two words: tim duncan. this is not going to be a thread about how "tim duncan sucks" or anything stupid like that. tim duncan is a stud franchise player...let's get that out in the open right now. however, tim duncan, imo, lacks the balls to dethrone the lakers. here's why: #1: tim duncan is a center. he is not a power forward. the man is bigger than most centers in the league. #2: tim duncan will not cover shaq. instead the "coach" puts david robinson on him, malik rose on him, anyone but timmy. i have read excuses about how tim won't cover shaq because he might get into foul trouble. well to me that's a load of crap. remember 1994 and 1995 when shaq was still a freakin beast and hakeem was the best player on the rockets??? who covered shaq? otis thorpe? ummm...nope. robert horry? ummm...nope. chucky brown? ummm...nope. it was hakeem. undersized center hakeem olajuwon held shaq. at some point, if you are the best post player on your team, you have to step up to the plate and say "f*ck it! i'll cover shaq and damnit shaq you cover me and let's see who wins!!!!" tim has never done that. and until he does, i don't think the spurs will ever beat the lakers in a series. not while the lakers confidence is this high. of course, someone will argue "well what about when the spurs won their *championship?? they beat la then." true, but la was not on the high they are on right now. right now, they don't believe they can be beaten by ANYONE. and it will take a special effort, a special move to beat them. that special move could be duncan sacking up and playing shaq. but until he grows some testicals and plays his natural position i don't believe it will ever happen.
I think it is because they continuously field mediocre PGs, SGs, and SFs, and Robinson is bye bye. But that's just me.
Anyone covering Shaq is going to get in foul trouble, because they are called for fouls committed by Shaq.
oh that does not help, you're right. however, a truly inspired offensive and defensive performance by who is supposed to be the "mvp" and "most talented big man" in the league would go a long way to dethroning them. it's a task, no doubt, because it not only involves battling shaq, but playing help defense, as well. however, if tim duncan is as good as advertised he at least has to take the challenge to do so.
Did the Rockets have another option to guard Shaq? Our power forwards in 1995, when we played the Magic in the Finals, were Robert Horry and Chucky Brown. There's a world of difference in the defensive capabilities of those two against Shaq compared to David Robinson, even at his current age. The Rockets didn't have a David Robinson type presence next to Hakeem in the 1995 run, so the argument is irrelevant. The Rockets did it because there were no options left. Oh, and Tim has done that late in games, when Shaq has been slowed. I'm sure he would play center, but with David Robinson on your team, why? Robinson can play them just fine.
I agree with cat. We just didnt have any other options that even made remote sense. Otis thorpe might have done a good job, but we traded him for Drexler, so you cant use that argument. Horry was too busy defending the legions of all star power forwards in the west that year, including Horace Grant in the Finals if I remember correctly. Comparing Horry and Chucky browns ability to defend shaq compared to D-Rob is a no brainer. If you got a D-Rob on your team that can guard shaq instead of your star player, what better option do you have?
Cat and Nutcracker, you're missing the point. sure the rockets didn't really have any other options, but that doesn't matter. my point is that the #1 scorer for the team covered shaq, didn't get in tremendous foul trouble, played excellent help side defense, and was able to abuse shaq on the offensive end. sometimes you have to take the game to the big man...not let david robinson hold him (which, btw, is a waste of time). psychologically speaking, can you IMAGINE what it would do for the spurs' collective psyche if duncan were to go head to head with shaq and convincingly beat him on both ends??? can you IMAGINE??? having dave cover him is the same as saying tim is afraid to cover him. dave poses little threat to a healthy shaq - particulary in an intense playoff game. also, with david you absolutely WILL have to double shaq. let tim play him one on one. then you can double kobe if necessary. now you have a chance. until then, imo, the difference betwen the spurs and lakers is not huge, but big enough that the spus will never beat them.
I like Tim Duncan an aweful lot but I think there are some good points made in this thread. All this talk of Tim Duncan being a Power Forward is crap. He is a CENTER. He is only a PF by DEFAULT because Robinson is on his team. If he would have been drafted by anyone else other than San Antonio then he would have been a Center. He is 6-11 and has a nice back to the basket game. Sure he can bring it out side and face up to the basket but just because he can do that does not mean he is a PF. The guy is a center and the onus as the MVP is on HIM to take on Shaq himself. He is the best defensive player on the team and he has to step up to do it. No question. End rant! Chris
Hello! Guarding Shaq in '95? Have we forgotten father time in Charles Jones. That man was ready to collect his social security checks after the bumps he took. Go back and watch the series again, that man was on his back more than Madonna in the 80s.
They won't win because Shaq and Kobe....simple as that. It's been proven that the Spurs are the Lakers' B!tche$, and the sad thing is the Spurs players know this. If any team beats the Lakers, it will be the Kings. Except for Duncan, their talent level is light years ahead of the Spurs. Side Note: What is it lately with sports analysts giving the Spurs all this credit? From guests on PTI and Best Damn Sports Show to D.A. from ESPN, they all think the Spurs are going to be this fantastic team this year.
Here is the dilemna. The Lakers have two great players on their team. One is arguably the best in the league. San Antonio only has one great player. The problem is that this player is so good that the spurs will never be bad enough to get a good enough draft pick to get another great player. Also, the fact that San Antonio is not the popular choice for basketball star to live almost eliminates any chance of them getting a great player via free angency. The way I see it, there are three ways the spurs has a chance to tackle the Lakers. 1. Duncan pulls a Robinson and gets injured and with the luck of the lotto gods they land Lebron James. 2. Somehow they get vet all-star like Payton or Malone because these guys want rings. I heard a rumor on this board once that Seattle offered Payton for Parker and trash and Pops turned it down. If this is true, Pops should be shot. 3. Gino proves me wrong and turns out to be the second coming of George Gervin. Gino needs to become a bonafide star, not just a good player that I expect him to be. I've been wrong before so this could happen.
To expand on that......Tim Duncan is NO Hakeem Olajuwon on the defensive end. Never will be. Hakeem played Shaq smartly, and was a much more savvy defensive player than Duncan. Quicker, better hands, etc. IMO, Robinson is just as effective if not moreso at guarding O'Neal than Duncan could/would be. So given the odds, who do you want sitting on the bench in foul trouble?
I read some preseason article that said that Duncan was so fundamental that the Laker players knew what play he was going to do beforehand. Credit Phil's preperation there. Timmy sounds like a robot to me...
