Was this the Spurs' last chance to repeat?

[Phenomanul]

all teams pail in comparison to russels celtics, 8 straight leS, and 9 in 11 years,


END OF STORY

Out of how many teams...???

Certainly not 30....

The teams were all stacked with talent... different world really....

[Man In Black]

Parker wouldn't have dominated the match-up with Dennis Johnson, he was athletic and quick enough to stay with him.

Did you actually watch DJ play? DJ wasn't what you would call quick by any stretch. he was smart, he used his size well in a time when outside of Magic Johnson, most PG's were 6'0 tall. Since you're talking DJ, you mean the 85 Celtics. 2nd team ALL-NBA D team true but since Bill Hanzlik was on that same team, I don't think that means much. Sidney Moncrief...now there was a playa.

Parker blew by people who are ALL-NBA 1st team TODAY. I don't think it would take that much for him to get his teardrop off against DJ.

About the Spurs.

Let me take what you wrote and then fix it to reflect some truths about these Spurs.

The Spurs are a team that had the best of both worlds, IMO. They were able to play most any pzce, strong half-court, able to run on the offensive end and are tough on the defensive end as evidenced by a stat Pop truly quantifies as important. FG% allowed. They move the ball as well as any team today, they play unselfishly and to the basketball purist, they are a joy to watch. With Duncan, they are great inside and with the attention that he draws, he gives his shooters a very good look every game.

They know how to physical on the defensive end (See Bruce Bowen & Tim Duncan-pereniall ALL-NBA D Teamers) and the opp FG%allowed.

They have the most solid inside player in the game today in Duncan. He would have been a tough cover for either Parish or McHale and they would have been great against Duncan. Not that they would really render Duncan ineffective but they most definitely could effect his game more than anybody on the Spurs would have done to Bird.

Was anyone ever able to negate Bird's effectiveness? Depends on what you mean by negate. Bird always played at high level ala Tim Duncan. It's just that there will be times where the rest of the team isn't as effective.

Tim does it on both ends. I've seen it all, I've watchd him contribute in every aspect of the game. 2003 Finals in game 6, he finished with a quadruple double, he is all hustle and brains and solid fundamentals.
I HAVE seen Bird struggle. It made him surly, and those struggles pre-cluded punches thrown at players like Julius Erving and Micheal Cooper.
McHale is a better second option than Manu or Parker. But can you say that the Celtics' other parts are as good as Parker & Ginobili?

Parker wouldn't have dominated the match-up with Dennis Johnson, but Tony does what he does against today's best defenders. While DJ was a good defender, his athleticism was good but he wouldn't be able to stay with him.

Manu is better than Ainge and will show his resiliency in the upcoming Worlds and the NBA NEXT SEASON

[Phenomanul]

I've already began to make my case and all you have done is thrown out digs at my Kings, claimed I was drawing unreasonable conclusions, and passed the ball back to my court. When are you going to offer up any kind of insights of your own? It's pretty easy to sit there and point out my post count and claim my points are conjeture, but do you have anything to bring to the table?

The Celtics were a team that had the best of both worlds, IMO. They were able to play finesse on the offensive end and able to get tough on the defensive end. They moved the ball as well as any team has ever in the history of the game, they were so unselfish that is was a joy to watch. They were great inside and out. Yet they knew how to punish a team and get physical on the defensive end.

They had solid inside players in Parish and McHale, they would have been great against Duncan. Not that they would really render Duncan ineffective but they most definitely could effect his game more than anybody on the Spurs would have done to Bird. Was anyone ever able to negate Bird's effectiveness? No, the guy did it all, he contributed in every aspect of the game, he was all hustle and brains. I've actually seen Duncan struggle in games, I never seen Bird struggle. Again, McHale is a better second option than Manu or Parker. Parker wouldn't have dominated the match-up with Dennis Johnson, he was athletic and quick enough to stay with him. Ainge would have frustrated Manu just like Manu frustrate players. But that would be the Spurs biggest advantage, the Ainge/Manu matchup.

Basically I don't even think that it is comparable, the more I think about it the less comparable I think the two teams are. The Celtics would kill them.

Who knows.... perhaps... but only because flagrant fouls were a common occurence back in the 80's... good riddance... and yet without the same physicallity these Spurs are able to keep their opponents below 90 PPG on a consistent basis....

The Lakers, Celtics or even the Pistons from the 80's cannot claim that their defense was every bit as good... (and again accounting for the fact that they literally knocked each other out of games)...

[Fabbs]

Yes I think this year was the best chance to repeat.
Very disappointed, and almost in disbelief it was a mental fart by my favorite player GNob in fouling Dirk after we had the advancment 98% locked up.

Not even trying TallBall the entire series, save an 11 minute stretch by Fabs (held his own vs Novitski) yeah that kinda sticks in the craw also. I do think Avery got the better of Pop.

But, I do not rule out the Spurs chances for a repeat either. Very interested to see what happens with Scola and other events for the 2006-7 roster.

[DirkAB]

Who knows.... perhaps... but only because flagrant fouls were a common occurence back in the 80's... good riddance... and yet without the same physicallity these Spurs are able to keep their opponents below 90 PPG on a consistent basis....

The Lakers, Celtics or even the Pistons from the 80's cannot claim that their defense was every bit as good... (and again accounting for the fact that they literally knocked each other out of games)...

Yes, the refs have done away with the flagrant fouls, but the game has been allowed by the officials to become much more physical over the last 20 years. There is no way that you can sit there and claim that the Spurs defense is so superior to the Celtics of the 80s or Pistons of late 80s/early 90s. If the officials allowed the hand checking and physical play back then, don't you suppose that those teams would have taken advantage and adapted? Those teams were as known for their defense back then as your Spurs are today, it's just that the game is much different now and defense has been allowed to become much more physical.

[DirkAB]

Did you actually watch DJ play? DJ wasn't what you would call quick by any stretch. he was smart, he used his size well in a time when outside of Magic Johnson, most PG's were 6'0 tall. Since you're talking DJ, you mean the 85 Celtics. 2nd team ALL-NBA D team true but since Bill Hanzlik was on that same team, I don't think that means much.

I think that Parker and Johnson would have given each other problems. Parker with his quickness, and Johnson with his stregnth and size. I wouldn't give any real advantage to either PG in this matchup.

[Phenomanul]

Yes, the refs have done away with the flagrant fouls, but the game has been allowed by the officials to become much more physical over the last 20 years. There is no way that you can sit there and claim that the Spurs defense is so superior to the Celtics of the 80s or Pistons of late 80s/early 90s. If the officials allowed the hand checking and physical play back then, don't you suppose that those teams would have taken advantage and adapted? Those teams were as known for their defense back then as your Spurs are today, it's just that the game is much different now and defense has been allowed to become much more physical.

And yet for those teams' supposed defensive prowess they never managed to produce a season where they held opponents to less than 90 ppg or less than 42 FG%... much less in the same season.

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

You had a nice little post going there until you decided to compare Manu to Larry the Legend! Wow! We have a new King of the HOMERS! Holy in' , that is hilarious! Manu is being compared to Larry Bird! Where did you here that? Manu's mom and dad?

BTW, by no means will I sit here and argue that Duncan isn't in elite company.

I've just read it before and heard it from older fans who actually experienced Bird's years, not just us younger guys who only have a collective image of their godlike greatness....Manu was 1 vote away from splitting the Finals MVP with Duncan (if that's possible), 2 votes away from owning it...Not that hilarious. Nash gets compared to Magic on PG skills/court vision and we all know it's a compliment at best and not an actual comparison.

His compe iveness is comparable, not exactly his game. He's a unique player nonetheless.

[dknights411]

all teams pail in comparison to russels celtics, 8 straight leS, and 9 in 11 years,


END OF STORY

Even the Bulls of the 90s? The would have won 8 straight easily had Jordan not retired the first time around. Moreover, it's hard to dismiss 72-10.

[DirkAB]

I've just read it before and heard it from older fans who actually experienced Bird's years, not just us younger guys who only have a collective image of their godlike greatness....Manu was 1 vote away from splitting the Finals MVP with Duncan (if that's possible), 2 votes away from owning it...Not that hilarious. Nash gets compared to Magic on PG skills/court vision and we all know it's a compliment at best and not an actual comparison.

His compe iveness is comparable, not exactly his game. He's a unique player nonetheless.

Either you are full of and pretending that people are making these comparisons, or your friends that watched Bird and Magic are re s and have no idea what they are talking about.



It's getting worse, now you are comparing Nash to Magic? Nash has had 2 great seasons and now you think he is being compared to Magic? You don't know what the you are talking about. Nash has a hard time winning the Nash/Kidd debate, and in all honesty probably doesn't. So in what way is he anything like Magic Johnson? Aside from being an MVP point guard, what do they have in common? Obviously MVP point guards are going to be great passers and have great court vision, but their style of play couldn't be further apart. Did you know that Magic is considered by some to be the best player ever to play?

Oh yeah BTW, because Manu was a couple of votes away from being a finals MVP, but didn't actually win the award, he is comparable to Larry Bird? Brilliant! How about this:

Larry the Legend was:

9 time all-NBA first team
2 time Finals MVP (he actually won the award, unlike Manu)
3 time NBA MVP
3 time NBA all-defensive second team
NBA ROY
1 of the 50 greatest players in NBA history (does Manu even make the top 250?)

[DirkAB]

Even the Bulls of the 90s? The would have won 8 straight easily had Jordan not retired the first time around. Moreover, it's hard to dismiss 72-10.

Exactly, plus the Bulls did it when there was a salary cap and twice as many teams.

[mabber]

I don't think that matters. 3 out of 5 is just as impressive IMO.

I agree. Actually I think winning 3 out of 5 is more impressive than winning back-to-back and then not winning again.