Does Anyone Get The Sense This Is A Championship Caliber Team?

[DejuanorwhatDude]

I really don't. There are way too many variables for this team that almost have to go right for it to happen. Parker has to be the man. Ginobili and Duncan have to step it up in a major way(not too worried about Duncan, but he could gas at almost any time). Leonard, Splitter, and Green have to maintain their production or exceed it to make up for Ginobilis potential decline. We're probably going to have to win a series against the Thunder and the Heat on the road to win. I realize Parker has been out and the stats haven't looked terrible(point differential is still great), but the eye test for me has been just a team that's either tired of the regular season or becoming inconsistent down the stretch. They just don't seem to have the killer instinct that they possessed last season on the offensive end in my view; hopefully the team is out of the injury bug woods and can gel in the next month. If they do win it all I could see them as a kind of Mavericks 2011 run but I guess we all thought the same thing last year also.

[Juggity]

Compared to last year's team, these spurs are better. Last year's spurs made it to the WCF and were 2 games form the finals; nothing to sneeze at.

Ginobili's decline is offset by Tim's resurgence and Kawhi's emergence.

Yes, it's a championship caliber team. To a certain extent, winning against Lebron/Durant is dependent on luck. If things go right, and the spurs execute their offense properly while playing the kind of defense we've seen so far this season, there's no reason they can't win a championship.

We'll see how they do against the Heat in that upcoming matchup. The Heat haven't played the Spurs at full strength this season, so that may give a better idea of just how unstoppable the Heat are (or whether they are, in fact, unstoppable).

[HarlemHeat37]

There's only 1 championship caliber team in the NBA this year, tbh..

The Spurs chances of winning are as good as any other team, though..

[hater]

If the Heat plane crashed then, they'd be championship caliber. only then tho

[jestersmash]

Not really. We're better defensively. We're worse offensively.

Defense doesn't win championships. Differential (offense - defense) wins championships.

Our offense isn't anywhere near as potent as it was last season. Manu's meteoric collapse is probably mostly to blame, although like Juggity said this is partly mitigated by Tim and Kawhi's elevated play.

I actually don't think we're better than last year, though. I think we're exactly the same from last year. Manu's terrible offense has been offset by our elevated (team) rank in defensive efficiency. We no longer seem to have those games where the ball moves seamlessly from man to man, resulting in a wide open 3 point shot. We don't have those 12-20 from 3 point land type of games as often this season, and Gary and Manu's poor shooting (and Manu's injuries) has a lot to do with it. I think Danny had a slump from 3 along the way as well.

[KaiRMD1]

Sometimes, they show that caliber but lately, it doesn't feel like it. There are a lot of playoffs teams that look like they would blow the Spurs out the building but at the same time, I get the feeling the Spurs can clamped down and keep teams at bay. It's tough but their offense has definitely regressed and with Ginobili playing like , it's tough to see them as a championship caliber team but then again, nobody thought Dallas would win it in 2011

[HarlemHeat37]

Not really. We're better defensively. We're worse offensively.

Defense doesn't win championships. Differential (offense - defense) wins championships.

Our offense isn't anywhere near as potent as it was last season. Manu's meteoric collapse is probably mostly to blame, although like Juggity said this is partly mitigated by Tim and Kawhi's elevated play.

I actually don't think we're better than last year, though. I think we're exactly the same from last year. Manu's terrible offense has been offset by our elevated (team) rank in defensive efficiency. We no longer seem to have those games where the ball moves seamlessly from man to man, resulting in a wide open 3 point shot. We don't have those 12-20 from 3 point land type of games as often this season, and Gary and Manu's poor shooting (and Manu's injuries) has a lot to do with it. I think Danny had a slump from 3 along the way as well.

Last season's team became a little overrated due to their easy playoff schedule, tbh..

Utah wasn't a legit playoff team and the Clippers were hobbled..

It doesn't matter though, because OKC is worse, and the rest of the West is flawed..Spurs have the same chances of winning an opportunity to lose to Miami as OKC does..

[Sean Cagney]

This year no, last year the stars nearly aligned for them! They had HC and OKC they had come to their house! Miami almost lost two series without BOSH! This year forget it! No chance in they win it all and not they are not playing great right now nor seem to be at the level they were earlier this year. This team is good but not great.

Last season's team became a little overrated due to their easy playoff schedule, tbh..

Utah wasn't a legit playoff team and the Clippers were hobbled..

It doesn't matter though, because OKC is worse, and the rest of the West is flawed..

Yeah but around this time last year we were blowing teams out around this time regardless going into the playoffs! Spurs were on FIRE! This year not even a resemblence of that around this time, struggling etc. They seem to be trying to find iden y right now after the injuries etc. Unless we pull a huge run later this year and the playoffs then no shot at all. I feel they might make the WCF at best, thats their ceiling now.

[Robz4000]

More than likely 2nd round exit tbh, WCF if we're lucky. This coming 8-day stretch will tell the tale.

[DieMrBond]

TPs been back for 2 games since a 3 week layoff... give 'em a week or two, and then see if they can recapture the form/chemistry together before panicking.

[Man In Black]

I don't need to sense that they are that TODAY. TP just got back and a certain level of adjustment has to occur. When do we need to get the sense? I'd start with Friday against the Clippers and then Sunday against the Heat. They are capable of playing much, much better but they simply aren't. It's like they forgot how to trust the systems so they all overplay and when one is pressing, it throws it all off.

[Robz4000]

The system is fine. There will be some readjustment with Parker back in the fold, but imo it's not much of a factor. The rut Manu is in on top of a lot of the flaws from last year not being truly fixed will be their downfall. TP can and prolly will be shut down in the playoffs again and Pop's answer is more Manu, which isn't looking like a legit option at this point. There's still a chance if Leonard takes another step/becomes more involved or Nando/CJ emerge as a legit playoff-PG option, however. The reliance on roleplayers is, if anything, greater than last year and I'm not sure they're up to the task. The bench has been awful, which can be attributed to Manu's decline as well, but also Jack not being healthy either (tho he's starting to come around).

Only way I see the Spurs making the WCF (much less coming out of the West) is if Memphis and LAC go the distance again and Memphis comes out banged up (who the Spurs match up better against this time as opposed to 2011). Then maybe Denver can knock off OKC to give the Spurs a shot to be curbstomped by the Heat in 5.

[Bruno]

Not really.

I give Spurs a 20% chance to win the west and a 5% chance to win the le.

[jestersmash]

Last season's team became a little overrated due to their easy playoff schedule, tbh..

Utah wasn't a legit playoff team and the Clippers were hobbled..

It doesn't matter though, because OKC is worse, and the rest of the West is flawed..Spurs have the same chances of winning an opportunity to lose to Miami as OKC does..

Agreed. The Spurs/OKC matchup is still a toss up to me because Westbrook's production can be really erratic from game to game. But, even if we make it out of the West, I really don't think we have a reasonable shot against Miami.

Like you said, there's 1 championship caliber team, and then there are "the others," for lack of a better term.

[Hoops Czar]

Compared to last year's team, these spurs are better. Last year's spurs made it to the WCF and were 2 games form the finals; nothing to sneeze at.

You can keep telling yourself that but it isn't true. The Spurs still can't get a stop when they have to have one. The Spurs defense was pretty good last year. The only reason the Spurs defense appears to be better was last year's defense got off to a rough start, then climbed the ladder by seasons end. Secondly, Last year's Spurs had huge leads and when the Spurs bench came in, the defense struggled.

[sehui]

Not really.

I give Spurs a 20% chance to win the west and a 5% chance to win the le.

yeah, sounds about right.

Too many things can up

[Hoops Czar]

Ginobili's decline is offset by Tim's resurgence and Kawhi's emergence.

Neal's worse, Stephen Jackson's worse, Bonner's worse and De Colo is backup pg. It's not just Manu.

Tim had a resurgence last year. And that's a shame about Ginobili. If the Spurs are going to rely on a second year player to bring home a championship, then they have no chance because Kawhi isn't ready to be that guy. Manu also plays backup pg so he'd better be at the top of his game when the playoffs arrive.

Yes, it's a championship caliber team. To a certain extent, winning against Lebron/Durant is dependent on luck. If things go right, and the spurs execute their offense properly while playing the kind of defense we've seen so far this season, there's no reason they can't win a championship.

The defense isn't as good as you think it is.

[Hoops Czar]

We'll see how they do against the Heat in that upcoming matchup. The Heat haven't played the Spurs at full strength this season, so that may give a better idea of just how unstoppable the Heat are (or whether they are, in fact, unstoppable).

Why? I thought regular season games didn't mean anything.Do you read this forum?

[hater]

Not really.

I give Spurs a 20% chance to win the west and a 5% chance to win the le.

Imo its 30% chance to win west

0.5% chance to win le

[BatManu20]

Love my Spurs but Miami is repeating this year. Simple as that.

[Pop]

That team has the personnel to go to the Finals, can't tell me they're not favorite to win the west and the big question mark imo is the coach. If he doesn't win the west he should retire and give someone else a shot at this great roster.

[Sean Cagney]

You can keep telling yourself that but it isn't true. The Spurs still can't get a stop when they have to have one. The Spurs defense was pretty good last year. The only reason the Spurs defense appears to be better was last year's defense got off to a rough start, then climbed the ladder by seasons end. Secondly, Last year's Spurs had huge leads and when the Spurs bench came in, the defense struggled.

Last years team was their last true run! They had the stars align like I said and had HC and got hot at the right time and were healthy! They had their best shot last year! This year the O is not nearly as crisp and health has been an issue! Manu is bad this year as well. Last year was their last hoorah and the stars nearly had to align with Tim coming back resurging and the shortened year, the streak before the playoffs blowing everyone out! Most had the Spurs as a fave, they thought that team could possibly win it all and they were rolling! This year I don't see that. This team streaked earlier on and played better towards mid year. This team can beat you, but they are not as impressive at doing it this year! Like you said in aother post last year they had huge leads, earlier this year we saw some of that where they left off but later on it has been going down to the point where every game is tight.

[therealtruth]

That team has the personnel to go to the Finals, can't tell me they're not favorite to win the west and the big question mark imo is the coach. If he doesn't win the west he should retire and give someone else a shot at this great roster.

I agree. I think it all comes down to the coaching moves Pop makes.

[Spur|n|Austin]

We've been a championship caliber team since 1999, tbh,and still are today. Yeah the Heat are the top projection to win it all this season, but the Spurs have the best odds to meet them there, and they've never lost in the finals. IT WAS ONE LOSS PEOPLE, step back off the ledge.

[spursncowboys]

Compared to last year's team, these spurs are better. Last year's spurs made it to the WCF and were 2 games form the finals; nothing to sneeze at.

Ginobili's decline is offset by Tim's resurgence and Kawhi's emergence.

Yes, it's a championship caliber team. To a certain extent, winning against Lebron/Durant is dependent on luck. If things go right, and the spurs execute their offense properly while playing the kind of defense we've seen so far this season, there's no reason they can't win a championship.

We'll see how they do against the Heat in that upcoming matchup. The Heat haven't played the Spurs at full strength this season, so that may give a better idea of just how unstoppable the Heat are (or whether they are, in fact, unstoppable).

+1. I had that feeling last year, that I did in 05. Now it pretty much boils down to if we can beat Miami. I'm not sure about that one... We'll def stop their win streak but in a best of seven, idk.