Game Thoughts: Spurs vs. Celtics Mar. 17

[ShoogarBear]

Lol,.. did I hurt your ego?

No, only your vanishing credibility.

Bottom line is timvp got jumped on by many because he dared to dream despite the last losses... then he had to tone it down a little bit because everybody was going after him. That's the bottom line.

Hey.. if this forum stole your life, not my fault

timvp got jumped on because he wanted to get jumped on, or at least start something up. I was just trying to check your stupid belief that you can aribtrate what does and does not cons ute a "true fan", since the lifespan of your Spur fandom doubtless doesn't extend past five years, and probably won't extend another five years.

[smeagol]

Agreed.

Udoka until Barry comes back, has to take Finley's minutes just on account of being a better defensive player if anything.

Fin needs to take a few games off.

Somewhere, whottt rejoices . . .

[baseline bum]

I don't think it's laziness or lack of effort by Finley; he's not that kind of player. I think he's just shot. His legs are too old from all those ridiculous minutes Nelson used to play him, and I think the only way to get anything out of him is to significantly reduce his role to occasional minutes off the bench to spread the floor.

[T Park]

I personally think a few days off would fix it.

Thats just my opinion, sorry if it goes against the grain.

[SenorSpur]

I don't think it's laziness or lack of effort by Finley; he's not that kind of player. I think he's just shot. His legs are too old from all those ridiculous minutes Nelson used to play him, and I think the only way to get anything out of him is to significantly reduce his role to occasional minutes off the bench to spread the floor.

This affliction is affecting other players besides Finley. How about Horry, Stoudamire (who didn't even play)?

[baseline bum]

This affliction is affecting other players besides Finley. How about Horry, Stoudamire (who didn't even play)?

Stoudamire sucks. I fully expected him to become Charlie Ward the sequel when he was signed, and now he's living up to that. I've never thought of Stoudamire as the kind of hard-working pro that Finley is.

[yavozerb]

The team is def. in the home stretch in the careers of finley, stoudamire, horry, and thomas...But, right now (during the regular season) is not the time to call these guys washed up, lets see how they do in the playoffs. , if the spurs win it all again some you will probably want these guys back again next season.

[bostonguy]

I’m not sure how it evaporated as quickly as it did but the Celtics proved that their best record in the NBA is no joke.

First I have to tip my hats to the Celtics. That team is really, really good. Extremely good. The scary thing is they remind me of championship Spurs teams of the past. They win with stifling defense and great offensive execution. As of this second, I’d rate the Celtics as the team with the best chance to win the championship.

Their recent signing of Sam Cassell is already paying dividends. He’s a clutch shooter and he’s a player who can score no matter the cir stance. Cassell was the Celtic most responsible for pulling Boston out of the 22-point hole and then hit the game-winning jumper. Amazing game for a guy who is even older than Robert Horry – if you can believe that. Whenever Cassell decides to hang it up, Spurs fans all over the globe will breathe a sigh of relief. He’s been killing the Spurs for 15 years now.

If the Celtics have a weakness, I think it’s ironically enough their biggest strength – Kevin Garnett. When it was money time, Garnett didn’t look like he wanted any part of the action. Against the Spurs over the years, he has usually shriveled up in clutch moments. He looked like the same ol’ KG in that regard. Superstar for 45 minutes, role player for the final three minutes.

Great recap Timvp and thank you for the props. I also liked the bolded part of your recap. The Celts have a very good team. That being said, KG has to be effective if the Celtics want to realistically talk about a championship. I say Paul Pierce is our go to guy in the 4th (along with Cassell) but that will only do so much. This team is going to need KG to be effective in every way when the game is on the line. It truly is what will determine the success of the Celtics. Even if KG had been clutch last night, I wouldnt have been sold until I saw this from him in the playoffs. KG has the best supporting cast he has ever had. Even the 04 Wolves team wansnt anywhere as good as this Celts team. KG doesnt have to carry the team but he cant be relying on Cassell and Pierce and everyone else to get it done. He is going to have to be a factor in a superstar type of way.

In regards to the spurs, sooner or later your ty inconsistent play is going to end. The Spurs are facing a little bit of a crisis but they can turn it around. Being healthy really gives reason to be optimistic about that. Make the playoffs healthy because seeding in the west really isnt going to mean a god damn thing. Being able to play under pressure and being healthy is all that matters. Homecourt isnt going to cover up for either of those. You are either good enough or you are not. EVERYONE starts at 0-0 once the playoffs begin. Homecourt can easily be lost with a split the first 2 games. You eventually have to win on the road even with homecourt. Plus homecourt doesnt make things much easier. Have faith spurs fans. My team has the best record in the league but they have to prove themselves in the playoffs(ESPECIALLY KG) just like everyone else.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

I don't think it's laziness or lack of effort by Finley; he's not that kind of player. I think he's just shot. His legs are too old from all those ridiculous minutes Nelson used to play him, and I think the only way to get anything out of him is to significantly reduce his role to occasional minutes off the bench to spread the floor.

I don't know about that. Seems to me Finley is the kind of player that needs to shoot himself into a streak, meaning he needs quite a lot of attempts to get himself going. For most of his career this has been the case, now, in San Antonio, this isn't possible. It is quite a rare thing to see Finley come out effective from the get go, specially these days. To significantly reduce his already diminished role would quite effectively eliminate Finley's ability to shoot himself out of this slump he's in.

Right now, I'm not sure what can fix Fin. A few days of rest might, although with the packed schedule coming our way, I don't see that happening...

[DarrinS]

I don't know about that. Seems to me Finley is the kind of player that needs to shoot himself into a streak, meaning he needs quite a lot of attempts to get himself going.

The Spurs can't afford to give him 10-12 bricks so that he can make two buckets.

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

Stoudamire sucks. I fully expected him to become Charlie Ward the sequel when he was signed, and now he's living up to that. I've never thought of Stoudamire as the kind of hard-working pro that Finley is.

I was hoping Stoudamire would prove my feelings wrong about the acquisition but now that Pop's benched him, looks like he didn't take advantage of proving his worth in time and is just going to be dead-weight? for the most part unless he responds well to being benched in favor of Vaughn against Boston..we'll see.

[roycrikside]

ROFL. Gotta love the "Manu is the whole team" take followed by the "Parker sucks on defense" take, all the while ignoring that Teflon Ginobili's defense as of late has forced Parker into taking on a larger than usual defensive burden.

I never said he's the whole team. I understand it's not a championship recipe for Ginobili to be far and away the team's best player. But if Duncan can't get it going and the role players can't hit open shots, what are we supposed to complain about exactly?

I simply pointed out that when he's a starter the bench sucks and when he's a bench guy the starters suck. The +/- on the game logs tells the story, so argue if you want to look silly.

Larger than usual defensive burden? WTF does that even mean? He has to guard his guy and Ginobili's guy? I guess it was Manu's fault that Rondo went off, Miller lit us up, and Hamilton before that, and Paul before that. Exactly when was the last time the guy Tony was supposed to guard not had a great game?

Pop very recently praised Manu's defense and said this year is the best D he's ever played. I don't recall any such statements coming from him about Tony.
In fact in YOUR OWN recaps you've praised Manu's defensive efforts in half of our recent games. Meanwhile, you've flat out called out Tony's on numerous occasions.

I agree with your own posts and you still insult me? WTF.

I made three points in my post.

1) Manu needs to stay on the bench
2) Fin needs to not play anymore, period, especially in small ball lineups.
3) Tony's defense has been abysmal ever since he returned from injury.

Which of the three do you disagree with again?

[thispego]

can we clone ginobili and have him start and come off the bench?

[T Park]

I think what the Spurs need more than anything is this.

2 days off, a blowout win so the starters rest, and in the garbage time, let Finley shoot to his heart's content.
Feed him, get him his stroke back, and then it will be all good.

[ShoogarBear]

can we clone ginobili and have him start and come off the bench?

That would be great, then we could have CoSM vs. CoBM arguments.

[DarrinS]

I think what the Spurs need more than anything is this.

2 days off, a blowout win so the starters rest, and in the garbage time, let Finley shoot to his heart's content.
Feed him, get him his stroke back, and then it will be all good.

Gring on the Grizzlies.

[roycrikside]

I think what the Spurs need more than anything is this.

2 days off, a blowout win so the starters rest, and in the garbage time, let Finley shoot to his heart's content.
Feed him, get him his stroke back, and then it will be all good.

Who are we supposed to blow out exactly? We're not playing well enough to blow out anybody. And even if we did get a 20 point lead, running the offense to accentuate that sweet shooting stroke of Michael Finley sounds like a surefire recipe to turn a blowout into a nail biter real ing quick.

[SenorSpur]

[B]Well, I was wrong. I guaranteed that the Spurs would win tonight against the Boston Celtics and it didn’t happen.

Don't feel bad. Sean Elliott did the same thing. Apparently, his comments caused an uproar with many viewers of the game, but I got no problem with the proclamation. I just he'd have been right.

Another great summary, too!

[SenorSpur]

Don't count on it. The second part, I mean, where the Spurs manage to brush up on their draft knowledge. They could wind up with the #2 pick and use it on Luc Richard Mbah a Moute.

For my increasingly saddened money, the season ended last night. That was a gut-check game, the one to say they were here until the very end, that the Spurs were a roadblock to the championship, damn it, and no one was going to knock them down. They looked it at first - come out like gangbusters. But I had the strong sense even then it was going to be a tight game. These guys just don't have it anymore, it's over. The front office failed to make the team younger, more athletic, and talented. The guys on the bench are just old, old, old.

You can't lose a game like this, this late in the season, and it not mean anything. Thursday in Chicago is no big deal, I think they have Sacramento later. With about 20 games left, can they win enough to stay in the playoffs?

X3.

Can't argue with Mr. Body's points here.

As much as I hate the term "statement games", this was certainly one. Championship teams are supposed to demonstrate intestinal for ude. Should execute down the stretch and impose their will on the opposition. All the elements that we've seen in past Spurs championship runs. The Spurs played championship-caliber ball for about 2 quarters. This was against a team that is favored to represent the East in the NBA Finals. A team that just beat you a month ago on their home court. No extra motivation needed.

The absence of all these factors, I believe, has nothing to do with losing the corporate knowledge or a lack of desire. I just think the age, mental fatigue and deep runs the past few years have caught up with several members of this team. The absence of key bench contributions has placed more of a tremendous burden on the big three than ever before. I think the results are the diminished returns that we are now seeing.

[T Park]

Who are we supposed to blow out exactly? We're not playing well enough to blow out anybody. And even if we did get a 20 point lead, running the offense to accentuate that sweet shooting stroke of Michael Finley sounds like a surefire recipe to turn a blowout into a nail biter real ing quick.

Well sunshine they have Chicago thursday, thats potentially one right there....

But go on making up the noose, no one will stop you.

[thispego]

That would be great, then we could have CoSM vs. CoBM arguments.

ohh those battles would be epic

[bigfundamental21]

Bottom line is that this game was an important game to win and since we caved at the end, it does spell some serious trouble. But like most people here, I do still believe. I know that this team has it in them to make a run and to have a strong showing in the playoffs. We will need to see a fierceness in this team that has not really shown itself this season, with the exception of Ginobili. Hopefully, a late season matchup with the Mavs on Sunday will get us in the right frame of mind. It is go time. We are at the point of no return and without that killer instinct, there will be no repeat. I believe we will find it. In the Spurs I trust.

[Spurs Brazil]

I don't think it's laziness or lack of effort by Finley; he's not that kind of player. I think he's just shot. His legs are too old from all those ridiculous minutes Nelson used to play him, and I think the only way to get anything out of him is to significantly reduce his role to occasional minutes off the bench to spread the floor.

Agree

We always read articles about how hard Finley works, especially when he isn't playing well.

I agree with T Park. Get him a week or two of rest.

I thought Finley was done last season and he did a great job in the Playoffs. I still believe in Fin

[wildbill2u]

In the first quarter they had great ball movement but the rest of the game they were dribbing around on the perimeter.

I don't know if the change was because of Boston's defensive adjustment or whether they just forgot what got them that big lead.

[timvp]

I'm interested in ShoogarBear's take on the current status of the Spurs. As far as I've seen, he hasn't come out with his current take on the team. I've seen him say timvp is on drugs and how Spurs fans should be worried but I haven't seen a complete take.

It would be appreciated.

Thanks.