Spurs the only West team capable of a championship

[DriveFor5]

That's the way it seems since 2003...Mavs failed in '06 and now Kobe has failed twice in '04 and '08. The Celtics winning the NBA championship is completely acceptable. But I cannot stand to see Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol, Sasha Vujacic, and the rest of those second string clowns in the Finals.

[pawe]

What Stern wants, Stern gets.

[BiZNicK]

I've been suprised that teams have been trying to mimic the Suns' rather than the Spurs style of play these past years. I mean..if i had a shitty team, I'd be paying close attention to how proven champions get it done.

[JamStone]

I think it's because the Spurs in their championship run were so capable of playing Eastern Conference style basketball in a slow-paced, grind-it-out, half court game. The fact they could play that way and also play well against an uptempo style is a huge key to their past success. I do think the Spurs have some serious changes and additions they need to make to their roster to contend again, otherwise I think they're done with their championship run.

[lebomb]

I do think the Spurs have some serious changes and additions they need to make to their roster to contend again, otherwise I think they're done with their championship run.


Agreed.....same with the Pistons. :toast

[DarrinS]

I do think the Spurs have some serious changes and additions they need to make to their roster to contend again, otherwise I think they're done with their championship run.



Billups and Tayshaun for Jaque Vaughn and Damon Stoudemire -- straight up! :toast

[xtremesteven33]

Why does everyone say the Spurs are done because theyre old??!! i dont get it.

Parker is 25 and still getting better.
Manu is 31, still playing good and just needs to stay healthy.
Duncan is 32 and still dominating the paint like no player in the NBA today.
and Bowen shows NO signs of slowing down. the guy is a freak of nature.

all Spurs need to do is add key pieces and thats it. a young swingman, a young PG. and thats it.

Spurs lost this year due to scheduling, not age.

[DarrinS]

all Spurs need to do is add key pieces and thats it. a young swingman, a young PG. and thats it.




true dat

[JamStone]

Billups and Tayshaun for Jaque Vaughn and Damon Stoudemire -- straight up! :toast

LMAO!

Maybe. Pistons are still trying to work out a deal involving those two that will get them Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, and LeBron James. If that deal falls through, we can talk.

[JamStone]

Agreed.....same with the Pistons. :toast

Pistons have been done for a couple seasons now. Stay on topic.

[samikeyp]

Everyone said the Spurs were done after 06 and the Mavericks were the team of the future...much like this years Lakers squad is being called. As far as that Duncan guy wears silver and black...there is always a chance.

[DazedAndConfused]

I know you just didn't compare the Mavs to the Lakers.

The Lakers are adding a legit 13/10/2 player for free next season that will address a lot of their shortcomings. They are only going to get stronger as their young players develop and gain more experience.

The Spurs, OTOH, are another year older. Every year that passes is another year Duncan and Ginobli become less effective. Ginobli's body isn't built to last with the kind of game that he plays, it's no coincidence he was hobbled coming into the playoffs. Couple that with the fact that so many key vets are leaving this season, that's a lot of experience and mental toughness to make up for. Young players are nice, but you don't win championships with young players. You need hard nosed vets. The Spurs are DONE as far as championships go. They will be good enough to make the playoffs as long as Duncan is alive, but never good enough to win it all. Definitely not good enough to take on LA for the next 5 seasons.

[samikeyp]

I know you just didn't compare the Mavs to the Lakers.

The Lakers are adding a legit 13/10/2 player for free next season that will address a lot of their shortcomings. They are only going to get stronger as their young players develop and gain more experience.

The Spurs, OTOH, are another year older. Every year that passes is another year Duncan and Ginobli become less effective. Ginobli's body isn't built to last with the kind of game that he plays, it's no coincidence he was hobbled coming into the playoffs. Couple that with the fact that so many key vets are leaving this season, that's a lot of experience and mental toughness to make up for. Young players are nice, but you don't win championships with young players. You need hard nosed vets. The Spurs are DONE as far as championships go. They will be good enough to make the playoffs as long as Duncan is alive, but never good enough to win it all. Definitely not good enough to take on LA for the next 5 seasons.



I was making comparisons to what was said in 06 and how its the same as being said now, yet after 06, the Spurs won a championship.

So you are saying the Spurs will never win another championship ever? They have no chance what so ever?

[LakeShow]

I was making comparisons to what was said in 06 and how its the same as being said now, yet after 06, the Spurs won a championship.

So you are saying the Spurs will never win another championship ever? They have no chance what so ever?

Maybe in the next century~ :king

[samikeyp]

Maybe in the next century~ :king

:lol maybe.

[DazedAndConfused]

I was making comparisons to what was said in 06 and how its the same as being said now, yet after 06, the Spurs won a championship.

So you are saying the Spurs will never win another championship ever? They have no chance what so ever?

They are not winning another one in the Duncan era. I don't see their team being strong enough to challenge LAL next season and beyond.

No Splitter, no Scola, no Udrih.....huge mistakes. That's your starting C, backup PF, and backup PG that you needed to reload all pissed away.

[samikeyp]

They are not winning another one in the Duncan era. I don't see their team being strong enough to challenge LAL next season and beyond.

No Splitter, no Scola, no Udrih.....huge mistakes. That's your starting C, backup PF, and backup PG that you needed to reload all pissed away.

So you would say its possible, but not probable.

I would agree with that if the Spurs FO doesn't work some magic.

[DarrinS]

LMAO!

Maybe. Pistons are still trying to work out a deal involving those two that will get them Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, and LeBron James. If that deal falls through, we can talk.


LOL

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

They are not winning another one in the Duncan era. I don't see their team being strong enough to challenge LAL next season and beyond.

No Splitter, no Scola, no Udrih.....huge mistakes. That's your starting C, backup PF, and backup PG that you needed to reload all pissed away.

Shadddup...you lost all credibility at Udrih..

You're putting too much comfort in the gloom and doom offseason speculation threads from two years ago here at Spurs talk. Funny thing is, we've had those every year. As long as Tim Tony and Manu are here, we'll always be in the thick of it. It's not that hard to build around one of the greatest players of all time. (Especially when they're a big, and not some primmadonna SG)

[xtremesteven33]

Mahimni cometh....

[samikeyp]

Shadddup...you lost all credibility at Udrih..

True. He was right on Scola, wrong on Beno and Splitter has yet to seen.

[remingtonbo2001]

I know you just didn't compare the Mavs to the Lakers.

The Lakers are adding a legit 13/10/2 player for free next season that will address a lot of their shortcomings. They are only going to get stronger as their young players develop and gain more experience.

I believe Bynum has been through two serious knee operations.

Unfortunately, I don't believe he will be the same player, as advertised early on during the season.

If he does come back strong, then you can bump this thread and I'll be more than willing to eat crow.

I just don't see Bynum being as significant of a contributor as previously thought to be.

[DazedAndConfused]

I believe Bynum has been through two serious knee operations.

Unfortunately, I don't believe he will be the same player, as advertised early on during the season.

If he does come back strong, then you can bump this thread and I'll be more than willing to eat crow.

I just don't see Bynum being as significant of a contributor as previously thought to be.

He actually hasn't been through any serious knee operations. He had his knee scoped, which is a relatively routine procedure (Kobe has had two of them). All diagnoses indicate that he will make a full recovery, this isn't microfracture surgery we are talking about here. It's wishful thinking on your part that he will become Sam Bowie 2.0. Amare came back from MUCH more serious injuries and is an absolute force today with little signs of lost athleticism.

Bynum is only 20 years old. There is so much room for him to grow. If he can even give what he was giving before he went down that is all LAL needs to shore up their defense and rebounding. As he gets older and more experienced his role on the team will increase significantly, he needs to become our post presence that can both defend and score in the post. He was showing shades of it right before he went down, it will probably take him a few years to develop that part of his game though. The good thing is the Lakers can afford to wait since they have Kobe in his prime right now.

[DDS4]

I find it interesting that some of you opposing fans are writing off the Spurs so quickly.

Just remember before these big trades, the Lakers and Celts were going nowhere. Kobe was ready to jump ship and the Celts were going to commit suicide missing out on Oden. Bam, then came the trades and now you have these two Finals contestants. Same thing can happen to the Spurs.

I do agree that the Spurs need to improve somewhat (some of it is health) but as long as the Spurs big 3 is intact, they ALWAYS have a chance.