Gutsy Humans

[ezau]

I thought Game 5 was pivotal. Not only we beat them, we destroyed them WITH Ibaka in there. I thought that was the eureka moment. I also had a feeling that once that barrier came down, we could go hurt them in their place.

They're a of a team, but when these Spurs are playing at their highest level, they can beat anybody.

When Kawhi made a huge throwdown on Ibaka, I knew the Spurs were no longer afraid of them.

[ElNono]

Please. Barring a debilitating injury to one of their big three, they always knew they'd have to go through them to get to the Finals (and vice versa) and when you've already lost a series to that team and struggled mightily in the regular season against them ever since, if you have an ounce of compe iveness in you, you absolutely care.

Westbrook had 3 knee surgeries in like 8 months. Him being available was actually a huge question mark. I mean, the Spurs struggled with their own injuries.

Compe iveness will always be there when you're playing for the chips. The regular season, especially for a team like the Spurs that traveled that road so many times before, is pretty much immaterial.

[Mugen]

I agree that the OKC was a much more solid win, due to the cir stances you describe. That said, I get the feeling that closeout game against the Blazers will disappear into oblivion, and it shouldn't. That was the first closeout game where the Spurs really faced the fact that their best player wasn't going to be there for them, and they absolutely annihilated the Blazers.

Lots of credit should go to our bench this season. Patty and Cojo especially, even if they were not scoring much, just giving us solid minutes when we needed them.

If Parker isn't effective for much of these Finals then I agree that the Blazers closeout game and the OKC closeout game are HUGE for the Spurs still having a shot at beating Miami.

If TP can somehow get PED'd up before Game 1 and can revert back to his Games 1-3 form from the Blazers series, than the Spurs could very well end this series early tbh.

[Old School 44]

Tim's on a mission for 5. You can see it in his eyes and it's reflected in his play and you can tell EVERYONE in silver and black want it badly for him.

[pgardn]

I think they need to grow up, but they won a ton of games playing good basketball. Even in the first couple of series, which they were in trouble here or there, when they moved the ball and were disciplined, everybody came through, even cancers like Butler.

I think for Westbrook and Durant, it's just about growing pains. They're both extremely talented, and frankly, Durant gets a lot of blame for not going one-on-one every possession, which really is the sign of a player that understands the team game.

Lebron had the same problem, and eventually grew up as a player.

The freethrow thing is disgusting, and that's something I actually despise from Brooks. A coach that explain losses with "we're a freethrow shooting team" isn't a good coach. But he's not McHale bad either.

Absolutely with Lebron.

Thats why I am so excited about playing Miami. They have become a team.

We will get to see some really quality basketball. The scores might be lower and it might appear ugly because Miami plays fantastic team defense. But these are clearly the 2 best teams. This will be a pleasure to watch.

[td4mvp21]

Best win in forever.

[TD 21]

Westbrook had 3 knee surgeries in like 8 months. Him being available was actually a huge question mark. I mean, the Spurs struggled with their own injuries.

Compe iveness will always be there when you're playing for the chips. The regular season, especially for a team like the Spurs that traveled that road so many times before, is pretty much immaterial.

That's why I said "barring a debilitating injury to one of their big three". I thought the same caveat went without saying in my "let's face it" thread, but apparently not.

When you're a champion, that's true, but this particular itinerary of the team never has been, so of course the Thunder/Heat games mean more to them than any other.

[ElNono]

That's why I said "barring a debilitating injury to one of their big three". I thought the same caveat went without saying in my "let's face it" thread, but apparently not.

When you're a champion, that's true, but this particular team never has been, so of course the Thunder/Heat games mean more to them than any other.

Well, I thought giving them the benefit of the doubt was actually the right course of action because I also know Pop doesn't coach the same kind of games in the regular season and playoffs. That's been evident for a few years now.

The level of focus and actually attacking mismatches isn't something they do every game in the regular season. Pop tries out lineups, rests players, etc.

It really doesn't mean if we're 0-8 against them in the regular season. When the playoffs come around, this team will give them a much different battle.

[Malice]

We coming for that ing trophy miami...

[Agloco]

Might be the most impressive win I've ever seen, considering everything that had gone against them, including the two blatant, predictable calls that went against them with around a minute left and how spent Duncan, Ginobili and Diaw were early in the fourth. Duncan came as close as humanly possible to willing the ball into the basket in overtime.

The thing that stands out in these types of games is the amount of luck you need to pull them out. Everybody get's so caught up in assigning blame and throwing around the word choke, but it doesn't matter how good you are, you need a lot of random, out of your control stuff to just go your way.

This.

[superbigtime]

The freethrow thing is disgusting, and that's something I actually despise from Brooks. A coach that explain losses with "we're a freethrow shooting team" isn't a good coach.

[heyheymymy]

Finals don't feel so big anymore, Spurs are primetime!

[therealtruth]

Yeah. It's obviously always a pivotal game when the opponent is a fellow contender and you're at home, but I thought it was even more important for the Spurs psyche. They needed to know (as opposed to hope or think) they could beat them with Ibaka in the lineup and the fact that they destroyed them only made it all the better.

I thought game 5 was a huge game as far as mental toughness. It looks like the team is starting to regain some of the mental toughness of those championship teams. Then for game 6, really winning a road game like that is really about minimizing the amount of mistakes. The Spurs made less mistakes than the Thunder. Again that reminds me of how the championship teams would simply make less mistakes in crunch time than the other team.

[TD 21]

Well, I thought giving them the benefit of the doubt was actually the right course of action because I also know Pop doesn't coach the same kind of games in the regular season and playoffs. That's been evident for a few years now.

The level of focus and actually attacking mismatches isn't something they do every game in the regular season. Pop tries out lineups, rests players, etc.

It really doesn't mean if we're 0-8 against them in the regular season. When the playoffs come around, this team will give them a much different battle.

Again, who knows? I'm not sure why Ibaka not playing in the first two games is suddenly being seen as irrelevant.

Obviously, there's more focus and intensity in the playoffs, but I don't buy the notion that the Spurs didn't really care against them in the regular season. Though I will say, in their defense, many of the games on the road, the Spurs were either at a severe rest disadvantage, missing key players or both.

[ElNono]

Again, who knows? I'm not sure why Ibaka not playing in the first two games is suddenly being seen as irrelevant.

Obviously, there's more focus and intensity in the playoffs, but I don't buy the notion that the Spurs didn't really care against them in the regular season. Though I will say, in their defense, many of the games on the road, the Spurs were either at a severe rest disadvantage, missing key players or both.

If anything, the fact that Ibaka missed two games should also be an indictment on jumping the gun months before the series is even here, tbh

I'm sure the Spurs wanted to win every game in the regular season, but that doesn't mean they were going to go into the attention to detail needed to do so, like you have to do in the playoffs.

People expecting Pop to "send a message" in the regular season are going to be thoroughly disappointed, IMO.

[Embedded]

El Nono!!! You are my friend!!!! I love TRUE SPURS FANS. I will live and die with Emmanuel Alfonso Ginobili playing for the Spurs. I believe he is a first ballot HOF'er

[ElNono]

El Nono!!! You are my friend!!!! I love TRUE SPURS FANS. I will live and die with Emmanuel Alfonso Ginobili playing for the Spurs. I believe he is a first ballot HOF'er

[TD 21]

If anything, the fact that Ibaka missed two games should also be an indictment on jumping the gun months before the series is even here, tbh

I'm sure the Spurs wanted to win every game in the regular season, but that doesn't mean they were going to go into the attention to detail needed to do so, like you have to do in the playoffs.

People expecting Pop to "send a message" in the regular season are going to be thoroughly disappointed, IMO.

Again, what I said was meant barring a debilitating injury to one of their big three . . . I thought that went without saying, but apparently not.

[spurraider21]

Regardless of what you meant, a gutless team is not going to make the finals in a deep western conference

[EVAY]

No team leader Parker, on the road, 8 vs 5, Tim Theodore Duncan and Emmanuel Alfonso Ginobili, taking the team to another NBA Finals...

I love this team!

Alfonso, eh? Didn't know that. Love it. Add Diaw to the duo and I'm with you.

[ElNono]

Again, what I said was meant barring a debilitating injury to one of their big three . . . I thought that went without saying, but apparently not.

We beat them with their "big 3" too, regardless... destroyed them at home actually, and beat them on the road. Heck, we had a limping, nearly no-show Tony Parker ourselves for 3 games.

You said it yourself, the Spurs were the better team. In May, when it matters, they were.

[ElNono]

Alfonso, eh? Didn't know that. Love it. Add Diaw to the duo and I'm with you.

I made that up, tbh...

His middle name is actually David...

[EVAY]

I made that up, tbh...

His middle name is actually David...

Ahhh, phoooey!! I waas absolutely loving the notion of Alfonso. Absolutely loving it. And after you said David, then I remembered having heard that.

Bet he wishes it was Alfonso, though! lol!

[AFBlue]

Cojo...short for Cojones tbqh. That kid needs more PT in these finals...he's ready imo.

[ElNono]

Wow, this team is the gift that keeps on giving. What a 1st half... they looked completely unstoppable. It was all team ball, showing they wanted it more.

Hopefully they have two more solid games in them, it's going to be hard to dethrone the champs