The End of the Tim Duncan Era.

[Arrowch4]

he needs to work really hard on his free throws this off season. and so do others.

[spursfan1000]

He can still contribute, he's just not a 1st or 2nd team all nba player anymore.

or 3rd or 4th

[rascal]

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.

Thats why I wanted the spurs to get into the lottery. There was no championship this year for this team. The higher the draft pick the higher the possibility to hit big in the draft.

[sananspursfan21]

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.

yah, really i thought this years offense was better than any i've ever seen. it was the defense that was the achilles heel. i never thought i'd see the day that the spurs would score 120+ (if my memory serves me, they did 4 or 5 times)

[Bender]

Richard Jefferson doesn't fall into that category. He's more of a leaper.

or leper.

[cheney212]

the era isnt over as long as we make a few changes and cut tims min. down with another solid player and get rid of bogans bonner and mason (mayne RJ) then spurs have a chance

[J_Paco]

Some people in this thread are complete idiots, or they didn't see how well Duncan played during the first 2/3 of the season. Timmy can still play at a high level, but having the burden of being the only interior scorer and defender wore him down, again. Pop must somehow resist the temptation to overwork Duncan during the regular season, his minutes should possibly be cut down to under 30 MPG, actually develop/ride the young big men (Blair, Splitter, Ian [?] or 2nd round pick) and specifically use Duncan as a defender/rebounder. He'll hopefully have more in the tank during the post-season.

Our le contending run maybe over, but I wouldn't doubt that Timmy still is a top 10/15 player.

[HarlemHeat37]

The era of winning les was over 2 years ago, it's tough to win without an elite player..

A lot of hyperbole towards Duncan though..he had a very good series and his post defense was fantastic in this series, limiting Stoudemire to a lot worse than we expected to see from him..Duncan put up around 21 PPG, 11 RPG and 2.5 BPG in this series, the only flaw being his FT%..it's very unfair to rely on Duncan, without mobility, to defend both the perimeter and the inside..it's a product of the Spurs not having anybody else up front and the fact that Pop's strategy was poor on the defensive end..

I have no idea where this talk is coming from TBH..he's no longer dominant, but he's still easily a top 15 player in the NBA IMO..you aren't going to get as much from him by making him carry the burden in the 1st half of the season though..the only big men I would take ahead of Duncan would be Dwight, Dirk and Ugly Racist..

[Lars]

Manu/Td to the Rox imo

[SPURSGOAT]

The Duncan era isn't over until he retires.

[Blackjack]

Yeah, his demise is greatly exaggerated. He's set an impossible standard for a 34-year-old player with bad knees to meet, but he's still a top five big in the league and could easily be the second or third best player on a championship team -- as long as the talent surrounding him allows it.

The era of Tim being the best player on the team and a perennial MVP candidate is over. The model in which the Spurs have won their four championship is over. The Spurs' championship hopes, however, are not over (yet) -- they're murky and even bleak, and just about an ungodly amount of good fortune has to come their way, but when you've got Tim and Manu locked up for the next couple of years ... you've got a shot; championship teams need a Tim and a Manu, they just need them to not be counted on as they've been in the past.

In all likelihood, we've seen the last of Tim's championship run in San Antonio.

But, then again, in all likelihood, you don't win the Draft twice in ten-years -- ending up with two of the greatest big men to ever play the game -- and draft two players that could both end up in the Hall of Fame with a late first and a late second; in all likelihood small market San Antonio doesn't when a championship, much less four.

It ain't over 'til it's over y'all -- we of all people should know not to close the door prematurely.

[Agloco]

it was a great run. that 2007 sweep of the Cavs was the true end of the Duncan Era.

Splitting hairs here, but I think the official end came at 0:00 4th quarter Game 5, 2008 WCF; Staples Center, Los Angeles CA.

We were still a better team than the Lakers that year but injuries cost us.

[rmt]

it was a great run. that 2007 sweep of the Cavs was the true end of the Duncan Era.

I think it could have been extended, but complacency/arrogance (whatever you want to call it) caused them to stand pat and resign Oberto, Vaughn, Bonner, etc. I guess they looked around and saw only DAL (who were embarrassed by GSW) and PHX (who they owned) as compe ion. So instead of improving the team, they traded away Scola (16/9) and kept Bonner (7/3). Of course, they couldn't have known about the Gasol trade, and Garnett and Allen to BOS.

If the Spurs had kept Scola, they wouldn't need McDyess. They could have used the MLE to get a long, defensive SF who can hit the 3 like Ariza. If they had kept Ratliff and brought back Bowen, they'd have:

Duncan/Ratliff/Splitter (in 2010)
Scola/Blair
Jefferson/Ariza/Bowen
Manu/Hill
Parker

There's:
shot blocking (Duncan, Ratliff)
defense (Duncan, Ratliff, Ariza, Bowen)
length (Duncan, Ratliff, Ariza)
low-post scoring + rebounding (Duncan, Scola, Blair)
3pt shooting (Bowen, Ariza, Manu, Hill)
penetration (Manu, Parker, Jefferson/replacement)
mid-range shooting (Scola?, Manu, Parker, Hill)
ball-handling (Manu, Parker, Hill)
big-stage experience (everyone except Hill and Blair)

NB: these are all players (except Jefferson) who do multiple things well instead of players (Bogans, Mason, Bonner) who only do 1 thing well (and lately - not even 1 thing).

With Scola and Splitter on board next year, Duncan could play 25 mins. in the RS and save his knees for the playoffs. With Temple and Hairston and so many players 30 or younger (Scola, Splitter, Blair, Ariza, Parker, Hill), they'd be more likely to trade Jefferson and take on a long-term contract.

One last rant: the trainer who OKed/suggested Duncan running up steep inclines and throwing tires should be fired. His knee problems got a lot worse after that summer. For the rest of his career (is that only 2 more summers? :-( he should only swim.

[Russ]

The End of the Tim Duncan Era.

I didn't mean that Duncan was done, just the Duncan era Spurs dynasty.

And I hope it starts anew in 24 hours . . .

[clubalien]

It was a great run but it is over.

Since the big 3 will likely remain, I think San Antonio will remain in the playoff picture. Not sure if they'll be an actual playoff team though.

But I'd expect somewhat of a Pistons overhaul/retooling process.

Can't stay on top forever

detriot got to retool with the secound pick of the draft correct.

we have had good luck drafting players like tim and david. that is or only hope since lebron probaly will resign with cavs and dirk might still sign an extension

[dbreiden83080]

or 3rd or 4th

Oh please...

[ElNono]

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?

Not really, and I'm too lazy to look it up. I do still have some private messages I interchanged with Mel_13 early in the season about Bonner, and the defense overall...

But this is certainly a discussion we had early in the season, when I was severely disgusted in the lack of an actual stopper, and Finley and Bonner being starters. Deja vu indeed.

[ElNono]

Blackjack, thanks for finding it. This was after a loss to Chicago, back in January.

[peskypesky]

the Scola trade torpedoed the Duncan Era. period.

[peskypesky]

"Scola trade will go down as the biggest mistake in Spurs history

That's just the harsh truth, he won't just be good he will be great in the NBA and that guard the Spurs picked up won't be anything special

let's just hope Duncan can overcome yet another stupid move by the Spurs FO and carry this team to another le."

-Spurs Dynasty 21
09-01-2007

[poop]

Matt Bonner is the embodiment/symbol of all that has been wrong with this team. as long as he is on the team/in the rotation we will NEVER win a le.

[Capt Bringdown]

"Scola trade will go down as the biggest mistake in Spurs history

That's just the harsh truth, he won't just be good he will be great in the NBA and that guard the Spurs picked up won't be anything special

let's just hope Duncan can overcome yet another stupid move by the Spurs FO and carry this team to another le."

-Spurs Dynasty 21
09-01-2007

Not even Duncan could overcome that move. We continue to grasp at straws. It's hard to imagine another another contender pissing away an opportunity like that, but I'm sure it's happened.

[Strike]

Losing Horry was the first straw, and losing Bowen was the last. This is no longer the team that won les, and it's time to officially retire the 4 rings smack.

As soon as Lakerfan stops pulling all 15 rings out of their ass.

[Josepatches_]

The era of winning les was over 2 years ago, it's tough to win without an elite player..

A lot of hyperbole towards Duncan though..he had a very good series and his post defense was fantastic in this series, limiting Stoudemire to a lot worse than we expected to see from him..Duncan put up around 21 PPG, 11 RPG and 2.5 BPG in this series, the only flaw being his FT%..it's very unfair to rely on Duncan, without mobility, to defend both the perimeter and the inside..it's a product of the Spurs not having anybody else up front and the fact that Pop's strategy was poor on the defensive end..

I have no idea where this talk is coming from TBH..he's no longer dominant, but he's still easily a top 15 player in the NBA IMO..you aren't going to get as much from him by making him carry the burden in the 1st half of the season though..the only big men I would take ahead of Duncan would be Dwight, Dirk and Ugly Racist..

True.
Duncan is enough good yet.How many teams have a better PF/C in the league? Orlando,Lakers? Raptors? Howard and maybe Bosh are the only ones. The league is very different right now.

But every year TD will be worse.And TD is the only player who can put this team in the top of the league.Offense,defense....everything was built around him in the good years. Nesterovic,Oberto,Nazr....they aren't really better than Dice or Blair but TD was a lot better so he doesn't need help.

We still are a good team but not good enough to win.Cavs,Magic,Lakers...we are 2 or 3 steps behind

But those 2 or 3 steps are big.

[dbestpro]

I am on the side that Duncan wore out both mentally and physically by trying to maintian as the only big on the floor. Small ball did more damage than you can show with just statistics. I felt we should have resigned Ian and developed him as the young shot blocker along side Timmy. Duncan needs a younger side kick to hand the ball too. He needs to take a lesser role in the offense, but we need another young inside player to get this done. Splitter will provide support and may be the guy. I would have liked to see an active Ian be part of that combined solution. If Ian goes elsewhere and is effective we really have to start putting Pop's feet to the fire.