The Silver and Black

A Little Update From Javier Perez

2009-04-11T00:05:00.003-06:00

The Silver and Black is a collective...you would be foolish to believe that it is but one, quasi-tech savvy individual mindlessly plugging away at his computer as if he knew something that other people did not. No, in fact, the yin to the Silver and Black's yang is Javier Perez, sports anchor for NBC affiliate KTSM in El Paso. I'll let him do the heavy lifting in regards to Manu's injury:

No Spurs fan can argue that the championship window on this season (which was narrower this year than in years past) was slammed shut upon learning about Manu's injury. The Spurs have too much pride, experience, and integrity to just dog it out until they pack their bags, so I expect Parker to carry the team past the first round. Keep tuned to The Silver and Black and Realgm.com for a forthcoming article on what Manu's injury means for the future of the Spurs.

Miss Us? We Missed You.

2008-11-19T00:54:00.002-06:00

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

2008-08-09T19:10:00.002-06:00

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

2008-08-06T11:52:00.003-06:00

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

2008-07-10T18:28:00.003-06:00

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.

2008-07-10T13:43:00.003-06:00

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

2008-07-01T20:47:00.002-06:00

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

2008-07-01T14:35:00.002-06:00

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

2008-06-27T20:52:00.003-06:00

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

2008-06-26T23:27:00.004-06:00

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?

2008-06-26T14:19:00.000-06:00

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"?

2008-06-26T02:21:00.004-06:00

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?

2008-06-25T00:52:00.004-06:00

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

2008-06-23T12:47:00.005-06:00

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

2008-06-21T14:21:00.004-06:00

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

2008-06-02T10:11:00.002-06:00

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.

2008-05-28T20:35:00.004-06:00

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

2008-05-28T13:00:00.010-06:00

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"

2008-05-28T12:29:00.005-06:00

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

2008-05-26T11:13:00.003-06:00

(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...

2008-05-22T19:34:00.002-06:00

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

2008-05-20T11:13:00.005-06:00

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...

2008-05-15T23:28:00.007-06:00

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?

2008-05-15T12:19:00.007-06:00

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

2008-05-09T21:57:00.005-06:00

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.

2008-05-06T18:51:00.004-06:00

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

2008-05-03T13:15:00.000-06:00

Manu Slowed By Ankle, Parker Generally Beat Up

2008-05-03T13:07:00.002-06:00

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

2008-05-02T14:19:00.010-06:00

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 (!)

2008-04-27T10:50:00.005-06:00

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

2008-04-25T14:35:00.003-06:00

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

2008-04-24T23:18:00.004-06:00

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

2008-04-20T14:26:00.003-06:00

Guest Column: Javier Perez (Part Two)

2008-04-15T15:18:00.002-06:00

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

2008-04-03T16:03:00.012-06:00

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

2008-03-30T19:16:00.002-06:00

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

2008-03-25T00:31:00.007-06:00

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....

2008-03-16T13:24:00.003-06:00

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

2008-03-07T00:26:00.003-06:00

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

2008-03-05T13:42:00.004-06:00

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.

Barry Back in Silver and Black

2008-02-29T14:23:00.003-06:00

The rich just got richer. It came down to Phoenix and San Antonio, and let's face it, Phoenix has sucked lately. His home, family, and comfortability is already in San Antonio, and that's hard to leave behind (not to mention the two rings sitting in his safe deposit box). Brent won't be able to return for a month (March 31st officially), but because of his injured calf he wouldn't have returned until mid-March anyways. All that aside, Brent Barry is once again a Spur. That Kurt Thomas trade become, in effect, a late first rounder and Francisco Elson for Thomas. Brilliant.

So cheers to Brent, who, like a young Luke Skywalker, defied his father and stayed away from the dark side. (Just read the link, and let me wallow in my nerdom.)

The Greatest 1 Minute of Video You'll Ever See

2008-02-29T14:16:00.003-06:00

This won't be here for too much longer....enjoy it while it lasts.

I'm not sure what the best part is. Rat Terry having his shot thrown back in his face by the same guy he was jawing at earlier in the game? Maybe the irony of Jason Kidd not being on the floor in the clutch moments? Or the blissfully stupid image of Dirk Nowitzki and Eric Dampier going Looney Tunes on each other?

If You See This Man...

2008-02-26T14:36:00.003-06:00

...buy him a drink. Tell him he looks stunningly handsome. Compliment him on his choice of facial hair. Ask if he'd like a footrub. Buy him chocolates (not the coconut ones). Do his taxes for him. Wash his car.

We want you back Barry. We're just not as boney without you.

The New Guy At Work

2008-02-26T14:20:00.006-06:00

Kurt Thomas played in his first game as a Spur in their 89-74 win over the slumping Hawks. By all accounts, he filled the gap nicely and was a beast on the boards. Thomas had 9 boards and 2 blocks in only 13 minutes of action. "His defense and his rebounding were both outstanding," noted captain obvious...er....coach Popovich.

Keep an eye on Oberto's minutes. Oberto only logged 5 minutes in the Atlanta win, but it could have been because of matchups more than anything else. Whether Thomas becomes the starter depends on how he plays off of Manu and Duncan. He would be a beast on the pick and pop with Ginobili, but he also offers spacing for Duncan. Plus, he may just scare Oberto to the bench with his crazy eyes.

Parker Returns, Sonics Waive Brent Barry

2008-02-21T20:50:00.006-06:00

Parker returned to action tonight, playing 18 minutes (8 points on 3-7 shooting) in the Spurs' 100-99 win in Minnesota.

In other news, Brent Barry was waived by Seattle in order to make roster space for the incoming Donyell Marshall, Ira Newble, and Adrian Griffin. Barry will be placed on waivers, and only a few losing teams (Charlotte and Memphis) could afford to sign him. Teams with a trade exception could also make a run at him (this includes Phoenix). In case you were wondering, he can be resigned by the Spurs after 30 days.

And yes, that would be awesome.

Update: ESPN's John Hollinger, one of their better stat gurus, has this to say about the Spurs trade:

They needed another tough hombre in the frontcourt, especially with Robert Horry on the wane, and definitely got one in Thomas. He defends and can space the floor for Tim Duncan by hitting 15-footers from the free-throw line area, so in those respects he's a better version of Fabricio Oberto -- he just doesn't move without the ball like Oberto does.

The risk for San Antonio is that Barry will be bought out, sign with another team and start raining 3s on them in the playoffs. But with Barry sidelined by a calf problem, that's less of a risk -- if he'd been healthy the Spurs probably wouldn't have done this deal.

Additionally, the trade takes San Antonio under the luxury tax line. In fact, here's the really crafty part: They're now just enough under that they can sign a veteran free agent for the prorated league minimum and still avoid the tax. Somebody like, I don't know ... Brent Barry?

Spurs Trade Barry, Elson for Kurt Thomas

2008-02-20T19:56:00.004-06:00

From ESPN.com

The San Antonio Spurs have added some frontline help, trading for Seattle Sonics forward/center Kurt Thomas.

Seattle will receive guard Brent Barry, center Francisco Elson and a 2009 first-round draft pick.

"Kurt Thomas is a tough, physical player who can defend, score and rebound," Spurs general manager RC Buford said in a statement. "We feel he will be a great addition to our roster and will add depth to our frontcourt."

The deal was first reported by Yahoo.com.

Thomas, 35, was in his first season with the Sonics after being acquired in July 2007 from the Phoenix Suns. Seattle also received two first-round picks in that deal, as Phoenix tried to shed salary. He is now in the final year of a contract that pays him $8.1 million this season.

Thomas has averaged 9.9 points and 7.5 rebounds per game in a 13-year career. He is putting up 7.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per game this season. Barry, 36, is averaging 7.3 points and making 1.6 3-pointers per game, while Elson, 31, is averaging 3.5 points and 3.3 rebounds.

"For everything he's done in the NBA and what he brings to a team and what he brought to this team, I learned a lot being around him," Sonics guard Earl Watson said, according to the Seattle Times. "Especially on the court and off the court. Rarely do you get a big man who knows the game like a guard. I expect to see his numbers improve because of the type of guys around him."

This is your classic "getting better by taking a player away from another team" trade. Rumors were swirling that the Mavs wanted to trade for Thomas. While Barry was beloved in San Antonio, he's not the player he was two years ago and his leg injury doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon. While I wish they could have held onto their first round pick, the Spurs got better while putting themselves in good fiscal shape for the future. I'll write more about this deal when I can actually wrap my head around it.

Sign That Robinson Guy Up, He Looks Pretty Good

2008-02-17T19:24:00.005-06:00

Just A Reminder: Manu Ginobili isn't an All-Star

2008-02-15T19:24:00.002-06:00

It’s easy to leave a guy like Manu Ginobili off of the All-Star team. He’s not a big media presence, he’s notorious for flopping, and in the collective public opinion of the San Antonio Spurs he’s buried somewhere underneath Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, and Eva Longoria (not literally, shame on you).

It’s also easy to say that Ginobili’s best years are behind him, or that the Spurs are struggling this year and don’t deserve a second All-Star. But then you take a look at the numbers and a paradigm shift the size of Manu’s nose smacks you in the face.

Ginobili is averaging 20.1 points a game, nothing to sneer at but modest for an All-Star shooting guard. But he also plays fewer minutes (31.1 per a game) than anyone selected for New Orleans, mostly because Popovich and the Spurs’ brass want to keep him fresh for the playoffs. Take into account his budgeted minutes, now spread out his scoring over a full game. Over the course of 48 minutes, Ginobili averages 31.2 points a game. That’s 5^th in the league. Ahead of Dwyane Wade. Ahead of Western Conference starter Allen Iverson. Ahead of Nowitzki, Yao, Boozer and Roy.

Ok, so he’s a better scorer than everyone thought, especially considering that he already has two other All-Star caliber talents on his team. But the thing about Ginobili is that he does everything. Need a rebound? Manu snags an impressive 5 a game from the guard position, including a 15 board night against Toronto (per 48 his average tops Kobe and Roy). Steals? Ninth in the NBA at 2.66 over 48 minutes. Playmaking? He’s 28^th in the league in assists per 48 at 7.1, a career high. And get this: only 3 non-point guards are ahead of him (Roy, Wade, and Lebron). Think about that. Outside of the NBA’s point guards, he’s the 4^th best assist guy in the NBA. While we’re at it that once again puts him ahead of Kobe, who has gotten buckets of media love for passing the ball more this season.

Need shooting? Ginobili is 22^nd in the league in 3-point shooting. But few players mesh outside shooting with Ginobili’s ability to get to the stripe. Per 48, only 11 players get to the line more than Manu, and he doesn’t even have the long hair to draw fouls for him anymore.

Of course, Manu’s never been a numbers guy. He’s all about intangibles, up there with Kobe as one of the most competitive players in the modern era. He shoots an amazing 53% in “the clutch”, not to mention 91.9% from the free throw line when the game is tight. Need more? He’s created 22 assists in the last 5 minutes of tight games, but he’s only committed 1 passing turnover. A 22:1 assist to turnover ratio when the defense is set and the game is tight. This from one of the most balls-to-the-wall players in the league.

Finally, one last stat that trumps them all. When Manu Ginobili is on the bench, the Spurs have been outscored by two points this season. When he’s in the game, the Spurs have scored 250 points more than their opponents. He doesn’t fly like Lebron or have the finesse of Kobe, nor does he have the power of Pierce or the speed of Iverson. But Ginobili is in the same league as all of them, and deserved to be in New Orleans. Then again, maybe Spurs fans want him to be a little pissed off. After all, he’s only averaged 40 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists a game over their last 2 wins.

Scouting Ian Mahinmi

2008-02-06T00:30:00.003-06:00

In about one or two years, Ian Mahinmi will be a rotation player for the San Antonio Spurs. As for now, he's a lanky, 21 year old Frenchman trying to learn the nuances of NBA basketball. He was a surprise selection (the 28th pick in the 2005 draft), but has shown enough potential for the Austin Toros to be named a D-League All-Star this past week. He has averaged of 18 points (on 62.5% from the field), 8 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks a game in 26 games. I'm going to blog about Mahinmi's development whenever I can, partially because he's going to be a major part of their future, but also because it's better than writing about Tony Parker's foot for the millionth time.

Ian, Mahinmi
Position: PF, C
6'11", 230 lbs

Strengths: To this point, the most promising part of Ian's game is his shot blocking prowess. With long limbs to go with his 6'11" frame and above average hops, Mahinmi is a fantastic help defender. Even more impressive is that he goes after everything. He hustles on fast breaks to contest layups and rotates over when a teammate needs help. He has great instinct for swatting shots and alters more attempts than his stats will give him credit for.

Offensively, Mahinmi gets most of his buckets by utilizing his athleticism. He outruns his defender down the floor most of the time and uses his length for offensive rebounds, putbacks, and easy dunk opportunities. I've yet to see him take a shot outside of 5 feet. When opposing teams send him to the line instead of giving up easy buckets, Mahinmi makes them pay by shooting at a 76.8% clip (his form is decent considering he's not a jumpshooter). He has decent hands for his size and doesn't drop many passes. Not a fantastic rebounder because of his slender build, but he hits the boards hard on each possession.

At 21, his intangibles are just as valuable. He listens to his coach and hustles each game.

Weaknesses: Most of Ian's weaknesses are a result of his youth and inexperience. While he plays his ass of, he does make the occasional spastic rookie play, making a terrible outlet pass or creating an inexplicable turnover. Defensively, his rotations are solid but could use improvement. Because of his intuitive shot blocking skills, he picks up some cheap fouls by leaping after shots instead of contesting shots without leaving his feet.

Offensively, Mahinmi has a very unrefined offensive repertoire. He has a right-handed baby hook that seems to be his only consistent tool. Ian possesses no real 1-on-1 scoring maneuvers...when he gets the ball in the post his bad footwork leads to some awkward attempts reminiscent of Reggie Evans. He has a good first step but doesn't possess the handle or the jumper to play face-up on the offensive end.

He is built a bit like David Robinson, with a long, slender torso and thin hips. Because of this, he gets pushed out of positions easily (Ian compensates by using his speed to get where he wants to go). His lack of a strong "foundation" forces him to miss a lot of rebounding opportunities.

Needs to Improve: As I mentioned, most of his weaknesses will be corrected just by getting some experience and overcoming the natural foreign rookie learning curve. As his game progresses, he needs to become more vocal on the court and hit the weight room while developing some sort of offensive weapon, be it a spin move, a hook, a midrage J or a respectable up-and-under.

Stoudamire to Sign, Parker to Miss Rodeo Road Trip

2008-01-31T15:29:00.000-06:00

Well, it's not official, but Damon Stoudamire announced his plans to sign with the Spurs. This means the Spurs won't resign rookie Jeremy Richardson for the rest of the season.

As for Parker, MRI results showed no structural damage, just chronic swelling. The team announced he will miss the rest of the rodeo road trip. With a rough stretch ahead (Washington, Boston, Phoenix), the Spurs could drop out of the playoff standings before he comes back. There's bad timing....and then there is really, really bad timing.

Also, I failed to mention that the Spurs recalled Ian Mahinmi from the D-League to join the roster for the rodeo road trip. Good bonding experience, I guess. They did the same with James White last year, if I remember correctly. Hopefully that's the only thing those two players have in common.

Parker Out, Mighty Mouse to the Spurs?

2008-01-29T17:00:00.000-06:00

The rumor mill is swirling with the buzz that the Spurs may want to sign Damon Stoudamire, who recently completed a buyout from the Memphis Grizzlies. Stoudamire was averaging 7.3 points on 39% shooting and 3.9 assists in 21.6 minutes a game for the Grizzlies. At 34, he's not the offensive threat he used to be, but he's a heady player.

Don't be too quick to believe that he would be signed to immediately take over the backup point guard role from Jacque Vaughn, whose lack of offense has long drawn the ire of Spurs fans. As it stands now, Parker is out indefinitely because of bone spurs in his left heel. It was obvious Parker's lingering injuries were influencing his play; he hasn't been to the free throw line more than 5 times in his last 8 games, showing an obvious inability to put on the jets when he needed to. While the timing couldn't be worse for the slumping Spurs, they don't have much of a chance at the 'chip without him healthy. Better to take a few losses now (gulp....to the Sonics) rather than sacrifice Parker's health altogether.

Oh, and for good measure, here's Damon looking dapper on NBAcriminals.com. Hopefully his "high times" are over.

Ime Udoka Makes Chuck Norris Look Like A Sissy

2008-01-25T00:58:00.000-06:00

The game against the Lakers was a thing of beauty (outside of the part where they let Kwame Brown look like an actual NBA player). The outside shooting was on target, Duncan dominated Turiaf and Brown, and the defense was stifling. For at least one game, the Spurs looked like they were back in the NBA Finals:

They even got a much-needed boost from Ime Udoka, who not only pitched in 18 points on 7-10 shooting but made life a living hell for Lamar Odom and Kobe Bryant on several possessions. I knew he was a dogged defender from his time in Portland, but I had no idea how strong he was. He has no fear of tangling it up against other team's power forwards. Odom had consistently racked up great games against San Antonio, but his feeble 11 points and 5 turnovers can be largely accredited to Ime bodying him up.

In the 3rd quarter of their ugly win against Miami, the Spurs again went small using Udoka as the PF. The Heat responded by posting Udonis Haslem on three straight possessions. The results? One non-shooting foul, one turnover, and a fierce ball denial by Udoka that forced Miami to rotate the ball and ditch the post up. Despite giving up 3-4 inches and some pounds on a decent post player (Haslem), Udoka screwed up the play every time. If he can continue to hit outside shots, he's perfect for their small ball lineup.

- In other news, Tim Duncan, in case you hadn't heard, is pretty good. He'll be starting in his 9th straight All-Star game and also registered his 17,000th point, putting him just 600 short of Otis Thorpe. Hm...maybe points aren't everything. He did, however, average 24.2 points, 13.2 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks over his last 5 games....MVP numbers.

- Brent Barry tore up his left calf muscle again, just three games after coming back. He'll have an MRI Monday. The Spurs really missed his shooting, so Finley and Udoka will have to pick up some slack.

- As great as Duncan's been, Bowen has been equally bad. Take out a 5-10 game against the Knicks and Bruce is 8-38 for the month of January prior to tonight's game in Miami. That's 21% shooting....for the month (this after shooting under 40% for December). He's scored total of 10 points over his last 7 games. But I digress, he's not on the team to score. His defense on Dwyane Wade at the end of the game was amazing; he forced one contested jumper, a crazy spin-fadeaway, and stripped the ball from Wade on Wade's last three shot attempts.

- Popovich went small in two straight games, starting Brent Barry and, uh, Jeremy Richardson against the Lakers and Bobcats. Elson seems to have fallen out of the lineup amid all the small ball play, playing just 12 minutes in his last 5 and racking up 2 DNP's.

Update: Barry will miss 3-4 weeks with what is being called a "strain" of his left calf muscle.

The Spurs Are Sucking*

2008-01-17T15:12:00.000-06:00

AP Photo/Eric Gay

*Sucking in relative Spur terms. They are sucking insofar as a defending champion and perennial contender can suck. We aren’t talking about the Knicks here.

As enthralling as those sluggish victories over the Knicks and the 76ers were, the Spurs have been in their general winter slump. It’s like bears hibernating, but far more painful to watch. It’s characteristic of the team (they generally pick it up on their rodeo road trip), but their malaise still reeks for all the fans out there that pay their hard earned dollar to see Ryan Gomes and Eddy Curry undress the Spurs’ defense. (Sidenote…do you think if San Antonio had better 1 A.M. hotspots players like Eddy Curry would be more likely to be hungover than posting nearly 30 points on Fabricio? Holt should invest in a club and put it next to the visitor’s hotel. Tell everyone Jay-Z owns it or something.)

So what are the central culprits in the Spurs’ recent sucktitude? Well, injuries are the obvious scapegoat. Brent Barry’s continued absence hurts the team more than people realize (although he's set to return), and Manu is still adjusting to having a club on his hand all the time. But I’d be amiss if I ignored other irritating trends…

Tony Parker’s overall shooting numbers are noticeably on the decline from the last two years. His 54.8% shooting in 2005 got the attention of the league, and he shot 52% last year while integrating his fancy new midrange jumper. This season? He wants to act like a badass and shoot 3’s...despite the fact that it takes away from the biggest strength in his offensive game and there are numerous better shooters on the floor at all times. In fact, he’s already taken about as many 3’s in 32 games this season (37) as all of last season (38). That’s more than one a game, and at 27% from behind the arc, it’s part of the reason why he’s shooting under 50% this season.

Another disturbing trend is Tim Duncan’s inability to get to the free throw line. He’s taking 1.7 less free throws a game since last season…which would be fine if his shooting numbers weren’t taking a slight dip too. He seems to wait for the double team to come too often instead of attacking his defender (much to the ire of Sean Elliott, who acts like he’s going to have an aneurism every time Duncan sits in the post with the ball for 5 seconds without doing a thing). I watched Duncan all game against the T-Wolves and he inexplicably kicked the ball out when he was being defended by Michael Doleac.

Finally, Popovich is toying with his lineups. It’s the little things like bringing Manu in for Bowen instead of Finley in the first quarter. Or randomly deciding Francisco Elson should sit the game out despite the fact that he’s starting to get into a rhythm with the second team. Robert Horry is also in full dinosaur mode, which never helps.

It’s a typical Spurs January, but keep in mind that they are still tops in their division.

Spurs Sign Jeremy Richardson

2008-01-10T17:57:00.001-06:00

So, after Keith Langford and DeMarr "don't call me Demarr" Johnson were shown the door, the Spurs front office went out and signed Jeremy Richardson, the leading scorer in the D-league for the Fort Wayne Mad Antz at 28.5 points a game.

That's right...the Fort Wayne Mad Antz. God help us all.

The Return of Manu

2008-01-07T22:36:00.000-06:00

Ginobili seems to have returned in full form, albeit sporting a bandage on his left hand to protect his finger. I kind of dig it...it makes him look tough as nails, like he just got out of an alley fight or something. He scored 23 against the Clippers in his return (12 in the fourth quarter).

His return, of course, means another Spurs goes down. Duncan collided knees with Corey Maggette, but he seems to be OK.

The Spurs' offense struggled with Manu and Barry both out. Although Finley played great in their absence (17.8 points a game while Manu was well-dressed behind the bench), the Spurs lost some obvious offensive firepower. Ime Udoka has yet to find his shooting touch (37.5% from the field, 25.6% from three) and Popovich resorted to signing DeMarr Johnson. Yes, that DeMarr Johnson (don't worry, he was already cut).

But, despite a 6-6 stretch, the Spurs are still where they want to be. They won against the Knicks and the Clippers based on experience and 4th quarter savvy, not just talent. While the Suns deal with chemistry problems and the Celtics deal with....ummm...being arrogant pricks, it's good to see the Spurs will always have their grit to rely on.

Spurs Waive Darius Washington

2007-12-28T15:52:00.001-06:00

The Spurs waived Darius Washington today, the D-League beast who played in 18 games for the Spurs while Tony Parker and Jacque Vaughn were out with injuries. If he clears waivers, the Toros can retain him. One source suggests that the Spurs wanted Washington's Austin Toros teammate Keith Langford (pictured) all along:

"Mike Schmidt an NBDL, NCAA scout says that while the Spurs called up Marcus Williams from the Toros, they had originally wanted to sign Langford instead. Langford had been out the previous 10 days with an injury, and San Antonio needed somebody to step in and play right away, so they were forced to sign Williams. Spurs GM RC Buford went to watch Keith Langford play against Tulsa, though, his first game back, where they saw him shut down Dallas Mavericks assignee Maurice Ager."

If that has any truth to it, Langford (23.2 points a game on 53% shooting) will probably be called up relatively soon. He's more of a combo guard, but is a bonafide D-Leauge All-Star candidate and apparently good on the defensive end. Washington was a decent prospect, but wasn't always focused on defense (I remember a few lapses and dumb fouls on his part). Unfortunately, Langford falls way short of Washington in beard growth. Farewell, grizzly bear.

The Infirmary Ward

2007-12-26T22:33:00.000-06:00

AP Photo/Eric Gay

- Ginobili missed tonight's game with Chicago (a 94-79 victory) and may miss a few more with his sprained index finger. To be honest, I don't mind him missing time. He needs the rest, especially after admitting to being worn out.

- Francisco Elson returned from his ankle injury. Normally I'd plug in a snide remark about how Butterfingers Elson will drag down the team...but neh, he's been playing well this year. Until next time, Cisco.

- Marcus Williams was released, resigned, and actually played for the Spurs tonight thanks to all the injuries (0-1, 0 pts, 1 blocked shot in 2 minutes of garbage time). I think I owe someone money for my "Hell will freeze over before he ever steps foot in the NBA" prediction. Whatever, he still blows until further notice. But hey, he's awesome in D-league!

- Another one bites the dust...Brent Barry sprained his left calf with 3:20 left in the first quarter. With Manu already out, Ime Udoka needs to pick up some slack.

Update: Barry will miss around 2 weeks with a torn left calf muscle. With Barry and Ginobili out, Finley and Udoka are the only experienced wing options, unless Popovich decides to play Bonner at the SF.

Losing to Win

2007-12-24T02:34:00.001-06:00

New Spurs article posted at Realgm.com.

This Is Really, Really Stupid

2007-12-20T17:09:00.000-06:00

I take pride in the semi-professionalism of this blog. Not a lot of swearing, no pop culture jokes, few mentions of Stephen Jackson or strip clubs. (This may also mean less visits to the humble little blog, but I digress.)

However, I guess it's unavoidable that this is going to become a major issue, maybe along the lines of the T.O.-Jessica Simpson fiasco. So I might as well address it now...if you ignore this completely, I respect you entirely....here is the entire saga to this point (deep breath):

Tony Parker....MARRIED!......CHEATING?.......MET SUPERMODEL AT WEDDING?.....NOT CHEATING.....TIMMY DOESN'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT.....BUT SHE HAS PROOF!.....THE PROOF IS RIDICULOUSLY STUPID....TONY SUES FOR $20 MILLION!

To be honest, I really don't care about any of this. It's stupid. I want his ankle to heal. Now.

But, for the sake of....well, for the hell of it, really, I'll jump on board.

The website that is fueling it is one of those "celebrity hunting" sites. I won't link them because it's trash and I don't want to perpetuate this type of crap. They have "proof" that could be created easily by any 6th grader with a knowledge of Photoshop. I'm sure they are paying this model nicely. Also, this same girl did this with Ronaldinho (the futbol/soccer star) a couple of years ago until he threatened to sue. If nothing else, it's obvious that Parker's high-profile inevitably puts a target on his back.

On a good note, the Spurs are too unfriendly with the media to be distracted or caught up in this at all. Except for you, Jacque Vaughn. I can tell you're the gossipy sort...you're not fooling anyone.

Ime Udoka: Part Baller, Part Ninja

2007-12-13T18:19:00.000-06:00

From the WTF files...
By: Gabe Muoneke, Hoopshype blogger and teammate of Ime's on the Nigerian National Team

THE IME UDOKA STORY

It’s a trip when you get to know people. Ime was so quiet and I figured he was just some guy who could play with a Nigerian father. Well, folks in S.A., don’t be fooled. That dude in an Afr-I-CAN! I mean damn! The only thing non-African about him is his accent. We went to Nigeria, man… When they brought out the food I figured uh oh… He aint eatin’ th… What the?! Ime was tearing that Fu-fu (thank Jay-Z for everyone knowing what that is now) to shreads. I asked him about his adornment of the vittles. He said that’s all he ate growing up. Imagine my surprise when I saw he must have grown up doing the African ju-jitsu too.

When the National Team went to Algeria for the African Championships in Algiers, every team was on edge because the Top 3 squads got the invite to the World Championships. So after we lost to Angola in the semis and had to play Algeria for the third spot, they knew, we knew, everyone knew they had no shot. First quarter… Tactics. African ball, man. Trust me: as corrupt as can be. Despite all the cheating from the three-man (North African) refereeing crew they just couldn’t beat us. So the coach sent in their best player, who was injured but came in with a purpose. I think his name was Ali Bidane or something. We had the ball out of bounce under. He guarded me. As the ref handed us the ball, he turned, looked at me as if there was not a game going on. And pop! Not an elbow, not even a signature yours truly gutter. He decked me right in the jaw. I couldn’t believe it. And come on. I freely admit when I throw cheap shots. I wouldn’t hide it if I started to. I mean, I’m in the middle of basically middle eastern country playing the local team. I know better (read on to see my contradiction). He nailed me, we turned it over, and yes, my Rodman 101 class did well. I looked up court, saw both refs back and calmly asked him in by most polite French, “Pardon me sir, I object to you striking me.” Next thing you know… Both teams on the court going at it. Wow.

Imagine my surprise! (My cheeks hurt). That wasn’t the real brawl. After we won was the real issue. After the game, they were waiting for us to come out of the locker room. And seriously, I didn’t start it. Kingsley Ogwudire was in front of our team in an all-out tirade in his best Arabic. The next thing you know, there were three Algerian players on him. Everyone was engaged in combat save me, if you can believe it. And lo and ehold… Ime! He was taking people out like in Mortal Kombat. Finish him! Incredible. I was so out of it as I had five guys I was fighting (oh yeah, the crowd jumped in as the fight spilled over to the court of the championship game of Senegal and Angola).

In the middle of the whole thing I heard Ime, literally in mid-swing of another opponent say,”Watch back, Gabe” and he calmly, I mean calmly, smeared a guy who, as I turned to see his warning, jumped from the stands with a chair to probably kill me or knock me out to where the crowd would have. I mean, Ime caught the guy in mid air with a fist and calmly continued his dispacthing of oncoming people. He and other guys (yes, me too) were whoopin’ so many people the crowd backed up. True to the letter! But Ime had the most notches by far. As we retreated to the locker room to kind chants of, “You cudly blackies! We highly doubt your ability to leave this gym with lives intact” in French, (it might have been a bad translation) all I could do was marvel at Ime. This guy, I thought, was a quiet American guy was standing there – all his stuff gone (gym bag, wallet, shoes, jersey) – with a stick in his hand we tore off the walls of the locker room in the middle of North Africa quite literally with our lives on the line… laughing. All the while I was texting my wife that I loved her and might have a hard time seeing her again while she was watching the whole incident on BBC News. And Ime… laughing. He is and always will be my 9ja broda. Ime… Wetin happen bros? Abi na notin. Notin dey happen. To this day I don’t know how we got out of there. But that night we ate like kings at the Nigerian Embassy. And Ime was with us… Killing his Fu-fu.

Tell me how I could have seen a thing like that if I had made the NBA out of college! You just can’t make this stuff up.

Link: Gabe Muoneke's blog on Hoopshype

Injuries Galore for Spurs' Big Three

2007-12-13T17:34:00.001-06:00

Timmy Duncan continues to miss games after his knee and ankle issues, but the Spurs have been a respectable 2-1 without him heading into their road game with the Lakeshow. Ginobili's back-to-back 37 point games have carried the offense, but it turns out he's had a bum thumb since Portland.

News coming out of SA is that Parker has been banged up as well. Duncan is reportedly ready to return, but Parker will miss at least one game because of a sprained right ankle he's endured since a late November game with the Timberwolves.

It may cost them a few games, but better to get them healthy now then try to play for homecourt advantage in December. The injuries have also opened up opportunities for role players to get some confidence. Darius Washington was brought back up from Austin after tearing up the D-League and Matt Bonner had a career game of 25 points and 17 rebounds against the Warriors.

Sigh Of Relief, Duncan's Injury "Minor"

2007-12-03T17:20:00.000-06:00

From ESPN: Duncan out vs. Mavs; knee treated as 'short-term' injury

The San Antonio Spurs received some encouraging news Monday afternoon when an MRI exam came back negative on Tim Duncan's right knee and right ankle, both injured in the first half of Sunday's home victory over Portland.

Duncan has been ruled out of Wednesday's showdown with San Antonio's longstanding rivals from Dallas, but Spurs spokesman Tom James said that a firm diagnosis on how long Duncan will be out is at least a day or two away.

The Spurs say they want to see how Duncan responds to treatment before putting an estimate on his return date. But they are treating it as a short-term injury, which naturally comes as a great relief to the defending champs. Things didn't look especially promising when Duncan went down hard after tangling with Portland's James Jones in the second quarter Sunday, with the two-time MVP requiring the help of teammates to leave the floor.

"It's not a big deal at all," Spurs spokesman Tom James said.

"It's more scary than anything else -- at least that's what I'm hoping," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said initially.

Although Duncan's right knee is still sore, he'll be listed as inactive with a sprained right ankle Wednesday when the Mavericks visit the AT&T Center for the first time season. The Mavs won the teams' first meeting in Dallas on Nov. 15.

Even if Duncan winds up missing a week or two, San Antonio has a favorable schedule in December to cope with his absence. The Spurs are one of only two teams in the league still unbeaten at home this season at 10-0 -- Boston is the other at 9-0 -- and will be on the road for only three of their 12 games this month.

Timmy NOOOOOoOOOooo!

2007-12-02T17:08:00.000-06:00

Duncan sprains right ankle, bruises knee; will have MRI Monday

SAN ANTONIO -- San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan bruised his right knee and sprained his right ankle Sunday in the second quarter of their game against the Portland Trail Blazers.

The team said all of Duncan's ligaments appeared stable but that he would have an MRI on Monday. He was not to return to Sunday's game and the team said he would miss some playing time.

Duncan got caught up with Portland's James Jones and fell to the floor near the Spurs' basket with 7:40 left in the half. He was clutching his knee and had to be helped off the floor by two of his teammates.

Hopefully, he's fine long-term. In fact, it could have been a lot worse, but we'll know more on Monday. He'll probably miss a week or two. In case you were wondering, it's not the same knee that he had surgery on in 2000.

Austin Toros Roster Updates

2007-11-30T18:00:00.000-06:00

Ian Mahinmi and Darius Washington were both sent to Austin over the course of the last couple of weeks. Washington tore it up in his first game with the Toros: 32 points (28 in the second half). If he develops, he could be the heir apparent to Jacque Vaughn rather than just the guy who helped make Beno expendable.

Mahinmi, on the other hand, has been up and down. He's averaging a respectable 13 points and 7 rebounds a game in the D-league (which is far more guard-oriented than the NBA). Unfortunately, he's also a foul and turnover machine. He's a freak athlete, but still a work in progress. Of course, just because he can dunk, some Spurs fans think he should be starting today (see: White, James).

Perhaps the weirdest roster update is the re-acquisition of Marcus Williams. He scored 12 points against Sioux Falls in his first game. Someone still has hope for the guy, but I'd be fairly amazed if he ever works his way onto the Spurs roster.

The Return Of Small Ball

2007-11-27T14:29:00.001-06:00

Prior to their 112-99 collapse against Sacramento Monday night (a.k.a. Beno’s wrathful revenge), the Spurs had set a franchise record for best start to a season at 12-2. Sure, they’ve had a cakewalk schedule, but they’ve also been taking care of business. So take every critical statement with a grain of salt, because the Spurs are winning.

But recent trends in playing time have brought forth a resurfacing of sorts: the dreaded small ball.

For the more dedicated of Spurs fans, you recognize the lineup immediately. Duncan mans the center, flanked by any group of Ginobili, Parker, Bowen, Barry, or Finley (with Finley generally manning the power forward position).

When it works, the Spurs play magnificent finesse basketball. The lane opens up for Duncan, and opposing teams sag off of the plethora of shooters. Recently, the Spurs won a high scoring affair with Orlando by predominantly playing small ball, matching up against a Magic team that plays Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis at the power forward.

Other times, it backfires, like it did against the Kings. Fabricio Oberto tore up the Kings on the interior for 13 points on 6-7 shooting in the first half, but received little playing time as the Spurs started falling behind.

Statistically, the recent pension for small ball has been most readily reflected in Francisco Elson's minutes. Through their first 11 games, Elson averaged 20.1 minutes a game, all off the bench. In the last 4 games he's averaged 8.3 minutes a game, sacrificing minutes (mostly) to Brent Barry. Barry hadn't registered more than 22 minutes in a game all season, but is averaging slightly over 22.1 in the last 6.

The lingering question is whether this style of play best suits the Spurs (or, more specifically, if they can win in the playoffs this way).

Spurs fans remember small ball not stacking up against the Dallas Mavericks in the 2006 playoffs. We also saw it work, albeit inconsistently, against the Phoenix Suns in 2007. According to 82games.com, the lineup of Barry, Finley, Parker, Ginobili, and Duncan was actually one of the better lineups the Spurs put out in '06-07, with a +26 point differential. Statistically, small ball isn't necessarily a bad things for the Spurs.

But stats don't show everything. By playing small, the Spurs often buy into another team's style of play. It generally means that they've been taken out of their traditional two-big lineup. The Kings and Mavs both did they by getting double-digit leads on the Spurs. The Magic also forced the Spurs to play small, but the Spurs managed to hit their shots and eventually put the defensive clamps down.

The Spurs love their flexibility. They can run with the Suns or slug with the Rockets. But small ball isn't usually a tactical strategy by Pop, it's a last ditch effort when his team is struggling.

Like I said, the Spurs are winning, so this may all be trivial. But if other teams (namely Dallas) can force the Spurs to adjust to the small style of play, the Spurs may find themselves sacrificing their defensive foundation for a game of catch up.

Marcus Williams Waived By Toros

2007-11-20T16:08:00.000-06:00

Talk about a bust. Picked 33rd in the draft after coming out of college early, Williams was waived by the Spurs after a pathetic summer league and preseason (3.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, 4.2 bonehead plays a game). I don't know if there is any other player in the league selected higher in this year's draft that is not on any sort of roster right now.

So, to sum up, Marcus Williams not worthy of the Austin Toros roster, where tattooed West Virginia boy Kevin Pittsnogle was the 12th overall pick. Just putting things in perspective.

Ten Reasons I Hate The Dallas Mavericks

2007-11-16T13:56:00.000-06:00

1. They have the worst fans in the NBA. Spoiled rich kids all around. Did you see the planned "green out" last night? It was a miserable failure. Nobody wore the shirts because they didn't want to change out of their collared polos or sports coats. And it was supposed to support the troops. Embarrassing.

2. I hate everything about the wannabe-pot-smoking-thug Josh Howard. Way to punch someone in the back of the head during preseason, by the way.

3. Jason Terry punched Michael Finley in the man parts. I knew not to do that by middle school.

4. I hate everything about cocky-rat-boy Devin Harris.

5. The fans actually have the audacity to boo Finley after all the years he put in there. He was released by the organization, he didn't ask for a trade or Marbury his way out of town. Yet they boo him. Amazing. Watch Spurs fans cheer for Avery Johnson when his number is retired this December, and you'll learn something about loyalty.

6. They are, collectively, the ugliest team in basketball, and the camera continues to zoom in on free throw attempts. Jason Terry looks like a rodent, Stackhouse looks like he should be in Geico commercials, and Howard needs a lot more than braces to fix that mess.

7. Dirk Nowitzki just kills the Spurs. He's pretty damn good, and it pisses me off.

8. They could only win with a Spur as their head coach.

9. The whole "muddy River Walk" thing. You know, it is an actual river. It's on mud. It also generates millions in tourism for the city. As opposed to Dallas, which has...uh....banks. Nice going, Cuban.

10. They are the image of the "new" NBA...tons of finesse play, isolation plays, and high scores. They are the embodiment of how the league has become wimpier.

Anyways, now that I've vented, I'll try to sum up the game in a paragraph or so. Devin Harris looks like an All-Star when he plays against the Spurs, probably because he's compared to Tony Parker every day. Parker, in case nobody noticed, single-handedly blew the first quarter for the Spurs with a sequence of turnovers. He looked banged up, too. Not good. Manu, Duncan, Vaughn and Barry (both of whom returned from injury) were the only Spurs that came to play. Oh well, it's November. Hopefully they figure the Mavs out by playoff time.

The Week In Video (11/4-11/11)

2007-11-11T23:12:00.000-06:00

Manu slings it in to Oberto:

Manu on Yao...again.

Parker scoop against Hilton Armstrong:

Francisco Elson on 78-year-old Penny Hardaway:

The Buck Stops Here

2007-11-11T22:36:00.000-06:00

(I need to make a habit of cheesy titles).

From the Spurs' 25 point rout of the Milwaukee Bucks:

- Manu is playing the best basketball he's played since the 2005 playoffs. 21 points in 18 minutes. Thankfully, he didn't have to play much tonight. He already has a tight quad and it flared up on him against New Orleans. The fewer minutes he has to play right now, the better.

- The Spurs outscored the Bucks by 31 points while Duncan was in the game.

- Jake Voskuhl (Bucks backup center) is balding but still sucks, disproving the theory that Manu's alopecia is directly tied to his ridiculous awesomeness.

- Barry missed his second straight game with a bum ankle, so Ime Udoka got to see some minutes....sorta. He played 27 minutes, but didn't do much of anything and only had one field goal.

- Finley caught fire, his first good game of the season. 7-12 for 17 points. He and Ginobili almost had as many points as the entire Bucks team in the first quarter.

- Ian Mahinmi could be really, really good someday. Just a beast. He's like Dwight Howard (as a rook) without the muscle. He's also really hard to tell apart from Elson on the TV...it's annoying.

- Matt Bonner is a total spaz. Darius Washington is tough as nails. Fransico Elson is playing great despite having monster butterfingers syndrome.

Duncan Arrives, Stings Hornets

2007-11-09T22:27:00.000-06:00

From the Spurs 97-85 victory over the Hornets:

- After a few paltry performances, it was good to see Duncan back to form. Duncan had 24 and 12 with 4 blocks while dominating the Hornets' frontcourt.

- Everyone talks about how fast Parker is, but Chris Paul is pretty quick, too. Parker torched him by playing smarter that Paul did (27 points and 8 assists, including a few miracle layups that he makes seem pedestrian). Sniffle....he's all grown up.

- Ginobili keeps making plays. Not just scoring, but just plays. In one sequence, he made a three, got a steal, made an amazing pass to Parker, and swiped a rebound. He had 10 boards tonight. He's just kinda nuts. Look at that picture. Nobody would do that unless something was sincerely wrong with their mental wellbeing. I love this guy.

- Michael Finley looks old. Really, really old. He gets no separation from his defender and is mastering the Malik Rose "pump fake the shot you take 3 times" routine. He shot 1-6 tonight and only got 17 minutes of run. Not saying he's done by any stretch, but he's not in form yet.

- Darius Washington looked like a rookie at the beginning of the year, but made some smart plays. He's aggressive, to say the least. 7 points and 0 turnovers for him.

- Peja Stojakovic got Bowened: 1-6, 2 points. Bruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuce.

Manu Reigns Supreme, Carries Spurs

2007-11-08T15:01:00.000-06:00

Last season, I wrote about Manu Ginobili's slow start. Ultimately, he was able to return to form by the 2007 playoffs, offering timely shooting and his usual competitive fire.

This year? Ginobili's reminding everyone what a summer of rest will do for you.

Through five games, Ginobili is averaging a team-high 20.8 points a game in a modest 30 minutes a night. He's shooting 45.8% from the three point line, and perhaps most importantly, getting to the line 9 times (considerably higher than his 5 attempts a game last season). His 5.6 assists and 2.6 steals per a game are also indicative of his do-everything style.

But, as always is the case with Manu, the numbers don't tell the whole story. The fact of the matter is that Ginobili is carrying the Spurs whenever he's on the court. Through 5 games, he's their central playmaker, their best outside shooter, and, above all else, their best competitor. He tears away rebounds from bigger players (like he did against Miami) and steals outlet passes (like he did in Houston, leading to the vicious dunk on Yao). In the embarrassing loss to the Houston Rockets, Ginobili single-handedly kept the Spurs in the game with pure competitiveness.

Against Miami, Ginobili looked like his 2005 self; an unstoppable slasher with an array of floaters, fadeaways, and methods of dribble penetration.

And in case anyone forgot, he's doing it from the bench.

While Duncan quietly struggles to regain form (16 points a game on 47.5% shooting), Parker and Ginobili have carried the load. Bowen, Finley, Barry, and Oberto have all struggled to find their offensive rhythm. Each player is averaging fewer points than last season, and while early, it's obvious that the Spurs need someone to be their go-to-guy while they round into form.

Ginobili is the guy, and if he plays at this level for the next few months, the leading candidate for 6th man of the year may find himself on the All-Star team as well.

Spurs Start 3-0, Rotation Unsettled

2007-11-03T12:37:00.001-06:00

The Spurs played their best game of the season Friday night, granted they beat up a hapless Sacramento team 96-80. For the first time this season, the defense actually showed up.

We'll give Bowen and company a mulligan for the closer-than-it-should-have-been Portland game on opening night because of the emotions of the ring ceremony. The win in Memphis, while close, was good stuff considering that the Spurs beat a running team on the second night of a back-to-back.

The one uncertainty with the Spurs at this point is their rotation. Robert Horry is returning next week after missing the last 3 to deal with "personal business". Matt Bonner has gotten good playing time in his absence and has been adequate. Elson has been getting minutes but still shows that the things he's best at are dunking and disappearing from the game...and he doesn't get to dunk a whole lot.

Ime Udoka, the only Spur that hadn't seen action after two games, tore it up in garbage time against Sacramento. Udoka had 14 points (3-4 from downtown) and 6 rebounds in just 24 minutes. He also showed surprising quickness. Popovich claimed that Udokawas "down the line" but "will get his chance".

Oh, and Beno got his ring after signing with the Kings. Good for Beno, since he'll play in a more open offense in Sac-town.

2007-2008 Spurs Season Preview

2007-10-30T13:04:00.000-06:00

This article originally published at Realgm.com.

Dynastic? Maybe. Boring? To the casual fan, sure. Winners? Undoubtedly.

The firm of Tim Duncan and Gregg Popovich has picked up four rings in the last nine years, winning the 2005 and 2007 Finals by being the most methodical, reliable, and versatile team in the NBA. They can win a war of attrition by scoring 80 a game (ask the Cavs) as quickly as they’ll win by dropping 100 (ask the Suns). That versatility, paired with three All-Star talents and a myriad of high character specialists, has made the Spurs the premier franchise in sports.

The Spurs don’t just beat you, they watch you beat yourself. The Spurs allowed a league low 90.2 points per a game last season. They are also one of the most efficient offensive teams in the league, scoring a very respectable 98.5 a contest despite being 27th in the league in pace factor (number of possessions per 48 minutes).

The Spurs aren’t getting any younger, but they were written off for that reason last year. The team is graying around the edges (literally); Michael Finley (34), Brent Barry (35), and Bruce Bowen (36) probably have two more years in them. Robert Horry (37) may be entering his final NBA season.

Despite their collective ages, the Spurs machine has shown no immediate signs of slowing. They make up for their lack of athleticism with defensive chemistry and savvy veteran play. The starting backcourt of Manu Ginobili and an ever-improving Tony Parker is the fastest in the league, and, in case anyone forgot, their power forward may be the best…not just in the league, but ever.

Unlike the other Western Conference powers, the Spurs face no real questions coming into the 2007-2008 season. Their core roster is intact, and they’ve added some subtle pieces, most notably Ime Udoka from Portland. Their biggest loss in the offseason comes in the form of P.J. Carlesimo (now coaching Kevin Durant in Seattle), but the Spurs have shown a pension for choosing the right personnel to elevate within the organization (Mike Budenholzer will take his play alongside coach Pop).

As has been the case for the past decade, the Spurs are primed for championship contention, and whether anyone outside of Texas wants to watch is incidental.

POINT GUARD

In case you hadn’t heard, the kid grew up fast. In fact, everything about Tony Parker is fast. An NBA point guard at 19, a champion in his second season, and a married All-Star by 25, Parker uses that same quickness to race by opposing guards with regularity.

While an All-Star, Parker didn’t become one of the best point guards in the game until he learned how to slow down a bit. In 2007, he saw the game better, limiting his turnovers (3.1 per 40 from 3.7 the previous season) and developing a keen sense of when to run and when to set up the half court offense.

Parker’s vastly improved jumper made him virtually unstoppable. He was judicious with his three point shooting, but when open, hit at a respectable 39.5% clip. He consistently hit from the 18-20 foot range and upped his free throw shooting to 78.7%, about 8% higher than his career average. Parker, while not a ballhawk, is an underrated defender who is able to stay in front of anyone, despite getting muscled out of the way by bigger guards like Baron Davis or Chauncey Billups.

The backup position is a little hazy. Jacque Vaughn (calf) is limited by injuries and a lack of talent. As I’m typing this, the Spurs have announced that they have traded Beno Udrih to Minnesota for a future second round pick. Darius Washington is a rookie, so the Spurs may have to rely on Brent Barry or Manu Ginobili to play some point unless the 32 year old Vaughn heals quickly.

SHOOTING GUARD

Few players, if any, are more competitive than Manu Ginobili. The veritable Renaissance man for the Spurs can do it all and is undoubtedly the heart of a team that is generally described as “robotic”.

Ginobili is an absolute star, but his numbers suggest otherwise. His averages of 16.5 points and 3.5 assists per a game seem modest until you look at his minutes played (27.5 a game). Few All-Star caliber players play under 30 minutes a game, but Ginobili’s hectic, physical style of play and age (30) led to a reduction in his regular season minutes.

Stretch his numbers over 40 minutes, and you have an absolute monster. Ginobili’s averages of 24.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 2.1 steals per 40 legitimize his status as an absolute stud. He is one of the best thieves and rebounders at his position, and has reconstructed his midrange game to avoid taking so many hits at the rim (his free throws per a game dipped from 5.5 to 5.0 a game). In addition, he’s a proven winner at every level, and a genuine “team first” guy that’s willing to come off the bench.

The only problem with Ginobili is that he consistently puts himself at risk of injury with his style of play. For the Spurs, that means that 34 year old Michael Finley will continue to see over 20 minutes a game. Finley has become a jump shooter instead of a slasher from the wing, but he’ll continue to get open looks from Parker and Duncan.

As if the Spurs weren’t already stacked at the position, rumor around camp is that Brent Barry (coming off his best year as a Spur) is shooting lights out. Bones Barry shot a ridiculous 44.6% from three in 2007, up almost 5% from his respectable career average. Like Finley, his age dictates that he’ll be utilized as little more than a spot up shooter.

SMALL FORWARD

Bruce Bowen can only do two things: defend and shoot corner threes. The thing is, he does them really, really well. His 38.4% from three in 2006-2007 was down from his 42.4% the previous season, but Bowen, an underrated clutch shooter, hit 44.6% in the playoffs.

His greatest value is on the defensive end, where he consistently makes life difficult on the likes of Lebron James and Kobe Bryant. Bowen isn’t a shutdown defender by any stretch of the imagination (there is no such thing in the NBA anymore), but he definitely makes life hard on the opposition. He may be losing a step at 36, but his endurance and preparation is still top notch.

Ime Udoka was signed from Portland over the summer to be the Spurs’ baby-Bruce. A tough, but not overly athletic, wing player, Ime has also shown a pension for hitting the corner shot (over 40% last season). Unlike Bowen, he has limited ball handling abilities, adding even more versatility to the roster.

POWER FORWARD

Tim Duncan doesn’t have the touch of Dirk Nowitzki or the attitude of Kevin Garnett. He can’t jump 40 inches like Amare and can’t race around defenders like Chris Bosh. But he’s still better than them all.

One of the last consistent low post threats in the game, Duncan remains the fulcrum of the Spurs’ system on both ends of the floor. The mere threat of Duncan’s post up game makes everyone on the court better. It opens up lanes for Parker and Ginobili, it makes shots for Bowen and Finley, and it creates easy cuts for Fabricio Oberto. Along with Jason Kidd and Steve Nash, Duncan is the pinnacle for making his teammates better.

At 31, Duncan is in the second phase of his career. He’s seldom relied upon to put up 30 points a game, instead deferring to his teammates. Duncan took fewer shots a game (14.1) than his entire career but upped his assists per a game (4.0 per 40) to match his career high. Suspiciously, Duncan’s turnovers were his highest since 1999-2000, which is either the sign of a loss of quickness or making more risky passes, if not both.

If teams dare to single cover him, he’ll burn them, as shown by his 26.8 points a game against the Phoenix Suns in the Western Semis. When teams double, he distributes, like he did by dishing out 5.4 dimes a game against the Nuggets in the opening round of the playoffs. The only team that did put the clamps on Duncan was Cleveland, and they did so by letting Tony Parker get open paths to the bucket at will.

Duncan is also arguably the best positional defending big man in the league. He is a legitimate shot blocker and manages to stay out of foul trouble on most occasions. When he does pick up fouls, it helps to have Robert Horry coming off the bench. Known for his clutch shooting, his leadership and defense are also integral to the Spurs.

CENTER

The center position has been in flux since the departure of David Robinson, but 2007-2008 shows a little stability. Fabricio Oberto and Francisco Elson will compete for time, with Elson probably getting more time early to prove himself.

Elson is the more athletic of the two centers. While a decent rebounder (10.1 per 40), he’s easily muscled out of the lane. He’s more of a shotblocking force than Oberto, but also finds himself out of position more often. Oberto has an incredibly high basketball IQ and plays with guts, but is limited athletically. Ian Mahinmi, the nimble 20 year old from France, shouldn’t be seeing the court much this year.

As in the case with the Dallas Mavericks, the Spurs ask that their centers play great defense, set screens, and make smart cuts on offense…anything else is gravy.

2007-2008 Projected Record: 59-23
Playoffs: NBA Finals (champs until someone proves otherwise)

Elliot Cole maintains a San Antonio Spurs blog at www.thesilverandblack.blogspot.com and can be reached at elliot.cole@yahoo.com.

Duncan Takes Less Money in 2 year, $40 million Extension

2007-10-30T12:47:00.000-06:00

From Johnny Ludden at Yahoo.com (we'll miss you Johnny):

With NBA commissioner David Stern set to present Tim Duncan his fourth championship ring on Tuesday, the San Antonio Spurs forward has made it clear he has no plans to leave the court – or San Antonio – anytime soon.

Duncan has reached agreement with the Spurs on a two-year, $40 million extension that figures to give the team enough salary-cap flexibility to continue to surround him with a competitive support cast in the waning seasons of his career, two sources with knowledge of the deal said Monday.

By signing the extension, which is expected to be finalized within the next few days, Duncan forfeits his option to become a free agent after this season. He will be under contract with the Spurs until the summer of 2012.

The article goes on to elaborate on the cap figures, and it's worth checking out. Timmy took $40 million over two years (no paltry sum), but he could have had $51 million under cap rules.

Got that? He gave up $11 million. So the Spurs could spend it elsewhere.

It's not unprecedented...Kevin Garnett just did the same thing in Boston. But it is another example of Duncan's priorities. The extension will kick in during the 2009-2010 season, when Duncan and Parker will be the only Spurs under contract. This gives the organization a few more dollars and cents to throw at free agents to surrounding the stars during Duncan's waning years.

Honestly, this news is better than Beno being traded.

Beno Udrih Traded, Parade Scheduled for Thursday.

2007-10-29T18:31:00.000-06:00

"SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Spurs announced today that they have traded guard Beno Udrih to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for a protected 2008 second round draft pick.

The 6-3 Udrih was selected by the Spurs in the first round of the 2004 NBA Draft, with the 28th overall pick. In three seasons in San Antonio he appeared in 207 regular season games, averaging 5.2 points and 1.8 assists in 13.0 minutes"

From: Spurs.com.

We waited and waited on Beno to be Tony Parker's backup, but he seemed to regress after an impressive rookie season. His inconsistency, coupled with the fact that he had lived in Pop's doghouse longer than his actual pets, had telegrammed his way out of San Antonio over the past year. Still, I'll miss that smug, pretty boy smile. Here's to the good times, Beno...don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Marcus Williams Out, Darius Washington In

2007-10-28T15:59:00.000-06:00

Last week, I posted about 2nd round draft pick Marcus Williams stinkin’ up the joint in summer league and preseason. He looked lost on the court, couldn’t shoot to save his life, and showed a rock-like basketball IQ.

Undrafted Darius Washington didn’t have those problems, but, unlike Williams, he may have a roster spot. The disappointing Williams was cut to make way for Washington, who seems to have landed the 15th and final roster spot.

While the Spurs likely wasted their second round pick on Williams (it was a surprising pick in the first place…an unpolished domestic player who left college early isn’t the forte of the organization), Washington will provide better insurance at the point guard position. The Spurs point guards are struggling with various injuries or possible fatigue: Jacque Vaughn (calf), Tony Parker (heavy minutes), and Beno Udrih (generally sucktitude…er, broken finger) made another point guard more valuable than a young wing that wouldn’t playing a minute all season.

So, as the season nears (two days til’ opening night), here’s the 2007-2008 Spurs depth chart, from 1-15.

PG: Tony Parker, Jacque Vaughn, Beno Udrih, Darius Washington
SG: Manu Ginobili, Michael Finley, Brent Barry
SF: Bruce Bowen, Ime Udoka
PF: Tim Duncan, Robert Horry, Matt Bonner
C: Fabricio Oberto, Francisco Elson, Ian Mahinmi

Playing Catch Up

2007-10-22T13:26:00.000-06:00

Long time since I posted about Ime Udoka's signing, so we're playing catch up on all the details:

- Francisco Elson broke his face, but he's back now, granted he looks like the Phantom of the Opera.

- Manu Ginobili is apparently murdering everyone in practice. A full summer of rest will do that for you.

- San Antonio signed their usual group of "summer league/preseason invite" just to fill up the roster and give Timmy and the like a rest. While the odds of anyone making the Spurs roster in preseason is slim to none, Darius Washington at least made people notice him.

- Beno Udrih broke his finger,meaning...well, absolutely nothing, actually.

- Ian Mahinmi is kind of a freak.

- Marcus Williams (second round selection) hasn't done much to impress anyone. He'll be playing minor league ball with the Toros.

- Mike Budenholzer, who has graduated to Pop's right hand man after the departure of P.J. Carlesimo to Seattle, has gotten the chance to coach a few preseason gamesand he's done quite admirably. Smart move by Pop.

- Avery Johnson will have his number 6 retired by the San Antonio Spurs. Not everyone like it, but if you don't cheer for AJ on December 22nd, you have no business being at the game in the first place.

Spurs Sign Udoka....Finally

2007-08-16T16:27:00.000-06:00

The more neurotic of Spurs fans had a good time waiting for this one, but it's official that the Spurs have inked Ime to be Bowen's mini me in the upcoming years. Terms were not disclosed, but the contract is 2 years for around $2 million, which is a bargain.

I assume my readers know the Spurs inside and out, so I won't go into detail about what Udoka offers the Spurs (for that, check out a decent article here). . What a lot of people missed out on is that he's also a character guy, winning the NBDL's Jason Collier Sportsmanship Award. Spurs guy all the way.

Now, we go into the barren wasteland of the offseason lull...no free agent drama, no summer games, no draft. All there is to do is bask in the glory of four championships. Tough, I know.

White Released, Roster Stands at 12

2007-07-24T13:04:00.000-06:00

Not long ago I wrote of James White's miserable showing in summer league play. Sure enough, the Spurs saw fit to release the athletic White, bringing to an end the immediate hope of a young, dynamic small forward with length.

Unfortunately, he's also selfish, and doesn't know basketball very well. It's amazing they stuck with him this long, really.

By cutting White Monday, the Spurs saved a $100,000 roster bonus they would have owed him, bringing the Spurs ever closer to sub-luxury tax level (and more importantly giving them a few extra dollars in the free agent market). This essentially reduces the team roster to 12 when taking into account the inevitable release of Vassilis Spanoulis, the guard acquired in the Luis Scola/Jackie Butler trade with the Rockets.

The Spurs have yet to sign Marcus Williams, their second round pick from Arizona. Other than free agent Ime Udoka, a likely candidate for taking a spot on the Spurs' bench is Frenchman Ian Mahinmi, the 2005 first round pick of the Spurs.

Spurs Targeting Ime Udoka?

2007-07-13T20:26:00.000-06:00

In the aftermath of the Luis Scola/Jackie Butler trade to Houston, the Spurs have a few extra bucks to spend. According to the ever-reliable Marc Stein, the Spurs saved an estimated $7 million in the trade.

Upon hearing about the trade, Vassilis Spanoulis still insists he won't be coming to the NBA. Luis Scola, on the other hand, has reached a 3 years, $10 million dollar deal with the Rockets. Based on how quickly the deal was reached with Houston, it was safe to assume he would never have signed with the Spurs had they held his rights (justifying the trade).

So where do the Spurs turn their attention with their extra money? A Blazers insider firmly believes the Spurs have made Udoka an offer. At 29, he's a tough, mature defensive-minded player capable of hitting the three (he hit at a 40.6% clip last year). Udoka was a journeyman until last year, when he finally became a regular starter in his first full season in the NBA.

There are still a few other attractive wing players left on the market ( Golden State's Mickael Pietrus and Matt Barnes, amongst others), but few within the Spurs price range. A journeyman defender who can hit a few threes? Should sound pretty familiar already in San Antonio.

Butler and Scola Traded (Finally)

2007-07-12T19:35:00.000-06:00

From Johnny Ludden at MYSA.com:

The Spurs have agreed to trade center Jackie Butler and Argentine forward Luis Scola to the Houston Rockets for guard Vassilis Spanoulis, a future second-round pick and cash considerations, an NBA source said Thursday evening.

Spanoulis, who played sparingly for the Rockets last season, is expected to remain in Europe.

So after all the hype about trading the rights to Luis Scola, this is what it comes down to? Saving a few bucks with the hope that it can be spent elsewhere?

I suppose it's smart from an economic standpoint, but not sexy at all. At the very least, the Spurs pried away a draft pick from someone. My guess is Houston wanted either Butler or Scola, and the Spurs would only agree to a deal if the other was included, thereby getting rid of Butler's $2.4 million dollar contract. (If I had to guess, I would imagine Houston would be coveting Scola, a guy that can help at Yao). Rest assured the Spurs have little interest in Spanoulis. He may never play in the NBA again after a sour experience with the Rockets (he was guaranteed playing time by the management, but Van Gundy had other plans...this after Spanoulis took less money to come to Houston).

However, the Spurs usually save cash with the intention of spending it on other players (Holt isn't afraid to go a little into the luxury tax), so here's to hoping they have their sights set on a free agent. This could very well mean that Ian Mahinmi, the young French center, finds his way onto the Spurs' roster this upcoming year. He wouldn't play at all, but I doubt it would do him any harm to start getting acclomated to the NBA and San Antonio, so it's probably a good decision.

Still, it's bittersweet. Bringing Scola over held so much promise, and yet Spurs fans will get so little in his place. The Spurs front office must have known he would never be a contributor in San Antonio (I'm sure the drafting of Tiago Splitter made him expendable as well). On the surface, a pretty lousy trade, but I would be amiss to neglect the fact that R.C. Buford and company know what they're doing 99% of the time and probably have plans for spending that moolah.

James "Flight" White's Summer Struggles

2007-07-12T12:34:00.001-06:00

For a team commonly labeled "boring" James White is a departure from the norm. His youth, athleticism, and freakish dunks (take a look at this one for starters) show glimmers of his potential, and the Spurs took a flyer on the guy last season, burying him deep on the bench.

Over the season, it was expected that White would learn the system and perhaps even be able to contribute in the 2007-2008 season.

Now, he's fighting for a roster spot.

Henry Abbott over at True Hoop writes: "I have a feeling that James White won't make it big as a Spur. He has been marinating in their culture for several months now, and he's still calling for the ball all the time. playing only OK defense, and shaking his head every time a teammate fails to send him an alley-oop lob. I'm no expert on Spurs culture, but from what I have seen in the regular season, that is not it."

ESPN's Marc Stein echoes similar sentiments:"The champs still hope to inject their rotation with athleticism and White is getting a prime shot to impress them after basically spending a year as an apprentice, learning the team's culture. There is a great deal of curiosity in San Antonio, given White's dunking reputation, about what he can do in game situations and what he has learned.

The answer, sadly, appears to be not much."

Jonny Ludden of the Express-News has seen the same: "White, meanwhile, hasn't looked as if he learned much during his rookie season with the Spurs. While the 6-foot-7 guard is amazingly athletic, he's struggled to finish at the rim after absorbing contact. His defense has been lacking, at best.

If White doesn't improve in Utah, where coach Gregg Popovich is expected to attend games, the Spurs could decide to waive him before Aug. 1 when his contract will guarantee him $100,000."

A "me first" guy that doesn't like contact or defense? Good luck finding your way onto the Spurs. With rumors swirling about trading Butler and Barry, the organization won't be handing out roster spots to promising young guys if those players don't respond with noticeable improvement. White still has a chance to be a rotation player in this league, but unless he starts playing the game the right way, the only flight he'll be taking is out of San Antonio.

Spurs Offseason Comes Into Focus

2007-07-04T18:06:00.000-06:00

The free agency period started on July 1st, and while the league is wheeling and dealing ($40 million for Anderson Varejao???), the Spurs seem to be content standing pat. Finley opted to exercise his player option early on, and over the last week the Spurs have resigned Jacque Vaugh and Fabricio Oberto, while agreeing to terms with free agent Matt Bonner today.

Contracts:
Fabricio Oberto – 3 years/$10.5 million. (Unofficial, verbal agreement). Oberto Reaches Agreement

Matt Bonner – 3 years/$9 million.
Bonner Resigns With Spurs

Jacque Vaughn – 2 years/$2.5 million
Vaughn Resigns

What do the signings tell us?

That the Spurs are playing it safe (and why the hell not?). Other than the departure of Melvin Ely, the 2008 Spurs will look very similar to the 2007 Spurs. But another indication of their plans may be that they got these deals done extremely quickly, signaling that they were committed to these 3 guys, or that they didn’t land one of the guys they were looking at (Matt Carroll was supposedly on their radar, but has reached a verbal agreement to remain in Charlotte).

Vaughn comes in at the veteran’s minimum, so it’s a no-brainer. He has the selflessness, hustle, and defensive prowess that symbolizes the Spurs. Plus, he found his jumper in the playoffs.

Bonner is probably the most surprising resigning, but he’s not overly expensive and should be coming into his prime. Plus, with Horry possibly in his last season, he’s the only other big that can spread the floor. Not a bank-breaker, and the organization loves him.

Possible Trades:

The Spurs don’t have many moveable assets at this point. They have been looking to deal Udrih for some time, but they may be content to let him play out the last year of his contract. Brent Barry is in the last year of his 4 year, $21 million dollar deal, and his expiring contract may be appealing to some teams. Jackie Butler has 2 years left on his deal, but the last is a team option (meaning he is, essentially, in the last year of his deal). He hasn’t fit in well with the Spurs, so he could get dealt if the right deal comes.

Current Spurs Contracts total to roughly $70 million, meaning the team is right on the cusp of the luxury tax. I’ll spare you the number crunching, but the result is simple: the Spurs probably won’t be spending any money unless they move someone. They have their full MLE (it’ll be around $5 million), but few players in the market warrant them at that price (have a look for yourself).

Marcus Williams probably will not be on the roster this year, and Tiago Splitter will spend the season in Spain (meaning neither player counts against the cap). Ian Mahinmi may join James White and Jackie Butler in summer league play, but won’t come to the NBA for a few more years.

As it stands, the Spurs have only one open roster spot. The constant variable is Luis Scola, who looks less and less likely to ever be a Spur. If the Spurs do choose to trade his rights (Chicago has recently expressed interest), they could fill that extra roster spot. Otherwise, they may sign a veteran for a one year deal (Grant Hill or a cheap big man) or use the extra spot for versatility in the trade market.

Final Verdict:

Don’t expect much to change in Spurs land (and that’s a good thing), but you’ll continue to hear Butler/Beno/Barry trade rumors until a deal is done.

Splitting Open the Draft

2007-06-28T23:32:00.000-06:00

#28 Tiago Splitter, Brazil, TAU Ceramica. (PF/C, 22 years old, 6’11” 240)

Scouting Report:
(+) Splitter is, by all accounts, a skilled low post player with soft hands and all the tools to succeed. He has strong footwork, understands the game well, and gets easy buckets by running the floor well. Splitter is able to use his long arms and athleticism to get a lot of easy tips and put backs and possesses great speed at his position. Good court vision for a guy his size, enabling him to play the high post. Good overall defender with long arms and quick feet (Draft Express calls him one of the best defensive big men in Europe). He should be growing accustomed to upper level basketball, having spent the past season at TAU Ceramica of the Spanish ACB league (Luis Scola’s club).

(-) Not quite the bully you want a guy his size to be. Although he plays with intensity, he has yet to show consistent physical and mental aggressiveness. Could improve on his mid range shooting, something that has held him back considerably. Has a history of mild injuries, a red flag for a guy that is only 22.

How He Fits on the Spurs:
Splitter is a prototypical “dirty work” guy for TAU, and that won’t change in the NBA. Playing alongside the likes of Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, Splitter should find a place by just working hard, making cuts, and playing off of the All-Stars in San Antonio. If he can ever learn the game the way Fabricio Oberto has, than the Spurs are in great shape.

Splitter has played the high post and low post, and his versatility should help him play alongside Duncan. If he ever develops a midrange jumper it would do a lot to free up Timmy down low.

Unfortunately, the Spurs could be flirting with Scola version 2.0. Splitter is stuck in a buyout situation and won’t come to the NBA anytime soon. Spurs director of media services Tom James has already announced Splitter won’t come over this season and will not be part of the Spurs’ training camp.

He can develop into a scorer over time, but for the moment he’ll be asked to be a defensive presence, run the floor, and work the boards.

#33 Marcus Williams, Arizona (SG/SF, 20 years old, 6”7” 210)

Scouting Report:
(+) At 6’7” and a 7 foot wingspan, he’s got excellent size for a SG/SF. Like most rookies, he’ll need to put on some muscle, but the Spurs don’t exactly focus on bodybuilding-type wing guys. Great ballhandler and individual talent (several sites claim that he shined in 1-on-1 workouts). Very smooth with the ball, able to make his own shot off a solid crossover or create shots for others with his court vision. Instinctive type of player who improved his attitude from one year to the next at Arizona. Has put in a lot of effort to improve himself in the “hustle” parts of the game, working without the ball and getting out on the break.

(-) Williams may have a big upside, but he’s not as NBA ready as wing players the Spurs passed on such as Alando Tucker or Derrick Byars. He’s got a funky release on his shot, giving him an inconsistent and slow jumper. Despite his length, he isn’t extremely quick, and isn’t as solid a defender as he probably should be. More of a finesse guy who doesn’t show much toughness. He also tends to make questionable decisions in the clutch.

How He Fits on the Spurs:
At only 20 years old, he’s a project, but youth is definitely served on the perimeter. If he has the maturity and patience to learn from professionals like Michael Finley and Bruce Bowen, he could turn out to be a starter-type player down the road. More than anything, he has to learn that defense comes first with Popovich and company, and he’ll be a role player in the Spurs’ system.

He’ll have to work himself onto the roster in training camp and over the summer. Alongside James White, the Spurs suddenly have two long, finesse wing guys that could be key components 2-3 years down the line, but Williams will definitely have to earn his place. He’s shown the willingness and effort to improve, which is probably why the Spurs chose him over other talented wing players in the draft.

#58 Giorgos Printezis, Greece (SF/PF, 22 years old, 6’8” 210)

(Traded to Toronto for a 2008 second round pick).

Most of the information for the scouting reports came from NBAdraft.net and Draft Express. Both are worth checking out for more info.

Spurs Draft Preview

2007-06-26T13:27:00.001-06:00

(The post below is an expanded version of a draft preview published at RealGM.com.)

Even championship teams need to reload, and the Spurs are no exception. The Spurs are the oldest team in the NBA, and have to start looking towards a youth movement, especially on the perimeter. Backup point guard Beno Udrih was never able to find a groove with the Spurs coaching staff, averaging a career-low 37% shooting in mostly mop up duties. Jacque Vaughn isn’t the long term answer as Parker’s backup, and their wing players are mostly in their twilight years, including Brent Barry (35), Bruce Bowen (36) and Michael Finley (34). (Of course, we said the same thing last year, and they benefitted from not pulling the trigger on a midseason trade.)

Retaining the services of Michael Finley and Oberto (who just opted out but is expected to return) in free agency is a must, but the Spurs have to become younger and more athletic through the draft. While they’ve proven that they can win with their current formula, the Spurs’ front office is well aware that they need a young, bullish 3-4 hybrid player to put out on the floor when they want to go small (rumors had circled about the Spurs trading for Corey Maggette all season). Bowen and Ginobili have difficulties guarding bigger small forwards such as Carmelo Anthony and Bonzi Wells, but the Spurs are usually able to overcome the size mismatches with team defense.

Rookie James White, a highlight reel type of player picked up midseason of 06-07, could be the long term answer at the small forward slot, but the Spurs need more than one player to mold for the future. The list below is compiled taking into consideration how likely the player is to be available around the 28th pick, so Oden and Durant won't be on there (it's not a wish list, but a practicality one). Most fill positions of need and have intangibles the Spurs organization would like. So, without further ado...

The Silver and Black's Top Ten 2007 Draft Prospects

1.) Marco Belinelli, Italy >
It would be a surprise if Belinelli got by Phoenix at no. 24, but if he drops the Spurs shouldn’t pass him up. He could ultimately supplant Brent Barry in the lineup with his outside shooting and heady playmaking abilities. He’ll probably play more off guard in the NBA, but has the ballhandling and passing savvy of a point guard. Maybe the best sniper the draft has to offer (the Spurs love long distance shooters), but he’s also a solid athlete who will take it to the rim. Probably won't contribute immediately, but could be a solid 6th man two seasons from now.

Watch Belinelli Video

2.) Morris Almond, Rice

Almond is a pure scorer, but his high basketball IQ is what could help him fit in nicely on the Spurs. He gets to the line, finishes at the basket, and knocks down contested shots. If he can adjust to being a role player rather than “the man”, he could be a steal at #28. Having an explosive scorer like Almond could allow the Spurs to move Ginobili back into the starting lineup over time, a role Ginobili performs better in. Almond’s off-court characteristics…he’s intelligent, well spoken, and a team player…make him a great candidate to pair with the likes of Duncan and Popovich.

3.) Rudy Fernandez, Spain

Everyone is looking for the next Manu Ginobili, and Fernandez is only this far down the list because the odds are he'll be snagged around 19-24. A solid overall talent with a great first step, Fernandez is well liked for his ability to improve in almost every facet of his game. A great 1-on-1 and open court player, so the Warriors (pick 18) and Suns (pick 24) could have a lot of interest. Fundamentally sound, but still uses his explosive athleticism and offensive creativity to get around defenders. Can be a little careless at times, but so was Manu coming into the league.

Watch Fernandez Video

4.) Petteri Koponen, Finland

A crafty, tall point guard with eyes in the back of his head, Koponen could be everything that Spurs have been missing in the backup PG slot. Originally slated to be a second round pick, Koponen has apparently dazzled scouts at workouts and camps, perhaps warranting a late first round pick (if he does drop, the Spurs own pick #33 as well). Even though slight of frame, Koponen has got guts, and should be receptive to the tough attitude of the Spurs’ coaching staff. Whether he or Gabe Pruitt is drafted will dictate the fate of current backups Beno Udrih and Jacque Vaughn.

Watch Koponen Video 1
Watch Koponen Video 2

5.) Alando Tucker, Wisconsin

Tough, rugged perimeter guy that could contribute right away (not that the Spurs would need him to). Tucker's a mature player that could develop a great NBA midrange game over time, and has potential to be a decent three point shooter. He won't be the scorer he was in college, but he's the type of guy that can adapt to become a defensive specialist in the NBA, like a Lindsay Hunter or Raja Bell. There will never be a Bruce Bowen-like talent coming out of the draft, which makes it hard to replace a guy like Bowen. Bowen's skill set is built on work ethic, desire, and practice, not simply talent. That being said, Tucker seems to have the drive and tools to become a good defender in the NBA, and he's already worked out with the Spurs.

Watch Tucker Video

6.) Derrick Byars, Vanderbilt

He'll probably come off the board before the Spurs pick, but he could slide. A "total package" kind of guy with a nice touch from the perimeter and a great ability to get to the rim, Byars was the SEC player of the year in a league that featured a few notable guys from Florida. Has a high IQ and is a great ballhandler. Coach Popovich and company would need to instill some defensive discipline in him to make sure he's more than just a scorer at the next level. Lanky, athletic wing guys are all the rage in the league right now, abd Byars fits the bill.

Watch Byars Video

7.) Jared Dudley, Boston College

Slow as mud on the perimeter, so he could be a defensive liability. He's tough as nails inside though, and plays with heart night in night out. He could be the 3-4 Bonzi, Carmelo, Josh Howard type of guy the Spurs could use in their small lineups, taking pressure off of the likes of Bowen, Manu, and Finley. The only question is whether his defensive shortcomings would nullify his interior presence on a team this defensive-minded.

8.) Aaron Afflalo, UCLA

Like Tucker, Afflalo is an experienced player that will look towards defense to find his place in the league. Also, like Tucker, Afflalo should be around in the mid to late 20's and has already worked out for the Spurs. He is a smart, tough player that can easily transition from being a star in college to being a role player on an NBA club. Not a great 1-on-1 talent, so he'll have to invest some time in his jump shot to be a good offensive contributor. That being said, he's shown every indication that he'll do what it takes to improve.

Watch Afflalo Video

9.) Reyshawn Terry, North Carolina

People have been very high on Terry as of late, but the Spurs will always be tentative to draft a guy who has trouble keeping his head in the game. Despite his focus issues, Terry is a defensive gem: long, instinctive, tough and quick. He won't contribute much offensively, despite his athleticism, but could carve himself a place in the league on his defensive talents alone. That being said, he'll have to make sure he can do it for a full 48 minutes, rather than showing up from time to time.

Watch Terry Video

10.) Gabe Pruitt, USC

If the Spurs look for a backup PG, rumors are that it will be Koponen or Pruitt. Pruitt is more NBA ready, while Koponen may not even come over from Europe this coming year. However, the Spurs still have Beno Udrih on the roster for another year, and could bring back Jacque Vaughn, who was consistent on both ends of the court on their way to the 2007 championship this season. If they choose to bring Vaughn back, they won't want a 4th point guard on their roster, and may decide to draft Koponen. Otherwise, they could draft Pruitt, a quick, smart point, to fill in behind Parker immediately. Pruitt isn't a "true" point guard yet, but should be able to adapt to become a playmaker at the next level. His jumper is questionable and he needs to work on his point guard instincts, rather than penetrating at every opportunity.

Watch Pruitt Video

Submit your own list under the comments section, or email at elliot.cole@yahoo.com

The New Style of a Dynasty

2007-06-18T18:13:00.000-06:00

(Article Published at Realgm.com)

The Spurs dynasty has been the topic of debate since the Spurs took down the overmatched Cleveland Cavaliers to earn their 4th title in 9 years. Could a team be a dynasty if it had never repeated? Can a team be a true dynasty in the modern era, or has expansion changed the dynamic of the idiom?

Maybe labeling the Spurs “team” as a dynasty is misleading in the first place.

Yes, the San Antonio Spurs are a modern day dynasty, akin to the Yankees, Patriots, or Red Wings. Champions transcendent of the ebb and flow of the free agent market or the ever-changing style of play in the NBA, an organization capable of maintaining a winning pedigree despite changes in league rules, their competition, and their roster.

But it’s not a singular team that has garnered the “dynasty” identity for the Spurs. And perhaps that last part is what separates the Spurs from other NBA dynasties (no doubt the Celtics of the 60’s and 80’s, MJ’s Bulls or the Showtime Lakers). The Spurs dynasty is really as much a testament to an organization as it is a spectacular group of players.

Whereas Kobe and Shaq formed a great core, and the MJ/Pippen tandem held several great teammates, every dynastic team to this point has been just that; a dominant team, a group of players simply better than everyone else. Those teams would have several holdovers each offseason and maintain their stars. The teams would only lose their stride by outside influences (retirement, age, in-team fighting).

But the Spurs have reshaped the dynasty image, most notably because they haven’t won 4 championships in the last 9 years through one dominant team. Instead, the Spurs have been ever-versatile, reacting to the unpredictable free agent market that has forever altered the shape of the NBA. The 1999 Spurs share little in common with the 2007 version, which is no mirror image of the 2003 or 2005 teams. In fact, every subsequent Spurs team has been drastically different from the previous incarnation, something no other dynasty can claim. Here’s a breakdown of the Spurs’ 4 championship teams, and a few of the differences in each, including the starting lineups):

1999 (Avery Johnson, Mario Elie, Sean Elliott, Tim Duncan, David Robinson): The ‘99 Spurs were a defensive monster with little offensive prowess outside of Tim Duncan and David Robinson. A team built around aging veterans like Sean Elliott and Mario Elie to flank the All-Star centers, the Spurs featured little slashing perimeter play, instead opting to dump it inside on nearly every possession. They allowed…ready for this?....84.7 points per a game on 42% shooting, making them not only the best defensive team of that year, but arguably the best defensive team of the last decade. They went 15-2 during the playoffs with their slow style, sweeping the powerful Lakers and Trailblazers. While Spurs teams had certain inalienable themes (Duncan, defense, and discipline), this team took their defensive play to a new level, masking their offensive limitations.

2003 (Tony Parker, Stephen Jackson, Bruce Bowen, Duncan, Robinson): The era of David Robinson had come to an end, and in his final year he was no more than a solid role player for the Spurs. Duncan was the MVP of the league, but the entire team had changed around him. Other than Robinson, Malik Rose and little used Steve Kerr were the only holdovers from the 1999 team. Out were Elie, Elliott, and mini-coach Avery Johnson, in were young inexperienced players like Stephen Jackson, Tony Parker, and rookie Manu Ginobili…the last two still adjusting to the league. Again, the Spurs won with defense, but a younger core led to more fast break opportunities and a different style of play.

2005 (Parker, Manu Ginobili, Bowen, Duncan, Nazr Mohammed): The first championship without Robinson featured another huge change for the Spurs: Manu Ginobili became a star. The inconsistent rookie of 2003 was an unstoppable force in the playoffs, and earned a trip to the All-Star game during the regular season. The ’05 Spurs were versatile, and held only 1 carryover from 1999: Tim Duncan, who suddenly was looking his age, but a dominant player nonetheless. For the first time, Duncan had a perimeter star to play with, and a veteran core of shooters like Robert Horry and Brent Barry served to replace departed players like Jackson. The Spurs had become more flexible than ever, able to run with the Suns or body up with the Pistons en route to a championship.

2007: (Parker, Michael Finley, Bowen, Duncan, Fabricio Oberto): Again, a new ripple in the Spurs’ lineup. Aside from free agent additions and subtractions, Tony Parker emerged as a two time All-Star, winning the Finals MVP and becoming a consistent force in the playoffs after struggling in the clutch in previous years. The Spurs had reshaped themselves yet again, utilizing a new starting center (Fabricio Oberto) and a new starting two guard (Michael Finley) while bringing Ginobili off the bench. Duncan was still the core of the firepower-laden team, but they didn’t need him to score 20 points to win…an attribute the Spurs had never previously had.

(So which team is better? If I had to choose an order, the recent 2007 team would take top honors, followed by the 1999, 2005 and 2003 teams, respectively.)

But the point is that each team is considerably different. No team had the same starting lineup as the previous championship team did, and the Spurs have featured a revolving door of bench players over the years, from Terry Porter and Malik Rose to Brent Barry and Fransico Elson. Whether a new star emerged (Ginobili, Parker) or an older star departed (David Robinson), the Spurs’ front office has been versatile in their roster decisions, reshaping their core through foreign draft picks and veteran free agents to react to the changes of style in the NBA. The 1999 team couldn’t run with the 2007 NBA, but during that time the Spurs have adjusted appropriately, and made subtle alterations to an extent that no other NBA dynasty had to.

That’s what makes the Spurs dynasty so unique (and, in turn, so hotly contested), they haven’t had one identifiable team take over the last 9 years of the NBA. Outside of Duncan, no player that started the Spurs’ championship run has been on the roster since the beginning of 2005. The 2007 Spurs aren’t a version of any of their other previous championship teams, but rather an independent reflection of the perfect organization, constantly remaking themselves and restructuring their style of play around Duncan, creating different paths to the same result: the Larry O’Brien trophy.

Four Down: Champions

2007-06-15T21:07:00.000-06:00

Three Down: Downtown

2007-06-13T16:26:00.000-06:00

You will not find any statistics in this article.

Not the score, not the meager shooting or pathetic free throw percentages. I won’t type a single word about rebounding digits, missed layups, or assist to turnover ratios. We all know it was ugly, you don't need me to tell you that.

But a number did decide the game…(in your best Count von Count voice)…”3”. As in game 3, and more importantly the 3-point shot.

While the storylines echo the notion that Cleveland is trying to emulate the Spurs on the court and in the front office, the Cavaliers have failed to integrate one pivotal element, a subtle aspect of basketball that many NBA teams remarkably neglect in their rosters: shooting. Consider it a slight oversight on their part.

The Spurs, fortunately, know the value of long distance specialists.

In their dominance of the first two games these Finals it has been easy to overlook the fact that the Spurs’ shooters had yet to find their rhythm. They were riding Manu, Tony, and Timmy for all they were worth, and with their ease in getting at the basket there was almost no need for the snipers. But for Michael Finley, Brent Barry, Robert Horry and Bruce Bowen, you knew it was only a matter of time before the shooting showed up.

With Duncan in foul trouble, Parker picking his spots, and Ginobili still on the team bus, the team’s outside shooting became the unspoken 4th star to step up. Finley made his first appearance in the series, and Bowen actually carried the offense for stretches. Barry provided a lift from the bench that Manu couldn’t. Veteran players that you can count on finally arrived…players that the Cavs simply don’t have.

Did anyone actually expect Daniel Gibson to carry them from the outside line? Was Donyell Marshall going to open up their offense and give Lebron space to operate? Not likely. That’s the difference playoff experience makes; players can have bad games, but seldom have a bad series. While Marshall and Pavlovic hang their heads, Barry and Finley have the confidence to let the ball fly.

But the Cavs saw this coming. The knock on them all season was their lack of shooting. Yes, a combination of a hot Gibson and Lebron got them past Detroit, but maybe we should consider that a fluke. They didn’t have to perform from the perimeter to get past New Jersey (terrible interior defense) and Washington (terrible… well, everything after their injuries). The East is so weak that Lebron carried them through it almost single-handedly.

Remember the rumors about them trading for Mike Bibby or signing Michael Redd? Remember how everyone said they were a few shooters away? That hasn’t changed, the Cavs just got timely (or lucky). Gibson got hot at the right time against Detroit, and Marshall caught fire at the right time against New Jersey. With those shooting performances, people seemed to forget that they had terrible outside shooting for the rest of both series. And when they needed a 3 the most, the best they could muster was a 28 foot heave from Lebron.

(Who yes, was fouled, but no, would probably not have made 3 free throws.)

R.C. Buford and the Spurs, on the other hand, placed an emphasis on finding veteran shooters to surround their stars, and rightfully so. Time after time the Spurs knocked down open shots, while Cleveland’s role players froze with the ball in their hands. The 3-point shooting wasn’t there for the Spurs all series, but it showed up at the right time. In game 3, the 3 made the difference, and it could affect another “3”…the amount of trophies in the display cases of the AT&T Center.

Two Down: Poetry in Motion

2007-06-13T16:23:00.000-06:00
Second verse, same as the first.

(A little bit louder and a whole lot worse).

One Down: The Fresh Face of Tony Parker

2007-06-07T22:31:00.000-06:00

Yes, the all-around team defense on Lebron James will eat up most of the headlines tomorrow morning. Rightfully so, since his 4-16 performance was a big part of the Cavs’ offensive struggles (not to mention his terrible shot selection. I don’t care if he did hit back-to-back threes, they were bad shots).

But amidst Duncan’s domination and Lebron’s ineffectiveness, the underlying story of game 1 is the development of Tony Parker on the biggest stage. Parker consistently took over game 1of the 2007 Finals, carving up the defensive interior of the Cavs and making a living in the lane. He pushed the ball when they were sluggish, and picked the Cavs apart on the pick and roll in the half court set. Cavs coach Mike Brown admitted Parker “had us on our heels” the entire night, and he could make few adjustments to stop him.

That’s right, Tony Parker controlled the game. A game in the NBA Finals.

Sound surprising? It should. Amongst the Spurs faithful, Parker’s pension for fading in the limelight has been well documented. It wasn’t just that he was inconsistent, but that he had his worst games at the worst possible times, putting more pressure on Duncan and company to pick up the slack:

- In the clinching game of the 2003 NBA Finals, Parker’s notorious 4 point, 3 turnover feat would lead to his 4th quarter benching in favor of backup Speedy Claxton. He would average a paltry 7 points a game in the final three games of the series.

- Parker would continue to improve, but in the 2005 Finals his tendency to disappear remerged. In game 7, Parker would shoot a pedestrian 3-11 and finish with 8 points. He would average 12.3 points a game over the last three of the series.

So when the Spurs signed veterans like Nick Van Exel to back him up and looked to sign Jason Kidd in the 2003 offseason, it made perfect sense. The young point guard seemed to vanish in the clutch, and he would abandon his offensive aggressiveness at the first sign of trouble.

But this isn’t the same Tony Parker.

In game 1 of the 2007 Finals Parker would finish with 27 points on 12-23 shooting to go with 7 assists and 4 rebounds. When the Cavs took the lead, it was Parker that earned a quick bucket with a foul. After missing the free throw, it was Parker that sped to the rebound and got the putback amidst the Cavalier bigs.

The new Tony Parker wasn’t hesitant when things got tight. Instead, he came out with fire. He came out with responsibility on his shoulders, and delivered. When things got tight, it wasn’t that Parker stopped shooting…Pop screamed at Parker for not shooting enough. This Tony Parker didn’t back down, he stepped up right when the Spurs needed him to the most.

Next time down the court, Parker shot a laser pass to Francisco Elson in the open floor to put the Spurs up for good.

A high risk pass? Absolutely.

The best part? He did it anyways.

More Duncan Than Jordan

2007-06-04T12:59:00.001-06:00
Originally published at RealGM.com.

The storylines surrounding the 2007 NBA finals will inevitably focus on how these two organizations are so closely intertwined; a relationship fostered by similar principles, fortune, and, perhaps above all else, a surprisingly similar pair of superstars.

Yes, we know Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown was an assistant under Gregg Popovich. We also know that Cavs GM Danny Ferry won a championship with the Spurs in the 2003 Finals. But perhaps the greatest similarity between the two teams is in their franchise players: Tim Duncan and Lebron James.

I know what you’re thinking…the two players couldn’t be more dissimilar. Comparing the full court athleticism of The King to the inside dominance of Duncan is apples and oranges (or, in this case, tejano and rock and roll). Duncan’s kiss off the bank resembles little of Lebron’s high flying maneuvers. Lebron’s speed and quickness won’t remind anyone of Duncan’s methodical, fundamental footwork and poise.

All of the above is true, their similarities may not be evident on highlight reels or boxscores… but it’s what they have in common, not their differences, that have landed their respective teams in the NBA finals.

Both players were the can’t-miss players of their decade; Duncan was an unstoppable college player who was the next great big man in the NBA while James was billed as the savior of a franchise (and perhaps the NBA). Both players have always had games mature beyond their years, Duncan favoring the fundamentals of a wily veteran while James has the poise and mentality of a point guard.

But their connections are rooted in more than on court play. Their similarities are fixated in the intangibles of the game, the smaller aspects of basketball both on and off the hardwood. Both James and Duncan will be the first player on their team to help a teammate off the court. They are the guy that puts his arm around his teammate when he misses the game winning shot, and the first to congratulate him when he makes it. Maybe most importantly, both players are of the rare superstar mold to actually pass up the game winning shot to that teammate in the first place.

Duncan and Lebron don’t get too down when they slump, and they aren’t satisfied with their success. They are mild-mannered off the court, rarely drawing attention to themselves in the national headlines for anything that isn’t basketball-related, and that professional tone helps craft the character of their flourishing organizations. At the early age of 23, Duncan appeared in the NBA Finals. James will do so at 22.

How many other superstars have their combination of leadership, competitiveness, a complete game and a total trust in teammates? Kobe and Iverson don’t. Dwayne Wade, though leading by example, isn’t the vocal leader on a team with Shaq and Pat Riley. Dirk and Nash don’t have enough dimensions to their game, notably on the defensive end. Kevin Garnett may be the closest thing to them, but he hasn’t had the success of Duncan or James, and doesn’t have the same cool, calm and collected demeanor. James and Duncan have a unique breed of humility, trust, and dominance that few, if any, can match.

No, they don’t mirror one another on the court, but while everyone is trying to make James into the next Jordan, perhaps the things that make James unique have more in common with another NBA legend.

A legend he’s about to face for the right to be a champion.

Cuatro: Spurs Dismiss Jazz and Return to Finals

2007-06-01T15:13:00.000-06:00

“The day the music died” may be a little cliché, but the Jazz never had a chance in their 109-84 game 5 defeat. They were outwitted, outworked, and outmatched from the first quarter on. It wasn’t a matter of X’s and O’s, but rather determination, focus, and all the other intangibles that separate the Spurs from, say, the Mavericks.

The statistics can be thrown out the window, but this much we know: Fab was fabulous, Parker had no trouble getting to the bucket, and Sloan had given up by the middle of the 3rd quarter, when he had three rookies in the game at the same time.

At one point, I looked at the scoreboard and realized that the entire Jazz offense was running through Rafael Araujo. That’s not just throwing in the towel, that’s heaving the entire bath and beauty section at Target.

Like Matt Bonner, we’re going for 5 points:

- Manu Ginobili is like those physical, rugged 4th quarter running backs. As the season goes on, he just gets tougher, better, and harder to defend. By the time the series is over, you’re just exhausted from dealing with him on every play.

- Derek Fisher may have deserved his 2nd technical in game 4, but not his first. I can see why Jazz fans are livid. Still, they wouldn’t have won this game even if a few of those questionable calls had gone their way. They got beat, and the Jazz fans (who aren’t exactly known as a classy bunch) look like fools for throwing things on the court.

- For how outspoken he was about his teammates already planning vacations, Boozer was a no show on both ends. You can’t blame it on foul trouble, either. He just wasn’t there. Lead by example, and then call out your teammates. It wasn’t as if he left his heart and soul on the court in game 5.

- Horry averaged 1.4 points a game for the series, but forced a few turnovers in game 5 that really broke the Jazz spirit. He tends to hang around the backcourt to swipe at passes…call it crafty if you want, but I think he just really wants to avoid running all the way down court to play defense.

- Oberto and Finley earned their chance at a ring. They are a big part of why this Spurs team may be their best ever.

A New Style of Jazz

2007-05-30T09:38:00.000-06:00

Article originally published at RealGM.com.

A New Style Of Jazz
Authored by Elliot Cole - 28th May, 2007 - 3:19 pm

The relentless pick and rolls, the tough guard screens, the constant physicality…the Utah Jazz are not a team that relies on solo performances to win games. Their system, which Coach Jerry Sloan has played to the tune of two finals appearances and 1035 regular season wins, is based on fundamentals, precision, and effort. It’s structured offense at its finest, and as long as the band is in rhythm, the Jazz can make some beautiful music on the court.

Deron Williams, however, seems to like the occasional solo.

The play of Williams and his 30.3 PPG through the first three games of the Western Conference Finals has almost single-handedly given the Jazz life against the once dominant Spurs. With role players like Mehmet Okur (7ppg in the series) and Andrei Kirilenko (8ppg) stifled by the suffocating Spurs defense, Williams has become something that Utah fans haven’t seen in a while: a one man show.

That’s not to say he isn’t distributing and involving his teammates (as made evident by his 9 assists a game through the first three games of the series), but rather than he has become the focal point of the Jazz offense. Whereas most Jazz point guards have been role players in the offense (even Stockton was never asked to dominate a game), Williams has morphed into a legitimate star, able to improvise his way to the rim or to dish the ball off to his teammates. He has a skill set that Sloan has never had before at the point: size, speed, athleticism, and the ability to finish amongst bigger bodies. He has the complete package, and even defensive stalwart Bruce Bowen has failed to shut him down.

Did anyone project the former Illinois star to be this good, this fast? When the Jazz selected Williams with the third overall pick of the 2005 NBA draft, he was regarded as a “system player”, a physical point guard that would fit well into Sloan’s style. Few projected him to be a potential All-Star, and even fewer expected him to be as good as fourth pick and Hornets guard Chris Paul.

“It’s hard to imagine Williams being anything greater than a 6th man or a fringe starter,” said one draft guru, who will remain unnamed (try Google, if you’re greedy). Others questioned his speed, weight, and athleticism.

Looks like those questions have been answered.

As it turns out, Deron Williams could turn out to be the best player in the 2005 draft class. Sure, Paul is special, and 19 year old Laker center Andrew Bynum has a lot of room to improve, but few players have the all the tools at their disposal the way Williams does. Operating in the structured Jazz offense, he has blossomed as a playmaker, clutch scorer, and go-to-guy. While Carlos Boozer may be the engine of the Jazz, Williams is the guy they count on to deliver with the game on the line.

With a trip to the Finals on the line, the Jazz will continue their structured play, but the improv show of Williams is become more and more evident, especially in his dominance of the ball in the half court sets. As the Jazz continue the attempt to come back and surpass the more experienced and savvier Spurs, Deron Williams may have to face a new sound: the expectations of being a star.

Elliot Cole is a contributor for RealGM and blogs at http://www.thesilverandblack.blogspot.com. Emails are encouraged at elliot.cole@yahoo.com

Game 3: (The Predictable Letdown Game)

2007-05-26T22:45:00.000-06:00

Poignant Observations from Game 3:

- How does 19 turnovers to 17 assists sound? Eight of those turnovers belonged to Duncan, many of them a result of the Jazz guards coming down for a quick slap at the ball when he made his move to the middle of the court. Reminds me of how the Warriors went after Dirk Nowitzki. Duncan, however, is a low post guy. He needs to establish lower position so that the guards have to go further for that play on the ball, opening up shooters on the perimeter. Dirk, unfortunately, couldn’t get position on a blow up doll.

- Bruce Bowen, for all his defensive capabilities, has trouble guarding quick point guards. That being said, I don’t think a brick wall could stop Deron Williams right now. With Phoenix, the Spurs allowed Nash and Amare to pick them apart, but didn’t give the rest of the team a chance to get a rhythm. Do you start treating Williams and Boozer with the same respect, or do you take your chances with the Jazz role players?

- Francisco Elson seems to be providing less and less every game. His confidence could be shaken, or maybe he just isn’t used to the physicality, but at least 3 rebounds have fallen off his fingers and gone out of bounds in this series alone. Reminds me of the good ol’ days and the butterfingers of Malik Rose (although Elson has yet to master the “8 head fakes under the basket” maneuver).

- Remember that problem the Spurs have in dealing with big, physical small forwards? Matt Harpring does, and he started to go to work down low.

- Seven points and 3-3 from the stripe for Jarron Collins? Seriously? The Jazz bench went for 38 after being beaten around by the Spurs bench in games 1 and 2.

- Only two players on the entire Jazz roster shot under 50%. Only three players on the Spurs team shot over the same mark.

- Another great game by Tony Parker. He carried the team for stretches, especially considering Duncan was plagued by foul trouble. However, the key problem with Parker remains the same: when he is constantly going to the rim, the offense tends to fall into the occasional “watch Tony go” mode.

- Okur (0 points in 21 minutes) and Kirilenko (2 points and only 2 rebounds in 30 minutes) still looked lost. It took Okur about 4 games in the Houston series to get going, and Kirilenko didn’t show up until the second round, so don’t write them off just yet.

Spurs will make the proper adjustments, Duncan will stay out of foul trouble, and they’ll come out angry and efficient in game 4. I fully expect that the Jazz are in trouble. Generally, the Spurs drop one or two just to show the league that they aren’t a team of engineered robots, and it may as well have been game 3. The Jazz were making their shots and became aggressive at the right time, but keeping that tone up for an entire 48 minutes could be tough.

Substance Over Style: Fighting The “Boring Image” In The Street NBA

2007-05-24T16:20:00.000-06:00
Article first published at Realgm.com

With 41 seconds left in the 1st quarter of the opening game in the Western Conference Finals, Manu Ginobili’s quick hands deflect a desperation pass by Jazz forward Paul Millsap, leading to a Spurs fast break. Tony Parker recovers the loose ball, only to throw on the brakes in front of the standstill Mehmet Okur.

What came next was pure Magic…as in Johnson.

Parker, without hesitation, throws a pinpoint bounce pass between the legs of Okur, making him look like King Kong swiping at the gnat-like planes circling around him. The pass meets Ginobili in stride, who outhustles the entire Jazz backcourt to the rim, floats above Derek Fisher’s play for the ball, and finger rolls it softly in the basket.

Meet the San Antonio Spurs; far and wide the most boring team in the NBA.

Why has a team with three championship rings, a premier highlight-reel-in-the-making-backcourt, and the best power forward been labeled boring? Tony Parker averages at least two stunning layups a game, and Ginobili can rock players on their ankles with the best of them. Duncan puts up stunning numbers, and they are the best three point shooting team in the NBA. Boring seems, at the very least, a misnomer.

But the truth of the Spurs’ mainstream perception has nothing to do with the game of basketball itself. The truth, which few television faces or radio voices will admit to, is that the perception that shadows the Spurs has more to do with the NBA image than NBA basketball.

That’s right; the “boring” label has nothing to do with the substance of the game, and everything to do with tattoos, trash talk, and attitude.

Much of the Spurs inability to grasp the attention of the casual NBA fan has to do with their foreign flair. Players like Parker and Ginobili will never garner the public acclaim of Mike Bibby or Carmelo Anthony. Both Parker and Ginobili are All-Stars, but you’d be hard pressed to find any casual fans that would say they are better than Bibby or Anthony. The difference? Ink, urban flair, and domestic familiarity. Bibby and Anthony are homegrown talents, and Anthony embodies the familiar “rags to riches” NBA storyline. We watched them in college, we love their tattoos and street image. We love Anthony’s commercials, we love the in-your-face heroics displayed by Bibby. Are they better than Parker and Ginobili? Debatably, but their ability to absorb the image of the NBA allows us a given familiarity, whereas Parker and Ginobili remain enigmas outside of San Antonio. Being “street” in the NBA is more than an image; it’s an identity that gives us a more intimate idea of who a player is, even if it’s an unfair judgment.

But Bibby and Anthony are only examples. Dozens of players will receive more hype or praise from the media and fans for the ability to mesh with the long-established image of street basketball. It’s not about highlight reel plays, but about who is making them. Carlos Boozer (Alaskan), Tim Duncan (Virgin Islands), or Dirk Nowitzki (Germany) will never have the marketable flair of the Iversons, Anthonys, or McGradys. It’s not a matter of race, but a matter of familiarity, nationality, and relativity to NBA image. Tim Duncan can make a great pass out of the double, and it’s ho-hum, whereas Lebron’s passing makes him an MVP candidate.

The NBA struggles with the balance of marketing a street image to its central demographic: young to middle age white America. For certain players (here’s looking at you, Kobe), there is a pocket somewhere between the two polarities, a street image that seems somehow forced, unnatural. For other players, we feel we know them better because of their street image. It makes it easier for us to pigeonhole the player, to identify him based on a larger crowd. Quick: what do Carmelo Anthony, Allen Iverson, Mike Bibby, and Stephon Marbury all have in common? Your first perception will probably have little to do with basketball, but more to do with a trained (and yes, perhaps unjust) grouping of “street” players. These players are adopting an image, and in doing so, they adopt the connotations that come with it. The likes of Parker and Ginobili, however, don’t have an outside-the-NBA image, and it’s far more difficult to identify and market them.

Until we are able to identify Ginobili and Parker on a national scale, they’ll never be as popular. Until we know Parker’s favorite American hip-hop or Ginobili’s favorite American shoot-‘em-up movie, they’ll be labeled “boring” no matter how many highlights they make. Boring players? Not even close. Boring personalities? Hardly. Boring image? Absolutely, and that’s why the Spurs have been tagged as a boring team in the image-focused NBA world.

Elliot Cole is a Spurs blogger at http://www.thesilverandblack.blogspot.com and welcomes emails at elliot.cole@yahoo.com

Spurs-Jazz Game 2: The Numbers Don’t Lie

2007-05-22T22:14:00.000-06:00

- Predictably, Bowen was matched up against Deron Williams, and actually did give him a tough time. Most of the 26 points put up by Williams were in the open court, which negated Bowen’s defense.

- Tony Parker absolutely dominated the first half of the game. He didn’t miss a shot early, and when it was all said and done, he finished with 14 assists. Sure, he had 7 turnovers, many of which led to the Jazz getting back into the game, but he set the tempo in the first half with scrappy defense, smooth penetration, and smart distribution.

- How does 13-26 three point shooting sound? If you give a team with Tim Duncan the opportunity to knock down 50% from deep, you’ll lose, no matter if you’re the 2007 Jazz or the 95-96 Bulls.

- As much as the Spurs rode Tony earlier, when the game got tight Duncan took over. He had an almost quiet 26 points, 14 boards, 5 blocks, and 4 assists. That is, if it’s even possible to have a “quiet” 26 and 14.

- Nice to see Brent Barry make his first appearance in the series with 9 points on 3-4 shooting. But in case nobody noticed, Robert Horry has still thrown up a goose egg through two games.

- Francisco Elson had considerably more fouls (3) than rebounds (0). Oberto had a solid 14 points on 6-7 shooting, replicating his 14 points on 6-8 shooting in game 1. There should be no questions about who the starting center is for this Spurs team. The Elson experiment was fine for awhile, but this team works best with Oberto on the court.

- People assume Okur just isn’t playing well, but it’s obvious that the Spurs are making a conscious effort to shut him down. Parker lit into Elson after he failed to follow Okur on the pick and pop, and Popovich called an immediate timeout. Okur would finish 4-13, and that’s taking into account a desperation three and a long two while being fouled.

- Bench scoring was 28-8, just in case anyone was keeping track. Basically, you could take out Manu Ginobili and his 17 points, and the Spurs bench would still have outscored the Jazz bench.

All in all, game 2 was stunningly similar to game 1. Early lead, late run by the Jazz behind Williams, but the Spurs kick it back into gear late. The Spurs were -8 in turnovers, which gave the Jazz a chance to get back into it, but it’s obvious that they are just outmanned. The Spurs, and their average of 106.5 points a game through the series, are making a joke of the heralded Jazz defense. They are threading the needle on their passes, getting whatever position they want in the post, and outworking the Jazz defenders on their cuts.

The Jazz are a quality team, but their shortcomings are often masked by their stellar rebound dominance. The Spurs, however, actually outrebounded the Jazz 44-35 in game 2, negating the biggest strength of Utah’s frontcourt. Other than relaxing at the end of games, there is no facet of the game that the Spurs aren’t winning right now. They are more aggressive, executing better, and suffering far fewer lapses than a Jazz team that suddenly looks lost on the defensive end. Things may change in Utah, but for now, the series looks like JV against varsity.

(AP photo/Eric Gay)

First Impressions of the 2007 Draft Lottery

2007-05-22T19:05:00.000-06:00

8:45 ET: I’m not insinuating that the 1985 NBA lottery was rigged, but we were never absolutely sure of the lottery’s legitimacy until the “ping pong” era. Pretty safe to say that, after consecutive years of Milwaukee and Toronto having the top pick, the lottery is completely secure, fair, and unrigged.

(That being said, does anyone actually believe Memphis will get the top pick? Is it even possible that the two most marketable players in years would land in the barren wasteland of Memphis? Don’t think so. I’ll pay everyone a dollar if either Durant or Oden go to Memphis.)

8:48 ET: The Clippers, the Hornets, and the 76ers…doomed to be drafting in the 8-14 slot for the next 5 years unless some major tanking comes along.

8:50 ET: Boston is doomed for years to come. Sorry, Celtics fans. Can’t wait to see what Bill Simmons has to say about this. Al Jefferson just became their franchise player by default. I’m sure Danny Ainge is trying to package Paul Pierce and the number 5 pick for a top 2 pick this very second, and the other teams are laughing at their Blackberrys (or would that be Blackberries? Anyways…).

8:51 ET: What did I say about Memphis? They never had a chance.

8:53 ET: If you’re a Suns fan, you’re entire offseason just changed. You just lost a potential lottery pick, which you would have taken from the Atlanta Hawks in the Joe Johnson trade had it not been top 3. Instead, Atlanta slides into the top 3…where they picked Marvin Williams over Chris Paul two years ago. More on this later.

8:55 ET: The Pacific Northwest should go nuts tonight. Portland and Seattle steal the top two picks, pushing out Boston, Memphis, and the Bucks. What a crazy lottery.

First impressions:

- David Stern and company cannot be too happy. Portland and Seattle? Are there two less marketable cities that could have landed Oden and Durant? This is like Timmy going to San Antonio all over again.

- Portland just got A LOT better. The question is whether this puts Zach Randolph on the trading block somewhere down the road for a good point guard. Whereas Brandon Roy, Lamarcus Aldridge, and Greg Oden make for a great core, the team is missing a point guard badly (sorry, Jarrett Jack). If they get a mature point, they’ll be in the playoffs by 2009.

- Jon Barry has lost his mind if he actually believes Portland should trade Greg Oden.

- The teams accused of tanking the most (most notably Memphis) dropped out of the top 2. Karma, Grizzlies, karma.

- If Seattle lands Durant, there is no room for Rashard Lewis on that roster. Say goodbye to Lewis, because Durant should be starting from game number one.

- The NBA gods are laughing at Atlanta. They had their chance at Paul, and they blew it. There should be a 5 year span before they are allowed to draft in the top 2 again.

- Phoenix just lost a lot of flexibility in the offseason. They can no longer package an early pick with Marion or Amare if they try to break up they core. Also, if they do get rid of Marion, they can’t find someone in the draft to replace him. After Boston and Memphis, Phoenix was the biggest loser today.

Game time for Spurs fans, look for articles regarding the Spurs/Jazz soon.

Articles of the Week

2007-05-20T21:23:00.000-06:00

In what will be a weekly installment, here's a list of articles to check out for the week that was:

The Best: ESPN offers...let's call it questionable coverage at times, but their new guy, Henry Abbott, is worth reading every day. Scroll down to "We'll Miss You, Suns".

The Good: You get a death threat, a racist message, and a bomb threat over a foul, and you decide that it's time to announce you want to play another season. Kudos, Robert Horry. Buck Harvey at mysa.com

Also, credit is due to Gene Wojciechowski, who wrote a very...umm..non favorable story about the Spurs victory (most notable for the headline "Spurs Advance*" with a nice asterisk on the end). Today, he had the guts to write another article addressing Horry's position on the Nash foul and ensuing suspensions. Keep up the good work, Gene. "Old-School Horry..." at ESPN.

The Bad: If you're a Jazz fan, and you're looking for light at the end of the tunnel, are you really going to ride the "Rafael Araujo puts up a huge 4th quarter" bandwagon? Didn't think so either. Michael Lewis at the SL Tribune

The Ugly: How does Amare Stoudemire exemplify good sportsmanship, team play, and loyalty? By skipping a team meeting and stomping off the court after the Suns were eliminated by the Spurs. Yikes.
Doug Haller at AZcentral.com

Observations from the Suns/Spurs Series

2007-05-19T17:28:00.000-06:00

While Phoenix/San Antonio may not be the most intense series this postseason thus far (I'll award that to Dallas/Golden State), it is most certainly the most volatile. As an NBA fan, I'm actually glad to see it over. Too much whining, too much defamation, too many media stories harping on a played out good guy/bad guy scenario. So I'm going to try to do something few people did in the past weeks...examine the series from a purely basketball perspective (gasp!). Here are some of the things that stood out the most throughout the six games:

- Leandro Barbosa was completely taken out of his game by the Spurs defense. He would continuously drive baseline, even though it's exactly where the Spurs wanted to push him. Smart move, doing exactly what the defense wants. Great athlete, but still has a long ways to go in learning the game. That 6th man of the year award isn't looking too bright after Manu's 33 point, 10 rebound game, is it? As good as Barbosa is, you can't run an offense through him. You can do that through Manu Ginobili, and when he's on, he's one of the best playmakers in the game.

- Steve Nash should have shot more for the Suns. They needed 22-28 points a game from him to win the series. After giving him a quick 10 straight points in the fourth quarter, Bowen finally came to his senses and defended the pull up 3 point shot. How do you even let him shoot that? It's his patented move...just like a Duncan bank shot or a Dirk Nowitzki pump fake. It took Bowen long enough to adjust, but once he did, the Suns run came to an end.

- When analysts talk about Tim Duncan's leadership, they say he simply "leads by example". That's a cop out. He's the quarterback of the team, constantly yelling, telling guys where to be, and giving out adjustments during timeouts. He absolutely laid into Finley after Finley blew an assignment that gave the Suns an open three. That's not just leading by example, that's vocal, in-your-face Jordan type of leadership. The guy has a competitive fire that nobody gives him credit for.

- Jalen Rose didn't play at all this series. Why not even give the guy a chance in game 5? You signed him for the playoffs, didn't you? He's your best passing guard behind Nash, and the team lost their secondary primary ballhandler in Diaw (who may as well have been suspended for 2 games after his 1 point performance in game 2). Rose has also been to the NBA Finals and played well there, so I doubt he would choke under the intensity of the series. At least give him 5 minutes to see if he can contribute early in the series before giving up on the guy.

- Speaking of Rose, he used to shout "Money" every time he shot a jumper before he even landed at U of Michigan. Gilbert Arenas and his "Hibachi" owe something to Rose.

- Speaking of Diaw, that offseason extension by the Suns is looking a tad sketchy, isn't it? Especially for a team that will be close to 10 million over the cap next year. Especially for a player that showed up out of shape this year and was pushed around by players smaller than him all series. Yikes.

- Say goodbye to Shawn Marion or Amare Stoudemire this offseason, because it's clear that they won't win with this nucleus, and Phoenix doesn't want to fall even deeper into the luxury tax. My bet is Marion. I may write another article about this in the offseason, because they are in cap hell.

- Who does Tony Parker think he is? Hitting clutch jumpers in two straight games? This guy used to be too shy to shoot in their old playoff runs. Good sign for Spurs fans, despite his 11-27 performance he stayed aggressive to the very end and only had 1 turnover (that's like David Hasselhoff having "one" drink).

- The Spurs won by going small. And trust me, Spurs fans hate to see their team going small. That's how ineffective Francisco Elson was (Oberto, on the other hand, played great but picked up foul trouble on several occasions).

- The Suns almost changed the outcome of game 6 on a great adjustment that they should have been doing since game 3. When it became evident that Parker was nailing his jumper, they decided to double Duncan from the weak side instead of the strong side (meaning doubling from the opposite corner instead of doubling with the guy closest to Duncan when he gets the ball). Good move, since the Suns are quick enough to rotate to the shooters, but why do you wait until game 6 to do it? Shouldn't this be done in every clutch 4th quarter for the entire series? On that same note...

- Popovich outcoached Mike D'Antoni. Game 2 was the only exception, but the game was so much of a blowout it didn't even matter. The difference? D'Antoni makes defensive adjustments at half time, Popovich does it during every timeout.

Getting Dirty: Why Amare and Diaw Deserved Suspensions

2007-05-18T17:56:00.000-06:00

Getting Dirty: Why Amare and Diaw Deserved Suspensions (originally published on http://www.realgm.com)

For a team that has made a living by sliding under the public radar en route to three championships, the 2007 San Antonio Spurs are sure getting a lot of attention these days. Whether it’s the antics of Bruce Bowen, the accusations by Amare Stoudemire, or a hard foul by Robert Horry, the Spurs have suddenly become public enemy no. 1 to the casual NBA fan. And with that tag, a new perception has gained a chokehold on the team

But the modern Bad Boys? Really?

We are talking about the boring, milk and cookies Spurs, right? The team that’s best player is so ho-hum that his best nickname is the ever creative “The Big Fundamental”? The team with half a roster of foreign born players? A team that quietly ushers out all the knuckleheads that come their way (read: Dennis Rodman, Antonio Daniels, Stephen Jackson)?

It takes more than a kick to the shoe, a knee to the thigh, and a hip check foul to cement the Spurs as the Bad Boys. The difference in perception is a matter of media focus. Writers love to have a protagonist, and the Suns have become the darlings of the NBA (and why not? They are fun to watch and have recognizable faces). In the wake of front page suspensions after game 4, the Suns were able to parlay a “we were cheated” mentality into a near upset in game 5.

But let’s get a few things straight. You want to know the “dirty” little secret of the suspensions? How about this…they were completely justified.

Robert Horry wasn’t being rewarded for his hit on Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw were being punished for ignoring a rule that his been in place since before they even came into the league. The rule was installed for a reason; it is difficult to control an altercation when 10 guys are running onto the court from each bench. Everyone knows this rule, so why didn’t Amare and Diaw?

I know what you’re thinking. “It’s a gut reaction…totally a natural thing to rush out to protect your best player”. This has been the main argument for those fans who feel the NBA cheated the Suns, and it’s completely wrong. It’s not a natural reaction to rush out onto the court towards an altercation. With 7 bench players on each team along with a few trainers, coaches, and players in suits, only two guys decided to run onto the court. Two. Out of more than 20, we’re talking less than 10% of the players had this “natural reaction” to an altercation. Why didn’t Jalen Rose, Pat Burke, Marcus Banks, or any of the Spurs players have this reaction? Because it isn’t natural. It’s strange, awkward, and in obvious violation of a longstanding rule.

The general outcry of the public has centered on how the Suns were wronged, how David Stern and Stu Jackson had followed the letter of the law too strictly in their suspensions. Analysts are asking for wiggle room under the rule. However, as David Stern says, you can’t judge intent. Did Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw run out onto the court to be peacemakers? Probably not, but we can’t know that. Neither can the opposing team’s bench. If one team is allowed to have players run to the court, the other team will do the same. All of the sudden 24 players on the court at the sight of any altercation…but no suspensions should be warranted because nothing was made worse and they needed some “wiggle room”. And all this bench activity will in no way will make an altercation worse.

Nope, not buying it.

You want someone to blame for the game 4 suspensions? Blame the players that broke the rules. That simple.

And if you want to pigeonhole the San Antonio Spurs as the new bad guys on the NBA, do so at your own ignorance. Few teams have been more influential in the city, donated more to their community, and been more loyal to their fans. For years the Spurs have been dedicated to fighting for children’s literacy, health advocacy, and at-risk youths through dozens of programs (many of which, you’d be surprised to know, are fronted by none other than Bruce Bowen). If that’s dirty, let the NBA have their martyrdom of the Suns, and I’ll take dirty any day of the week.

Elliot Cole can be reached at elliot.cole@yahoo.com