NBA.com Offseason Report Card

[diego]

And 23% of the turnovers in the Finals.

Manu also had 23% of the teams assists.
Tony lead with 35%. Next were tim and diaw with 10% each.
Leonard, who most people expect to supplant manu, had 5%.
Cory joseph had 5% of the assists and 6% of the TO

Tim had 19% of the TO, tony 18%, diaw 6% and leonard 8%. If you include blocked attempts (which manu didnt have any) that goes to 27%, 26%, 7% and 13% respectively. I know that not every blocked shot is a TO, but sometimes it shows over agression (which manu didnt display in this series probably for worse) and results in the same things .

And of course, tim and tony played much much much better than manu. Im just showing that manu's TO came because he was one of the few spurs initiating the offense, and he wasnt a complete failure in that.

You know whats more interesting?
The heat had 148 assists to 83 TO, and the spurs 129 to 85. Could it possibly be that the reason the spurs lost was because we didnt have the playmaking they did- in part because we had a practical rookie as our back up PG for barely over a month heading into the finals, and in part because they knew they just had to trap the 35 year old to shut down half our offense? Manu got exposed for being old. Its the same thing that happened to duncan when he had to go against randolph and gasol by himself at age 34. With a little help he can still be useful, good even. Im not sure if leonard is capable of being a playmaker but if he can be more of a scorer and joseph or beli can provide some playmaking that might be enough.

let me add- the spurs playoff averages extrapolated to 7 games had them at 153 ast to 90 TO, the heat at 144 to 92. So they got a few less assists vs us then against other teams, and less turnovers. The spurs on the other hand dropped in assists dramatically and also had less turnovers than the rest of the PO. pace probably explains the overall drop. but the spurs drop in assists is much bigger than the rest. so what was the problem- turnovers or inability to move the ball? Manu has an important responsiblity there but its not a one man job and the other teams defense plays a large part of the story.

[baseline bum]

Also Manu missed a free throw that would have iced the le in Game 6.

[Perry Mason]

There ya' go. Manu missed two FTs that game. Make either one and we win. Both were before Leonard's miss. And as I said, without Leonard we would have lost by 20.

Without Manu you wouldn't be in the finals.

[xmas1997]

Manu also had 23% of the teams assists.
Tony lead with 35%. Next were tim and diaw with 10% each.
Leonard, who most people expect to supplant manu, had 5%.
Cory joseph had 5% of the assists and 6% of the TO

Tim had 19% of the TO, tony 18%, diaw 6% and leonard 8%. If you include blocked attempts (which manu didnt have any) that goes to 27%, 26%, 7% and 13% respectively. I know that not every blocked shot is a TO, but sometimes it shows over agression (which manu didnt display in this series probably for worse) and results in the same things .

And of course, tim and tony played much much much better than manu. Im just showing that manu's TO came because he was one of the few spurs initiating the offense, and he wasnt a complete failure in that.

You know whats more interesting?
The heat had 148 assists to 83 TO, and the spurs 129 to 85. Could it possibly be that the reason the spurs lost was because we didnt have the playmaking they did- in part because we had a practical rookie as our back up PG for barely over a month heading into the finals, and in part because they knew they just had to trap the 35 year old to shut down half our offense? Manu got exposed for being old. Its the same thing that happened to duncan when he had to go against randolph and gasol by himself at age 34. With a little help he can still be useful, good even. Im not sure if leonard is capable of being a playmaker but if he can be more of a scorer and joseph or beli can provide some playmaking that might be enough.

let me add- the spurs playoff averages extrapolated to 7 games had them at 153 ast to 90 TO, the heat at 144 to 92. So they got a few less assists vs us then against other teams, and less turnovers. The spurs on the other hand dropped in assists dramatically and also had less turnovers than the rest of the PO. pace probably explains the overall drop. but the spurs drop in assists is much bigger than the rest. so what was the problem- turnovers or inability to move the ball? Manu has an important responsiblity there but its not a one man job and the other teams defense plays a large part of the story.

Wow, very interesting, and very astute.
Thank you for going to the trouble to educate us.
But I doubt it will convince those who ignorantly persist in making Manu the scapegoat.

[Skull-1]

Without Manu you wouldn't be in the finals.

What's the point of getting to the Finals just to lose?

Complete waste.

[Skull-1]

Also Manu missed a free throw that would have iced the le in Game 6.

[xmas1997]

The Spurs have won four out of five, and if you include the Washington Bullets series then it is four out of six.
That is pretty damn good. Most teams would give everything to be in that position.
And most fans would appreciate it.

[DMC]

Great writeup, thanks for posting. I'm seriously wondering what all the Manu bashers are going to do for the next two years. Do you just watch the games to and moan. Sounds like a real drag for you. Yes it's doubtful he will play 82 games, but he will be playing. If you, however illogical it is, squarely put the blame for losing the championship on him, why watch? I'm a big fan of the Spurs, and Manu, and can't wait to see them play again. Why in the world watch them when Pop, RC, and everyone else responsible for the team's lineup clearly, to the tune of $14 million, disagree with you? I realize many of still love the Manu of yesterday, but that's not who they spent their money on. Why would you watch a team that you're so much smarter than?

You do realize people come here to talk about the team, not just fellate it, right?

[Skull-1]

You do realize people come here to talk about the team, not just fellate it, right?

[Sean Cagney]

The Spurs have won four out of five, and if you include the Washington Bullets series then it is four out of six.
That is pretty damn good. Most teams would give everything to be in that position.
And most fans would appreciate it.

Spurs lost the ECF to the Bullets, not the Finals so it is not 4 out of 6 in the Finals. ECF that was then, this was the Finals in which they are 4 out of 5 .

[spurs10]

You do realize people come here to talk about the team, not just fellate it, right?

Yeah, but I didn't say anything about criticizing the 'team.' I was talking specifically about blaming one player for losing the championship. I also was asking a question, why would you want to watch said player ruin your life anymore? I'm sure Manu himself is plenty critical of his poor play for that matter. I am literally curious if any of the people who feel that Manu singlehandedly lost Tim his 5th ring would be able to stand to see him play anymore. Don't misunderstand me, game 6 was painful. Manu playing PG was handled well by the Heat.

[xmas1997]

Spurs lost the ECF to the Bullets, not the Finals so it is not 4 out of 6 in the Finals. ECF that was then, this was the Finals in which they are 4 out of 5 .

Thought I might not be right about that.

[Perry Mason]

What's the point of getting to the Finals just to lose?

Complete waste.

Is that supposed to be an argument. Most fans would take finals + loss over no finals and a loss in an earlier round any given season.

Again, without Manu there is no finals. You wouldn't have anything to about over and over on this site, so you should thank Manu for filling some disordered void in your life.

Spurs were a freethrow away from a le. There was a shot against a team that, talent-wise and hype-wise, Spurs had no business playing to parity.

You can't just trash Manu and insert some other player and expect a return to the finals. In fact that is incredibly unrealistic.

[xmas1997]

Is that supposed to be an argument. Most fans would take finals + loss over no finals and a loss in an earlier round any given season.

Again, without Manu there is no finals. You wouldn't have anything to about over and over on this site, so you should thank Manu for filling some disordered void in your life.

Spurs were a freethrow away from a le. There was a shot against a team that, talent-wise and hype-wise, Spurs had no business playing to parity.

You can't just trash Manu and insert some other player and expect a return to the finals. In fact that is incredibly unrealistic.

You have hit the proverbial nail squarely on the head.
Thank you. I've been trying, to no avail, to illuminate this fact to all the Manu and Pop blamers all along, but either they are too irrational or too ignorant or just want a scapegoat, to see the true facts of the matter.
I finally came to what is most likely an erroneous conclusion that they were trolling trying to get under people's skins.
I prefer to see Spur fans as having a higher degree of class than other fans, but the reality is that all teams contain a certain amount of classless, ignorant, narrow minded, self righteous, childish idiotic fans. It's the nature of the game.

[Spur|n|Austin]

Without Manu you wouldn't be in the finals.

His mind doesn't grasp things like this, people have tried to explain already. He's just trolling so pay no attention.

[Johnny RIngo]

Manu got exposed for being old. Its the same thing that happened to duncan when he had to go against randolph and gasol by himself at age 34.

Not even similar at all. TD went into that playoffs injured(ankle sprain). He came back playing like an all-star and humiliated Zbo/Gasol two years later. Ginobili won't even be able to put up Danny Green numbers two years from now.

[Skull-1]

Is that supposed to be an argument. Most fans would take finals + loss over no finals and a loss in an earlier round any given season.

Again, without Manu there is no finals. You wouldn't have anything to about over and over on this site, so you should thank Manu for filling some disordered void in your life.

Spurs were a freethrow away from a le. There was a shot against a team that, talent-wise and hype-wise, Spurs had no business playing to parity.

You can't just trash Manu and insert some other player and expect a return to the finals. In fact that is incredibly unrealistic.

There are probably a dozen or more players in the league we could put in Manu's place and not only make the Finals, but actually win.

Manu's brain goes TILT! under pressure repeatedly. There are plenty of other guys who don't go TILT! and are better players than Manu is now...

[Skull-1]

His mind doesn't grasp things like this, people have tried to explain already. He's just trolling so pay no attention.

You guys SERIOUSLY think we couldn't do better than Manu with that huge contract of his last season? He wasn't even our fifth best player in the Finals....if not the entire playoffs. I would put Green and Leonard ahead of him for certain, any way.

[DMC]

Yeah, but I didn't say anything about criticizing the 'team.' I was talking specifically about blaming one player for losing the championship. I also was asking a question, why would you want to watch said player ruin your life anymore? I'm sure Manu himself is plenty critical of his poor play for that matter. I am literally curious if any of the people who feel that Manu singlehandedly lost Tim his 5th ring would be able to stand to see him play anymore. Don't misunderstand me, game 6 was painful. Manu playing PG was handled well by the Heat.

The facts are the facts. My life isn't ruined because a bunch of millionaires didn't score more than another bunch of millionaires in a basketball game.

[baseline bum]

But Manu also turned the ball over in OT Game 6 only down 1 with 2.4 seconds left tbh.

[xmas1997]

The facts are the facts. My life isn't ruined because a bunch of millionaires didn't score more than another bunch of millionaires in a basketball game.

You have an excellent way of putting it all in proper perspective!
I applaud you, DMC.

[ohmwrecker]

Stop ing nitpicking over every turnover, missed free throw, rebound, etc. . . . get the over it.

[spurs10]

The facts are the facts. My life isn't ruined because a bunch of millionaires didn't score more than another bunch of millionaires in a basketball game.

Agreed! Certainly appreciate discussing the facts, the team, their future, and past successes and failures. Sorry if I eluded to your life being 'ruined' by a basketball play. Never heard you say any such thing. Blaming one player or one play solely for the outcome of season is obviously nuts. I'm looking forward to the new season very much.

[xmas1997]

Agreed! Certainly appreciate discussing the facts, the team, their future, and past successes and failures. Sorry if I eluded to your life being 'ruined' by a basketball play. Never heard you say any such thing. Blaming one player or one play solely for the outcome of season is obviously nuts. I'm looking forward to the new season very much.

As am I.
I agree.

[Biggems]

one thing that would have helped our grade and hurt miami's grade would have been if we would have gotten James Ennis in the draft day trade with Atlanta. But the heat got him, and he looks like a very good young player.