Holy moly: Bill Simmons compares the Spurs to the '86 Celtics

[tesseractive]

Four hours later, I returned to Staples one final time to watch the Clippers get swept by the Spurs. At this point, all the games felt like they were blending into each other — my head hurt, my back hurt, my voice was scratchy and my concentration was totally shot. Playoff games are simply too intense; they weren't meant to be experienced as a series of events in rapid succession — you know, like Coac a or something — especially because we aren't allowed to do drugs in the stands. And had it been any other basketball team but the Spurs for that sixth and final game, I would have zoned out and said fewer words than Ryan Gosling did in Drive.

But that's the thing — if you love basketball and (more important) love watching basketball played correctly, the 2012 San Antonio Spurs have a way of grabbing your attention. They play beautifully together. They pull for each other. They make each other better. They score so easily, and in so many different ways, that you almost can't even process all the different plays as a whole. On Saturday, they eviscerated the Clippers by scoring 24 straight points in the third quarter, bringing back memories of the '86 Celtics dropping 25 straight against the Hawks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The biggest difference: The Spurs did it on the road. The biggest similarity: Everything else.

You don't score 24 straight points because a couple of your guys caught fire. It happens because you're toying with the other team. It happens because you're getting so many good shots in a series that, occasionally, they end up clustering together and forming something special. It happens because you know you're great, and because great teams have a way of smelling blood and finishing opponents off — but also, you're doing it with a little extra flair because you're competing against the ceiling of what you can achieve (not your opponents). The last NBA team that said to itself, "We're playing for something beyond just a le here" was the 2001 Lakers — the best Shaq/Kobe team, as well as the last time those two guys were fully invested in each other's success. It hasn't happened since. It's happening right now, it happened at Staples Center, and it's going to keep happening through next month's Finals (and yes, they're going to win, barring an injury).

Beyond the creative brilliance of Parker and Ginobili, Popovich's superior coaching and Duncan's undeniable rejuvenation on both ends — just three months ago, he played the Clippers on one leg, passed up the chance to post up Caron Butler in big spots and made me mutter the words, "Man, I hate seeing Duncan like this," then something shifted for him, and now, he's playing his best basketball in five years — it's the chemistry of the 2012 Spurs that leaves you breathless. I know, that's a weird thing to write. How can chemistry leave you breathless? But in person, the little things stand out — you know, teammates feeding off each other, bench guys reacting to big plays, players always making the extra pass, guys constantly talking to each other, even simple moments like Duncan gleefully congratulating Danny Green after Green stopped Chris Paul at the end of Game 4. Duncan wasn't happy that Green came through for the Spurs; he was happy for Green as a friend. Big difference.

And once you build a foundation that strong — when guys aren't just teammates but friends, when nobody looks at their numbers, when everything revolves around the question, "What's the best way to win today's game?" — everything else is cake. On Saturday, the Clippers played their best possible basketball for the first 12 minutes, nailed the Spurs with every conceivable haymaker and had their fans standing and screaming. You couldn't have scripted a better first quarter. The Spurs never flinched, chopping the lead to 15 and eliciting the first of many panicked Clippers timeouts. Watching the Spurs and their bench reacting to that moment (totally locked in, totally expecting the Clippers to cave), you could just tell where the game was going. I even tweeted about it. Great teams know they're great. They trust the process. Scores don't matter, crowds don't matter, momentum doesn't matter — eventually, the process will win out. And they know it.

The following night, they staved off another Clippers rally and took a three-point lead with 1:47 to play on Parker's pretty floater, only the 790th easy shot San Antonio had gotten in those past two games. Lob City called a 20-second timeout and Layup City skipped over to its bench to celebrate what just happened. Duncan led the way, a small grin spread across his face, doling out dorky high-fives and generally enjoying himself. That grin said the following four things:

We are better than them. I couldn't be less worried. This game shouldn't have even been this close. Let's go home.

A few minutes later, they did. And so did we. Over everything else that happened during the Playoff Eclipse, I will remember the San Antonio Spurs waltzing through town, laying the smack down and leaving with a smile.

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/...pse-chronicles

Wow.

[bthewigwam]

Just read this article, wasn't expecting so much Spurs love. Awesome to read.

[SpurinDallas]

Great read from Simmons. Surprised he didn't talk about the phone call between him and his father during the comeback on Saturday

[timvp]

Great article, tbh.

But it makes me squeamish to read such high Spurs praise after only two rounds of basketball . . .

[tesseractive]

Great article, tbh.

But it makes me squeamish to read such high Spurs praise after only two rounds of basketball . . .

Exactly. As much fun as it is to read, it scares the crap out of me.

[Mugen]

Especially when they've only beaten an inexperienced Jazz team and a banged up Clipper team.

[Manu-20]

Especially when they've only beaten an inexperienced Jazz team and a banged up Clipper team.

Everyone here keeps saying its the spurs compe ion as to why they look so good but when you do this thing 18 straight games moving the ball never pancking it is clear it's no fluke and everyone here will realize just how great the spurs are playing when they finish the thunder in 4 or 5 max.

[TDMVPDPOY]

i see what the media is doing

build them up, then bury them when they fail...

[Basketball Power]

We are going 16-0

[Keepin' it real]

Great article, tbh.

But it makes me squeamish to read such high Spurs praise after only two rounds of basketball . . .

Squeamish? Get a life. It's a pro basketball team ... not your son or daughter. Enjoy the ride!

[Mugen]

Everyone here keeps saying its the spurs compe ion as to why they look so good but when you do this thing 18 straight games moving the ball never pancking it is clear it's no fluke and everyone here will realize just how great the spurs are playing when they finish the thunder in 4 or 5 max.

I think they've been the best team in the NBA for the last month and a half. But they've definitely had the easiest playoff opponents out of all the remaining playoff teams.

If they sweep the Thunder, I'll be more than happy to GNSF it up and proclaim them as an all time great team who's going undefeated en route to a .

[Old School 44]

I think some in the media feel the Spurs are in the midst of doing something epic. I do too. I even think most of the fans on this board feel the same way, but most are afraid to say it. Just like they were afraid to say "sweep" against the Jazz and then against the Clippers. Fran Blinebury, NBA.com feels it, Simmons knows it. Players Al Jefferson and Randy Foye witnessed and commented about it. Nobody's beating this TEAM!

BELIEVE!

[TDMVPDPOY]

if we go 16-0

spurs 12> bulls 96

[Drachen]

i see what the media is doing

build them up, then bury them when they fail...

no, I think the NBA finally got smart and saw that the spurs have a great shot at the finals. They figured they better start promoting us as something casual fans should want to watch.

[BillMc]

Great article, tbh.

But it makes me squeamish to read such high Spurs praise after only two rounds of basketball . . .

I agree. I don't like being built up this much until we win something.

If we play the Heat in the Finals, it would be odd to see Lebron and co., play the "we're the everyman loveable underdogs pitted against the giant, overblown media-circus Spurs" card!

[tesseractive]

I think they've been the best team in the NBA for the last month and a half. But they've definitely had the easiest playoff opponents out of all the remaining playoff teams.

Celtics drew Atlanta and Philly. Just because the Celtics have struggled more doesn't make their opponents better teams.

Honestly, I'm not sure how much better the Knicks and Pacers are than the Jazz and Clippers. The Pacers play well together, but the Clippers might well take them in a series.

[Yuixafun]

no, I think the NBA finally got smart and saw that the spurs have a great shot at the finals. They figured they better start promoting us as something casual fans should want to watch.

Sp urbane ia

[Seventyniner]

because you're competing against the ceiling of what you can achieve (not your opponents)

Best line of the whole piece. It describes the Spurs perfectly.

[dunkman]

It's silly to compare the Spurs at this point to a championship team, tbh. Once the playoffs are over perhaps.

[Manu-20]

I think they've been the best team in the NBA for the last month and a half. But they've definitely had the easiest playoff opponents out of all the remaining playoff teams.

If they sweep the Thunder, I'll be more than happy to GNSF it up and proclaim them as an all time great team who's going undefeated en route to a .

Im already there tbh you can join us GSNF after we take out the thunder in 4 or 5 max, tons of room on my bandwagon for fellow spurs fans.

[spurs1990]

Great article, tbh.

But it makes me squeamish to read such high Spurs praise after only two rounds of basketball . . .

If the spurs are gonna be beat, it'll happen with or without these praise columns.

The trick is to enjoy them now. In the moment.

[Spurminator]

The footnote is good too:

The Spurs started taking off about six weeks ago, thanks to Kawhi Leonard's continued improvement and R.C. Buford's savvy acquisitions of Boris Diaw and Stephen Jackson. Suddenly they had 10 legitimate guys, giving them something in common with absolutely nobody right now. Also helping: Popovich (the best coach alive), Parker (playing out of his mind), Ginobili (healthy again) and Duncan (who magically transformed from the old Duncan into the Old Duncan). Everything just sort of snowballed. If you're keeping track, the Best Team Ever (the '86 Celtics) won 11 of their first 12 playoff games before the Finals, eight by double digits (two by 25-plus). The Second Best Team Ever (the '87 Lakers) won 11 of their first 12, seven by double digits (four by 25-plus). The Third Best Team Ever (the '96 Bulls) won 11 of their first 12, six by double digits (three by 25-plus). And the 2012 Spurs? They won their first eight, six by double digits (one by 25-plus).

[Marcus Bryant]

I don't know...even while the Spurs may not have faced top compe ion in these playoffs so far, they have gotten past two teams without a loss - definitely expected them to drop one this weekend and the first game in Utah. While, yes, it was the regular season, they finished that on a tear. Pop has enough weapons at his disposal that he can adjust until he finds the right lineup and game plan for an opponent.

I think OKC is good enough to win one or two, but the Spurs are clicking at an '99 pace right now.

[Venti Quattro]

if we go 16-0

spurs 12> bulls 96

Holy are you ing serious?

[davidbowie]

i can't take all this praise. please stop!!