The Mental State of Spurs Fans

[xtremesteven33]

Last year if anything showed that the Spurs are still a force to be reckoned with and how they are close to finally breaking that rock again

[z0sa]

If they were going to blow it up, they should have done it last year to tank for Unibrow or Kidd-Gilchrist. This is a lousy year to tank without all the talented bigs the 2012 draft had. There's just no one in this coming draft I'm at all excited about. Shabbaz Muhammed is a nice player, but he's not exactly what Derrick Rose was in the athleticism department. Nerlens Noel will be an elite defender in the league for sure, but dude has a non-existent offensive game from when I have watched him. McAdoo will probably be a nice player, as will Zeller, but I don't see franchise big there the way I do with Unibrow. Maybe 2013 will be a good year to blow it up for Parker or Randle, but 2012 definitely is not. And blowing the team up for capspace would be an awful idea, since the deck is extremely stacked against anyone but LA, Miami, and NYC getting any decent free agents with the restricted free agency and sign and trade rules what they are. I definitely wouldn't be ok with trading Parker for lottery picks in such a weak draft this year like I was early in the 2011-12 year for the 2012 draft.

Nice reply. I don't have much to say besides it's just a feeling, not something that upon which the Spurs should act. There's not any choice but to go all in for the rest of Tim's career and I'm fine with that. I have some faith the Spurs can win it all (the blind homer kind) but my brain is telling me everything went perfect for us last season in regards to injuries and rest and it still wasn't close to enough.

The Big 3, particularly Timmy are older and our physical presence down low is negligible. Also, even if we get past or avoid OKC and LAL, Miami has the East on lock. However I'm sure the Spurs will have another big regular season and so it's gonna be another uvaride.

[Kori Ellis]

Tonight's game was the empiest game I've ever seen in the AT&T Center. . .

But it was perfect for us... When else could we buy 10 lower level tickets for $20?

[jjktkk]

Consdiering that Most people had written off this team as a legit contender, I was excited about last year, and look forward to another Spur's run. Given what this team has done in the Duncan era, anything else is icing on the cake for me.

[Kamnik]

It still hurts...

[Brazil]

I'm not mad about last year tbh. Overall OKC is the better team and it was the Heat season anyway.

I have no hope for a le this year but I'm exited to see Leonard develop and have the big 3 and Jax for 82 RS games.

[wut]

Last season's loss ranks up there in top 3 most heart-breaking playoff endings:

1) .4
2) Dallas in 2006.
3) OKC in 2012.

Last season's loss kinda reminds me of that quote from the latest Batman movie:

"I learned here there can be no true despair without hope."

The Spurs gave me hope that they could win; and it made it all the more painful when they failed.

[mingus]

Being excited about the upcoming season -as I am with all seasons- should not be mistaken for a belief that the team can win a le. They, and the rest of the league, had a small window last year while Miami tried to figure out how to play together. That window is now closed. I'm not terribly concerned about the Lakers collecting trading card talent. Their starting five could be called "the beast with two backs". Nobody's beating Miami. I'll still be rooting for the Spurs and hoping to be proven wrong.

The bold part is true. I think Miami and OKC are the favorites, and I think the reason is that they both play great defense and they have a top 1-2 player. I think LA is the darkhorse. I give them about a 10% chance of winning it all.

At this point, the Spurs just don't have the defense or the franchise player to reasonably expect them to contend. Parker proved last year that he could hang with most players, but in the WCF he proved to be what he actually is: a top 10 player, but not a franchise player. Durant stole the show, expecially when his team needed buckets. And everybody knows that Duncan is far past being a franchise player.

Ideally, you want both a franchise player and great defense. The Spurs had that from '99-'07, but they don't have either of those two now. To expect them to beat any team in the league that has both of those is just ridiculous.

So I expect the Spurs to get to the second round, maybe the third. Anything beyond that is gravy.

[therealtruth]

The bold part is true. I think Miami and OKC are the favorites, and I think the reason is that they both play great defense and they have a top 1-2 player. I think LA is the darkhorse. I give them about a 10% chance of winning it all.

At this point, the Spurs just don't have the defense or the franchise player to reasonably expect them to contend. Parker proved last year that he could hang with most players, but in the WCF he proved to be what he actually is: a top 10 player, but not a franchise player. Durant stole the show, expecially when his team needed buckets. And everybody knows that Duncan is far past being a franchise player.

Ideally, you want both a franchise player and great defense. The Spurs had that from '99-'07, but they don't have either of those two now. To expect them to beat any team in the league that has both of those is just ridiculous.

So I expect the Spurs to get to the second round, maybe the third. Anything beyond that is gravy.

The defensive game plan to beat the Heat remains the same. Just because the Thunder didn't follow it means it doesn't work. You force Lebron and Wade to beat you from the perimeter. The Thunder allowed Lebron to beat them from the paint and get the shooters involved. That's a recipe for disaster.

[Sean Cagney]

I started last season with no hope to win the championship and decided to enjoy the ride. The team played well, it was fun, too bad it ended like that.

I'm starting this season with the same feeling: enjoy the ride and hope for a miracle. For me the top players win championships, we had that player for 10-11 years, but we don't have it anymore.

I want to have fun with the big 3, Jax, Kawhi and the other young kids. Let's hope for a good finish

I could not agree more.

[Sean Cagney]

Last season's loss ranks up there in top 3 most heart-breaking playoff endings:

1) .4
2) Dallas in 2006.
3) OKC in 2012.

Last season's loss kinda reminds me of that quote from the latest Batman movie:

"I learned here there can be no true despair without hope."

The Spurs gave me hope that they could win; and it made it all the more painful when they failed.

I disagree because in 04 we were a team with guys in their prime and were expected to do very good! .4 hurt yes but that team was in it's prime in alot of areas so that stung. 06 is first on my list! Nothing will top that one. Last year the Spurs were older and I expected nothing, that run came outta nowhere and it shocked us all. I did not expect them to make it far last year as nobody did, it was a bonus IMO they did that well and made it alot further than most would imagine. I did not like the ending one bit but it did not sting as bad as say 95 when we had D ROB and were near our first finals appearance and Hakeem goes insane on our team That sucked.

[Beanzamillion21]

, the way last season ended sucked so much. I love the Spurs but that one was the worst. Not even saying the Spurs would have beaten the Heat, Its just the way we lost in the WCF.

[Fireball]

The end of the last playoffs were hard to swallow. I did not watch one Finals Game because of it ... first time for over a decade. But as always I am excited about the new season. Timmy still plays very good basketball and he is still my favorite player. Already now the Spurs are looking to play as good as at the end of last season - everybody is healthy and in shape to start the season - we will be able to beat many teams with our offense. Lets see what happens on the defensive end though.

And of course ... hopefully Kawhi is developing like most people here (including myself) think he will ... excited about that as well.

[superbigtime]

Last year built everyone's hopes enormously high. Just the chemistry which the players developed in that short season was amazing to watch. Diaw and Jackson additions and Jefferson's departure gave Spurs new momentum. That streak was amazing. The streak and the way the vets minutes were handled got me to change my mind about Pop and that it indeed could be the Spurs' year... even the head coach wasn't going to stop them! But then the OKC defense, clutch Durant play, and some referee unkindness dashed it all. The WCF meltdown crashed us down to earth, and hard. I didn't look at this site for awhile, but it seems like Pop is not getting the wrath I would expect. As with most failures, there's a host of reasons. But for the coach to scramble up like he did indicates how truly unlikely the Spurs' past glories were and that the players should get way more credit than this coach's "genius." This is the coach who masterminded losing 4 straight with a 2-0 lead in the WCF. I'm never going to forget that. The "hangover" from last year will go away slowly, but all will be forgotten at least temporarily once college football and the NFL have finished their business and basketball is all this town has to focus on. I'm tired of second guessing the moron coach, I just have to live with what he does and enjoy the great play by the Spurs. Everyone knows it will be Lakers / Heat.

[superbigtime]

Are season ticket holders still forced to buy preseason games?

YES. And you're so totally right about EVERYTHING going the right way for the Spurs last season, including the short season. It made the end all the more hard to take. A long 82 game season is not what this team needs. This team needs a 60 game season.

[superbigtime]

I'll watch every game still, but I can't get too emotionally involved until football season ends anyway, because of work.

Also, last season's playoffs kind of took the wind out of my sails. I'm convinced they were boned by the league/refs and the whole thing was rigged for an OKC/Miami final. The officiating in game 6 especially was a joke. I just feel, even if by some miracle all the main guys on the team stay healthy for the playoffs, that it'll be fixed to have a Lakers-Heat finals or at least a rematch of last year's and that the Spurs won't get a fair shake because they're ratings poison and Stern just wants that TV money.

Finally, and this needs to be mentioned, I think Pop will kill them again once the playoffs come around. He might be the best regular season coach in NBA history, but he gets his lunch handed to him in May, panics, doesn't trust his bench enough and simply refuses to work the refs through the media to get calls the way other successful coaches do. He's just too full of himself and they'll never win another one with him in charge.

Amen.

[Cane]

I'm excited, especially now that RJ is gone and it'll be fun to watch Kawhi Leonard's sop re season. My brother is still pretty bummed though.

NBA games also give me an excuse to keep the cable TV plan

[DD]

San Antonio is easily the best coached team in the league since PJ retired, and Pop deserves beaucoup credit for the Spurs overachieving with largely sub-standard talent. His player/minutes management is superb and he puts guys in great positions to maximize their talent and succeed--so they will always be a thorn in your side in the playoffs. They also have the enviable position of being underdogs again going into the year.

All that being said, the NBA is a game of haves and have-nots, and San Antonio can't beat a healthy OKC or LAL team in the playoffs because they don't have the bosses to do it anymore. It's been said a million times, but you have almost a 0% chance of winning a le if your PG is the best player on your team.

[Fabbs]

Need something between:
Last year's disappointment is too fresh. I need more time.

I'm done being a hardcore Spurs fan.

Rigged NBA combined with joke of a coach makes hoping for another legit Championship at .00000000001
So I'm saying I'll still give it a chance.

[Fabbs]

All that being said, the NBA is a game of haves and have-nots,

Or bull hand-outs.
Enjoy rooting for Food Stamps.

[baseline bum]

I only like the team when they win the le

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

I feel like we missed the last true opportunity of the Duncan-Manu era to win a ring last year, and I think going out to OKC that way will always stay with me alongside 0.4sec and Manu's foul in 06, but still I'm excited to watch this Spurs squad rip other teams apart like they did last year. All we need to be true contenders is a good big from somewhere, and that could happen any time. This team has an almost limitless offensive ceiling, so let the carnage begin!

[Floyd Pacquiao]

still stings a little tbh...the spurs were so close to the finals and were looking like the most well oiled machine in recent nba times...I really thought they were gonna win the chip, everything seemed so perfect jack coming back, tim turning back the clock, tony playing like a mvp and kawhi coming into his own...just wasn't meant to be I guess...2012 is up their with 06 and 04, hopefully they comeback strong because the days of being a contender are coming to an end...

[Morg1411]

I want to get excited. I really do. But I'm still not over the WCF. I kept waiting for that old magic, waiting for them to win Game 4, or 5....I think Game 5 was the last straw for me. I haven't been able to get excited since.

I'm sure that'll change with the regular season getting underway. But God damn that still stings...

[therealtruth]

I feel like we missed the last true opportunity of the Duncan-Manu era to win a ring last year, and I think going out to OKC that way will always stay with me alongside 0.4sec and Manu's foul in 06, but still I'm excited to watch this Spurs squad rip other teams apart like they did last year. All we need to be true contenders is a good big from somewhere, and that could happen any time. This team has an almost limitless offensive ceiling, so let the carnage begin!

That's the thing that. The Spurs are so good on offense if they focus on defense they can win the ring. That defense focus has to come from Pop emphasizing it and making sure they don't make defensive mistakes. It's one thing for them to be less athletic but it's another thing to practice to make sure they don't make stupid defensive mistakes. I really hope Pop is serious about defense this year.