The Lakers exposed the Spurs back earlier in March. Chase them off the 3-pt line and make them take shots going to the basket, then crash the boards with your bigs. If you can pull that off, San Antonio isn't the same team, because Parker, Hill and Ginobili are the only three guys on the team that can create shots effectively going to the rim, and the Spurs are no longer an "elite" rebounding team.

Miami used the same formula when they waxed the Spurs in Miami.

I still think the Spurs have a great shot of going to the WC finals, but I give them very little shot to beat L.A. at this point.

[This message has been edited by MassAggie97 (edited 3/31/2011 8:05a).]

A team with 3 guards that can score at the bucket is understaffed?

You'll have a hard time selling that.

It is when your offense is predicated on drive-and-kick and your 3-point shooters have almost no ability to pump, move and take a 15-foot jump shot. When Bonner, Neal and Jefferson get routinely chased off the 3-point line the Spurs are very beatable. Go watch the Laker game and tell me that isn't exactly what happened. The Spurs were forced into a bunch of shots they didn't want to take, and then they got murdered on the glass.

Parker is one of the best finishers in the game at the rim. Ginobili and Hill are also no slouches. However, only 2 of those guys are on the floor at any one time. Otherwise the Spurs roster is full of guys who can hit a wide-open shot, but can't put the ball on the floor to save their life.

Jefferson and Bonner are 100% useless if they are getting harrassed. Between them they are averaging 52 minutes.

[This message has been edited by MassAggie97 (edited 3/31/2011 11:19a).]

Spurs managed to win 57 out of 70 games before the injuries. I'm optimistic about their chances.

As far as entire body of work this year, I'll agree that the Spurs have been the best team in the league.

The problem is that the Lakers have been the best team since the all star break. I'd rather be playing my best ball in March than in December/January.

Only 3 of the last 10 teams with the best post-AllStar record have won the ship.

ahh good point clay. on the other hand....


Since the 1st NBA All-Star Game ('51), '10-11 Lakers are just the 5th team to win 15 or more of its 1st 16 games coming out of All-Star break

Of those 4 teams went to Finals and 3 won* ('90 *Pistons, '91 *Bulls, '98 Jazz, '00 *Lakers)

sucks for the spurs.

8 of the 11 people how have posted on this thread and re-visited it a second time since the day before yesterday don't care about your arbitrary stat.

Make that 9 of 11

my stat is more relevant than your drivel.

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Otherwise the Spurs roster is full of guys who can hit a wide-open shot, but can't put the ball on the floor to save their life.

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I don't feel good about the Spurs title chances right now either, but this is not really the case.

You said Hill, Parker, and Ginobili can make it happen.

Blair, Duncan, and McDyess don't need to play this game.

Bonner, while he is shooting like ass lately, is able to put the ball on the floor and hit runners--and he has done so regularly for much of the year.

Neal is great about faking, making dribble moves, and nailing mid range jumpers. I don't know that you could be watching the Spurs this year and not put him in there with Parker / Ginobili / Hill as players with great scoring moves. He does not finish at the rim, but he finishes quite well from mid range once he's around or side-stepped people.

Now we've covered 90% of the rotation. Jefferson is the only one left. He used to be able to do this, and for some reason Pop and company turned him into the most worthless sack of crap on the entire offense. He's good for corner / wing 3's and nothing else.

Jefferson is the only disappointment as far as this topic goes, in my mind. Hill was kind of that way until the last few games, and he has regained his old form, it appears.

you all seem to be taking this bad stretch way worse than it is.

the spurs were never the clear frontrunner for the title this year, but they're a top contender along with LA, boston, and chicago. i don't feel any worse (or better) about their chances than i did 2 weeks ago.

stop panicking.

Spurs will close strong heading into playoffs.

Bench Bonner. Play Splitter. Offense won't reach its full potential but at least our defense and rebounding will improve. Bonner's anus shrinks to nothing this time of year.

Spurs 8-29 from behind the arc last night for a whopping 28%.

Unless Bonner is wide-ass open and entirely set with a couple minutes to wind up and shoot, he ain't gonna make one. How is that useful? And this "runner" he supposedly has in his arsenal apparently went AWOL last night.

At least RJ tried to go top shelf. He still has signs of life now and again.

I'd trade RJ for Bruce Bowen right now! He doesn't even have to take off his bow-tie. Get back here Bruce! I'll trade Bonner for Robert Horry too. I have no idea what kind of shape Horry is in, but I'll take it.

they're a top contender, yes. but this is just a flat out lie.

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i don't feel any worse (or better) about their chances than i did 2 weeks ago.

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watching their games....they are playing much much worse. their defense is non-existent

So he's 'lying' about his opinion? Got it.

first of all, they've been shorthanded for 4 or the 6 games. second, their defense was actually pretty damn good against the blazers. we just didn't keep it up in the fourth quarter.

it's not an easy fix, but pop knows what needs fixing and we've got 6 games to do it. come playoff time, the spurs will be playing much better ball.