IMHO......Spurs stayed same......rest of West got better.

[MoSpur]

Staying the same is not a bad thing. They made it to the Western Conference Finals with two of the big three healthy. That's not bad IMO. They got rid of Robert Horry, Barry, and maybe Finley (I hope) and got younger for the most part. It just depends on the role players and the health of the big three. Nothings really changed and that's okay IMO.

[xtremesteven33]

Staying the same is not a bad thing. They made it to the Western Conference Finals with two of the big three healthy. That's not bad IMO. They got rid of Robert Horry, Barry, and maybe Finley (I hope) and got younger for the most part. It just depends on the role players and the health of the big three. Nothings really changed and that's okay IMO.

ur right.

as long as the BIG 3 are healthy. we will be at the Finals.

[Fabbs]

3 les in the past 6 years looks like a great gameplan.

try 9 in 11 if you want to cherry pick years.

dont buy into the Jackson>Popovich hype.
id take Pop over Phil anyday.

Nor will i buy into the Lord Pop hype.
And you'll be taking a 1-4 buttrubbing. Enjoy.

i still think the Spurs played very well with an injured Manu against the Lakers.

I still think it was obvious to those with a minute amount of basketball intelligence that Manu was at 70% and was screwing up royally. Time for a winning coach to make an ad-just-ment. 3 syllable word. Time for a losing coach to stubbornly stick with *the plan*. Guess who got stuck?

So all this "if the Big 3 stay healthy" is about as durrr urrr as "if we put the ball in the basket more times then the opponent, we shall win". Opps, better change that to Popball, "if we stop them defensively from putting the ball in we shall win."

I'll gladly eat crow if Lord Poppy coatails his way to a le in 2009.

[ceperez]

Maybe Artest will go a whole season without blowing up and ruining his team, like he did with a championship-caliber Indiana Pacers. Maybe giving more minutes to the volatile Artest and fewer to the ultimate glue guy Battier will actually hurt the team.

Maybe Andrew Bynum, who at a very young age has already had 3 knee surgeries, with stay healthy for an extended period.

Maybe Boston's Big 3, who are older than San Antonio's Big 3, will all stay healthy.

Maybe we should give the Front Office of the most successful team in the NBA for the past decade the benefit of the doubt. If only two of the new five (Mason, Mahinmi, Hill, Gist, and Tolliver) play well, the Spurs could be much better than they were last year. If Finley re-signs, he will probably go from starter last year to 3rd string this year. It's very likely that Thomas, Mahinmi, Tolliver, and Gist combined will put up better numbers than Horry and Elson, which will mean the Spurs start this season off in a better position than last year.

The new guys without a doubt will play better defense. They're more athletic and have freakishly long wingspans.

If any of them can create their own shot, then we'll be hard to contain on offense!

[Spooky]

It's an odd year. I'm feelin good about our team this year. Sign Hill and Gist for sure and Finley or someone else.

[lebomb]

It's an odd year. I'm feelin good about our team this year. Sign Hill and Gist for sure and Finley or someone else.

CNNSI feels it will be the Lakers and Celtics in the finals again.

[Obstructed_View]

Im just saying.

I do not think the Spurs have done nearly enough this off season.

When people with such a complete deficiency of basketball knowledge pronounce the Spurs dead, it's time to rejoice.

I'm just saying.

[Ocotillo]

CNNSI feels it will be the Lakers and Celtics in the finals again.

Yeah, some guy name Chris Mannix (sp?) was on Rome today and basically believes the West is NO, LAL, HOU and then SA rounding out the top four in the west this season.

OK, that's someone's opinion. I would figure this team will struggle the first half of the season (if you call winning more than you lose struggling) as the new guys get acclimated to their teammates.

Recall SPAM. That is what is important. Flying under the radar is cool with me.

[TheNextGen]

we shoulda got artest...crazy defensive team!

[Killakobe81]

i/m a Lakers fan i would consider taking Pop over Phil much rather have a defensive focus than an offensive one ...as far as Bowen goes his days of limiting kobe are over he is still a top 5 defender but that series shows when kobe is on Bowen has no shot ...maybe Gist can be groomed for that role?

[DPG21920]

i/m a Lakers fan i would consider taking Pop over Phil much rather have a defensive focus than an offensive one ...as far as Bowen goes his days of limiting kobe are over he is still a top 5 defender but that series shows when kobe is on Bowen has no shot ...maybe Gist can be groomed for that role?

No one is going to stop Kobe unless the entire team collapses on him. I would just put my best defenders on someone else and let Kobe shoot. What?? Its not like he is going to score 80+ points on you...

[Sissiborgo]

No we were not the only team that were the same that shows us that we are a good team!...

[rj215]

The West was great last year when the only real move the Spurs made was Udoka. We had injuries and inconsistant play from trusted vets (Horry, Fin-Dog and Bowen) and STILL made it to the WCF. Let's not panic in July 08especially since our best is saved for May and June 09.

[Fabbs]

i/m a Lakers fan i would consider taking Pop over Phil much rather have a defensive focus than an offensive one ...

Mouse is that you?

[jay014]

They basically do what the majority of the board has been asking them to, and people are still pissed off - maybe even more than they were.

They could've done more than the 3 draft picks, Mason, Tolliver to get younger. The moves that they made so far suck. I know there's still alot of time before the season starts, hopefully R.C. gets his finger out of his ass and makes a move. I wouldn't mind parting with anybody outside the big three and if the Spurs were to trade one of the three, later Manu.

[John_C]

Didn't Spurs stay the same since drafting Manu and Tony? Weren't through all those years we stayed as a contender.

So I guess what you mean is we'll the same. Still a contender, and still able to win it all!

[Man of Steel]

You might be right.

But honestly--its just as plausible that you're wrong.

SA needed a tweak here and there--not a major over-haul.

If Mason produces--our big three stay healthy and at least one of the new players comes through, we can go far in the playoffs if not win another le.

[SequSpur]

The Spurs didn't do to get more wins. They will still win 56-58 games, be the 4th or 5th seed and get ing wacked in the second round.

New Orleans, Los Angeles, Boston, Detroit, Houston and Portland will own their asses this year...

It's going to be different folks...

The rest of the NBA is .

[iggypop123]

its all about health. whatever team of the elite is the healthiest will be favored to come out of west. spurs and lakers made it to west finals despite injurues although manu was on the floor and bynum was out sitting at home.

[wisnub]

Im just saying.

I do not think the Spurs have done nearly enough this off season.

I hate to admit it..and I want to argue and said we done good job this off season. But I cannot lie. We definitely not heading to the championship direction. As much as Im thrilled to get Mason and ok with Hill....everything else is the same (we lost Bonnes). Departure of Horry and signing Thomas was predicted. Looking at what Rockets did, even Clippers got stronger....I got nothing to say. It seems this odd year thing myth is not going to be repeated. I hope Im wrong, but Spurs FO is ing sucks right now!! Owner might like it getting money from luxury in thing,but fans will get worried in the playoffs..

[wisnub]

You might be right.

But honestly--its just as plausible that you're wrong.

SA needed a tweak here and there--not a major over-haul.

If Mason produces--our big three stay healthy and at least one of the new players comes through, we can go far in the playoffs if not win another le.

Spurs didnt need overhaul, I agree..but they missed every single good free agents available. They didnt add an impact player, they just add nice prospect who might turn into mediocre player ( I hope Im worng). I like Mason,but i thought we could get better considering Spurs is a legitimate contender. I was wrong..I dont know if FO didnt pitch it serious enough, no money ( ,Rockets is over budget and somehow they can trade Artst), or no star want to play in SA. I think it is combination of all. FO done terrible job this season, there were good players in free agents...and we almost lost all of em (except mason)

[wisnub]

By the way,we should stop discussing about Spurs getting good players because we always going to miss every single of them anyway. I dont know if jinx exist or FO just always want to swim against stream. Even Artest,the guy that Spurs want to trade before is gone. I didnt blame CM coz dude wants money. Azubuike? FO didnt give a about him. In JR case I understand that Nuggets will definitely match him. But Draft? we were sucks. We missed Chalmers,CDR...if Hill doesnt perform than FO is ing stupid!! But we'll see waht happen,who knows Hill is a late bloomer. The only thing Im excited is at last I will see Mahinmi in action with more minutes.

[your_pimp]

LOL

You poor bas s are in denial.

[anakha]

LOL

You poor bas s are in denial.

So, when are you going to debut your Rocket troll username, Louis?

[ambchang]

Doc Rivers > Phil Jackson