Reply With Quote
Nazr and Rasho weren't that good this year. No arguement from me on that one, but they weren't given much of a chance to redeem themselves.
They had a chance in Game 1 and Game 2 to prove they could score more than 5 points combined.
They failed, were benched, and Spurs won 2 games and lost 3.
I maintain that Tim Duncan and Manu fouling out was more of a reason we lost than Rasho or Nazr not playing.
, they are tons of reasons I would put before Nazr and Rasho playing.
Thing is, we almost won without them, and I see no evidence that we would win if they played significant (20+ minutes a night). Who would they guard? Would they be able to outscore who they defend?
And for God's sake, Fabbs quit comparing Nazr and Rasho to Shaq! Even old, decrepit Shaq > Nazr + Rasho.
Nazr and Rasho weren't that good this year. No arguement from me on that one, but they weren't given much of a chance to redeem themselves.
Wrong. Rasho played over 8 minutes game 1, Nazr played 11:59 in Game 2 (for all the good it did us).
Out of the 4 games where neither played at all, we split, hardly inspiring confidence we needed either to win.
But people need someone to blame, and don't want to blame Tim (missed free throws), Manu (bad foul), or Bowen (missed open 3s).
They'd rather blame the coach, even though Pop had the Spurs in a position to win every game except the one game Nazr played the most minutes it.
Coincidence?
And I'm not saying Pop is perfect. Maybe he could have managed Manu's or Tim's time better so they wouldn't foul out (although, you have to wonder if we'd be in a position to win playing like that).
Bottom line: Spurs could have won game 3,4, or 7. And winning any one of those takes to to the WCF, where we would beat the Suns, and put us against the Heat.
And no amount of soft font will change 36-9 since Nazr began either starting/getting more minutes since Jan 14th. That really sucked.
yes, Nazr was the only reason we did well this season. That deserves bolding.
Was that against the Mavs?
Then it's irrelevent, like any regular season stat.
Bottom line: Nazr was a non-factor against the Mavs, and we almost won.
The only game he played significant minutes, we lost. You say "play Nazr more, we beat Dallas". I say, "Play Nazr more, Spurs lose in 5."
We'll never know, but I'll be surprised if either Nazr or Rasho are around next season. I won't be surprised to see Pop coaching.
I don't know what Pop Haters are looking for, but if you Hate Pop and love Nazr, you'd have better luck following the team who gets Nazr...
Fabbs I'll give you the comparison. The Suns had Amare and what the Spurs were able to do were to force him into becoming a jump shooter. Nazr played well because he wasn't asked to guard a guy who was virtually unstoppable in Dirk.
When Nazr and Rasho were inserted in the games against Dallas, they didn't defend well on pick and rolls. Nazr looked lost but then again he was clueless all season.
Rasho and Nazr were the two weakest links in the Spurs' defense this season. If I used your assertions that Pop didn't know what he was doing by going 'small' ball, then the Spurs would have never made it to seven games.
Rasho and Nazr were non-factors in that series because they were ineffective. Pop found what worked and the only reason why the Spurs lost that series boils down to Manu's dumb ass play.
I don't remember doing anything to Amare.The Suns had Amare and what the Spurs were able to do were to force him into becoming a jump shooter.
Not the only reason, there are several, but that's one of them.
But hey, let's be fair and rank some of The Reasons the Spurs Lost
1. Manu's foul
2. Tim's missed free throws
3. Bad technical foul call on Finley, later rescended (Game 4?)
4. Bowen's missed Three-pointers.
5. Tim fouling out Game 3.
6. Manu fouling out Game 4.
7. Dirk never missing.
OK, so where would Pop Haters put Nazr on this list?
"what the Spurs were able to do were to force him into becoming a jump shooter'
WTF? Amare didn't get ANY thundering dunks or paint points against the Spurs?
Amare added an effective jumper to his game in 04/05. You make it sound like Amare was forced into being a jump shooter by the Spurs, and averaged 37 PPG vs Spurs mainly on jumpers?
10/10 weak backpedal scale.
Haslem only played 18 minutes in that game, for the rest of that time Posey was playing PF, so I don't know where this perception that Miami doesn't play small comes from. It's not like they were playing Mourning and Shaq at the same time...
The difference is they've got an ideal "big swingman" in Posey who can rebound (he grabbed 10) and D up against Dirk. If we had someone like that we'd almost certainly have moved on.
That's not a backpedal. Fabbs, you don't what the you're talking about, acting like Nazr is the next Shaq or something...
That wasn't a backpedal. It was sarcasm.
Nazr sucked this season. No amount of saying he did well against Phoenix -- letting Amare score 40 points a game is playing awesome! -- can change that.
Spurs were in a posistion to win in seven. They didn't make it. Pop will remain coach. Nazr is most likely gone.
It's time to move on.
Thank you. Can't say it better or clearer than that.
they sure didn't, b/c pop made sure they never got a chance to
So, what's your point? Fire Pop and hire a coach that will play Nazr and Rasho more?
I for one ain't saying that Nazr would have changed the series no Rasho. Just saying we shouldn't have given into the small ball thing so quick.
Why not? It worked for the most part.
Who is Nazr or Rasho going to guard? Dirk?
And will they be able to outscore who they are guarding on the other end? If not, does that free up the Mavs to double someone else?
I mean, if we were blown out in 5 games, I'd understand the Pop Haters. They'd have a valid complaint. But if Tim or Manu doesn't foul out, the lame technical doesn't give the Mavs a game, Tim hits one more stinking free throw, Manu doesn't foul Dirk...
There are so many other things (small things) that could have won the series for us, and yet people are hung up on the two things that did not effect the series one bit: Rasho and Nazr.
I just don't get it.
Rasho and Nazr are not one player or one person- they are 2 different people who did different things this season and in the play-offs. Rasho was a HUGE part of the Spurs successful defense in the first half of the season that deteriorated after Nazr moved into the starting line-up. Someone who claims that Rasho was one of the two weakest links in the Spurs defense does not carry any credibility for anything else he says- especially for a team with Nick and Beno.Rasho and Nazr were the two weakest links in the Spurs' defense this season.
As for the Dallas series, Rasho played well in game 1, especially defensively-- Spurs won. Rasho never was given the chance AT ALL again because of match-ups and the insertion of Devin Harris into the line-up. Nazr was actually given the chance in games 2 and 3 and sucked. He was supposed to be the big man who matched up in that series but he never showed.
actually on the 2nd charge called on Shaq he was out of the restricted area and there in time to take the charge from Dirk, and it was clearly shown in the replay , so yet again the refs missed another call
See, we don't disagree on everything...
I dont see how nazr sucked so bad. what about the game where he had like 31 and 20 against phoenix during th regular season... that was small ball at its finest and nazr dominated. didnt one possession we have like 5 offensive rebounds that game? I think given the chance nazr could have really made the difference.
small ball.
How does one contest shots in the paint and put people on their asses when they're sitting on the bench.They contested shots in the paint. They put players on their ass. They negated Diop and Erica's ability to be effective down low.
I'll give you credit nbascribe. You definitely have what it takes to be a Spurs beat reporter - you toe the company line quite well.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
