Are the Spurs contender or pretender?

[Jimcs50]

one and done.

[SenorSpur]

If the Spurs still had Scola, they'd be contenders and would be able to go toe to toe with the Lakers. But since they don't have Scola (and the Spurs didn't do jack at the trade deadline to fix this) the Spurs lack of size/talent in the frontcourt is the Lakers biggest strength...not good.
As it is now, 2 best case scenarios:
1) Spurs miss the Playoffs entirely and get the highest lotto pick possible to team up with Splitter
or
2) Stay out of the Lakers bracket by getting #7 or #6 and they have a fighting chance until the WCF

It's amazing that this is readily apparent to most and a concern for most everyone - except the coach, who continuously endorses the time-honored, failed tradition of "small-ball" strategy.

As I pointed out in another thread, one would think that by now, the Spurs would've incorporated the necessary size to counter the suddenly bigger frontlines of the Fakers, Blazers and Nuggets. , even the Mavs have more size now. Those are the teams you're trying to beat.

The Spurs had about 2 years to prepare for this. Instead, Pop continues running out the one-trick ponies and undersized gunners to surround Tim. The goal is not fielding a lineup to run with the Warriors, Clippers and Suns of the NBA. It's nice to have the flexibility, but the Fakers are still the topdogs in the West. Until you can counter their size, you're fighting an uphill battle.

[Agloco]

The Spurs are mediocre. They're in the middle of the pack, as far as NBA teams go. Their record screams this fact loudly. Mediocre teams do not suddenly catch fire and extend their playoff lives. Teams must have momentum (and talent) heading into the playoffs. As such, the Spurs will be one-and-done come playoff time.

The treadmill of mediocrity is the LAST place an organization needs to be. If you're not getting better, you're getting worse.

I'm usually on board with most of your stuff, as I am here. But I've gotta bring up the 94-95 Rockets. They were really in a stupor until the playoffs. Having said that, I'm not so confident of Mason and Bonner hitting all of their shots like Horry and Smith did that year. It seemed they made every critical three pointer down the stretch of big games.

[TD 21]

Stop throwing dirt on Tim's grave ...i got $20 that says we see 20 and 10 vs the Cavs on Friday ...

Couldn't agree more. It's becoming increasingly popular to disrespect Duncan in recent years to the point now where I actually think the media is taking joy in this. It's incomprehensible. Granted, he's not thrilled talking to the media and doesn't do it as often as a player of his stature should, but aside from that, isn't he exactly what people claim to want in a professional athlete, particularly a star (or in his case, superstar) one? I don't get it.

The ESPN guys in particular have been laying into him for the past two years. Other than Hollinger pointing out his early season stats this year and Stein doing so last year, I can't remember the last time one of them spoke of Duncan and it wasn't all negative. Like he's not allowed to age gracefully and isn't still a very good player. They act like he's useless now and needs to retire, like he should be embarrassed to not be the player he once was. It's sickening.

I don't ever remember them doing this with another all-time great and you can be sure they won't be doing this with Bryant in a few years time, which is backwards. If they were going to do this, Bryant is the guy to do this to. He's a phony, an asshole and historically overrated, yet they all kiss his ass, seemingly hoping to gain his approval (Jackson/Van Gundy are the worst). As if he's listening to what all these talking heads write/say.

[SenorSpur]

I'm usually on board with most of your stuff, as I am here. But I've gotta bring up the 94-95 Rockets. They were really in a stupor until the playoffs. Having said that, I'm not so confident of Mason and Bonner hitting all of their shots like Horry and Smith did that year. It seemed they made every critical three pointer down the stretch of big games.

Ah yes. I believe that Rockets team was something like 42-40 that year. A very low seed that played on the road for their run, right up to the Finals. They were truly the Villanova of the NBA.

[rascal]

I'm usually on board with most of your stuff, as I am here. But I've gotta bring up the 94-95 Rockets. They were really in a stupor until the playoffs. Having said that, I'm not so confident of Mason and Bonner hitting all of their shots like Horry and Smith did that year. It seemed they made every critical three pointer down the stretch of big games.

Is that the year they got Drexler at the trade deadline? If so they were a different and better team at the end of the season. Also the league had no dominate team back then.

[jag]

What kind of ing question is this!!!

[Killakobe81]

Couldn't agree more. It's becoming increasingly popular to disrespect Duncan in recent years to the point now where I actually think the media is taking joy in this. It's incomprehensible. Granted, he's not thrilled talking to the media and doesn't do it as often as a player of his stature should, but aside from that, isn't he exactly what people claim to want in a professional athlete, particularly a star (or in his case, superstar) one? I don't get it.

The ESPN guys in particular have been laying into him for the past two years. Other than Hollinger pointing out his early season stats this year and Stein doing so last year, I can't remember the last time one of them spoke of Duncan and it wasn't all negative. Like he's not allowed to age gracefully and isn't still a very good player. They act like he's useless now and needs to retire, like he should be embarrassed to not be the player he once was. It's sickening.

I don't ever remember them doing this with another all-time great and you can be sure they won't be doing this with Bryant in a few years time, which is backwards. If they were going to do this, Bryant is the guy to do this to. He's a phony, an asshole and historically overrated, yet they all kiss his ass, seemingly hoping to gain his approval (Jackson/Van Gundy are the worst). As if he's listening to what all these talking heads write/say.

agree with most of this except you talk about kobe and tim like you KNOW them. You dont have to like Kobe or any other superstar but I hate when someone talks like they know firsthand that he is an asshole or that Duncan is this "great guy" you are just making assumptions based on watching them play and get interviewed ...

Duncan is a great player who "seems" like a good guy and kind of dorky but do i "know" that. Kobe appears arrogant and a jerk but do i know that either?

Leave the phony talk and etra crap alone understand your need to defend duncan I do the same and i am not a spur fan ...i just respect and appreciate his greatness ...to bad you cant sho kobe the same respect.

[AnthonyM]

Cedric's being nice.

I met him last week and talked to him and we talked about the Spurs. Here's a bit of the conversation.

"What do you think of the Spurs this year?"

"Dude, they're done. They're just too old. Richard Jefferson looks old. I guess if you go to that team you age like 3 years overnight."

[jjktkk]

agree with most of this except you talk about kobe and tim like you KNOW them. You dont have to like Kobe or any other superstar but I hate when someone talks like they know firsthand that he is an asshole or that Duncan is this "great guy" you are just making assumptions based on watching them play and get interviewed ...

Duncan is a great player who "seems" like a good guy and kind of dorky but do i "know" that. Kobe appears arrogant and a jerk but do i know that either?

Leave the phony talk and etra crap alone understand your need to defend duncan I do the same and i am not a spur fan ...i just respect and appreciate his greatness ...to bad you cant sho kobe the same respect.

Kobe has always come across as an arrogant prick. Where Duncan was the silent, let his play do the talking, star. Kobe is not as bad now, compare to when he was younger, but theres no comparsion, as far as personalities go, when you compare Tim and Kobe.

[FeZZy]

sounds of a crappy le

[TD 21]

agree with most of this except you talk about kobe and tim like you KNOW them. You dont have to like Kobe or any other superstar but I hate when someone talks like they know firsthand that he is an asshole or that Duncan is this "great guy" you are just making assumptions based on watching them play and get interviewed ...

Duncan is a great player who "seems" like a good guy and kind of dorky but do i "know" that. Kobe appears arrogant and a jerk but do i know that either?

Leave the phony talk and etra crap alone understand your need to defend duncan I do the same and i am not a spur fan ...i just respect and appreciate his greatness ...to bad you cant sho kobe the same respect.

You're right and I hate when people do that too. What I meant was, in terms of what and the media sees on camera (although they have more access, it's not like they see them outside of their profession), which is what we have to go off of, Duncan comes off as a good, humble guy and Bryant as an arrogant phony. Too many examples of both over the years to think otherwise.