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OKC losing martin is huge. As a team, they're not as good as last year tbh.
I'm feeling good about our team and our chances to return to the finals.
Teams and players/depth/chemistry lost
Clippers - Eric Bledsoe , Caron Butler
Jazz - Al Jefferson , Paul Milsap , team chemistry
Warriors - Jarrett Jack , Andris Biedrins, Brandon Rush , Carl Landry, team chemistry
Lakers - Dwight Howard , Kobe Bryant
Kings - Tyreke Evans
Thunder - Kevin Martin
Houston - Jeremy Lin , Thomas Robinson, team chemistry
Denver - Andre Iguodala, HC George Karl
Portland - Lamarcus Aldridge may be traded to the east
Memphis - Head Coach
Granted Golden St has Iggy but lost some good players
Houston has Howard but that is a injury in the waiting.
What do you guys think
Last edited by SilverSpur; 07-08-2013 at 05:54 PM.
OKC losing martin is huge. As a team, they're not as good as last year tbh.
too early
I think it will be the spurs against the thunder in the WCF.
Clippers got better, Bledsoe is treadmill team material trash. Dudley and Re are consistent and lethal.
Warriors got slightly better. They lost Jack who won us the series this year. We were able to focus our attention on Curry/Thompson, add in Iguodala and that will be a tough out IMO.
Rockets obviously got better.
TOSB are still the favorites if healthy.
Are we kidding ourselves? The Rockets got way better. The Clippers got a great coach. The Thunder get Westbrook back. I think we have a of a tough time getting back to the Finals. And anyone that thinks Houston isnt a legit contender now...simply is in denial. Las Vegas has no vested interest in who wins the NBA le and simply puts up the probable odds...and it goes Miami...OKC...and Houston...as the top 3 contenders next year. Everyone and their mother can say Howard is a quitter...a whiner...ect...fact remins...when healthy which he will be...he is the most dominant big man in the league. And lets not forget about the Warriors. Iggy may be the piece they need to get over the hump. ...they took us to 6 games and only look to get stronger. All we did was re-sign a turnover machine in Manu and re-sign a center that faded in the Finals.
you can't be feeling good when Tim Duncan is reaching 38 and you don't know if it left in him for another season, Especially when front office ed it and didn't bring him the support which could may enable him to take a step back...
OKC losing Martin is big. Not that Martin was awesome, but now they have absolutely no compensation for Harden. They look weaker. The Clippers are about the same, but they didn't replace Bledsoe's explosiveness. The real Wildcards are how good the Warriors + Iggy will be as well as the Rockets
OKC trading Harden and Wade's decline has created significant parity in the league, tbh..there are no longer any dominant teams, tbh..
The Clippers and Rockets both improved dramatically, but they were both 1st round exits last year..Clippers' still lack power at the top(Griffin needs to solidify himself and they don't have a 3rd guy) and they have arguably the worst frontcourt of any potential contending team, tbh..
Houston will be a force, but it may take them a year to build chemistry, we'll see..a motivated and healthy Howard will cause trouble..
Memphis hasn't made any improvements, they aren't a threat, tbh..
OKC continues to get worse, but they're still a top 2 team in the conference IMO..
The Warriors are probably the same as last year, maybe slightly worse since they lost their real coach, tbh..Iguodala negates the loss of Jack/Landry, but losing Mike Malone hurts..they aren't really a threat IMO, not to mention relying on Curry and Bogut to stay healthy all year..
It feels strange that for once, the Spurs actually have a young player that could take a step to the next level, rather than having no hope of any core players improving due to old age, tbh..
I certainly think the Spurs are the favorites to get back to the finals but its nonsense to think it will be easier then last year. For starters, we can expect muscle chestbrook back and that alone will make them a favorite for the WCF. I expect it to be spurs - okc in the WCF. Losing Kevin Martin doesn't hurt them terribly in my opinion.
As for other relevant teams, Houston definately became a threat. Dwight might be an infant mentally but he's still a dominating presence in the middle physically and he put up good numbers even in LA when he was healthy in the second half of the year. He's not really injury prone for his career so I don't see why you can expect him to be injured. After Houston and OKC I expect the stiffest compe ion from the Clippers. I'm not certain how much Doc Rivers will ultimately help them but it will be interesting to see. The Clippers are a strong team like they were last year, and maybe the ball bounces the right way for them this year. On paper they've had the talent to compete since they got cliff Paul, but they have disappointed in the playoffs. The spurs are familiar with that feeling as well though and managed to break through last year. Who knows, the Clippers may do the same. Lastly there is Golden State. They improved their starting lineup with Iggy. I think losing Landry and jack does hurt them, they were valuable bench players, but I think Iggy will help them more then they lost.
Ultimately I think there are more strong contenders this year then last. Last year the west was a two horse race between SA and OKC with possible contender in LA Lakers depending on their chemistry and cohesion. Luckily LA hired MDA to coach a squad featuring Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard as two of their best three players and muscle chestbrook got injured. This year I see the Spurs along with OKC the two prime contenders for the west once again, but Houston and the Clippers both have the rosters to compete as well and I think they have the management and coaching to be dangerous as well. I expect the road to the finals to be more difficult then last year but I see no reason why we shouldn't be slight favorites to get there again.
Thunder will be able to get Ibaka more touches, he's pretty money from midrange. As I recall, he was complaining for more touches. Hi-low with Perkins will likely increase too. Overall, these are higher percentage shots with a higher foul percentage too.
Hope so, but it's way too early to tell. So much of it depends on whether Timmy can have another great season or not tbh. With Manu's play having regressed so much and not bringing in any significant FA's, if Timmy's play takes a significant drop, I don't think we have any shot at winning a championship next year tbh imo. If he can and we stay healthy, there's a solid chance we make it back to the big dance.
When the OP says Houston has Howard but that is an injury waiting to happen....LMAO....he obviously doesnt know our Spurs. We are the walking wounded each and every year. Its the reason Pop rest players. To think the Rockets have an injury issue with Howard is a light drizzle compared to the injury issue we have in San Antonio which would be on hurricane status.
^ good post from Pentagruel, tbh..
There's absolutely no argument that next year's run will be easier than this year's, obviously
IMO, part of the reason the Spurs didn't make any notable moves(although I think they should have) is their confidence in Leonard's growth into an All-Star level player next year, along with the lack of dominance in the NBA at the moment..there are no prime Spurs teams, 2000s Lakers teams, etc..
Definitely won't be easier than this year, having an offensively-challenged Grizz team which the Spurs swept. OKC will be a challenge. The Spurs were clicking on all cylinders this postseason-Duncan playing great basketball for his stage of his career, Parker dominating, and the role players were all providing throughout. The timing isn't always there.
Yeah...for sure won't get any easier than this year, the stars aligned perfectly last season, they had the le in game 6, it slipped. It'll still be possible to return to the finals. Kawhi should improve, though Green is a big question mark because he has no dribbling and passing skills and that won't change much in a year.
Duncan's divorce is great news for the Spurs IMO..
It'll help keep him motivated to play basketball, it's probably the primary source of comfort for him, tbh..I'm not worried about him, at all..
Perkins on the floor is great news for any OKC opponent, tbh
Perk might not make it to training camp... he's been shopped around, and you have to wonder how long until they get rid of him...
It's true that a lot depends on Tim's level of play but I see no reason for him to decline so significantly this particular year. I also would not be surprised if Manu has a better year then the last if he gets some good rest this summer, clears his head and has a fresh slate. There is no physical reason for his passing ability to become so bad, I think the turnovers he displayed in the finals will recede some with a new year. Perhaps he will adjust his game some too to help with his declining ability to drive to the basket. I don't expect either of them to be markedly worse then last year. I actually think the most important factor will be the health of tony Parker. He looked absolutely gassed in the second half of the finals and that is a bit worrisome. Hopefully he too gets some good rest.
We all know how great a one two punch is. As long as the Thunder have a healthy Durant/Westbrook...they are lethal. Same went for the Bulls with MJ/Pippen...same went for Shaq/Kobe...ect...dont underestimate the Thunder id Westbrook and Durant stay healthy. ...if anything...I would say their biggest downfall is their coach. He is in over his head. If they had a great coach....lookout.
Houston scares me. Tough down low, athletic. Screw Jeremy Lin, Patrick Beverly is going to surprise people, he's good. They have the makings of a special team. I think Gary Neal will sign with them.
Too many unknowns to say. On paper lots of teams look good, but as spurs fans we know health and chemistry are the X factors
clips, dubs, and rockets def will challenge are gon be tough, and the spurs getting back to the finals largely depends on tim having another season like last year + avoiding injuries and kawhi leonard's improvement and being more involved offensively
I think a lot of you are overestimating Dwight Howard. He's a stat monkey; he's not a winner. Dwight Howard wants to have fun and clown around. Name me one year in his 8 seasons where he led his team to great heights (2009 is an anomaly because of the serious lack of Eastern conference compe ion). He's a larger and more athletic Blake Griffin. Until he actually begins to take the game of basketball seriously, he's not a threat to anybody who truly wants to win. I think James Harden will begin to dislike Howard's immaturity at some point.
He got his first taste of Western Conference playoffs and he got his teeth kicked in. He's on a better team now, but I still see him shrinking from the spotlight. It's bizarre how somebody who is so obviously in need of adoration and limelight will duck and cover when asked to take on a leadership role.
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