Salt Lake Trib.: After using Jazz as a model, the Spurs keep rolling

[lurker23]

Good article on the Spurs via Steve Luhm of the Salt Lake Tribune.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/sports/...tml.csp?page=1

[Spur|n|Austin]

Thanks!

[GSH]

I remember Tim Duncan getting an ankle injury against Utah. They took him immediately back to the locker room, and we all knew it was bad. The next thing we heard, Larry Miller had given the Spurs the use of his private jet to transport Tim back to San Antonio, so that the Spurs could immediatly get it properly looked at, and begin treatment immediately. The two teams may be bitter rivals on the court, but they are both class acts. Why wouldn't there be mutual respect?

[Cant_Be_Faded]

Mormahns

[spurs1990]

Imagine how many rings Utah cost the Spurs in the 90's.

33-10 record against them since '99 still isn't enough.

[elemento]

I don't think we lost any le in the 90's because the Jazz.

When we lost against them in the playoffs we had no chance to win it all. After they beat us, they had to face MJ's Bulls or Hakeem's Rockets and we wouldn't beat either of them.

[JR3]

Nice article.

[dougp]

I remember Tim Duncan getting an ankle injury against Utah. They took him immediately back to the locker room, and we all knew it was bad. The next thing we heard, Larry Miller had given the Spurs the use of his private jet to transport Tim back to San Antonio, so that the Spurs could immediatly get it properly looked at, and begin treatment immediately. The two teams may be bitter rivals on the court, but they are both class acts. Why wouldn't there be mutual respect?

That's the game where the Jazz fans cheered when Tim was injured.

[CGD]

Nice find. I hope that we also take a page from the jazz when it's time for us to rebuild. They've quietly picked up some good young pieces in Favors, Haywood, the Turkish kid, and even Evans. They are really just a good point guard away from taking the next step.

[lurker23]

While we're on Utah-based papers writing about the Spurs, here's another one from the Deseret News that isn't quite as complimentary:

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/7...lications.html

[DMC]

Pop always does that (resting players) on the road. He doesn't want to screw the Spurs fans, but he doesn't mind screwing the Blazers or Nuggets fans.

Then again, those fans should be paying to see their own team. I guess neither team has anyone worth the price of admission.

I know I would have been pissed if Jordan sat out those games in SA that I paid to see. I would have liked the win, but would have felt cheated if I didn't get to see MJ play.

[GSH]

While we're on Utah-based papers writing about the Spurs, here's another one from the Deseret News that isn't quite as complimentary:

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/7...lications.html

One more person pissed that Pop rested Tim and Tony. This one is crying because his team lost to the Spurs, while Portland got an easy win. Because, he says, that one game might cost the Jazz a playoff berth (not all the other games they've lost, and will lose this season).

Yeah, and it's probably the last french fry he at that caused his arteries to harden, and made him say stupid things.

Pop's not responsible for the Jazz making the playoffs. Even if you think he shouldn't have rested Tim and Tony against Portland, you've still got to agree that his reasoning shouldn't have included the effect it might have on Utah making the playoffs.

Stupid article. Two minutes of my life I'll never get back.

Pop always does that (resting players) on the road. He doesn't want to screw the Spurs fans, but he doesn't mind screwing the Blazers or Nuggets fans.

Yeah... it couldn't be because road games on the second night of b2b's are much more likely to be lost anyway, and home games are much more likely to be won. That wouldn't make any sense. So it's gotta be because he likes to screw the fans in other cities. Anyone can see that.

[therealtruth]

Regardless of everything else you have to agree with the Jazz writer that Stockton and Malone wouldn't have sat out a game to rest if they could play. Phil Jackson was also against the idea. This notion of resting players who are healthy enough to play is something Pop has pioneered. I'm glad last year he tried not to do it so much.

Also the idea of taking the easier wins can backfire if you're team doesn't develop any ability to fight through tough games. To win the second night of a b2b you're team is going to really grind out. That fighting ability and perseverance is going to be huge in the playoffs where you will have to fight for every win.

How many games did the Spurs really have to fight for and win last year? And we saw the result in the playoffs when the Grizzlies brought the fight to them. The Spurs weren't used to grinding out wins and it showed.

[GSH]

How many games did the Spurs really have to fight for and win last year? And we saw the result in the playoffs when the Grizzlies brought the fight to them. The Spurs weren't used to grinding out wins and it showed.

Fifteen. Almost one in five. But who's counting?

The Spurs got beat in the playoffs because Memphis' bigs kicked their asses. And it didn't help that Manu was hurt. But it had nothing to do with a lack of grind-it-out wins during the season. If anything, they had to grind out wins that should have been easier.