Spurs don't have the will to win anymore

[phxspurfan]

I'm sad to say it, but I've watched almost every single game this season, and it looks like this team just doesn't have the will to win anymore.

- Parker is smiling after getting owned by the refs on almost every drive to the hoop.

- Duncan isn't giving his best effort and, like others have mentioned, is even starting to tune out Pop.

- Manu is ing before and after games and is playing like either a playmaker or a shooter, but not both like he usually does.

The rest of the cast is either not skilled enough (RMJ, Blair, Bonner, Bogans), or is not performing like they could fit with the rest of the team (RJ).

This team needs to be dynamited. They can't defend against youth (as witnessed watching their performance against the Kings), length (tonight's game), or strength (against the Rockets). They are not clutch. Their coach is stubborn as and won't learn from his small-ball mistakes. You can see it in their faces that they have no chemistry and their run as a nucleus is over.

Two things that remain positives are their relative health (already mentioned in other threads) and the fact that they are still getting everyone's A+ game (even if the teams they are playing are undermanned). So at some point, if both of the following happen:

a. They make a move to get a defensive big
b. They start playing some team defense
c. Their luck improves (shooting, foul calls)

...then they will have a chance at making a playoff impact this year. If not, they are in serious danger of missing the playoffs entirely.

[phxspurfan]

Oh and after a look at the standings, we are now 6th (and one loss out of 9th).

The Jazz are 3rd. That's who we'd play if the playoffs started tomorrow, non?

Coach Sloan has led this team, with far less talent and the same chemistry issues (Booz, AK47...) to a 30-win record thus far. They are 9-1 in their last 10 and are riding a 6 game winning streak.

This is his roster and box score from their latest win over Portland.

pos min fgm-a 3pm-a ftm-a +/- off def tot ast pf st to bs ba pts
A. Kirilenko F 35:37 8-9 0-1 6-7 +11 0 6 6 8 4 2 2 2 0 22
P. Millsap F-C 41:12 4-8 0-0 4-4 +12 1 8 9 5 4 0 0 2 0 12
M. Okur C 33:12 11-13 1-2 5-5 +13 1 7 8 0 4 0 0 1 0 28
R. Brewer G-F 23:13 4-9 0-1 0-0 +7 0 1 1 3 0 0 0 0 1 8
D. Williams G 39:01 3-9 1-2 6-6 +8 0 4 4 13 2 0 3 0 0 13
C. Miles 17:44 3-7 2-4 2-2 +3 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 10
R. Price 08:12 1-3 0-1 2-2 +5 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 4
W. Matthews 24:47 6-6 0-0 4-6 +6 2 3 5 1 3 1 2 0 0 16
K. Korver 11:47 1-2 1-2 0-0 -3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 3
K. Fesenko 03:57 0-0 0-0 0-0 +3 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0
S. Gaines 00:47 1-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
K. Koufos 00:31 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0


That's Wes Matthews off the bench with 16, and former Spur D-leaguer CJ Miles with 10.

[rayray2k8]

.....




















But it's only February!!!

[SequSpur]

Oh and after a look at the standings, we are now 6th (and one loss out of 9th).

The Jazz are 3rd. That's who we'd play if the playoffs started tomorrow, non?

Coach Sloan has led this team, with far less talent and the same chemistry issues (Booz, AK47...) to a 30-win record thus far. They are 9-1 in their last 10 and are riding a 6 game winning streak.

This is his roster and box score from their latest win over Portland.

pos min fgm-a 3pm-a ftm-a +/- off def tot ast pf st to bs ba pts
A. Kirilenko F 35:37 8-9 0-1 6-7 +11 0 6 6 8 4 2 2 2 0 22
P. Millsap F-C 41:12 4-8 0-0 4-4 +12 1 8 9 5 4 0 0 2 0 12
M. Okur C 33:12 11-13 1-2 5-5 +13 1 7 8 0 4 0 0 1 0 28
R. Brewer G-F 23:13 4-9 0-1 0-0 +7 0 1 1 3 0 0 0 0 1 8
D. Williams G 39:01 3-9 1-2 6-6 +8 0 4 4 13 2 0 3 0 0 13
C. Miles 17:44 3-7 2-4 2-2 +3 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 10
R. Price 08:12 1-3 0-1 2-2 +5 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 4
W. Matthews 24:47 6-6 0-0 4-6 +6 2 3 5 1 3 1 2 0 0 16
K. Korver 11:47 1-2 1-2 0-0 -3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 3
K. Fesenko 03:57 0-0 0-0 0-0 +3 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0
S. Gaines 00:47 1-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
K. Koufos 00:31 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0


That's Wes Matthews off the bench with 16, and former Spur D-leaguer CJ Miles with 10.

and they swept the spurs...something Todd Tango can't relate to cuz he is sucking Pop's every night.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

Can you really blame them for not being as hungry as they were in 03? Or 06? Or even 08?

We're talkin about human beings here, not robots. And all of us on spurstalk have a very good grasp of our team's personalities. I can't blame them or fault them for not being the hungry ass monster of a team we've seen in the past, or having the emotion of other teams in this league.

Perhaps if we make a trade, that's the kind of player we should consider...if one is available. A loud, emotional, active leader, who is HUNGRY.

They need someone in there who will reignite the passion of all the veterans on this club. Richard Jefferson was thought by some to be hungry coming into this season...but we've now witnessed that he has no real fire or drive to be a champion.

[HarlemHeat37]

I don't think it's a matter of those guys not caring or giving it their all or whatever..I mean, they can play harder like they would in the playoffs, but that isn't the main problem..

This is an OLD team..this isn't like the previous OLD Spurs that had a younger big 3..now the big 3 is OLD and you're playing them with a bunch of players that are past their athletic primes..nobody is here to spark the team..they are slow and lifeless..

We obviously lack size, but we also clearly lack youth, athleticism and energy..they need players to spark the team when they're in a lull..we need to stop piling up slow players like Finley and Bogans, we need some athletic players that can bring some energy to this old ass team..

The Spurs need a spark..it needs to come from a trade and/or youth..the latter isn't going to happen because our coach doesn't believe it, but the former should happen..

[all_heart]

Something is up with them, they should be playing much better. I think it's Pop, he's going in the wrong direction with this team. Playing small ball against one of the biggest teams in the NBA, playing dinosaurs like Finley. I feel the worst for Timmy.

[Chomag]

I wish I could say the OP is an idiot.... dammiit for him being right though

[phxspurfan]

The Spurs need a spark..it needs to come from a trade and/or youth

What sucks is we have the pieces to make a deal to bring someone in (RMJ, Hill, Fin, Manu) but I think we're just going to stand pat or sign a big that won't help much. If we could go and get a couple players that are hungry as we could make a run. We need a Mario Elie/Malik kind of duo in here.

[phxspurfan]

A 7 foot Malik.

[DAF86]

I don't think will or desire are the problem, guys were really trying out there but no matter how hard you try you can't get taller, it's not our players fault that their coach decides to play a 6'6'' kid at center (along side four perimiter players) having three guys on the bench that are 7'0'' or close to it.

[spurtech09]

spurs would be ok if pop used his bigs he have like ian and theo....but no he rather play small ball....come on pop your better than that

[phxspurfan]

I don't think will or desire are the problem, guys were really trying out there but no matter how hard you try you can't get taller, it's not our players fault that their coach decides to play a 6'6'' kid at center (along side four perimiter players) having three guys on the bench that are 7'0'' or close to it.

I don't know about that, Duncan was out there for a few minutes and looked like he was playing with 50% effort. I'd like to be a Regular Season Duncan apologist, but at least someone should tell them that even Barkley knew it was a must win game.

[sabar]

I don't think will or desire are the problem, guys were really trying out there but no matter how hard you try you can't get taller, it's not our players fault that their coach decides to play a 6'6'' kid at center (along side four perimiter players) having three guys on the bench that are 7'0'' or close to it.

spurs would be ok if pop used his bigs he have like ian and theo....but no he rather play small ball....come on pop your better than that

I wish it was this easy, but anyone with eyes can see that the team is flawed through and through. Bigs don't make you play with heart, they don't improve your perimeter D, they don't make Jefferson play good, and they don't make our big 3 play with ANY consistency.

We are flawed through and through. Playing bigs is only ONE part of our PILE of problems.

Its going to take a serious fantasy trade to fix what we have. Playing bigs is hardly the problem, or we wouldn't have won so many games last year with the corpse of Finley, Bonner, and RMJ shouldering such a large load.

[SenorSpur]

I don't think it's a matter of those guys not caring or giving it their all or whatever..I mean, they can play harder like they would in the playoffs, but that isn't the main problem..

This is an OLD team..this isn't like the previous OLD Spurs that had a younger big 3..now the big 3 is OLD and you're playing them with a bunch of players that are past their athletic primes..nobody is here to spark the team..they are slow and lifeless..

We obviously lack size, but we also clearly lack youth, athleticism and energy..they need players to spark the team when they're in a lull..we need to stop piling up slow players like Finley and Bogans, we need some athletic players that can bring some energy to this old ass team..

The Spurs need a spark..it needs to come from a trade and/or youth..the latter isn't going to happen because our coach doesn't believe it, but the former should happen..

[Dro210]

Can you really blame them for not being as hungry as they were in 03? Or 06? Or even 08?

We're talkin about human beings here, not robots. And all of us on spurstalk have a very good grasp of our team's personalities. I can't blame them or fault them for not being the hungry ass monster of a team we've seen in the past, or having the emotion of other teams in this league.

Perhaps if we make a trade, that's the kind of player we should consider...if one is available. A loud, emotional, active leader, who is HUNGRY.

They need someone in there who will reignite the passion of all the veterans on this club. Richard Jefferson was thought by some to be hungry coming into this season...but we've now witnessed that he has no real fire or drive to be a champion.

You mean like Stephen Jackson.... We missed that boat. We got stuck on the one with Jefferson.

[neboat]

You mean like Stephen Jackson.... We missed that boat. We got stuck on the one with Jefferson.

[hommeaetage]

The sad part is we're not playing the Nets until March 29. A loss to them would really help right now

[Blackjack]

You mean like Stephen Jackson.... We missed that boat. We got stuck on the one with Jefferson.

Yeah, that dude's hungrier than a Somalian. (his words..)

[Dro210]

lol

Malik was a good energy guy 8-10 years ago.... Then he got old, fat, and rotted his mentality in the rotten apple, all while staying short and believing he has a 15-18ft'r... Don't think that he's the answer.

[HarlemHeat37]

lol

Malik was a good energy guy 8-10 years ago.... Then he got old, fat, and rotted his mentality in the rotten apple, all while staying short and believing he has a 15-18ft'r... Don't think that he's the answer.

The new Malik..

None of these guys are the answer, nobody is the answer unless it's Lebron James or Dwight Howard..

It would be nice to see some young guys playing with energy though, instead of these old-ass, slow players that don't do anything useful..I'd rather be losing with Hairston and Ian hustling and playing with energy, as opposed to these guys that can barely move anymore + RJ's soft-ass..

[phxspurfan]

The new Malik..

None of these guys are the answer, nobody is the answer unless it's Lebron James or Dwight Howard..

It would be nice to see some young guys playing with energy though, instead of these old-ass, slow players that don't do anything useful..I'd rather be losing with Hairston and Ian hustling and playing with energy, as opposed to these guys that can barely move anymore + RJ's soft-ass..

Damnit...if we only had Scola and Splitter...those guys would be bringing energy, hustle and heart every night. Plus rebounds, blocks and points.

[Obstructed_View]

Damnit...if we only had Hairston and Mahinmi...those guys would be bringing energy, hustle and heart every night. Plus rebounds, blocks and points.

[phxspurfan]

You know what sucks is Coach Phil plays his scrubs almost every night, and he gets value out of them. Josh Powell, Shannon Brown, DJ Mbenga, Mark Madsen, Medvedenko are like Hairston, James White(!), Mahinmi, etc...

Coach Pop needs to hang up on Larry Brown, put down the phone, go outside and see the talent he has in his lineup.

[murpjf88]

It has nothing to do with will or heart. They don't have the talent to compete. Duncan and Manu are no longer capable of carrying the Spurs to victory.