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Like night and day, the difference between those teams and the sorry state we're in now.
Soft and getting softer.
We kind of started the transition with Hill and Blair. To be honest, we do need more depth, but not the offensive kind. We really need better defenders surrounding the big 3, not the gimmicks like Bogans, or the flat out failures on D like Bonner, RJ or Mason.
It's a stretch, but if we can find that defensive personnel, and go back to that defensive iden y, we might have one more shot.
Like night and day, the difference between those teams and the sorry state we're in now.
Soft and getting softer.
I am possitive, we need new blood. George Hill will be great next years.
That's really the crux of it right there: This might be the most talented offensive Spurs team ever but they don't run a better, more efficient offense -- they're pretty ill-fitted -- and their defense has really taken a hit -- the Spurs of yesteryear won with lesser, better fitting offensive talent and a great defense. You can't simply say we lost this much defense but gained this much offense, so it all balances out. It just doesn't work that way.
Plus, this team's lost so much more than just a physical skillset. It's what I was alluding to in my piece "The Prestige". It's an intelligence and an intangible that you're rarely able to replace. You're lucky enough to find it once, much less over the course of a decade on your way to four les.
The Spurs are going to need to hit big in the draft, luck out in free-agency or a trade, hope that Splitter is more than just a solid rotation big or some combination of the three, to legitimately challenge for another le. It's going to take a of a lot of luck and good fortune for it to happen, but ... hey . . . This franchise does seem to have some pretty decent luck.
this year draft could be a good one for taking some young legs for defense...hopefully we could buy a low 1th
Duncan is still great!But he's getting old.He needs helpers,no matter in center or better bench or 3pt shooter or...The Spurs must buy something useful this time.
Deja Vu. We had a fairly similar conversation when the season started. Back then, Bogans showed promise, but he turned out to be a gimmick.That's really the crux of it right there: This might be the most talented offensive Spurs team ever but they don't run a better, more efficient offense -- they're pretty ill-fitted -- and their defense has really taken a hit -- the Spurs of yesteryear won with lesser, better fitting offensive talent and a great defense. You can't simply say we lost this much defense but gained this much offense, so it all balances out. It just doesn't work that way.
Plus, this team's lost so much more than just a physical skillset. It's what I was alluding to in my piece "The Prestige". It's an intelligence and an intangible that you're rarely able to replace. You're lucky enough to find it once, much less over the course of a decade on your way to four les.
The Spurs are going to need to hit big in the draft, luck out in free-agency or a trade, hope that Splitter is more than just a solid rotation big or some combination of the three, to legitimately challenge for another le. It's going to take a of a lot of luck and good fortune for it to happen, but ... hey . . . This franchise does seem to have some pretty decent luck.
I liked what we did against Dallas. But against a deeper team that executes well, we just really have no answers.
And completely agree with the 'corporate knowledge' and 'basketball IQ' take. We really managed to pile up a bunch of not only soft, but dumb basketball players. I'm looking at you Mason, Bogans, RJ and Bonner...
I'm extremely concern with the prospect of Splitter being a failed experiment after all. We'll see but after some of the last failures we can't never be 100% sure of anything anymore. I agree with you, a lot of luck will be needed again.The Spurs are going to need to hit big in the draft, luck out in free-agency or a trade, hope that Splitter is more than just a solid rotation big or some combination of the three, to legitimately challenge for another le. It's going to take a of a lot of luck and good fortune for it to happen, but ... hey . . . This franchise does seem to have some pretty decent luck.
Splitter's only going to be a failure if the expectation is unreasonable: If you're expecting the guy to be an All-Star, you're probably going to be disappointed.
I think at worst he's a solid rotation big. But if he ends up being a legitimate number 2 big and someone that can coexist with Tim in the starting lineup -- which isn't out out of the realm -- he'll be quite the coup -- but it still doesn't mean he's enough to capture another le.
They've got some work to do in addition to the good fortune they've got to hope for. But, still, it's hard to complain -- given we've been lucky enough to experience the true Golden Age of Spurs basketball (something most fans are never afforded).
I remember the conversation but I can't quite remember the topic -- I think it was in a 48MoH thread. Do you remember so I can check it out?
it was a great run. that 2007 sweep of the Cavs was the true end of the Duncan Era.
The ironic thing is, this is what people were saying about the Phoenix Suns Steve Nash era as recently as last year. People vastly underrate chemistry and its importance. This team has the talent to compete. Next year, with Splitter, a more mature Blair and Hill, a healthy parker, and a potentially improved Jefferson, we can be an even more talented team than we are this year. But if the parts dont fit together, it won't matter. That's what this will all be about. The window is open if the parts fit. If they don't, like this year, it doesnt matter how much talent we have. Look at the Blazers of a decade ago.
Go kill yourself.
Agree. I'm going to support them no doubt.
Good take. We have been very lucky for a long time. It was bound to run out eventually. Maybe we can get it back though.That's really the crux of it right there: This might be the most talented offensive Spurs team ever but they don't run a better, more efficient offense -- they're pretty ill-fitted -- and their defense has really taken a hit -- the Spurs of yesteryear won with lesser, better fitting offensive talent and a great defense. You can't simply say we lost this much defense but gained this much offense, so it all balances out. It just doesn't work that way.
Plus, this team's lost so much more than just a physical skillset. It's what I was alluding to in my piece "The Prestige". It's an intelligence and an intangible that you're rarely able to replace. You're lucky enough to find it once, much less over the course of a decade on your way to four les.
The Spurs are going to need to hit big in the draft, luck out in free-agency or a trade, hope that Splitter is more than just a solid rotation big or some combination of the three, to legitimately challenge for another le. It's going to take a of a lot of luck and good fortune for it to happen, but ... hey . . . This franchise does seem to have some pretty decent luck.
It looks bad, but its a possibility with a little luck to extend the run...it just isnt likely. But I shall wait and hope. Always. Oh,...
P.S.
I Love You
The Duncan era Spurs dominated the Suns. Unless the Spurs mount the greatest comeback in NBA playoff history, the Duncan era is finished. He's incapable at this point of playing a dominant role in a championship run.
That doesn't mean Duncan won't win another le with the Spurs, but it would have to be in a supportive role, similar to the role The Admiral played on our championship teams. Who knows if that new "X" era will ever come into being...
Rebuild the bench and give him a center and the Spurs will be back in action. I have zero doubts the front office hasn't noticed how weak the bench play has been.
Not over. Get Splitter. Trade Jefferson somehow for better spot shooting SFs. Let TP recover from his multiple injuries in the off-season. Let George Hill refine his game a little bit more over the offseason. Make DeJuan Blair learn some jump shots in the offseason. And the Spurs will be back in the playoffs in the next season, contending well.
Yup...it's been a uva run, but it is indeed over. I'll always love Timmy and the Spurs, though!
I agree, the days for the Spurs to be contenders are gone, in 2008.
Duncan could be a fantastic sub, certainly not the key man in the middle anymore.
He is 34, has bad knees and 25' max is what you can ask.
Trade parker: he is way past his prime.
12 ankle injuries is a lot for a small guy.
The real question is why Ginobili sticked to this team.
I don't think Duncan's era has closed just yet. The Spurs were a 50 win team, and beat the second seed in the Mavs . The Spurs need to make some changes but the Spurs door is still barely open .
Hopefully, find a trade for RJ and try to get a better bench with more versatility.
I don't think it's the end of TD era. Just look at this Suns team. They didn't even made the playoffs last season and now they are one win away from the WCF and with the same group. The only difference is Frye in place o ONeal.
I just hope the Spurs can do the same. Get ride of the deadweight like Mason, Bonner, Jefferson and Bogans and keep developing Blair, Hill and Malik. Tiago arrive will also help.
With Tony and Manu not playing in the summer I think we can have one more run
Replacing Mason and Bonner with De Colo and Splitter should be an upgrade if the FO can lure Splitter and decide that they desperately need shooting help from De Colo. Drafting Paul George helps with defense and gets another shooter. Maybe see if any team is interested in RJ. It's not the end of the Duncan era, but it's close. I think there's 1, maybe 2 years left.
I refuse to give up until it's done. But if this is it, I will drink to the greatness I have witnessed since 97-98.
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