Initial Reaction: Spurs vs. Nuggets - Jan. 31

[temujin]

Jefferson rehired the guy.
I guess he needs all the help he can get, even on this board.

[The Truth #6]

Jefferson rehired the guy.
I guess he needs all the help he can get, even on this board.

Who/what are you talking about?

[temujin]

If the Spurs are going to improve RJ is going to have to improve. I don't think playing Bogans in his place is that much better of an option. I think Pop makes mistakes but the team is stuck waiting to see if RJ can get better. I agree it may not happen, but with his salary there's little chance he's going to get benched like you suggest.

Won't happen.
Fix it.
We are talking about a Carmelo-less Denver.
The guy is an ex player.
And I agree there is nothing the Spurs can do about it.

[temujin]

Who/what are you talking about?

Nothing.

There is a very active guy that is writing on this board from the beginning of the season like he is Jefferson's agent.
In that sense, he i unlike his protegee.

[TD 21]

I guess I should have clarified: no national team play in the summer and no player coming off of surgery. The rest would help Duncan ... but that's no guarantee that he'll be able to survive an 82 game season either way.



Show me a trade that allows for the Spurs to make up for a declining Duncan, a hurt Parker and an over the hill Manu and then we'll talk.

It doesn't matter, man. This core has too many miles on them to withstand the rigors of an NBA season. It doesn't matter how much rest they get in the summer, how much their minutes are managed during the regular season, they don't have the legs and the energy for it anymore.

So it's not worth a shot? They've already supposedly gone "all-in"; what's one more trade? They have the assets for it and the future, whether they stand pat or not, isn't bright, so what's the difference? While they still have an outside chance, they ought to take advantage of it. Because when Duncan's gone, this team will be lucky to sniff the playoffs for the first few years after.

[mytespurs]

Timvp, in all the doom/gloom talk, wringing of hands, let's trade this one and that one, you always make sense!

As for the Spurs, it's not looking that the Spurs will that much noise this year. Maybe it was thought that stir in Richard Jefferson with a healthy Manu, TD and Tony along w/McDyess & Balir = instant challenger to Laker dominance.
Reality is.....probably never was and will never be......

I wonder if the team we thought the Spurs would be this season will emerge in 2010. But....will we have still Manu? And if so, does he have something left to take it to the next level?

[temujin]

The other worrisome issue is that Ginobili is not getting any calls on penetrations over the last 5-6 games.
In the past games, in many cases I thought he forced the issue and was a bit weak on his last step.
Not today, though.
It's becoming a theme: maybe his bad reputation is catching up with him.

[ElNono]

Add in Parker today and Billups wouldn't have been able to eat him alive like he did Hill ...

I disagree with this. Tony almost never guards Billups. It's been a job for Bowen and Manu most of the time. On top of that, Chauncey is having one of the best seasons of his career. The truth is that he slapped us whenever he wanted, and we simply had no means to respond. It was really frustrating.

[ffadicted]

The other worrisome issue is that Ginobili is not getting any calls on penetrations over the last 5-6 games.
In the past games, in many cases I thought he forced the issue and was a bit weak on his last step.
Not today, though.
It's becoming a theme: maybe his bad reputation is catching up with him.

This, and some of them are just ridiculous. That offensive foul with (i think) Birdman basically living in the restrict area was disgusting. Some of them are good no calls, but mostly Manu's getting battered around and getting no calls at all, idk what's going on

[Ginobilly]

Timvp, in all the doom/gloom talk, wringing of hands, let's trade this one and that one, you always make sense!

As for the Spurs, it's not looking that the Spurs will that much noise this year. Maybe it was thought that stir in Richard Jefferson with a healthy Manu, TD and Tony along w/McDyess & Balir = instant challenger to Laker dominance.
Reality is.....probably never was and will never be......

I wonder if the team we thought the Spurs would be this season will emerge in 2010. But....will we have still Manu? And if so, does he have something left to take it to the next level?

I don't think Manu is ever going to take it to the next level again. He's healthy and all, but he doesn't seem to have that quick first step, or that explosion any more. That's why it's been hard for him to score and get to the paint. I guess that's what age and playing basketball non-stop does to you. Don't even get me started on TP. That guy ed the Spurs and their le hopes when he decided to play for his crappy NT.

[objective]

I disagree with this. Tony almost never guards Billups. It's been a job for Bowen and Manu most of the time. On top of that, Chauncey is having one of the best seasons of his career. The truth is that he slapped us whenever he wanted, and we simply had no means to respond. It was really frustrating.

that's true for when it mattered. When crunch time came, it was Bowen on Billups. Bowen with the game saving block in game 7, Parker wouldn't have come close.

Besides, what's really the point of arguing that Parker today would have made the difference . . . isn't it even more true that Carmelo Anthony playing today would have made a bigger difference? RJ trying to check that? Bogans?

[cambrad]

Good game guys.

[temujin]

This, and some of them are just ridiculous. That offensive foul with (i think) Birdman basically living in the restrict area was disgusting. Some of them are good no calls, but mostly Manu's getting battered around and getting no calls at all, idk what's going on

Yes, that was a terrible call.
No reaction from the bench.
Flat.
Is there a rule which prohibits future Hall of famers to get technicals?

[temujin]

Good game guys.

Denver looked like 2007 Spurs.

[xtremesteven33]

Denver looked like 2007 Spurs.

WTF how??

[leemajors]

WTF how??

no late turnovers, steady and the other team folded?

[phxspurfan]

Looking at the replay of the game that three J.R. Smith dropped after an offensive rebound with about 2:00 to go in the 4th was a dagger. Clutch.


We could have really used his clutchness for Barry right about now :*(

[DPG21920]

I wish we knew something with regards to the Spurs FO thinking trade. I have no idea what they think about the current state of the team. It would be nice to know if their views match up with ours.

[Fabbs]

-DeJuan Blair only played when Duncan was off the court.

And this is because?

[DPG21920]

A good trade will certainly help this team, that is just foolish. To what degree is the question.

[timvp]

I disagree with this. Tony almost never guards Billups. It's been a job for Bowen and Manu most of the time.

Huh? Parker has guarded him over the years more than 90% of the time. Bowen defended him sometimes late in games. I'm not sure where you get that about Manu ... maybe Manu has played like 1% of the time against Billups when Parker is on the bench and the shooting guard is a worse matchup. In the 2005 Finals, the matchups were almost always Parker on Billups, Bowen on Rip and Manu on Prince.

And in recent games, Parker has done very good work defensively against Billups. In their last eight matchups, Billups has shot 4-for-10, 5-for-13, 3-for-12, 3-for-10, 3-for-10, 7-for-17, 4-for-14 and 6-for-17 for a total of 35-for-103 (33.9%). Parker used to have trouble with Billups but he's figured him out in recent years.

If Parker ever played defense on Billups as bad as Hill played today, there'd be about 15 "Trade Parker" threads.

[crc21209]

huh? Parker has guarded him over the years more than 90% of the time. Bowen defended him sometimes late in games. I'm not sure where you get that about manu ... Maybe manu has played like 1% of the time against billups when parker is on the bench and the shooting guard is a worse matchup. In the 2005 finals, the matchups were almost always parker on billups, bowen on rip and manu on prince.

And in recent games, parker has done very good work defensively against billups. In their last eight matchups, billups has shot 4-for-10, 5-for-13, 3-for-12, 3-for-10, 3-for-10, 7-for-17, 4-for-14 and 6-for-17 for a total of 35-for-103 (33.9%). Parker used to have trouble with billups but he's figured him out in recent years.

If parker ever played defense on billups as bad as hill played today, there'd be about 15 "trade parker" threads.

+10000000000000000000000

[temujin]

no late turnovers, steady and the other team folded?

And a point guard that simply cannot be stopped.

[21_Blessings]

Denver looked like 2008 Spurs.

Fixed

[Agloco]

If a championship isn't possible, the only trade I'd do would be one that helps the team out next season. A first round exit is the same as any other exit. In fact, a first round exit might be preferred since it'd allow for more rest.

That said, I think it's way too early to absolutely say this team can't win a championship as put together.

While I suppose anything is possible, I'm not connecting with this statement. What in your opinion makes this roster a contender over the last 36 games?