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Spurs not looking cool, just OK
By Sam Amico
The San Antonio Spurs look like four dorks and Tim Duncan, yet they are somehow finding a way to survive.
OK, calling Duncan’s current cast of teammates a bunch of dorks may be a bit harsh -- but consider the Spurs’ starting five in Sunday’s 90-88 win at Sacramento:
Besides Duncan, there was Fabricio Oberto at center, Michael Finley at small forward, Roger Mason at one guard and rookie George Hill at the other. Not horrible, but not exactly Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West and Elgin Baylor, either.
Still, these Spurs have now won two in a row (their first winning streak of the season) by a total of four points (they beat Houston 77-75 in their previous game). Is it pretty? Uh, no. Not unless you like game-winning shots like the one by Duncan against the Kings, in which he closed his eyes and let it fly with 15.5 seconds remaining.
Duncan didn’t really close his eyes, but he did admit to not completely seeing his prayer of a layup that became the night’s final basket.
“They said it went about 90 miles an hour off the glass and went in,” he told San Antonio reporters. “I couldn’t see anything.”
If the rim saw the shot, it likely cringed with fear. But that’s just the way the Spurs have been winning these days. They've been doing it by any means necessary.
Would you believe Finley led the Spurs in scoring with 21 points (Duncan finished with 20)? Would you believe Finley made 8 of 17 field-goal attempts, including 3-of-5 shooting on three-pointers? Would you believe Finley is 35 years old, and hasn’t averaged more than 10.1 points per game in four years?
Ah, yes. The Spurs minus Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili are giving hope to anyone who has ever been told they’re outdated and undermanned. Obviously, a lot of credit must go to old standbys like Duncan and coach Gregg Popovich -- and to a lesser degree, swingman Bruce Bowen and point guard Jacque Vaughn (10 points, six assists off the bench).
Those four understand the concept of getting it done with scratching and clawing and grabbing and clutching at the defensive end. Those four realize that with this rag-tag bunch, defense is their only hope.
“We’re not exactly an offensive juggernaut here,” Popovich said. “Eighty-eight points is about our limit. If teams score more than that, we’re in trouble.”
Actually, the Spurs only gave up 82 the other day to Milwaukee and still lost. That’s probably why Popvich said the Spurs were “thrilled” to get out of Sacramento with a win.
Here’s the thing about this team:
All it wants to do right now is get by. The Spurs are living in the Land of Make Do, having become pro basketball’s version of a once-fancy winter coat that’s become old and tattered, with stuffing coming out of the seams. They don’t have any more stuffing and can’t afford another coat. They just have a bottle of glue. It’s not ideal, and the coat isn’t going to be anything close to what it once was. It’s ugly, damaged, nearly laughable -- but at least it will still keep you warm.
And that is what makes these Spurs so admirable. They know Parker and Ginobili will return someday, that all they need to do is stay in the pack of potential Western Conference playoff teams. They know that if they fight for every inch, they’ll have a chance. They also know that the guys who are going to battle now are getting valuable experience in close games, learning how to succeed by following the lead of their star player and coach.
They play hard and still believe.
It won’t ever be pretty and it won’t always work. Especially when you consider that role players such as Mason, Vaughn and even reserve forward Matt Bonner are being asked to play well on a regular basis -- something not many role players are inclined to do.
But as Popovich said, “We don’t need those guys to be superstars. We just need them to contribute.”
Right now, the Spurs seem to be heeding to that rally cry.
Maybe they're not just a bunch of dorks, after all.
90 miles
I've got to get that game
character building games.
this guy is writes way better than mcdonald
We kick ass.
http://www.nba.com/video/games/kings...145_recap.nba/
Here is a video recap. Timmy's last shot was a nice play but the shot wasn't so much a line drive, 90 mph shot. It was a drive off a screen-roll and Quincy Douby tried to rotate over and draw a charge but he didn't get there in time. Timmy was undercut and fell head-long, taking his eyes off the shot but it was basically a leaning layup for Tim. Nicely designed play, actually. Douby had been slightly late on his rotation help against Mason on a drive earlier (shown in the video also).
All in good time.
He says "dork" like it's a bad thing.
"Tim Duncan and four dorks"
Couldn't that be simplified to just "Five Dorks?"
Good read.
Championship on way as this talent molds to TD and then Parker and Manu!
The Spurs right now are very similar to some of Kevin Garnett's Minnesota teams from the past. The difference is that in the next month they are about to acquire back from injuries a starting all-star point guard, an all-star shooting guard, and a young big that many scouts say has a good chance to make an impact in the NBA.
This happens every season. The first batch of games is simply Pops trying out, and seeing who can do what.
No reason to jump from a building just yet...
I feel that the more playing experience those "four dorks" get, the better the Spurs will be for the strech run of the season....especially if Manu & Parker come back healthy and barring no further major injuries.
we're worse than that talent-wise..Garnett's last year in Minny is close, but he had Wally and Sam Cassell in the other years..
the difference is that Duncan is better and more of a closer, and Pop is the best coach in the NBA..
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