has been spouting off mav-elously these days, hasn't he?

[jay014]

I expect the Rockets to win about 68-70 games in 2007-08.
and win only 2 playoff games like the Mavs.

[Clutch20]

Actually, I was being rather sarcastic. Some of our Rocket fan friends seem to think that Luis Scola is the 2nd coming of the Mailman, that Bonzi Wells will play the entire 2007-08 season like the last 4 games of the 2006 first round series between the Kings and Spurs, and that with Yao missing fewer than 34 games and McGrady and Francis together, the Rockets will substantially improve their 52-win season.

I'm guessing they'll finish right around the same position.
Houston playing the right way, the way the game should be played, is asking way too much of them, fan expectations notwithstanding. If Rox fans are looking to grow into their true potential they should scrutinize, tweak, and realign off/def sets along the way and assess their player's understandings of their roles before it's "open Xmas presents" time, and not to expect to enjoy the Holidays right from the get go.
Do they have the patience to do this?

[Roxsfan]

Houston playing the right way, the way the game should be played, is asking way too much of them, fan expectations notwithstanding. If Rox fans are looking to grow into their true potential they should scrutinize, tweak, and realign off/def sets along the way and assess their player's understandings of their roles before it's "open Xmas presents" time, and not to expect to enjoy the Holidays right from the get go.
Do they have the patience to do this?


don't drink and post :drunk :dizzy

wtf are you talking about


Spurs fans want to hope that the Rockets remain 1st round only and they fear that they will come screaming after thanksgiving and won't let up until well after cinco de Mayo and I don't know what the fuck clutch city was talking about and I am trying to make fun of him with this bs post
. :dizzy

[FromWayDowntown]

Rockhead Fan sure has been spouting off mav-elously these days, hasn't he?

I don't know -- Rockets' fans at least have titles to remember fondly. Plus, we haven't had to hear yet about the Rockets possessing some ridiculous record for greatest point differential in professional sports over a 56 game regular season stretch or anything like that.

In my power rankings -- since power rankings really, really matter -- I'd have to put Rockets fans above most Mavs and Suns fans. Assuming that the Cavs' troll who pops up from time-to-time isn't actually a Rockets fan in troll's clothing.

[MajorMike]

The Blazers will be the surprise team this year. They will hit their stride in the second half of the season and be loaded for bear come playoff time.


Wow. It never gets old. Does the pac nw have an edict that requires one to spout idiotic phrases insesently before you can graduate middle school? (I would have said high school, but I didn't want to be presumptuous about people actually graduating high school up there).

[FromWayDowntown]

Wow. It never gets old. Does the pac nw have an edict that requires one to spout idiotic phrases insesently before you can graduate middle school? (I would have said high school, but I didn't want to be presumptuous about people actually graduating high school up there).

I could actually see the Blazers pushing for a bottom half playoff spot if Oden shows himself to be the sort of player that scouts seem to think he will become. I'd be shocked if they didn't finish at least 3rd in the Northwest, and with the fragile bodies and egoes collected in Denver these days, it strikes me a reasonable to think that the Blazers might even finish 2nd in that division behind Utah.

[MajorMike]

The biggest thing Oden needs to prove is that he stay healthy and actually contribute for 25 minutes in 82 games.