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That's funny for a couple of reasons.
I love when people pull the "how many games would (insert team) have won without (insert player)" card, without factoring in the fact that if they didn't have said player, they'd have a different player in that player's spot. It wouldn't just be left blank.
Take Ginobili off the team and the Spurs have significantly more financial flexibility. Replace Ginobili with, say, a run of the mill starter, such as Salmons (I realize he was terrible this season and is wildly inconsistent, but when he's been on throughout his career, he's been a quality player) and this team still more than likely wins at least 50 games, unless they're decimated by injuries.
That's funny for a couple of reasons.
Spurs will have to reproduce their first round from last year:
Carried by the stars, plus George Hill stepping up his game much more than he did most of the regular season. Crusty savvyness from McDyess.
And that's it. Still a fraud team who would get smashed in the second round though.
But they did beat the higher seed last year while overcoming Bonner being wretched Bonner, RJ disappearing except for quarters 1-3 of game 2 and some results in game 4, and being benched in crunch time in several games, Mason being Mason, and little playing time for Blair or the 5th big.
Maybe Neal can succeed where Mason failed.
But the risk of Bonner getting pancaked against Randolph and Gasol and still choking while Jefferson lollygags and is outperformed by his MEM counterparts can make things very hard. Plus Splitter being ritually sacrificed in the name of "These playoffs aren't for him, it wouldn't be fair, he needs to get over himself, he can't spread the floor, he was too chummy with Scola" doesn't help.
Good analysis. However, you missed the point of our reserves (Neal, Hill, RJ, the like) stepping up. I'm assuming, them stepping up is a given to you?
The Grizzlies might be overrated for one reason: teams that depend on forcing turnovers never go very far in the NBA playoffs. Teams have a chance to prepare for the pressure and figure out how to attack it, and smart lineups that are patient and execute should get a boatload of open shots.
Having said that, they certainly cause matchup problems with the Spurs for all the reasons timvp outlined. The Spurs of 2005-2008 would destroy this Grizzlies team. The Spurs of 2011 have a soft underbelly that they could exploit. And I have no idea why the Spurs can't defend the three against them.
So would you take Jason Terry instead of Manu? Obviously it sounded like the Mavs would've rather had Manu. On the radio a while ago (before Manu got hurt) they asked Carlisle if he could borrow any Spur to help the Mavs along in the playoffs which player would it be and he answered Manu and that the Mavs needed another player who was that smart, clutch, and tough.Take Ginobili off the team and the Spurs have significantly more financial flexibility. Replace Ginobili with, say, a run of the mill starter, such as Salmons (I realize he was terrible this season and is wildly inconsistent, but when he's been on throughout his career, he's been a quality player) and this team still more than likely wins at least 50 games, unless they're decimated by injuries.
i don't know what to expect. just about the only thing i know will happen is TP is going to play and play well. Manu's health and whether Duncan will look old or fresh, as the Spurs hoped he would by limiting his reg. season minutes, are both the two keys for me.
Spurs in 6 or 7
Obviously not. This wasn't anti-Ginobili, it was more of a general point. He just so happened to be the player in question. Of course Carlisle would take Ginobili. He would fill their most glaring weakness, which is the lack of a go-to perimeter player.
Not as many as the did obviously, i'm not saying the Spurs are still contenders without him obviously they aren't, but they should still beat Memphis in a series.
Manu is 19 in +/- when Tony Allen is on court,
Manu is -7.3 in +/- when Tony Allen is on bench,
But check out what happens with other stats http://www.nba.com/statscube/player-...,2754;season=r
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