Reading about how close both Manu and Tony are getting in their projected returns, and looking at the schedule over the next two weeks, does the team have a realistic shot at doing anything other than maintaining an even record going into the game @ Dallas?
Not that staying @ .500 is not a remarkable achievement for Timmy and The Scrubs, but it doesn't look like the schedule will do much more than allow them to tread water.
@MEM (MEM playing .500 at home)
CHI (Horrible road record)
MEM (Horrible road record)
@HOU (Barely played any home games)
DET (Good road record)
@DEN (Great home record)
GWS (Bad road record)
I am seeing this as lock for 3 losses (@ HOU because of B2B, DET and @DEN) with the game @MEM going either way. So either 10-9 or 9-10 going into the game against DAL, who seem like they have finally figured out how to play.
The last time they started a season at 9-10 was 2003-04, the infamous '.4' year. Granted, that team ended up winning 57 games that year, but they followed the 10-10 start with an 17-1 streak and finished the regular season on an 11 game win streak.
The Western Conference playoff bar is being set ~48 wins. With a much older team than 03-04 and a little bit of magic lost in the RRT this last year, if Manu and Tony take too much longer coming back, this team won't be able to survive in treading water mode.
This is the particularly bad stretch in the schedule, this is what I think (assuming Tony/Manu aren't back for these)
@MEM - L
CHI - L
MEM - W
@HOU - L
DET - L
@DEN - L
GSW - W
DAL - L
ATL - L
But the good news is after these next ~3 weeks, things get much better and the Spurs should finish the year going at least 6-3. And Manu will get a gentle re-joining during this period.
In another thread I predicted the Spurs would go 4-11 during this 15 game stretch w/o Tony and Manu so they've already exceeded my initial expectations.
That said, I would love to see them finish a couple of games over .500 while holding down the fort but it seems unlikely.
I'm not worried though. I think they will put together some nice win streaks once they are all healthy and they will probably be right back in the thick of the playoff hunt by mid season.
One of the ESPN commentators (Mashburn I think) said a week or so ago that if the Spurs could stay within 3 or 4 games below .500 without Manu & Tony it would be miracle...
It's not going to be two weeks before either are back. I would put Manu at day to day. They probably won't play him tonight, since it's a road game, but Wednesday won't be a surprise at all if you're following his quotes and Pop's. Tony may be closer to two weeks, but then if Manu's back, and Hill and Money are playing well, why rush it? He's shooting around with the team and doing light work.
I think that Manu might be back before the end of this stretch. He's already chomping at the bit to play, and I can't see Pop holding that back another 2 weeks as planned.
I think Pop manages to sit Manu a couple more, then Manu either comes back Friday in the second Memphis game to regain his legs, or against Houston.
Even with no Tony and Manu, I still hope for a 4-3 stretch with some surprising wins, which would put the Spurs above .500 going into the heart of this season. And better than most of us would've hoped for after Tony dropped.
Gotta take care of business against those first three, then hope for a steal through the last 4.
Why do you consider the Bulls game a loss for the Spurs? It will be the 6th game of a 7 game road trip for the Bulls, they only have one road win all year, only one of their current 6 losses have been by less than 5 points, and they play the Jazz in SLC tonight before coming to SA on Wednesday. They are simply not a compe ive road team.
I looked out for two weeks mainly because even if both come back during that timeframe, it is going to take a few games for them to work out their personal kinks and for the overall rotation to reset and everyone learn their 'normal' roles for this team.
Ah, because the last time Rose was in San Antonio, he left with alot of people saying he was over-rated. The sight of the Alamodome should have him fired up for the game.
one player doesn't make a team. you should know that by now.
Except we haven't played there in like 6 seasons.
@mem - W
Chi - W
Mem - W
@hou - L
Det - W
@den - W
Gsw - W
Dal - W
Atl - L
We shall see.
Beasley said the Alamodome was on his mind when he came to San Antonio to play the Spurs. Spurs lost that game by 16.Except we haven't played there in like 6 seasons.
Last edited by Allanon; 11-24-2008 at 11:26 AM.
you, who refuses to give his opinion about Kobe's future? ha!
Kobe's Future is 5-7 years away, this is happening this week
I can realistically see us winning all of these games except against Dallas, Houston, and Detroit. Denver is a tossup, if we play better than last week's game vs them, no reason we shouldn't be in it at the end, and Manu's going to be back soon, maybe even in a couple games.
How do I justify this? Tim Duncan.
So, because Beasley was motivated by being back in the same city where he had some college memories, he therefore took it out on the Spurs?Beasley said the Alamodome was on his mind when he came to San Antonio to play the Spurs. Spurs lost that game by 16.
Dude is averaging 15 a game, and you're attempting to convince us that his 20 points that night was pure city-based motivation? He only took 10 shots all night when he was averaging 15 shots per night through the first 8 games of the season.
Beasley scoring 5 above his average was not the reason the Spurs lost that game. TP rolling his ankle 10 minutes into the game and DWade almost going triple-double is what lost that game.
Beasley had his 2nd best game of the season in only 30 minutes and the Spurs were down 15 when Tony rolled his ankle.
They had that special on Beasley right before the game and he said it meant alot to him to be back in San Antonio.
Spurs can win, I just think the other games not mentioned have some x-factors. And if Manu/TP are back, then they should win 'em all.
@Memphis is a toss-up, Spurs can definitely win.
Chicago - the Rose motivation, I think he wants redemption of sorts
Atl - Josh Smith will be back and full of energy
@Nuggets - I just think the Nuggz are ballin' right now and it will be hard for any team to beat them in Denver
double ha! it'll be more like 4-5 years. either that or he'll be in Greece.Kobe's Future is 5-7 years away, this is happening this week
Hahah, we shall see. I can't really argue because you may be right.
back on topic:
just win the games that can be won and use the others as a learning tool.
Yeah, I'm sure that Tony going down with the ankle had nothing to do with that game going down the drain.Beasley said the Alamodome was on his mind when he came to San Antonio to play the Spurs. Spurs lost that game by 16.
Yeah, the Spurs were down by 15 points and already on their way to a blow-out when Tony was injured. Even Pop said it in his post-game interview.
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