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Almost all of those old guys come off their books this summer. The Spurs cap situation is great and their Big Three will keep them in le contention for another 3 years.
When I watch the Spurs these days I see a team that is very skilled, but a lot of the players look very old.
It kind of reminds me of when my team the Rockets won with Hakeem and tried to milk another championship or two out of the team by bringing in Pippen, or Barkley etc...
It was veteran's city back then, and it never quite panned out due to younger more athletic teams taking it to them.
The Spurs seem to be doing a similar thing.
Yes, Parker and Ginobli are still relatively young, and Duncan is no dinosaur, but the rest of the team is looking ancient.
Stoudamire, Bowen, Finley, Horry, Thomas....
It just looks all too familiar...
I still think you guys are the team to beat, but the margin for the Spurs has shrunk considerably.
You guys need some quality youth to re-energize the big 3.
DD
Almost all of those old guys come off their books this summer. The Spurs cap situation is great and their Big Three will keep them in le contention for another 3 years.
Just because they come off the books does not mean they will be able to replace their talent with equal or near equal younger guys.
I do think them owning the Austin Toros is a big benefit, but they need to get younger and more athletic surrounding the big three, or their run is going to end fairly fast.
It may already be over, and we just don't know it yet.
DD
Keep in mind Duncan still holds back a lot until the playoffs.
Maybe not a lot, but he's a different animal when the Playoffs start.
Why do newbie rocketfans feel the need to give us advice here?
I'll tell them what they look like to me:
frontrunners
It reminds you of the days when the Rockets core was extremely old although our core is still in their prime and only our role players are old?
The average of the Spurs' core is younger than the average age of the Rockets' core at the time you're referring to. That's what counts, not the age of the add-on players. Why? Because old add-on guys usually overperform in the playoffs compared to younger role players.
Hit the "save" feature on your post and let it age like a fine wine. About 4-5 years should do.
That's my thought -- it's not at all like the Hakeem Rockets at the end of their run, if only because the Spurs' best players are all still in their relative primes (at least). The Rockets declined in that era because their best players were old and because they surrounded their great old players with other old good players (and Matt Maloney).
Hakeem was not that much Older than Duncan, maybe 1 or 2 years....and the Rockets did still reach the WC finals..but they never could quite get back to the top due to age.
I see you guys saying Duncan will pick it up, and he certainly has, I just see a team that is beginning to show it's age, and wear and tear from all those playoff games...etc.
DD
Hakeem relied alot on athleticism on some of his moves
the dream shake, up and unders.
Duncan doesn't
Another huge difference.
BTW Duncan is 30 or 31 and I believe Olajuwon was 35 or 36 at the time your indicating.
So once again, way off.
Duncan and Hakeem play entirely differrent types of games in the post. When you think back on how Hakeem aged, think Shaq. Similar type big men -- big boned but athletic and powerful. Quick moves imposed on a big frame over years of work. Barkley, too.
When you think Duncan, remember Abdul-Jabbar -- same smooth, graceful, efficient game. Not quick power moves like Hakeem or Shaq. Longer shelf life.
Duncan is 31 and will be 32 in a month. Let's not exaggerate mmmmk?
I think there is some truth to what this Rocket fan is saying. If the Spurs can barely survive a grueling March, how on earth are they going to make it out of potential 7 game series in every round till the Finals? The Spurs are no longer the front runners in the WC.
They weren't the front runners in the West in March of 2007, either.
It wasn't exaggerating. Let's not be a bag.
I still see the Spurs as the front runner, most experience, and Manu, Parker and Duncan, I am just saying from the outside it looks like age is creeping up on them.
Duncan no longer requires a double team each game, and that is a big sign.
DD
Fans of other teams are the frontrunners.
Be gone already.
Sure, but Olajuwon was 34 during the Rockets' last deep playoff run. You can't tell me that there's no difference between a 34-year old big man who relies on athleticism and a barely 32-year old big man who's game has very little to do with athleticism.
Your on crackDuncan no longer requires a double team each game, and that is a big sign.
We hear the same every year.
It's a big sign.
Kurt Thomas is doing fine. Finley is prob the only one and Horry that I'd say is showing their age. Although Horry's game last night suggests otherwise.
Yes, true, people have been waiting on the Spurs to start showing their age, and they continue to just march on.....
However, for some reason, this year seems different to me....I live in Austin and watch a ton of their games, and I just don't see them having the same dominance as in years past, and other teams are able to single cover Duncan.....
Manu and Parker are the 2 guys playing at their peak, Duncan is great, but seems to take a back seat, kinda like how Robinson did when Duncan was younger...
I just think that for the first time, the Spurs are vulnerable.....
DD
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