Spurs running a clinic on winning without superstars....Rockets need to take a lesson

People forgot how Malone was injured and Shaq was playing injured right in that final series. It's Kobe/Payton vs healthy piston starting fives.

This Spurs team has very good players(right now) in their big three. but their supporting cast/system/experience is ridiculous. They know how to play in shortened season.

 

Yea but cmon man, nobody builds a team for a one year run.

Well It should be a tall order for being a superstar. That term should only be reserved for the elite of the elites. I mean, when legends like MJ and Dream and considered superstars, where is the cut off?

 

I think we can agree that they have 3 STAR level players, just no superstars.

The problem is the Rockets only have maybe one of those in Dragic - and that is a big maybe.

DD

 

Take away there 3 so called " role players" and see how far they get with no actual superstars???

 

If the proposed Gasol trade had gone through, Goran (who is no where near Parker) would be in New Orleans. Just sayin.....

 

No, but he's a 5 time all star, which isn't far behind. He played with the Wallaces(4 all star games each), and Richard Hamilton(3 all star games). That's a lot of talent, which would be difficult to duplicate, and they won one title.

 

So much for the Spurs perfect offense.

 

They have 3 players that are top 5 in there position..lol.

 

Commented some time back (which some people agreed with then, now they wont)

The Rockets model isnt too dissimilar from the Spurs organization. In McHale, not in pure knowledge but in AESTHETICS he's kinda a poor man's Popovich. In the coaching search, Morey said he was looking for a "leader of men". You can describe Popovich as a tall imposing, defense and toughness oriented, "player's coach" type with a blend of personality with business. That can describe McHale. (Though Popovich switched gears and now is an offensive ace. Its why he's the best).

Spurs used stats in their evaluations (OKC wiz GM Sam Presti came from the SPURS organization). The Rockets overall coaching staff has good ability on it. Also the Rockets are proving okay in the international scouting area. Spurs got their Tiago Splitter after having Scola, maybe the Rockets have something in Montiejunas. Who's to say Sergio Llull can't contribute.


Besides management, the main thing is Spurs have HEALTHY stars to complement. Yao and McGrady are younger than Duncan and Manu and Dirk Nowitzki last year, and look at them now. Not saying Fabricio Oberto and Francisco Elson are easy players to find, but its easier to get role guys to be servicable next to healthy Hall of Famers than it is in GETTING the next batch of All Stars.

 

This thread and many of the responses in it just exposes how little people really understand what makes Tim Duncan one of the best players of all time. People confuse the ability to fill up a box score and the hype that goes with filling up offensive stats in a flashy way how much it translates to winning. They look at a regular-season line like Kevin Love's 26.0pts/13.4rbs and think that this means he's better than Duncan with 15.4pts/9.0rbs. In fact, Duncan's best year in terms of points and rebounds has never been as good as Love's this year. Duncan's stat line has basically hovered around 20-22pts and 10-12 rbs year in and year out.

So would you guys take the self-declared best PF Love this year over a peak version of Duncan for a run at the championships? I didn't think so.

Let's first acknowledge the fact that Duncan's per minute numbers are almost his career average and that Pop has been managing his minutes for this run. But the bigger point is the reason Duncan's the best PF ever (or perhaps one of the top centers) is the fact that he completely changes things on defense while giving you a real post threat that needs double-teaming on offense. This is why I'd take Duncan even today over Love or Griffin. Love and Griffin don't scare anyone on defense. If Love was close to the beast that Duncan is today on defense (nevermind how Duncan was at his peak), Love wouldn't have missed the playoffs period. There is a reason why Duncan has never missed the playoffs. Just watch how Duncan completely disrupts the other team's offense by owning the entire paint both on the ball and as a rotation defender. The other point is that neither Griffin nor Love has a legit post game, which got Griffin exposed in the playoffs this year and is why OKC got exposed in games 1 and 2 and why DHoward has never been able to close it out.

The so-called superstars that can fill up the points like Melo or Griffin or Love don't have the same effect as Duncan does. This is also why I think Duncan has been the best player over the last 13 years, not Kobe. Kobe simply has never had the same overall impact on defense and offense that Duncan has had, which is why he has always had to have a seriously stacked team and was only the man on his team for 2 of his championships.

Seriously, you guys need to watch what Duncan does on defense to see why he's still one of the top guys you want to make a run to the championship.

 

What does 5 championships or HOF have to do with whether or not he is a superstar THIS SEASON? Wasn't that the question?

 

Again, I thought the thread was about the Spurs not having a superstar. Ben Wallace was also not a superstar.

 

You are absolutely insane person who should not be listened to if you think Spurs dont have stars. Anyways it was premature gloating again.

 

Very evident watching this thread the only true basketball expert here is not OlajuwonFan81. Guys that know basketball don't make claims based on one game, and the ones who do make such claims are a notch below.

 

The clinic has been closed for repair.

 

I think there is a wrench in Pops engine. It's called Durant.

 

...and it's gonna be Harden to get it out. (I tried)