Lakers Blog: Know thy enemy: San Antonio Spurs

[LoneStarState'sPride]

Great read, and great analysis from Pounding The Rock (I think I spend just as much time over there as I do here). Usually very witty and intelligent conversation.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

We'll win 56-60 games, maybe even 62, and that's not pushing until SPAM time. This is the deepest and most versatile Spurs roster I've ever seen. Other than that, not a bad read, although Wayne should have mentioned Dice's extremely solid one-on-one defence (which I think will surprise people)

[Trimble87]

Along with having a ton of new faces that will take time to learn and thrive in our system. We also have Duncan and Manu who are both out of game shape. Add on to that the fact that Pop will want to rest Tim and Manu as much as he can and we have ourselves one slow start this season. Any of you expecting us to come out guns blazing and to finish with 60+ wins are insane.

Not to mention that small injuries WILL happen. Manu Tim and Tony will miss a few games each just with the normal wear and tear of the season. (excluding DNP:CD's) And of cours eif any of them have major injuries then you can add some more L's for us.

I think we will win 50-55 games and would not be at all surprised if we fell as far as 5th or 6th in the conference.

[raspsa]

Standings not important as health and team chemistry.. the regular season is just training camp for the playoffs. i

[TDMVPDPOY]

73-9 easy with this roster

[mytespurs]

73-9 easy with this roster

Now I love the spurs too but c'mon!!!!

Barring any serious injuries/chemistry issues, the Spurs should be in the mix.

[mytespurs]

Well, the LA Times did a preview of both conferences; of course in the west, the Lakers are #1 but Heilser selected portland as #2 () now portland has a lot of talent, they are young and up & coming but are they ready to take it the next level? Much depends on Oden's continued development among other things.
Spurs were picked #3........not exactly a surprise considering and Denver was picked as #4 which is exactly where I'd put them. Many see them as the main challenger to the Lakers but I just don't see it. I wouldn't surprise me if they regress.

About a week or two ago, Lakers were asked who their biggest challengers would be in the west; Phil said Denver-when asked about SA, he was like Oh yeah. Lamar Odom said SA & Utah. at least the 33 million dollar reality show spouse shows some respect to the Spurs.

[HarlemHeat37]

Phil Jackson never shows respect to the Spurs, he always throws subliminal shots..I don't mind it though, he knows who the compe ion is..

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Along with having a ton of new faces that will take time to learn and thrive in our system. We also have Duncan and Manu who are both out of game shape. Add on to that the fact that Pop will want to rest Tim and Manu as much as he can and we have ourselves one slow start this season. Any of you expecting us to come out guns blazing and to finish with 60+ wins are insane.

Not to mention that small injuries WILL happen. Manu Tim and Tony will miss a few games each just with the normal wear and tear of the season. (excluding DNP:CD's) And of cours eif any of them have major injuries then you can add some more L's for us.

I think we will win 50-55 games and would not be at all surprised if we fell as far as 5th or 6th in the conference.

I think you're way off. , we won 54 games last year with 1/2 a season from Manu, Tim on one leg and no backup PG, and Bonner at C! Every season new players have to learn the system, and yes it usually takes them a while, but that just means it's par for the course.

Add RJ, Dice, Blair and an improved Hill and you have a 55-60 win team.

[Danny.Zhu]

All of the 6 elite teams will have a better W/L record this year, considering the poor get poorer.

[Extra Stout]

But the Laker blogger didn't write this.

I would actually take it one step further. To some degree, I [don't] think the Spurs will be working anybody too hard. Not that games will get the "Cliff Clavin" treatment, but in order to make a playoff push, San Antonio needs healthy bodies. What they don't need, however, [is] home court advantage. Five members of the team have at least one ring, and I don't picture Jefferson, McDyess or Ratliff getting rattled by boos. Because of the way I'm picturing San Antonio's season being paced, their record in mid-April might not reflect how dangerous they will be in the days that follow. If the San Antonio Spurs of the last ten years were a book, their author would be someone with the respect of a Mark Twain, so I'm not sure why anybody would judge them by their cover (i.e, their W-L clip). But if you happen to be one of those who geeks out on book jackets, check yourself before reading too much into this novel's art work. It may immediately catch your eye, but there's likely to be something worthwhile brewing on the page.

Reading is fundamental.

[SpurNation]

Great read. Realistic opinions IMHO.

What will be telling is if in truth the Spurs garnish health over record and the record is still 56 to 60 wins...the team has an excellent chance at going to the finals with a healthy core of starters as well as seasoned rotational players for the playoffs.

However, I'm not sold on Duncan being able to produce as the Duncan of even 2 years ago. He will be the achiles heal if he can't be consisent or healthy. Ginobili is always a question mark regarding health but...as long as an injury (if it happens) isn't season ending...he should be able to recoup enough for quality playoff minutes if Jefferson proves to be able to replace his production during that time of recovery.

Season is almost here. Can't wait to see how the rotation plays out and just how good this team is going to be.

[Demo Dick Marcinko]

All of the 6 elite teams will have a better W/L record this year, considering the poor get poorer.

Actually it will work just the opposite, the 6 elite teams will have a record of around 10-72 to around 20-62 because all the elite teams are beating up on each other.
(tongue in cheek meter is on)

[Tbiggums47]

Agree. Good article.

We are never taken serious until these teams have to play us..It's unfortunate but true!

[hater]

who cares about the record. as long as all are healthy come playoffs

[Baseline]

"Injuries will change the landscape of the season. They weed out some teams every year. They got the Celtics (and to a lesser extent the Spurs) last year. Who will they get this year?"

Weird comment. We lost Manu for the whole playoff, and the Celtics lost Garnett for the whole playoff. On top of losing Manu, Tim was at half speed because of his knee. Most other players in the league would have shut themselves down altogether and not even played.

So I would argue that the Spurs were hit harder than the Celtics with injuries last year.

All this is further evidence that the Laker le last year happened because it was a fluke injury year, not because they were so good. I'll give them this: They were better than the remaining teams who were healthy enough to advance. But they are by no means a great team. If Jameer Nelson were healthy in the finals, Orlando wins.

[The Gemini Method]

All this is further evidence that the Laker le last year happened because it was a fluke injury year, not because they were so good. I'll give them this: They were better than the remaining teams who were healthy enough to advance. But they are by no means a great team. If Jameer Nelson were healthy in the finals, Orlando wins.

Huh? Jameer Nelson being healthy wouldn't have necessarily put Orlando over the top when the whole team couldn't hit the broadside of a barn in game 1. Or, it wouldn't have helped Dwight Howard make the two free throws in Game 4. This here is merely speculation as if devaluing the Lakers' run. Because there is no way to tell the Lakers wouldn't have had the same success if Orlando, Boston, or any other team was completely healthy.

Anyhow, the Spurs would definitely be the team that challenges the Lakers for supremacy this year because they have the experience for the most part of being a successful team. I don't think there is another team in the West that bodes a nucleus that has won a le, and that is always a good thing when you're bringing in additional parts. Some who do have Finals experience and some who do not. I say there will be two teams in the West with 60+ wins and it could very well be the Lakers and Spurs.

[daslicer]

I think we have got some crazy assinine fans that truly believe that the record doesn't matter as long as the spurs are healthy. Believe me when I say it will matter because there is hardly any chance in if the spurs are a 4-6th seed they will contend for a le. I think the only team to fall below fourth place and win a le is the '95 rockets. Spurs will need to be healthy and a top 3 seed in the west to have a chance of contending. You can't go every round without HCA its just extremely difficult to do no matter how talented you are.