Not So Fast Mr. Bucher

Ric Bucher is an NBA reporter for ESPN.


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From Popovich's Exit Interview:

Reporter -- "Do you anticipate a lot of changes with this team.. next year, in terms of the roster?
Popovich -- "Well there's always gonna be, you know, some changes, but... we never get drastic in that sense, and start thinking.. Somebody asked me yesterday, 'you know we lost, so are we gonna blow it up'? I mean, you know, that's just the most preposterous attitude to have right after you lose, because 29 teams lose."

A-hem, 56-13 when Duncan went down (went on to win that game, by the way), so that's 57-13 (81.4% - still on pace for 67 wins..) before the 6 game-skid, the first 4 of which Duncan did not play. Duncan looked surprisingly sharp in his first game back against Boston (20 & 13 on 8 of 12 shooting in 33 minutes), and followed that up with another strong showing in Houston - on a back-to-back - with 23 & 13 on 9 of 16 shooting in 36 minutes. Both were losses (the Rockets in OT), but look at the situations and opponents.

We then went on to win 4 straight again (for the 9th time this season), and then give some key players some rest in the last two games. Manu injuring his elbow perhaps really only cost us that game, and game-1 against Memphis, because in my opinion, he played lights-out in that series. As Sean Elliott quoted on several occasions during the series, and of course I'm paraphrasing from my memory of the broadcasts, "this is one of the best individual playoff performances you will ever see."


I can explain 'that series' very succinctly: We ran into a buzzsaw! Before likewise resting their own players in the final two games, the Grizzlies were playing some of the best basketball in the league, and beating good teams in the process. Aside from the fact that we didn't shoot well the entire series - a tribute to the Grizzlies defense, the series exposed a major weakness for our team - young interior athleticism.

It's all pretty simple to me. Duncan's got another year on his contract, and I don't expect him to quit on next season. Dice will likely retire, but other than that, we'll have pretty much the same 9-10 guys next year. And yes, I think we add one young athletic big body. Imagine how much confidence Gary Neal and Tiago Splitter will have after a full off-season! James Anderson will also have an entire healthy off-season, as will DeJuan Blair going into his 3rd season. And in case no one paid attention, we also signed 2010 NCAA West Virginia sensation Da'Sean Butler, and he will help us a ton.

An immediate overhaul?? Not for a while, my friend.