How The San Antonio Spurs Can Win The 2008-09 NBA Championship

[senorglory]

This has been a good season to be a Spurs fan, despite the depressing news of Ginobili's season ending injury, and a somewhat inexplicable late season slide. In addition to the objective measures of a good season, 52 wins as of today, and yet another playoff berth in an uninterrupted streak going back to 96-97 (not to mention playoff appearances in all but five seasons since 67-68), it's been entertaining, with the Spurs providing plenty of drama and fun.

Just off the top of my head, things I've thrilled to this season:
-Parker's best year yet, with Parker carrying the team for stretches.
-Duncan's masterful play early in the season, while Parker and Ginobili out with injuries.
-Duncan's continued great play, year in, year out.
-The emergence of 3 point shooting Bonner in the starting line-up. Red Rocket!
-The addition of Mason... scoring, 3 point shoot out appearance at All Star game, and multiple end-of-game daggers.
-The recovery from pre/early season injury and mini-renaissance of Kurt Thomas.
-Hill's convincing play as back-up point and shooting guard.
-Acquisition of Drew Gooden on the open market.
-Flashes of D-League greatness by Mensah-Bonsu, Hairston, and I can't even remember who else at this point, that offered inspiring stories, and hope of the next-great-thing (and provoked innumerable spurstalk threads).
-The mystery of Bowen's diminished playing time... old, resting, not suited to the Spurs new scheme? Only CIA Pop knows.
-Occasional teasing Udoka and Oberto sightings.
-The continued steady contributions of Michael Finley (yeah, yeah, I know, spurstalk hates Finley).

It's been a difficult season, but they've done well. Overcome monstrous injuries, developed emerging talent, and integrated mid-season acquisitions quickly. Too bad for those who can't see why the Spurs are so awesome. I like this team.

[spursfan1000]

I Believe the Spurs can still win the le.

[raspsa]

Given the current situation, I'm just going to appreciate each game as it plays out. Hopefully the Spurs play their hearts out and win or lose, they are my team. There's always hope but the realiity is guys like mason, Gooden, Hill, etc. were supposed to add to the Big 3. But with Manu out and Timmy not 100%, I fear the Spurs just don't have enough weapons. By now, opposing teams know how to defend Timmy and Tony. They know what Mason can do. Its going to come down to execution and I hope the Spurs somehow find a formula to compete with the pieces they have in place.

The Spurs will have to win 4 7-game series, each tougher than the last. I can't even look that far ahead. So, I'll just appreciate each game as it comes along and cheer on the Spurs win or lose. It will be interesting to see how each of the players respond to the challenge. I'm sure Pop and the FO will watching as well.

[Thomas82]

given the current situation, i'm just going to appreciate each game as it plays out. Hopefully the spurs play their hearts out and win or lose, they are my team. There's always hope but the realiity is guys like mason, gooden, hill, etc. Were supposed to add to the big 3. But with manu out and timmy not 100%, i fear the spurs just don't have enough weapons. By now, opposing teams know how to defend timmy and tony. They know what mason can do. Its going to come down to execution and i hope the spurs somehow find a formula to compete with the pieces they have in place.

The spurs will have to win 4 7-game series, each tougher than the last. I can't even look that far ahead. So, i'll just appreciate each game as it comes along and cheer on the spurs win or lose. It will be interesting to see how each of the players respond to the challenge. I'm sure pop and the fo will watching as well.

+1

[Manufan909]

If it wasn't apparent he was doing this when he called that first Hack-A-Shaq on opening night, I'd say he's been rolling the dice on this season ever since Parker got hurt earlier this year.

The weird thing is I think he's going to do it in the playoffs too, because there's nothing more demoralizing to a team than to think you're going to win a game and then have the door slammed in your face at the last second. Pop's been going all in with 2-7 off suit all season and it probably cost us HCA but if there's any team in the NBA that doesn't need HCA in the playoffs it's the Spurs.

I hope he rolls the dice and gets Hill playing PG, for a quick mancheck. Throw his ass in the fire, why not?

[urunobili]

It'd be cool to have this thread on a sticky...

[Supergirl]

good article

[timvp]

4-0

[phxspurfan]

As is my yearly tradition, I'll be setting the DVD recorder for all playoff games in hopes of capturing every moment on the way to #5...


I succeeded in '07, but got burned in '08...

[Dex]

FTW.

Bring on Hasselhoff. Bring on Turtlehead. Bring on the ing Mavericks.

The Underdog Crew is ready for vengeance.

Believe '09 has begun.

[Thomas82]

FTW.

Bring on Hasselhoff. Bring on Turtlehead. Bring on the ing Mavericks.

The Underdog Crew is ready for vengeance.

Believe '09 has begun.

+1

I like the idea that we are playing with house money this year.

[texnick]

I'll suffer through every painful moment, rooting for my team and loving them all the way, but it just doesn't look good right now. I don't understand how we can play so well in the first half, playing team ball, then start that one-on-one isolation crap in the 2nd. Not many teams execute like the Spurs. If we have a chance this year it's in passing the ball, and finding the hot shooters. Sure we've got the 2 great players, but we need an X factor without Ginobli in the game. IMO that has to come from the combination of talented players we have but more importantly in moving the ball to the open man instead of playing one-on-one nonsense.

I didn't mean to gripe, it's just my 2 cents. I love my team just like I did before all these championships, and I never lose hope.

[Agloco]

The Spurs can do it, but they need to play perfect ball all the way through in order to do so. Everyone on the roster needs to be playing at their best.

In a nuts , that's the difference between this years team and team in the past. This one has to be nearly perfect to have a shot.