It was a perfect storm and they still couldn't get the job done. Among other things, Danny Green is not going to be setting NBA records in the Finals again and San Antonio isn't going to receive a ft advantage in every single game either.
It took a perfect storm to beat them in 2012. So what? Unless you think Perkins + Ibaka going 18/20 is normal. Green missed everything against the Thunder in the WCF. The Spurs were the only team to actually dominate Miami in a couple of games.
Roflmfao I know the Spurs are pissing in there pants when they play a team with Howard and Lin as there top four best players, and McHale as the coach.
Not sold on the Spurs. They blow weak competition but against long athletic teams that defend well they struggle
So were the Pacers. If only Vogel didn't outcoach himself in that Game 1. Spurs have been on a pretty relaxed schedule, they'll start to see stiffer competition soon and then we'll see how they do. Never count them out though, that's what I've learned throughout the years.
You don't win a series by winning game 1. The Pacers didn't come close in the only chance they have had to eliminate the Heat in either of the last two years - they got destroyed in game 7 last year.
What about in 2007 when the league had to screw over the Phoenix Suns, who were the only legitimate title contenders the Spurs played in the post-season that year, for San Antonio to advance? What about 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011? Was San Antonio the victim of perfect storms all those years too? Also, the Spurs were up 2-0 in the 2012 WCF, but lost 4 in a row, which indicates that the better team won. None of this changes the fact that the Spurs haven't beaten a genuine title contender in the playoffs since 2007. It may not be appropriate to even count 2007 since the league screwed over Phoenix. Then you have to go all the way back to 2005. That's 8 years since they've had a series victory over legit title contenders in the playoffs.
Historically, Spurs have been opportunistic. They are not really dominant. They are never bad. They are always good to very good because of their discipline/coaching and when other teams falter/weak opposition, they make the best of their opportunities. Also, Popovich is a master of handling minutes for his players during regular season to keep them ready for the playoffs, so even with an old core, they can still contend.
Well maybe there's a reason why their players are still good even after 30, while DH is already dealing with back problems at age 27 and Harden missed games due to bruised feet at age 24.
No it didn't. You keep saying that, and it's not true. OKC dominated Game 1 and lost because of lack of experience. They then regrouped to win in 6 and four games in a row. And Spurs would have still had to beat Miami. You're not really saying they were close to winning the title that year, are you?
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Spurs have struggled against NBA's elite. San Antonio is a combined 1-10 vs. Thunder, Heat, Blazers, Rockets, Pacers, Clippers.</p>— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/statuses/427538696942800896">January 26, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Lol, while I don't necessarily agree with the elite classification for all those teams, the list does consist of the top 2 seeds in the East and 4 of the top 5 seeds in the West not including San Antonio since they don't play themselves.
I don't understand why people would call the Spurs dominate, at least in the playoffs. Sure, they somehow get it done every regular season. I think they have always surpassed or would have surpassed, in the case of a lock out, 50 wins each season in the Duncan era. To me they haven't been dominate in the playoffs since 2005. Since then they've had bad series or lucked out on who they faced to advanced. Last year, they beat a horrible Lakers team even if Kobe was healthy and available, the Warriors who are only dangerous if the catch fire and do not play any defense at all, and a Memphis team that could not score at all. Three series which they should have won without really worrying. Sure they were a Ray Allen three from winning the whole thing, but if Danny Green and most of Spurs didn't get hot from three for the first 5 games, that series could have been over in 5 or 6 easily. Don't get me wrong, I respect the Spurs, Duncan, Pop and their management. Longevity in any sport is remarkable and for them to keep putting up 50+ win season with the same three players is damn right respectable. But the notion that the Spurs are actual contenders, especially this year, is getting a little delusional. Put them in a series against any team that they aren't clear favorites for, and I feel they would loss the series more times than not.
