regular season champs!
for sure i thought duncan would have woken up by now. however, he seems permanently asleep. we will see in the first round of the playoffs if duncan is really done.
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regular season champs!
for sure i thought duncan would have woken up by now. however, he seems permanently asleep. we will see in the first round of the playoffs if duncan is really done.
http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.c...o-worry-about/Quote:
Is the Spurs defense becoming something to worry about?
Kurt Helin
Monday night’s blowout win showcased what Miami can do on defense. They dominated the usually efficient Spurs offense — fighting for spots on the floor that the spurs like, sticking with shootings at the arc, generally just throwing them off their game.
But at the other end of the floor Spurs defense may be as big a story — heading into the playoffs it is slipping.
My man Matt Moore broke out the defensive efficiency numbers (points per 100 possessions, the best way to rate defenses) over at CBS’ Eye on Basketball and it’s the kind of thing that Gregg Popovich should be concerned about (although a lot of things concern Popovich, he’s just one of the few coaches capable of still focusing on the big picture through it all).
But they also entered Monday night’s game against Miami having averaged giving up 102 points per game in March, as opposed to their typical mark of 97. Their season defensive efficiency has been a solid 101.1. In March? The Spurs have averaged a 108.5 defensive efficiency, including marks of 117 to Memphis, 112 to the Lakers, 114 to Detroit, and the abomination, a 122 mark to the Heat. For reference, the worst team in the league, the Cleveland Cavaliers, average a 110 defensive efficiency. So in a supremely small sample, this month the Spurs are surrendering a defensive efficiency that would be the worst in the league if spread over the season.
This is still the Spurs, nobody is reaching for the panic button. This could be as simple as a team coasting into the playoffs, taking its foot off the gas, resting its vets more and that showing up on defense. The Spurs offense remains one of the league’s best and it is getting them wins. They will have home court throughout the playoffs (barring a total collapse), so they can get right in the postseason.
Except that in the first round of the playoffs they are likely to get Memphis or Portland (maybe New Orleans can fall to the 8 seed), and if that is the case there will be no easy bye to the second round. The entire bottom half of the West is teams playing well right now.
If the Spurs defense remains an issue, that at the least could mean an extra game or two in the first round, something every team wants to avoid. At worst, it’s an ongoing defensive issue that could derail their title hopes.
It’s just something to watch heading into the playoffs. You know Popovich will be.
What've changed is the fact is that other teams are playing better now (Lakers, Heat, Bulls, etc).
All three of those teams have had key players return from injuries are are all just now getting into top form.Quote:
Originally Posted by PDXSpursFan
+1 Exposed!!! Agree with almost everything!Quote:
Originally Posted by SenorSpur
http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursna...sses-in-march/Quote:
Spurs won’t fret about big losses in March
Jeff McDonald
Not long after his championship-contending team had suffered the worst beating of its season, the coach found himself face-to-face with the media charged with dissecting the carnage.
The coach began by praising the team that had administered the whipping, practically thanking his opponent for it.
“The quickest way I’ve found in this league to change habits and collectively grow are through adversity,” Miami’s Erik Spoelstra said March 4, when the Spurs steamrolled his Heat 125-95 at the AT&T Center. “These type of events, as long as they don’t break you, can fast-track what you’re trying to do.”
They are words the Spurs would be wise to heed today, following their own epic smackdown.
Keep reading...
Somewhere between slump and exposed.
Manu's lost his mojo. Don't know what it is exactly, the desire/passion still seem to be there, but his game is missing something right now. Hopefully, he can get it back before the playoffs. I wouldn't be surprised if Pop pulls a late season, "Manu to the bench" move to jumpstart the team.
While the Spurs certainly have the issues many of you mentioned, I suspect that it is mostly a mental and effort thing. They've got the #1 seed locked up, everyone knows it, now they're just waiting for the regular season to end, so they are having trouble getting up for these remaining games. Its not too different than when the Lakers were bored with the first 2/3rds of the season.
The Spurs will turn it on when the playoffs arrive. That's not to say we don't have major issues that might prevent us from winning the title - we do. But, we have not been "exposed" in my opinion.
This. Kind of.Quote:
Originally Posted by Slippy
IMO the Spurs are simply reaping the reward of their ridiculously fast, and sustained start. Their objective, as it has been for 3 seasons running is to: ENTER THE PLAYOFFS HEALTHY! This season they get to do that AND waltz into it with the best record in the league.
Just look at the schedule. As long as the Spurs take care of business, they have #1 LOCKED up; and by taking care of business, I mean, beating teams they "ought to beat". Let the other elites make their statements; and win by a ton. 1 pt or 30 pts is still just one "L".
Everyone seemed to assume the Spurs would keep their foot on the throttle, and completely rest once they had the top seed mathematically locked; I think they are coasting now they have they practically locked.
Won't know 'til the playoffs; but if you'd have told me in October the Spurs would enter the playoffs healthy, with the number 1 seed, but having "slumped" the last third of the season; pretty sure I would have been ecstatic about that.
If the Spurs are simply exposed, and busted their collective ass and overachieved, giving us all that great feeling we shared much of the past decade, of cheering a dominant, dynasty-level team - well props to them.
I won't bash this team, or be disappointed in them; they are either contenders or pretenders, but either way, they have left it all on the court.
Until proven otherwise in the playoffs, or by squandering the top seed, I'm believing they are neither slumping nor exposed; they are simply preparing.
this is pretty much.Quote:
Originally Posted by ALVAREZ6
TD and Dice will be playing 35-40 minutes each game. Will take a big toll as playoffs advance
alot of great points here,
i put myself in manu's shoes with the situation and now it makes sense
ST, getting it's pessimism on.