At the start of the '09-'10 season, San Antonio was beaming after the signing of Antonio McDyess, the drafting of Dejuan Blair and of course, the perceived theft of Richard Jefferson from the Milwaukee Bucks. While most analysts still favored the Lakers to emerge from the West, there was a general consensus that the Spurs were legitimate contenders who belonged in the championship conversation.
Then they started playing basketball games.
Through the first four months of the season, Greg Popovich's troops did most everything in their power to convince us they were NOT championship contenders. And we believed them. Why wouldn't we? While they feasted on bottom feeders, time and time again they imitated a mouse in a viper pit against +.500 teams.
Many San Antonio fans clinged to hope that the "Rodeo Road Trip" would unite what appeared to be a disjointed, disheartened... and perhaps even slightly disinterested roster, as it had in so many seasons past. But the Spurs managed a mere 4-4 mark on the road trip and were no better off when they returned home.
Then... right about the time when even the most optimistic Spurs fans began to abandon hope, things began to change. Super-Manu reemerged, Richard Jefferson returned from... well, wherever the he was for the first four months of the season, and the Silver and Black began to more closely resemble the team most of us envisioned over the summer.
Despite the loss of Tony Parker to a broken hand, San Antonio went 18-7 and played .720 basketball from February 28 until the final game of the season. Just as - or perhaps MORE - importantly, this unit finally proved they could beat the NBA's best. Over the final 22 games of the season, they beat the Lakers, Cavs, Magic, Celtics, and defeated the Nuggets and Thunder on the road (on the second night of a back-to-backs).
After spending so much of the season helping the league forget all about them, few noticed the Spurs' late-season surge. Had San Antonio performed as well from day-1 of the season as they played in its final six weeks, it's unlikely they ever would have been tagged with the large "underdog" label they wore into post-season play.
But let's face it... just as long as you play well enough to deserve a playoff berth (or play in the Eastern Conference), the games played during the regular season are little more than a prolonged series of exhibition games. It's compe ive foreplay. All that matters is how healthy and effective your team is come playoff time. And as Tim Duncan pointed out after last night's game-3 victory over the Mavericks to take a 2-1 series lead, the Spurs are playing their best basketball of the season, and they're finally healthy.
After a game-1 performance more in keeping with their early season play, the Spurs flashed the closest thing to championship form in games 2-4 that we've seen from this team in at least two years... or perhaps even since they hoisted their last Larry O'Brien trophy.
Sunday night, we saw something I wasn't sure they were still capable of... championship defense. And with the "Big 3" combining for only 31 points, the Spurs' supporting cast, let by George Hills' 29 points, stepped up to bridge the gap. They gutted out a win on a night when the core of their offense sputtered throughout the game. That's the sort of thing championship teams do. It's the kind of thing championship San Antonio teams HAVE done.
Is it possible? Are the Spurs peaking at exactly the right time? Could it happen?
Last edited by Kent_in_Atlanta; 04-25-2010 at 09:43 PM.
They've risen to "Maybe Can Beat the Mavs" Level. Which is a huge improvement from where they were in February and March.
Beating the Lakers, Cavs, or Magicn in a seven-game series would require another level entirely. if Hill gets fully healthy, and they start getting something meaningful from Blair and Bonner, it's possible.
I've come to a similar realization last night, hope i'm not mistaken. I sensed that finally the spurs players were playing at a highest level now. It's like a sleeping giant has awaken.
Hill is now playing very well and making shots. RJ is contributing more. I felt Blair started to understand his role more. TD is playing like the dominant player he's always been. Parker is playing very smart basketball right now and Manu is back to his old self.
This could be good signs, especially when they didn't roll over and gave up after the mavs run. For a moment there I was skeptical and made me recall similar games the spurs threw away. But once they got back in the game it reminded me of the winning playoff seasons.
Don't expect much from Blair. He's still a rookie and you know what Pop thinks about rookies in the playoffs (might get some minutes if the Spurs play the Suns though since that's a good match-up for him).
We do look better, but we really need Bonner and Blair to step up if we're gonna go any far. We cannot survive in the playoffs with 6 consistent players.
Los Spurs are playing run-resistant, championship-tough basketball.
Right, the first three quarters were nothing we hadn't seen before. Manning up in the fourth quarter was a huge change, though.
Blair would be getting a lot more minutes if he wasn't spazzing out so much. He did have a couple of nice moments last night. Hopefully playing with a series lead will get him to relax.
No. Ceiling is now the WCF.
this is spurs playoff basketball its like seeing a different team out there....
let's take it one game at a time, one series at a time. then maybe, just maybe... we get to the Promise Land again.
To be honest this team makes alot of us look like fools. I mean you think they are out and they win and then you think they will win and they loose. When we beat the Mavs the only team that scares me in the West is Utah and Portland in that they for some reason they have our number.
If the Spurs keep moving the ball and playing smart who knows how far they can go? Just have to pray to the basketball gods to give us that little luck that every team needs to win a championship.
Lakers and Phx do not look unbeatable.
We do need to get a dependable front court performance from the bench though.
The Spurs were very inconsistent for most of the year..at the halfway point, a lot of fans didn't mind just getting a lottery pick instead, myself included..
When Manu became Manu again, it gave us optimism..at the end of all that, I said that I believe the Spurs could make it to the WCF if the guys are healthy, and that's still where I stand today..
While none of the "elites" look that good right now, especially the Lakers, the Spurs are still lacking IMO..the Spurs will need 2 players to step up and contribute..a 6-man rotation isn't enough..Bonner has to step up and Blair(or Bogans if the Spurs play against LA) will have to occasionally contribute IMO..even if that happens, the Spurs will also still need some hot shooting to make it..it's probably unlikely that both Bonner and Blair contribute anyways, but we can hope..
The odds are extremely bad anyways..a 7th seed winning a le is pretty much impossible(even though the Spurs aren't an ordinary 7)..the road would have to be Dallas, Portland/Phoenix, LA and Cleveland/Orlando..that would be the most difficult le run in NBA history..
Anyways, it's all premature either way, Spurs might not even make it past the 1st round..
spurs still lack a consistent bench to be considered championship level. the good news though is that the big 3 is finally clicking again after two seasons of injuries. progress will need to be taken one round at a time. hill, jefferson, and mcdyess need to be solid role players all at the same time for the spurs to contend.
Since the trade, the Mavs have been right up there with anybody. The Lakers with Bynum will be a tough, and the Cavs and the Magic may be the only teams that can beat each other, but if the Spurs can handle the Mavs, they have as good a shot as anyone in the West. Here's hoping they all stay healthy!
Duncun is playing like the the Duncan of old. Manu has been pretty impressive. Parker is coming back to form.
Hill is definitely a big improvement.
However, if we see Jefferson and McDyess become consistent contributors and when we see Bonner and Blair make solid contributions then we definitely are championship level.
Let's see then, that's a decent 8 man rotation.
No, but the is finally in sight.
no team in the playoffs is looking unbeatable at all. the magic probably look the best, but they've got major flaws as well. i like the spurs' chances.
Watch the spurs lose tomorrow and then the whole forum will go ape and the "fire pop", "trade duncan/parker/manu/ for Lebron" threads will come..
That's the typical spur fan I know.
Championship level? No. This team looks more like the '08 Spurs.
If they had a Solid defensive Center to play along side Duncan or to relieve Duncan then it would be more of a debate. The lack of size on this Spurs roster leaves them a step under the top teams in the league. Getting past the WCF or winning the ship would be quite miraculous to say the least(assuming its against the Lakers and the Magic). No matter how good they playing.
And yes can we focus on the Mavs. Everything else is quite a ways away atm...
I'd say no, on the basis of their key players probably not having the energy to sustain their current level of play throughout four rounds. For the most part, Duncan is playing great, but can he continue at this pace? Not just numbers-wise, but minutes-wise? I think he can for this series (though he's due for an off shooting game; hopefully it doesn't come until game five), but four rounds, I'm skeptical.
The lack of a second big man to protect the rim, at some point, will catch up to the Spurs, as will their lack of trust (rightfully so) past their top six players. But all that being said, this team is capable of at least making the Western Conference Finals. Not to look too far ahead, but they got a promising result on their likely second round opponent if they advance, with the Suns losing.
Spurs are playing well offensively, but not on level defensively. There defense has gone up a level but needs to be spot on tomorrow to get the win.
Watch the spurs lose tomorrow and then the whole forum will go ape and the "fire pop", "trade duncan/parker/manu/ for Lebron" threads will come..
That's the typical spur fan I know.
u deserve a facepalm
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