Calm Down

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

What makes me calm down is listening to Bill Schoenig telling me that it's only January and must win games come after April. in a..... everything is going to be alright after all because these games don't mean and the Spurs are still 12 games above 500.... Wow... I am going to be able to sleep tonight... , i hope Bonner starts the next game, start Beno also, cause Bill says it don't matter.... it... it don't matter to me either... because i watch the games for free.. you peter holt... you pop.... your lineups don't mean either, because it don't matter because Bill says so....

This organization is getting worse by the minute.... Somebody save them.

I'd be pissed about springing for League Pass given this , but thankfully there's been some great games and just watching Arenas go ape for a week was worth it...

[timvp]

1. Dirk guarded Duncan better than Duncan guarded Dirk.

As of right now, Dirk is just the better player. Can't really say otherwise right now. Duncan's going to have to pick up his game.

2. Duncan needs to get more than 7 boards in 40 minutes.

Rebounding is a problem? I wonder where I heard that before ...

3. Duncan plays much better when there's a big on the floor (for example, Oberto) than when Pop goes small. Pop needs to watch tape and see that.

I think it's the curse of Michael Finley. The guy just plain sucks. He got dominated by Devean George. That one free-throw miss where George just pushed him aside and got the offensive rebound might have been the most pathetic thing I've seen in a Spurs uniform since watching Steve Smith hustle for a loose ball.

4. Tony did a good job penetrating and ballhandling tonight. His stats weren't flashy, but he was solid and did a good job on defensively for the most part.

Defensively he was good. Offensively I wished he would have attacked more.

5. Manu looks great. Sure he had a couple critical bad moves (shooting too early in the shot clock, a key turnover, etc) but he has so much will to win, it's amazing to watch.

Manu was playing at near 100%. I don't know if he can play better.

6. Oberto did a great job in the first half getting himself free (plus the Mavs were ignoring him a bit).

If you don't guard him, he's pretty effective. Although I think that in a seven-game series, any team can adjust to him and make him work for his shots.

7. Barry+Beno = 0-for-12? If the Spurs were showcasing them for a trade, this didn't help.

Don't be so hard on that duo ... they were only 0-for-11. And their ballhandling made the difference tonight

8. Finley freakin' kills the Spurs offense. I hated that post up crap in the 4th.

Finley is done. Actually, he's even worse than done. Pop trying to fit him into the lineup is why the Spurs got into this small ball mess in the first place. If Finley had signed with Miami or Phoenix, Spurs could be gunning for their third championship in a row.

9. Last play of the game, if I was on the sidelines, Tony would have penetrated and dished to Manu for 3. Manu was on fire and Tony did a great job drawing the defense in the lane with him. The Bowen play wasn't bad, but it wasn't my first choice.

I don't think that play works. You run Parker in a pick-and-roll and all that happens is the Mavs go under it and force Parker to shoot. With Manu they had to send help and jump out on him ... and that's what got Bowen open in the corner.

10. Bowen did a good job on Howard. I know Josh still got his, but he played him really well. Bowen also switched off onto to so many other people Terry, DHarris, Dirk etc. I thought he was really solid defensively.

Bowen did do a pretty good job ... however, AJ made a masterful adjustment in running all the offense thru Dirk and using JHo as a decoy.

11. The Spurs need someone to help with the rebounding. I don't know if that's Corey Maggette, or if they should try to make some other deal. But they really aren't going to make it far in the playoffs with this core of rebounders. I know that part of the problem is that the Spurs went small for long stretches, but honestly, the centers aren't good rebounders really either.

Yep. Reggie Evans would be so sweet right about now. Corey Maggette would be a godsend. Heck, I'd be ecstatic with a freakin' Devin Brown or a Linton Johnson ... someone who can just grab a damn board.

12. Memo to Beno: You aren't Allen Iverson or Kobe, so stop trying to break records for shot attempts.

Remind me never to praise Beno again. He is the worst player in NBA history as far as running plays at the end of quarters. If he doesn't turn it over, he's forcing a shot that he never in his life would make. If he's not doing that, he's shooting with too much time left on the clock.

X 1,000,000 @ Beno shooting the ball TWICE before he should have at the end of the half. His job was to waste all the time and the Spurs get a final shot. Somehow he shot fast enough to get blocked, get the ball back, miss again and then have Oberto tip it in.

The guy has the basketball IQ of a donut.

13. Dirk freakin' awesome.

@ the KG > Dirk crowd.

[Nero]

Young Duncan was playing next to the Admiral who was shouldering the defensive chores in the middle. Now, Pop has placed an older Duncan in the middle without a defensive center and his production declines throughout the game. Duncan is an amazing PF when paired with a real C. A few more years with no defensive presence/rebounding in the center, and he will have nothing left in the tank.

The calendar is not the friend of the Spurs. Tick... Tick

John

It's tough to find a defensive center that fits with Pop's small ball lineup these days. Tyson Chandler, Ben Wallace, Pryzbilla, Dalembert, Biedrins? I'd trade eitehr Manu or Parker for one of those. It's not to hard to find a creative swingman or pg/sg who can score even if they do it a little less effectively than those two.

[mavsfan1000]

I disagree with the comment that Duncan plays better with a big on the floor. The spurs as a unit play better because of better defense and rebounding but Duncan't stats actually are better without a big than with one. Look at last years playoffs to show why he was better. The floor was so spread out that Duncan got to go one-on-one most of the time with an occasional double team which led to an open 3.

[bigfan]

After tonights game, heres what I think; Tim, Tony, Manu, Bruce, Oberto and Elson are ok with me. If Barry will go back to shooting again he can stay but if he keeps passing clear shots, he goes. Horry and Finley are clearly done. Udrih, Vaughn, Bonner, Williams, Butler, White are all trade bait. I hate to admit that goof Walton was right but if only three guys shoot the ball, were done.

[angel_luv]

3. Duncan plays much better when there's a big on the floor (for example, Oberto) than when Pop goes small. Pop needs to watch tape and see that.

It is funny you say that. I was listening to the React Show and someone called in trying to make that same point. Charlie and Chance wrote him off as ridiculos.
I disagreed with them at the time and now even more that you noticed too.

[Tek_XX]

Why does Barry drive the ball when he knows he can't finish?

[Budkin]

Anyone who quits on the Spurs in January is not a real Spurs fan. People need to get some perspective. Jeeze.

[T Park]

TIMVP paints a picture of gloom.

How can you not agree?


Tonight's game makes you not want to go to another game for a long long time.

[Kori Ellis]

TIMVP paints a picture of gloom.

How can you not agree?


Tonight's game makes you not want to go to another game for a long long time.

I don't think timvp's posts are gloomy. He just thinks the Spurs need a rebounder.

Were you at the game tonight? I didn't see you.

[slayermin]

I thought the Spurs would win tonight. They didn't. Oh well.

ONLY 48 GAMES LEFT.

[team-work]

It's more than 6 months since I last signed up here. Despite the slow internet connection after the last earthquake in Taiwan in December, I felt the need to support the team and the fans after 3 bitter losses. For a distinguished team such as the Spurs, it's natural that the fans always have high expectations, and the anger when the team doesn't meet the expectations are understandable. But I truly believe Duncan & Co. have the most distaste for losing, and they will come back strong. It's too early to tell whether the championship is out of reach. Of course, there's much work to do.

[kris]

People love to have their little cliches about it's just a game and you don't win championships in one game and all that, but if you're not in the Spurs Disneyland Theme Park, you know that the Spurs are now to the Mavs what the Mavs used to be to the Spurs. If the Spurs don't make a big change or a bold move, they definitely cannot beat the Mavs, and to a lesser extent the Suns.

The differences between this team and championship caliber teams are glaring.

1. The defense that used to win all the games in the balance is gone. The Spurs still have a great system, but the personnel for whatever reason (age, etc.) isn't there. Believe it or not, at one time the Spurs would go games without giving up a layup down the middle.

2. Tim Duncan doesn't play like a superstar anymore. I've said that a million times, but it doesn't make it any less true. I know some fans with the blinders on still think he's just deferring or working the double teams, but that's not it. Sometimes the numbers he gets will fool some, but he simply doesn't dominate games anymore.

3. Nobody on the Spurs team looks like they're on a mission to win a championship. Manu really wanted to win tonight, but he's been highly inconsistent. Horry should have retired before the season. Parker doesn't look nearly as sharp this season. Even Pop seems to be stuck on proving what doesn't seem like a good idea will work. The Spurs aren't the team that other teams need to adapt to. Now the Spurs have to adapt to other teams. When are the Spurs going to start acting like that? When is someone - anyone would be nice (David, Sean) - but more specifically Pop going to call out Tim Duncan like Pop did for Sean Elliott? I remember Sean Elliott recalling when Pop made him look in the mirror and Sean bawled and whatever else. Someone needs to say something to Duncan because it's getting to the level of Brett Favre embarrassing.

4. Where are the big contributing role players? There is no Speedy Claxton, Stephen Jackson, Malik Rose, Jaren Jackson, Robert Horry (2005) that can come in and be a difference maker. Brent Barry is a one trick pony. Beno is a story all his own. Bonner tries but really doesn't have enough talent to make a difference in a playoff series. Oberto can take layups the defense gives up, but outside of that his lack of athleticism makes him ineffective.

Pop reminds me of Marge Simpson the time she got that fabulous Chanelle suit at the irregular factory store in Ogdenville. She re-tailored a couple of times and played it off a couple of times with good results, but eventually she tried to stretch it too far and she became the laughingstock of the country club.

[slayermin]

after 3 bitter losses.

I really thought and hoped the guys would pull it out tonight but bitter? I wouldn't call any of the last three losses bitter. Maybe disappointing and alarming but not bitter.

The Spurs exiled two centers in the off season and without Francisco Elson, their frontline is depleted. That has been quite obvious the last few games.

Also, Bruce Bowen is not this bad a shooter. He gets the benefit of the doubt in my book. If his struggles continue for another week or so, I might worry because then Pop won't be able to keep him out on the floor. I chaulk it up to the new ball.

And really, what is so scary about these Mavs? Good team on a hot streak? yes. Great team? That remains to be seen.

[xamila rey]

then his transformation into Nick Van Exel is complete. He's learned his lessons well.

[Das Texan]

I dont know anymore.


We are a one and done team right now.


Some move has to be made, and frankly I dont care what it is. What we have isnt working period.

Whoever said it is right. Somone needs to ball up and just flat out call out Tim Duncan. Anyone with half a brain and void of the homer glasses can see that right now he is a problem on this team as much as anyone else.


I think you can count on a finger or maybe two who cared enough to win that game tonight.

The rest have been going through the motions way too much.

We need a change of some type. I'm tired of this same ole this year.

[Texas_Ranger]

Duncan needs to take 25 shots per game. And his teammates need to pass him more.

[themvp]

Duncan needs to take 25 shots per game. And his teammates need to pass him more.

Yes.

But the problem is Pop.

[MannyIsGod]

Anyone who quits on the Spurs in January is not a real Spurs fan. People need to get some perspective. Jeeze.

No one here is quiting on the Spurs. I'm sure everyone here will chear hard as come playoff time, but the fact is that this team does not look nearly as good as others have in hte past. Thats just the reality of the situation.

There is still time for improvement and/or personal changes, but there's nothing wrong with admitting this team has issues.

[MannyIsGod]

It is funny you say that. I was listening to the React Show and someone called in trying to make that same point. Charlie and Chance wrote him off as ridiculos.
I disagreed with them at the time and now even more that you noticed too.

Those 2 sounded like idiots tonight. I never listen to their show, but since it took us 30+ minutes to leave the parking lot tonight I had them on. They tried to say that you can't play Oberto in the 3rd because he'd have to guard George etc.

WHO THE CARES?

If the Mavs start running isolations for players other than Dirk, Howard or Terry, then you're probably in a better situation than you would be with the others having the ball.

[leemajors]

Duncan needs to take 25 shots per game. And his teammates need to pass him more.

that's not gonna do jack if he's waiting forever to do something and listening to midgets on the sideline yelling double, double! tim isn't even trying to get good position in the post anymore.

[ducks]

dirk's airball won the game
when terry got the rebound and made the basket

[ducks]

I wonder if the spur players believe in small ball and not sold on it

[KB24]

[SenorSpur]

Calm down? Why?

Now is as good a time to panic as any.