https://www.si.com/nba/2018/11/02/de...arcus-aldridge
It became a bit fashionable this summer to predict the Spurs as an odd team out in the Western Conference playoff picture. As LeBron came to Los Angeles and the West continued to improve, San Antonio lost its heartbeat in Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, as well as its best player in Kawhi Leonard. With so much change within the fabric of the fanchrise, the team's streak of 21 straight playoff appearances was thought to be in serious jeopardy.
Then lightning struck twice as the Spurs’ roster continued to thin in the preseason. Defensive ace Dejounte Murray tore his ACL on Oct. 8, ending the 22-year-old point guard’s year before it ever started. Spurs first-rounder Lonnie Walker underwent surgery for a torn meniscus on the same day. Amid the departures and injuries, a common question appeared: would the turnover be too much to overcome?
Gregg Popovich, DeMar DeRozan and the Spurs had an answer. San Antonio has hummed along as usual to start the season, going 5–2 with a pair of wins over the Lakers, a victory against the Timberwolves and an overtime triumph over the Mavericks on Monday. Perhaps Popovich, the greatest coach of his era, felt disrespected this offseason with so many doubting his team. The Spurs made the playoffs last season with just nine games from Leonard, so Popovich could make do with DeRozan, right?
DeRozan has been better than advertised thus far. The former Raptor has thrived in San Antonio, averaging 27.9 points, 7.3 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game. He posted a 30-point, 12-rebound effort in a 110–106 win against the Lakers, followed that with 34 points in an overtime victory over Dallas and finished with 25 against Phoenix. DeRozan has continued to be a true top option, proving back-to-back All-NBA appearances in Toronto were no fluke.
And while the Spurs would be better off today with a happy and healthy Leonard, DeRozan is an impressive return. He’s on the right side of 30, and he’s already integrated himself well within San Antonio's scheme. The ball-pounding days that often hindered Toronto come playoff time look to be in the rearview mirror. DeRozan seemed to relish bullying Wesley Matthews down the stretch against Dallas, icing the win with a step-back over in overtime. DeAndre Jordan and the overmatched Maxi Kleber couldn’t stay in front of DeRozan when Dallas opted to switch, as the four-time All-Star blew past Mavs bigs guarding against his patented mid-range pull-up. The entirety of DeRozan’s offensive arsenal has been on display through seven games.
(Rest of story at link)
Basketball pundits are universally stupid. This team still has LMA and added DeRozan to a team that didn't have Kawhi at all, or as pure distraction, last year. There are clear problems with talent elsewhere, and now that the guards have gone down it's horrid, but with Pop having two top thirty players in the league, this team is going to do well.
If pop gets this team into the playoffs, he is the coach of the year.
This was last year. How time flies. SI
Well? Being first or second round fodder is the doing well... That shouldn't be something we are comfortable with
You'd think so, but the votes seem to go to teams that had significant swings in the W/L column. So if a bottom tier team last year makes it to the playoffs this year, look for that coach to get CotY. It doesn't seem to matter what talent they gained in the off season. It seems easier to get CotY for upward movement than for overcoming odds to get back to where you were last season.
You're spoiled, tbh. Go be a fan of the Twolves or something.
Last edited by Mr. Body; 11-03-2018 at 10:55 PM.
The media been predicting the Spurs death since 2006. I don't expect them to be contenders but I did expect them to make the playoffs. This team chances are as good as anyone else's in the west after the Dubs.
Time and again Spurs manage to adapt with the personnel that they have with role players here and there to fill the gap. I expect the same this year. True after the Dubs, Spurs have much chance as the rest of the nba.
Idiot! NBA experts predicted the Spurs to be out of the playoffs so off and jump off the cliff.
They're not experts. They're wrong almost half the time. there are some people on this board who predicted the Spurs to be a 3-4th seed this year. So far they're the experts.
SI ranked DD 35TH or something like that. lol there's 30 better players than DD? clearly not
I’d want to see their batting averages on projections and mock drafts, really. It’s always going to be a crap shoot to be fair, but to claim being an expert is another lol it’s just a bunch of people throwing around random stats to make a point
yep. Anyone can claim to be an expert. tbh I consider myself a DD expert
DeXpert
😜
Hmm, interesting
I have always said that Kyle Anderson was a bigger loss for us than people realize.
FifyHmm, interesting
I have always said that Tony Parker was a bigger loss for us than people realize.
Ha, having Tony would be nice right now, but again hindsight is 20/20
With Kyle, we are top 4 team in the west right now. Dante is killing us, not Bryn, so I would still make a case for Kyle.
REALLY FIFY tbhHmm, interesting
I have always said that Manu Ginobili, Dejounte Murray and Tony Parker were bigger losses for us than people realize.
Son, Bryn IS killing us. He's chucking ill-advised shots, taking attempts from LMA and Gay while playing defense. It just so happens that Dante is killing us too with his fake ass jack of all trades, master of none .Ha, having Tony would be nice right now, but again hindsight is 20/20
With Kyle, we are top 4 team in the west right now. Dante is killing us, not Bryn, so I would still make a case for Kyle.
Taking attempts from LA, lol
Guy is shooting over 40% from the 3, can't be worst than Dante.
Dante is shooting .485 from 3, .487 overall, so perhaps you should do a little research before posting.Taking attempts from LA, lol
Guy is shooting over 40% from the 3, can't be worst than Dante.
A two point win over the ty bulls? Not having it. This team needs to make changes.
I guess JR Smith is our only real possibility so far. but it's gonna be an austin or euro noname getting 2 minutes per game.
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