Ludden: Parker delivering for Popovich

[romain.star]

I know why Pop asked him to shoot less but actually he didn"t ask him to shoot less
He asked him to make the suckers who play with him (outside of TD and Manu) a bit better....

[romain.star]

To "hopefully" build confidence in the outside shooters. He wants them (big 3) to trust on their teamates more even though they are slacking!

when a player sucks he sucks... it's not because TP will trust them a bit more that it will make them playing good
TP's not a magician

[ShoogarBear]

It's pretty much impossible for a point guard to lead a team to a championship the way a bigman can. Isiah Thomas and Magic Johnson both had multiple Hall of Famers and All-Star caliber players around them when they won it. Nash has two MVPs, two All-Star teammates and still hasn't been to the Finals.

For Parker to win a championship on the Spurs after Duncan retires, he'd have to reach Hall of Fame status and then have multiple Hall of Famers or at least All-Stars around him.

Isiah Thomas was the only "traditional" point guard in NBA history who led his team to an NBA championship. All the other championship point guards were role players. Parker won't win championships without a lot of help.

TP is way ahead of the curve as timvp pointed out, although we'll have to see if the early workload leads to an earlier burnout.

The biggest thing that gacks me now is that as much contact as Tony draws he should be getting more calls and 7-8 FTA per night.

[BgT]

I actually think he should pass less. No one in this team his hitting a single shot, so he better try it himself. I never thought I would say this, but Pop should split the touches between TP and calling 4 down.

That's not theoretically possible. If it would be possible, Tony would do it loooong time ago. Except if you think he should be stealing balls from his teammates.

[timvp]

You can tell which Spurs fans have jumped on the bandwagon in recent years and which have gone thru the ups and downs. Parker is by FAR the best point guard in franchise history. It's not even close.

The Spurs fans who hopped on board in 2005 or whatever don't even know what it was like to watch Terry Porter and Antonio Daniels play point guard ... not to mention the last 30 years when the Spurs year in and year out had issues at point guard.

Parker was voted into the All-Star game by coaches for the second time. He shoots an ungodly percentage from the field. He plays defense. He listens to whatever Pop tells him. He doesn't cause trouble on or off the court. He wants to get better and better. Yet Johnny come lately Spurs fans are disappointed he doesn't play like John Stockton.

Stupid.

Oh and talking about John Stockton ... at 24 Stockton was in his third season and was averaging a career high 7 points. Thru his first three seasons, Stockton had hit 11 three pointers and hadn't been able to beat out the immortal Rickey Green for a starting spot.

Spoiled ass Spurs fan amaze me with their knowledge.

[RC's Boss]

when a player sucks he sucks... it's not because TP will trust them a bit more that it will make them playing good
TP's not a magician

I'm quoting the coach

[RC's Boss]

You can tell which Spurs fans have jumped on the bandwagon in recent years and which have gone thru the ups and downs. Parker is by FAR the best point guard in franchise history. It's not even close.

The Spurs fans who hopped on board in 2005 or whatever don't even know what it was like to watch Terry Porter and Antonio Daniels play point guard ... not to mention the last 30 years when the Spurs year in and year out had issues at point guard.

Parker was voted into the All-Star game by coaches for the second time. He shoots an ungodly percentage from the field. He plays defense. He listens to whatever Pop tells him. He doesn't cause trouble on or off the court. He wants to get better and better. Yet Johnny come lately Spurs fans are disappointed he doesn't play like John Stockton.

Stupid.

Oh and talking about John Stockton ... at 24 Stockton was in his third season and was averaging a career high 7 points. Thru his first three seasons, Stockton had hit 11 three pointers and hadn't been able to beat out the immortal Rickey Green for a starting spot.

Spoiled ass Spurs fan amaze me with their knowledge.

[AFBlue]

I don't care if you agree... but don't change my words. Don't say that my opinion is something that it isn't. Ok? Can I ask that? Can I say I have the right for asking you that? Would it help if I say "Pleeeeease"? No? Don't be moronic prick and be fair. Don't put words in my mouth and don't ask questions which I have already answered. As I said, you can have a different opinion, but don't act like some other dirty posters around here. Please. And thanks.

Fair enough. I was simply trying to illustrate that Tony Parker, for all his so-called "faults" is still a 24yr old with 2 rings and 2 all-star selections. Even IF he doesn't improve in the mental aspect as you suggest he will not (though I'll reiterate my disagreement with that point), that's one of a player to be cutting down.

And one last thing, I admit I'm prejudiced when it comes to shoot first PG's. I don't like them. For me, a team with a shoot first PG is not a complete basketball team. It' doesn't mean that it's a bad team, some good teams in past and present have no real center and are considered good teams. But it's just not a complete team.

I don't know if you realize it, but the Spurs are not a complete team and it has nothing to do with Tony Parker. The Spurs play 3 on 5 offensively most nights because of inefficiency from the SF and C positions. Tony does what he has to do to fit the current situation.

The Phoenix Suns are the closest you come to a "complete" team (as you suggest) because they have a pass-first PG, a dominant low-post guy, and a handful of reliable scorers. Yet, they are still not considered the clear-cut leading candidate to bring home the le.

The point is that teams can have several different make-ups and still succeed in this league...."complete" teams as you suggest are few and far between.

Tony will try, but the mentality is one of the shoot first PG. Also I see him as a "first me, then team" kind of a player, which hurts even more because of his position. I don't like players like him, Carter, Kobe,... I like team players, because basketball is a team sport.

I understand you consider him to be a shoot-first player and I don't disagree, but Tony is not a "me, then the team" guy at all. He knows Tim is the foundation and he knows Pop is the leader. I've never heard him say/do anything to make me think otherwise....you?

[BgT]

You can tell which Spurs fans have jumped on the bandwagon in recent years and which have gone thru the ups and downs. Parker is by FAR the best point guard in franchise history. It's not even close.

The Spurs fans who hopped on board in 2005 or whatever don't even know what it was like to watch Terry Porter and Antonio Daniels play point guard ... not to mention the last 30 years when the Spurs year in and year out had issues at point guard.

Parker was voted into the All-Star game by coaches for the second time. He shoots an ungodly percentage from the field. He plays defense. He listens to whatever Pop tells him. He doesn't cause trouble on or off the court. He wants to get better and better. Yet Johnny come lately Spurs fans are disappointed he doesn't play like John Stockton.

Stupid.

Oh and talking about John Stockton ... at 24 Stockton was in his third season and was averaging a career high 7 points. Thru his first three seasons, Stockton had hit 11 three pointers and hadn't been able to beat out the immortal Rickey Green for a starting spot.

Spoiled ass Spurs fan amaze me with their knowledge.

I'm amazed with this post. Spurs knowledge = basketball knowledge? Basketball knowledge = Spurs knowledge. Again, I'm lost.

I'm stating some basketball related thoughts and I couldn't care less who was Spurs PG 20 years ago! It has nothing to do with basketball knowledge.

I've never heard him say/do anything to make me think otherwise....you?

Hm. Wouldn't you see a bit of "first me" at ude in "I trust Pop, because I play at AS game" for instance. I see a big difference when Manu or TD are being interviewed, they always start talking about the team as a whole very soon, even if asked about their personal career or game.
Sorry, but I just can't imagine Tim answering the same way. His answer might be something like "I trust Pop, because the team has been le contender for years now and we also have few les."

[Kori Ellis]

Hm. Wouldn't you see a bit of "first me" at ude in "I trust Pop, because I play at AS game" for instance. I see a big difference when Manu or TD are being interviewed, they always start talking about the team as a whole very soon, even if asked about their personal career or game.

In general interviews, so does Tony. But when the reporter asks him a question about All Star selection, he talks about the All Star selection. Parker always talks about team first, the ultimate goal of the Championship, etc. But you only hear what you want to hear.

[AFBlue]

In general interviews, so does Tony. But when the reporter asks him a question about All Star selection, he talks about the All Star selection. Parker always talks about team first, the ultimate goal of the Championship, etc. But you only hear what you want to hear.

Agreed. So many times in nationally televised games when Tony tears it up in the first half he says the following in the halftime interview:

"I just get the ball into Timmy and work off him..."

"Pop just tell me to be aggressive, so I try...."

"We're playing good defense..."

I've heard him say these things many times, not once saying..."Well I have to carry the team, you know, because Tim and Manu are sucking tonight....I tried to do what Pop said about passing, but Bruce just couldn't hit a three, so it's gonna be up to me..."

[romain.star]

Agreed. So many times in nationally televised games when Tony tears it up in the first half he says the following in the halftime interview:

"I just get the ball into Timmy and work off him..."

"Pop just tell me to be aggressive, so I try...."

"We're playing good defense..."

I've heard him say these things many times, not once saying..."Well I have to carry the team, you know, because Tim and Manu are sucking tonight....I tried to do what Pop said about passing, but Bruce just couldn't hit a three, so it's gonna be up to me..."

I'd love it !!!!

[timvp]

Pop has been on Duncan to stop trying to draw fouls and just try to score for years. Pop has been on Manu about stop forcing dumb passes for years.

How much have they listened?

And when the Golden Boy Manu Ginobili joined the Spurs and Pop asked him to try to fit more into the team's style of play, Manu responded with the classic line: "This is how I play. I'm not going to change."

But then again, Spurs fan who joined the bandwagon in 2005 wouldn't know that.

[Testing]

The biggest thing that gacks me now is that as much contact as Tony draws he should be getting more calls and 7-8 FTA per night.

It's really ridiculous. To me, When Parker drives to the lane, he reminds of Dwayne Wade....that guy gets the worst ticky tack fouls. Yet Parker continuously gets jipped by the refs. The difference between Wade's FT attempts and Parker's is really what's astonishing. NBA still has a long ways to go to in terms of evening out the games with refs.

[Testing]

I wonder how fans would feel if that was Tony Parker who made that dumb foul on Dirk in Game 7 last season....I can't even imagine the responses. Yet you never even hear a peep about that play because it was Manu who comitted it.

[George Gervin's Afro]

Such harshness with differing opinions.. I always thought Alvin Roberston was the best point guard the Spurs have ver had..didn't he have a quadruple double once? That dude could play..of course the Spurs were HORRIBLE so he never gets mentioned as one of the all time spurs greats. I always thought it was a shame he never got to play with david Robinson... I know the Spurs and their history as well as anyone

Holds the NBA single season record for steals per game with 3.67 in 1985-86, and is fifth on the list with 3.21 in 1986-87...holds the NBA single season record for steals with 301 in 1985-86...was named Most Improved Player in 1986...was the defensive player of the year in 1986-87.

The bright spot for the Spurs in 1985-86 was the emergence of Alvin Robertson. Robertson represented the Spurs in the All-Star Game, won NBA Most Improved Player honors, led the league in steals, and was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year. On February 18, 1985, Robertson became only the second NBA player [now 4] (and eventually the first of two Spurs players) to record a quadruple-double with 20 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists, and 10 steals.

[George Gervin's Afro]

You can tell which Spurs fans have jumped on the bandwagon in recent years and which have gone thru the ups and downs. Parker is by FAR the best point guard in franchise history. It's not even close.

The Spurs fans who hopped on board in 2005 or whatever don't even know what it was like to watch Terry Porter and Antonio Daniels play point guard ... not to mention the last 30 years when the Spurs year in and year out had issues at point guard.

Parker was voted into the All-Star game by coaches for the second time. He shoots an ungodly percentage from the field. He plays defense. He listens to whatever Pop tells him. He doesn't cause trouble on or off the court. He wants to get better and better. Yet Johnny come lately Spurs fans are disappointed he doesn't play like John Stockton.

Stupid.

Oh and talking about John Stockton ... at 24 Stockton was in his third season and was averaging a career high 7 points. Thru his first three seasons, Stockton had hit 11 three pointers and hadn't been able to beat out the immortal Rickey Green for a starting spot.

Spoiled ass Spurs fan amaze me with their knowledge.

I never wanted Stockton but I certainly don't want Iverson either..

[romain.star]

I wonder how fans would feel if that was Tony Parker who made that dumb foul on Dirk in Game 7 last season....I can't even imagine the responses. Yet you never even hear a peep about that play because it was Manu who comitted it.

Ginobili is a spanish spoken player playing in a ''spanish'' spoken city...
TP is a french spoken player playing in Texas...
it has nothing to do with Bball

[timvp]

Such harshness with differing opinions.. I always thought Alvin Roberston was the best point guard the Spurs have ver had..didn't he have a quadruple double once? That dude could play..of course the Spurs were HORRIBLE so he never gets mentioned as one of the all time spurs greats. I always thought it was a shame he never got to play with david Robinson... I know the Spurs and their history as well as anyone.

Well enough to know that Alvin Robertson was a shooting guard?

So a shooting guard who played in the worst five year stretch in franchise history is the Spurs' best point guard of all-time?

Got it.

Thanks.

[BgT]

But then again, Spurs fan who joined the bandwagon in 2005 wouldn't know that.

I'm happy with my basketball knowledge, thanks, and I'll trust my eyes, ears and brain in the future just as much as I have trusted them so far. I feel honored that so many people are trying to force their own opinion to me, even with telling me, what kind of a garbage and idiot I am. I feel important.

In general interviews, so does Tony. But when the reporter asks him a question about All Star selection, he talks about the All Star selection. Parker always talks about team first, the ultimate goal of the Championship, etc. But you only hear what you want to hear.

Ok, maybe that sentence was taken out of a context and the question was about AS game, but you gotta admit it doesn't sound like it. Sounds like he took that AS game out of nowhere. Is there a link to the actual question?

[Kori Ellis]

I'm happy with my basketball knowledge, thanks, and I'll trust my eyes, ears and brain in the future just as much as I have trusted them so far. I feel honored that so many people are trying to force their own opinion to me, even with telling me, what kind of a garbage and idiot I am. I feel important.


Ok, maybe that sentence was taken out of a context and the question was about AS game, but you gotta admit it doesn't sound like it. Sounds like he took that AS game out of nowhere. Is there a link to the actual question?

No there isn't.

But I'm a reporter and in the locker room all the time. Tony never starts spouting off about personal accomplishments. He's actually pretty humble and a team first guy.

[diego]

is TP the best pg in spurs history? of the 10 or so years im familiar with the team, most definitely.

but does that make him a HOF player? no (neither do 2 rings or 2 all star selections). can he become a HOF member? of course, he has many years ahead of him. All I asked is whether KJ, the more similar player, is in the HOF: if he is, parker should make it. I dont think magic, thomas, stockton, even kidd or payton are good comparisons for parker- aside from being PGs their games and accomplishments are not similar at all.
being a poor man's KJ is NOT an insult!

I hope parker makes it (because this team is going to need him to be to survive the post-duncan era), but I dont think you can proclaim him to be a HOF player quite yet.

[RC's Boss]

KJ has no rings. Coaches don't set up their defenses to stop him.

[ShoogarBear]

I'm not willing to say Tony Parker is the best point guard in Spurs history yet (*cough*James Silas*cough*), but I can state that without a doubt Tony Parker gets dumped on by Spurs fans more than any great player in Spurs history.

[fred33]

is TP the best pg in spurs history? of the 10 or so years im familiar with the team, most definitely.

but does that make him a HOF player? no (neither do 2 rings or 2 all star selections). can he become a HOF member? of course, he has many years ahead of him. All I asked is whether KJ, the more similar player, is in the HOF: if he is, parker should make it. I dont think magic, thomas, stockton, even kidd or payton are good comparisons for parker- aside from being PGs their games and accomplishments are not similar at all.
being a poor man's KJ is NOT an insult!

I hope parker makes it (because this team is going to need him to be to survive the post-duncan era), but I dont think you can proclaim him to be a HOF player quite yet.