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I wonder if this is the kind of thing that IBM told themselves as they fell from one of the Top 5 most valuable companies in the world to now not even being in the Top 50.
I used to believe in the system when the Spurs were resting TD, Manu & sometimes TP and either winning the game or almost winning the game, but I don't know if it was the system or the players back then had higher BBIQs and were able to execute it well. I can't remember which player said it back then (maybe it was Dejuan Blair) when a reporter asked why they were able to do so well missing key players, I remember the quote was something like "The system is a beast". Then you had Durant saying Kawhi did so well because he's a good system player insinuating it was the system that made him into a finals MVP (tweaking Kawhi at the same time as I'm sure that comment is one reason Kawhi wasn't at the pitch meeting for Durant).
I wonder if this is the kind of thing that IBM told themselves as they fell from one of the Top 5 most valuable companies in the world to now not even being in the Top 50.
I forgot they even existed. I might have to look up what happened to them.
They've had a big time resurgence the last few years... but are still a fraction of their former selves in terms of relative market cap.
The systems that led to a culture of sustained excellence 25 years ago aren't future proof. The world moves pretty fast, if you don't stop and look around every once and awhile, you might miss it (to quote a famous philosopher).
Essentially they stopped innovating and just stuck to mainframes and backends for too long. I remember in the 90s they had this CEO, Lou gertsner (if I remember correctly) who implemented the matrix organization to improve flexibility and collaboration between the departments. I don’t remember the details as I was still a pretty young guy there back then and didn’t really understand any of this stuff. I also recalled they moved away from PCs (sold to Lenovo) and printers (Lexmark) and focused on better lower cost mainframes, consulting and software. They also started putting eggs in the Internet basket back then, which was pretty new (I know I’m old, I vividly remember pre internet workplaces). I also remember them making headlines in losing money, to a point they were left for dead. Essentially they were forced to innovate, or face imminent death.
This round I believe it’s not latching onto the evolving landscape of social media, Internet 2.0 and AI.
So basically what is happening with the spurs, they just never accepted times have changed, and what worked 10 years ago doesn’t work now. We lack heavily movement based offence and give up wide open threes. Players can no longer stick to one spot but our offence doesn’t create the necessary spacing to allow constant movement. Our pick and rolls are still heavily ball focused where the main action is either the ball handler or the screener, and the other three players just sort of stand around on the weak side, with someone occasionally cutting in for a dunk. But the off ball screen actions arent really there and it makes for an offence that’s not smooth or overly efficient, despite having a weapon like wemby.
Defence is a totally different can of worms where the scheme is just totally incomprehensible. Having players like wemby, sochan, castle (not that good tbh) and to an extent Barnes and champaigne should allow the spurs to be at least league average, if not top ten, and yet they were #25 in drtg. The defensive schemes are still like 2012. They don’t work any more. Move on, get a new system.
We’re talking about the Spurs who won in 3 different decades, with different personnel, hence different type of basketball. I’d say that’s coping with the times. Spurs got blindsided and took a downward spiral. Others don’t recover. When’s the last time Bulls got into the Finals after MJ?? But Spurs are on a bright future, yes thanks to Wemby. But Spurs made a calculated risk to tank at the right time, for a player they’ve been scouting for years. Yes it takes some luck, but not all luck. They made a calculated risk and its bright future ahead. Before 2020, the Spurs only missed the playoffs 4 times since ABA. That’s not luck.
We're talking about IBM, one of the most dominant American companies over 100 years... wanna guess how much that history mattered when they fell from grace?
I don’t see why we’re arguing when Spurs have Wemby, Fox, soon-to-be-ROTY Castle, possibly 2 lottery picks, movable assets. Things are looking bright. Only 6 years after their heir apparent franchise player jumped ship. It takes other teams forever to get back. 6 years bruh. I say that’s coping up with times
We have some great pieces, but an incoherent offense and a completely incomprehensible defense. The second longest active playoff drought in the league. Yes, things are looking up but it's in spite of our coaching leadership, not because of it. We're still pretty far away from contending from a le, and we're not going to get there by Wemby simply brute forcing his way through our systematic failings. The team needs to adapt to the times. If you'd just rather put your faith that the team will figure it out, that's actually fine, because it's not like any of us will have any impact anyway... but the team isn't going to simply Pound The Rock their way back to glory.
IBM has died. Many times.
The NBA is unrecognisable from when the Spurs last tasted silverware. On and off the court.
Spacing, play speed, defensive assignments, minute distribution, shot volume, roster construction, drafting strategies, salary cap structure, player contract framework, coaching and GM responsibilities etc.
It would be negligent to dismiss these evolutions in favour of a, 'it worked then, so it'll work now' mindset and mentality.
Unfortunately the franchise is a victim of its own success in many ways. The 'system' it venerates was made successful by three HOF players long since retired and a coach who is now *11 years* removed from becoming the oldest coach to win an NBA championship.
Maybe one day PATFO will finally accept we're in the 2020s now instead of chasing the echoes of a past that's never coming back.
If they just get to the "fun to watch" level, that will be fine for a while.
Its time to take pop to the train station.
Spurs coaching staff needs to be fully reset, start teaching the players to get brilliant on the basics. Rebounding, sticking to your man, contesting smartly. That sagging ball doesn't work most guys can shoot now and switching on everything doesn't work either there is always a shot open with that scheme.
Windy mentioned this on his podcast with those two idiots McMahon and Tim Dumbtemps…
Jeff Van Gundy.
You know your defense is going to be elite with him, but you’ll need a good offensive coach.
I’ve always felt the majority of Xs and Os, tactical preparation, adjustments, etc. are on the assistant coaches and the head coach should be someone who has more of a strategic overview, a great relationship with players and especially the franchise player and being able to establish and dictate the team culture together. Pop in his prime was amazing at this, not necessarily at in-game things.
In this sense, I have no idea who the next coach should be, could be Mitch, could be Bud, could be Pop’s corpse.. but assembling the best possible team of assistants is super important and I don’t feel the current ones bring too much value.
We all know things will change once Pop is getting kicked to the curb. We can say it‘s the FO, it‘s the staff, but the main reason is Pop and his outdated style and philosophy
CP3, Vassell, and HB were on both the league's best and worst defensive lineup
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