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Simmons going ga ga on our Spurs sure brings a smile to my face. This season will be the most exciting in recent memory.
We'll take what's rightfully ours starting Wednesday. Can't wait...
Manu # 33
TD #2
Picks the Spurs over the Celts for the le
Picks Pop as COY
Part 1:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2...3&sportCat=nba
Part 2:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2...3&sportCat=nba
33. Manu Ginobili
The last time Ginobili played a pain-free professional basketball game, Hillary Clinton was the odds-on favorite to win the 2008 presidential election, Vince Vaughn weighed less than Jon Favreau, nobody knew what the words "Twitter" and "tweeted" meant, NBC was still considered a major network, and a painfully thin Lindsay Lohan was making a complete mess of herself in public every few weeks. Whoops, that last one is still happening. But it's been a looooooooooooong time since Manu was Manu. Hungry and rested from getting bounced in the first round of the playoffs this past season, the Spurs hit the summer mother lode by adding Antonio McDyess, Richard Jefferson and DeJuan Blair. If Manu can't be Manu again? It won't matter.
2. Tim Duncan
Healthy, happy, rested, in shape. He's already the greatest power forward ever. He already has four rings. But you know what he doesn't have? When he's 60 years old, or 70, or 75, or whatever, and one of his grandkids says, "Grandpa, what was the best team you ever played on?" … he doesn't have an answer. He never played for a kick-ass, take-no-prisoners, dominant team. Kareem had the '87 Lakers and '71 Bucks. Magic had the '87 Lakers. Wilt had the '67 Sixers and '72 Lakers. Bird had the '86 Celtics. Shaq and Kobe had the '01 Lakers (playoff edition). West had the '72 Lakers. Oscar had the '71 Bucks. Moses had the '83 Sixers. Duncan has nothing.
Now, you could argue that the league is too diluted at this point. (And maybe it is. The '01 Lakers were our last kick-ass team.) Or, you could argue that Duncan never had a season in which everything fell into place. In my basketball book (coming Tuesday!!!), I wrote a chapter about the specific set of dynamics that separate championship teams from memorable championship teams. It's complicated and I won't spoil it here. Just know the 2009-10 Spurs qualify for "memorable" status. They have the talent, they have the "Eff You" edge (a term I explain in the book), and they have something that Gregg Popovich likes to call "appropriate fear." Here's how he explained that phrase in 2005:
It gets more difficult after a win to come back and understand how that subconscious sort of complacency can set in. You can't allow that to happen. You have to keep an appropriate fear of your opponent so that complacency will dissipate as soon as possible.
This particular Spurs team has the right level of appropriate fear: fear of aging and complacency coupled with an appreciation for how fast things can fall apart (thanks to Manu's ankle the past two seasons), and beyond that, the reality that their best player might only have one great season left in him. I am a Spurs junkie. I love reading about them. I love the way they put their rosters together and value chemistry so deeply. I love the way they interact during games (as I've written many times). I just get a kick out of them. And the truth is, this might be their last chance for a dominant season with Tim Duncan leading the way.
I think it happens. If only because great basketball players have a habit of somehow finding that one great team. They are my pick to win in 2010. Convincingly.
Simmons going ga ga on our Spurs sure brings a smile to my face. This season will be the most exciting in recent memory.
We'll take what's rightfully ours starting Wednesday. Can't wait...
health permitting, should be a of season.
Bill Simmons
:d
3a. Ron Artest
… the looniest player in the history of the league! As they're defending a le! And even better, every Laker fan thinks he's an upgrade over Trevor Ariza! Really? That's what you think? You really think that?
True story: I had some friends in town for my birthday weekend last month. We were flipping channels during halftime of a college football game looking for something to watch, eventually stumbling across TMZ, which had just come back from commercial and had Ron Artest in their office. Why? We had no idea. We watched for five mesmerizing minutes as Ron chimed in with thoughts during the staff meeting and answered questions about Lamar Odom's engagement. He had one of those "This is cool, I always wanted to be on this show!" glows. Nobody in the room made a peep. We were riveted. It was the single weirdest cameo I have ever seen on a TV show -- even weirder than Brian Grazer's cameo on "Entourage." There was just no explanation for it.
When it was over, my friend Jacoby said, "This is just gonna get better and better and better every week, isn't it?"
Yes. Yes, it is.
I wish the season would start already! This has been the LOOOONGEST summer ever!!! BUT it was worth the wait because look at our team now, it is just amazing.
Another gem:
14. Andrew Bynum
I am 65 percent certain that this exact conversation happened within the past four weeks.
(Kobe enters Phil Jackson's office. Brian Shaw is sitting to Phil's right.)
Phil: Kobe, thanks for stopping by.
Kobe: No problem. I got 5 minutes. Artest is taking me to Hollywood Boulevard, he wants to introduce me to the guys dressed up like Superman and Batman. He thinks they're the actual superheroes. I haven't had the heart to tell him that they're homeless guys.
Phil: Well, don't tell him differently. Let him think that.
Kobe: I will.
Phil: Look, I really want to get Bynum more involved in our offense in November and December. It's a good thing, Kobe. Just trust me. We run everything through him for 42 minutes. You take over for the last six.
Kobe: C'mon, we did this last year. Then he got hurt, I took over and our team took off. Why go through the charade again?
Phil: Because you're still two les behind MJ?
Kobe: That's your big motivational move with me now, huh?
Phil: Hey, he told me himself -- "Tell Kobe to call me when he gets to six."
Kobe (eyes narrowing): He said that?
Phil: Yup. He said he can't even take you seriously until you win two more.
Kobe: Really?
Phil: Yup. That's why we need Bynum right now. The Pechonkamappadosa tribe has a phrase for this called, "Kakaboomaka." It means, 'To share the credit without giving up credit with those who matter.' I just want to build his confidence up and save your legs. We put a ton of miles on those babies these last two years. 208 games. This is good for you.
Kobe: Lemme think about.
(Kobe leaves. Phil turns to Shaw.)
Phil: This is too easy.
So... uh, I'm assuming DeJuan Blair was #1?
next year
Another gem:
14. Andrew Bynum
I am 65 percent certain that this exact conversation happened within the past four weeks.
(Kobe enters Phil Jackson's office. Brian Shaw is sitting to Phil's right.)
Phil: Kobe, thanks for stopping by.
Kobe: No problem. I got 5 minutes. Artest is taking me to Hollywood Boulevard, he wants to introduce me to the guys dressed up like Superman and Batman. He thinks they're the actual superheroes. I haven't had the heart to tell him that they're homeless guys.
Phil: Well, don't tell him differently. Let him think that.
Kobe: I will.
Phil: Look, I really want to get Bynum more involved in our offense in November and December. It's a good thing, Kobe. Just trust me. We run everything through him for 42 minutes. You take over for the last six.
Kobe: C'mon, we did this last year. Then he got hurt, I took over and our team took off. Why go through the charade again?
Phil: Because you're still two les behind MJ?
Kobe: That's your big motivational move with me now, huh?
Phil: Hey, he told me himself -- "Tell Kobe to call me when he gets to six."
Kobe (eyes narrowing): He said that?
Phil: Yup. He said he can't even take you seriously until you win two more.
Kobe: Really?
Phil: Yup. That's why we need Bynum right now. The Pechonkamappadosa tribe has a phrase for this called, "Kakaboomaka." It means, 'To share the credit without giving up credit with those who matter.' I just want to build his confidence up and save your legs. We put a ton of miles on those babies these last two years. 208 games. This is good for you.
Kobe: Lemme think about.
(Kobe leaves. Phil turns to Shaw.)
Phil: This is too easy.
I kept thinking it was going somewhere funny. Why? Why did you take away time I can never get back again?
That 99 championship was as dominant as they come.
"Khlomar"
Bill Simmons is a funny guy.
Eh, Simmons is still a Boston toolbag. Picking the Spurs doesn't change that.
Good point.
BS has a great point with this now that I think of it....you can't really say any of the Spurs teams of the past were ass-kicking pwning types.
Also from BS:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2...3&sportCat=nba
Final Four: Boston over Cleveland, San Antonio over Lakers
Champion: San Antonio over Boston in 6
MVP: LeBron
ROY: Griffin
Coach: Gregg Popovich
I also thought this was pretty good:
Last edited by Allanon; 10-23-2009 at 02:22 PM.
as mentioned in this thread:
'99
swept LA, Portland - 15 -2 playoffs.
Pretty dominant.
Sure you can say that the Spurs had a kick ass team. The 1999 team dominated in the playoffs.
1999 -- defeated Minnesota, 3-1, first round
defeated L.A. Lakers, 4-0, conference semifinals
defeated Portland, 4-0, conference semifinals
defeated New York, 4-1, NBA Finals
WON NBA CHAMPIONSHIP
* -- Phil Jackson
yeah, THAT'S not gonna extend this thread.
Asterisk aside, how much of the Spurs' dominance in '99 can be attributed to the talent on the team and how much can be attributed to the fact the rest of the league was lagging behind due to not having practiced or gotten in physical condition?
Oh.... So that's why Phil needs to sit on one of those hemrroid protecting floater seats? I mean, I knew he could be a jerk... but an *?
Thanks for the enlightening revelation...
If you can't get in game shape after 50 games... you don't belong in the NBA.
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