Greg Popovich in SI

[S4Spur21]

I dont know who gets the magazine, but in the NBA section in SI pop was talking about how "im dissappointed in the sense that we have lost focus against lesser teams," "We're too soft."

Thats his exact words. What do you guys think, i dont think we are that soft.

[Solid D]

There are times when that is a correct assessment.

[boutons]

Nobody will be surprised that I'm not surprised. :)

My 39-1 Spurs are soft pussies because they're only 31-9. :)

They're soft pussies because @SBC they're only 20-1. :)

[ShoogarBear]

I'm sure there won't be any followup by boutons in this thread . . .

[ShoogarBear]

Damn, too late.

[GoSpurs21]

as long as the Spurs only loose focus in regular season games and NOT meaningful playoffs game I am happy (or at least learning to deal with it...large quantities of mixed drinks help in this area).

[Brodels]

I agree with Pop to an extent.

The Spurs are undoubtedly tougher than many other NBA teams, but they aren't as tough as they've been in the past. Rasho isn't the toughest center in the league, and sometimes Duncan can lose focus and play a little soft.

As long as Duncan brings his toughest effort, Bowen plays a lot of minutes, and the Spurs get the best of Rasho instead of the worst of Rasho (and the worst of Rasho is what they've been given at many moments of the season), they'll be fine.

And I still believe that Massenburg should get some minutes when Rasho, Horry, and Rose aren't rebounding. He doesn't do much offensively and he gets called for a lot of fouls, but his toughness is worth the tradeoff.

[Rummpd]

Somehow, Spurs have had this label x many years. Pop pulls this card for the media about 2x a year and I for one am glad HE IS NOT SATISFIED with 31 and 9 record - no Spur fan should be with how they have lost some games with an otherwise dominating team.

That is why I miss Willis, a physical and mental toughness that we might miss down the road.

MadDoc

[atlfan25]

Mayne, pop knows what tha deal is, he speaks tha truth.

[Brodels]

Somehow, Spurs have had this label x many years. Pop pulls this card for the media about 2x a year and I for one am glad HE IS NOT SATISFIED with 31 and 9 record - no Spur fan should be with how they have lost some games with an otherwise dominating team.

That is why I miss Willis, a physical and mental toughness that we might miss down the road.

MadDoc

Willis was certainly a better player than Massenburg. It's disappointing that the Spurs didn't invite him back.

I'm not so concerned with their record...it's their overall play and especially the inconsistency that gets me. Their record still seems inflated to me. I would give up five of those victories for some real progress, but the team just seems to be treading water. They're treading at a pretty high level, but I'm hoping that they can still kick it up another notch in March. If they don't they won't win a championship.

Pop does pull out the soft card every year, but I think it's much more real this time around.

[ALVAREZ6]

Pop is right.

If you beat a good team, it's a given that you beat the Jazz without AK.

Yes, in basketball, the better team doesn't always win, but normally do.

The spurs lost to a lit of bad teams recently.
Is it that they feel bad or what?

Here's my law:
Spurs crush Phoenix, Spurs crush Utah.

[Brodels]

Pop is right.

If you beat a good team, it's a given that you beat the Jazz without AK.

Yes, in basketball, the better team doesn't always win, but normally do.

The spurs lost to a lit of bad teams recently.
Is it that they feel bad or what?

Here's my law:
Spurs crush Phoenix, Spurs crush Utah.

It's not that simple, though. Phoenix is better than Utah, but Utah may play the better basketball game on any given night.

The Spurs are clearly better than Utah, but the Jazz will sometimes outplay the Spurs and win. The Spurs will win more often, but the jazz will win some.

In today's NBA, every team is capable of being practically unbeatable on any given night. And every team is capable of playing some really good games against good teams. The difference is that the good teams tend to play at a consistently high level. The bad teams play really good basketball only once in a while.

So I don't believe that a blowout of Phoenix should necessarily lead to a blowout of Utah. The Spurs should beat the poorer teams in the league most of the time, but it's unrealistic to expect them to blow out the crappy teams all of the time just because they beat Phoenix.

[MosesGuthrie]

I think they play soft at times but are not a soft team overall.

[SequSpur]

The Spurs play soft because Pop is the coach.

When is he going to start accepting responsibilty?

[Sense]

When Tim is soft, the Spurs are soft.

Tim's been soft.

[SequSpur]

Pop signed Rasho.

Rasho is the NBA poster child for soft.

The center should be tough.

Pop's fault.

[T Park]

lol@ Sequ.


Boy the Washinton game had to be murder on you, eh shorty?