One of the rare occasions where I'll completely agree with TPark.
The Suns completely had their chance to win Game 5 even without Stoudemire and Diaw, and they squandered it. And here we are, 9 months later, and Phoenix fans and media are still being little ing babies about it.
Spurs fans weren't this whiney when we lost to 0.4. Mostly due to the fact that we realized that we still dropped 3 other perfectly winnable games.
As long as we're playing the what-if game, maybe Boris and Amara wouldn't have been suspended if there HADN'T been 600 cameras watching them walk out on the court during what was obviously an altercation, clearly breaking a black-and-white ruling of the League. If only playoff games weren't nationally freaking televised...
I'm glad that somewhere along the lines, my parents taught me that you're accountable for your actions, and the consequences that come with them.
Analysis at the 1st half or beginning of the season is pretty much useless. Post All-Star break is all that matters to me.
Spurs went 20-2 to finish out the season last year, you knew going into the playoffs they were the team to beat. It's all about momentum and health.
You're right about this type of analysis but we all know everyone does this in almost every sport. Easy show to do since it means absolutely nothing and everyone is free to say just about anything. Did anyone of them talk about how traditionally the Spurs have a mini slump at this time and rebound to go strong into the playoffs? From the comments posted here concernig ESPN writers I don't think so.
The Spurs are much closer to the leader in the West this season than last; and this season's leader looks MUCH less formidable. Is anyone REALLY afraid of New Orleans in the playoffs? Or the Lakers? Nuggets? Trail Freaking Blazers? Are you more afraid of this year's edition of the Mavericks or Suns?
No. No. No. No. and No.
The Spurs are looking SO lax, because they can. , as bad as they have been, as inconsistent (I told myself before this season began, and think I posted it when the Spurs were dominating early that there WOULD be a point in January when ALL would doubt the Spurs), the Spurs are only a single game down in the "Loss" column! Does this mean that the Spurs will do what they always do and turn it up now, ending up with the best record in the West because of inferior compe ion? No, I don't think so. I think it means the Spurs take more time evaluating, learning, tinkering and frustrating us.
The vulnerability the Spurs showed last year was in Game 4 of the Phoenix series, losing in crunch time in that game. EVERY game these days seems to be a repeat of that. VERY close to the end; and the Spurs NEVER getting breathing room...they are getting several chances every game to have a make or break possession, both offensively, and, I think more importantly, defensively. The defense is getting tougher; teams are NOT scoring in crunch time like they were a month ago. Of course, the Spurs are having more offensive miscues in crunch time, and scoring even less than their oppoinents; but I think that is not where the focus has been.
That said, earlier in the year, and late in the playoffs last season, the Spurs offense had be come a well-oiled dominant machine. That offense is still there; we just don't get to see it very often. Why? I don't know. Is it by design; to keep the games close to work on gut-check time? To keep from giving opponents too much film to study? Who knows?
All I know is, no single team scares this year as much as the Mavericks did last season, or even looks as tough as Phoenix. I think the Spurs look better, Duncan and Ginobilli in particular. This is the year of the repeat.
I'm sure other teams could say the same about the Spurs
e.g. "are you afraid of this years edition of the Spurs?"
Nah, the Spurs have a few more good years left. I can easily see them in a position to go for a repeat after the 08-09 season.
Poeple keep using the example of last year as their reason to believe all that they do-- but what if last year was the exception and not the rule?
you can't expect to not make upgrades and still win the le with alot of other teams getting better. spurs do look very old and keep believing they will turn it on in the playoffs but facts are they do look old and will continue to do so. i'm not sure duncan can turn it on in the playoffs like that so easily anymore
Dude. That's ALWAYS how it is, for ANY team. It's always one or two plays that decide how things turn out.
Agreed.F' it.
This year will be tougher, because they aren't playing as good and it's harder to repeat.
Get Rasho back!
WTF? No way I agree with that. We have no way to know what the outcome would be, and the fact that we struggled until the fourth quarter of game 5 means nothing.
I never feel guilty about the suspensions anyway because the officiating in the 4th Q of game 4 was THE WORST, bar none, that I've ever seen against the Spurs. Possession after possession we had players hacked for no call. The Suns got away with murder in their "come from behind victory". Horry's hip check (and that's all it was - it would've been no big thing back in the 90s when the Eastern conference was routinely tougher than that incident) came out of frustration over the officiating.
Whoever said that the Mavs being knocked out was our greatest fortune, I agree.
As for this year, at this point it's a wide open race. But just like last year, the Spurs are currently playing at about 60% of their potential... can they up that like they did last year? We'll know 10 games after the AS Break.
Teams that can beat us in the playoffs: Mavs (matchup well), Warriors (but only in round 1).
Teams that might be a threat: Suns (they are due some luck), Nuggets (depends on how long Nene is out - when they have their big front line firing we have trouble with them).
Teams that don't worry me at all: New Orleans, Portland, LAL, Utah - each is either too young or a good matchup for us. Each could also make the 2nd round.
I will say that the first round this year will be a fight!
Last edited by RuffnReadyOzStyle; 01-23-2008 at 06:19 PM.
Not true as it pertains to SA. The Spurs are kicking their usual amount of January @ss.
With a win tonight they'll be 27-13.
Spurs record at the 40 game mark:
2006-2007: 27-13*
2005-2006: 31-9
2004-2005: 31-9*
2003-2004: 26-14
2002-2003: 26-14*
* championship seasons
Much ado about nothing.
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