Spurs Are Legitimate Contenders To Repeat As Champs

[duncan228]

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/story/472978.html

NBA pro-con: Spurs are legitimate contenders to repeat as champs
By Greg Moore

Those who don’t believe that the Spurs are contenders to win the NBA title wouldn’t know Jack if Kiefer Sutherland used his time off from “24” to introduce himself. (This TV writers’ strike needs to end.)

It might look like San Antonio is slipping. The defending champion Spurs started the season 17-3, and since they are 12-13. But underestimating coach Gregg Popovich, forward Tim Duncan, guard Tony Parker and swingman Manu Ginobili is a bad idea because that crew has won three titles — and Duncan and Popovich won another before Parker and Ginobili arrived.

The slide is a result of injuries. Duncan, Parker and Ginobili all missed games in December. And now Parker is out because of bone spurs in his left ankle. When all three members of the core are healthy, the Spurs will be right back on top.

The slide means the Spurs won’t enter the playoffs with a top seed, but that doesn’t matter. They have proven that they don’t need home-court advantage to win, even in the playoffs.

Regardless of where the game is played, after facing San Antonio in the postseason, opposing teams find themselves in the same situation that Baron Davis will find himself on All-Star weekend — sitting at home.

The Spurs’ 84-81 road win over the Suns on Thursday — even without Parker — helps prove that.

And, really, the only reason to think San Antonio won’t reach the finals is that this is an even-numbered year. The Spurs reached the finals and won the championship four times — 1998-99, 2002-03, 2004-05 and 2006-07.

And that’s a funny coincidence, but it’s no reason to dismiss the defending champs. San Antonio isn’t my pick to win the title, but to doubt this team’s ability to do so is a mistake.

[MaNu4Tres]

Well no shit, Spurs have been legitimate contenders just about every year Duncan has put on a Spurs jersey.

[duncan228]

Well no shit, Spurs have been legitimate contenders just about every year Duncan has put on a Spurs jersey.

Of course.

What I liked about this one was it took into account the slide and the possibility of not getting a top seed in the playoffs.
And how those things don't matter for this team.

This team can go all the way regardless of how they stand now.
To under-estimate them, to count them out now, is silly at best.

I liked finding an article that reinforced what true Spurs fans know.

[urunobili]

Of course.

What I liked about this one was it took into account the slide and the possibility of not getting a top seed in the playoffs.
And how those things don't matter for this team.

This team can go all the way regardless of how they stand now.
To under-estimate them, to count them out now, is silly at best.

I liked finding an article that reinforced what true Spurs fans know.
your new photo sig is awesome! looks like timmee has a fashionable side i never saw! lol :smokin

[T Park]

Impossible. The Spurstalk know it alls have already proclaimed this team dead in the water.

[duncan228]

your new photo sig is awesome! looks like timmee has a fashionable side i never saw! lol :smokin

He sure does. He cleans up nicely.

I'm going through pics, sorting stuff out, updating my photobucket.
I'm seeing how stuff looks but if I know myself I'll end up back with just the one trophy pic.

[mrsmaalox]

He sure does. He cleans up nicely.

I'm going through pics, sorting stuff out, updating my photobucket.
I'm seeing how stuff looks but if I know myself I'll end up back with just the one trophy pic.

Yep it's a very nice pic. And as usual, a good find in the article! Thanks.

[some_user86]

I think this is a counterpoint to the other Spurs article the Kansas City newspaper ran before. That one made less sense. Let me try to find it.

[some_user86]

Ah, here it is:
==============

NBA pro-con: Spurs lack hunger to repeat

The championship heart of the San Antonio Spurs can never be questioned.
The Spurs know how to win NBA titles, but there are a couple of reasons why there won’t be any championship parade in San Antonio in late June.

For one, the Spurs have never won back-to-back titles.

The more obvious reasons are that this San Antonio team lacks the hunger and health to make another run at the title.

It’s easy to say that the Spurs are bored during this month-long slump that has seen them go 12-13.

Now is the time that good teams begin rounding into shape for the playoffs. San Antonio, which started the season hot, isn’t headed in the right direction.

A championship team does not lose to a team as pathetic as the Seattle SuperSonics.

Even more troubling for the Spurs is the status of point guard Tony Parker’s left ankle.

The underrated Parker is the second-most important player on the team behind forward Tim Duncan.

Parker is also the most underappreciated all-star in the game. If Parker can’t get close to 90 percent by playoff time, the Spurs are definitely doomed.

Sure, there are nearly three months for San Antonio to get its act together before the playoffs. That’s plenty of time.

But if the Spurs slip to the fifth or sixth seed, it will be impossible for them to repeat.

The Western Conference is too tough to survive without home-court advantage.

It will probably take seven games to knock the Spurs out of the playoffs, but it will happen.

| David Boyce, [email protected]

LINK: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/story/472965.html

[some_user86]

They are doing a point-counterpoint kinda run. This week, the topic was Spurs.

[duncan228]

I didn't like the "Lack Of Hunger" one, that's why I didn't post it! :)

[Dex]

I love how people like to bring up the 'even year' thing like it really fucking matters.

Yeah, it's a strange coincidence. If anything, it's had more to do with little bits of bad luck (Tim's knee, .4, Manu's foul) and the fact that defending a championship is naturally harder because every team it targeting you.

People who think that the year on the calender has anything to do with a ball going in a hole need to pull their sherlocks out of their ass. :lol

[WalterBenitez]

Sound exciting, not sure to call him as a believer or naif

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Of course.

What I liked about this one was it took into account the slide and the possibility of not getting a top seed in the playoffs.
And how those things don't matter for this team.

This team can go all the way regardless of how they stand now.
To under-estimate them, to count them out now, is silly at best.

I liked finding an article that reinforced what true Spurs fans know.

I've said it before, I won't judge this team until March when we see what they're really made of, but Greg ignores a couple of worrying signs - the terrible road record (9-11), the inability to beat good teams (only LAL and Phoenix over .500 in last 6 weeks or so), the severe aging of Rob amongst others.

I'm a true Spurs fan, I know about January and SPAM, I know that there are few teams that can beat us in a 7-game series, but it's easy to sugarcoat and ignore the warning signs.

I'll wait and see because that's all any of us can do. i hope to be pleasantly surprised.

[duncan228]

Ruff, you are right, the article did over look some serious issues facing the Spurs at this moment.

But I have faith. This team is experienced, has great chemistry, and they know what the war is about. How hard it is.

They need that switch to flip so they're playing their best ball coming down the stretch into the playoffs. They need to get and stay healthy. They need a little luck.

But I believe they can and will turn this around. As long as they have a healthy Duncan it is still theirs to go after.

[lonestr]

I didn't like the "Lack Of Hunger" one, that's why I didn't post it! :)


I read that load of crap article. Hey Boyce!!, I got what will satisfy YOUR hunger right here. Punk!

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Ruff, you are right, the article did over look some serious issues facing the Spurs at this moment.

But I have faith. This team is experienced, has great chemistry, and they know what the war is about. How hard it is.

They need that switch to flip so they're playing their best ball coming down the stretch into the playoffs. They need to get and stay healthy. They need a little luck.

But I believe they can and will turn this around. As long as they have a healthy Duncan it is still theirs to go after.

Totally.

My problem - I guess I've always struggled with "faith". And sooner or later they will hit a year where they can't "flip the switch".

When it comes down to it, I'm going to judge on patterns, and that means waiting until 5-10 games after AS break because only then will we get an inkling about this team's potential this year. One thing's for sure though, no Parker, no trophy.

PS Another problem - our post-AS break schedule isn't pretty. Time to wait and see what happens.

[phyzik]

This guy gets it.

[SAGambler]

But if the Spurs slip to the fifth or sixth seed, it will be impossible for them to repeat.

This I disagree with. Even if the Spurs come in as eighth seed, you know there isn't a team out there that deep down truley believe, that they can elimanate the Spurs in a 7 game series. The Spurs reputation alone as an experienced championship team has to strike fear in their hearts.

I feel that if the Spurs make the playoffs, then they have to be considered by the sports books as one of the favorites to take it all. And especially if they start the playoffs entirely healthy.

[ancestron]

I lived in Kansas City for 10 years. They know as much about winning championships as Amare Stoudemire does about playing defense.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

I lived in Kansas City for 10 years. They know as much about winning championships as Amare Stoudemire does about playing defense.


Look who wrote the article.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

G-Mo (if that's the same G-Mo) posts here.

[1Parker1]

Because of their recent slide the Spurs are out of contention for a top playoff spot?? That's news to me...they still have a legit chance to have a top 3 seed, IMO.

[ancestron]

exactly my point.

[Spurms Chumps]

The Spurs will be watching the playoffs on TV

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

The Spurs will be watching the playoffs on TV
How else are they gonna watch the other games?

[Southwest Texas Fan]

Totally.

My problem - I guess I've always struggled with "faith". And sooner or later they will hit a year where they can't "flip the switch".

When it comes down to it, I'm going to judge on patterns, and that means waiting until 5-10 games after AS break because only then will we get an inkling about this team's potential this year. One thing's for sure though, no Parker, no trophy.

PS Another problem - our post-AS break schedule isn't pretty. Time to wait and see what happens.


I wonder if it's going to be a problem if let's say DS does well and the team is clicking on all cylinderscome SPAM and bam Tony is back. I don't think it will simply because tony has been with the team such a long time so the main concern would just be rust.