Zach Lowe ranks the Spurs as bottom-tier team in his "league pass" ranking..

[spursistan]

Kawhi-praise notwithstanding..

The Beautiful Game

19. SAN ANTONIO SPURS (29)

The megaphone homerism of San Antonio's broadcast crew always hurts here, but it is stunning -- and probably stupid -- to see the Spurs 19th. Kawhi Leonard is the first perimeter defender since Scottie Pippen and Gary Payton so impossible to navigate, opponents just give up the ball and say, "Here, I can't deal with this dude." He gobbles up steals without gambling his way out of position or fouling -- a delicate balance almost literally no one else can strike. I'd watch a full-game camera showing only Leonard playing defense over the tanking nonsense that masquerades as basketball in April.
But there is something a little passé about these guys. The passing style that s -shocked the league from 2010-2014 has run its course. When these Spurs ape that strategy, they will look like a slower version of the old Millsap/Horford Hawks, with LaMarcus Aldridge and Pau Gasol manning opposite wings. Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili don't have the ballhandling verve of years past, and if Parker can't flit to the rim against postseason defenses, San Antonio might face a dribbling deficit.
The Spurs make up for it by slowing down for Leonard and Aldridge post-ups, but those aren't must-see TV unless Aldridge gets on one of his fadeaway hot streaks. The bench beyond Ginobili and the effervescent Patty Mills is a collection of unknowns and retreads, though Jonathon Simmons brings a fun, breakneck, drive-and-dish game.

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/1...ankings-part-1

[spursistan]

How is the antiquated and washed Memphis core ahead of us?

[RD2191]

So there are 18 better teams than the Spurs this year? Yeah, sure buddy.

[Clipper Nation]

So there are 18 better teams than the Spurs this year? Yeah, sure buddy.

That's not what he's saying. He's ranking the teams on how fun he thinks they'll be to watch, not on how good he thinks they'll be.

[TimDunkem]

Wow. And he's supposed to be one of the better writers around the league. Lol Clearly, basketball analysis isn't his thing...18 teams more fun to watch?

[spursistan]

no this is an all around "watchability" ranking of teams..

[HarlemHeat37]

Pretty accurate..last year's team was straight out of the 90s, hideous basketball, tbh..

Outside of Kawhi's defense and the occasional Ginobili highlight pass(turnover or not), the team can be pretty painful to watch, at times..

[Arcadian]

Meh. If this list is just based on entertainment value, it's pointless...obviously people are going to watch their favorite teams regardless.

I scrolled down and saw a video on whether or not David Blatt deserves a ring. To that I say, yes...he was a better coach than Lue.

[HarlemHeat37]

Speaking of hideous, I was on YouTube the other day and ended up on Spurs-Knicks game 5 through the related videos section..the first NBA games I ever attended were during those Finals', but wow, nostalgia aside, those games don't hold up today..some of the ugliest basketball you'll ever see..

[Obstructed_View]

Pretty accurate..last year's team was straight out of the 90s, hideous basketball, tbh..

Outside of Kawhi's defense and the occasional Ginobili highlight pass(turnover or not), the team can be pretty painful to watch, at times..

Yeah, I loved when the Spurs played lock down defense, and I loved when their pick and roll game was rolling, but watching the Spurs isolate and take midrange jumpers was maddening.

[FromWayDowntown]

Speaking of hideous, I was on YouTube the other day and ended up on Spurs-Knicks game 5 through the related videos section..the first NBA games I ever attended were during those Finals', but wow, nostalgia aside, those games don't hold up today..some of the ugliest basketball you'll ever see..

As hard as it is to imagine, some of the games in the 2003 Finals are much worse, in my view. In 6 games, the Spurs never managed to score 20 points in any first quarter in that series and only ever got to 30 in a quarter 1 time -- the 4th quarter of Game 6, when they hit 31. In the 2nd quarter of Game 3 of that series, the teams combined for 27 points (SA 18, NJ 9), and the Spurs led at halftime by 3 -- 33-30.

Some will say it was good defense, but watching those games now, it's really hard to watch.

[Kawhitstorm]

Speaking of hideous, I was on YouTube the other day and ended up on Spurs-Knicks game 5 through the related videos section..the first NBA games I ever attended were during those Finals', but wow, nostalgia aside, those games don't hold up today..some of the ugliest basketball you'll ever see..

It was the NBC broadcast that made it entertaining. NBC losing the TV right to Disney after the Lakers 3-peat was one of the reason early 2000s NBA took a nosedive as far as TV audience. I'm not surprised that watching 90s NBA in person was a ty experience.

[Spur|n|Austin]

So there are 18 better teams than the Spurs this year? Yeah, sure buddy.

League Pass Rankings..

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/1...ankings-part-1

[RD2191]

My bad. I clearly jumped to conclusions before I read the article thoroughly. Still, the Spurs will be fun to watch beat of the unknowns.

[Kawhitstorm]

As hard as it is to imagine, some of the games in the 2003 Finals are much worse, in my view. In 6 games, the Spurs never managed to score 20 points in any first quarter in that series and only ever got to 30 in a quarter 1 time -- the 4th quarter of Game 6, when they hit 31. In the 2nd quarter of Game 3 of that series, the teams combined for 27 points (SA 18, NJ 9), and the Spurs led at halftime by 3 -- 33-30.

Some will say it was good defense, but watching those games now, it's really hard to watch.

The Nets shooting performance in the 2003 Finals was atrocious, the worst in modern day NBA & the '99 Knicks are second on the list.

Twin-Towers

[Obstructed_View]

As hard as it is to imagine, some of the games in the 2003 Finals are much worse, in my view. In 6 games, the Spurs never managed to score 20 points in any first quarter in that series and only ever got to 30 in a quarter 1 time -- the 4th quarter of Game 6, when they hit 31. In the 2nd quarter of Game 3 of that series, the teams combined for 27 points (SA 18, NJ 9), and the Spurs led at halftime by 3 -- 33-30.

Some will say it was good defense, but watching those games now, it's really hard to watch.

That team was by far the most talented of any of the le times, IMO, but they were really undisciplined. They were able to just turn it on when they wanted, which made for maddening basketball a lot of the time.

[GSH]

Not fun to watch? They've been ing the Spurs about that for most of the last almost-20 years, and 5 Championships. I expect it's not much fun for the other fans in the league to watch their teams get beaten so often by one team. I hop they're just as boring to watch as the '03 and '05 teams.

[bklynspursfan]

That team was by far the most talented of any of the le times, IMO, but they were really undisciplined. They were able to just turn it on when they wanted, which made for maddening basketball a lot of the time.

The 03 team? I feel like the 14 or even 07 team were more talented. 03 team had lots of new/old guys and TD lol

[ElNono]

looks like Lowe isn't too high on lettucehead...

[SAGirl]

looks like Lowe isn't too high on lettucehead...

and too high on J.Simms. he will be disappointed unfortunately.

[MI21]

I don't know about #19, but yeah, the Spurs aren't what they used to be in terms of watchability, that's for sure.

That is diminished this year with Timmy, despite his injuries, lack of athleticism and decline, it was still fun to watch him block shots of more athletic players, bust out the occasional throwback post-move and throw great outlets and passes from the elbow.

[MI21]

looks like Lowe isn't too high on lettucehead...

That's a new one and very accurate, thanks

[Kawhitstorm]

Pretty accurate..last year's team was straight out of the 90s, hideous basketball, tbh..

Outside of Kawhi's defense and the occasional Ginobili highlight pass(turnover or not), the team can be pretty painful to watch, at times..

He has the Hawks ranked 25 despite them playing the "Beautiful Game"

[Spur Bank]

For what it's worth, he had them 12th last year...: http://grantland.com/the-triangle/th...ings-part-2-2/

and 4th the year before, after the championship: http://grantland.com/the-triangle/th...nkings-part-2/

[baseline bum]

That's not what he's saying. He's ranking the teams on how fun he thinks they'll be to watch, not on how good he thinks they'll be.

He better have Houston #30 since no one wants to watch Harden shooting free throws all night.