Final NBA Finals Post

OK well I didn't get game-6 done in time for game-7, so once again I have to lump them together. But rather than even bother, and since it's over, I'm just gonna type what I want. Everyone knows by now the Heat won. Everyone knows we blew a terrific chance to take the title in game 6. So, I'm not gonna bore everyone with two game synopses. Instead I'm gonna post a couple pictures, and focus on how I feel, and what this did to me.

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This was by far the best image from the last few days. After watching and listening to all the post-game interviews, it's hard for me to explain how I feel now. But if you saw Tim's game 7 post-game conference, and have any idea the way it appeared he felt - that's how I feel. We blew it in game 6, and I knew game 7 was just one more chance to watch my team play. Or at least that's how I chose to go about it. I was tons more confident in win #4 on Tuesday than I was Thursday. I knew we still had the chance to hoist the trophy, but I wasn't holding my breath, so to speak. Then once we were right there, yet again, I had to just smile, and enjoy it, win or lose.

Now we don't have any Spurs games until late October, and I feel like one feels just after accepting a relationship they've been in is now over. You're not still ultra-sad. You've accepted it, but there's a gaping hole. The only other time I felt this gigantic gaping Spurs hole was after game 5 of 2004's West Finals. Duncan hit the last shot at the buzzer to put us up 3-2 on the Lakers, and one game from a chance to repeat, and shut Phil Jackson up. Everyone also knows good and well that there was 0.4 left on the clock, and the rest is infamous Spurs history.

I know we had a great season - it was far beyond the expectations of most "experts". Probably beyond the expectations of most fans, too. It was in fact a season that many years from now I will hold right up there with, well, 1999, 2003, 2005, and 2007. Trite as that just sounded, that's just how close we were. I loved every second of it! We'll be back, too. This team isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Pop said so, and when Pop says something, you must believe.

Here are the two ESPN box scores in case you're interested: GAME 6 ... GAME 7

Spurs Update

Apparently with our win earlier tonight, Gregg Popovich is guaranteed the job of coaching the West in the All-Star game. And this is a great honor! It's only been 9 games since my last update, but this is another good place to post one. Not only because of the All-Star coach deadline, but because it also marks the end of the January schedule for San Antonio: a month in which we went 12-3.

More importantly, we've strung together 9-straight since the loss @ Memphis.

Screenshot from here

Tony is back to form. Tim has sat for 4-straight games, due to a sore knee. Tiago Splitter has been incredible during this stretch, averaging 14.3 ppg, 8 rpg, and shooting 65%! Also during this 9-game streak, Aron Baynes made his season debut. In only a few appearances, he's already showing why he might just be the BIG we've needed this whole time. So yeah, DeJuan Blair's days might be numbered. Sorry buddy.

This 9-game winning streak should improve to 10 right before we go on our annual rodeo road-trip. By the way, a win Saturday would increase our home record to 22-2. Yikes! This year's rodeo trip lasts from Wednesday, Feb. 6 to Sunday, Feb. 24, and encompasses 9 games. Five of those opponents have losing records, so I expect nothing worse than 6-3, but 7-2 is more likely.

Sitting pretty at 37-11 right now, best record in the NBA, PPG scored 3rd overall, PPG allowed 6th overall, and a scoring differential of 8.4 - tied with OKC for tops. We also lead the league in assists per game, are 4th in assist-to-turnover ratio, 2nd in total shooting %, #1 in opponent 3-pt%, and 3rd in shooting defense.

Like a well-oiled machine, we are rolling.. smoooothly! But this is business as usual for us right about now.

All stats from ESPN.com

Spurs Update

28-11, 1st in the Southwest Division, 3rd in the West - at nearly the halfway point.

Here's the stretch of games since my last Spurs Update:

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Not too shabby, but not nearly up to potential. We ran off a solid 7-straight, scoring an average of almost 112 a game. Then we laid an egg in the big apple during our quest for revenge on the Knicks loss from early in the season. But it's been clear to me that something is wrong with Tony Parker the last several games. I'm not sure whether he's just not seeing the open man, or whether guys just aren't getting open, but he's averaging 5 assists per game these last 5 games. More importantly his assist-to-turnover ratio the last three games is 14:15. (Source & math)  Ouch! Anyone know if he has a new girlfriend or something? Perhaps he lost a girlfriend?

Granted he's shooting the ball well (53.3%, last 5 games), and scored 30 last night in an OT loss in Memphis. He has also been hot from three-range, which is not really his niche (20 of 46 for 43.5% on the season - by far his best). He even went 3 for 3 and nailed the shot at the buzzer last night to send the game into OT:



Nevertheless it's not all on Tony, or any particular player. I have been posting on the Spurs' Facebook page for several games now that Pop has got to recognize when Tony is struggling to keep the offense running fluently. Patty Mills has got to get in the game!! He gives us such a tremendous spark, but we don't get that when he's merely waving his towel on the bench. Even Gary Neal's & a few other bench players' minutes are down, and I'm not sure why Pop isn't going a little deeper these days. Tony and Tim both played 40-ish minutes last night. Yes it was OT, but that's way more than their average minutes per game, and way more than necessary when you have a Patty Mills on the bench (and a DeJuan Blair getting basically NO playing time).

C'Mon guys - it's time to ratchet it up!

The Official Gregg Popovich Coaching Tree

This is mine.. Click it to enlarge!

Wonder If He Realizes This?

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Yeah, that's a pretty big difference! Wake up, Mr. Stern. You approved the schedule, now fine yourself and the schedule-makers.

Spurs Update

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So the buzz all night as the San Antonio Spurs visited the Miami Heat earlier Thursday night was the fact that Gregg Popovich chose not to play Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and Danny Green for their 4th game in 5 days.

Spurs had won 5 straight road games, and 29 out of their last 33 (an all-time NBA record). Now for the final game of this long road-trip, and their second long road-trip of the season already, the best coach in the league decides to rest some key players. What better experience could the guys on your already strong bench get?

The issue that shouldn't have been continued to be an issue because, of course, the TNT announcing crew of Charles Barkley, Reggie Miller, and Kevin Harlan wouldn't leave it alone. Most had positive words to say, and I applaud them for that. But the media also wouldn't leave it alone. But what's new with the media? They take stupid stories involving the big-market teams (in any sport), and blow them way out of proportion. And the Spurs never get any media bias, but we, as Spurs fans, are OK with this. We don't need it, nor want it.

Not long after the starting lineups were announced, NBA commissioner David Stern came out with a statement:

"I apologize to all NBA fans. This was an unacceptable decision by the San Antonio Spurs and substantial sanctions will be forthcoming." (Source)

Not only is this BS, but after the fact, it's going to be very interesting to see how Stern reacts after the outcome of the game. The game was a good one! Spurs had the chance to win down the stretch, and even led for a lot of this game. David Stern needs to step aside already, and apologize for his remarks. In a statement that his successor, Adam Silver, made in response to a very similar situation last season regarding the Spurs, Silver said:

"The strategic resting of particular players on particular nights is within the discretion of the teams." (Source)

Be sure to take a look at the box score for this game of "no-names" against the current NBA champions.

By the way, here's how ESPN's Sportsnation views the (non)-issue:


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Click here to go vote on this..

Spurs are 13-4, and doing very well, stupid issues aside. They host the hot Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday, Dec. 1 in only their 4th home game since Nov. 7th. Memphis currently holds the best record in the NBA at 11-2. I would think I'd want my players fresh for that game, especially since the Grizzlies are not only a conference opponent, but a division foe as well.

UPDATE: David Stern has fined the organization $250,000.

Crock. Of. Horse$%&@.

And here's an awesome Reddit thread about this..

My Sentiments Exactly, Pop

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It's not one of Coach Nick's BBallBreakdowns, but here's a quick look back at just how much little of the end of game-6 was really under our control:

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Here's a little of my own play-by-play analysis (using ESPN's game play-by-play):


Yeah - these are mine.                                                               Click each to enlarge!

Things to note: We held them to TWO FGs for 9:04, while OKC went 10 of 14 from the charity stripe. During this same 9:04 stretch, we alos had 14, but only 6 of 8 at the line. Realize just how the 5-6 terrible calls affected game situations. Manu had to leave the game because of fouls. Westbrook would have left the game if not for bad calls. Many OKC points would've been negated - Many runs by San Antonio would have wouldn't have been unnecessarily halted.

Pop Cleaning

Via

Spurs Have Made a Deadline Deal

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The only known details of the trade right now are that the San Antonio Spurs get former 2001-2003 swingman Stephen Jackson from Golden State, to whom he was just traded, in exchange for Richard Jefferson, and a 2012 1st-round pick.

Here is my analysis:

Richard Jefferson: 6'7" - 230, Age 31, 9.2 million, 2 years left, no rings (1 finals appearance vs SA 2003)

Career Stats: (link): 34.3 min / 16.0 pts / .467 FG% / .371 3P% / .776 FT% / 5.0 reb / 2.6 ast / 0.4 blk / 0.8 stl / 1.9 TO

Contract: He is scheduled to make $9.2 mil this season, $10.1 mil in 2012, and has a player option of $11 mil for 2013.


Stephen Jackson: 6'8" - 220, Age 33, 9.2 million, 1 year left, 1 ring (SA 2003)

Career Stats: (link): 33.3 min / 16.1 pts / .416 FG% / .337 3P% / .800 FT% / 4.0 reb / 3.2 ast / 0.4 blk / 1.3 stl / 2.6 TO

Contract: Pretty much the same as RJ's, except his ends after 2012.


We shall see... The most obvious advantages to this move are we save about 11 million dollars in the last year of what would've been RJ's final contract year. Plus we didn't have to use the "amnesty clause" on him, and we still have the option to amnesty someone. So even if the two players are about equal in talent, the move helps us financially. Lastly, they aren't equals for one reason alone: Jackson does play much better defense. He also hit several clutch threes in our 2003 championship season. Here is a highlight from game-6 of the 2003 finals against New Jersey.

But we also lose a 1st-round pick. We shall see.. I would've thought there would be three better trade-deadline strategies:

Simply stated..
1 - No move at all.
2 - Trade for a BIG.
3 - Trade for a proven back-up PG.

At least he already knows the Spurs' & Pop's system.

Stats Sources: 1, and 2

San Antonio Spurs Recent Draft History

(and who we could've gotten over the years..) - Long post.


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2011: Cory Joseph (Texas) #29. Passed on: Kyle Singler (Duke) Detroit pick #33, Jon Leuer (Wisconsin) Milwaukee pick #40.

Ádám Hanga (Hungary) #59. Passed on: Isaiah Thomas, Jr. (Washington) Sacramento pick #60.


2010: James Anderson (Oklahoma St.) #20. Passed on: Jordan Crawford (Xavier) NJ Nets pick #27, Dexter Pittman (Texas) Miami pick #32, Landry Fields (Stanford) NY Knicks pick #39.

Ryan Richards (United Kingdom) #49. Passed on: Jeremy Evans (W.Kentucky) Utah pick #55.


2009: DeJuan Blair (Pittsburgh) #37. Passed on: Jodie Meeks (Kentucky) Milwaukee pick #41, Marcus Thornton (LSU) Miami pick #43 (to Sacramento), Danny Green (North Carolina) Cleveland pick #46.

Jack McClinton (Miami) #51.
Nando de Colo (France) #53.


2008: George Hill (UIPUI) #26. Passed on: Darrell Arthur (Kansas) New Orleans pick #27 (to Memphis), Donte Green (Syracuse) Memphis pick #28 (to Sacramento), Nikola Peković (Montenegro) Minnesota pick #31, DeAndre Jordan (Texas A&M) LAC pick #35.

Goran Dragić (Slovenia) #45 (traded to Phoenix).
James Gist (Maryland) #57.


2007: Tiago Splitter (Brazil) #28. Passed on: Carl Landry (Purdue) Seattle pick #31 (to Houston).

Marcus Williams (Arizona) #33. Passed on: Marc Gasol (Spain) LA Lakers pick #48 (to Memphis)


2006: Damir Markota (Croatia) #59.


2005: Ian Mahinmi (France) #28. Passed on: David Lee (Florida) NYK pick #30, Brandon Bass (LSU) New Orleans pick #33 (to Dallas), CJ Miles (Skyline HS, Dallas) Utah pick #34, Monta Ellis (Lanier HS, MS) Golden State pick #40, Andray Blatche (S.Kent Prep) Washington pick #49, Marcin Gortat (Poland) Phoenix pick #57 (to Orlando - to Phoenix)

(Today I am reminded Andrew Bogut was the #1 overall pick in 2005.)


2004: Beno Udrih (Slovenia) #28. Passed on: Anderson Varejão (Brazil) Orlando pick #31, Trevor Ariza (UCLA) NY Knicks pick #44.

Sergei Karaulov (Uzbekistan) #58. Ehh..


2003: Leandro Barbosa (Brazil) #28. Passed on: Josh Howard (Wake Forest) Dallas pick #29, Matt Bonner (Florida) Chicago pick #45 (to Toronto), Mo Williams (Alabama) Utah pick #47, James Jones (Miami) Indiana pick #49, Kyle Korver (Creighton) NJ Nets pick #51 (to Philly), and undrafted players Marquis Daniels (Auburn), and José Calderón (Spain).


2002: John Salmons (Miami) #26 (to Philly). Passed on: Carlos Boozer (Duke) Cleveland pick #35, Matt Barnes (UCLA) Memphis pick #46, Rasual Butler (La Salle) Miami pick #53.

Luis Scola (Argentina) #56 (rights traded to Houston 2 years later). Passed on: Devin Brown (UTSA), Reggie Evans (Iowa), Udonis Haslem (Florida) - all 3 undrafted.


2001: Tony Parker (France) #28. Passed on: Gilbert Arenas (Arizona) Golden State pick #30, Mehmet Okur (Turkey) Detroit pick #37, Earl Watson (UCLA) Seattle pick #39, and undrafted players Carlos Arroyo (Florida Int'l), Maurice Evans (Texas), Jamario Moon (Meridian CC), Andres Nocioni (Argentina).


2000: Chris Carrawell (Duke) #41. Passed on: Michael Redd (Ohio St.) Milwaukee pick #43.

Cory Hightower (Indian Hills CC) #54 (to LA Lakers). Passed on: Malik Allen (Villanova), Ime Udoka (Portland St.) - both undrafted.

(Today I learned Kenyon Martin was the #1 overall pick in 2000.)


1999: Leon Smith (MLK HS, Chicago) #29. Passed on: Gordan Giriček (Croatia) Dallas pick #40.
Manu Ginobili (Argentina) #57. Passed on: Chris Andersen (Blinn), Raja Bell (Florida Int'l) - both undrafted.


1998: Felipe López (St. John's) #24. Passed on: Al Harrington (St.Patrick's HS, NJ) Indiana pick #25, Rashard Lewis (Alief Elsik HS, Houston) Seattle pick #32

Derrick Dial (E.Michigan) #52. Passed on: Brad Miller (Purdue), Earl Boykins (E.Michigan), Anthony Carter (Hawaii) - all 3 undrafted.


1997: Tim Duncan (Wake Forest) #1. Passed on: Everybody else. If you need to see who could've been better in this case, you shouldn't be reading this, but here you go.


1996: NONE


1995: Cory Alexander (Virginia) #29. Passed on: Tyus Edney (UCLA) Sacramento pick #47.


1994: Bill Curley (Boston College) #22. Passed on: Wesley Person (Auburn) Phoenix pick #23, Monty Williams (Notre Dame) NY Knicks pick #24, Greg Minor (Louisville) LA Clippers pick #25, Charlie Ward (Florida St.) NY Knicks pick #26, Voshon Lenard (Minnesota) Milwaukee pick #46.


1993: Chris Whitney (Clemson) #47. Passed on: Bruce Bowen (Cal St.-Fullerton), Bo Outlaw (Houston) - both undrafted.


1992: Tracy Murray (UCLA) #18 (traded to Milwaukee). Passed on: Latrell Sprewell (Alabama) Golden St. pick #24, PJ Brown (Louisiana Tech) NJ Nets pick #29, Popeye Jones (Murray St.) Houston pick #41

Henry Williams (UNC-Charlotte) #44. Passed on: David Wesley (Baylor) undrafted.


1991: Greg Sutton (Oral Roberts) #49. Passed on: Darrell Armstrong (Fayetteville State), David Benoit (Alabama) - both undrafted.


1990: Dwayne Schintzius (Florida) #24. Passed on: Lance Blanks (Texas) Detroit pick #26, Elden Campbell (Clemson) LA Lakers pick #27, Toni Kukoč (Yugoslavia) Chicago pick #29.

Tony Massenburg (Maryland) #43. Passed on: Antonio Davis (UTEP) Indiana pick #45, Cedric Ceballos (Cal St.-Fullerton) Phoenix pick #48.

Sean Higgins (Michigan) #54.


1989: Sean Elliott (Arizona) #3. Passed on: Glen Rice (Michigan) Miami pick #4, JR Reid (North Carolina) Charlotte pick #5, Stacey King (Oklahoma) Chicago Bulls pick #6, Nick Anderson (Illinois) Orlando pick #11, Mookie Blaylock (Oklahoma) NJ Nets pick #12, Tim Hardaway (UTEP) Golden St. pick #14, Dana Barros (Boston College) Seattle pick #16, Shawn Kemp (Trinity Valley CC) Seattle pick #17, BJ Armstrong (Iowa) Chicago pick #18, Vlade Divac (Yugoslavia) LA Lakers pick #26, Cliff Robinson (UConn) Portland pick #36.


1988: Willie Anderson (Georgia) #10. Passed on: Will Perdue (Vanderbilt) Chicago pick #11, Harvey Grant (Oklahoma) Washington pick #12, Dan Majerle (Central Michigan) Phoenix pick #14, Brian Shaw (UC-Santa Barbara) Boston pick #24.

Shelton Jones (St. John's) #27. Passed on: Vinny Del Negro (NC St.) Sacramento pick #29, Vernon Maxwell (Florida) Denver pick #47, Steve Kerr (Arizona) Phoenix pick #50, Anthony Mason (Tennessee St.) Portland pick #53.

Barry Sumter (Austin Peay St.) #56.

Archie Marshall (Kansas) #75. Passed on: Avery Johnson (Southern), Tim Legler (La Salle) - both undrafted.


1987: David Robinson (Navy) #1. Passed on: Everybody else! Notables: Scotty Pippen, Kenny Smith, Kevin Johnson, Horace Grant, Reggie Miller, Mark Jackson, Reggie Lewis.

Greg Anderson (Houston) #23.


1986: Johnny Dawkins (Duke) #10. Passed on: John Salley (Georgia Tech) Detroit pick #11, Del Curry (Virginia Tech) Utah pick #13, Scott Skiles (Michigan St.) Milwaukee pick #22, Arvydas Sabonis (USSR) Portland pick #24, Mark Price (Georgia Tech) Dallas pick #25 (to Cleveland), Dennis Rodman (SE Oklahoma St.) Detroit pick #27.

Kevin Duckworth (E.Illinois) #33. Passed on: David Wingate (Georgetown) Philly pick #44, Jeff Hornacek (Iowa St.) Phoenix pick #46.


1985: Alfredrick Hughes (Loyola) #14. Passed on: Joe Dumars (McNeese St.) Detroit pick #18, AC Green (Oregon St.) LA Lakers pick #23, Terry Porter (Wisc.-Stevens Pt.) Portland pick #24.

Mike Brittain (South Carolina) #29. Passed on: Manute Bol (Sudan) Washington pick #31.

Tyrone Corbin (DePaul) #35. Passed on: Michael Adams (Boston College) Sacramento pick #66, Mario Elie (American Int'l) Milwaukee pick #160 (wow).


1984: Alvin Robertson (Arkansas) #7. Passed on: Otis Thorpe (Providence) KC Kings pick #9, Kevin Willis (Michigan St.) Atlanta pick #11, John Stockton (Gonzaga) Utah pick #16, Jerome Kersey (Longwood) Portland pick #46.

Joe Binion (NC A&T) #57. Passed on: Rick Carlisle (Virginia) Boston pick #70.

Ozell Jones (Cal St.-Fullerton) #90.


1983: John Paxson (Notre Dame) #19.

I stop here because, well our franchise was frankly very young. Not only that, but only Gene Banks and a handful of players were decent noteworthy picks from the first 6 seasons. We all know about the Iceman, George Gervin, but the details of how we acquired the Hall of Famer from the Virginia Squires is still very sketchy.

Sources: Basketball-Reference.com, and Wikipedia's yearly "NBA draft [year]" pages.

Not So Fast Mr. Bucher

Ric Bucher is an NBA reporter for ESPN.


Click for clarity..                                                                                                                         Via

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.