I'm philosophical about this...

[manubili]

You're right whott. These players have reached some kind of final or semifinal since 2003 (nba, olympics, world championship). That's a lot of games. injuries and fatigue in a span of a few years. The fatigue we're witnessing doesn't look like a temporary problem.

Spurs need to be smarter than ever. Specially Manu. If so, they can still win it all.

[SenorSpur]

I'll be honest, the Spurs just flat out look like they are out of gas. It's not that they aren't trying, you can see the frustration, but "it's" just not there.

It sure looks that way to me, too.

Eventually after so many games, players and teams just wear down and run out of gas. I don''t know if this is what is happening to the Spurs, if it's just temporary or not, I know they look just completely gassed.

Barkley touched on this point during a TNT telecast earlier in the season. He stated how after several seasons of deep playoff runs (100+ games or more), it starts to take its toll - even on younger and mid-career players. For the older guys, it's even harder because it takes them longer to bounce back and they're more susceptible to injuries. He went onto say, for the older players and the older teams, that is why you see the dropoff in production on back-to-back games. He claimed that toward the end of his career, he couldn't even play in a B2B. From his view, he felt that's what the Spurs were enduring.

If it should be over...if the Spurs are finally out of gas, at least as they are currently constructed...and let's face it, we all know the day is coming soon, then I just want take my hat off to the Spurs, to Pop, to Tim Duncan, Manu, Bruce and Parker and all the other guys, and thank them for a job well done.

We all knew at some point, this "old-age-alone" philosophy would catch up to them. At this point, it's not clear if this is it. However if it is, my point is it didn't have to be this way. You don't suddenly go out and get car insurance AFTER you've had an accident. I would blame the FO for not having prepared better for this. For not surrounding the Big Three with a better supporting cast of role players. There's no reason to have carried such an unbalanced roster into this season. One or two younger or mid-career-type players could've provided better depth, skill, and energy.

[SPARKY]

We all knew at some point, this "old-age-alone" philosophy would catch up to them. At this point, it's not clear if this is it. However if it is, my point is it didn't have to be this way. You don't suddenly go out and get car insurance AFTER you've had an accident. I blame to FO, for not having prepared better for this. There's no reason to have carried such an unbalanced roster into this season. One or two younger or mid-career-type players could've provided better depth, skill, and energy.

It worked out well last season. Blaming a front office that found a way to win 3 les in 5 years shows just how much we Spurs fans have been spoiled as of late.

I will say this. The Spurs will need to retool the supporting cast, but the hard part of finding a superstar and two supporting stars is not a concern. The ride's supposedly been over before.

[SenorSpur]

It worked out well last season. Blaming a front office that found a way to win 3 les in 5 years shows just how much we Spurs fans have been spoiled as of late.

I will say this. The Spurs will need to retool the supporting cast, but the hard part of finding a superstar and two supporting stars is not a concern. The ride's supposedly been over before.

Winning a le is the ultimate. It's the perfect excuse for any FO to take a "stand pat" philosophy. No one would ever question that. However, depending on the team, it may or may not be a good idea. Ask Pat Riley how that "stand pat" philosophy of bringing back a roster of primarily "old heads", after their 2006 NBA le, worked out for him. The fact that the Spurs won the le last year DOES NOT mean, they were a flawless team. Same for it they win it they year. This team has holes. We shall see if the Fakers will be the team that exposes these flaws as the series goes on.

You're right and you hit on the point I was trying to make. The cast around the Big Three is shaky. They're more than capable. They simply seem to be unable to bring it consistently every night. As you know, in order to win a le, you have to have consistent contributions from bench players. Absolutely.

[slayermin]

That seven game series against the Hornets took a lot out of me. I can just imagine what the Spurs are feeling. It's gotta take a toll.

But you know, it takes one game, as timvp would say. I think we win tomorrow. Game four is the one we may need something miraculous to happen.

[aka_USAPA]

Game 4? Whatever happened to taking it one game at a time? I said it in another thread... the Spurs better win Game 3 or it will be over in 4!!!!

[aka_USAPA]

Winning a le is the ultimate.

I feel ya, bro. It's not happening this year for the Spurs... not for a long time. The Spurs are yesterday's news. Things get old man... you know? But you can start anew. The Spurs are old... they are yesterday's child.

[GrandeDavid]

They've got two home games now to get recharged and back in the series. Those players have world class physical therapy, pools, massage therapists etc. They'll be recovered by next season. And I want the Spurs to win the championship this year by any means. Forget next season. The Spurs will get some youth injected this summer, anyway.

[Russ]

I feel ya, bro. It's not happening this year for the Spurs... not for a long time. The Spurs are yesterday's news. Things get old man... you know? But you can start anew. The Spurs are old... they are yesterday's child.

Sounds like Kobe's speech last summer about the Lakers.

[Sasha]

We're down 0-2 to the Lakers right now and I am telling you're not near as good as they are...you don't match up with us as well and this 0-2 record is due entirely to the Spurs age, jetlag, and the Hornets putting them through the ringer in the last round.


Even if we should lose(due to plain wearing out of the Spurs) ...you guys are gonna get ng rolled by whichever EC team you meet in the finals. Book it.


I know my team...you guys don't, this series so far is all about them and has very little to do with the Lakers. In fact based on what I've seen, the Lakers aren't even as good as I thought they were entering this series.

And don't be too surpsied if your team folds....they folded with regularity against Phoenix, the Spurs . And I hate to tell you guys this, but Pau Gasol is not the cure for folding, he makes it more likely.

I like your analysis, and I really like the way you refuse to dump on your team. If you don't mind (since you obviously understand basketball so well), let me add what might be a little feminine intuition here...

While I was watching the game last night, the Spurs seemed to me to be sleepwalking. (I'm a little sick of this constant 'age, age, age' crap - they're worn out for a variety of reasons and certainly deserve to be.) But while I was watching them, it was almost like they were playing that game because they had to play it, not because they particularly cared one way or the other. It was like, If I can't get some rest off the floor, then I'll just get it right here. I almost felt like they took matters into their own hands. like it was more of a training session than a game. Whatever it was, it's a cinch they all got a little rest, huh?

It's a shame that they lost that game, or gave it up, or whatever it was that they did, but they sure as know what they have to do now. All that seriously worries me is Manu's ankle.

Someone said in an earlier post that if the Spurs pulled this out, this would be one of the grittiest teams ever. Well, we all know how much true grit these guys have, and how compe ive they all are. They came into this series tired and beat up, and people act like they have no right to feel that way, like they're just old... but that's crap. They're human, and they'll bounce back.

[SPARKY]

Game 4? Whatever happened to taking it one game at a time? I said it in another thread... the Spurs better win Game 3 or it will be over in 4!!!!

eh, shut up you twit.

[David Wooderson]

. . .the Lakers were owned in three straight games by Steve Nash, Boris Diaw, Tim Thomas, Shawn Marion and Leandro Barbosa. We're not talking Team USA here. . .

[Purple & Gold]

Check my comments when we were down 0-2 to the Hornets...I had nothing but praise for them and considered them a dire threat. I gave them nothing but credit for kicking our asses. We're down 0-2 to the Lakers right now and I am telling you're not near as good as they are...you don't match up with us as well and this 0-2 record is due entirely to the Spurs age, jetlag, and the Hornets putting them through the ringer in the last round.


Even if we should lose(due to plain wearing out of the Spurs) ...you guys are gonna get ng rolled by whichever EC team you meet in the finals. Book it.


I know my team...you guys don't, this series so far is all about them and has very little to do with the Lakers. In fact based on what I've seen, the Lakers aren't even as good as I thought they were entering this series.

And don't be too surpsied if your team folds....they folded with regularity against Phoenix, the Spurs . And I hate to tell you guys this, but Pau Gasol is not the cure for folding, he makes it more likely.

@ whottt trying to downplay the Lakeshow. The Hornets a better team?? Get da outta here. If the Hornets were such a better team they wouldn't have lost to the Lakers at the end of the regular season and they would have wrapped up that #1 seed.

I understand your hate of the Lakers, but please give credit where credit is due. The Lakers are a damn good team and will only be that much better next year. And STFU you sound like a whiny ass .

[SenorSpur]

I like your analysis, and I really like the way you refuse to dump on your team. If you don't mind (since you obviously understand basketball so well), let me add what might be a little feminine intuition here...

While I was watching the game last night, the Spurs seemed to me to be sleepwalking. (I'm a little sick of this constant 'age, age, age' crap - they're worn out for a variety of reasons and certainly deserve to be.) But while I was watching them, it was almost like they were playing that game because they had to play it, not because they particularly cared one way or the other. It was like, If I can't get some rest off the floor, then I'll just get it right here. I almost felt like they took matters into their own hands. like it was more of a training session than a game. Whatever it was, it's a cinch they all got a little rest, huh?

It's a shame that they lost that game, or gave it up, or whatever it was that they did, but they sure as know what they have to do now. All that seriously worries me is Manu's ankle.

Someone said in an earlier post that if the Spurs pulled this out, this would be one of the grittiest teams ever. Well, we all know how much true grit these guys have, and how compe ive they all are. They came into this series tired and beat up, and people act like they have no right to feel that way, like they're just old... but that's crap. They're human, and they'll bounce back.

Don't look now, but these games are being played every other day. There's no doubt that will be a huge disadvantage for our team. I don't know why the league scheduled the games in this manner.

[nfg3]

He's talking about being out of gas because of "summer" ball, Idiot!

No he was talking about the Spurs possibly being out of gas for next season because of a summer of international ball...ie the Olympics.

Parker, Manu and Oberto all will be in China. Duncan will not.

Make sure you know what you're talking about before responding back.

But wait...it's Princess Pimp and we all know that rarely happens.

[Sasha]

Don't look now, but these games are being played every other day. There's no doubt that will be a huge disadvantage for our team. I don't know why the league scheduled the games in this manner.

LOL - that's what I mean! They slept through the last game, so that was their rest. They don't get to rest anymore. It's time to play Spurs basketball!

Seriously, I guess some folks really think the games are scheduled this way to make it impossible for the Spurs because they're so old...and tired...and blah blah blah... But I think we'll just have to see what happens.

I'm sure not ready to give it up yet!