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

Kevin Durant is a true professional. I hope he retires a Rocket.

 

Spurs are meeting their nemesis in the athleticism of the Thunder. OKC's first five definitely outperforms the first five of SA. Also as the playoffs get on, fatigue may be coming into the future. Coach Pops may have built a great team, but the core is still aging, and I think we see that now.

SA shot well from the perimeter but they couldn't pound it in inside, and they were consistently being outmuscled by Perkins and Ibaka. That was the key to the OKC lead most of the game which led to the comfort level Durant had in the endgame to put the game away.

 

Let's face it, if the Finals are Durant vs LeChoke, no one will be surprised, and Houston simply isn't a preferred destination for those type of super stars. They either stay where they are drafted or head to a more glamorous situation. So now the plan is to take a gamble on trading for DH and call his bluff, which means - best case scenario - we'd have a disgruntled super star. That's not a winning recipe for building a championship team.

 

Just shows how meaningless the "on paper" concept is.

 

Spot on thread.

 

Ummmmm...you need to stop contradicting yourself.

I didn't come to the conclusion that Durant is a superstar from watching THIS GAME. I already knew that. ANd I didn't dismiss Parker or Duncan because of THIS GAME either. Basketball has it's ups and downs.

While Duncan isn't as dominate as he was. Parker and Duncan are still playing at a very high level. Whether you call that "superstar" or not is immaterial.

The point is they can take over a game and control the pace and the outcome almost single handily. And their diminished physical talents is made up by their increased BBIQ.

Yes, SA is a great team. No one denied that. But you are saying we should just copy them and don't need superstars. Which makes you a fool.

Because SA was built by acquiring superstars. Duncan was a top 5 player. And Parker an elite pg - and is still considered an elite point guard. These are just good players, they are considered the top notch players respected by everyone in the league.

and your argument has been dismissed. You should just crawl away and be a bit humble at this point, and only make yourself even look more ignorant the further you push this.

 

**** the Spurms

 

See, this is what I simply don't get - the Spurs are the most unhateable team in the NBA. They aren't arrogant SOBs like the Heat nor are they entitled jerks like the Lakers. No, all the Spurs do is quietly go about their business year in and year out and win. The Spurs represent excellence (a word that's foreign to the Rockets organization) and from where I sit you don't hate excellence - you emulate it.

 

Well said.

 

Ironically, the worst player of their best three players would still be the best player in Houston.

Arguably, the Spurs have 4-5 players within the league's top 50 active player, while 3 of those players are in the top 30 or so with one almost easily being in the top 10.


Houston does not have a post player as complete as Duncan, offensively or defensively. No creators, like Ginobili and Parker. Lack of skilled bench players, like Diaw, Captain Jackson, Neal, Green, Bonner, and Splitter.


I forgot to mention the part about their Hall of Fame bound coach who is a master at Xs and Os. He also has the ability to draw maximum performances out of his talent.



We are only an inch away from San Antonio . . . in a magical, yet delusional sport fan's wet dream.

 

Perhaps that could be said of every team still playing. We really do have a long way to go. No reason not to be a fan however.

What kills me is the talk of how we were a contender a few years ago. To really contend, to have any real statistical chance of a championship, you have to be a top three seed, hopefully better.

We did it as a sixth seed, and I believe that was the lowest seed ever to win it. Top three seed means you are one of the six best teams (perhaps). That does not sound unreasonable to have any kind of luck at taking it all.

 

That 95 Rockets team had a top notch, future Hall of Fame center who was the reigning MVP, traded a pretty good power forward for a future hall of fame shooting guard, a future all-star point guard on the bench, and a rag tag group of savvy veterans.

We simply have good players (at best) who aren't great or will necessarily blow you away.

 

That's part of problem, where do you find comparable to better players for emulation.

 

It's Championship experience with that system. Wonder why no one can replicate the Tri-angle like Phil Jackson? Kirt Rambus tried it in Minnesota recently and that failed miserably. It's about the players you have more than the system. It's probably 70% players and 30% system. Get that through your head.