Jeff McDonald: Tim vs. Tony, the Great Debate

[duncan228]

http://blogs.mysanantonio.com/weblogs/courtside/archives/2007/12/jeff_mcdonald_t_12.html

Jeff McDonald: Tim vs. Tony, the Great Debate

The Spurs have now played four games this month without Tim Duncan and four games without Tony Parker. They were 2-2 without the former, and are 1-3 without the latter.

So who is more important to the team?

Memphis coach Marc Iavaroni isn't touching that one. Asked the question last night, before the Grizzlies beat the Parker-less Spurs 88-85, Iavaroni hemmed and hawed a bit before declaring a tie.

But he did have something interesting to say about Parker. Over the past several seasons, he says, Parker has changed what it means to play this Spurs.

"They used to be a slow, methodical team -- boring almost," Iavaroni said. "Once (Gregg Popovich) started trusting Tony, they really took off."

So with Parker out, "they're obviously not the same team. You don't have the same pressure put on the rim."

The numbers bear that out -- the Spurs are not scoring in the 100s as consistently as they were before Parker went down with his sprained ankle.

Duncan is still the framework of the Spurs' offense, but Parker is the engine that makes it go.

So who is more important? The Spurs, if polled, would probably say Duncan. Your intrepid Blogger would be inclined to agree.

But we'll let you, dear Courtside blog enthusiast, decide for yourself.

[ShoogarBear]

Manu thread!

[SenorSpur]

I don't want to touch that one either. Let's just say that I'd rather not play a game without either - Manu included too.

[E20]

What GREAT DEBATE? McDonald sucks. He didn't have anything else to write about, so he made this 1 pargraph an article by triple spacing and triple lining. This is asking like what do you need to live, Oxygen or a piece of string, Tim being the former and Tony being the latter. It always goest Tim first then Tony/Manu/Whoever second. His only credited source is an ex-Suns coach who sounds like da suns fan, when he calls the Spurs boring. Sad................. :bang

[SouthernFried]

What GREAT DEBATE? McDonald sucks. He didn't have anything else to write about, so he made this 1 pargraph an article by triple spacing and triple lining. This is asking like what do you need to live, Oxygen or a piece of string, Tim being the former and Tony being the latter. His only credited source is an ex-Suns coach who sounds like da suns fan, when he calls the Spurs boring. Sad................. :bang


:toast

Exactly right. What fucking "great" debate? Looks like he's trying to start one.

Guy's a full-of-himself fool trying to justify a paycheck.

Timvp could do it better.

[THE SIXTH MAN]

Yeah I agree, McDonald sucks ass!

:hungry: Bring on timvp!

[TDMVPDPOY]

if he wants a debate

this is tim duncans team

[ca®lo]

i miss ludden :(

[duncan228]

i miss ludden :(

I think a lot of us do.

I've been trying to give McDonald a fair shot but I can't get used to the guy.

[sa_kid20]

Yeah we've been struggling since Tony has been out and we need him back but come on! we ALL know this is Tim's team. Manu and Tony are great players but this issue shouldn't even be brought up.

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

What GREAT DEBATE? McDonald sucks. He didn't have anything else to write about, so he made this 1 pargraph an article by triple spacing and triple lining. This is asking like what do you need to live, Oxygen or a piece of string, Tim being the former and Tony being the latter. It always goest Tim first then Tony/Manu/Whoever second. His only credited source is an ex-Suns coach who sounds like da suns fan, when he calls the Spurs boring. Sad

yeah, I noticed a steep drop off in the standard of these articles. this guy really sucks. :lol

[timvp]

Does McDonald think he's writing for The Onion? I thought the title of this article was a joke or was going to be something not related to basketball. Duncan >>>>> Anyone on the team.

However, the last four games reminded me so much of the 2000-2002 versions of the team. It was either post up or shoot a three-pointer. No one who could break down the defense. No one consistently getting to the line from the perimeter. An over reliance on shooting. With Parker out and Manu off, the Spurs were like in a time machine.

Parker and Ginobili brought added dimensions to the offense, which might be the main difference between the 1999-2000 through 2001-2002 Spurs and the 2002-2003 through present Spurs.

[TDMVPDPOY]

td is the reason why he has a job here in SA

or else the spurs wouldve bolted to another city

[milkyway21]

this is blasphemy! :cuss


Tony Parker did not lead us to winning those games when Duncan was out. It was Manu,(now he's exhausted :cry).
vs Dallas he dropped 37 pts., 6 assts, 1 blk
vs. Utah 37 pts 6 assts, 1 blk

Let's give credit to where credit is due, okay?

:lol

[m33p0]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2206/2126472038_662cf8bbfb.jpg

[SouthernFried]

Does McDonald think he's writing for The Onion? I thought the title of this article was a joke or was going to be something not related to basketball. Duncan >>>>> Anyone on the team.

However, the last four games reminded me so much of the 2000-2002 versions of the team. It was either post up or shoot a three-pointer. No one who could break down the defense. No one consistently getting to the line from the perimeter. An over reliance on shooting. With Parker out and Manu off, the Spurs were like in a time machine.

Parker and Ginobili brought added dimensions to the offense, which might be the main difference between the 1999-2000 through 2001-2002 Spurs and the 2002-2003 through present Spurs.


Excellent analogy. I remember those teams. It's great to get a reminder on the court..."this is why they are our big 3." Cuz when they're all on the court...we are a different team than any other in the league.

The best team in the league.

We're just so damned lucky.

[ca®lo]

spurs will be tims team till he retires.

mcdonald is an idiot.

manu or tony MAYBE ill consider his debate analogy but to compare TIM to TONY.. and even put it as the GREAT debate.

this guy has clearly lost it.

no one in his right mind would even waste time thinking about that. because we all know tim is the spurs alpha male.

mcdonald sucks! heck, i doubt if blanks would even write about this topic.

[MoSpur]

That's a good debate. However, I would say Duncan is more important in the playoffs. I think Tony is very important to this team. ITs obvious the Spurs have a different flow when Parker is there. Parker opens up shots and breaks defenses down. Duncan takes a lot of attention away and makes the game easier for his teammates.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Who is this guy? :lol

The great debate? Why again? Because the Spurs have struggled a little bit in mid-December with Tony out?

That would be as stupid as someone claiming that Francisco Elson is the X Factor because the Spurs tend to win every game in which he plays significant minutes. :hat Doesn't mean jack shnikey.

[Extra Stout]

I think I would make a better beat writer than McDonald. Of course, I probably make twice what he does in my current job.

[SAGambler]

No doubt this is Tims team, and will be until he retires.

But the guy isn't debating whose team it is.

Sure, it's harder to play without Tim on the floor, but in this league, the name of the game is speed. Speed, especially speed that can drive the lane and put up baskets among the trees, IMO, is harder to replace.

Of course, ideally, we have them all on the floor. But i'm not so sure which I would sit if I had to sit one.

[urunobili]

Tim Duncan Owns the Spurs

[ShoogarBear]

Tim Duncan Owns the SpursCheap bastard.

[ducks]

they get tp back they win

[mystargtr34]

:lol ducks

[mathbzh]

No great debate, this is Tim's team. But he actually makes a good point when he says we are not the same team with Parker out. We are just lucky to have with Tim, Tony and Manu 3 of the more uniques players of this era. Just enjoy the season and hope our big 3 will be healthy for the playoffs.