San Antonio Spurs - The Beautiful Game

[Pachuco]

When people say they hate the NBA, I tell them they're missing out on witnessing the last of a dynasty still holding it down for the purists.

In many ways, I've always hoped for modern-day ND football to run it's program like the Spurs.

With that said, weekend-warriors... remember to pass the damn ball!

Go Spurs!

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[irishog77]

It really is a privilege to watch them play. I love it when they're rolling like they have been the last 2 series. Hope they can keep it up. I'm still bitter about them losing last year-- oh what could have been.

 

[anarin]

I love any team that implements a team ball concept.

I was ecstatic when the hawks got Budenholzer, he's already started that same team ball concept.

While it's fun to see superstars take over games in the league, they are everything that is wrong with it as well.

 

[Irish#1]

Spurs are on a roll. I'm hoping for an ABA reunion in the finals.

 

[zelezo vlk]

The Spurs are a freaking buzzsaw right now. Especially if they meet the Pacers, I see them winning another banner in 5. Heat/Spurs rematch will be awesome though (pending ECF).

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

I like the Spurs as well, but it's just as much fun to watch the Heat when they clamp down on defense and their transition game is second to none.

If our Irish looked like either team in it's execution on the field, I'd be very pleased.

 

[notredomer23]

The Spurs are a freaking buzzsaw right now. Especially if they meet the Pacers, I see them winning another banner in 5. Heat/Spurs rematch will be awesome though (pending ECF).

Unless Lebron goes for 40 every night, I don't think it matters who plays the Spurs. The Heat are not as good as last year and the Spurs are better than last year.

 

[Irish#1]

The Spurs are a freaking buzzsaw right now. Especially if they meet the Pacers, I see them winning another banner in 5. Heat/Spurs rematch will be awesome though (pending ECF).

I think the Spurs will handle Miami if Miami gets to the finals. The Pacers will be a tougher match up because they can match the Spurs size and have a more balanced team than Miami. The ECF is going to go 7. The Pacers that were in a slump are gone. Halfway through the Wizards series they started clicking again. Whoever wins the ECF will be tired going into the finals.

 

[zelezo vlk]

Unless Lebron goes for 40 every night, I don't think it matters who plays the Spurs. The Heat are not as good as last year and the Spurs are better than last year.

I completely agree but still think that it would be a 6 game series.

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[zelezo vlk]

Unless Lebron goes for 40 every night, I don't think it matters who plays the Spurs. The Heat are not as good as last year and the Spurs are better than last year.

I completely agree but still think that it would be a 6 game series.

I think the Spurs will handle Miami if Miami gets to the finals. The Pacers will be a tougher match up because they can match the Spurs size and have a more balanced team than Miami. The ECF is going to go 7. The Pacers that were in a slump are gone. Halfway through the Wizards series they started clicking again. Whoever wins the ECF will be tired going into the finals.

Hmm. If the Pacers make it to the finals, would you like to make a bet? I think the Spurs win in 5 against them if Indiana advances.

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[koonja]

Nothing new, but I think the Spurs win if they finish this series earlier than the ECF teams do. Losing Serge for the Thunder means a ton because it lets the Spurs move on quicker and out-rest the ECF team.

I think Miami wins in 7, Spurs win in 5 or 6. If that happens, I fully expect the Spurs to take the first two games of the finals.

 

[chicago51]

Spurs are my favorite team along with my home town Chicago Bulls. I wish IE would let me have two emblems from the same league but that is another issue.

The Spurs still play good defense in terms of not fouling and opp FG% but I find it amazing how these guys have evolved year in and year out. They where the best defense team in the league with the most vanilla offense ever (just throw to Duncan in the post) during Duncan's early years. I think Popovich is the best coach in the game and did an awesome job evolving the offense to a more perimeter offense, playing at a faster pace, and now the defense has gotten pretty good again the last couple years even if the points allowed are a little because the quicker pace.

Also kudos to Tim Duncan. After being the man for so long it takes a true team player to step aside. Tim is still the defensive anchor of that team and contributes on offense but his role certainly change went they went to their current offensive system which seems to me like a hybrid of the modern pick and roll offense and the Princeton motion offensive system.

The Spurs certainly this day in age lack "athletic talent" so fortunately for all of us and the NBA they have to pass the ball like they do to get good shots. It really is great to see.

What else is amazing is they have done it with just one lottery pick (Duncan) since 1997. K. Leonard is a late lottery pick but he was acquired in a trade.

 

[Irish#1]

I completely agree but still think that it would be a 6 game series.





Hmm. If the Pacers make it to the finals, would you like to make a bet? I think the Spurs win in 5 against them if Indiana advances.

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Given how the Spurs are playing now, I don't see the Pacers beating them if they meet up. I do think it would go at least six. Every round is about match ups. Dallas isn't nearly as good as Portland, but they matched up well with SA. Same thing with Pacers and Hawks. Pacers look much better since dispatching the Hawks.

 

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

I don't think the Spurs are going to lose more than 1 game for the rest of this year.

 

[chicago51]

Given how the Spurs are playing now, I don't see the Pacers beating them if they meet up. I do think it would go at least six. Every round is about match ups. Dallas isn't nearly as good as Portland, but they matched up well with SA. Same thing with Pacers and Hawks. Pacers look much better since dispatching the Hawks.

Dallas and San Antonio is a heated rivalry so that factored a lot into that series. A lot of familiarity there. I liked Dallas strategy of staying on the all the 3pt shooters, sure Tim Duncan had a couple of big throw back nights in that series, but wouldn't you take your chances with a soon to be 38 year old beating you? I would.

Pacers have looked better for sure.

I would think the Pacer's size would give them issues as you mentioned, just like the Spurs size is giving OKC issues. The last time they played I believed was in late March in Indy and the Spurs clobbered them by like 25 in a game that wasn't even as close as the score suggested. Still it would be interesting if they meet up.

Spurs have openly said they want to get back to the finals and want Miami. I think Pop would take the Pacer's seriously but Miami has sort of been an emotional driver for the typically non emotional Spurs. Popovich first day of camp this year supposedly played the tape of game 6 and the team has been out for blood all year. They would have ran away with best record even more convincingly if they didn't have to play I believe it was like 23 starting lineups this year.

 

[zelezo vlk]

Kawhi Leonard, man. Kawhi Leonard.

 

[chicago51]

I don't think the Spurs are going to lose more than 1 game for the rest of this year.

OKC is so athletic more than Miami or Indy they can still give the Spurs a ton of trouble. Sometimes "God Given talent" trumps fundamental basketball and OKC has more of that than anybody even without Ibaka.

I'm still very nervous about the Spurs going on the road now to the loudest arena in the NBA. Sure the Spurs won by 35 but Danny Green won't make 7 threes a night and OKC won't go 2 for 20 on threes again.

OKC still remains a terrible matchup for the Spurs. I actually am more nervous over the next 2 games than I am for the potential finals simply because of the matchups.

 

[PerthDomer]

Lebron went in a slump for the first few games of the series w/the Spurs last year and one of the Spurs role players went out of his mind in the finals last year. The Heat were a much better team than San Antonio last year and they're still better this year. Heat over Indiana and Heat win the Finals in 7 again.

 

[chicago51]

Lebron went in a slump for the first few games of the series w/the Spurs last year and one of the Spurs role players went out of his mind in the finals last year. The Heat were a much better team than San Antonio last year and they're still better this year. Heat over Indiana and Heat win the Finals in 7 again.

That may be true but there is absolutely no evidence in the body of work for 2013-2014 season to prove your statement. By all accounts the Heat have under performed off last year's standards in every way and the Spurs have out performed last year's standards. Yes the Heat had injuries but so did the Spurs who played like 20 something starting lineups this year.

Your statement may very well be true but until they get a chance to play we simply don't know.