Here's an article from Bleacher Report. Do you think this is the best team since 2007?
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If winning in excess and contending for NBA les is boring, color the San Antonio Spurs mundane.
Four championships, five Finals appearances and countless Gregg Popovich scowls later, the Spurs are still kicking and winning, dominating like it's 2007—if 2007 were in fact 2014.
Conventional wisdom would have us believe the Spurs should be gasping for a breath of postseason air at this point in their development. Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili are graying, Tony Parker isn't far behind and Coach Pop hasn't been captured sporting a smile since oil paintings went out of style. Read more...
That 2012 team was damn good even though we lost to OKC. Remember that team won 20 in a row (the last 10 regular season games, the first 10 playoff games). And of course 2013 we were nearly champs.
It's funny how fast we've gone with the '14 group from "can't beat the best teams" to best Spurs team of the last 7 years. I'm not saying we're not, just how fickle the media coverage is.
I think we pretty much suck until we hoist that trophy.
Good read.
2013 was probably San Antonio's best team. 2012 still relied too much on the Big 3, guys like Danny/Neal/Splitter/Diaw all kind of sucked in the WCF. Parker/Gino/Duncan/Jackson/Leonard were the only decent players that series, and Leonard was still no where near the level he's at now.
2013 had a productive Big 3 with a much more experienced Green/Leonard/Splitter, and Diaw was more aggressive. Boris was passive as during the 2012 run lol
The 2014 squad COULD potentially be better if all the cards fall right. I will say this - 2014 squad's ceiling is higher than that of 2013. But I'm not sure if they'll be able to reach it, with Duncan at 38/Parker at 32.
After rounding into form now, yes.
i dont think that 07 team was as good as any of teams from the last 3 seasons.
The Spurs have improved every year since 2009.
2014 > 2013 > 2012 > 2011 > 2010 > 2009
This years team is just so much deeper than 2007 and has a great blend of youth and experience.
If we get #1 seed, then yes, this is team on par with 07 group. BTW, this team is better than last year's team. Last year, the Spurs limped into the playoffs losing 4 of last 5 games and were 8 games behind Miami. They caught a break when Westbrook went out and took advantage of weaker road to Finals. This year, if they do secure the #1 seed, they wil be in stronger position to knock off Miami, who it seems is not as good this year, as of right this minute.
tbh....
Good take.
To the people who point to the 2011/2012 squads: there's a big difference - we weren't elite defensively in those years. IIRC, we were a top 3 defensive team in every single year from 1999-2008. From 2009-2012, we were outside of the top 5 in every year. Not coincidentally, last year was our first time getting back to the Finals...and we were the 3rd ranked defense. This team is similar to last year's team, but here are the differences:
+ Ginobili is back to playing like 6th Man of the Year
+ Kawhi has improved
+ Green has come into his own as a legitimately good defender, and Pop realizes this now (look at how many minutes Green got when Leonard was out)
+ I'm not sure what to think about Splitter. He started off great, and has been great lately, but I'm still not sure if he's better or worse
+ Replaced Neal with Belinelli, which is a noticeable upgrade
+ Diaw 2.0 > Diaw from last year
+ Mills's emergence as backup PG
- Duncan isn't where he was at last year
- Parker isn't where he was at last year
Overall, we've improved IMO. If Parker/Duncan get into their rhythm come playoff time, this team is going to be a serious threat to any team we come across, including OKC or Houston or whoever else people are nervous about facing. I do believe this is our best squad since 2007, and I'm not saying that strictly based on our regular season record. It has more to do with 2013 being our best team in a while, and my belief that this team is better than last year's team.
At this point, all we can do is hope to remain healthy, and hope every one is clicking come playoff time.
Spurs have had the benefit of playing in an era of basketball where basic fundamentals seem to be lost. Sean Elliott has said that there are many teams in the league getting players from the draft that have no idea of basic basketball vernacular a typical NBA players should use. They come in with no true concept of team basketball and basic fundamentals. The Spurs may not have players on their team who are "Superstar" material, but they know how to win basketball games. They have stood pat with their main core despite many people pressing the panic button seemingly every year.
This team is truly something to behold. This team is starting to play with swagger. A kind of confidence that does not boast iness but rather a collective swagger. They know they can beat anyone. They know that le should've been theirs. The more this team plays it seems the more they are getting better. I try to maintain an even keel when it comes to being a fan of the best team in the NBA and try not to show my "Homerism", but im really feeling something very special about this team.
Great read, thanks for sharing
Actually...what we are having right now is better than any of previous 4 championship teams.
Only if Kawhi and Boris take the initiatives. I wish Kawhi could have 8-10 18+ points games during playoffs, and Boris needs to take 8-10 shots per game.
Splitter is better than last year - better rebounder, finisher, etc. Diaw is more aggressive than last year and can still be a defensive stopper. We have a back up point in Mills who really helps the second unit be dangerously good that we didn't have before. Belineli is a legit Neal replacement and team player. Green has become a dominant defender in transition and is still good on his man. leonard is a stopper and knows his role on offense. Manu is healthier now than he ever was last year. Parker, if rested, is still as good. Duncan has kept fighting time and will take over when needed. Those 9 can win and fit wonderfully together in pops system. It's beautiful to watch them.
This team is really good right now! If they stay healthy and continue to gel and improve, they will win the le. I cannot see any team beating them 4 times.
There are a lot of great takes on this already, I see this team as smarter and less mistake prone than last year's squad.
There seems to be a pride and spirit in the Foreign Legion second unit that is determined to dominate. When TP and TD are in playoff form, this will be a tough team. They really seem like they are on a mission.
I am wondering if Matt Bonner's injury and Austin Daye's emergence are related. Don't imagine that Daye will be a part of the playoff rotation, but, what an interesting option to have.....
The 2014 team is head and shoulders better the 2013 team.
The 2014 team would blow out the 2007 team head to head, as that team didn't have enough offense.
If the Spurs stay healthy, and just get fair whistles from Stern and Silver (tall order):
THEN SPURS WILL BE THE 2014 CHAMPIONS.
Book it.
Idk, but they better win it all this year or we will forever be known as chokers. Overachieving my ass. They should/need to win the le.
This was a well-thought out post. I agree with quite a bit of what you had to say, but I give a bit more weighting to Duncan's decline than you probably do. If he is not hitting that 15 foot jump shot at near the clip that he was last season, I don't like our chances in the Finals (if we make it), especially if it's against the Pacers.
every year we say "yes" so i'll just say yes again
I agree with all of this. The most significant improvement over last season was the offloading of Gary Neal in exchange for Marco. Elsewhere, Patty Mills has stepped up in Neal's place to run the point when Parker's on the bench. Ginobili's numbers are up (even if he's still a little turnover prone at the wrong times), the team has been improving defensively every season since 2011. Daye could be a valuable asset in the near future, more so than de Colo.
This iteration of the Spurs, like every iteration since the 2009 first round exit team, has been better than the last. They have the talent in place to win it all, they just need the right match ups. OKC presents the greatest problems, but against almost anyone else, they could be favored. This winning streak has aptly demonstrated this team's depth and if the season continues in this fashion, with the early le favorites beginning to show fatigue, 2014 could very well be the year the 2013 almost was.
If you compare Duncan's performance this season sans November (that month he was horrible in and we had people in here legitimately worrying if he was done) to his performance last year, it's not so far off.
He has been a little less effective on defense this season. He's seemed to have lost a bit of mobility. And you're right in that his ability to hit mid-range jumpers is important. He's definitely not playing at the level he was at last year, and it's a bit concerning. I have faith in him though...I think he'll be around the same level come playoff time.
BTW, I wouldn't be too worried about Indiana. They've looked like a completely different team in the 2nd half of the season. I'd be very surprised if they get through Miami. They might not even get through Brooklyn or Chicago.
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