Let’s Not Crown the San Antonio Spurs Prematurely

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Originally Posted by HarlemHeat37

He also does well as a post defender IIRC..

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He does...ranked in the 88th percentile in terms of opponents' PPP in post-up situations.

He actually ranks well above average in practically every play type besides PnR (he's average there). A bit unfortunate since that's also the area where Duncan is lacking the most, but regardless, I think a lot of people underrate Aldridge as a defender. He's not "elite", but he's still a clear positive on that end and there's a chance we could see some improvement under Pop/Duncan.

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Originally Posted by SpursforSix

Interesting that it falls back on the Big 3 one more time. Can Duncan put up one more strong season? Can Parker recover to a level expected if a starting PG? Can Manu capture a little more if the electricity that he used to bring every game? To win a title, the answer to Parker and Duncan's questions has to be yes.

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Duncan is a given, but Parker/Ginobili being key players is by default, even ignoring their past accomplishments..

Parker is the only traditional, conventional PG on the roster, and Ginobili is the only playmaker off the bench(unless you believe in Kyle Anderson, this season)..regardless of their current ability, they are essential due to the lack of alternatives..

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Originally Posted by HarlemHeat37

Duncan is a given, but Parker/Ginobili being key players is by default, even ignoring their past accomplishments..

Parker is the only traditional, conventional PG on the roster, and Ginobili is the only playmaker off the bench(unless you believe in Kyle Anderson, this season)..regardless of their current ability, they are essential due to the lack of alternatives..

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Diaw

Too late, SpursforSix already did it.

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Originally Posted by JakeCuenca

There is no TD question.

TD is still an elite player, but in a different way.

Parker is a huge question mark though..Not in terms of play, but in terms of how he is going to accept a role.

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I agree that TD is still elite. And it sure seems like he's got one or two years left at that level. He has the fundamentals down so well that he should continue to be effective. And he'll always be 7'. Parker is the biggest question in my mind. Ginobli will be a bonus if he has a good year. But my main point was that it's still the Big 3 that will determine if they ring again.

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Originally Posted by spurraider21

Diaw

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Sure, in the halfcourt, but he's not going to get the team into the offense..

Am I missing something about OKC that they are already an automatic contender? I agree if healthy, they are a threat. But I just don't see Durant ever returning to his old form.

Am I the only one to think a Manu mini-resurgence is more crucial to Parker regaining a bit of respectability ? Spurs haven't won titles when Ginobili isn't decent to good; he is the glue to our team..But yeah, i agree Parker forcing his historical medicority on the team like in the Clippers series will be too much to overcome even if Manu bounces back..

Splitter's problem was that he wasn't healthy in the playoffs.

If he was, Spurs would at least have beaten the Clippers even with Parker limping along.

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Originally Posted by JakeCuenca

Let's not act like Aldridge is a terrible PnR defender please...

He's no splitter, but I do think he's decent enough to cover Kawhi and Danny.

TD is really the main problem in terms of PnR defense..Sad to say. :lol

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Are you that Jake Cuenca? :lol

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Originally Posted by spursistan

Am I the only one to think a Manu mini-resurgence is more crucial to Parker regaining a bit of respectability ? Spurs haven't won titles when Ginobili isn't decent to good; he is the glue to our team..But yeah, i agree Parker forcing his historical medicority on the team like in the Clippers series will be too much to overcome even if Manu bounces back..

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It's related bro.

In the last year and half, Parker has been awful so of course having a healthy Manu is important.

But at Manu's age, Parker accepting a role and playing at a starters level is crucial

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Originally Posted by spursistan

Am I the only one to think a Manu mini-resurgence is more crucial to Parker regaining a bit of respectability ? Spurs haven't won titles when Ginobili isn't decent to good; he is the glue to our team..But yeah, i agree Parker forcing his historical medicority on the team like in the Clippers series will be too much to overcome even if Manu bounces back..

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Difference is that Parker has never been so inept as last season. He has never been that bad. If he can just get back to 75% of 2014, then it's huge.

This dude is also saying "what about all the DNP for Duncan"? That is not gonna happen in the playoffs. Even if he does sit, I think the Spurs will be just fine.

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Originally Posted by SpursFan86

If Parker plays as poorly as he did last year, I'm not sure we have a chance at going all the way. If he can even get back to where he was in the 2014 regular season, that'd be a huge help to the team.

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Health will always be an issue for aging PG's like Tony but I expect Aldridge's presence will compensate Parker's decline. If Kawhi and Lamarcus have a great season but Parker still plays poorly, it won't hurt the Spurs anymore.

My biggest concern is Tony's Parker weight and Pop's emotional attachment to him. Pop refuses to bench him. Respect the loyalty but it might be our downfall again.

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Originally Posted by YGWHI

Health will always be an issue for aging PG's like Tony but I expect Aldridge's presence will compensate Parker's decline. If Kawhi and Lamarcus have a great season but Parker still plays poorly, it won't hurt the Spurs anymore.

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Sorry, but there is no way to compensate for a bad year from a starting PG. Not if they have to go through OKC, GS, LA, and Cavs. It's too much of a liability when those other teams are stacked like they are. I'd love to think that Patty or Mc can step up but it's not likely they could do it for a whole season if TP is bad.

Spurs have clearly earned the right to be crowned champs.... free agency champs, that is. But yeah it's pretty crazy to go beyond that.

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Originally Posted by HarlemHeat37

On paper, Spurs/Warriors/Clippers/Thunder is probably the most difficult group of teams in a conference in NBA history, tbh, and it's exacerbated by having Memphis and Houston as peripherals, too..disgusting, you'll probably never see anything like that again IMO..

Every year we hear about how "tough" the West is, when in reality, the league has 2-3 contenders and a bunch of pretenders(regular season teams like Memphis and Chicago, for example) with nice regular season records, but you can probably pencil in those 4 teams as legit contenders + the Cavs, barring injuries..going to be tough..

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yep-

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Originally Posted by SpursforSix

I agree that TD is still elite. And it sure seems like he's got one or two years left at that level. He has the fundamentals down so well that he should continue to be effective. And he'll always be 7'. Parker is the biggest question in my mind. Ginobli will be a bonus if he has a good year. But my main point was that it's still the Big 3 that will determine if they ring again.

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Well not as much so. There is a lot of torches being handed down. We can expect LMA, Kawhi, DG, Diaw, and West are sure to play a big part in this year's success.

Give me Aldridge, West and giant Boban to pair with Duncan and Diaw over often injured Splitter and Baynes any day. Let's not pretend the front court didn't get heaps better. We've gone from 3 deep with Splitter always injured to a legit 5 man rotation at PF/C, one of which is a bonafide all-star year in year out and a tough as nails former all star.

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Originally Posted by Russo21

Give me Aldridge, West and giant Boban to pair with Duncan and Diaw over often injured Splitter and Baynes any day. Let's not pretend the front court didn't get heaps better. We've gone from 3 deep with one of those 3 always injured to a legit 5 man rotation at PF/C.

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Can the incredulity. No one disputes they're better. But they aren't a laydown champ this year.

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Originally Posted by SpursforSix

Can the incredulity. No one disputes they're better. But they aren't a laydown champ this year.

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I didn't say anything about Champs, I just said the front court is undeniably way better. Didn't mention the wings, guards, bench or the opposition.

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Originally Posted by Russo21

I didn't say anything about Champs, I just said the front court is undeniably way better. Didn't mention the wings, guards, bench or the opposition.

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Whatever.

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Originally Posted by NASpurs

tl;dr

Spurs in six.

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Originally Posted by spursgu

Am I missing something about OKC that they are already an automatic contender? I agree if healthy, they are a threat. But I just don't see Durant ever returning to his old form.

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That's the elephant in the room. I think this was the third (?) surgery on his foot and apparently Durant still isn't running or jumping.