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i kind of agree. We need to win. We know we can do it with this group so this may be the last time their together before they get toooo old. lets get it done
http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/8...0813162&ATT=73
The San Antonio Spurs looked tired and physically beaten by the time the Los Angeles Lakers eliminated them during the Western Conference finals last summer. It was the furthest the Spurs had traveled in their four quests for a repeat le, but it wasn't enough.
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Undermined by a lack of rest, a key injury to Manu Ginobili and an infamous no-call foul against Brent Barry in the closing seconds of Game 4, the "old and tired" Spurs were dispatched in five games.
"It was tough because we always want to win championships," point guard Tony Parker says. "We had a couple of injuries so we weren't able to finish like we wanted to, but that's sports."
By the time the (hard-fought) regular season had come to an end, the Spurs' record stood at 56-26 tied with the New Orleans Hornets.
The Spurs had some opportunities to clinch the top spot in the West, but instead settled for the third seed heading into the playoffs. That forced them into a matchup with the rugged Phoenix Suns in the first round. That classic battle of a series was followed by a face-off against the young, hungry and very dangerous Hornets, whom it took the Spurs seven games to fend off.
The Spurs, the NBA's oldest team, definitely looked a year older. During the summer, the front office decided to infuse some younger talent into the roster. But time and again, they were turned down by both free agents Corey Maggette and Jannero Pargo among them and draft picks like Tiago Splitter, who decided that better paychecks were waiting for them elsewhere.
As usual, the Spurs surprised everyone on draft day with their first-round selection of George Hill, a 6-2 shooter who wasn't projected to go until the middle of the second round. Spurs scouts had been keeping an eye on him at IUPUI in Indianapolis, and are convinced the former Summit League Player of the Year can contribute right away.
No doubt, Hill can score in bunches but he must adapt his game to the point position. This is the very thing that Spurs fans fear could be his demise. Coach Gregg Popovich, after all, has a reputation for impatience with point guards who don't pick up the nuances of his game quickly or adequately enough. Just ask Beno Udrih or Damon Stoudamire.
Interestingly, Stoudamire's departure after a very brief stint in San Antonio has opened the door for his cousin, Salim who found himself frustrated, angry and yet quite productive as a shooter during his first three seasons with the Atlanta Hawks.
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If the younger Stoudamire can bring some of his sniper-like shooting to San Antonio and crack the roster, he would be a welcomed pickup especially when one considers that Ginobili will be sitting out the start of the regular season (perhaps until December) following his post-Olympics ankle surgery.
Roger Mason, a proven catch-and-shoot scorer who the Spurs tried to sign last season, flies in to help from Washington. He joins Michael Finley, another catch-and-shoot specialist, who re-upped with the Spurs in August.
Gone are Brent Barry (signed with Houston as a free agent) and Robert Horry (signed at a retirement home).
The Spurs are hoping young French big man Ian Mahinmi who made his impression on scouts at the 2004 Under-18 European Championships is finally ready to contribute in the paint after developing his game with San Antonio's NBDL club, the Austin Toros.
Power forward Anthony Tolliver picked up a two-year contract from the club after some impressive play in the NBA's summer league. Tolliver brings with him good rebounding, sound defense and good floor intelligence and may wind up surprising a few folks if he can earn minutes in Pop's rotation.
Parker and Tim Duncan will continue to lead the squad offensively until everyone gels and picks up the team's "corporate knowledge."
Popovich has the team where he most likes them. Every time they've won a championship, they've been positioned as the underdog. He is one of those coaches who can take the right mix of players and go further than most expect especially if he has them firing on all cylinders by April.
"The beginning of the season is always wonderful," Popovich said. "You look forward to all the compe ive situations in camp. You get to look at the young guys. You put in new ideas, things you thought about all summer. It's always a fun time of year, without a doubt."
Something better work, because these Spurs aren't getting any younger. Defensive specialist Bruce Bowen is 37, Michael Finley is 35, Fabricio Oberto is 33, Duncan's 32 and Ginobili is 31.
"I think it's going to be the last year with the same team with the same core," said Parker, who at 26 should be entering his prime. "I think coach Pop wants to give it one more chance with that team and I think we deserve it. We won three championships in the last six years, so we'll give it one more time. After this year, we're definitely gonna have to go younger. I think for this year, I'm confident that we can do it again."
Tony makes an interesting statement, I wonder who hee thinks will leave? I doubt him and ST have the same definition of "core" in mind. Hopefully he means Fab, Fin, and Vaughn(if he's even still here) will go.
i kind of agree. We need to win. We know we can do it with this group so this may be the last time their together before they get toooo old. lets get it done
Who would you want to be traded by this time next year?
tp said in a france interview
this is the last year with the same core pop said
I don't understand what TP is saying either. My Definition of "core" is the big 3. Is Parker saying the big 3 will be broken up???
I would think Manu would be the one who gets traded if he's alluding to breaking up the Big 3.
Nah, he's talking about Fab, Fin, Matt, JV, maybe even Bruce who will be 38 by season's end. I very much doubt he's talking about Tim or Manu.
I prefer Oz's core to what we would think of. Hopefully the Ian's, Hill's, Bonner's, Tolliver's, Gaines, Mason's that will be on this roster will have completely taken over from the Vaughn's, Kurt's, Fab's, Fin's, and Bowen's of the past by the playoffs. If only Gist could be on the 2010 roster(he's in Italy for 2 yrs, right).
That's what I believe too.
Next year will be the ushering in of the Gist era.
TP wtf
Just shut up and stop chocking, you ing re
I don't think the Spurs had much of a choice otherwise. They have to go through with this core for this season.
TP is obviously taking a keen interest in personnel decisions. Remember he was in the draft room with Pop and RC. Maybe he's planning his next career and GM.
Excuse me?
Do you want me to translate it in French?
no.... just the smart version.
Last year was the last time they really had a chance with the team they had. No more brent,horry,elson. Those were all players who helped win championships. They replaced Brent with Roger, but whos gonna step up to fill the void the big men left. It sure isnt Kurt, to small and to slow. Imo if Ian or Tolliver dont make a small bang we're gonna have a tougher time then the last one.
So you do want it in french
The Deion Sanders defensive strategy for the Spurs ends when Bowen walks off the court, and the clock is ticking. That's mainly what Parker's talking about IMO. Fin is also part of that core.
Damn TP wants to kick Bruce out ...
Part of what troubles me is that the Spurs have STILL not definitively identified a potential future SF that can move into Bowen' spot when he hangs it up. Forget about finding guy who can fully duplicate Bowen's unique style of "bulldog" defense. Finding a player of that skill and that mindset will be very hard. However, identifying a young, athletic SF, that has a full-range of offensive skills, in the typcial Spurs mentality, is paramount and should be considered their next, most important acquisition. Because that player could take 2-3 years to fully develop, that player should at least be in the pipeline now. The fact that he's not is disheartening.
I know they've taken recent fliers on guys like James White and Marcus Williams. Both were failed experiments, for whatever reason. They're looking at Hairston now. At some point, they've got to make a decision on a replacement and allow him to develop - same as they did with Ian.
I know Pop is a coach of little patience, but they cannot afford to keep putting this off. Is there another Nicolas Batum out there somewhere?
Last edited by SenorSpur; 10-07-2008 at 12:42 PM.
I think the mindset is really what matters to Pop, and I fear that you'll never find anyone with an at ude like Bowen and Udoka in the draft. Not that there aren't talented defensive minded players, but because the kind of guy they are looking for is someone with precisely the sort of chip on their shoulder that comes from going through things like being undrafted, bouncing around the other leagues, and fighting tooth and nail to find a foothold in the NBA. The kind of mentality that takes a little bit of pride in frustrating the pampered blue chip first round picks.
On a side note: I think it’s kind of weird how the d-league is set up to develop players and get them ready for the NBA and when I went to see who was on the Toros roster I saw Darvin Ham. I was like WTF where there did that dude come from. I guess he’s been stuck in limbo for a while.
I think the contract gives him the option to come to the Spurs after this year.
I saw him for the first time inthe D-League Championship game. I was a bit taken aback too. Thought he had given it up.
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