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On to our NBA preview. After going north of the border yesterday and getting Rafer traded, let's go to San Antonio and check out the Spurs...
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WHAT'S YOUR NAME AND WHERE DO YOU LIVE?: Mark Guymon- North Richland Hills, Texas, by way of Live Oak.
YOUR TEAM IS: The World Champion and dynasty in the making San Antonio Spurs.
WHY IS THIS YOUR FAVORITE TEAM?: There are several reasons, the first of which being that is my hometown team and for anyone who has ever left their town and gone onto, say, a college environment or whatever -- hometown pride boils over. I remember when I went to play basketball in Idaho there were a few cats from D.C. (actually Maryland and Virginia but the whole East Coast is either D.C. or New York), if we weren't clowning on each other then we were arguing about whose hometown was better and what athletes came from home and what championships we had back home and all I can say now is "Scoreboard: To all of Rainbow 26. SPURS - SCOREBOARD."
Second, I like the way the Spurs play, except for blowing those big leads. They are a true team. Timmy (can't call him T, Robot for all the Spurs fans that got on my back last year being ignorant of the Links and all -- they didn't appreciate the nickname) is the best player in the League and the T-E-A-M around him is perfect because everybody knows and plays to their roles. They play hard defense on the perimeter and in the paint and they have the best ball movement in the NBA. They play the way they act -- it is an at ude and a mindset down in San Antone and it is reflected throughout the organization.
WHO IS RETURNING FROM LAST YEAR?: Tony Parker, Brent Barry, Nazr Mohammed, Bruce Bowen, Rasho Nesterovic (unfortunately), Sean Marks, Beno Udrih, Manu Ginobili (got cheated for finals MVP), Tim Duncan and of course Big Shot Rob -- my apologies to his biggest fan for my review last year where I questioned Rob's heart -- she was all over me about that. Okay he redemmed himself from his Doug Christie impersonation from 2 years ago.
WHO SKIPPED TOWN?: Rasho Nesterovic went to Seattle along with Bruce Bowen and Sean Marks for Jerome James and Ray Al ..what? oh sorry I am awake now. Homegrown product Devin Brown bolted to the Jazz. Glenn Robinson and 12 team journeyman (nba record) Tony Massenburg both got their rings and left.
WHO HAS YOUR TEAM ADDED?: Fabricio Oberto, Nick Van Exel and Michael Finley. I like the pick-ups. I know a lot of people wonder about the volatile Van Exel and how he will fit in with the mellow Spurs -- personally, I think it will be great to have a little at ude and the clutch shooting is a huge plus. Anything has to be better than Beno -- is there a point guard in the L with a worse handle? My only concern is will he play defense? Should be easy to play D when you know Tim has your back. Finley -- I love this pick-up. I live up in Mavland so I got to hear how they hated his jump-shooting and his questionable handle. They didn't appreciate the forced shots and the pump-fake fade-a-way. Thing is, dude shot 41-percent from the 3 point line in the Playoffs last year and has a career 38 percent. He is an athletic wing who can score and his percentage should shoot up since the Spurs want him to shoot threes and jumpers -- perfect fit. The beauty of it is, if either of them don't mesh then we don't need them and they will sit. Same team is returning from last year that won the le. They can either fit-in or sit-out.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR TEAM'S COACH?: Pop is the man -- he is the general -- undisputed. He is respected by his players and peers and he has a successful style and approach. You gotta love his at ude. He is one of the true coaches left -- Jerry Sloan, Pop, that is about it I guess. Maybe Phil but I hate the Lakers so scratch that. He gets his players open shots and puts them in a position to succeed and he wins.
WHICH PLAYER IS THE KEY TO YOUR TEAM'S SUCCESS THIS SEASON?: Manu - Manu Manu. As I stated initially, he got cheated out of the finals MVP but Tim was a good choice. Manu plays great defense and he can score. He is aggressive and you gotta love his game -- sometimes he makes a silly play or two with a bad turnover but man, he came up BIG in the playoffs didn't he? Let me drop some Spanish: Manu es el Corazon de este equipo. Manu no tiene miedo de nada o de nadie. El tira de lejos, saca rebotes, juega la defense mejor que Bowen y el puede anotar puntos y asistencias. Manu es bueno y si el siga jugando al mismo nivel -- Los spurs van a ganar y ganar -- y ganar - y ganar y ganar mas. Me imagino que en este temporada, Manu va a ser aun mejor porque su amigo Oberto firmo el contrato con Los Spurs.
WHAT TEAM DO YOU MOST WANT TO BEAT?: The Pistons. I mean, you could rationalize and say the Heat might come out of the East and it is always good to beat Shaq -- he played in San Antonio at Cole and he came up 2 years before I did, and we used to play in AAU summer ball and at Randolph or Fort Sam but you never hear him call San Antonio home and he has scheduled parties in the past when he came to town and no-showed. So it is always good to beat Shaq. And of course you will have to want to beat the Mavs just for Finley. But the team to beat and be concerned with is the Pistons. I still think they will come out of the East over the Pacers.
WHAT TEAM DO YOU MOST NEED TO BEAT?: The Pistons. You have to get and maintain that edge over the team you are probably going to face in the Finals.
WHO IS THE MOST IMPORTANT NEW PLAYER ON YOUR TEAM?: Van Exel. I actually think he will start a few games depending on how Parker plays. You know he has a tendency to be somewhat erratic -- you didn't know that about Tony? Nick won't be -- he might be off on his jumper but he plays the same regardless. He won't shy away from contact either or a challenge. I see him coming up big as he has for his whole career and he will do it in big games.
YOUR GENERAL MANAGER -- DISCUSS: I wasn't too sold on R.C. Buford, but I am more and more convinced of his talents. Especially with this off-season. The only other thing I would have liked was for them to move Rasho. He just doesn't fit. He is a good player and could fit in pretty well in another system but not with the Spurs -- he hasn't been able to find his role or fulfill it. R.C. Buford has built a darn good team down there in San Antonio though and he does it the same way he runs the franchise -- the right way.
IN WHAT WAYS DOES YOUR TEAM NEED TO IMPROVE?: Putting teams away. I think Van Exel will help with that and so will Finley. The Spurs need to put teams away. Historically the Spurs will get a big lead and then they either appear to get bored or they get disinterested and lose focus and teams come back. This year the Spurs need to put teams away early and often -- I mean, how many teams would have lost to the Rockets like that with McGrady hitting all those threes? I had to hear it from my brother -- the biggest T-Mac co-signer on the planet for a solid month.
WHERE DO YOU HOPE YOUR TEAM CAN FINISH THIS SEASON?: Anything less than a le will be a terrible failure. I would actually go out on a limb and predict a new regular season win record but I fear the injury and I fear the Spurs focus during the regular season is not what it should be. Jordan and the Bulls had the same focus against the Clippers on Day 1 that they had against the Jazz in Game 6. The Spurs don't have that focus. If they can get it, they will break the record.
OK, NOW REALLY, WHERE WILL THEY ACTUALLY FINISH THIS SEASON?: On their way to at least a three peat. They will win it again this year and they look good to win three in a row which will be wonderful as they establish themselves as a dynasty and solidify Tim's career as one of the best ever. Dude can play and that sense of humor...
WHAT SHOULD YOUR TEAM'S SLOGAN BE THIS SEASON?: Dynasty. The Spurs are a dynasty. They are the better version of the Patriots of the NBA -- they just win. Dynasty should be on the locker room wall.
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Thanks, Mark. Now for my quick take...
It was interesting to read you mention how Rasho doesn't really fit in. When I talked with RC Buford last season, the Spurs had just acquired Nazr, and he was saying how when they signed Rasho, it was between Rasho and Michael Olowokandi. They knew they needed a center, and they had enough money to sign either one and basically had to choose. They picked Rasho because he was a better at-the-rim defender. The whole Spurs philosophy is to funnel everyone baseline and then have TD and Rasho meet them at the rim. That's really all they want Rasho to do -- defend the rim. if he can score, great. Why bring this up? Because I'm curious about Van Exel's defense, too. He's never been a particularly amazing defender, but now he's going to be expected to shut down a particular area of the floor -- stopping guards from driving the center of the lane. If one guy screws up their assignment, it messes everything up for the Spurs, which is why despite his inconsistencies, the Spurs like Tony Parker so much -- he can stop guys from driving down the center of the paint. Still, Mark, you hit it on the head when you pointed out how even if the new guys don't work out, the Spurs should be fine. Pop is the best in the biz, and unless injuries hit, I'm going with the Spurs to repeat.
No link. No cred.
WHO IS RETURNING FROM LAST YEAR?: Tony Parker, Brent Barry, Nazr Mohammed, Bruce Bowen, Rasho Nesterovic (unfortunately), Sean Marks, Beno Udrih, Manu Ginobili (got cheated for finals MVP), Tim Duncan and of course Big Shot Rob -- my apologies to his biggest fan for my review last year where I questioned Rob's heart -- she was all over me about that. Okay he redemmed himself from his Doug Christie impersonation from 2 years ago.
ha ha ha ha hah a ha
He lost me when he fantasized about trading Bowen away, and getting Jerome James and ovary in return.
crap article
here is your link punk : http://slamonline.com/links/10032005/index1.html
dont question me - and if you don't think that ray allen and jerome james would be an upgrade to this roster you are as dumb as you appear.
It is funny you can call him ovary but if he was a Spur and Bowen was a Sonic you would be calling Bowen dirty - I guess you hate that Finley is here too - maybe he should be Uterus or fallopian tube because he complained more than Ray Allen ever did.
Ray ray and Trashman
He was a freaking rookie!!!
and that is why I thought the article was CRAP
Thanks for the link. Still no cred.
thanks for the comment - no link though - no cred and your opinion is pointless.
who are you not to be questioned?dont question me
If he was a Spur and still whined like he did, I would still drop the "strained ovary" card.It is funny you can call him ovary but if he was a Spur and Bowen was a Sonic you would be calling Bowen dirty
I doubt you would call him ovary as he was dropping threes and winning games and obviously I guess you would call Bowen a dirty player. I mean I am a Spurs fan but the way Bowen jumps at people when they shoot and forces them to land funny or on his feet is dirty - if you don;t know that then you have never played ball.
Don't question you? Who died and made you God?
if you really think that, then u ain't a true spur fan. U either another one of the undercover trolls. or a fresh Bandwagon fan.
well God never dies so - nobody I guess. Dont question me is advice because I will prove you wrong. - case in point - man requested a link and he got a link.
I really think that - I know that to be true. It is something you don't do when you play ball. Ask anyone and they will tell you it is dirty to jump at someone like he does when they shoot and force them to land on his feet or fall. - I still think he is a good player and I am not complaining too loud - but dirty it is and if you knew how to play ball then you would recognize.
Not sure what you mean by uncercover troll - got a link ?
fresh bandwagon fan - boy recognize - I grew up in San Antone --Judson Product - been a fan since the days of Silas, Gervin and the A-train- Johnny moore and Mike Mitc - don't come at me with bandwagon garbage.
You didn't prove anybody wrong. They asked for a link. You provided a link. You didn't prove anything.
And I don't think Bowen is a dirty player. And yes, I have played the game my whole life. Has Bowen done an occasional dirty play? Sure. He plays close to the edge, he gives most of his effort on the defensive end, and he never gives up. Add that all together and occasionally he MAY cross the line. But I don't think it's intentional so I wouldn't call him a dirty player.
coopdogg3
This is the weirdest thread. Why are you all attacking the guy for posting this? And then why is he responding so hostile?
Agree or disagree with the article but don't take it so personally.
ME TOO ;-)
for that...no...if he was whining, even if he was a Spur,...yes.I doubt you would call him ovary as he was dropping threes and winning games
This guy is hilarious.. it's funny because I think he's actually serious.
WHat didnt I prove - he questioned the veracity of the post - I proved it - logic!
I agree with you on Bowen - that is what I said - but the main thing Ray was whining about was the way he jumped at his feet when he shot jumpers.
Good point. Something else you don't do is whine and about the other team. At least in my old neighborhood, that would have gotten your ass kicked. I know this is old school of me and in today's Sportscenter, And-1, me-me-me world its not a fundamental ideal anymore but I have always had the belief that you let your play do the talking. Don't whine, don't , just shut up and play. If you are good enough...and Ray Allen is....your game speaks for itself.I really think that - I know that to be true. It is something you don't do when you play ball.
Speaking of Ray Allen ...
http://spurstalk.com/forums/showthre...812#post537812
I Agree with that - I am of the old school philosophy too but right now I work up in Dallas a lot and the sports guys up in Dallas say that Tim, Manu, Tony and Bowen all whine and cry about everything. IT is perception I guess - or some could say psychological - in the sense that Ray thinks if he whines about those plays enough he will get more calls and Bowen wont play as hard on him - didnt work but maybe that was his thought. -
Chris - I am serious buddy - what is an undercover troll and I was a Spurs fan when you were a twinkle in my eye.
Shut up already.
Going back to the article, I really agree with this:
WHERE DO YOU HOPE YOUR TEAM CAN FINISH THIS SEASON?: Anything less than a le will be a terrible failure. I would actually go out on a limb and predict a new regular season win record but I fear the injury and I fear the Spurs focus during the regular season is not what it should be. Jordan and the Bulls had the same focus against the Clippers on Day 1 that they had against the Jazz in Game 6. The Spurs don't have that focus. If they can get it, they will break the record.
This guy thinks Manu plays better defense than Bowen
Manu plays great defense but he definitely doesn't play better than Bowen. I don't think I'll be trusting this guy
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