Last year in February the Heat were 0-5 against all the other top Eastern teams and lost each one of those games by double digits. They got by fine it appears. We know this team has another level it can go to. Leonard's shot will get back to his career averages, Splitter will shake off his injury and Parker will stop coasting. OKC won't get the 1 seed without Westbrook and Portland will fall back to earth. #1 seed + healthy team = another deep run at #5.
Spurs are 25-7 with Leonard, Green, Splitter, and arguably Parker/Duncan all under-performing. All 5 players have proven themselves worthy in the playoffs.
Spurs fans should really calm the down.
The spurs haven't played their best basketball of the season yet and are 25 - 7. I'm happy with how Manu has started the season. If the team stays healthy, I think they will have a great shot to go deep in the playoffs.
For those worried about early season losses against good teams, you aren't seeing the big picture and don't know the Spurs' history.
The team usually starts by winning the games it should and losing games against strong compe ion well into January. February is when Pop starts to get serious about his rotation and properly prepare for the good teams, and he is better prepared for them because he uses the early season games to scout the teams the Spurs might face in the playofs, and experiment with lineups and strategies.
If we're not starting to beat strong compe ion after the ASB, that's when you should become concerned.
Crazy how this team hasn't showed its top gear much. Only instances I really remember are the 4th quarters against Sacramento and Minnesota, both teams the Spurs rightfully won't fear in playoff time.
Half a game behind OKC and the team playing below expectations? I'll take it.
What about those of us who aren't worried and have seen this same type of season before?
This team is coasting right now which makes the 25-7 start that much more impressive. I do think Pop is conscious of the importance of seeding so won't let train veer too far off the track. Honestly I don't think Spurs flipped the switch until Game 1 against Memphis last year. The defensive intensity was ridiculous. And of course the motivation to beat Memphis was extremely high. It's just impossible to duplicate that in December/January.
LOL. Indy lost to Toronto tonight. If their fans are anything like ours, they'll be hanging from the shower rods by morning.
Ducan is under performiing? I'm not sure what your expectations are for a 37 year old but he's the least of the Spurs problems.
I don't know why people keep throwing out the 25-7 record when nearly all their wins came against teams at, near or under .500. It's pretty embarrassing when you can't even defend your home court, losing home games to Indiana, OKC and Houston(2) and then act like nobody should be concerned. Being 21st in defensive efficiency for the entire month of December should be something to be concerned about. "Coasting" is a useless fallback excuse adopted by Heat fans for when their team plays like . I don't see Lebron James wearing a Spurs uniform.
Last edited by Hoops Czar; 01-01-2014 at 11:48 PM.
Because we just hit January. And we're on pace for 64 wins. And none of our starters have played a game over 36 minutes this season.
Popovich doesn't give a about the regular season. I can't believe people still think single games matter to him, regardless of who we play. Everything he's doing right now is a tune-up. Period.
This is exactly right.
But but we lose to first place teams all the time too! And that's a loss to a team that is now .500!
I haven't checked game logs but I know for a fact Parker's been over 36 minutes on at least several occasions and Pop definitely gives a or he would have left Green in the starting lineup, Baynes would be eating into Ayre's minutes, De Colo and CoJo would be receiving ample playing time and Duncan wouldn't have played in 5 b2b's already. Pop isn't experimenting with lineups because he doesn't care. He's doing it because the current rotations aren't working. The Pop doesn't give a excuse is a Spurfan's fallback excuse for when the team is playing like . A common synonym is COASTING.....
Coasting and saying things like Pop doesn't give a about regular season games is a Spur's fan made up excuse. Its pretty evident especially after the recent loss too Houston at home that the players and coach don't share the same ideology.
I think this place has some of the thickest homer goggles that I have ever seen on some posters. It's a Spurs site, I get it. However it just amazes me how some here are afraid to even question the Team like they are gods or something. Some even seem to really get offended like you just disrespected their god and retaliate with personal insults. Its just weird...
Sorry bro, we're not the Heat
"Man, it's only December/January" "It's another regular season game" Well, regular season record doesn't matter?
Have got the best position possible going into the playoffs, doesn't matter? What about have
home-field advantage?
Another statistical reason for optimism -- best road record in the league.
The two most important indicators to me are (1) record against elite teams and (2) road record.
So take your pick.![]()
The two years Spurs looked legit in the regular season (11/12) they failed in the playoffs. The one year Spurs played bad entering the playoffs (13) they ended up being 28 seconds from a championship.
Regular season truly means nothing other than getting a top 3 seed. It's a whole new game in the playoffs, and Spurs are 25-7 with a couple of key players under-performing. That's why I feel Spurs fans need to calm the down. It's not like there's NO chance for the Spurs to play better come April.
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