Some good points...

[SouthernFried]

I thought we'd get blown out by Boston today, was pleasantly surprised when I finally caught the game in the 3rd quarter...and we're only down by 2.

We had a good chance to even win this game, and if Finley's 3 had went down, or Udoka's...game coulda changed. Finley's was in and out. I personally thought Stoudamaire shoulda been in the game more at the end. I saw some good hustle from him on offense towards the end of the game. JV just wasn't there, and Manu can't do it all.

I've been saying it for awhile now, and today's game really highlighted it...but, we do need some inside help for Tim. Rebounding killed us at the end, and there's no excuse. Either get Elson in game shape, or get rid of him. Dunno who's out there, but I'd take Rasho right now just for his size.

Boston beat us, but I wasn't really that impressed. Spurs can beat them. Boston will be even better when Garnett gets back too. But, with the way baby played defense today, I think Boston missed Garnett much less than we missed Parker. Saw some anxiety and confusion in Boston towards the end as well. Even tho they did a great job of getting some hustle rebounds, there are signs of a team not all that sure of themeselves in the closing moments.

I actually feel pretty good about this game. With Parker back, and Barry, I don't fear them as much as I thought I would...they are definetly beatable.

We just need a few more rebounds...and the Bruce we all know and love to actually show up.

IMHO :)

Christ, those announcers suck.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

There is no reason for us to get blown out by Boston when they're missing KG. Yes, we're without Parker but this could've been huge to take on the road coupled with the Phoenix win.

Either way the team battled hard, I just pray they don't drop tomorrow's game because I spent some serious $ on my ticket

[SouthernFried]

There is no reason for us to get blown out by Boston when they're missing KG. Yes, we're without Parker but this could've been huge to take on the road coupled with the Phoenix win.

With the way the Spurs have been playing against such lowly teams as the knicks...yeah, there was plenty of cause for concern about a blowout.

I was actually surprised we had a chance to win. I think many of us weren't sure the Spurs could compete with the best team in the League. Especially without Parker.

But, we can. And, right now...I'm feeling better about the Spurs in this loss, than I did in the last few wins.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

I'm feeling better about the Spurs than I have in awhile.


oddly enough, I agree with this

Though it probably has more to do with no one else "kicking ass" as oppose to the Spurs playing really well.

[bobbyjoe]

I thought we'd get blown out by Boston today, was pleasantly surprised when I finally caught the game in the 3rd quarter...and we're only down by 2.

We had a good chance to even win this game, and if Finley's 3 had went down, or Udoka's...game coulda changed. Finley's was in and out. I personally thought Stoudamaire shoulda been in the game more at the end. I saw some good hustle from him on offense towards the end of the game. JV just wasn't there, and Manu can't do it all.

I've been saying it for awhile now, and today's game really highlighted it...but, we do need some inside help for Tim. Rebounding killed us at the end, and there's no excuse. Either get Elson in game shape, or get rid of him. Dunno who's out there, but I'd take Rasho right now just for his size.

Boston beat us, but I wasn't really that impressed. Spurs can beat them. Boston will be even better when Garnett gets back too. But, with the way baby played defense today, I think Boston missed Garnett much less than we missed Parker. Saw some anxiety and confusion in Boston towards the end as well. Even tho they did a great job of getting some hustle rebounds, there are signs of a team not all that sure of themeselves in the closing moments.

I actually feel pretty good about this game. With Parker back, and Barry, I don't fear them as much as I thought I would...they are definetly beatable.

We just need a few more rebounds...and the Bruce we all know and love to actually show up.

IMHO :)

Christ, those announcers suck.

LOL @ Boston missing KG less than SA missed Parker.

KG is an MVP frontrunner. Parker is not even a top 5 PG and maybe a top 30 guy for MVP at best... I would say top 50 even is questionable, given Parker's skillset is great for himself individually but he's obviously not a great floor general. Those duties on the Spurs are moreso with Duncan and Manu.

The Celtics are a top 2-3 defensive team in the NBA this year. With 3 stud offensive options in the halfcourt they are going to be a load playoff time. They clearly look better than the Spurs this year and look like the best team out as of now.

Dont understand what the hell there is "not to be impressed about". They just handled your team without their best player and 2nd best big, who was out as well.

You think SA beats Boston without Duncan, assuming say Ray Allen is out for Boston? Hell no.

The 2007-2008 Spurs rely too much on the 3. Finley, Udoka, Bowen etc are not going to hit EVERY big 3 down the stretch. I understand Parker being out is a big part of the reliance on the 3, but even before his departure this unit seems to rely moreso on the bomb than previous Spurs teams.

All signs point to a classic LA-Boston matchup right now in the Finals...

[T Park]

arker is not even a top 5 PG

Other than Kidd and Nash, who are the other 3.

[E20]

Parker is in the Top 5.
Nash
Kidd
CP3
Deron
Parker

A case could be made for Baron Davis.

[bobbyjoe]

PG's you'd take over Parker if starting a team from scratch:

Nash
Kidd
Deron Williams
Chris Paul
Baron Davis
Chauncey Billups

[jrmp317]

All signs point to a classic LA-Boston matchup right now in the Finals...
you guys can't play D to save your lives :lol

[mystargtr34]

Jason Kidd is becoming over rated... he has two all stars on his team in the East and they are what 20-29.

Dude shoots 35% from the floor and is average in the half court.

[T Park]

PG's you'd take over Parker if starting a team from scratch:

Nash
Kidd
Deron Williams
Chris Paul
Baron Davis
Chauncey Billups


Eh, can't argue with that.

Although if I starting a team I'd rather have Parker than Nash cause hes younger an actually shoul average more assists than he does.

[dougp]

PG's you'd take over Parker if starting a team from scratch:

Nash
Kidd
Deron Williams
Chris Paul
Baron Davis
Chauncey BillupsYou're retarded ... Nash, Kidd, Billups and Davis over Parker if starting a team from scratch? Why would you choose someone who would retire soon? Remember who's the Finals MVP when you look at that list and remember only one other guy in that line up was a Finals MVP.

[slayermin]

LOL @ Boston missing KG less than SA missed Parker.

KG is an MVP frontrunner. Parker is not even a top 5 PG and maybe a top 30 guy for MVP at best... I would say top 50 even is questionable, given Parker's skillset is great for himself individually but he's obviously not a great floor general. Those duties on the Spurs are moreso with Duncan and Manu.

The Celtics are a top 2-3 defensive team in the NBA this year. With 3 stud offensive options in the halfcourt they are going to be a load playoff time. They clearly look better than the Spurs this year and look like the best team out as of now.

Dont understand what the hell there is "not to be impressed about". They just handled your team without their best player and 2nd best big, who was out as well.

You think SA beats Boston without Duncan, assuming say Ray Allen is out for Boston? Hell no.

The 2007-2008 Spurs rely too much on the 3. Finley, Udoka, Bowen etc are not going to hit EVERY big 3 down the stretch. I understand Parker being out is a big part of the reliance on the 3, but even before his departure this unit seems to rely moreso on the bomb than previous Spurs teams.

All signs point to a classic LA-Boston matchup right now in the Finals...

Your logic is flawed. Do you realize Tim Duncan was undefeated against Boston on the road? Who does that to anyone? I don't care if you are the Boston Celtics or the Los Angeles Clippers, you are going to be amped up to play against a team that has been owning you on your home floor for 9 straight years. That was a huge factor.

Without Tony Parker, we do rely on the three a little more but I don't think it's a negative. Like many others here have pointed out, we don't win a championship without Parker anyway. So three point shooting won't be as huge a factor in the playoffs unless we play the Lakers and Phyllis starts packing the paint again as he did in '04. But these Spurs are better equipped to deal with wide open three point looks.

This game against Boston was disappointing but we have one more with them.

[Agloco]

LOL @ Boston missing KG less than SA missed Parker.

KG is an MVP frontrunner. Parker is not even a top 5 PG and maybe a top 30 guy for MVP at best... I would say top 50 even is questionable, given Parker's skillset is great for himself individually but he's obviously not a great floor general. Those duties on the Spurs are moreso with Duncan and Manu. The Celtics are a top 2-3 defensive team in the NBA this year. With 3 stud offensive options in the halfcourt they are going to be a load playoff time. They clearly look better than the Spurs this year and look like the best team out as of now.

Dont understand what the hell there is "not to be impressed about". They just handled your team without their best player and 2nd best big, who was out as well.

You think SA beats Boston without Duncan, assuming say Ray Allen is out for Boston? Hell no.

The 2007-2008 Spurs rely too much on the 3. Finley, Udoka, Bowen etc are not going to hit EVERY big 3 down the stretch. I understand Parker being out is a big part of the reliance on the 3, but even before his departure this unit seems to rely moreso on the bomb than previous Spurs teams.

All signs point to a classic LA-Boston matchup right now in the Finals...



LMFAO......

Leave it to a Lakers Fan to dumb it down a couple of notches. I suppose D-Fish is in your top 5 PG list too right?

If you're a Boston fan, you've gotta look at this score and shake your head a bit. It was Spurs tempo all the way. We just got unlucky at the end.

Let me know how that Pau Gasol trade works alright?

[SouthernFried]

My original point was...we missed Parker more than they missed KG.

Because of the way baby was playing, and he played Tim pretty damned good...he filled in much better for KG than our points filled in for Tony. I.E., we missed Parker more than they missed KG. I thought this pretty obvious.

As far as Tony being one of the top 5 PG's in the league. Irrelevant. He is OUR top point guard, and nobody comes close to filling in for him. I thought Baby actually defended Duncan better than KG...he filled in nicely for KG.

So...

I came away from this game feeling pretty damned good. Also believe with Tony and Barry back, we will have a good chance of beating this team in a 7 game series. But, we will HAVE to be a better rebounding team, and Bowen or Ime will HAVE to play much better D on Pierce.

We weren't owned in this game at all. We were there right to the end, and a couple of wide open shots that didn't go...could go next time.

I feel pretty good right now, thankyouverymuch. :)

[exstatic]

You're retarded ... Nash, Kidd, Billups and Davis over Parker if starting a team from scratch? Why would you choose someone who would retire soon? Remember who's the Finals MVP when you look at that list and remember only one other guy in that line up was a Finals MVP.
That's what I was thinking. Four of those guys are on the wrong side of 30, and Kidd and BDiddy have only one good leg, each. No way I'm taking any of those four over a 25 YO Finals MVP. Fucking Laker-trash.

Parker gets us easy baskets, and that's what's been missing. We're not taking any more threes than we have been, they're just more contested. With Parker joining Duncan in wreaking havoc in the lane, those 3 pt % will go back up close to 40.

[Louie Vega]

I thought we'd get blown out by Boston today, was pleasantly surprised when I finally caught the game in the 3rd quarter...and we're only down by 2.............



These are the Spurs we are talking about,not the Heat! Blown out? WTF?!@

:stfu

[remingtonbo2001]

My original point was...we missed Parker more than they missed KG.

Best point I've heard all night.

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

This loss smacks of regular season....

Poor execution against one of the best teams in the league, that can easily be corrected with more diligence.

[Southwest Texas Fan]

I also thought they could have won the game. Not having Tony and Brent will benefit this team later in the playoffs. It’s giving guys like udoka, though struggling a chance to get some playing time and a chance for the spurs to find ways to win without the MVP

[bobbyjoe]

You're retarded ... Nash, Kidd, Billups and Davis over Parker if starting a team from scratch? Why would you choose someone who would retire soon? Remember who's the Finals MVP when you look at that list and remember only one other guy in that line up was a Finals MVP.

I'm not talking to build a team around.

I'm saying if I'm starting a team from scratch for the 2007-2008 season, who would i take.

This isnt an argument of who the best young PG's are in the NBA.

Point blank, is Tony Parker a top 5 PG? No, he is not.

Some of you Spurs diehards REALLY overrate this guy. Referring to his being finals MVP as a differentiator between his peers at the PG position is just a joke. None of the other guys are in near the same situation.

Parker has some weaknesses that are really covered up by playing in SA. Once Duncan leaves in a few years, they will really be exposed. If you think he could lead teams like Utah or New Orleans where he had to facilitate and run an offense like a Deron or Chris Paul, you're kidding yourself.

There's a reason Parker didnt make the all star team.

When Parker is getting lit up like a Christmas tree defensively by Deron or Billups, he's fortunate enough to have a Bruce Bowen who can cover his derriere. The other top 5-6 PG's in the league dont have that. Parker wont have this his whole career either as Bowen starts to push 40.

When guys like Baron Davis, Billups, Nash, Kidd, etc have histories of hitting big shots, Parker is a guy who's been much more shaky in the clutch. You cant sit there and tell me you are confident when the ball is in his hands for a clutch FT. Of course since the Spurs have Manu who is the most clutch guy in the NBA, Parker doesnt need to be.

Put him on another team and I dont think Parker is though of very highly. He's not great defensively, not terribly clutch, and definitely not a guy who's going to make those around him better and be a floor general like Deron, Nash, Baron, Paul or Kidd. True PG's.

For those of you who tout his youth, the flipside to that is his game is 100% dependent on quickness. Not basketball IQ, court vision, or things that great PG's need to dominate for the long haul. Good jumper, but not as good an oustide shooter as the top PG's and definitely less range (can't/won't take the three)

If you think Parker is going to be blowing by defenders into the lane once he's past 30-31, good luck. Think Kevin Johnson. Invest a max deal in him, "build around him" and see how that works out for you...

[bobbyjoe]

My original point was...we missed Parker more than they missed KG.

Because of the way baby was playing, and he played Tim pretty damned good...he filled in much better for KG than our points filled in for Tony. I.E., we missed Parker more than they missed KG. I thought this pretty obvious.

As far as Tony being one of the top 5 PG's in the league. Irrelevant. He is OUR top point guard, and nobody comes close to filling in for him. I thought Baby actually defended Duncan better than KG...he filled in nicely for KG.

So...

I came away from this game feeling pretty damned good. Also believe with Tony and Barry back, we will have a good chance of beating this team in a 7 game series. But, we will HAVE to be a better rebounding team, and Bowen or Ime will HAVE to play much better D on Pierce.

We weren't owned in this game at all. We were there right to the end, and a couple of wide open shots that didn't go...could go next time.

I feel pretty good right now, thankyouverymuch. :)

So KG's only value against the Spurs is his ability to defend Duncan?

Because Baby Davis played Duncan tough (and Duncan still had 20 on 50% shooting), they didnt miss KG's shotblocking, intensity, rebounding, and presence?

Baby Davis, Scalibrine, and Lowe make up for not having KG's post game, half court passing, and outside J?

Dont delude yourself: KG means MUCH more to the Celtics than Parker does to SA. Even just for this game as played...

Ask Popovich if he'll accept a deal in the playoffs where SA holds out Parker if Boston agrees to take out KG? He'll take a millisecond and say "hell freakin yes".

KG is going to be the MVP of this season and deservedly so. You dont not miss a guy who contributes in so many ways just because Big Baby Davis had a couple of good possessions against Duncan, who still had 20, 10, and shot over 50% from the field. Nice try, but weak...

[slayermin]

On some nights, TP looks like a top five point guard.

For example, in 23 games against the Lakers, he's shooting 47% and 17ppg.

And it's true that Bowen will play the opposite point guard, from time to time. But it's also true that Tony Parker manned up against Rip Hamilton, in the '05 Finals to help preserve the win in Game Five.

[mikejones99]

Brent Barry is better than all Lakers but kobe n Gasol, fuckface

[DazedAndConfused]

Spur's fans ridiculously overrate Tony Parker. He's a great player no question, but he is not top 5 in the league. And there is absolutely no way he has more impact than KG does for the Celtics. That is orders of magnitude the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard here.

He is a prime example of a player who excels more because of the system he plays in. Without TD and Manu, Parker is no different than Monta Ellis in my opinion. Parker lacks the court vision that great PG's in this league have, instead he relies far more on his quickness to create shots for himself and his teammates when he draws defenders towards him. We saw how ineffective he was when his quickness was taken away from him due to a heel injury.

[MajicMan]

Brent Barry is better than all Lakers but kobe n Gasol, fuckface
Better than Bynum? Fisher? Odom? I'd say he's on par with Sasha.

[Man In Black]

fixed!


Laker fans ridiculously overrate Pau Gasol. He's a great player no question, but he is not top 5 in the league. And there is absolutely no way he has more impact than TP does for the Spurs. That is orders of magnitude the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard here.

He is a prime example of a player who excels more because of the system he plays in. Without Kobe to draw defenders, Gasol is no different than say Shareef Abdur-Rahim in my opinion. Gasol lacks the toughness that great PF's in this league have, instead he relies far more on his outside game to create shots for himself and his teammates when he draws defenders towards him. We saw how ineffective he was when his back was stiff due to a muscle injury.

What TP provides is BALANCE. Since he's been out, Manu has had to be the primary ball handler so his TO's have gone up and because he has to spend more time on the ball, he hasn't had his finishing strength as much. Come playoffs, Manu will dig deep to get that expenditure. TP with Tony and Duncan form the League's best proven BIG 3 and for so many people to read that the Spurs are weak means the Spurs have got the league thinking exactly what they want, the the hand they are holding is a bluff when in actuality, they're about to flop a royal flush.

[remingtonbo2001]

Thing about TP is he thrives the best on our team. It's not so much that Tony's overrated, but the contribution he makes to this team is underrated. He puts the opposing bigs in foul trouble. His pentrations gives our shooters open looks, and our post players easy baskets. He is the fastest of the point guards mentioned. He consistanly gets to the line. He is capable of hitting the outside shot. Without TP it's hard for this offense to run effeciently. It's really no excuse for our defense, with the exception we're tiring ourselves out on the offense end.

[fyatuk]

Spur's fans ridiculously overrate Tony Parker. He's a great player no question, but he is not top 5 in the league. And there is absolutely no way he has more impact than KG does for the Celtics. That is orders of magnitude the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard here.


And have you seen the difference inthe Spurs from early season to the aftermath of him getting injured in December?

The Spurs need both Tim and Tony now. Without Tony in the lineup, the Spurs are pretty much Tim forcing something or the others taking jump shots. Without Tim, Tony doesn't get into the lane. Both of them are the cogs the make the Spurs offense go. If the Spurs are a bicycle, they have been riding on 1 wheel.

TP is certainly somewhere in the top 10 in PG. On other teams he would have more assists, but the Spurs system does not generate assists for the PG and Pop specifically wants him to be score-first. He's not as bad defensively as a couple other PGs rated ahead of him.

Of course, if I'm starting a team from scratch, I'm taking Deron.