Spurs Mailbag: Right On Pace

[duncan228]

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b....20efcd2a.html

Spurs Mailbag: Right on pace

Jeff McDonald
San Antonio Express-News

Don't say we didn't warn you, Spurs fans.

We said it way back in early December, when San Antonio's favorite professional basketball franchise was 17-3, off to the best start in club history.

Don't make too much of the fast start. There's still way too much basketball to be played.

Now, after a recent slump that has seen the Spurs fall out of the lead in the Southwest Division and Western Conference, we'll say it again.

Don't make too much of this, either.

Yes, the Spurs are 24-11 — a mark that, if the postseason started today, would leave them as the fifth seed in West.

Anyone want to hazard a guess as to what the Spurs' record was at this point last season?

If you said 24-11, you're right. You win a cookie.

Yes, the Spurs won 24 of their first 35 last season, too. Things worked out pretty well for them, as that late June parade down the River Walk will attest.

Our advice now? Just sit back, relax and wait for the Spurs' annual Rodeo Road Trip recovery.

Until then, let's open up the weekly Mailbag …

During the Spurs-Pistons game the other night, Marv Albert said the San Antonio fans were booing the Spurs. I find that hard to believe. In other cities, yes, but not S.A. They are some of the best fans around. What do you think was going on?
— Veronica, Seattle

Ol' Marv was probably overstating things a tad. When the Pistons scored the basket that put them ahead by 20 in the second quarter, there was definitely some audible grumbling around the AT&T Center. But we wouldn't call it full-scale booing.

To put it in Seattle terms, it wasn't exactly the kind of vitriol Clay Bennett gets when he deigns to show his face around Key Arena these days. Spurs fans were disgruntled at the team's play, and rightfully so, but they will get over it.

I've noted of late that the Spurs have signed players then waived a short time later. Are these players completely gone from the organization or have they been assigned to the Austin Toros or what has exactly happened to them?
—C.C., Pleasanton

All four players in question – Darius Washington, Marcus Williams, Keith Langford and DerMarr Johnson – were waived by the Spurs, meaning they are free to be sign with any other NBA club.

Their Developmental League rights, however, remain with Austin. So if any of the above wanted to return to the NBA's D-League, they'd have to play as Toros. However, they can play in any other American minor league, or overseas, if they so choose.

Three of the above players, Johnson, Williams and Langford, have already rejoined the Toros. Washington signed to play in Greece.

About Manu and Tony not fairing better on the All-Star votes--what's up with that? I thought Tony was the rage in all of France and that Manu was the second coming of Maradona in Argentina. Don't they have the Internet in these countries?
-- A.G., San Antonio

Yes, they do have the Internet in those countries. But they only use it to play online poker.

What are the plans to play the young players with the best three Duncan, Parker, Ginobili? I believe this is what the spurs need, speed around the best three not playing an aging Horry and Finley on the starting team.
—Joe Miller, California

Who are these "young players" of which you speak?

There is certainly a rational fix to the current funk the Spurs are in. A starting lineup of Duncan, Parker, Ginobili, Matt Bonner and Jeremy Richardson probably isn't it.

This time around last year Pop called the Spurs "the franchise's worst defensive squad in six to eight years". When can we expect his call this year? Their .457 opponent field goal percentage is 20th in NBA.
—Daniel, Budapest

The Spurs were ranked worse than that back in November, when Popovich called his team's field-goal percentage defense, "God awful." So 45.7 percent is one step above that, we suppose.

I like the Spurs and everything but they are not shooting as well as they did last year. I think y'all should have a day when all you do is shoot, to work on form and everything.
—Clay, Pecos

Good suggestion. We'll pass that along to Pop. Also, maybe the Spurs should hire a full-time shooting coach. Someone check and see if Chip Engelland is available.

[SAGambler]

Our advice now? Just sit back, relax and wait for the Spurs' annual Rodeo Road Trip recovery.

Key word being "recovery". What if they don't? Lately, we have been played tight by at least 3 inferior teams that the Spurs should have blown out early.

Last year we were losing to lesser teams at this time of year because of lackadaisical play. This year, at least for the last couple of weeks or so, the Spurs simply are not scoring the ball. And I don't think it is because of disinterested play. They are trying, just not succeeding.

So let's not relax too much until we see if they actually do recover that early season chemistry and shooting ability during this road trip.

But the point is, it is a different season. We have had one or more of the big 3 sitting for several games now, trying to heal up. Now that everyone is back, they have to regain the chemistry. It's not just a matter of playing harder this year. It's a matter of getting back what they had in November.

[vanvannen]

It really bothers me how this guy finds it funny to tease his readers about their questions. Have you noticed how he hardly ever really answers one?

[travis2]

I like the Spurs and everything but they are not shooting as well as they did last year. I think y'all should have a day when all you do is shoot, to work on form and everything.
—Clay, Pecos

Good suggestion. We'll pass that along to Pop. Also, maybe the Spurs should hire a full-time shooting coach. Someone check and see if Chip Engelland is available.

[travis2]

It really bothers me how this guy finds it funny to tease his readers about their questions. Have you noticed how he hardly ever really answers one?.

Examples???

So far, the questions he "teases" people about don't need answering.

[ploto]

While the Spurs had the same record last season at this point, historically the Spurs have not been a team who takes off so much of the regular season. They used to play hard, especially defensively, during the regular season and had not bought into the flip-the-switch mentality. In 2006 they were 27-8 and in 2005 they were 28-7.

Recently, to me, they are starting to look more and more like the post- threepeat Lakers who just couldn't flip that switch anymore.

[101A]

While the Spurs had the same record last season at this point, historically the Spurs have not been a team who takes off so much of the regular season. They used to play hard, especially defensively, during the regular season and had not bought into the flip-the-switch mentality. In 2006 they were 27-8 and in 2005 they were 28-7.

Recently, to me, they are starting to look more and more like the post- threepeat Lakers who just couldn't flip that switch anymore.

The switch is there, and it will be flipped. This Spurs team is playing half-assed by design, IMO.

The most important ingredient THIS Spurs team needs to win a championship?

Health.

Next?

Playing their best in April - June.

Early on, Pop let the offense RUN - and the defense suffered (it could, and the Spurs would still win). Now the reigns are on the offense, IMO, by design, to FORCE the defense to either win, or at the very least, keep the Spurs in games (or crawl BACK into them). W/L are not relevent - only the progress of the team's capabilities are.

As an elixer, go back and watch games from last January, then go watch some of those first halves against Utah - can't believe that was the same team. The offense and defense BOTH peaking, and producing impossibly good results; frankly some of the very best basketball I've ever seen played.

We'll get the pleasure of seeing that again in a few months, as long as everyone stays (or gets) healthy. Seeding doesn't matter - neither does home or away. This Spurs team is being primed to destroy the league this post-season.

Also, it wasn't just the post-threepeat Lakers that had a switch; the three-peat Lakers had one as well. That's why the Spurs could hang during the season; just to get crushed during the playoffs. It's where Pop learned the pattern, after all.

[1Parker1]

Actually, even last year's rodeo trip didn't fare too well. Spurs ended it 4-4 (.500) whereas previous years they ended it 7-2 or something. Spurs didn't start playing really well until right around playoff time last year.

[hater]

Actually, even last year's rodeo trip didn't fare too well. Spurs ended it 4-4 (.500) whereas previous years they ended it 7-2 or something. Spurs didn't start playing really well until right around playoff time last year.

good point.

I don't expect this rodeo trip to be anything better than 50%

[Bruno]

Spurs are doing well for the moment, 25-11 after all these injuries is quite good. So far, Spurs look better than last year and we all know what has been the result last year. I don't say Spurs will win this year for sure but I like their chances.

[duncan228]

The RRT isn't about win/loss to me, it's about how they come together as a team. Their at ude always seems more focused after the trip than before it.

[ploto]

So far, Spurs look better than last year and we all know what has been the result last year.

Yeah, but some teams are better than they were last year.

[ploto]

Also, it wasn't just the post-threepeat Lakers that had a switch; the three-peat Lakers had one as well.

Then they got too old to just flip a switch...

[101A]

Then they got too old to just flip a switch...

Nope, they flipped it, got through the West, and forgot to keep it turned on in the finals (oh, and Malone was hurt).

THEN they blew it up.

[Bruno]

Yeah, but some teams are better than they were last year.

Yeah, like Boston and ..... [crickets]

[ChumpDumper]

They would have four-peated if Malone hadn't pulled up lame.

Of course if we still had Rasho, we'd be young enough.

[FromWayDowntown]

The big difference between this year and last year is that the Spurs aren't going to spend the 2nd half of the season digging themselves out of a big hole in an effort to gain places in the standings. They lead the division at this point, despite the struggles of the last 20 games or so, and they have the fewest losses in the conference, which strikes me as remarkable.

I think of it this way -- the Spurs have historically won about 73-74% of their post-All-Star break games in the Duncan era (it's closer to 75% if you take out the 2005 season, in which Duncan missed a lot of games after the break). They play 51 games before the break this year. At their current winning percentage of .694, the Spurs should have 35-36 wins at the break (that assumes that the percentage stays where it is right now), leaving them at 35-16 or 36-15 at the break. If they win at the .734 historical post-break clip, they'll go something like 23-8. If those numbers hold, this team will win at least 58 or 59 games and should easily have a top 3 seed.

I'd like that team's chances in the playoffs.

[101A]

They would have four-peated if Malone hadn't pulled up lame.

C'mon Chump.

[lefty]

It really bothers me how this guy finds it funny to tease his readers about their questions. Have you noticed how he hardly ever really answers one?

I agree.

He's really annoying

[Cherry]

About Manu and Tony not fairing better on the All-Star votes--what's up with that? I thought Tony was the rage in all of France and that Manu was the second coming of Maradona in Argentina. Don't they have the Internet in these countries?
-- A.G., San Antonio

Yes, they do have the Internet in those countries. But they only use it to play online poker.

WTF?

[FromWayDowntown]

They would have four-peated if Malone hadn't pulled up lame.

Of course if we still had Rasho, we'd be young enough.

Not sure Malone's injury had much to do with the Lakers' elimination in 2003.

Might just be me, though.

[lefty]

Not sure Malone's injury had much to do with the Lakers' elimination in 2003.

Might just be me, though.

Malone wasn't a Laker in 2003

[FromWayDowntown]

Malone wasn't a Laker in 2003

Mostly the Lakers' could have four-peated only by winning a le in 2003.

[ChumpDumper]

I'm stupid.

They would have won against the Pistons though.

My statement about Rasho stands.

[SAGambler]

Actually, even last year's rodeo trip didn't fare too well. Spurs ended it 4-4 (.500) whereas previous years they ended it 7-2 or something. Spurs didn't start playing really well until right around playoff time last year.

IIRC last year immediately following the ASG was when the Spurs took it up a notch and went on a winning streak through the Finals.