There's been a lot of talk about how great San Antonio will be once they add another star player at either PF or shooting guard this off season. They'd be even better than they are now for sure, but I don't think such a free agent signing puts them heads above the rest of the NBA. With the loads of top free agents available this off season, a lot of teams will be vying for top dog in the NBA with their free agent acquisitions. San Antonio should go on and win the championship tonight or later in the week, but this year's playoff run has shown me that the Spurs are still a trip to the Wizard of Oz away from playing with heart. The Spurs are going to be the weakest champion this league has ever seen, not because they aren't as talented as past champions, but because they don't have a championship attitude. One team out there that has shown they have a championship attitude is the L.A. Lakers. The Spurs blew by a banged up Laker team this season that had the two stars at its core, but no Mario Elie's, Sam Cassel's, or Robert Horry's, key role players that champions depend on during the grueling run through the NBA's western conference. Let's say the Lakers go out this off season and sign a Glibert Arenas/Gary Payton and/or Karl Malone/P.J. Brown at PF. Does anyone really think that the Spurs will be able to beat that line-up come the post season? I don't. The Spurs are on the brink of winning their 2nd title and I could make a pretty good argument that they did so because they are opportunistic, not because they're the cream of the crop. Both 1999 and 2003 have been transition year's in the NBA (99' was the first season after the Bulls were dismantled and the strike shortened the season, 03' the Lakers were only half of the team they had been the past three seasons due to injuries and a poor job by management in surrounding the stars with role players. It takes more than stars to win a championship. Attitude is a big part of it. If you're not mentally tough, and I think it goes without saying that the Spurs are not, you are going to have a hard time winning it all in any sport.........that is unless NO ONE in the league has a killer instinct which is exactly what's happen in the NBA in 03'. The Spurs will be contenders if they get that big free agent acqusition everyone is talking about, but the moment another team with a killer instinct comes along like a 00' Lakers, 97' Bulls, 95' Rockets, 90' Pistons, or 86' Celtics, it will be over for the Spurs.........unless they finally decide to follow the yellow brick road.
deuce rings, I think a championship this year will do wonder to the young spurs, guys like jackson, giniobili, and parker. They really didn't play their A game in the series. They miss open shots at crucial time, and that's why kerr is the guy playing at the end of the game, it's not kerr has more games than the other guy at this stage of his career, it's because kerr is much more mentally stronger and prepared. You can't teach those young guys about darkness when they have never seen the nights. Even then, the spurs are still the clear favorite. Also, I think Duncan is on the verge on becoming the most dominate player in NBA. After his horrible free throw shooting, he really comes back and shoots a good percentage on the line. That really shows his maturity and character. Duncan has the killer instinct, he just kills you softly, that's the scary part. You heard the story about killing a frog? If you throw the frog in hot water, it will jump out.. but if you put it in cool water, and slowing heat the water to boil, you can kill the frog and it doesn't even notice it. That's Tim Duncan. There are still two games to go though, if the spurs somehow choke and don't win the championship this year, then I may have to take back some of the things I say. It will be like the Kings, they needed to win last year against the lakers, they didn't, now I am not so sure are they going to be a great team, or just continue to be a really really good team.
Two of my dark horses are Detroit and Denver. I want to see more of Carmelo Anthony and Darko Milicic. I want to see how good they are at the start and how they mesh with the team. LeBron, all hype aside, I feel is an immediate impact player. Just like Duncan and Yao. He's expected to come in a change the team, people know it, the expect it, and he still proves it on the court. That type of player. If it takes him 2 or 3 years to get the feel of the NBA, then so be it. In the end, he'll still dominate. So, I'm not sure how Anthony and Milicic will be. Will they be immediate impact players? Or will they be very good #2 or # 3 players like Kenyon Martin or Rich Jefferson; excellent players, but NOT the leaders. If that's the case, then Cleveland and Houston will be the Greats! (I chose OTHER)
As usual, I don't think posters on this board give enough credit to other teams. Looking at phoenix, they have Marbury who is same age as francis and better,Marion who is 24 and better than Mobley and Amare who right now is just as good as Ming. Penny will be off the books as well as Googs when its time for Amare's contract so their future is just as good as ours,plus they have playoff experience. Indy is another team that i would keep my eye on. Not only do they have great depth and atheleticism, they're young and don't really have many bad contracts. They resign O'Neal, sign and trade for Mourning and add Payton and that team will compete for a title against any west team period. Payton,Artest,Oneal and Mourning as 4 of a starting 5 compares against anything in the west. Detroit is another team that can threaten the west also. Adding Darko who is said has a higher ceiling than James will only help them tremendously. Hamilton is 25 and Billups is 25 also, to go along with prince,Okur,and Wallace. How no one thinks this team isn't a dominant team in the making, they're fooling themselves. Golden State is another team that is poised to be a threat in the west. They have a good core in Richardson,Jamison,Dunleavy and Murphy, but they will lose Arenas. They can do themselves a favor by trading for Miller since he want out of La. How would that team look in the west? The obvious is Sa. They will win the title this yr and still add a impact player via free agency. The thing is, i don't tink it will be back to back champions in a minute. I think no matter who Sa adds in free agency, there are teams in the west that can match up to them. If Shaq comes back in shape, the Lakers still have 2 of the top 5 players in the league. They will add a veterans to take over for the older ones and that will help them. With all that said, I do like the Rockets team to at least compete for rings in the near future. Th problem as it looks now is that the west is so strong, that it will be hard for any team to repeat as champions every yr. The Kings,Spurs,Lakers are going to be strong for at least 3 yrs minimum and even longer. Dallas, Minny,Phoe,and Portland will be right there also. Its going to be the roughest road since the 80's version of the east. We'll see.
I completely disagree with you on Tim Duncan. There have been a hundred times in these playoffs when the Spurs couldn't get anything going and they needed their leader to step up. Instead, Duncan would often be found in the high post. Thatr's fine, but when he got the ball, he wasn't passing to slashers. He would usually just throw the ball back outside and post up against a double team. Duncan has the skills to be the most dominant player in the NBA. As of right now, I don't think he has the killer insitinct (quietly or otherwise) that you claim he has. He does not demand the ball in crunch time and that's not the sign of a champion. He can put up gaudy numbers all he wants, but the telling times for NBA players is what they do in crunch time in the playoffs. Stephen Jackson, Tony Parker, Manut Ginobili, and Steve Kerr have all been more demonstrative in crunch time than the team's star and league MVP and to me that's a bad sign for the future of the Spurs. Until that changes, they'll play second fiddle to Shaq and especially Kobe Bryant, both who want the ball in the critical moments of the game.
1) The reason I specifically didn't include New Jersey, Indiana, G-State, or the Clipps is the uncertainty surrounding each of their ( arguably) best players. Yes, if jersey re-signs Kidd, and he pairs with jefferson and K-Mart for years, they could be great...etc. But I counted these among my Big If teams, whereas the ones we're dealing with are known commodities, in tersm of players of draft picks. 2) I do think people are doing a little more rooting than betting hereIt's likely many vote befiore reading the post. As for myself, it came down to three teams: San Antonio beciause of thw age/quality ratio, Chicago because of the sheer weight of superior talnet, and Houston because of the potentially dominant players at dominant positions. To me, that's the biggest seperation between Pheonix's future and Houston's future; the fact Houston's young player is a center, and capable of dominating the league, whereas Amare is at best capable of dominating other power forwards. I do agree that, on paper, Marbury > Francis and Marion >Eddie, while Yao and Amare are arguably even right now...and yes, Amare is younger. But when you have a potentially dominant center, and a potentially dominant power forward, go with the center 8 days a week. Duncan, really a center playing power forward, is an exception to the rule; Dominant centers have won far and away more championships than any other dominat position player, and probably more than all of the rest combined. We have recently seen Jordan, Bird, Magic, Isiah and now Duncan win, but we have also seen the dominance of Shaq and Hakeem in this supposedly newer era, and then you consider the rings racked up by Walton, Jabbar, Malone, Russel, Wilt, et all, going back to Mikan, and it's not really all that close.
Just a side note. The thing I like about Eddie is that he's not scared of anyone. I remember two games (one against the Jazz and one against the Blazers). Malone tried to intimidate Eddie. Eddie didn't back down. Against the Blazers, Rasheed Wallace tried to talk trash to Eddie and a few times gave him some elbows in the ribs. Eddie went right back at him! We won that game. Eddie pushed right back. He might be a quite guy, but don't mess with those type guys! Carry on...
I think Houston has the chance to build something special here but that depends on Steve Francis and Yao Ming if Steve plays under control and like an TRUE allstar and Yao plays up to his potentiol this team will be unstoppable. guys like Ed Griff, James Posey, Nachbar has to step up big time and how can i forget we still have one of the nba's most underratted SG's in Cat Mobley.
I really think the Lakers have a good 2 or 3 more years left in them dominating the NBA. Just like somebody said on this thread, they have that killer instinct that the Spurs do not have. I believe that they are still the team to beat in the NBA and they will be a hungry furious beast next year with something to prove. I really don't see any new champs in the next few years besides maybe Sacramento. The Mavericks proved again this year they are not ready at all to take that final leap. I could see Detriot becoming the team to beat in the East in the next few years with Larry Brown and Millicic coming on board. I really hope the Rockets can make a quick and fast transition to become champions again and not just a once in awhile champion like the Spurs but powerhouse dynasty like The Bulls and Lakers. Unfortunantly i don't see Francis being part of that dynasty as i have a feeling that he will have to be traded down the road.
would this be a young team: pg-21 yrs old-parker sg-24=gino sf-23-jackson pf-24-brand c-27-duncan Yeh,the spurs are old once they sign that old bag Brand.Further proof that Rudys "we are the second youngest team" talk was brilliant.
This is Rudy... Young team = Using the ISO is easier to design than a sophisticated team offense. Young team = Francis loves the ISO. Young team = Mobley loves the ISO. Young team = The fans and media will buy this excuse because techincally they are "young."
LMAO!!! Houston......110 votes. Man...how lovely. The Spurs are going to be the Great Team. If Shaq stays good and in shape for a few more years...and they add some adequate role players...POWER FORWARD...then they will still be competing for the top. The Kings are the best team right now...but most of their guys are aging. They still have a chance for a couple years. Mavericks...Michael Finley is getting old...but they still have one of the most talented teams...with Nowitzki and Nash. If they don't get any toughness inside...then they will remain one of the top teams in the West...I think they can win a championship...but only 1. Pistons have a great team...they aren't that great though. They will dominate the East at least. Phoenix.....Marbury is getting old. Marion is OK...but he relies on others most of the time...Amare...well he's powerful and very very young. They also have some good bench players... The Cavs. Lebron James. Woohoo. Uhh..no. They will have some trouble...for a while. But I think they can contend in a few years... Nets...well they have Richard Jefferson and Kenyon Martin. But they can't win a championship against the West. Golden State. Well Arenas is gone...so...if he is gone...then they are kinda down for a while. Denver. They have way too many young players...they need to balance it out. THey have way too many players at same positions. They are young. If they get Gilbert Arenas...then yes...they will be a good team. Bulls....well they are disappointing. But they have a lot of youth...and if they somehow all improve...then they can be good! San Antonio is going to dominate for a while... But Houston...if Eddie Griffin ever improves and is more consistent...and Bostjan Nachbar isn't a bust and can be a versatile small forward...and Yao Ming is the MD...and Francis is a true point guard...and Mobley is still here...IN three years...we should be able to contend...for a long time. If everything goes right, I hope. Sane.....ELTON BRAND...if we can get him....then we will be THE NEXT GREAT TEAM. We will be able to compete with anybody. ANYBODY!!!!
If Kidd goes back to NJ, then I think they have a shot. I know, I know, this is not a good time to be saying this after they collapsed last night, but look at the pros: 1. Kidd is in his prime and will remain so for a while, while his physical skills may decline, his court sense should remain better than anybody in the game. 2. Kenyon Martin, until last night's abortive performance, was well on his way to becoming one of my favorite nonrocket players. Young, can jump out of the gym, a great rebounder, a good defender, a good passer, and a decent shooter and driver. He's also harnessed his rage and become a fiery leader type. Hopefully, last night was an aberration, because he had a hell of a playoff run and looks like he can do great things. 3. Jefferson, he needs a jumper, true, and he benefits greatly from Kidd, but let's face it, this guy can play too. 4. Jason Colllins is a pretty decent center, although thats not saying much in todays NBA. 5. Last year's first round draft pick for the Nets is Nenad Kristic. He is your typical, multitalented Euro 7 footer and supposedly would be a surefire Lotto selection if he were coming out this year. The big albatross, aside from Kidd's resigning, is the fact that they Mutombo's cap destroying deal on the books till 05. THat is such a killer; ROd Thorn made so many good moves then blew it with that one.
Chicago begs the question, at what point does investing in young talent reach a point of diminishing returns? Answer: see the Clippers. Having so much young talent on a team has a way of corrupting. In this day and age, it's as much about "mine" as it is the team's, and the Bulls are setting themselves up for a Clipper-like downfall.
