I know things are going to be ok

[George Gervin's Afro]

I fell better about our chances now because the experts are finally writing us off..



Ricardo (London, Ontario): Good afternoon Chris, When are the Spurs going to push the "panic" button? I know they're a team who turns it up a notch in the last month of the season, but they're just beating themselves up (duncan and ginobili are going to wear out), and getting a 5th seed or lower may haunt them in the end, don't you think?

Chris Broussard: (1:12 PM ET ) Ricardo,

I don't think the Spurs will push the panic button, though they would certainly love to improve before the trade deadline. But I agree with you - I don't think this is the typically "Spurs don't care about the regular season'' slumber. I think age has finally caught up with them. Don't get me wrong, they're still a top-flight team. But I don't think they're winning the West this year. Bruce Bowen, Robert Horry and Michael Finley are all showing their age, and honestly, so is Tim Duncan. Duncan is still an awesome player, one of the league's best, but I don't think he's as dominant as he was just a year ago. They'll be a tough out, but in my opinion, they're definitely going out.

[703 Spurz]

Has Duncan's play dropped off from last year?

[ancestron]

Wishful thinking from the media

[T Park]

Yeah Finley shure showed his age yesterday when he dropped 19 like it was nothing.

Genius take Broussard.

[spursfan09]

Ok Duncan is not the same as a year ago? :rolleyes He was playing average this time last year. It wasn't until the playoffs he stepped it up a notch. Tim Duncan is not showing his age. Man these so called "experts" suck. Do they watch the games?

[duncan228]

I always think things are okay as long as Duncan's healthy.
Everything seems to always fall into place around him.
I'm not concerned at all.
Parker will come back, they will gel, they will make their push to the Playoffs.

Duncan in the Playoffs is a beast to contend with. He's got too much experience and too much fire for any team to think lightly about taking the Spurs out in a 7 game series. He wants his fifth as much as he wanted his first. Maybe more, he knows how it feels now. Four times over. He will take his team with him and they will be fine. More than fine. :)

[romsho]

Good ol' Jim Rome weighed in as well. While ranting about Pop's thoughts concerning the Pau Gasol trade, he managed to let us know the dynasty was now over, and that the Spurs are old, unathletic and slow. While an original thought will be Rome's first, it's nice to see him drawing an unequivocal mid-season conclusion, as he always does. More often than not, he comes out looking like a know it all dipshit who can't keep his foot out of his mouth. Nice to see the geniuses weighing with their predictions in before the All-Star break. I mean, when has the second half of the season ever mattered?

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

The only thing I'm worried about is the number of minutes Tim and Manu are playing. Otherwise, the Spurs are doing ok. It's too early to say they're too old. These same thoughts were being expressed last year at this time as well.

[vanvannen]

I wonder how will the team adjust once Tony is back. I hope they are able to make it work fast enough.
Regarding the article, it's funny how Michael Finley "is old". It seems to me he is playing his best ball since coming to the Spurs. Not only he is knocking down shots, he is actually being clutch while he is at it. Yesterday he played really good IMO.

[1Parker1]

Yea, yesterday Finley was the only one who looked like he was trying on both offense and defense.

Outside of The Big 3 and Finley, the rest of the Spurs have seriously taken a downward spiral in the age dept IMO. Bowen still plays great defense no doubt, as evidenced by how he played against Crawford in the closing minutes of the KNicks game, however, the biggest difference is his defense isn't as consistent as it used to be...even from last season. Also, he doesn't seem to be able to sustain it for as long a period in a game as he used to be able to. Not to mention his offense was horrendous for a long time there which really worries me.

Udoka is too inconsistent, Horry is finished IMO, Bonner and Elson are useless, and Barry is looking old with all these nagging injuries.

[1Parker1]

Oh and for people who point out that last year they looked just like this but turned it around and won...well last year the West was not as loaded as it looks this season. Right now if the playoffs started the Spurs would play the Mavs in the FIRST ROUND (3-6 seed). :wow

Not counting the Spurs out in anything, because their Big 3 have enough talent to make it competitive series with anyone in a 7 game series, but I don't see them having enough firepower to go through 3 tough rounds in the Western Conference with this group of surrounding role players.

[himat]

Is Duncan always that passive? I watched yesterday's game and I only remember him making a serious move when he hit a bank hook from the right block. I know Duncan averages 20+ ppg, but I think he had 20 yesterday too.

[Budkin]

Broussard is a known Spurs hater... just look at what he's said every year... Besides he's from Cleveland and he's still bitter about the Finals. Of course he writes us off.

[George Gervin's Afro]

Is Duncan always that passive? I watched yesterday's game and I only remember him making a serious move when he hit a bank hook from the right block. I know Duncan averages 20+ ppg, but I think he had 20 yesterday too.


He usually is... His next game against the Celtics will be better.. What I look forward to is the point guard match up... Boston has NO ONE to check parker.. I hope Boston plays up like they did yesterday with TP on the floor because he is going to have a layup drill..

[urunobili]

Has Duncan's play dropped off from last year?
we'll c how he finishes the regular season but so far it looks like he has improved...

[duncan228]

Is Duncan always that passive?

Duncan is consistent, methodical, brilliant. Dominate more often than not, though he's quiet about it. I've said it before, I don't take my eyes off him and I can miss how he can dominate a game.

Passive? Yes, sometimes during the regular season. Even in games that maybe seem more important than others.

As brilliant a player as he is he can get caught in the refs too much. He can let himself get distracted looking for calls. He will usually adjust to it and play through it, sometimes it will fire him up.

It has to be hard to get beat up night after night. On the nights where he can't get a whistle to go his way it has to get frustrating.

But Duncan is not passive in the Playoffs. He will kick it all up. He'll stay consistent and methodical and brilliant, but he will add dominating with fire.

[George Gervin's Afro]

1 5 Utah Jazz
Forget Shaq, Pau and C-Webb. How about the pickup of Kyle Korver? The former Sixer's outside shooting has been a key to the Jazz's surge, along with an improving defense that has held 12 of its last 17 foes to 93 points or fewer.
2 2 Boston Celtics
Even without Kevin Garnett (abdominal strain), they downed the Spurs on Sunday to run their record against the West to 16-0. But they were disappointed that Ray Allen wasn't picked to replace KG in the All-Star Game.
3 8 Detroit Pistons
Rasheed Wallace's selection as Garnett's replacement isn't the only reason they're smiling in Motown. At week's end they had won eight straight while allowing an average of 86.9 points per game over that span.
4 7 Houston Rockets
The NBA's other streaking team (along with the Jazz) had won 10 of 11 at week's end to join the crowd of playoff hopefuls. Even Bonzi Wells has been contributing, while Luis Scola has taken over as starting power forward.
5 1 Los Angeles Lakers
Friday's loss at Atlanta officially ends their Pau Gasol-inspired ceremonial one-week reign atop these rankings. But they still had won five of seven on their epic nine-game road trip to keep the good vibe going.
6 6 Golden State Warriors
Chalk up last week's bad home loss to the Bulls on the distraction over Chris Webber's debut. They bounced back nicely with Saturday's win over the Kings and the schedule is friendly with seven of their next eight at the Oracle.
7 4 New Orleans Hornets
This year's All-Star hosts should be in a festive mood. Last week's thrilling double-OT victory over the Suns snapped a three-game losing skid and improved their record to 3-0 this season against Phoenix.
8 11 Dallas Mavericks
Not a bad week in Dallas: three victories in four games and they don't have to deal with Shawn Marion's defense anymore. The only way to top it would be to spoil Shaq's expected debut in Phoenix on Thursday.
9 13 San Antonio Spurs
Their beard-growing contest might be the worst since the one on Cheers. But they had won four straight before Sunday's loss at Boston and were 4-3 overall on their nine-game rodeo trip without Tony Parker (ankle).
10 3 Phoenix Suns
Without Marion, they have to take a slide in these rankings for the time being. Meanwhile, new GM Steve Kerr should begin to find out if he's "a genius or a moron" when Shaq suits up for the first time in a Suns uniform this week.


I am feeling better everyday about our team... We are too old and arent expected to get out of the second round now.. good stuff!

[O-Factor]

Chris Broussard is fucking idiot. I've always hated that guy. He has never picked the Spurs to win. He has always been on the trendy bandwagon. Im sure he thinks the suns or LA will win it all. :rolleyes

[m33p0]

Is Duncan always that passive?

he's THE QUIET STORM.