Miss Us? We Missed You.

I’m sure that there are many devoted, loyal types that have wondered what has happened to our dear Silver and Black. Well, from the deepest, most sincere part of my heart, I only have one unwaveringly genuine answer: aliens. I was abducted. And probed. And no, I don’t feel like talking about it.

But, in terms of Spurs-land, there is much to be talked about. And, yes, we’ll get there. For now, enjoy this clip of Roger Mason Jr. kicking some Clipper ass. (Of course you remember how much we loved that signing here, eh?)

2008-2009 National Television Schedule

Wednesday, Oct. 29 - Phoenix at Spurs, 7 p.m. (ESPN)

Friday, Oct. 31 - Spurs at Portland, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Friday, Nov. 7 - Miami at Spurs, 7 p.m. (ESPN)

Thursday, Dec. 4 - Spurs at Denver, 9:30 p.m. (TNT)

Wednesday, Dec. 17 - Spurs at New Orleans, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Thursday, Dec. 18 - Spurs at Orlando, 7 p.m. (TNT)

Thursday, Dec. 25 - Spurs at Phoenix, 1:30 p.m. (ABC)

Wednesday, Jan. 14 - L.A. Lakers at Spurs, 8 p.m. (ESPN)

Sunday, Jan. 25 - Spurs at L.A. Lakers, 2:30 p.m. (ABC)

Thursday, Jan. 29 - Spurs at Phoenix, 9:30 p.m. (TNT)

Sunday, Feb. 8 - Spurs at Boston, noon (ABC)

Thursday, Feb. 19 - Spurs at Detroit, 7 p.m. (TNT)

Friday, Feb. 27 - Cleveland at Spurs, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Sunday, March 1 - Spurs at Portland, 7 p.m. (ESPN)

Wednesday, March 4 - Spurs at Dallas, 8 p.m. (ESPN)

Sunday, March 8 - Phoenix at Spurs, 2:30 p.m. (ABC)

Thursday, March 12 - L.A. Lakers at Spurs, 7 p.m. (TNT)

Sunday, March 29 - Spurs at New Orleans, 8 p.m. (ESPN)

Sunday, April 5 - Spurs at Cleveland, noon (ABC)

Rumor Mill: Spurs Eyeing Jannero Pargo, Finley Turns Down Euro Offer

Silver and Black, why have I forsaken you!? It's been too long since our last post, partly due to a busy schedule at the "real" job. Here's the latest rumors in Spurs land:

Spurs Talking to Jannero Pargo

The take: Last time we say Pargo, he was burying threes in a late charge to steal game 7 of the Western semis. This is still in "rumor" mode, but Pargo's agent, Mark Bartelstein, acknowledged mutual interest by saying that "The Spurs speak for themselves. It's a great place to play. They are limited in what they can do financially, but we are definitely talking to them." We'll keep an eye on this, since signing another backup point would have definite roster implications.

Finley Turns Down European Offer

The take: Old news, and not that surprising. Over a month ago, the 35 year-old Finley opted not to take a lucrative offer in Europe, and is still a free agent.

Spurs Re-Sign Kurt Thomas

The take: An absolute necessity after Tiago bolted, the resigning of Kurt Thomas stabilizes the frontline that will be introducing a young Ian Mahinmi to the rotation.

Spurs Sign Anthony Tolliver

The take: A relative no name out of Creighton, the 6-8 Tolliver earned a contract through summer league play. 53.5% from 3-pt land during the Rocky Mountain Review can do that for you. Keep in mind that it's a nonguaranteed contract, so Tolliver hasn't earned himself a roster spot, but he could be this year's version of Darius Washington.

Brent Barry Signs with Rockets

As soon as the Spurs signed Roger Mason Jr., the writing was on the wall for Brent Barry to sign with another team. The Houston Chronicle is reporting that Barry has just signed with the Rockets, leaving the Spurs after four seasons and two championships.

On some level, it's saddening. He was one of the most personable and funny guys in the league, and he was one of the few players that was genuinely, visibly emotional when he played (on a team of robots, it's refreshing). So, here's to bones, one of my all-time favorite Spurs personalities, and a guy that earned each ring he got.

I'll miss you. *Sniffle* This shot will always give me chills...

Spurs Ink Roger Mason Jr.

This offseason, I wanted the Spurs to target the sweet-shooting combo guard, who averaged 9.1 points a game with Washington last season. Lo and behold, they actually listened to me for once (unlike the draft).

After Corey Maggette signed with the Warriors, the Spurs signed the Virginia product to a 2-year, $7.3 million deal. The Spurs spent half of their MLE, and what they do with the rest of their money will probably be dictated by whether or not they sign the in-demand Brent Barry, who is coveted by Phoenix and Houston, amongst other things.

Roger Mason Jr. can stroke it, is a class act, and plays defense, so he fits in well on the team. He's capable of playing point guard in spurts, but he's best served as a shooter who can, on occasion, get red hot.

Links:

Signing Mason Brings Spurs Tax Relief

More Details on Mason

Spurs Targeting Maggette; Barry Opts Out

Yahoo: Spurs Front-Runners for Corey Maggette.

Spurs fans have wanted Corey Maggette for some time now: he's relatively young (28), can jump out of a gym, and is strong enough to steal minutes at the 4 spot. He's also sort of one dimensional (a scorer), and has never dedicated himself to defense. That being said, you take you 22 points per a game players as they come. If he'll take the MLE with the Spurs and plays second-fiddle to the holy trio of Tim, Tony, and Manu, he'll be proving a lot of people wrong about his desire to win.

ESPN: Barry Opts Out, Becomes Free Agent

Final Thoughts on the Draft

1.) The Spurs had an interest in Nicolas Batum, and probably would have drafted him at #26, if Portland hadn't traded in and swept him up at #25. Batum, judging by this French interview, also wanted to be a Spur: "Mon objectif, c'est vraiment d'aller à San Antonio" (loosely, "My objective was to go to San Antonio").

2.) The Spurs wanted to trade up or out. Whether they were looking at Batum or Robin Lopez, the Spurs did explore trading up into the 20-24 range.

3.) They liked George Hill...but he may not have been the first choice. It's realistic to think that they could have traded down to get Hill around pick 33-36, but maybe they couldn't get a trade together after Batum was selected right before they were slated to choose.

4.) The Spurs, ultimately, filled a need. Whether Mario Chalmers is better or not will be highly debated, but, when it's all said and done, the Spurs got a mature backup point guard who can help them this year. He's mentally tough, unlike that guy Sacramento just signed, and has the length and dedication to play some D.

5.) The Spurs drafted domestic. That may be the biggest surprise of all.

Robert Horry Wants to Return with Rockets or Spurs

Robert Horry told KRIV in Houston that he wants one more crack at it, with either Houston or San Antonio. This leads to a pair of questions:

Why Houston or San Antonio?

Well, to put it simply, he likes where he's at in San Antonio and he also has a huge comfort zone in Houston (where he started his career). However, by announcing a "backup plan" with the Rockets, Horry has made it very evident that even he isn't sure the Spurs want him back.

Do the Spurs want him back?

Nothing has been said publicly, but did you see Robert Horry last year? He made molasses look like Sonic the Hedgehog. That being said, losing out on Tiago Splitter really did hurt the Spurs, and they have a big man spot to fill. They'll consider him, but, personally, I wouldn't mind if they looked in another direction.

Spurs Draft George Hill, Goran Dragic, and James Gist

George Hill, PG/SG, IUPUI. First round, pick #26.
Draft profile.



Goran Dragic, PG, Slovenia. Second round, pick #45.
Draft profile.

UPDATE: Dragic has been traded to the Phoenix Suns for Malik Hairston and the Suns' 2009 second round pick.

Malik Hairston, SG/SG, Oregon.
Draft profile.


James Gist, PF, Maryland. Second round, pick #57.
Draft profile.

Spurs Trading Out?

Again, from Chad Ford:

Updated: June 26 -- 4:01 p.m. ET


The Spurs sent an e-mail to every team in the league at 3:30 p.m. saying that they were willing to move the 26th pick. The e-mail asked league executives to "E-mail us your interest and your offers to 26."

That's the first time I've heard of something like this in all of my years covering the draft. Make your Spurs pitch below in our comments section.

Spurs Have Batum "Wrapped Up"?

From ESPN's Mock Draft:

"The skinny: Batum went into a workout with the Spurs on Wednesday and then disappeared off the grid. His medical reports never came out. His agent didn't return calls. I think the Spurs may have wrapped him up."

So, effectively, there are two ways to spin this:

After working out with the Spurs Tuesday (and Wednesday, apparently), it is possible that Batum and his agent felt comfortable enough that they would be selected by then that they didn't want to release Batum's medical information to anyone else. Maybe not by the Spurs, but quite possibly by Cleveland or another team prior to the 26th pick.

OR

It's possible the Spurs asked them not to give out the information and gave him a verbal commitment, so that teams that are scared of his heart condition wouldn't want to draft him without the reports.

Either way, somewhat exciting news. Batum will never be an all-star, but he could be a great defender and finisher, and Spurs fans (myself included) have been pining for a lengthy, athletic replacement for Bruce Bowen. His drive comes into question (does he play aggressively all the time?), but his athleticism sure doesn't:



If he ends up as the pick, check back here for a full assessment of Batum, and make sure to check out a brief description in our draft preview below.

Spurs Committed to Ryan Anderson?

Draft guru Chad Ford of ESPN has this to say about the 20-year old from Cal:

The skinny: [Updated 6/25] Lots of buzz that the Spurs have committed to Cal's sweet- shooting forward Anderson with the No. 26 pick. He should be able to stretch the defense the way Robert Horry used to.

Draft Express also has Anderson going at #26 to the Spurs. It could be smoke and mirrors, but he would fit a shooting need for the Spurs with Horry likely out of the picture and Bonner not given much of an opportunity.

The Silver and Black's 2008 Draft Preview

We’re all over the draft here at The Silver and Black. The major questions for the Spurs is if they draft a player that they can stash overseas (avoiding luxury tax and giving them the opportunity to sign veterans to fill their holes) or get a rookie that can contribute immediately. Before we get underway with the gossip and the likely draft scenarios, let’s recap what the Spurs need:

- Depth at point guard.
Although everyone values Jacque Vaughn’s professionalism, his offensive liabilities really shone through in the 2008 playoffs (forcing Pop to play Brent Barry and Manu Ginobili as the backup point). The guy plays with heart and means business, but, god help him, he just isn’t that offensively gifted. The Spurs could use a steady,
experienced backup point behind Tony Parker (and no, Mighty Mouse isn’t it).

- Young legs at the wings.
This was an issue for, say, the last 4 years, and the Spurs addressed it last year by signing then 29-year-old Ime Udoka. Nonetheless, Brent Barry, Bruce Bowen, and (shudder) Manu Ginobili aren’t getting any younger, and the Spurs need to look for some youth.

- A 4th scorer.
The Spurs relied more heavily on their “big 3” this year than they ever had. The surrounding roster aged, and players like Michael Finley, Robert Horry, and Brent Barry didn’t offer the offensive production they had in the past, due to injuries and age. A scoring-minded bench player, be it a combo guard or Luis Scola-like big man (#$@!), would be welcome.

- Big man depth/rebounding help
Let’s face it: the loss of Tiago Splitter to the almighty dollar (or peseta, or whatever) was crushing. He was penciled in to be a rotation player this year, a banger with experience, youth, and championship experience. Now, the Spurs have to honestly contemplate bringing back dinosaur Horry.

Pipe dreams

This section is dedicated to players who are likely to get drafted before the Spurs pick at number 26. That being said, a player or two always slides, and there is always the chance the Spurs could trade up to nab someone they really like (not something they do often, but possible).

Brandon Rush (G/F): Long, defensively skilled, great shooter, versatile, championship pedigree. Everything the Spurs need, but probably everything a few other teams need, too. A top 15 pick.

Nicolas Batum (G/F): A lottery pick if he came out last year, Batum is suddenly sliding in mock drafts. With the unexpected announcement of a heart condition, some teams may be scared off by Batum. Still, Tony Parker’s countryman offers great athleticism and a tremendous upside, and could be one of the steals of the draft once he develops.

Robin Lopez (C): The less offensively skilled twin from Stanford is more of a dirty work player who can throw some bodies around and grab some rebounds. Can be run out of a game, but he would be a more ready contributor than Ian Mahinmi.

Realistic Prospects

These are the guys that both fit a positional need and are slated to go in the late portion of the first round.

Chris Douglas-Roberts (G/F): The best player on one of the best teams in the NCAA this past year, Douglas-Roberts has a freakish wingspan and can score as well as anyone in the draft. CDR possesses an awkward shot, but his midrange game is one of the best in the draft and he is capable of creating his own buckets or finishing on the break.

How he fits on the Spurs: He’ll have to learn defense first, but if he can earn minutes and prove something with the Austin Toros, he could be a rotation player in his second or third year.

Mario Chalmers (PG): Pen him in as a better version of Jacque Vaughn: a mature, professional point guard from Kansas that could immediately slide into the backup point guard. He’s poised and won’t have the learning curve of most NBA point guards.

How he fits on the Spurs: Chalmers will be in a semi-internship under Vaughn, but can be immediately penciled in as the backup point as soon as he figures it out.

Courtney Lee (SG): A 20-point scorer in college, Lee is an absolutely devastating shooter and has drawn comparisons to the Raptor’s Anthony Parker. Well-spoken and humble, Lee could play for the Spurs immediately. An average athlete, but Lee has quick feet and can stay in front of his man.

How he fits on the Spurs: A long-term replacement for aging shooters like Brent Barry, Lee, like CDR, will have to prove him self defensively before he gets significant playing time. He’d probably get some run in with the Austin Toros.

Serge Ibaka (PF): A relative unknown until the 6-10 Ibaka from Congo developed a buzz after a Reebok camp in Italy. The slender 18-year-old isn’t anywhere near NBA ready, but if the Spurs are looking to avoid the luxury tax they may want to draft a player that they can stash overseas. Ibaka has great hands, incredible length, and terrific athleticism. His lanky frame may scare off a team like the Spurs, who like their bigs to be physical. Consider this a long shot.

How he fits on the Spurs: For now, he doesn’t. Ibaka needs a few years of polish before the Spurs can bring him over, although they could bring him for a year with the Toros (as they did with Mahinmi this season).

Enigmatic foreigner: Let’s face it: the Spurs love to do this to us. Be it Ian Mahinmi, Tony Parker, or Manu Ginobili, the San Antonio brass loves to pick out the diamonds in the rough. After two straight offseasons of losing a first round pick to contract squabbles (Luis Scola and Tiago Splitter), it would be a brave move for the Spurs to pick a player that may or may not be committed to being an NBA player. Omer Asik? Alexis Ajinca? The harder to pronounce, the more likely the Spurs are looking at him.

NBA Draft 2008: June 26th

Ginobili's Anke Worse Than Previously Though

On one end of things, it does kind of put in perspective how banged up Manu was during the Lakers series. We all saw that he had absolutely no explosion and was relegated to a streaky jumpshooter. The fact that he was playing was testament enough to how competitive the guy is.

Ginobili's ankle is now in a plastic boot and his Olympic appearance is in jeopardy. "If his ankle is feeling well in three weeks, he will go to the Olympics," his agent, Carlos Prunes, said.

Popovich, for one, wants Manu to consider missing the Olympics and give his ankle time to heal.

Season Comes to a Close; Offseason Updates

Yes, the Spurs' elimination has settled in, and turns out it's not the end of the world. In fact, the Spurs are set up to make another run next year, and I'll try to stay on top of all the rumors/transactions/scoutings/DerMarr Johnson arrests this offseason.

We'll have a more in-depth feature on the Spurs' future as well as a recap of the 2008 season soon, but for now, these links make for some good reading:

Horry contemplating retirement.

Ginobili expects to be OK for the Olympics.

Michael Finley wants to come back for another season.

Well, Great. Thanks. That's....spiffy.

ESPN Link:

"With the benefit of instant replay, it appears a foul call should have been made," league spokesman Tim Frank said Wednesday.

Somehow, "sorry" just doesn't cut it. And don't play the "Fisher's shot hit the rim" excuse either, because one bad call doesn't justify another (besides, we could argue that Kobe obviously traveled on that same possession. All the credit in the world goes to the Spurs organization and players, who, knowing full-well it was a foul, handled it with class and told the media otherwise.

And no, unlike NBC's Tom Curran, I don't think the NBA is rigged. Do I? No. Right?

Tiago Splitter Won't Join the Spurs

Tiago Splitter, the athletic power forward from Brazil, was predicted to join the Spurs this offseason. Now, everyone isn't so sure. Based on an interview from this Spanish site, Splitter is publicly stating that he may resign with TAU Ceramica (his current team in Spain) if they can offer him more money. Which, yea, they probably will. TAU can offer him essentially whatever they want, while the Spurs are limited to offering him a rookie-scale contract. Keep in mind, Splitter will also be going from "main man" on TAU to a bench role player on the Spurs.

According to Truehoop, Spurs' representatives are in Spain trying to convince him otherwise.

UPDATE: Looks like Tiago opted for the big bucks, or so says ESPN Brazil. If San Antonio sees him, it won't be until 2010. Major blow to the Spurs. The deal appears to be in the 2-year/$8-10 million range, which is obviously more than the Spurs could offer under the collective bargaining agreement rules (read: rookie contact).

UPDATE No.2: One upbeat writer suggests that Ian Mahinmi is a better player right now than Splitter, and the Spurs will be fine. He's wrong (Ian will be on the roster, but he still has a lot to learn about the game) but it's a nice glass-half-full approach.

Game 4 Recap: "Like Putting Whipped Cream on Shit"

It would be a cop out to blame this loss on Joey Crawford's blown call at the end. (And yes, it was a foul, be it middle school, rec league, or FIBA, according to ESPN's Henry Abbott.)

But the part that's even more frustrating is that, for the second time, the Spurs beat themselves. After crumbling under the weight of tired legs in game 1, the Spurs give up 20 (!) second chance points in the first half of game 3. The Lakers shot poorly, missed free throws, and had 6 more turnovers and 5 less assists than the Spurs...and the guys in white handed them the game on a black-and-silver platter.

It's difficult to handle the fact that the other team may be better than yours. It's damn near impossible to accept that your team is probably better, but losing anyways. If the Lakers beat the Spurs, fine. But the Spurs are beating themselves, and it's making for a stomach-turning series.

As far as scapegoats go, it begins with 3-pt shooting. At 7-24 from behind the stripe, the Spurs shot themselves in the foot again and again. Useless minutes from Michael Finley, Manu Ginobili, Ime Udoka, some dude pretending to be Robert Horry, and Fabricio Oberto wasted a career game from Bones Barry (23 points, 5 rebounds). He summed up his great game well: "It's like putting whipped cream on shit."

As great as Brent Barry was Tuesday night, do you really want him creating a shot with your season on the line? Don't you want the ball in the hands of Duncan or Parker, who both put together solid games? I love Barry, but he can't create his own shot any more than I can. Yes, he was fouled, but role players don't know to sell that foul and make the referee blow the whistle.

Looking ahead to game 5, the Spurs do have a legitimate shot. Despite their road record, they have confidence in big road games. If they execute and get something out of Ginobili (anything, really), they'll be in the mix again. I'm not ready to give up on the Spurs just yet...the 2008 version is not as talented as past championship teams, but they are resilient, and they'll be in game 5 til the end.

Game 3 Recap: Welcome Back

(Queue Welcome Back Kotter music.)

The Spurs should be up 2-1, and whether they were held back by absurd plane difficulties after game 7 of the semis or just fatigued, they needed to recapture the fire that got them back in the Hornets series.

Enter Ginobili.

Remember this guy? The one that goes on those "nothing will stand in my way" terminator-like benders. His 5 three pointers in the first half (tying the Spurs record) completely swung momentum, and, for at least one game, the Spurs had the best 2-guard on the court.

Reportedly "pissed off" before the game, Manu gave us a reminder that, when angry, he's one of the best in the league. For whatever reason, Manu is wired in a way that links his determination with how much he utterly despises his own performance or the guy guarding him. Did you see him barking at Rony Turiaf late in the game? That's when he's focused, and he's the last guy you want to give a hard foul to.

That being said, game 3 was the obvious win. The Spurs, by virtue of being pissed off, had to be favored. San Antonio had, after all, won 12 straight playoff home games. Therein is the new formula for the Spurs: win every home game, and steal as many as you can on the road. Long term, Ginobili won't always be that fired up, accurate, or dominating. They won't always get the nod from a relatively weak ref crew. Likewise, Lamar Odom, Derek Fisher, and Pau Gasol won't collectively pull a Houdini in a major road playoff game that often.

So, as great as Manu was, the more telling aspects of the game came with the other aspects of the offense. Tim Duncan made his moves quicker, not allowing the double to collapse on him. There was significantly more motion on offense, which takes the pressure off of Parker to create off of the pick'n'roll for half of the possessions. Pop also used a fired up Brent Barry, which is always a cure for bad ball movement. Finally, the Spurs, for the most part, abandoned small ball for game 3, but pushed the ball in transition with Parker and Ginobili at the helm. You could tell it was a point of emphasis: even Finley pushed the ball, trying to keep up the tempo and get easy buckets.

Ginobili was fantastic. But with lingering injuries, can he put together 3 great games out of the next 4? Maybe...but it would be nice if the Spurs could establish a rhythm that allowed him to have an offnight. It would be great if Finley could maintain his shooting stroke (3-6), Barry could provide a spark (4 assists), and Parker could remain an efficient scorer rather than a volume scorer (20 points on only 15 shots). At the end of the day, the Spurs are going to have to collectively up their play, not just rely on Manu's hero mode.

If these offensive elements can hold up, the Spurs have given themselves a legitimate shot. Besides, they did this all before...about 2 weeks ago.

Game 1 Recap: As Goes Manu...

If one thing is apparent, it's that Manu Ginobili isn't going to be healthy until the season is over. His ankle isn't healing, and heavy minutes in a 7 game series didn't help.

Tony Parker will routinely be able to get into the paint against the Lakers (although he became somewhat passive against Fisher in the second half of game 1). Duncan will be able to dominate Gasol, Turiaf, or whatever other defensively-challenged Laker is guarding him. Manu, as always, is the wild card. However, it seems more and more like he has been relegated to a jumpshooter.

Mysa is all over it:
Manu Loses What He Can't Get Back

Although game 1 was one of the most infuriating, depressing, vomit-inducing games of the season, it was still indicative of the Spurs being able to sway the game to their style. They just ran out of gas. In a 7 game series, with the score hovering around the high 80s, the Spurs are in great shape...even if they blew this one.

There are the obvious negatives: young guys like Farmar and Sasha got some confidence going, Kobe is cocky, and the Spurs wasted a great first half. That being said, there are some positives. The Lakers have no answer for Parker and Duncan, and the Spurs proved that they can dominate this team in stretches.

I'm not wasting any more time dwelling on game 1, and nor should the Spurs. Throw it away, forget about it, and come back pissed in game 2. The Spurs were the better team, and should of won. Now it's time to come back like something that belonged to them was stolen from them. Come out angry.

Game 7 Recap: They....Just....Won't....Die

The odds, suffice to say, were not in the Spurs' favor entering Monday night's winner-take-all bout with the New Orleans Hornets. And all you heard about all series was odds:

You've probably heard that the home team wins game seven 86% of the time. Never mind that the Hornets had mopped the floor (at times literally, judging by the random ice spill in the 1st quarter) with the Spurs in the first three games.

The fact that the Spurs have never gotten past the conference semifinals when defending a championship has been run into the ground.

It was also made obvious that the Spurs had never come back from an 0-2 deficit, and that it had only happened 13 times in NBA history (good for about 7% of the time).

But, after all that, everyone gave the Spurs a chance in game 7. Why? Because it's the Spurs. The general patterns of the NBA game almost don't apply to the robotic, zombie-like drive that makes up the collective identity of San Antonio. It's that sensibility that led Charles Barkley to call them "cockroaches" after the game, or helped ESPN's radio tandem of Mike and Mike discuss how they were Jason-like.

The gameplan was seemingly simple: slow down the pace and eliminate fast break points, taking out the Hornets surprisingly nervous homecrowd. It would be easy to say that the Spurs finally knocked down their shots (12-28 from three) and that was the difference, but the game was won by defense.

And that defense was nasty. It was a constant variable, changing every 4 or 5 possessions. With it all on the line, the Spurs because a defensive chameleon, phasing from one form to another. Early on, they guarded Paul 1-on-1, shading on the pick-and-rolls. As soon as New Orleans found a rhythm, the Spurs started switching the picks, leading to some awkward Tony Parker-on-Tyson Chandler matchups.

But it didn't end there. Not even close. Late in the game, when the Hornets pulled within 6, Pop used his last trick, trapping Paul towards the halfcourt line. It was subtle, but it changed the game. The Hornets had to adjust and have other guys make plays in the last 2:00, when their season was on the line. The result? Jannero Pargo taking long jumpers, while David West and CP3 helplessly watched their ball movement disappear.

Offensively, the bench was huge. The combination of Kurt Thomas, Ime Udoka, Michael Finley, and Robert Horry shot 8-14, including 6-11 from three. The 22 points off the bench were huge in a game that showed a streaky Manu (6-19 shooting), a perimeter Tony Parker (only 2 layups, by my count), and a Tim Duncan that missed his last 10 shots.

Parker...mind you the same Parker than got yanked from Pop's 4th quarter Finals lineup in 2003...again came through in the clutch, a site that is becoming more and more common to Spurs fans. You could tell he wanted that elbow jumper from the moment he touched the ball.

Someday, the Hornets will be eliminating an aging Spurs team from the playoffs. Soon enough, they will make a Finals appearance as their young core or Paul, West, and Chandler develop.

But, for now, the championship still goes through San Antonio.

Game 6 Recap: Check...

With their hopes of a championship on the line, the Spurs did what they do best…react and adjust. Game 6 offered all sorts of variable X's and O's; adding to the proverbial chess match that has gone back and forth all series. Of course, the Spurs best maneuver was to focus on some fantastic ball movement, but some other moves were pivotal in spraying the bugs.

For the first time this series, Tim Duncan started on David West. While running the risk of getting Timmy in foul trouble, it was absolutely necessary. Not only was Duncan able to get his offense going (20 points and 6 assists), he completely shut down West in man-to-man coverage. West was 4-14, mostly on contested jumpers, and folded like origami when the pressure went up a notch, emotionally wrecking his team.

(For the record: did anyone else catch the ESPN crew noting how TD was West’s childhood idol? He apparently loves Duncan’s cool demeanor…and West proves it by killing his team with a hissy fit after a few very obvious whistles. Yay, hypocrisy!)

Duncan’s stick-like-glue approach on West allowed Tyson Chandler to get a few easy lobs, but that’s a fine tradeoff for the Spurs. If West and Peja are both taken out of the game by Duncan and Bowen, than Paul’s offensive repertoire is severely limited. The day the Spurs lose to Chandler and Morris Peterson is the day I miss Beno Udrih.

The Hornets adjusted by trying to work Paul in the low post, causing Duncan to shade towards Paul and allowing West some open jumpers. Fortunately, West’s ego was already in shards, so he wasn’t aggressive by that point. Still, it’s something they could go back to, as Paul seemed to bully Tony a bit in the post.

Pop’s other significant adjustment came through the rotations. The red-hot Udoka, not Finley, was the first wing off the bench. Fab started in place of Thomas, and Horry got significant playing time. And, as much as I hate to say it, Horry kicked ass. Aside from setting a (perfectly legal) hard screen on David West and sending him to the floor writhing in pain, Horry played sound defense and rotated the ball well.

It all amounts to a game 7. I expect to see the same rotations, depending on whether or not Udoka stays hot. As long as the outside shooting holds up, the Spurs are looking good.

Now, with everything on the line, check to you, Hornets. Time to see what they're made up of with their own backs to the wall.

Game 5 Recap: Those Hornets Love Them Some Homecourt, Huh?

33 free throw attempts to 18 for the Spurs, including 13 to zip in the 3rd quarter. Yes, something can be said for being the more aggressive team...but damn, Joey. Tim Duncan had less free throw attempts than Pargo, Melvin Ely, Bonzi Wells, and Tyson Chandler. In other words, 4 role players that took a total of 13 shots in the game all shot more free throws than Tim Duncan, who took 18 shots. This after the 2006 Dallas "Dirk stepped on my foot but it's a foul on me" Timmy foul? What did we do, Joey? Run over your dog or something? Did our Mexican food give you the runs?

Nonetheless, there is light at the end of the tunnel. David West had a career game, mostly off of the fact that the Spurs rotated his defender in to cut off Paul's dribble penetration (effectively triple teaming the Chandler-Paul pick-and-roll). While this limited Paul's output in the first half, it gave West jumper after jumper, and he converted. Once the Spurs decided to stop helping off of him, Paul got it going. Game over.

Now, is there a solution to all of this? Yes, but it isn't pretty. The Spurs could rotate the wing player over (i.e. the guy stuck in the corner guarding MoPete and watching West hit those 17-footers) and make West a decision maker. Should he post up the smaller guy (probably Manu or Fin), rotate the ball to the open shooter, or just shoot over the defender? Yes, he can do all three, but at least he'll have to think about it. He's proven to be a great finisher, now make him the focal point of their offense and force him to make all the crucial decisions.

Other glimmers of optimism? Ime Udoka played well, Kurt Thomas couldn't play any worse, and Joey Crawford won't be reffing another game in this series.

The Best Defense Is A Good Offense

The Spurs have figured out that they can't stop Chris Paul. It took them two game to do it, but they learned their lesson. So, the new strategy is such: let Paul score 30+. Don't double, don't waste Bowen on him, and bait him into taking long jumpers. Obviously, the Spurs listened to their fanbase, and started Parker on Paul.

Paul will score and create. It's inevitable; he's a freak. Those giant ears given him some type of superhuman sonar that allows him to know where everyone is on the court. You can't stop that.

What the Spurs can do is stop the peripheral players. "Bear Chest" got Bowened (8 points on 2-7 shooting), Pargo disappeared (1-7 shooting), and Bonzi Wells faded (6 points). David West still got his, but the duo of Paul and West wasn't enough.

But, for all the adjustments (including shorting the rotation, starting Manu, and playing zone), the Spurs found that the best way to stop the Hornets isn't reacting to them, but attacking them. To win, the Spurs are going to have to outscore the Hornets, not keep the Hornets from scoring. Pop has to let the reigns off, and let Parker and Manu take over the game. Let New Orleans get 95-100 points...but the Spurs need to score 100+.

At the end of the day, this series can only be won by the Spurs' backcourt. If the Hornets continue to collapse on Duncan (which they will), Parker needs to continue to attack the lane (which he will). Manu, as always, is the wildcard. If Parker can play Paul to a draw (a tall order, but he's proven he can), Ginobili is the guys NO has absolutely no answer for.

Yes, Tim Duncan will become a secondary option. But the kick out game from Duncan has proven too inconsistent. The backcourt was what got the shooters involved, what got the assists up and the turnovers down. We need Manu to play with reckless abandon. The Spurs need Tony to get knocked to the floor 10 times by driving into transitioning big men. Duncan needs to do less of posting up, and more off the pick-and-roll, freeing up the lane for dribble penetration.

Whether the Parker/Manu duo can carry the Spurs to 4 wins is debatable (let's face it, they won't hit 62 every night out). But, at this point and time, the team's championship hopes are going to be in their hands. And, for once, not as much in Duncan's.

Well......That Sucked.

A lot of things worked against the Spurs in their first two games against the Hornets. Tim Duncan secretly hid a 103 degree fever, leading to his worst playoff game of all time (the Timmy fever, as it turns out, is nothing like the Jordan flu). Manu Ginobili has been relegated to midrange shooter because of a lingering ankle injury. The Spurs' respective shooters have gone cold, while the Hornets' shooters are on fire.

The Spurs can't really control all of these things...it's just a matter of happenstance. Yes, it sucks, but you play through it. Unfortunately, that's not all that's plaguing the Spurs. They are getting owned in almost every facet of the game. New Orleans has ridden toughness, cockiness, and a raucous home crowd to a deserved 2-0 lead.

We're going to be optimistic here, and instead of dwelling on what they're doing wrong, we're going to focus on what they could improve:

- Take Bruce Bowen off of Chris Paul to shut down Peja "bear chest" Stojakovic. I know this is a risk, since Paul will run Tony Parker ragged and render him less effective on offense. That being said, if Bowen is going to go under the screens on pick-and-rolls, let Parker do the same and use his footspeed to recover. If Parker goes under the screens and chases Paul around, Bowen could be better used on taking away Peja and his 23.5 points per a game this series.

- Don't stop attacking. Yes, if the Hornets are going to collapse the lane, you have to take the open shots. That means you, Finley. Even when you're sucking. That being said, the Spurs can't just give up on slashing to the basket, which they've been prone to do.

- Play Ime Udoka more, and Robert Horry less. Small ball is killing the Spurs, but so is Big Shot Bob-asaurus. At least Udoka is showing fight, and doesn't seem to be intimidated. I'll take his 1-6 3 PT shooting before I'll take Horry's stuck-in-mud defense on David West.

- Play with fire. You can't teach it, and I won't question the heart of guys like Timmy, Tony, Fab, or Manu. That being said, where's the passion? Where's the competitive response? I've never seen the Spurs "give up" the way they did in the second half of game two. Collectively, the team hung their heads and allowed Paul to continuously showboat, hype up the crowd, and influence the Spurs' confidence.

Maybe the shift home will change all that, because, ultimately, the Spurs can be beaten by a team that's on fire like the Hornets are, but they shouldn't be beating themselves.

Get Your Game Face On

Manu Slowed By Ankle, Parker Generally Beat Up

Not great news going into tonight's game 1 with the feisty bugs...

TP is being held out of practice because of the beating he took against Phoenix. By the sound of it, he should be ok.

Ginobili, on the other hand, has been obviously hampered since re-injuring his ankle in game 2. He's been playing with it for awhile now, but, to be blunt about it, the Spurs don't have a chance to win the championship unless Manu is 90-100% healthy.

Tony Parker is Pissed

I guess it's been such a gradual process of watching this guy come up that I overlook how much of a beast he really is. In game 3, he had the best game of his career on the road in a hostile environment, completely dominating Phoenix to the tune of 41 points on 17-26 shooting, 12 assists, and only 3 turnovers. Yes, everything is predicated on Duncan, and yes, Ginobili is one of the best isolation and clutch players in the NBA....but it was Parker who ground the Suns into submission.

He's showing a nasty streak that I didn't know he was capable of. Outside of hitting clutch shots, he was barking at everyone in the first half of game 5. He yelled at the refs constantly, argued with Pop about coming out of the game, and got in Raja Bell's face after a hard foul. It took me a second before I realized that this is TONY EFFING PARKER! He's Mr. Nice Guy, friends with everyone from Kobe to Chris Paul. But, somewhere in the midst of this series, Parker got downright nasty. You could see it in his face...he was pissed. He was angry at everyone.

It was (and I have no qualms with saying this) Jordan-esque. Jordan was always angry on the court, no matter what the situation. Even playing against his best friends, Jordan just seemed like you had run over his dog an hour before the game. That's the mean streak Parker had in game 5...just like his idol, Parker was going to rip into everyone within 10 feet of him. He was screaming, talking trash, and arguing every call. It was nasty...and it was what gave him the confidence to hit the shots that clinched the series and sent the Suns packing.

Spurs-Centric National Media Article (!)

Here's a good article by a damn good journalist (J.A. Adande) over at ESPN.com. While I generally hate everything about ESPN's basketball coverage (sans the brilliant, sexy, hobbit-like Marc Stein), it's good to see a writer spend some time on a flattering Spurs piece. It's nice to see at least one person not focusing on how the Suns are blowing this series, but on how San Antonio is dominating it. On to game 4!

Counting out Spurs becomes a yearly tradition (ESPN).

Oh, and just so you don't go loving ESPN:

The Official Congrats Post

Has a 6th man winner ever gotten a MVP vote? Anyways, he looks pretty damn uncomfortable holding that trophy. He's used to Larry O'Brien's, I guess.

Nonetheless, cheers, Manu. You're a monster.

All Huevos, All the Time

If you’ve read this blog from its inception, you’ll know I’m a bit of a stats nerd (read: I put Harry Potter geeks to shame). That being said, stats have little to do with why the Spurs are up 2-0 on the Phoenix Suns. Instead, it has everything to do with toughness, or, if you prefer, huevos.

Toughness is the reason Manu Ginobili can come back from a 1-7 half to dominate an overtime. Toughness is what makes Tony Parker get up time and time again after getting knocked over by guys twice his girth (or, in Shaq terms, 732 cheeseburgers). It’s why guys like Fabricio Oberto and Kurt Thomas can capably defend O’Neal. And toughness, both mental and physical, is why the Spurs only have to win 2 out of 5 games to advance.

Look at what have effectively been the lineups for this series:
Parker
Ginobili
Bowen/Finley
Duncan
Thomberto
Coach: Popovich

Nash
Barbosa
Bell
Idiot
Cheeseburgers
Coach: One Trick D’Antoni

Give me one position where the Suns are tougher than the Spurs. Maybe center? Maybe? Considering Shaquille has one of the most fragile egos in NBA history, I’m inclined to disagree.

That being said, it wouldn’t surprise anyone if Phoenix blew San Antonio out of the building in game 3. They have a great homecourt and will be playing with a bunker mentality. That being said, therein lies the problem with the Suns. They have to win by a landslide. If the game is close in the fourth quarter (meaning within 10 points), they’re automatically screwed, because they already have that seed of doubt floating around in the back of their minds; that little thought that says, "Wait, we've done this before, and they beat us then, too."

As good a team as Phoenix is, they feel they have to get lucky to win. Nobody on the Spurs feels Duncan’s overtime 3 was lucky. Luck has nothing to do with it. The Spurs just know that they are better than you. The Suns may hope for as much, but, visibly, they just can’t honestly believe it anymore...and for good reason.

For the Next 10 Years, I'll Get to Say I Was At This Game

Guest Column: Javier Perez (Part Two)

Following up last week's post, here is part two of our guest column by Javier Perez (click here to see him in action, for real this time, promise). Hopefully this will make everyone forget about those games against the Lakers, Kings, Jazz, and Suns.

Now to the Countdown:

#5 2005 vs. Seattle- Game 5

More personal bias! Elliot and I went to this game. I bought the tickets fairly early so after two games of this series, we were wondering if there was even going to be a Game 5. After Duncan missed a shot to win Game 3, we figured that Game 5 would close out the series. Then, in Game 4, Ray Allen took over and tied it at 2-2. After the game, Jerome James was interviewed and emphatically said that they didn't give the Spurs any respect, "NONE!" But he had a place to talk, what with his 4 pt. 0-6 performance.

So all of a sudden, Game 5 is the most important game of the series. And of course, to shake things up, Pop started Manu. He started Game 1 of the playoffs in a loss to Denver, and ever since then, he'd been coming off the bench for Brent Barry. After 2 straight losses to a team they should've closed out much earlier, Pop put him back in the starting lineup and it paid off.

Things started off well with the Spurs grabbing a lead in the 1st quarter. But a strong 2nd quarter tied the game up at the half at 50 all. So there we were. Through 4 1/2 games, we were still all tied with one half to decide which team would face elimination first. And that's when Manu took over.

From the 1st quarter, we knew this was going to be a memorable performance for him. He was knocking down his shots and getting to the line and his energy carried on defense and to the rest of the team. Probably the most memorable play came in the 2nd half. He was driving across the lane and got fouled. Falling to his left and shooting to his right, he somehow put up a one-handed shot that went in.

What kills me, on a totally selfish level is that he scored 39. Spurs fans remember that game and generically say, "Manu up 40-something didn't he?" and I have to correct them. No. It was 39. Damnit.

#4 2003 vs. LA- Game 2

This was a great series to watch and it included some great games that were also considered for this list. Game 5 was an exciting game, but the Spurs nearly collapsed in the 4th quarter as Kobe closed a huge deficit. And the only reason that the Spurs won was because Robert Horry actually MISSED a big-time 3 that rattled in and out. All Spurs fans reacted the same after that game, with sighs of relief, ZERO celebration. And of course "The Last Night of the Lakers Dynasty" was a Game 6 blowout. While it was memorable to knock out the Lakers, it wasn't a great game. Plus the Lakers weren't a dynasty. They won 3 championships in a row and didn't do much more than that. That's not a dynasty, but I digress.

In this series, Game 1 was a tight win for San Antonio. And most thought this would be the first of 7, but the Spurs came out and shocked everyone with their Game 2 performance. And the most shocking performance came from Bruce Bowen, who matched the machine he was assigned to shut down, Kobe Bryant.

The funny thing is that there was no other Spur that scored more than 17 points. Often when talking about these big performances, there was much more to it. But much like Number 5 on this list, Ginobili scored 39 (damnit), but Duncan was the next highest scorer on the team with 20.

To the surprise of no Spurs fans, Bowen did most of his damage from behind the three-point line, breaking the franchise record for 3's in a playoff game previously held by Jaren Jackson and Sean Elliott. And while it's often thought that Bowen outscored Kobe, he actually scored as many points: 27. But here's why that legend started: Kobe took 24 shots to get to 27. Bowen only took 12. 12!

#3 2005 vs. Seattle- Game 6

Great players step up in the 4th quarter, no matter how they've played in the rest of the game. And their greatness is more apparent when those 4th quarter take-overs happen despite poor performance the rest of the game. Game 5 of the LA series in 2003 is Kobe's big example. San Antonio had done an excellent job of shutting him down, and then he just took over in the 4th quarter, and nearly led the Lakers to a win. Game 6 vs. Seattle was one of the many Tim Duncan examples.

Of course, 2005 was a year that Duncan missed a lot of time because of an ankle injury suffered in the 4th quarter of a game against their future Finals opponent, the Detroit Pistons. The game was nationally televised on ABC and I remember watching it happen and feeling sick as soon as I saw it. Maybe the coolest thing about that injury was Duncan's return. Allen Iverson was also coming back from injury at the time and refused to come off the bench when he was working his way back because he felt like it was beneath him or something. Meanwhile, Duncan was more than willing to come off the bench in his limited time on the floor to work his way back.

Neither team led by very much in this game, so it was going to come down to the 4th quarter, which is where Duncan usually shines. But with about 8 minutes left, Duncan was fouled and he stayed on the floor, grabbing that same ankle and in pain. There was a very small sense of relief when Duncan attempted to walk it off and was only on the bench for a minute, but even the most hard core Spurs fans and Duncan believers had their doubts about his effectiveness the rest of the way. But he gutted it out and was there for the biggest moment of the game.

I watched this game at Shakespeare's on 6th street in Austin. It had kinda become my good luck place to watch Spurs games and there was a small group of people watching with me. Most Spurs fans in Austin were at bigger and better places to watch a sporting event. With 14 seconds left in a tied game, Manu took the pass at half court and held on to the ball. And held on. I was expecting his move to start with about seven seconds left, so when he was still sitting there I started yelling "MAKE YOUR MOVE! NOW! GO!" With about four seconds left he made his move, found Duncan underneath and Tim hit the high shot off the glass with less than a second left.

The story goes that Manu was supposed to drive all the way and then dish to Duncan if he was open when the defense collapsed on him. But at the last second, Pop yelled at Duncan to flash to the other side, where Manu found him open for the go-ahead bucket. The scary thing is that Ray Allen nearly hit a 3 at the buzzer to give them the win which would've been a terrible combination of the Derek Fisher shot and the Memorial Day Miracle. But luckily, he missed and the Spurs advanced.

#2 2003 vs. Dallas- Game 6

The Stece Kerr game.

While this will forever be known for the seasoned vet stepping up and hitting 4 big three-pointers, (I hate to say it, but) Kerr gets way too much credit for the 4th quarter comeback. But first, let's set it up.

As many people remember, 2003 was known for San Antonio's 4th quarter collapses. Game 1 against Phoenix in the first round (on my birthday, damnit), Stephon Marbury hits a near half-court shot to take the opener. In the LA series, San Antonio led by 16 in Game 4, but the Lakers came back to tie the series at 2. The Spurs even nearly blew Game 5 of that series.

And then there was the conference finals against the Mavs. San Antonio grabbed a huge lead in Game 1. Remember? San Antonio started so hot that even Nelly was calling timeouts to slow things down. But Dallas played hack-a-Bowen to put him on the line and break the momentum. They completed the comeback and took a 1-0 series lead.

Going back and remembering that, is it really all that surprising that the first 8-1 playoff upset in a seven-game series was led by Don Nelson?

The Spurs responded by winning the next three games, with a little help from Dirk Nowitzki, who was lost to injury. San Antonio was supposed to close things out at home in Game 5 but, once again blew a big lead and all of a sudden Dallas had all the momentum, which culminated in the Mavs taking a 13-point lead into the 4th quarter.

First to dispel a few myths from this game. Kerr didn't come in and just start knocking down 3's like gangbusters. He actually was brought in late in the 3rd quarter. Tony Parker had been ineffective, suffering from the effects of food poisoning. It was actually Stephen Jackson and Manu Ginobili that made this a game. San Antonio cut the lead to 3, and those two scored all ten of those points. On top of which, it wasn't like the Spurs went on an unstoppable run like they did in Game 1 vs. Phoenix in 2005 when they scored 41 points. It was a fairly average 4th quarter offensively, but the defense as a team was absolutely clamp-down. Dallas nearly set a playoff record for offensive futility.

But it all comes back to Kerr. In a two-minute span, starting at the 7:00 minute mark, Kerr hit four 3's. That plus a Tim Duncan fallaway put San Antonio up 8 and they never looked back. At the 4:00 minute mark, Kerr checked out. He was spent. It was the most minutes he'd spent on the floor in a long long time, and he wasn't just sitting back. He played great defense in that final period.

I think all Spurs fans remember where they were when this game happened, specifically when Kerr started knocking them down. I was at home, hosting a barbecue with a bunch of friends. Some of them were actually rooting for Dallas, but most of us were for San Antonio. And we reacted just like the San Antonio bench did: we were jumping up and down, screaming and celebrating, not believing what we were seeing.

Kerr's own words after the game summed it up best:

"There's always a chance to have a moment. Just one moment."

#1 1999 vs. Portland- Game 2

The Memorial Day Miracle. It's the greatest shot in the history of the San Antonio Spurs. I don't care what NBA.com says. They put Horry's dunk and 3 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals ahead of Sean Elliott on their list, but come on, none of that could've happened if Elliott hadn't hit that 3.

Horry's shots were big, no doubt. But he hit an open 3 when Rasheed Wallace stupidly left him alone, in a tight game in overtime that was close the whole way. And everyone watching knew it was going in.

In Game 2 of the 1999 Western Conference Finals, the Spurs had been left for dead. Down by as many as 18 in the 2nd half, Sean Elliot led the comeback.

(This is why it's so weird to see Damon Stoudamire as a Spur. In Game 2, he couldn't miss, and wielded the biggest shovel that dug the Spurs such a huge hole. Subsequently, he had the best face of reaction after Elliott hit the shot.)

To go back to my point about how this shot affected the future and bucked the trends of the past, think about what the Spurs had done in the playoffs in previous years, specifically the David Robinson era. Only once, before 1999, did Robinson's Spurs get to the conference finals. And that was in 1995, The Admiral's MVP year, when Hakeem Olajuwon torched San Antonio and the future NBA champs took down San Antonio in 6. Go back before Robinson, the Spurs could never get over the hump, and the playoff losses came mostly at the hands of the Showtime Lakers.

Elliot's shot wasn't supposed to go in. He shouldn't have even got it off! Stacey Augmon did everything he could to deny him the ball. Rasheed Wallace flew at him with his long arms and should've had the block. He nearly went out of bounds shooting the ball. He shouldn't have even been playing basketball. His kidney disease should've been treated much sooner, which would've made him miss the game.

If you've ever seen replays of the game, look at the crowd! If you've ever been to a basketball game, when a player launches a three, you can hear the crowd rumble, ready to explode when it goes in. There was no rumble in San Antonio. Just silence. Because even the most die hard Spurs fans were waiting for the other shoe to drop with this team. Because that's what happened every year with San Antonio.

But the impossible happened. The shot went in. The crowd went wild. And everything changed in San Antonio as the Spurs went on to win their first title.

The lasting memory that all Spurs fans will have of David Robinson comes from that day. He ran off the court with a huge smile on his face, high-fiving fans on his way to the locker room, exemplifying the absolute joy that all Spurs fans felt at the moment.

Ironically, the shot and the Spurs run that year could be simply put into four words that appeared on a poster that a Spurs fan held up in New York after the Spurs clinched the title. It was accompanied by a picture of the Alamo, perhaps for humorous effect, but the picture might as well have been a Spurs logo. And it read...

This Time. We Win.

BONUS: I somehow found the original NBC gamecast of Elliot's shot and the ending of the game. It was obviously transfered from a low-quality VCR recording. It's not a full-game DVD, but it's still an awesome watch: http://www.clubspurs.com/memorial-day-miracle-a-great-day-for-spurs-fans/

Guest Column: Javier Perez

Ed: This is a special guest column from a close friend, sports journalist, and sports anchorman Javier Perez (click to see the man in action). We'll be separating it into two parts, the first segment documenting the proverbial "honorable mentions", the second chronicling the top 5 Western Conference Playoff Victories in Spurs' history. Onto the show...

Part 1.

A few weeks ago, Elliot Cole (the creator of this blog) and I watched Game 1 of the 1999 NBA Finals. The Spurs released the full game broadcasts of every NBA Finals game they've ever won. This just kind of felt wrong. I thought it was every game from the playoffs, and I said: "Let's watch Game 6 of the '03 Conference Finals!"

I forgot that it wasn't the playoff wins, just the Finals wins. The Spurs have had a lot of playoff wins that have been more memorable than the majority of their Finals victories.

I enjoy thinking historically about the Spurs and their championship runs, mostly because I've been able to watch the Spurs religiously since the early 90's and enjoy looking back at how great those rides were, so it's been really fun for me to put this list together.

San Antonio's Top 5 Best Non-Finals Wins in Championship Seasons

Catchy title, I know.

But before that, here are some finals losses I would've liked to see in the aforementioned DVD set because these were great games too:

2003 vs. New Jersey- Games 2 and 4

Few people watched this series, which got ridiculously low ratings, which is a shame because a lot of people missed some good basketball. The Nets won these two games by a combined three points, and the Spurs had shots to win or tie them both at the end. Game 4 is an interesting watch too because it was really the first sign we had of how senile Jerry Crawford would become.

2005 vs. Detroit- Game 6

Of course, the first four games were complete blowouts, but the last three were absolute classics. I was at this game, and after the way Horry won Game 5, a lot of people thought that this one would close things out. But it was a tight game the whole way, and Rasheed Wallace took over in the 4th quarter to force a Game 7. And we all know what happened there.

Borrowing from one of my favorite shows (The Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame...), we'll start with The Best of the Rest:

1999- Game 3 vs. Minnesota

How many times can you remember David Robinson playing pissed? Yeah, it happened in this pivotal game that changed the course of the series. Joe Smith starts a shoving match with him and Robinson goes off and slams home four or five baskets before San Antonio pulls away to take a 2-1 series lead and erase any hopes of a 1-8 upset. Ed. A great account of this game can be found right here. The best quote came from Mario Elie: "I was watching that on TV and I said, 'Is that David Robinson on our team ready to fight?'"

1999- Game 1 vs. Portland

Elliot and I always talk about how good this Portland team was. They were loaded and deep. After Game 1, I'm sure a lot of people thought that it would just be the first of seven. The two teams just traded punches all night and David Robinson had one of his best offensive outputs of the playoffs, matching Duncan's team-high 21. Of course it was highly overshadowed by Game 2...more on that later.

2005- Game 1 vs. Phoenix

The final "Best of the Rest." Game 1 on the road. Not something the Spurs have had to do very much in the playoffs. Do you remember the hype coming into this game? No one thought the Spurs could hang with the vaunted run-and-gun offense that Phoenix played. But everyone forgot Phoenix can't play defense. So when you've got a quality team like San Antonio and you don't play defense, they're gonna put some points up too. This game was huge for Manu. Started the game with a dunk and finished the half with a half-court shot at the buzzer. San Antonio trailed by a few points going into the final quarter, but then lit up Phoenix for 43 points to finish with a comfortable win. And that's when the Suns knew they were in trouble.

Look for Part 2, "The Countdown", soon...

From Courtside

There are certain nuances in any NBA game that only become visible when you’re sitting 10 feet away; notable little particulars that 99% of fans will never have the opportunity to see. Fortunately, I was able to be in the 1% for the Rockets/Spurs Sunday matchup, despite some god-awful traffic problems. Here are the some of the most distinctive things from Sunday’s game, as seen from somewhere between Eva Longoria and the “Valero Guy”.

While the Spurs talk a lot defensively, they never say anything unnecessary. No “good pass”, random jargon, or chit-chat with the opposing team (outside of Parker, who, for some reason, wants to be everybody’s friend). It’s unnerving how stoic and business-like they are on the court, which just goes to reaffirm the belief that they are all robots programmed for NBA domination.

I love Ime Udoka. He’s tough, confident, and a dogged defensive player…but not always a smart one. He was pulled twice by Popovich for defensive mishaps against the Rockets. The first time, he shaded Tracy McGrady on the wrong side and gave up an easy dunk. Pop subbed him out, gave him a pat on the ass, and calmly pointed out the miscue. Later in the game, Udoka inexplicably tried to double McGrady from the opposite baseline, allowing McGrady to swing the ball to a teammate for an easy 3. This time, Pop lit into Udoka, shouting at him in red-faced fury until Ime found a place on the bench. Good stuff.

Tim Duncan is a clever dude. Whenever the man he is defending goes to set a high pick, Duncan gives the screener a slight push along the hips/waist. It’s not much, but the screener always ends up setting the pick about 6 or 7 inches away from where he actually wanted to set it because of Duncan’s shove, occasionally even bumping into the ballhandler. I saw this tactic kill a pick-and-roll between Alston and Landry.

Duncan is also constantly touching someone. It’s like he doesn’t know what to do when he isn’t in contact with another player. He always had a hand on the guy he’s guarding or, on the other side of the court, leaning on the player guarding him. If he’s not touching someone, he specifically reaches out for the player closest to him. Watch for it, it’ll mess with you.

The Last Positional Battle

We're less than a month away from the NBA playoffs, and the Spurs are currently sitting at 6th. To be fair, they could either be a 1 seed or an 8 seed entering the playoffs, so the seeding alignment doesn't matter as much as the things Popovich harps on: health and playing well at the right time.

Riding a 3 game winning streak, I'd say the latter is getting taken care of (in no small part thanks to Duncan and Manu). The team is also getting fairly healthy. Parker is about 100%, Udoka recovered nicely from the tarsal tunnel syndrome in his right foot that cost him two games, and Ginobili is playing with energy without overexerting himself.

The two variables are Robert Horry (knee contusion against Sacramento) and the recently resigned Brent Barry (still out with his calf tear). It's safe to assume that Horry will be back soon and that, for some godforsaken reason, Pop will let him shoot 1-6 in case he hits one big shot...meaning Bonner and Oberto will see more pine time, especially since Kurt Thomas has looked decent.

The shooting guard slot is far more intriguing. Barry provides the shooting that the notoriously streaky Finley, to be blunt, doesn't always do. Finley is 10-33 in his last 5 games including an 0-7 crapfest against Dallas. Thankfully, Udoka has shot 11-20 in this winning streak, and Bowen has held his own to make up for the lack of shooting that Finley and Barry are supposed to provide.

So, the million dollar question is this...if other teams go small, which wing players do you roll with? Ime has to be in there (he's the only wing capable of playing the 4 spot, and he proved it against Dallas), and obviously Manu is in the bunch. Bruce will be on the court come playoff time, meaning Finley and Barry will be sharing minutes based on who is shooting best on any given day. Do you roll with a Brent Barry recovering from injury, or a Michael Finley who shows up to 1 out of every 3 games?

Personally, I roll with the hot hand. As for Jacque Vaughn and Damon Stoudamire...take Vaughn in a heartbeat and never look back.

Defense, defense, defense....

Sorry for the lack of updates, but I've been busy with SXSW. After the 50th beer and the 50th band everything seems to get a little hazy.

The one healthy byproduct of being preoccupied was that I missed most of the Spurs' recent skid. They've lost 3 out of 4, slid into 6th in the conference, and, most importantly, just aren't playing well. Now, they have a healthy Celtics looming on St. Patty's.

Their slump can be attributed to a few things. The injury to Ime Udoka doesn't help, and Bowen's suspension-based-on-reputation was a speedbump too. But the two main factors have been the defense and the play of Manu Ginobili.

Usually the savior, Manu has hit one of his patented "disappear for a week" walls. Other than a thigh contusion (which we saw hold him back in the 2005 Finals), there has been no report of injury, meaning he's probably just fatigued. Prior to his 22 point outing against Philadelphia, Manu averaged 11 PPG in his previous 3 games, including 2-13 from the arc.

The defense has been the main culprit. When Philly drops 103 points on you, you know you're having trouble. Most notably, the Spurs aren't creating defensive pressure. Philadelphia only have 4 turnovers against the Spurs. The Suns won the game in the second half the same way.

Spurs Hire Kelvin Sampson....yes, that Kelvin Sampson

INDIANAPOLIS -- The San Antonio Spurs have hired Kelvin Sampson as an adviser, days after he resigned as Indiana University men's basketball coach amid allegations he committed major NCAA rule violations, 6Sports Director Dave Furst reported Thursday.

He is expected to advise the defending NBA champions for the next few weeks, Furst reported. Hiring advisers is nothing new for Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich. He has hired several coaches in this capacity through the years.

Must....resist.....too....many.....easy.....jokes.

Rotations and the Return of Nick the Brick

We've got a big feature coming from a guest contributor pretty soon....so yeah, tune in.

In other news, the Spurs are rolling with 10 straight wins. The rough part is yet to come, however, with a stretch of 6 of 7 games against playoff-quality opponents looming (including Phoenix, Boston, and Denver twice). Pop has yet to set a rotation, but it looks more and more like Kurt Thomas is going to get the starting nod for the rest of the season. With Parker back, it looks like Ginobili will go back to the bench.

Damon Stoudamire has stolen a lot of Jacque Vaughn's backup minutes, but hasn't done anything to deserve them. Meager Mouse has shot 31.2% since becoming a Spur, including 4-21 in their last 5 games. I don't want to say it, but he's looking more and more like the second coming of Nick Van Exel...he sucks all year but Popovich expects him to come up big in the playoffs only to watch him brick every shot he takes.