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you pretty much said it. We are a mediocre, 50% team or a bit better. Borderline playoff, if we get lucky we'd get 6 or 7 seed. 1st round, if lucky 2nd round fodder.
Seeing how we went to the wire with the last place team in the west(Houston 3-7), we got routed by the 1st place team in the west(thunder 10-2), but beat the mavs who's now showing promise, how do we really stand-up in the west?
you pretty much said it. We are a mediocre, 50% team or a bit better. Borderline playoff, if we get lucky we'd get 6 or 7 seed. 1st round, if lucky 2nd round fodder.
I would say we're like the 6th best team in the West.
We do have a big game against Portland on Friday (at home thankfully) who have been playing really well this season.
I'm just really really concerned about the defense. Giving Kawhi more minutes has been great, but hopefully Splitter can continue to have his minutes increased and Duncan/Parker continue to step up to the plate.
I'm way more concerend about the offense. Right now, this whole thing hinges on Parker being able to take over games. No one else is really getting involved. Parker had a good offensive game against an average Houston team with pretty bad defense. I really don't see where the offense is going to come from if they play a good defensive team or if Parker is missing his shots.
Just stop posting.
Unfortunately, it's win by the three, die by the three, that's where the offense comes from.
Well, the Spurs are #2 in the NBA in terms of offensive efficiency right now.
Also they're #3 in the league in overall PPG.
If you look at how they've shot the past couple games that Manu has missed here is the FG percentages:
46% vs. Hou
60% vs. MIL
42% vs. OKL
55% vs. DEN
40% vs. DAL
47% vs. GS
The offense has been fine, just the 3 point shooting has been crappy.
let's revisit this issue mid March and i'll tell you...
We suck
With ginobili back 100% I'd say we could make it to the WCF if all the stars align
For as long as we can keep things together until Manu and TJ comes back, then we are good enough.
With Manu healthy we're probably top 5 in the West, but definitely not 1-3. Without him we're playing for a 6-8 seed. Honestly I wouldn't mind if the Spurs just mailed it in this season, missed the playoffs, and got a decent lotto pick in a deep draft. We're not doing anyway. The West is stacked with above average/good teams but no real great/elite teams besides OKC.
But without Leonard turning into Bowen overnight and Duncan suddenly having the same defensive impact as he did in 2003, we're not doing for the foreseeable future.
We will either rise or fall based off of our defense. We have shown some promise at times with Leonard, Green, and Splitter, but Bonner and Blair remain the Achilles heel in this regard. If we could get rid of one of them for a more defensive minded big, then I think we could do some damage. It is our only hope of play as an elite team.
With a healthy Manu, Spurs are a contender. Without, they're a borderline playoff team. That's my assessment. I mean, you have to remember that Manu kept the Spurs compe ive with the Grizzlies using a freshly broken arm. Having him healthy at the end is by far the most important thing.
As a sense of history in the last strike shortened season the Spurs started 6-8 then went 31 and 5. This team is not that good to go on that kind of run [and the schedule is tougher];but if Duncan can get back to the level of the last two games more, and Parker can return to a high level the Spurs should make the playoffs somewhere in the 4-6th position. They who really knows going forward? If this team does gell and has a healthy Manu there are only a few teams (Lakers have to be at least the co-favorities with Bynum and the way Bryant is playing along with the Thunder) that are definetively stonger. Also, don't rule out a mid season pickup.
Average at best without Manu.
We got to get Thomas acclimated as soon as possible. Him and Leonard know how to play defense together and would be a whole lot better than what we have now. And yet without Manu we would still be borderline.
I guess the stats don't lie. But that's not a particularly tough (defensively) group of teams.
I hate to sound dumb but I loved the lineup with
Parker
Leonard
Jefferson
Splintter
Duncan
But when Ginobili gets back, let him run the point an bench Parker. Splintter runs that p&r like no other. An the way timmyhas been shooting that midrange is just what we need. Leonard being a great slasher, an Jefferson being that spot up that we need. I've played with that lineup on 2k 12 an man its nice. Rebounding is nice.
That I agree with.
With Manu top 3, without Manu 6-10.
As bad as the Spurs are defensively, opponents are going to always be able to get what they want - especially on the inside. The last 2 playoff series (Grizzlies '11 and Suns '10) bear this out.
As such, I would say the Spurs are a mediocre team. One that will likely be a fringe playoff team. They're not quite good enough to challenge to top-tier teams, but not quite bad enough to miss the playoffs entirely. If they do miss the playoffs, they're not likely to be bad enough to get into the top tier of the NBA Draft Lottery.
It's not a good situation to be in.
another first round exit
Our defense has been horrid on the road and better at home. We need to improve that area or we are just a middle of the pack team, which may lead to a 6th or 7th seed at best. However, there are 4 areas that will determine our level of success.
1. The return of Ginobli and Ford and play to the level b4 their injury.
2. Young guys continue to improve (Splitter, Green & Leonard - I gave up on Anderson)
3. Team Defense improvement (Can't continue to allow teams to score at will - especially on the road)
4. Pop (the 3 young guys I mentioned above need to be given the time on the court since they are our best defensive players) - at least 25min per game for each!
If all that happens then we could be dangerous team when the playoff arrives.
Uh, some people in this thread are forgetting that the Spurs are missing their best player and clutch time performer..
The West is completely wide open..if Manu comes back healthy, Leonard continues to improve and Splitter starts receiving 20-25+ minutes on a regular basis, the Spurs are as good as any team in the weak West..
If it was an 82 game season, I wouldn't give the Spurs a realistic chance, but considering it's a tricky season, and considering there are no elite teams in the conference, they have a realistic chance, despite the glaring issues..
This conference doesn't have a 2008-2010 Lakers, 2005-2007 Spurs, etc..it's the weakest West since 1998..
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