Is there officially a big four?

[mvparker]

Ever read Alexandre Dumas? He's not a part of the Big 3 but in the end he'll be the one who matters most (Remember D'Artagnan...)

[hater]

Manu is no longer a big anything and hasnt been in years

[wildchild]

This is how important is Leonard to the Spurs.

[heyheymymy]

How about the Big 9?

so staaacked. sorry okc, in san antonio our bench is like our womens... FAT.

[superjames1992]

The Big Three moniker is as much of a marketing tool as anything, tbqh.

[Jimcs50]

The Big Three moniker is as much of a marketing tool as anything, tbqh.

They never market our Spurs.

[will_spurs]

LOL

I have to be careful reading your long posts, if my wife walks in or one of my employees, they will think I'm looking at porn.

Ok, less nipple, and about just as much fun.

[BackHome]

Oh man I liked the other picture...

[will_spurs]

Oh man I liked the other picture...

Look for Blagovesta Bonbonova and you'll find it (and more). I removed it because it seemed to create some disruption. And I like the new one anyway.

[Chinook]

We are 52-11 with him or something like that and 9-8 without him.. Let that sink in.

This is easily the most egregiously misleading stat surrounding the team this season. When Kawhi went down, the Spurs were already missing Green and Ginobili at the wings and Splitter, forcing Pop to play Beli and De Colo huge minutes while also starting the likes of Brown and Jeffers. That led to the Spurs having a horrible 3-4 stretch. As soon as Green and came back (and Tiago and Manu a little bit after), the Spurs went on a 6-3 RRT, including two games where Pop conceded by resting the Big Three. Other two losses (I think the record is actually 9-9) were the Rockets game at the end of the season and an OKC game Kawhi missed after getting his wisdom teeth removed. In that game, Green defended Durant as well as anyone did the whole season (held him under 25 points), and the team was in it until the end.

It's not that Leonard isn't important to the Spurs. He's essential to les hopes. But I hate people using record to determine his value. It's just disingenuous.

[Blake]

This is how important is Leonard to the Spurs.

he's tops because Bonner isn't playing

[wildchild]

[wildchild]

he's tops because Bonner isn't playing

I know. Nobody can match the Red Rocket Power.
King of +/-, King of the Sandwich Hunters, and King of New Hampshire Lands.

[Jimcs50]

I guess it doesn't really matter because even the Big 3 aren't necessarily the alpha dogs on any given night. But for this idea to advance in the media, Lawhi would have to get some recognition at the national level, such as an All-Star selection, or at least All-Defensive (which he deserves). Right now his resume is empty, which means he won't be considered a marquee player by the media just yet.

Why did you get rid of the nipple???

[DMC]

The media has touched on the idea, but I think the talk is getting closer now. Leonard has been a beast this year, and has improved his game from last year... something I really didn't think he was going to do at the beginning of the year with his slow start.

We are 52-11 with him or something like that and 9-8 without him.. Let that sink in.

Not only that, but he's a long , tbh.. Always steps up in the playoffs. I feel like that's when he plays his best game actually...

He isn't talked about like Paul George because he's the fourth option at the end of a game, third on the starters.. But I think it's clear he's better than Parsons, Batum, etc. and right there with George. He will average close to twenty when Manu, Timmy, and Pop leave.

Sure Timmy, Tony and Manu are our catalysts.. but I think Kawhi is the backbone. Without him are ed..

I read somewhere that "Big Four" was what you call your penis.

[N0 LyF3 ScRuB]

I read somewhere that "Big Four" was what you call your penis.

Thanks cutie

[Baam]

The big 3 all proved they could be a first banana or at least 1b. Kawhi is not there yet and may never be.

[superjames1992]

The problem with these kinds of statistics is that Kawhi is often playing with the starters, and especially with Tony and Timmy. I don't think it's any surprise that when the Spurs' two best players are on the floor, the Spurs play better. In addition, when Kawhi is off the floor, it usually means the bench is on the floor. I don't think it's any surprise that the bench is obviously of a lower talent level and will have a lower rating.

That's always been the problem with +/- statistics. That doesn't mean they're useless statistics, but there's a lot more going on than just one player on the floor making an impact.

[wildchild]

He would smother people on defense. He would knock down open 3s and never take any other kind of shot from the perimeter. He’d have a midrange game, too. He’d be quick enough to get to the rim whenever he wants — sometimes using the insane Tony Parker spin move that renders everyone helpless — and strong enough to score against anyone when he gets there.

He would be rangy enough to play two or three positions if you needed. He would be disciplined and never force anything. He would have octopus arms and catcher’s mitt hands and giant gnarled feet. He would show absolutely no emotion at any point, ever, and have no discernible personality. Personality is for comedians and car salesmen. Personality doesn’t win basketball games.

He would be 6-foot-7 or 6-foot-8, the default height for any random NBA player. He would have cornrows, another default option in the system. He would have “played college basketball” somewhere like San Diego State; just recognizable enough to sound believable to outsiders, but just random enough to explain why nobody really remembers him.

Kawhi is not there yet and may never be.

Then one day you would look up and see him dominating the NBA playoffs.
Crashing the boards and finishing down low like Tim Duncan; playing the passing lanes like Parker, and then screaming down fast breaks for layups; nailing a few of those jumpers that Manu Ginobili used to hit. All the while, playing the kind of relentless defense that won the Spurs four les, never showing a hint of fatigue. A little bit of everything, but never enough to attract too much attention.

Then you would understand: He’s the perfect Spur. Twenty years of field research finally realized. That’s when it would all make sense.
Kawhi Leonard is a basketball drone who was invented in a laboratory by Gregg Popovich. You will never convince me otherwise.

Kawhi Leonard: The Sum of All Fears-The Perfect Spur from Grantland
http://grantland.com/the-triangle/nb...spurs-thunder/

[wildchild]

The problem with these kinds of statistics is that Kawhi is often playing with the starters, and especially with Tony and Timmy.

Nobody can be a big fan +/- stats since our Red Rocket is the King of +/- Lands...but Tony, Tim, Danny, Tiago don't have those numbers and like Tynan said Leonard has the highest plus/minus number of any player in the postseason