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Oh wow, wasn't expecting this from you. Very well thought of views on everything though.
Before the Lakers game, I had the Spurs at about a 1-in-200 longshot at winning the NBA championship. After the Lakers forcibly took advantage of the Spurs without Kobe and Bynum, I'm going to lower those chances to zero. For the first time in the Tim Duncan Era, I'm watching a healthy team with absolutely no chance of winning a championship. I still think they will make the playoffs but the chances of a fifth le isn't slim ... it's none.
-You can't fault Tim Duncan's effort. But the reality is that he's no longer in a tier by himself. He used to easily be the best bigman in the game. Now he's in the same tier as players like Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol and Dirk Nowitzki. It is painful to admit it ... but it's sadly the truth. Wear and tear has allowed the pack to catch up to him.
-Manu Ginobili's normal gait has never returned since his surgery following the Olympics. His run is more like a fast waddle. He's lost at least one step, is a streak shooter, struggles to defend in one-on-one situations and just isn't as dangerous as he was prior to March of 2008. He's gone from a damn good NBA player to a damn good bench player.
-Tony Parker ruined himself by overworking with the French national team. Not only is he beat up physically, he doesn't have it mentally. Evidence of that is seen when he explodes for one half and then disappears for another half -- as he's done way too often this season. He used to have great focus and would stay in attack mode for weeks at a time. Now we're lucky if we see him in attack mode for an entire quarter. He plays like he's physically, mentally and emotionally drained.
-It's not gonna happen. Richard Jefferson won't fit on this team. It's not so much his skillset is incompatible, it's more to do with his fragile psyche. You really don't know how a player will fit on a championship level team until he's thrown into the fire. He's been thrown into the fire -- and has melted. He's an inconsistent offensive threat who does absolutely nothing positive when his shot isn't going in. And as the pressure mounts on him to perform, he's just going to become more and more inconsistent. I can't imagine a happy ending with Jefferson in San Antonio.
-When the Spurs signed Antonio McDyess, they hoped old age wouldn't catch up to him right away. Unfortunately, it did. He's already a s of what he was last season. He's getting better but he just isn't the defensive presence he used to be. He's no longer a championship quality player as a starter.
-God bless DeJuan Blair but when size is your weakness and the team you have to go through has length as their main strength ... that's a bad combination.
-George Hill has come up big lately but the bottom line is he's a 6-foot-2 tweener who loses his confidence at the drop of a hat. When he loses his confidence, he turns into an indecisive dribbling machine. There's hope he can remedy that flaw before the end of the season but that type of growth is measured in years, not games. And while he's solid in most other aspects, he's not good enough in any one category to overcome passive play.
-Matt Bonner isn't going to regain his pre-injury level of play this season. He's a rhythm and confidence player who is playing with neither rhythm nor confidence. He might as well go start running the hills in New Hampshire now to get ready for next season.
-He had his moments but Roger Mason, Jr.'s run as a Spur is over. Pop doesn't like him anymore. He can't play well without quality minutes. The question is just whether or not the Spurs trade him now or let him walk after the season.
-Michael Finley's NBA career should have been over at least two seasons ago. I'll give him credit ... the guy tries hard and is at times the team's most physical player, but he's over the hill, all the way onto the other side and walking in quicksand.
-No matter how hard Pop hopes and wishes, Keith Bogans will never be more than a homeless version of an old Bruce Bowen.
-Speaking of Pop, he has historically been a very good coach but he nowhere near Phil Jackson's level. If Phil Jackson is Michael Jordan, Pop is Craig Ehlo. Pop is great at coaching players with that innately have a huge amount of self confidence ... but when it comes to coaching players who aren't brimming with self assurance, he's just not very good. Jefferson is simply the latest example of an otherwise quality player who can't handle the pressure of Pop's coaching style and complex system. On top of that, Pop not selecting a rotation has the Spurs stuck in neutral. They can't gain any momentum because no one knows who is playing on a nightly basis. To date, this has by far been Pop's worst coaching job of his career; in fact, he's done more to hurt than help this team.
-I feel for you, Peter Holt. You gave the Spurs and Spurs fans what they wanted when you opened your wallet to spend millions in an effort to get one last championship during the Tim Duncan Era. Your gesture should have be rewarded. It hasn't. If you order the abandonment of this ship and a return to payroll normalcy, it'd be a sad day ... but I'd understand.
Oh wow, wasn't expecting this from you. Very well thought of views on everything though.
good points its tough to admit but theres no way we win a le at this rate its not even plausible
If it makes you guys feel better . . .
At least you didn't put money down in Vegas on the Spurs before the season.
Count me in understanding the failure of the stimulus program as well.Your gesture should have be rewarded. It hasn't. If you order the abandonment of this ship and a return to payroll normalcy, it'd be a sad day ... but I'd understand.
Well said timvp...!
Agree 100%, but I did think Finley had a few moments in last years playoffs..he hit a few key shots...
It's painful to watch..it's time to recognize and quit fighting it. Time for a change.
Vinsanity.
i agree with you, timvp.
i expect at most a first round exit. this is the worst year we got out of everyone. Our Big 3 has been reduced to role players. We no longer have a superstar that can take over. Our role players also get scared in big games. Players like Horry, Bowen, and Barry were always different makers because they show up in big games. Hill, Finley, Mason, Bogans, and Bonner only look confident against ty teams and that is sad.
Timvp meltdown!
You were too kind to Pop. I still think this team can be the second best team in the west with a coach that possesses a common sense.
Sad day to be a Spurs fan. This one hurt.
I'm glad you've finally come to admit what many of us had been saying for months...now the healing can begin.
good points, maybe pop should step aside like dunlevy and move to FO ... its gotten stale ...
What a drama queen
Newbie or not alot of that is true, we are not going to win a thing with this team, it's that simple. Some fans need to just relax and see it is what it is now.
I feel you timvp. This is complete bull that I am having to watch over and over. Small ball lineups are not going to get you past a team like the Lakers.
why i agree to some extent with all your points i still believe that a deal by the deadline can rejuvinate this team. the whole locker room mentality needs to change and a trade bringing in new blood and players that are looking to play hard, physical and want to win could do that,
im not giving up just yet.
I disagree about Holt..this team won him multiple les without a high payroll, it was his obligation to do this IMO..
The front office ed up a long time ago..it made sense to surround the big 3 with old veterans when the big 3 itself was young, but now that they got older, it only made sense to surround them with younger/more athletic players..the FO has failed to do this..
It wouldn't have won us a le, but it would have made us more compe ive..
I agree with pretty much all the points in this article. You can see them play out when you watch the games. Pop doesn't even yell at RJ anymore.
Pop isn't putting this team in it's best position to win games. His decisions in this game were mind boggling.
Trade Jefferson for expirings. Trade Mason to a contender for their 1st round pick and an expiring who is worthless.
Trade Manu to the Cavs and let him help LeBron beat the Lakers. Ask them for Big Z back, JJ hickson and their 1st rounder.
Go into the off-season under the cap by 20 million. Go after Bosh. Bring over Splitter and use your 3 first round picks wisely.
The End. It was fun guys. of a ride.
Good luck!
homless version of bowen is being to nice
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