Fox Sports: Spurs No Longer Duncan's Team

[DPG21920]

Duncan is the earth, Parker is the wind and Ginobili is the fire.

Pop =

[DPG21920]

Duncan is Snoop, TP is Daz and Manu is Kurupt

[spurspokesman]

spurs-Duncan= Lottery. Hurt or not he is the man. He'll once again reaffirm this in the playoffs

[pjjrfan]

Tony has been the best player for the Spurs and has really done well in holding the team together on the floor. OUr recent slump has really hi-lighted just how important Tony's offense has been to the team. Hopefully with Manu back and if he can get it rolling in the next few weeks, Tony may be able to relax a little and not have to carry the team, especially in the last 5 min. where Tony has struggled, I think it's mostly fatigue, now if Tim can get back to the way he was when he was carrying the burden I reallylike our chances. As for Tony's team, this team has been and always will be Tim's and Pop's.

[Bruno]

Pop =

There is no place for Pop in my analogy.

[DPG21920]

There is no place for Pop in my analogy.

I know what you meant, but I took creative liberty to interpret it my own way.

[thiste]

Chill out y'all, I think the fox guy's just pointing out Tony's been the most consistent this year and has been carrying the load for most of the season. He's just saying that as of right now, the team revolves more around Tony. I don't think for a second that it means "Tim's era" is over yet, far from it.

And seriously, a few years from now we'll look back and be ing grateful we've had the opportunity to have all three of them in the same team. We shouldn't be having childish arguments about who's got the bigger one right now, just be happy we not only have one star, but three.

[E20]

As the NBA regular season grinds down the home-court stretch, it's easy to find ourselves walking a ledge that separates reality and sacrilege as both pertain to the San Antonio Spurs.

For example, just when they seem capable of dropping to the third seed (or lower) in the Western Conference standings, the Spurs rip off wins on successive nights. This surge of seed-sowing life arrived immediately after a home loss to the relentlessly challenging Houston Rockets, and compromises the opinions of those who were preparing to write off the allegedly descending powerhouse.

And it leads to another fit of sacrilege, one that inspires many of us to embrace the notion of Tony Parker becoming the team's go-to employee. Before proceeding under the seemingly shaky banner of this premise, please note that the Spurs' much-debated window of championship opportunity will remain propped open as long as Hall-of-Fame-bound post man Tim Duncan is supplying about 20 points and 10 rebounds per game.

But with that caveat firmly in place, we also should realize Parker — who will turn 27 in May — has massaged his preternatural speed into a variable few (if any) teams can deal with.

While we've detected no public chest-pounding in regard to assuming the defining offensive role in the Spurs' attack, Parker has made considerable on-court noise. In Wednesday's Duncan-free (resting the knees) triumph at Atlanta, Parker bagged an eye-popping 42 points — on 18-of-25 shooting from the field — and handed out 10 assists.

The night before, he dropped 30 and 10 in a victory over the Golden State Warriors.

Similar Parker salvos have been occurring more often during a season in which he is providing the Spurs with career highs in points (21.9) and assists (6.9) per game, while knocking in a career-best 79.4 percent of his free-throw attempts.

The spin through Atlanta became Parker's 11th game of 30 or more points; those games have been defined by exquisite marksmanship (an almost-stupid 60 percent from the field) and no loss of altruism (8 dimes per). They include a combined 76 points on a back-to-back last month.

OK, so even though Eva Longoria's hubby long has demonstrated he's much more than a marital novelty act (the seventh-year pro from France was Most Valuable Player of the 2007 NBA Finals, not Duncan), he still seems overlooked when popular chatter zeros in on the league's premier point guards.

With that topic on the table, the names usually streaming from the mouths of experts are the properly saluted Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Steve Nash and a small bundle of fine playmakers. Out of habit, the sharpies may even float the name Jason Kidd, whose alleged mutual flirtation with the Spurs several years ago predated Parker's upgrade in decision-making and shooting accuracy.

The franchise's move to stay the course with Parker has been rewarded with more Larry O'Brien hardware. But even winning at the highest level hasn't afforded Parker the hosannas associated with perceived supers om.

"Playing in the shadow of Duncan — one of the sport's all-time greats, no doubt — has made Parker a bit less appreciated than he might be somewhere else," said a league scout who works for a Western Conference franchise. "To be fair, playing with Duncan creates opportunities for Parker and everyone else and has led to championships."

Yeah, the trade-off is pretty reasonable.

"But the main reason the so-called purists may not anoint Parker among the great point guards is the way he plays," the scout continued. "'That's not to say he's selfish; but his strength is blowing past guys and finishing.

"When we rate point guards, we like to go with the pass-first types. And that's fine. Most teams need someone to make the game easier for teammates. Parker has improved on that, but he's always done it in different ways. Having what we define as a pass-first point guard doesn't really matter if you can defend the position and are efficient, as a team, on offense. It never bothered Phil Jackson's teams."

Amen, but it never hurts to suit up non-point guards named Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant.

Anyway, with that blazing speed to the rim and a floater he unloads with uncanny accuracy, Parker generates more spot-up freedom for perimeter teammates while pulling attention away from Duncan in screen-roll situations.

"Exactly," the scout said. "He's gotten better at knowing where his teammates will be and when, but his bread and butter is that crazy speed and quickness. Along with that, he's improved his shooting."

Most of the improvement occurred after Parker learned to recognize what a good shot (for him) is. Great assistance in this education was provided by Spurs shooting coach Chip Engelland, who convinced the team's floor leader that the two-point shots you hit are more valuable than the threes you miss.

"His ability to take the ball anywhere on the court he wants at any time makes him one of the biggest threats we face," the scout said. "And the less Duncan is able to take over a game and just dominate as he ages, the more important Parker becomes."

With two-guard Manu Ginobili returning and professing more pop in his wheels than he's felt in a while, an emerging cast of younger snipers than in recent years and the big constant in the middle, the experienced Spurs still seem like a playoff team to avoid.

"Duncan gives San Antonio that presence on the block, potential foul situations and Ginobili is streaky and dangerous," said an assistant coach who also works in the Western Conference. "But Parker has turned into the guy who really scares you. You can send a double at Duncan and rotate out. It doesn't always work, but it can be effective.

"But you can't prepare for speed like Parker has."

And as the go-to-Point-B-from-Point-A guy in San Antonio, Tony Parker is reminding us that Hollywood doesn't hold the patent on fast lanes.

I haven't seen Ducks write such a well written article ever.

[benefactor]

DPG, timvp and Bruno have said everything that needs to be said. It matters little who is better because this team can't be the San Antonio Spurs without all three of the Big 3.

[duncan228]

Poll update: 10,700 + votes.

Duncan: 43%

Parker: 42%

[DPG21920]

This is like asking what is more important: your left ball, right ball or middle ball, you need them all

[kace]

Tony may be able to relax a little and not have to carry the team, especially in the last 5 min. where Tony has struggled,

no need to read anything more from your post to say you're biased.

go check 82games.com, the clutch stats, if you dare to talk with facts. you could learn something about the spurs. you could choose to just watch games too.

[urunobili]

[sonic21]

tony's in front, so you think it's his team

[SpursFanFirst]

tony's in front, so you think it's his team

[HarlemHeat37]

nothing has really changed..

Tony is just our clear #1 option on offense now..he's our best offensive player..

I wouldn't call him the best player though, definitely not..Duncan's by far our best defensive player, rebounder, arguably the best passer on the team, the leader of the team..

Tony SHOULD be our #1 option though, because he's our best scorer at this point..obviously this had to happen at some point with Duncan's age, and Tony entering his prime..

he's emerged as a top 15 player in the NBA this season..

it really doesn't make a difference to me, I just wanna see the Spurs win #5 this year..I could care less if Jacque Vaughn got the finals MVP..

[Manufan909]

How do Spurs fans always get suckered into pitting their players against each other? The last time I checked, Duncan, Ginobili and Parker are all on the same team. An intrateam rank is meaningless.

The article doesn't state anything new. Since about 2003, Parker has been the player the opposition has to first gameplan to stop - even more so than Duncan. If you don't plan how to slow Parker, you aren't going to beat the Spurs because he can score the easiest of anyone on the team and his penetration will then open up room for shooters. After a team figures that out, then they move on to Duncan and Ginobili gameplans.

But the fact that TP is the first player other teams worry about doesn't make him the best player on the team. He held that status even when he was clearly the third best player on the team.

Obviously Parker has gotten better but to win a championship, the Spurs will have to use their usual formula. There hasn't been any torch passing. Duncan is the chassis, Parker is the engine and Ginobili is the fuel.

Hope ducks doesn't see this, he'll probably think Parker should be the fuel.
And so what is Bonner, the leather upholstery? I know Mason is the eight balls hanging from the rearview mirror.

[ducks]

the point guard is the engine
the engine is the most important part in basketball

the point guard is like the quarterback in the nfl

[ducks]

"His ability to take the ball anywhere on the court he wants at any time makes him one of the biggest threats we face," the scout said. "And the less Duncan is able to take over a game and just dominate as he ages, the more important Parker becomes."

[dbreiden83080]

Timmy is the heart and soul of everything, they are still nowhere without him. Tony has emerged as a great PG, plus Timmy has been banged up this year, but when healthy he is still their best player..

[Josepatches_]

When The Spurs aren't Duncan's team the championship years will be over.

And C'mon before the all star break TD was the leading of the team in scoring,rebounds and blocks.He was the MVP of the team.

He had the problem with his knees before the all star weekend since he is averaging 15ppg or less.

It's ing stupid talk about "no longer Duncan's team" when TD is nearly 60-75%.

Of course TD can't be the best when he is injured

[Bukefal]

"Playing in the shadow of Duncan — one of the sport's all-time greats, no doubt — has made Parker a bit less appreciated than he might be somewhere else," said a league scout who works for a Western Conference franchise..

So true!!!!!

[mystargtr34]

The Spurs will be Duncan's team until he hangs up his kicks, just as they were David's team until he did. I still remember Pop curtailing practice any time David would put on his watch. The Spurs don't push their franchise under the bus when he's no longer the first option. I also think Tim looked better than he had in a couple of years before the tendonosis set in. I hope the Spurs are pro-active in treating it this summer, instead of hoping that rest cures it in 4 months. Supposedly, you can inject an irritant that will stimulate new normal tendon growth over the raggedy . That puts you out of action for a while, but if done over the summer, he should be right as rain next year.

Depends how you look at it. It was pretty obvious Duncan was the best player on that team in about his second season - or part way through his rookie year. I think Parker is making a real case that he is in fact the best player on the team. He certaintly doesnt provide what Timmy does on Defense, but offensively Tony is the main option - and rightly so.

[Cry Havoc]

I simply can't believe how Spurs fans argue about who's better like this.

Tony Parker is my favorite player. I have his jersey. But he does not impact the game on both sides of the ball like Duncan. Few players in the NBA do.

Parker is by far the most devastating offensive weapon we have right now, but that's partly because he's evolved into the role and partly because Manu and Duncan are hurt.

I thought our fanbase was generally smarter than to confuse "scoring a lot" with "best player". Parker's amazing, but he doesn't hold our defense together.

[greyforest]

why do people love arguing semantics?

what defines "leader"? everyone has a different opinion, ergo, there is no way to define it.