View Full Version : San Antonio Spurs
dav4463
02-04-2011, 03:09 AM
The Spurs ran their league best record to 41-8 with a road win tonight over the Lakers.
This team is counted out year after year as being too old, too boring, whatever.....yet they continue to play team ball, win without beating their chest, flinging chalk dust up in the air, holding press conferences, etc.
The leader Tim Duncan is the most humble superstar in sports. The only press they get is when Eva divorced Tony Parker! That's OK, he plays better single!
If this was the Lakers, Celtics, or Heat sitting at 41-8....all we would hear about is how great they are....they would have 5 or 6 players on the All Star team (Spurs only have two on the team...Ginobili and Duncan).
Anyway, I've watched this team win four titles in the last decade or so. They have the best record of ANY team in ANY sport over the last 12 years.....seconds away from winning six titles instead of four.....and I've enjoyed every second of being a Spurs fan.
It's hard to explain, but I can be anywhere....see somebody with a Spurs jersey on...walk up and make a friend regardless of age, ethnicity, politics, wealth, whatever....... Spurs fans are very loyal. I don't know if any other team's group of fans have this kind of camaradarie with each other....maybe Packers fans?
redshift1
02-04-2011, 04:02 AM
They might be peaking a bit early remember Cleveland the last two years. Also the playoffs will be much slower paced. If they continue to play lights out they will hold home court advantage throughout their playoff run.
I like that the Thunder are emulating the Spurs organization. They do things the right way.
lamboguy
02-04-2011, 10:39 AM
which city has the "thunder"?
i haven't folowed the NBA since larry bird retired
PhantomOnTour
02-04-2011, 12:03 PM
I think the West is more wide open than most people. Yeah, the Lakers may pull it together for the playoffs, but them and the Spurs are getting old. Both can be had in my opinion.
lamboguy
02-04-2011, 01:18 PM
OKC, moved from Seattle.
no more supersonic! when i bet baskets that was my favorite team. thanks
dav4463
02-04-2011, 03:58 PM
I wouldn't call it peaking too early. It's not like they are knocking themselves out to get to 41-8. Parker, Ginobili, and Duncan get plenty of rest. I believe the team has surprised themselves by being this good. They started the year with a bench that was not supposed to play this well. Everyone has done what they are supposed to do and if they avoid injury.......another title is possible.
I agree on the Thunder. They have used the Spurs model to build their team. They do it the right way. They don't have to go out and steal other team's best players to be good. Plus in KD....they have the next "Iceman"....I can't get over how much his game resembles that of George Gervin! Watch some Youtube of both of them....it's uncanny how their game is so similar!
They are very similar, but Durant is bigger with a little more range, not quite as good around the hoop.
ElKabong
02-04-2011, 09:18 PM
Spurs fan here...they were originally the Dallas Chaparrels, played at the old Civic Auditorium downtown. Lot of former SWC stars on those teams.....Saw Dr J here as a VA Squire, pregame warmups was unbelievable w/ that guy.
Never could get into the mavs....very fake franchise from the start....weird drafts that were designed to sell season tix to the clientele in the stands, not win games (garnet, blaab, wennington, etc)
I thought the Spurs would descend 4 yrs ago. Don't know how they stay so good, but the west isn't very good....Durant= my #2 all time favorite player behind Tim Duncan. Both very professsional, talented, good people and best teammate one could have
The West isn't very good? Are you kidding me? The Mavs/Spurs/Lakers are at the least as good as the Celtics/Heat/Magic(frauds) and probably better, and the rest is a no contest. Without the injury to Dirk the Mavs would be right there with the Spurs record wise.
ElKabong
02-05-2011, 02:42 PM
RE: The west...The mavs are a shell of what they were just 4 years ago....Losing Butler sure didn't help. The Spurs are definitely a shell of themselves from 4 yrs ago too...The competition sucks.
The Lakers seem to rise to the occasion(s) but they aren't beating up teams that are what I'd call "good to great" teams...Like I said, SA seems a notch or 2 below what they were
I don't watch much nba anymore, so I'll defer....but when i see SA with the record they have, knowing they aren't playing to the level of 2003-4-5-6-7, then I'm pretty certain the west isn't what it was
RE: The west...The mavs are a shell of what they were just 4 years ago....Losing Butler sure didn't help. The Spurs are definitely a shell of themselves from 4 yrs ago too...The competition sucks.
The Lakers seem to rise to the occasion(s) but they aren't beating up teams that are what I'd call "good to great" teams...Like I said, SA seems a notch or 2 below what they were
I don't watch much nba anymore, so I'll defer....but when i see SA with the record they have, knowing they aren't playing to the level of 2003-4-5-6-7, then I'm pretty certain the west isn't what it was
I wasn't comparing to the past, just this year. The West is WAY better than the East. Dallas is really good by the way, not sure I agree the team was better 4 years ago, and certainly a lot closer than a shell of that team in any case. They actually play defense now.
sandpit
02-05-2011, 10:02 PM
I was on the Spurs in our Optimist Club league as a kid, and remember seeing George Gervin play for the Spurs in the old ABA, and was amazed how smooth the guy was considering he was all arms and legs.
dav4463
02-07-2011, 12:54 AM
Spurs fan here...they were originally the Dallas Chaparrels, played at the old Civic Auditorium downtown. Lot of former SWC stars on those teams.....Saw Dr J here as a VA Squire, pregame warmups was unbelievable w/ that guy.
Never could get into the mavs....very fake franchise from the start....weird drafts that were designed to sell season tix to the clientele in the stands, not win games (garnet, blaab, wennington, etc)
I thought the Spurs would descend 4 yrs ago. Don't know how they stay so good, but the west isn't very good....Durant= my #2 all time favorite player behind Tim Duncan. Both very professsional, talented, good people and best teammate one could have
I became a Spurs fan the year they moved from Dallas. I started picking them up on the radio. Then I talked my parents into taking us to a game. I was hooked!
I don't think the Spurs are that far below what they used to be though. Popovich has done a great job of completely changing this team's style of play. No longer do they go through Tim Duncan every trip downcourt. They have developed a lot of young talent around the big 3...and have started playing a more up-tempo style because the league (and Mark Cuban) got the rules changed so teams could not play tough (Spurs, Pistons) type defense anymore.
ElKabong
02-07-2011, 01:02 AM
I became a Spurs fan the year they moved from Dallas. I started picking them up on the radio. Then I talked my parents into taking us to a game. I was hooked!
Ah, the GREAT Terry Stembridge. The best hoops radio play by play guy of his time. I think WOAI carried the Spurs after the move, you could & can pick that up here at nitetime.
re: mavs...For some odd reason, the Weiss / Motta/ whatever the draft guru's name was trio didn't set well with me. That whole group just seemed plastic as hell. The Spurs were more fun (and eventually more successful).
The Tarpley saga was fun to watch on Greenville Ave. In '89 I saw him sit in his Mercedes near the Centennial on Greenville & the soccer fields by the golf course....He saw a cop sitting in his squad car in front of the Centennial, lifted his middle finger at the cop and smirked....NBA trash is all he was. The way the mavs protected him was a crime.....But it goes on in every city.
dav4463
02-08-2011, 03:29 AM
Some of my greatest memories are when we would pile in my Dad's old 64 Chevy to go to a high school football game. On the way home, we got to listen to WOAI.....the 50000 watt voice of the Great Southwest...SAN ANTONIO SPURS basketball is ....ON THE AIR !
Usually we caught the end of games....if they were on the West Coast; we heard the start and finished it at home.
Gervin, Kenon, Silas, Dampier, Dietrich, Bristow, Paultz, Gale, Olberding, etc....all of them became larger than life to me!
Valuist
02-08-2011, 01:42 PM
I wasn't comparing to the past, just this year. The West is WAY better than the East. Dallas is really good by the way, not sure I agree the team was better 4 years ago, and certainly a lot closer than a shell of that team in any case. They actually play defense now.
Sagarin doesn't see it that way. Not that the East is better but certainly seems to be as good as the West.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/nba1011.htm
dav4463
02-09-2011, 04:53 PM
Sagarin doesn't see it that way. Not that the East is better but certainly seems to be as good as the West.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/nba1011.htm
East: The NBA's first superstar team, the Miami Heat....the Celtics....the Bulls maybe....Magic maybe
West: Spurs, Lakers, Mavericks,
It's fairly even.
If the Lakers somehow get C.Anthony from Denver, it will be just another case of the "have's" stealing from the "have-nots".....just like Garnett and Allen to Boston, Gasol to LA......funny how Lakers and Celtics are the only teams that can afford to steal other team's superstars!
Maybe it's all part of Stern's master plan to form a league of superstar teams....Lakers, Celtics, Heat, ....maybe build up the Knicks and Bulls to make it interesting..............no other teams matter to him anyway!
Sagarin doesn't see it that way. Not that the East is better but certainly seems to be as good as the West.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/nba1011.htm
The top 16 make the playoffs. He has 10 from the west, 6 from the east. 4 of the bottom 5 and 7 of 10 are from the east. How is that as good?
Maybe it's all part of Stern's master plan to form a league of superstar teams....Lakers, Celtics, Heat, ....maybe build up the Knicks and Bulls to make it interesting..............no other teams matter to him anyway!
It really isn't any different than baseball. Hopefully, they do the "franchise" tag like the NFL soon. MLB and the NBA could learn a lot from the NFL.
Relwob Owner
02-09-2011, 08:21 PM
East: The NBA's first superstar team, the Miami Heat....the Celtics....the Bulls maybe....Magic maybe
West: Spurs, Lakers, Mavericks,
It's fairly even.
If the Lakers somehow get C.Anthony from Denver, it will be just another case of the "have's" stealing from the "have-nots".....just like Garnett and Allen to Boston, Gasol to LA......funny how Lakers and Celtics are the only teams that can afford to steal other team's superstars!
I think it was less of a case of affording anything and more of a case of knowing the right people.....If I am not mistaken, Jerry West(ex Laker guy) was involved in sending Gasol from Memphis and McHale(ex Celtic) was involved in getting Garnett to Boston.....
Valuist
02-09-2011, 09:10 PM
The top 16 make the playoffs. He has 10 from the west, 6 from the east. 4 of the bottom 5 and 7 of 10 are from the east. How is that as good?
2 of the top 3 are from the East
3 of the top 5 are from the East
4 of the top 7 are from the East
Nobody gives a damn about the 12th or 15th best teams.
2 of the top 3 are from the East
3 of the top 5 are from the East
4 of the top 7 are from the East
Nobody gives a damn about the 12th or 15th best teams.
Well, since you play a lot of your season playing against teams in your conference, not the other, it is obviously a big factor in the ratings. Anybody should be able to figure that out. If you want to believe those phony ratings, have at it. I watch nearly all the games.
Here are those top 4 in the East are doing against the East/West by winning percentage:
Celtics: 79/65
Miami: 78/65
Chicago: 69/67
Orlando: 68/55
Huge discrepancy. I wonder why that is. The East drops off by 11% out of conference.
Top 4 West vs East/West:
Spurs 83/85
Mavs 68/73
Lakers 75/66
Thunder 74/59
So, the West drops off about 5% in conference. The East drops off
Valuist
02-09-2011, 11:17 PM
Well, since you play a lot of your season playing against teams in your conference, not the other, it is obviously a big factor in the ratings. Anybody should be able to figure that out. If you want to believe those phony ratings, have at it. I watch nearly all the games.
Here are those top 4 in the East are doing against the East/West by winning percentage:
Celtics: 79/65
Miami: 78/65
Chicago: 69/67
Orlando: 68/55
Huge discrepancy. I wonder why that is. The East drops off by 11% out of conference.
Top 4 West vs East/West:
Spurs 83/85
Mavs 68/73
Lakers 75/66
Thunder 74/59
So, the West drops off about 5% in conference. The East drops off
We'll see who comes away with the title. The Lakers scare nobody this year....and we'll see if San Antonio can play at this level in the post season.
We'll see who comes away with the title. The Lakers scare nobody this year....and we'll see if San Antonio can play at this level in the post season.
That isn't nearly the same discussion.
Valuist
02-10-2011, 02:34 PM
The original discussion was about the relative strength of each conference. I would say they are pretty close; the one advantage the West has is that its bad teams aren't quite as bad as the East's. But at the top they have no edge.
Sounds like Jerry Sloan is out at Utah....
The original discussion was about the relative strength of each conference. I would say they are pretty close; the one advantage the West has is that its bad teams aren't quite as bad as the East's. But at the top they have no edge.
Sounds like Jerry Sloan is out at Utah....
I think Utah is done for awhile. The signs began to show last year when the gave OKC Eric Maynor, the no 22 pick in the draft, for nothing. It was all about saving money. Nobody does that with a division rival.
Then, they let Boozer, Korver, and Wesley Matthews walk, Matthews to another division rival in Portland. They did bring in Jefferson, but they had to do something to keep the fans happy. There record was pretty good early, but there was a lot of smoke and mirrors involved in the start.
I'll be in SA and at the game on Wednesday night. Not expecting a Thunder win, but I'll be in blue.
dav4463
02-24-2011, 12:44 AM
I'll be in SA and at the game on Wednesday night. Not expecting a Thunder win, but I'll be in blue.
good game...I was worried there late in the game! The Red Rocket came through with a huge 3 pter and Parker's shot after Manu's crazy drive put it away! Thunder are definitely fun to watch though! We Spurs fans see a young George Gervin in Durant!
good game...I was worried there late in the game! The Red Rocket came through with a huge 3 pter and Parker's shot after Manu's crazy drive put it away! Thunder are definitely fun to watch though! We Spurs fans see a young George Gervin in Durant!
Big trades for the Thunder yesterday. They are still young, but the future isn't the future for long, they will be for real.
Marlin
02-25-2011, 02:02 PM
Speaking of Spurs, I caught the Outside The Lines on ESPN about Gary Neal. I rarely watch basketball, but I tuned in for this game to watch him. I really was captivated by his story and loved his attitude in the piece. He goes 5-6 from 3 and 8-8 at the line. Seems like a good guy. I'm rooting for him.
dav4463
02-28-2011, 01:41 AM
Speaking of Spurs, I caught the Outside The Lines on ESPN about Gary Neal. I rarely watch basketball, but I tuned in for this game to watch him. I really was captivated by his story and loved his attitude in the piece. He goes 5-6 from 3 and 8-8 at the line. Seems like a good guy. I'm rooting for him.
He seems like a guy who really appreciates what he has now. I hope his 3 pt stroke continues! Gonna need him at playoff time!
dav4463
03-05-2011, 12:53 AM
I wasn't expecting a 30 point dominating win over the Heat, but I'll take it! Great team performance by the Spurs. Everybody played well. Heat could not guard Parker! A good penetrating point guard makes the Heat defense look silly!
dav4463
03-06-2011, 11:21 PM
Couldn't wake up against LA today. This one was over before it started! Gasol even hit a 3 pter!. It's like a bad beat in horseracing! Turn the page...quick!
Spurs do not play well in the daytime! It's been like that for a while....late-risers I think!
PhantomOnTour
04-30-2011, 02:26 AM
I think the West is more wide open than most people. Yeah, the Lakers may pull it together for the playoffs, but them and the Spurs are getting old. Both can be had in my opinion.
One down, one to go.
Memphis and OKC Thunder are both good enough to take out the Lakers.
ElKabong
04-30-2011, 01:29 PM
not like i follow them closely anymore, but the Spurs are just old. Too old. I'm amazed they lasted this long as a legitimate regular season 50 + win team.
As for the Mavs, they still don't seem legit to me as a playoff threat for a title. Depend way too much on the jump shot.
Canarsie
04-30-2011, 02:16 PM
One down, one to go.
Memphis and OKC Thunder are both good enough to take out the Lakers.
I think Memphis is where OKC is last year this is a learning process. While I never thought they were going to lose (I know it's redboarding) there was a period of the game where they let the shot clock expire in 2 or 2 of 3 trips can't remember.
Memphis played great and the game really would have been a blowout if S.A. didn't get so many offensive rebounds from long shots. It wasn't like they weren't boxing out the bounces weren't going their way. Also a three off the backboard and Ginobli's shot would only happen 2-3 times out of a hundred tops.
Just my opinion but I think OKC dispatches them in 5. This is a team on the rise though. Boy are they physical.
not like i follow them closely anymore, but the Spurs are just old. Too old. I'm amazed they lasted this long as a legitimate regular season 50 + win team.
As for the Mavs, they still don't seem legit to me as a playoff threat for a title. Depend way too much on the jump shot.
I think they played too much during the season, too many minutes. It showed the last month of the season, and it was too late to fix by then.
dav4463
05-01-2011, 01:49 AM
Spurs did peak too early. In all the championship seasons, the team started fairly slow and found themselves during the Rodeo road trip.
This year they just ran out of gas! The team shot 40 percent threes during the season and about 28 percent during the playoffs. Memphis was also a team that they had trouble with during the season. Just a tough matchup.
Live by the 3, die by the 3. Spurs were too much like the 04-07 Suns and Mavs!
Still, a good run and I have no doubt the team will still be good for quite a while. It is a winning organization.
In the Tim Duncan era, the Spurs had the best win percent of any team in any major sport. Better than the Yankees, Patriots, Packers, Red Wings...anybody.
I had hope, but didn't expect it. Heck, the Spurs weren't even picked by that many to even make the playoffs this year!
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