timvp
12-11-2007, 12:34 AM
Harvey: Why not all three? Spurs' time
San Antonio Express-News
A lot can happen between now and the NBA All-Star Game. For one, Gregg Popovich could throw a few games to avoid having to work that weekend.
But it's not too early to introduce a suggestion. After the start Manu Ginobili has had, and after what his franchise has accomplished in this era, why shouldn't three Spurs be in New Orleans in February?
They deserve it.
Going by the past, the Spurs will be doing well to get two. Tim Duncan likely will be elected as a starter by the fans again, assuming the ballot controversy doesn't skew the results. The first release of votes, coming Thursday, will give some indication of that.
Later the conference coaches, who vote for the reserves, will settle on either Tony Parker or Ginobili. That will depend on which one is peaking in late January.
There also is a slight chance neither will make it. The field is crowded, even with two of last year's Western representatives now in the East (Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen).
There were 16 eventually named from the West last season because Steve Nash, Carlos Boozer, Allen Iverson and Yao Ming were injured. The others on the roster a year ago: Duncan, Parker, Tracy McGrady, Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki, Carmelo Anthony, Josh Howard, Shawn Marion, Amare Stoudemire and Mehmet Okur.
Okur has played himself off the list, but his teammate, Deron Williams, has jumped in line. Chris Paul gets additional thrust since he plays in the host city, and Baron Davis, who the Spurs meet tonight, can be among the best when he's healthy.
So assuming Bryant is one of the starting guards and McGrady drafts behind the Yao vote for the other spot, can coaches justify adding both Parker and Ginobili among the guards? Nash is a lock, and the others have had their All-Star moments. Iverson already has gone for 51 points this season, Howard for 47.
Then there's the entertainment aspect. The more cities represented, the more attention. Besides, these are the Spurs. Does the TV audience want to be subjected to them any more than they have to be?
But coaches rarely consider such things. They didn't include Anthony when the event was in Denver, when NBA marketing would have been for it, and they see cracks fans don't see.
For example, they see Iverson as a reason the Spurs eliminated the Nuggets last spring.
They embrace winners, too, and they did in 2006. Then they voted four Pistons to the East bench — Chauncey Billups, Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace and Rip Hamilton.
From a USA Today story after that announcement: "The Pistons are the standard for team play in the NBA. The way they share the ball and help each other defensively is reminiscent of the New York Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics championship teams of another era."
The Pistons were in the East finals in 2003, won the NBA title in 2004 and reached the NBA Finals the next season. They also had an impressive record at the break two years ago (42-9).
"I'm so excited our team is finally getting the credit we deserve," Billups said then. "We've been dominating the league for a few years and not gotten the proper notoriety and attention."
Billups likely didn't mean "notoriety." Rasheed, after all, had gotten enough for the entire team. But Billups had reason to be proud.
Still, which team has been the standard of this era? The Spurs already had beaten the Pistons for their third title by the time the 2006 All-Star Game was played, and they kept going with another last June.
As for the win-loss record the Pistons had at the 2006 break: The Spurs are on pace to do better.
Again, it's early. Granted, the East didn't have the depth of talent then that the West has now.
But that doesn't change the concept that was alive just two years ago. Then coaches rewarded team play, and they looked past stats, and they saluted four players who had won one title.
So what about three players who have won three together?
It's not their turn. It's their time.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA121107.01D.buck.harvey.en.2934e03.html
San Antonio Express-News
A lot can happen between now and the NBA All-Star Game. For one, Gregg Popovich could throw a few games to avoid having to work that weekend.
But it's not too early to introduce a suggestion. After the start Manu Ginobili has had, and after what his franchise has accomplished in this era, why shouldn't three Spurs be in New Orleans in February?
They deserve it.
Going by the past, the Spurs will be doing well to get two. Tim Duncan likely will be elected as a starter by the fans again, assuming the ballot controversy doesn't skew the results. The first release of votes, coming Thursday, will give some indication of that.
Later the conference coaches, who vote for the reserves, will settle on either Tony Parker or Ginobili. That will depend on which one is peaking in late January.
There also is a slight chance neither will make it. The field is crowded, even with two of last year's Western representatives now in the East (Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen).
There were 16 eventually named from the West last season because Steve Nash, Carlos Boozer, Allen Iverson and Yao Ming were injured. The others on the roster a year ago: Duncan, Parker, Tracy McGrady, Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki, Carmelo Anthony, Josh Howard, Shawn Marion, Amare Stoudemire and Mehmet Okur.
Okur has played himself off the list, but his teammate, Deron Williams, has jumped in line. Chris Paul gets additional thrust since he plays in the host city, and Baron Davis, who the Spurs meet tonight, can be among the best when he's healthy.
So assuming Bryant is one of the starting guards and McGrady drafts behind the Yao vote for the other spot, can coaches justify adding both Parker and Ginobili among the guards? Nash is a lock, and the others have had their All-Star moments. Iverson already has gone for 51 points this season, Howard for 47.
Then there's the entertainment aspect. The more cities represented, the more attention. Besides, these are the Spurs. Does the TV audience want to be subjected to them any more than they have to be?
But coaches rarely consider such things. They didn't include Anthony when the event was in Denver, when NBA marketing would have been for it, and they see cracks fans don't see.
For example, they see Iverson as a reason the Spurs eliminated the Nuggets last spring.
They embrace winners, too, and they did in 2006. Then they voted four Pistons to the East bench — Chauncey Billups, Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace and Rip Hamilton.
From a USA Today story after that announcement: "The Pistons are the standard for team play in the NBA. The way they share the ball and help each other defensively is reminiscent of the New York Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics championship teams of another era."
The Pistons were in the East finals in 2003, won the NBA title in 2004 and reached the NBA Finals the next season. They also had an impressive record at the break two years ago (42-9).
"I'm so excited our team is finally getting the credit we deserve," Billups said then. "We've been dominating the league for a few years and not gotten the proper notoriety and attention."
Billups likely didn't mean "notoriety." Rasheed, after all, had gotten enough for the entire team. But Billups had reason to be proud.
Still, which team has been the standard of this era? The Spurs already had beaten the Pistons for their third title by the time the 2006 All-Star Game was played, and they kept going with another last June.
As for the win-loss record the Pistons had at the 2006 break: The Spurs are on pace to do better.
Again, it's early. Granted, the East didn't have the depth of talent then that the West has now.
But that doesn't change the concept that was alive just two years ago. Then coaches rewarded team play, and they looked past stats, and they saluted four players who had won one title.
So what about three players who have won three together?
It's not their turn. It's their time.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA121107.01D.buck.harvey.en.2934e03.html