Where's the Effing Intensity?

[Whisky Dog]

Parker, Manu, Jeff, and Dice need to be held accountable. They're ing up this team.

[mexicanjunior]

It's only January...

[HarlemHeat37]

This team just has a different mentality than the old Spurs teams..

-The obvious reasons of Parker and Ginobili's decline..Manu's eventual decline was expected with age, but Parker isn't supposed to be playing like this..Manu's still a great playmaker, but it doesn't look like he'll be able to be a consistent enough scorer for us..Parker has been an above average player this year, which is a huge drop-off from the top 15 player he was last year..

When 2 of the big 3 are playing so poorly, it brings down the energy and intensity of the entire team..

-Jefferson isn't an intensity guy at all..just isn't that type of player..

-No energy guys..this team doesn't have reliable energy players that can spark a team..the core players are too old to be relied upon to do this..bringing in young guys to do this has been a failure..

-This team has no balls...

The Spurs have lost the ability to annoy other teams..man, that's probably the thing that I miss the most..

Whether it was Manu or Oberto flopping to get in somebody's head, whether it was Horry bodychecking somebody into an announce table to get their best scorer suspended for the next playoff game, whether it was Bowen tearing somebody's ACL out before he would let the Spurs lose a ing game, whether it was Stephen Jackson or Brent Barry making big shots when the team needs it..

This team doesn't have that..none of the role players on this team will do ANYTHING to get a W..none of them will get in somebody's head..they just don't do that..the role players on our team are nice guys like Roger Mason, old Finley, Matt Bonner and McDyess..Blair is too young and raw, although I do see a little fire in Hill..

Also, Pop clearly isn't the same guy he once was..he doesn't seem to have the fire that he used to have..

The old Spurs team were made up of nice guys off the court that became vicious when they stepped on the floor..I remember even last year Bruce Bowen annoyed Carmelo, made him have a bad game, and he picked up a T after Bowen made him pick up an offensive foul..this guy was at the end of his career and still knew how to get in somebody's head better than anybody..

This current Spurs team just looks tired and beat down like they're ready for the window to just close..

[Capt Bringdown]

No, actually they aren't. 4 games in 5 nights against potential playoff teams, 2 losses to very solid teams with good recent home records, one of them very close.

It hurts, but it's not "new dimensions of suck".

Yes, they actually are.
Here's a simple litmus test: If the Spurs had won these games, would you be downplaying the importance of the w's? Of course not.

But when they lose, out come the excuses, apologies and qualifiers.

There's an expectation that the Spurs should be playing better at this stage of the season. A lot better, offseason moves and supposed upgrades.

Our most reliable player from last year, TP looks like he can't be counted on, same-same with Manu, Jefferson is a 14 million dollar bust, Dice has been underwhelming at best...
Not only that, back to the OP's point: the Spurs don't appear to have much fire in the belly at this point. It's extremely disappointing.
This in my opinion amounts to new dimensions of suck.

[timtonymanu]

This team just has a different mentality than the old Spurs teams..

-The obvious reasons of Parker and Ginobili's decline..Manu's eventual decline was expected with age, but Parker isn't supposed to be playing like this..Manu's still a great playmaker, but it doesn't look like he'll be able to be a consistent enough scorer for us..Parker has been an above average player this year, which is a huge drop-off from the top 15 player he was last year..

When 2 of the big 3 are playing so poorly, it brings down the energy and intensity of the entire team..

-Jefferson isn't an intensity guy at all..just isn't that type of player..

-No energy guys..this team doesn't have reliable energy players that can spark a team..the core players are too old to be relied upon to do this..bringing in young guys to do this has been a failure..

-This team has no balls...

The Spurs have lost the ability to annoy other teams..man, that's probably the thing that I miss the most..

Whether it was Manu or Oberto flopping to get in somebody's head, whether it was Horry bodychecking somebody into an announce table to get their best scorer suspended for the next playoff game, whether it was Bowen tearing somebody's ACL out before he would let the Spurs lose a ing game, whether it was Stephen Jackson or Brent Barry making big shots when the team needs it..

This team doesn't have that..none of the role players on this team will do ANYTHING to get a W..none of them will get in somebody's head..they just don't do that..the role players on our team are nice guys like Roger Mason, old Finley, Matt Bonner and McDyess..Blair is too young and raw, although I do see a little fire in Hill..

Also, Pop clearly isn't the same guy he once was..he doesn't seem to have the fire that he used to have..

The old Spurs team were made up of nice guys off the court that became vicious when they stepped on the floor..I remember even last year Bruce Bowen annoyed Carmelo, made him have a bad game, and he picked up a T after Bowen made him pick up an offensive foul..this guy was at the end of his career and still knew how to get in somebody's head better than anybody..

This current Spurs team just looks tired and beat down like they're ready for the window to just close..

I 100% agree with this. The role players on this team suck ass. RJ plays like he's just happy to be paid so much. McDyess is using his slow start excuse. Hill and Mason can be no shows at times. This team has no swagger like Bowen, Horry, and S-Jax use to bring. Which is why that It's only January excuse is BS. What's the excuse for why the Spurs show so little heart in a game? Because it's only January. If that's an excuse you are using for a championship team, then there might as well be no le. It's 3 months into the season already.

[spurs10]

With TP's injury I'm very concerned about how far we can go this year regardless of bad spells like tonight and last night. The upcoming schedule makes this weekend look relatively light. Does anybody have any idea how long rehab on TP's foot would take? If he could play at his top form, I'd like our chances.

[ulosturedge]

This team just has a different mentality than the old Spurs teams..

-The obvious reasons of Parker and Ginobili's decline..Manu's eventual decline was expected with age, but Parker isn't supposed to be playing like this..Manu's still a great playmaker, but it doesn't look like he'll be able to be a consistent enough scorer for us..Parker has been an above average player this year, which is a huge drop-off from the top 15 player he was last year..

When 2 of the big 3 are playing so poorly, it brings down the energy and intensity of the entire team..

-Jefferson isn't an intensity guy at all..just isn't that type of player..

-No energy guys..this team doesn't have reliable energy players that can spark a team..the core players are too old to be relied upon to do this..bringing in young guys to do this has been a failure..

-This team has no balls...

The Spurs have lost the ability to annoy other teams..man, that's probably the thing that I miss the most..

Whether it was Manu or Oberto flopping to get in somebody's head, whether it was Horry bodychecking somebody into an announce table to get their best scorer suspended for the next playoff game, whether it was Bowen tearing somebody's ACL out before he would let the Spurs lose a ing game, whether it was Stephen Jackson or Brent Barry making big shots when the team needs it..

This team doesn't have that..none of the role players on this team will do ANYTHING to get a W..none of them will get in somebody's head..they just don't do that..the role players on our team are nice guys like Roger Mason, old Finley, Matt Bonner and McDyess..Blair is too young and raw, although I do see a little fire in Hill..

Also, Pop clearly isn't the same guy he once was..he doesn't seem to have the fire that he used to have..

The old Spurs team were made up of nice guys off the court that became vicious when they stepped on the floor..I remember even last year Bruce Bowen annoyed Carmelo, made him have a bad game, and he picked up a T after Bowen made him pick up an offensive foul..this guy was at the end of his career and still knew how to get in somebody's head better than anybody..

This current Spurs team just looks tired and beat down like they're ready for the window to just close..

Quit cliff jumping. They are losing because there is no sense of urgency. It's a long season and these type of losses are kind of predictable. I've seen them do this before. Yeah things might be a little different this time(Manu losing a step and Parker hobbled), but the two teams we lost to are well coached good disciplined teams. The only teams you can really bottom feed off of is in the east. This isn't 2005. There are alot less sucky teams out there now. Those teams got a little more experienced and we got a little older. It is what it is. All that matters is if this team can step up when it really matters, and everything i've seen so far tells me they are capable. They are going in the right direction. This team is deep. Lets hope Parker heals sooner then later and Manu gets his stroke back. Then we will really be rolling.

[HarlemHeat37]

How am I cliff jumping?..I'm stating the obvious..I'm still going to be here..

Are we going to say "these teams we lost to are good" every time we lose to a good team?..championship teams generally have good records vs. +.500 teams, this is a fact..there's only 2 or 3 examples in NBA history where championship teams have poor records in those situations..

Also, "there are a lot less sucky teams" is an inaccurate statement and it's irrelevant anyways..

[timtonymanu]

Quit cliff jumping. They are losing because there is no sense of urgency. It's a long season and these type of losses are kind of predictable. I've seen them do this before. Yeah things might be a little different this time(Manu losing a step and Parker hobbled), but the two teams we lost to are well coached good disciplined teams. The only teams you can really bottom feed off of is in the east. This isn't 2005. There are alot less sucky teams out there now. Those teams got a little more experienced and we got a little older. It is what it is. All that matters is if this team can step up when it really matters, and everything i've seen so far tells me they are capable. They are going in the right direction. This team is deep. Lets hope Parker heals sooner then later and Manu gets his stroke back. Then we will really be rolling.

See that's the problem. It's all a hope game right now which is why people are worried. It's not cliffjumping. It's being realistic. Spurs need to have alot done and that's why i dont like the it's only january excuse. it's gonna be real difficult for them to pick up their game all in a short amount of time when they have so much they need to work on.

[angelbelow]

Ian had it... but he appeared to have TOO much.

[ulosturedge]

How am I cliff jumping?..I'm stating the obvious..I'm still going to be here..

Are we going to say "these teams we lost to are good" every time we lose to a good team?..championship teams generally have good records vs. +.500 teams, this is a fact..there's only 2 or 3 examples in NBA history where championship teams have poor records in those situations..

Also, "there are a lot less sucky teams" is an inaccurate statement and it's irrelevant anyways..

Well i'm more worried about how we match up against those top teams we will see in the playoffs(aka Lakers, Dallas, Denver, ect.) and I feel like we hold up pretty well. Granted we aren't closing out games well, but we aren't really getting blown out by anyone either. In that sense I feel pretty well about where we are right now.

See that's the problem. It's all a hope game
right now which is why people are worried. It's not cliffjumping. It's being realistic. Spurs need to have alot done and that's why i dont like the it's only january excuse. it's gonna be real difficult for them to pick up their game all in a short amount of time when they have so much they need to work on.

Realize that alot of what the Spurs do on offense starts with Parker. We have been struggling lately on offense. Manu also is struggling in my opinion. To me the jury is still out on if Manu is washed up or not( he just isn't hitting his shots). If you were to tell me we would be a couple of games out of 1st in the division and seeded in the middle of the pack with a hobbled Tony Parker and a struggling Manu; I would take that any day. How about we grade our team when our go to guy is fully healthy and our x-factor is in his groove. So yeah it's only January.

[EricB]

Not alot of teams have TONS of intensity in 4 games out 5 days and after the first two really energy engaging games.

People underestimate I think how much the Spurs put into those games.

Most likely I'm wrong, but thats just my observation.

[phyzik]

Not alot of teams have TONS of intensity in 4 games out 5 days and after the first two really energy engaging games.

People underestimate I think how much the Spurs put into those games.

Most likely I'm wrong, but thats just my observation.

no, your right.... Just like you in 2005 er!

sorry TPark, that meltdown was too epic to let that go, even 5-6 years later.

[Chieflion]

After beating up on an injured Lakers team and losing all but 1 point of a 20+ point lead against the Thunder, the Spurs lost to two decent teams. That has been the story this season. Mentally weak when the Spurs are down and in a close game. Can't close out.

[ShoogarBear]

Also, Pop clearly isn't the same guy he once was..he doesn't seem to have the fire that he used to have..

I think this is a question that needs to be explored seriously. Does Pop walk around all days thinking to himself "Four rings, beetches!"

[hsxvvd]

I think this is a question that needs to be explored seriously. Does Pop walk around all days thinking to himself "Four rings, beetches!"

Certainly looks like it. He is far more experimental this season than he has ever been.

Maybe it's because he has more options than ever, but it does appear that he is trying to be "too smart" with his line-ups. Perhaps there's been a little too much praise and too many fluff pieces written about his "genius".

I don't know who would be able to tell him, he seems too arrogant to listen to anybody. RC & Holt all seem a little too comfortable with him.

My hope is that he'll quit playing around with the line-ups soon enough, and I still believe that a tightened playoff roster will produce results when it counts.

[Marcus Bryant]

No excuses. This team has sucked against above .500 teams all season. If Pop drops the "soft" card I'm not sure they'll respond. Maybe Pop himself is softening up....

[dbestpro]

Its a combination of things. Some fixable, some not. TP with PF is not fixable. Giving up offensive rebounds and loads of points in the paint are. I contend that small ball while effective in spurts has caused the following problems.
1. Unable to match inside size thus giving up too many points and rebounds
2. Smalls are getting wore out and show no energy due to playing game after game against guys 4-6 inches bigger.
3. Lack of development and continuity with current bigs on the team.

Small ball is a gimmick to be used once and a while. Pop will have to go back to using some size inside. Bonner's return will help, but bigs like Theo and Ian need time on the floor to get comfortable. Lord knows Ian has shown more effort than anyone including coaches and fair weather fans. A trade may still be possible. If we get no more than we get now from Dice we many be in big trouble. From my perspective the PF slot 9Tim plays center) is really the catalyst position. Blair can give you some good minutes, but when the opposing team pounds it down low, his lack of height becomes a real determent. Eventually, as Sean indicated his game may be better at SF once he shows a consistent outside shot. At that point the Spurs can go really big.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Parker, Ginobili, Jefferson and McDyess have played significantly bellow their level this year. When there is only one player (Duncan) of your best lineup playing at his true level, it's not a surprise at all to see Spurs struggling.

These 4 players will have to seriously raise the bar.

Add Pop to that list too. Those guys are struggling, and you don't compensate that by rotating Jefferson and Finley at PF and opening up a layup line for other teams defensively.

What's the point out of going out and adding guys like Dice, Blair, and Haislip, as well as having Ian on the bench, if you're not going to play them in favor of having Richard Jefferson at ing power forward

[DAF86]

First of all, regardless of how well Manu plays, he's not going to prevent us getting murdered on the board.
Second, what are you gonna get for 10 million though? Look the dud that 15 million got us...
I believe that if the FO knew of a 'no brainer' type of deal involving him they would have pulled the trigger already.

To be honest, the team already thought we wouldn't get the same production from him and they gambled by picking up RJ and hoping he would make up for some of the scoring. The gamble just hasn't paid off.

The Clippers would jump on a Manu for Camby trade and Marcus is the kind of player the Spurs need.

[ElNono]

The Clippers would jump on a Manu for Camby trade and Marcus is the kind of player the Spurs need.

I don't think they would. I think they like what Marcus gives them for that money, especially now that Griffin is out for the season. And I'm also not sure the coaching staff thinks size is what we need, considering the current love for small ball. How crazy are you gonna get when Camby is sitting in the bench and RJ and Fin are playing PF?