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I guess it is about time. Let the beat LA chants begin.
The team is on a pretty good run right now, but no one will disagree that the run has come against some lesser compe ion.
Looking ahead, we play Dallas on Friday (with a day off today), and then the Lakers next Tuesday (with a day off before that). Both games will be at home. We're completely healthy. The players have also had two months to settle into the system somewhat.
Can we look at these games as true measuring stick games? Or is it still too early to get a grasp as to how we measure up to the upper-echelon teams in the West?
I guess it is about time. Let the beat LA chants begin.
We're completely healthy? Finley and Bonner are out, and TP is obviously not 100% yet. While those aren't HUGE issues, I'm just pointing out that we're not completely healthy. Mostly healthy, though.
It's legit to say those two games will be a measuring stick. There literally wasn't a test in the last ten ballgames. Games against the Mavs and the Lakers -- the two teams who give the Spurs the most trouble -- will tell us a lot.
The Spurs look to be playing well but there will be a lot more evidence one way or the other after the Lakers game.
There are those (including me) who would argue the Spurs are more effective with Finley and Bonner in street clothes. I think solid showings against LA/Dallas are important if the Spurs want to leap from pretender to contender status.
Bah...I knew that completely healthy statement would get me in trouble...forgot about Bonner/Fin-dawg. I guess I really meant that our big guns were healthy. Either way, I was basically trying to eliminate any excuses for losing to these guys (if Matt Bonner is the key to beating LA, well...)
If we can get 3 of the next 4, I'd be ecstatic. 2 wouldn't destroy me. Anything less would mean that any of the signs that this team is starting to 'get it' are just fool's gold at this point.
Finley, maybe. But Bonner? Come on. A lot of people hated on Bonner for a long time but this season, off the bench, the dude has been killer. He's a ing sharpshooter, he hustles his ass off, grabs key rebounds/makes key tap outs, hits his free throws, and he's even playing better defense. On the 2nd unit, he is very valuable because he is better than a lot of other teams' bench big men. As a stater, yeah he kinda sucks. But as a bench player, he's very valuable.
But I don't care how on fire Matt Bonner is, you do not draw up a play for him throwing up a hook shot at the buzzer to win a game.
The December games against Boston and Denver were too early to use as a measuring stick, but the thirteen games from now until the beginning of the RRT will tell us much more.
The home games against New Jersey and Chicago are the only two "easy" games in that stretch. The Spurs have home games against Dallas, LA, Utah, Houston, Atlanta, Memphis and Denver and road games against OKC, Charlotte (12-4 at home), Memphis (10-5 at home), and New Orleans (13-3 at home).
After the six game homestand to end the month, the Spurs will play 24 of their final 36 games on the road. Anything more than 8 wins over these next thirteen games would be a good sign. Seven or less wins probably means that the Spurs will not get a top-4 slot in the West.
I'm really interested to see how our bigs preform against L.A.'s bigs. That will say a lot to me about our chances in the playoffs.
Gasol is injured. If he doesn't play vs. S.A., then we won't know how we truly match up.
In the post game report they were interviewing Roger Mason, and they asked him if the Spurs were prepared for Dallas? He said, "Oh yeah, I'm still pissed about that game, etc..."
The Spurs still remember the overtime loss against the Mavs apparently, so they should be ready for them.
I hope Carlisle keeps playing smurf instead of Beaubois.
And, yes the next games are definite measuring sticks for the Spurs.
The two bolded games are the second night of back2backs, so those two should already be on the radar as potential roadblocks.
It's an early measuring stick, to be sure. Even though the Spurs have risen in the standings and managed to right the ship a bit (with the league taking notice), it's all come against the cookie cutter teams of the league.
Yes, those are the games you have to win to be among the top, but if San Antonio loses to both Dallas and Los Angeles at home, people will continue to doubt, Spurs players and fans included.
+1. imo he is playing a damn good season so far. no starter material, but plays his role nicely so far. even takes it to the rim from time to time. (that dunk against the raps makes me still shake my head in disbelief everytime i see it)
as for the upcoming 4 games i'm expecting wins against the mavs and nets, a good chance to beat the fakers and a loss in oklahoma.
On the other hand we win those games, the national media will spend a week kissing our butts.
El Nono
lol wuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut
Back on subject, I think it's an absolute must that the spurs go 3 - 0 against the Mavs, Nets, and Lakers, and make a statement to the league. Losing to the Lakers or Mavs at home just can't happen right now, much less to the New Jersey "Shore" Nets
I don't know about measuring stick for the entire season but I think it will be a tell sign of how the team is able to respond to playing at a higher, efficient level for the rest of the season.
Winning these games will obviously give confidence. Losing them will exploit what decisions might have to be made to have a chance in the playoffs.
It really will be a huge test in both games, especially against the Lakers..the big man situation will be interesting, so we'll see if we'll need another big or not after that game IMO..
Absolutely no excuses, they play both teams in which Dallas/Lakers/Spurs have a day off between the games. Spurs are relaitvely healthy, we would love to have Bonner's shooting but that is a bonus.
As long as we don't start the game looking like your picture, we should be ok......The team is on a pretty good run right now, but no one will disagree that the run has come against some lesser compe ion.
Looking ahead, we play Dallas on Friday (with a day off today), and then the Lakers next Tuesday (with a day off before that). Both games will be at home. We're completely healthy. The players have also had two months to settle into the system somewhat.
Can we look at these games as true measuring stick games? Or is it still too early to get a grasp as to how we measure up to the upper-echelon teams in the West?
These games will definitely be big measuring sticks, and not just whether they win or lose them. We're getting pretty close to the period of time when teams are defined, for better or for worse. How the Spurs play against potential playoff foes down the stretch will tell us a lot about the character and make-up of this team. I'll personally be looking for simple, fundamental things, such as ball movement, team defense, and pride.
Even though wins and losses are all that matter for playoff seeding, I think I'd rather see the Spurs lose with solid fundamentals (with excuses after the game being, "We'd have won if RJ were better integrated" or "Gasol beat Blair on a few too many cases, but perhaps Ratliff will get 5-10 more minutes in the playoffs."), than to win and have bad fundamentals ("The team looked really sloppy, and got lucky that the Lakers had an off night" or "The Spurs allowed Jason Terry get to the rim at will, thankfully they were able to outgun them on the other end.").
P.S.- No matter how they do against the Lakers, don't be a surprised if they lose at the Thunder the next night (with or without Pop's help with benching veterans). If this happens, please keep the meltdown to a minimum.
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