ESPN's NBA Preview Dime Spurs

[urunobili]

Full team report some gr8 stuff!

calling Manu a fantaSY bust....

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dime-SanAntonioPreview0708

[ambchang]

They don't do repeat titles, so it's a matter of how, not if, they'll pull up short this postseason. Suns exposed their lack of athleticism and that hasn't been addressed. Truth is, they simply hung tough and let every other contender self-combust. Hard to see that happening again.

To be fair, this is only one of the analyst saying this. I was wondering when the Spurs were exposed with the lack of athleticism last year, was it when they scored 100+ 3 out of the 6 games vs. the Suns in the post season? Or when Nash had trouble getting quality shots for his team during important parts of the game?

And yet again, the Spurs didn't win the title, it was simply the other teams losing it, haven't we heard that 3 times before?

[Mitch Cumsteen]

calling Manu a bust????
That's only for fantasy leagues.

[Reggie Miller]

calling Manu a bust????

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dime-SanAntonioPreview0708

I believe that was meant in the context of fantasy basketball, which would be true. His limited minutes would hurt him in every format I've seen.

[vander]

To be fair, this is only one of the analyst saying this. I was wondering when the Spurs were exposed with the lack of athleticism last year, was it when they scored 100+ 3 out of the 6 games vs. the Suns in the post season? Or when Nash had trouble getting quality shots for his team during important parts of the game?

And yet again, the Spurs didn't win the title, it was simply the other teams losing it, haven't we heard that 3 times before?

we didn't get exposed because we never had to play Dallas in the playoffs, and we better hope we don't have to play them again this year.

[Man In Black]

Ric"sucks Lakah cock" Bucher said that.

[BeerIsGood!]

we didn't get exposed because we never had to play Dallas in the playoffs, and we better hope we don't have to play them again this year.

With the transistion from slow, lumbering centers to quicker centers the matchup will be much better vs Dallas than it was in '06.

[TMTTRIO]

With the fantasy league Manu is going to be a huge bust with the Spurs getting really low minutes coming off the bench.

[Mr. Body]

Depends on where you draft Manu, doesn't it?

[hsxvvd]

Manu is a nice fantasy player, it's quite suprising.

He doesn't shoot a bad clip, gets steals, 3's, goes the line enough for his FT% to be a positive and even has crazy nights with high rebounds and a block or two. I'd say personally he's underrated as a fantasy player.

[nfg3]

Another preseason poll with some picking us vs. some not. Typical and all speculation. Everyone needs a paycheck and their's is to write detailed articles telling fans who's hot and who's not. It's mostly filler and forgotten within a couple of months.

How many times do we have hear how old and slow we are? How we're not as athletic as other teams are and that is why we can't win this year? Yada Yada Yada...ad nauseum. I've heard this for three years now and we've got - what? 2 titles to show for it. Wow we really suck don't we? The Spurs are totally clueless as to how to win championships!

Most of the ones who didn't pick us will be writing articles around the All Star break "explaining" how the Spurs have emerged as one of the favorites and that they are on course for yet another title run due to Pop and company being so "experienced and having so many players that are selfless and team oriented "...etc.

[Russ]

Garnett > Duncan in fantasy.

A Rod > Reggie Jackson in fantasy (no postseason stats).

Hedo Turkoglu > Horry in fantasy (see above).

Who cares.

[bdictjames]

If you compare fantasy with championships, then fuck Shawn Marion would be league MVP and Finals MVP every year, and Josh Smith would always get DPOY honors.

I dont think any Spur has been a bigger fantasy value than he is of the real team value (not counting stats).

[Solid D]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dime-SanAntonioPreview0708

Hollinger Analysis

Team Strength: The Organization
Obviously, the Spurs have a great many strengths -- they were dominant on both sides of the court last season. But the thing that sets it all up is what goes on upstairs. The Spurs are the best-run organization in sports, hands down, and this grows more evident by the stampede of owners from other teams racing in to mimic their methods -- in many cases by hiring directly out of the Spurs' organization.

By this point, the accomplishments of owner Peter Holt, general manager R.C. Buford, and coach and team president Gregg Popovich are well-known. After four rings, I would hope so.

But the part that's really impressive is that even as they convey a Boy Scout image and play a fairly conservative, defense-first style, the Spurs are one of the most creative organizations in the league. Everyone lauds them for winning with high-character players and doing the little things, but because of this some people mistake them for being stodgy and dull.

Think so? Check out some of the moves they've made. They were the first team to think of using its second-round draft picks to build up a base of players in Europe who could develop on somebody else's dime. They were also the first ones to realize there were perimeter players from overseas good enough to be NBA stars, and stole Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili in the draft because of it.

And they were the first team to mess with people's jump shots. Although the jumper is normally considered one of the game's sacred cows, the Spurs have worked with several players to refine their shooting technique. Parker in particular has rebuilt his jumper, and the results have been nothing short of spectacular. Shooting coach Chip Engelland also has Jacque Vaughn and Fabricio Oberto (who suddenly makes free throws after years of Wallace-like efforts in Europe) under his tutelage, and this may be another area where San Antonio's creativity is eventually copied by the rest of the league.



They were the first team to think of using its second-round draft picks to build up a base of players in Europe who could develop on somebody else's dime. They were also the first ones to realize there were perimeter players from overseas good enough to be NBA stars, and stole Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili in the draft because of it.

This is inaccurate on John Hollinger's part. Although Gregg Popovich went after Zarko Paspalj, an established star in Yugoslavia in the late 1980s, Atlanta Billionaire Ted Turner had been planning the Goodwill Games in Moscow (then in the Soviet Union) and he had encouraged Hawks GM Stan Kastan to draft Arvydas Sabonis in 1985 in the 4th round and Alexsandr Volkov in the 6th round of the 1986 NBA draft. Sabonis would end up being declared ineligible (under 21) for the '85 draft and he was drafted again in the first round of the 1986 draft by Portland...a team he would not sign with until 9 years later.

Atlanta would go on to make a habit of drafting numerous International players in later rounds of the draft, seldom hitting success with them in the NBA, but they were really the pioneers in drafting multiple non-first round players from outside the US. Golden State's young Donnie Nelson moved into Lithuania's Sarunas Marciulionis' apartment and finally persuaded him to sign with the Warriors after being drafted in the 6th round of the 1987 draft. Marciulionis was a "perimeter player".

Although the Spurs had excellent success in drafting Ginobili in the 2nd round, they certainly weren't the "first" to draft a great player in a secondary/later round.

[phxspurfan]

There was a 6 round draft? I wish there were 6 rounds nowadays...

[Solid D]

There was a 6 round draft? I wish there were 6 rounds nowadays...

Oh yeah. Back in the 1960s there were up to 20 rounds but there were also only 9 or 10 teams in the NBA during those drafts. There were 10 rounds in the '80s until 1985 when they cut it down to 7 rounds. As the league expanded and the NBA Players Association got more leverage negotiating their bargaining agreement, the draft was reduced to 3, then 2 rounds at the close of the 1980s.

[urunobili]

[B]http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dime-SanAntonioPreview0708


Although the Spurs had excellent success in drafting Ginobili in the 2nd round, they certainly weren't the "first" to draft a great player in a secondary/later round.
i think Hollinger was mroe talking about the first one to get a couple that were good enough to bring three championships to your organization.. give me an example of a late pick in the draft that carried his team to at least ONE championship? :devil

[hsxvvd]

i think Hollinger was mroe talking about the first one to get a couple that were good enough to bring three championships to your organization.. give me an example of a late pick in the draft that carried his team to at least ONE championship? :devil


Carried? Ok Manu was a 2nd Rounder, Tony late 1st. But let's remember, Duncan was #1 overall. Manu + TP - Duncan = 0 rings.

[Dave McNulla]

it was pointless to draft guys past the second round. there were so many guys that had no chance of making the team but were obligated to try out for one particular team.

[Reggie Miller]

i think Hollinger was mroe talking about the first one to get a couple that were good enough to bring three championships to your organization.. give me an example of a late pick in the draft that carried his team to at least ONE championship? :devil


Solid D is undiubtedly correct. However, I think Hollinger meant "with a real plan for continuing their development overseas and bringing player X in at date Y." A lot of foreign players were "flyers" back in those deep drafts. I don't think the Hawks necessarily expected any of their late picks to ever sign with them.

Whew... that's a lot of speculation for one short paragraph...

[urunobili]

Solid D is undiubtedly correct. However, I think Hollinger meant "with a real plan for continuing their development overseas and bringing player X in at date Y." A lot of foreign players were "flyers" back in those deep drafts. I don't think the Hawks necessarily expected any of their late picks to ever sign with them.

Whew... that's a lot of speculation for one short paragraph...
i think they have actually done that with Splitter... and the one i am not going to mention not to piss anyone and trans;ate this into the wrong thread

[Solid D]

They were also the first ones to realize there were perimeter players from overseas good enough to be NBA stars, and stole Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili in the draft because of it.

http://www.nba.com/media/blazers/012307_petro_article.jpg

1986 Third Round Draft Pick and Hall of Famer Drazen Petrovic

[Solid D]

http://www.nba.com/media/blazers/012307_petro_article.jpg

1986 Third Round Draft Pick and Hall of Famer Drazen Petrovic

The year prior to his tragic death at age 28, Drazen led the Nets in scoring, averaging 22.3 ppg and avg. 45% from 3-pt range.

[urunobili]

http://www.nba.com/media/blazers/012307_petro_article.jpg

1986 Third Round Draft Pick and Hall of Famer Drazen Petrovic

how many championships he won?

[Rummpd]

Most of these guys are sublime as they keep talking about athleticism as if it wins titles - defense, shooting, intelligence win titles - Sounds like the Spurs again.

By the way Parker and Ginobili are as athletic as any backcourt of any team in the league.

[Solid D]

i think Hollinger was mroe talking about the first one to get a couple that were good enough to bring three championships to your organization.. give me an example of a late pick in the draft that carried his team to at least ONE championship? :devil

What you think Hollinger was saying is merely conjecture. What Hollinger said is clear.

Compare and contrast these two sentences:
Hollinger says... "the Spurs were "first ones to realize there were perimeter players from overseas good enough to be NBA stars, and stole Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili in the draft because of it".

Urunobili says..."the Spurs were the first one to get a couple that were good enough to bring three championships to [their] organization"

Do you see any difference in these two sentences? It's really all very elementary.

[urunobili]

What you think Hollinger was saying is merely conjecture. What Hollinger said is clear.

Compare and contrast these two sentences:
Hollinger says... "the Spurs were "first ones to realize there were perimeter players from overseas good enough to be NBA stars, and stole Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili in the draft because of it".

Urunobili says..."the Spurs were the first one to get a couple that were good enough to bring three championships to [their] organization"

Do you see any difference in these two sentences? It's really all very elementary.
it's all a matter of interpretation... i don;t need reading classes mate... :drunk

[WalterBenitez]

how many championships he won?

MJ at 27?

[Solid D]

it's all a matter of interpretation... i don;t need reading classes mate... :drunk

:drunk This explains a lot about your ability to interpret. :lol

[Obstructed_View]

how many championships he won?
He died in his prime. Only guys that win championships can be classified as NBA stars?