Observations on the current Spurs team.

Just wanted to vent about what i've been seeing from our beloved team....


Offense: The offense seems a little shaky to start games. It's like they aren't sure if they are going to pound it inside to duncan, or try to get the 3 game working. Before the most recent return from parker, Corey joseph started. I think Pop wanted to see what cojo could provide, or he wanted to see if he could handle parker's job (penetrate and get to the basket; penetrate and pitch). I don't think i'm the only one on this board that thinks that Corey has done a better job at running the point. The game seems to run so much smoother when he's out there. Mostly, because he's willing to do what parker doesn't do.....pass. The line-up of Duncan, Splitter, Belinelii, Green, and Cojo has been solid starting for us. Overall I think Beli's lack of contribution on offense has really hurt us. We miss leonard's penetration greatly. Overall it kind of hurts watching the starters try and score the ball. I've seen so many shot clock violations this year (sick emoji) . Our bench since the recent recruit (patty mills) has looked more like last years bench. Turnovers (manu) has hurt this group from really pulling away on other teams. It's cost us some games for sure.

Defense: Since leonard went down, our D has been average at best. Maybe not even middle of the pack. We are leaving so many guys wide open at critical parts of the game. Guy after guy are getting their season highs against us! It's frustrating to see Kevin Seraphin look like willis reed. At the beginning of the season our D was powerful but we had no offfense. It also doesn't help when Beli,Daye, and Ayres are getting extended minutes. I think pop should play Anderson more. He cleans up the glass well which is yet another area where we are struggling. Defensive boards. We know how great Leonard is at providing this for us. Someone hasn't stepped up yet and made this a focal point during games. Green can only help so much. Corey has always been ok at getting rebounds but not like the pro Kiwi is. That's why I think Anderson should get more burn. The D is what I worry about going forward as it has looked atrocious. Again getting Leonard back should help. We are losing close games because the lack of defensive boards.

Pop: He's had some crazy lineups as we have all seen. At the beginning of the season he made an effort to get leonard involved in the offense. Will he go back to that plan when he comes back? I don't think so. The spurs have some ground to make, and I think leonard going back to elite role player status is what this teams needs right now. Pop is going to continue to see what works and what doesn't until this team is healthy. I'm sure we will pull our hairs out many times this season. At some point though, he needs to run with what works. He knows what he's doing.


2014 Spurs Vs 2015 Spurs : I think it's a wash tbh.. Once healthy this team is definitely as good as last years. Other than health and seeding, there's no team stopping the spurs. No one wants to see a healthy spurs team in the first round. No one.

:flag:

2014 Spurs = Cowboys from Hell
2015 Spurs so far=The whore from ¨This Love¨ music video.

The one positive is the growth of Cojo. Otherwise, just lots of injuries to deal with and patching the leaks until they're healed up.

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Originally Posted by look_at_g_shred

Other than health and seeding, there's no team stopping the spurs.

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so other than health, the only thing that can stop the Spurs is getting seeded against a better team?

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Originally Posted by cantthinkofanything

so other than health, the only thing that can stop the Spurs is getting seeded against a better team?

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falling out of the playoffs.

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Originally Posted by look_at_g_shred

falling out of the playoffs.

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gotcha. I sure hope that's a long shot.

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Originally Posted by cantthinkofanything

gotcha. I sure hope that's a long shot.

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For sure man. But this team has too much heart not to make it.

Furthermore, a welcome sign has been the passing. It's coming back slowly and surely. I've noticed that when we are able to move the ball well, we're successful in disrupting opponents defenses. The current spurs have trouble with putting together a nice 48 minute game. It's like were missing something (kawhi). Yes. Yes we are. A good sign is we have been in almost every game we've lost (excluding that memphis game). Were right there in every single one of them!!!! We go through certain stretches through a game where we commit so many mental errors (or Ayres? did I spell it right?) I can' wait to assess the team once everyone is back and Pop can throw a routine lineup out there every night.

The offense looks stale, predictable, and ineffective. This is compounded by the fact that our bigs are not setting effective screens, nor are our guards exploiting effective screens to the fullest.

Start cojo and bring tp off the bench.

TURNOVERS and shitty play in the 4th. that's been our undoing. We've competed in all games played. Just mental softness and mistakes are costing us dearly. This includes coaching staff, they have been mediocre at best.

If the Spurs hope to defend their title they better start getting their shit together. I'm getting sick and fucking tired of people saying injuries are the only reason for the team dropping so many games. We have most of our man power back now and a season should not rest on the shoulders of 1or 2 players unless those players are superstuds. I can't be the only person concerned that the Spurs have been losing way too much for a defending champion team... Defending Champions should be walking like kings. Not coming to battle as hurting units. The Spurs are lacking the swagger of a back to back championship caliber team. Championship teams should have enough heart, grit and swagger to find ways to win the close contests and should not be handing over games in the final seconds or losing the games that go into overtime. On the real....

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Originally Posted by hater

TURNOVERS and shitty play in the 4th. that's been our undoing. We've competed in all games played. Just mental softness and mistakes are costing us dearly. This includes coaching staff, they have been mediocre at best.

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That should not be happening from a vet team who just won a title, period... I dont get it?

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Originally Posted by G-Dawgg

If the Spurs hope to defend their title they better start getting their shit together. I'm getting sick and fucking tired of people saying injuries are the only reason for the team dropping so many games. We have most of our man power back now and a season should not rest on the shoulders of 1or 2 players unless those players are superstuds. I can't be the only person concerned that the Spurs have been losing way too much for a defending champion team... Defending Champions should be walking like kings. Not coming to battle as hurting units. The Spurs are lacking the swagger of a back to back championship caliber team. Championship teams should have enough heart, grit and swagger to find ways to win the close contests and should not be handing over games in the final seconds or losing the games that go into overtime. On the real....

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Truth!!! They are turning it over and missing tons of FTs late, Champs dont do that down the stretch in games.

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Originally Posted by Sean Cagney

That should not be happening from a vet team who just won a title, period... I dont get it?

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coasting

Anyone know the reason why Baynes is in the doghouse?

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Originally Posted by urunobili

Anyone know the reason why Baynes is in the doghouse?

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Trade incoming. :nerd

A lot of people are saying that health shouldn't be the reason we're losing and that one player out shouldn't be affecting the losses we are having this season. Well did you forget that that "one player" single handedly turned this franchise around since being drafted? Yeah I think it makes a little difference tbh.

The team is overall fine. They frustrate me to no fuckin' end at times, but that's what happens when a team's best player misses half the season. Look at it like this: The Spurs are a 45-48 win team without Leonard (I know someone will bring up their record without Kawhi, but most of those losses came during one of the toughest stretches schedule-wise I've ever seen) in the most competitive Western Conference we've seen. Kawhi can be expected to add about 8-10 wins. Do the math, and you see the Spurs are right where they're expected to be. In addition to that, we've missed Parker, Splitter, and Mills at key times during the season.

I like this team's chances if they can get healthy. Their on court play isn't too troubling all things considered.

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Originally Posted by look_at_g_shred

A lot of people are saying that health shouldn't be the reason we're losing and that one player out shouldn't be affecting the losses we are having this season. Well did you forget that that "one player" single handedly turned this franchise around since being drafted? Yeah I think it makes a little difference tbh.

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Many things have happened since he was drafted.

.

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Originally Posted by Nathan89

Many things have happened since he was drafted.

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Western conference finals
western conference final/NBA finals
western conference finals/ NBA finals

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Originally Posted by look_at_g_shred

Western conference finals
western conference final/NBA finals
western conference finals/ NBA finals

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Those are the results not the changes that led to them.

We are playing 2014 championship basketball.... in small spurts.

The potentials there. Its just we lose our way/focus too often. Kiwi + serious end of season will make a huge difference.

Not worried until 2nd game into playoffs to be honest.

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Originally Posted by look_at_g_shred

A lot of people are saying that health shouldn't be the reason we're losing and that one player out shouldn't be affecting the losses we are having this season. Well did you forget that that "one player" single handedly turned this franchise around since being drafted? Yeah I think it makes a little difference tbh.

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Leonard did not singlehandedly turn the franchise around. We've been having 50 win seasons long before he was drafted. He definitely helped put us over the top, but he's not the only reason we have a championship team.... As a whole the team needs to step up and compete. they've been getting punched in the mouth and not fighting back in close games and overtime games. Champioship teams should be able to find ways to win the tight contests rather than just folding. -With or without Leonard in the Lineup... Plain and simply we've lost way too many winnable close games because we haven't had the fortitude to close out like a champion should.

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Originally Posted by G-Dawgg

Leonard did not singlehandedly turn the franchise around. We've been having 50 win seasons long before he was drafted. He definitely helped put us over the top, but he's not the only reason we have a championship team.... As a whole the team needs to step up and compete. they've been getting punched in the mouth and not fighting back in close games and overtime games. Champioship teams should be able to find ways to win the tight contests rather than just folding. -With or without Leonard in the Lineup... Plain and simply we've lost way too many winnable close games because we haven't had the fortitude to close out like a champion should.

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We weren't dropping games like this at the beginning of the season. It's not hard to see that we need leonard in the line-up. Without him, this isn't a championship team. So it isn't fair to say that championship teams should be able to find ways to win these ball games.

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Originally Posted by look_at_g_shred

We weren't dropping games like this at the beginning of the season. It's not hard to see that we need leonard in the line-up. Without him, this isn't a championship team.

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but also without either Duncan, Splitter, Parker, Manu and Green this isn't a championship team

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Originally Posted by in2deep

but also without either Duncan, Splitter, Parker, Manu and Green this isn't a championship team

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Exactly! All the pieces need to be there in order to win. Without one, it all falls apart. You can't judge a teams performance without key players in the lineup.

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Originally Posted by look_at_g_shred

Exactly! All the pieces need to be there in order to win. Without one, it all falls apart. You can't judge a teams performance without key players in the lineup.

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agree. but I just don't buy the reason for our struggles are 100% due to the absence of Kawhi. We are in the 7th seed and losing to bad teams.

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Originally Posted by urunobili

Anyone know the reason why Baynes is in the doghouse?

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Kyle Anderson seems to be in the same doghouse.

On a side note, all these losses are getting to the classiest fan base around..

http://www.ksat.com/content/pns/ksat...purs-game.html

Hopefully Kawhi is back vs Portland as reported

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Originally Posted by G-Dawgg

Leonard did not singlehandedly turn the franchise around. We've been having 50 win seasons long before he was drafted. He definitely helped put us over the top, but he's not the only reason we have a championship team.... As a whole the team needs to step up and compete. they've been getting punched in the mouth and not fighting back in close games and overtime games. Champioship teams should be able to find ways to win the tight contests rather than just folding. -With or without Leonard in the Lineup... Plain and simply we've lost way too many winnable close games because we haven't had the fortitude to close out like a champion should.

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:wakeup

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Originally Posted by in2deep

agree. but I just don't buy the reason for our struggles are 100% due to the absence of Kawhi. We are in the 7th seed and losing to bad teams.

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:wakeup

The main concern for me is the Spurs are giving up a ton of offensive rebounds.

Without Kawhi, the perimeter defense suffered greatly. Now that he's back, the three-point shooting by Portland and Utah couldn't get going, which especially hurt the Blazers.

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Originally Posted by Mikeanaro

2014 Spurs = Cowboys from Hell
2015 Spurs so far=The whore from ¨This Love¨ music video.

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:rollin greatness

Spurs defence is lazy. No talk, no blocking out and no enthusiasm.

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Originally Posted by look_at_g_shred

J
Defense: Since leonard went down, our D has been average at best. Maybe not even middle of the pack. We are leaving so many guys wide open at critical parts of the game. He cleans up the glass well which is yet another area where we are struggling. Defensive boards. We know how great Leonard is at providing this for us.

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Since his return, Leonard has indeed helped on the glass like I knew he would once he returned. We still are having trouble closing out shooters well. Other than the Portland game, we have yet to put a good full 48 minute game. We'll see if Sunday night's win will get some momentum going before the RRT.

smdh at all these big 3 mainstream fan

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Originally Posted by apalisoc_9

smdh at all these big 3 mainstream fan

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NASF