[SA/DEN]Denver joins the club
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I liked his interview. He has his priorities straight, saying he's not afraid to take the big shot because he knows even if he misses his family and friends will still be there. He doesn't worry about it. And I think it's pretty clear he's had success...
I hate having to admire someone I hate.
I hate having to admire someone I hate.
But then, that same lackadaisical attitude that prevented him from being one of the greats makes him ice cold down the stretch -- he's not nervous because he doesn't care! I mean, he cares, but he doesn't care like some guys like CWebb who want it so bad they tighten up in the clutch and get nervous.
So if Robert Horry would have been more intense, he might have been a great player, but maybe not one of the great clutch performers of all time. Instead, he has a career of underachieving but he's hit some of the most clutch shots of all time. It's a fascinating thing.
The Spurs are the floppiest group of players I have ever seen. I hate that team. And Camby is a moron for leaving Horry open. How does AI only get 5 free throws? This is a guy who shot like 9 free throws per game in the regular season. And he's not getting more than 5 in the playoffs. I don't understand why they don't call fouls when AI is getting fouled.
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Bingo, couldn't have said it better myself.
This guy was supposed to be Scottie Pippen. I remember as a little kid, being excited as hell when I saw this guy. Decent ball handling, excellent athleticism, a great jumpshot and yet he was always a role player. He played small forward back then and should've been a terror considering how tall he is.
I'm not sure it's that he doesn't care. He just never worked as hard off the court as you'd want. His game never advanced. When he was on the court, he played hard but when it came to improving your game off the court, it never happened.
His transition as a player basically came by accident. When we traded Otis Thorpe for Clyde Drexler, he got shoved into the 4 spot. His defense was pretty impressive for a guy who didn't have the bulk you'd expect from a power forward. The Lakers later bulked him up and kept him at the 4, basically locking him into a role player and killing off any chance of taking advantage of his athleticism. Bulking up made him a legit 4, but destroyed his quickness. The guy used to be a slasher at one time. He basically became a 3 point shooter with some occasional post up moves.
This guy was supposed to be Scottie Pippen. I remember as a little kid, being excited as hell when I saw this guy. Decent ball handling, excellent athleticism, a great jumpshot and yet he was always a role player. He played small forward back then and should've been a terror considering how tall he is.
I'm not sure it's that he doesn't care. He just never worked as hard off the court as you'd want. His game never advanced. When he was on the court, he played hard but when it came to improving your game off the court, it never happened.
His transition as a player basically came by accident. When we traded Otis Thorpe for Clyde Drexler, he got shoved into the 4 spot. His defense was pretty impressive for a guy who didn't have the bulk you'd expect from a power forward. The Lakers later bulked him up and kept him at the 4, basically locking him into a role player and killing off any chance of taking advantage of his athleticism. Bulking up made him a legit 4, but destroyed his quickness. The guy used to be a slasher at one time. He basically became a 3 point shooter with some occasional post up moves.
You know, when people wonder why I'm rooting for the Mavericks, now you know why.
I don't care what anybody else says, I truly believe in my heart of hearts that the only team still in the playoffs that can beat the Pistons are the Spurs. And I also believe in my heart of hearts that the only team still in the playoffs that can beat the Spurs are the Mavericks.
So, basically, I want the Mavericks to win so that they can lose in the Finals to the Pistons, and Webber can get his ring.
I don't care what anybody else says, I truly believe in my heart of hearts that the only team still in the playoffs that can beat the Pistons are the Spurs. And I also believe in my heart of hearts that the only team still in the playoffs that can beat the Spurs are the Mavericks.
So, basically, I want the Mavericks to win so that they can lose in the Finals to the Pistons, and Webber can get his ring.
You mean the refs caused the Nuggets to lose? This was a well played game (as was the Rockets/Jazz earlier) and once again the Spurs lock down defense in the 4th quarter proved why they have won 3 of the last 8 NBA championships.
The worst thing about Kings fans (and I'm a big Kings fan) is WAY TOO MANY constantly rag on officials instead of analyzing the strategy and performance of the teams on the court. One of the best things about lock down defense minded Ron Artest is he does not complain about the refs or a single call against him - NEVER. He know the game is not about the refs, they're human and will always miss a few here and there - it's ALL about the players and a will to win.
The worst thing about Kings fans (and I'm a big Kings fan) is WAY TOO MANY constantly rag on officials instead of analyzing the strategy and performance of the teams on the court. One of the best things about lock down defense minded Ron Artest is he does not complain about the refs or a single call against him - NEVER. He know the game is not about the refs, they're human and will always miss a few here and there - it's ALL about the players and a will to win.
So you're rooting for the Nuggets and have to point the finger at the Spurs and the officials because the Nuggets couldn't get the job done tonight?
The Spurs showed why they're perennial contenders. You can hate them all you like but it's pretty foolish not to recognize just how good they really are.
The Spurs showed why they're perennial contenders. You can hate them all you like but it's pretty foolish not to recognize just how good they really are.
It's pretty obvious that Ginobili is one of the floppiest players in the game. There were plays when Carmelo and/or Iverson were fouled and they don't get the call. But Tony Parker got a bs and 1 where nobody was close to him and he flailed his foot in an odd direction and he gets the call. But nobody even touched him. They were paying close attention to Melo and giving him every offensive foul they could but Ginobili's flopping where he's kicking and flailing at other guys gets him calls. I never said the Spurs aren't a very good team. It's fairly obvious they're getting calls and AI/Melo aren't getting calls. AI gets like 9 FTAs in the regular season but in the playoffs he's only gotten 9 FTAs once. He had an 8 FTA game and the other two he got 5 free throws and 0. Players don't just stop driving and looking for contact. I'm not saying it's fixed but I DO believe the refs have done a horrible job and that they've bought into the Spurs flopping and their "good defense" when if it's any other team it'd be a foul.
^^If you want to play the ref card, it's not like Spurs have been living at the free throw line. Duncan is getting murdered. Look at the free throw disparity. It certainly is not favoring the Spurs. But Pop is all class and will never use the media like Karl would to talk about the refs. Everyone notices Horry and his 3's but he does a lot of the little things too(like the blocks, the key deflections, key rebounds, a charge, a key pass). He does all the little things. One of the best role players to ever suit them up. And you talk about Manu flopping, and drawing contact. Iverson does a similar thing by looking for the contact. Anyway, Nuggets played well, but Spurs are the better team and executed down the stretch. Nuggs did not keep SA off the 3 point line and they got killed there.
Surely you know that the intensity of the playoffs is absolutely nothing like an average game on the 82 game regular season schedule - so forget any stats from "that season." The Spurs just beat the Nuggets twice at Pepsi Center to go up 3-1 in this "second season" because they played harder, smarter, and most importantly played superior team defense for 96 minutes over those two games. The refs were no more than a tiny blip on the radar screen if visible at all in this game and the last one won by the Spurs. Why not talk about the horrible offensive execution by the Nuggets down the stretch with all those deep jacked up shots (several air balls resulting) under extreme San Antonio defensive pressure - not extreme zebra pressure.
Dude it is OBVIOUS the Spurs are the floppiest team in the NBA. Every time Ginobili gets breathed on he acts like he just got hit by a bus. Yeah the Spurs played decent D but it's not like they don't get calls. Bowen is one of the dirtiest players in the game, just ask Ray Ray, VC, Steve Francis, Wally Szczerbiak, etc. Tim Duncan complains to the refs more than anybody I've ever seen.
Also George Karl did a pretty horrible job but IMO if the refs wouldn't have bought all of SA's flops then the Nuggets still would've won.
Also George Karl did a pretty horrible job but IMO if the refs wouldn't have bought all of SA's flops then the Nuggets still would've won.
Spurs are healthy. That is the key thing. And their big bumps in the season acted as a wake up call. In hind sight it was key, but of course during those bumps, it didn't feel like it was a lesson that they'd learn from.
Even though he wouldn't get into the Hall of Fame, his jersey should probably be up in all 3 of the teams he won championships for(at least if SA wins a 2nd with him).
Even though he wouldn't get into the Hall of Fame, his jersey should probably be up in all 3 of the teams he won championships for(at least if SA wins a 2nd with him).
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Robert Horry....I hate the player that helped kill the Kings. However, as a person, I actually have a great deal of respect for him. He understands what's truly important in life and missing or making a shot isn't it. (This article was actually in 2002...the year I'd rather blot from my mind.)
http://espn.go.com/magazine/vol5no12horry.html
http://espn.go.com/magazine/vol5no12horry.html
All I'm saying is the Spurs are a group of horribly obvious floppers and complainers. Yeah they are good but they flop more than a fish out of water man. Plenty of people who aren't Sac fans have said the same things I'm saying now. I don't really care if I offend spurs fans when I say that group of players flops a ton... they do.
D-U-D-E you confuse a reputation with reality. To call the Spurs the "floppiest team in the NBA" is too revert back to a kind of tired old rag that some Lakers fans had against Vlade Divac. Sure Vlade might flop here and there but not enough over 48 minutes to determine actual outcome of most games - if any game ever. It's a cop out that constant whiners look for when they can't or won't address a full 48 minutes of game REALITY.
I watched the game extremely closely and saw not a single dirty play by Bruce Bowen tonight. It appeared to me he did what he usually does and that was get up tight and keep his man in front of him which is simply defense at its most fundamental superior level. I didn't see much complaining by Tim Duncan to the refs and his reputation is one of rarely if ever complaining to the level of getting a tech.
Always complaining about NBA refs (generally the best basketball officials on the planet) reminds me of how parents yell their silly lungs out screaming at refs at area high school sports games - failing to realize that the children playing are just kids, the refs just average Joe's and the teams for the most part only organized chaos at that minor level.
I watched the game extremely closely and saw not a single dirty play by Bruce Bowen tonight. It appeared to me he did what he usually does and that was get up tight and keep his man in front of him which is simply defense at its most fundamental superior level. I didn't see much complaining by Tim Duncan to the refs and his reputation is one of rarely if ever complaining to the level of getting a tech.
Always complaining about NBA refs (generally the best basketball officials on the planet) reminds me of how parents yell their silly lungs out screaming at refs at area high school sports games - failing to realize that the children playing are just kids, the refs just average Joe's and the teams for the most part only organized chaos at that minor level.
I know Duncan whines a lot but honestly, who doesn't? Every team has their complainers. And as for flopping, Ginobili does flop a lot and has become almost Divac-esque but that shouldn't detract from a quality win by the Spurs.
Flopping had nothing to do with this one. They won this game with grit and a clutch shot here and there. Props to the Spurs. Unlike the Mavs, who I absolutely hate, I can respect the Spurs. Good job.
Flopping had nothing to do with this one. They won this game with grit and a clutch shot here and there. Props to the Spurs. Unlike the Mavs, who I absolutely hate, I can respect the Spurs. Good job.
I think Duncan and Parker till the midway point in third quarter had taken only 2 FTs as well. It wasnt like the refs were favouring one team over another in terms of free throws. If you take the intentional fouls in the end the FT count should be pretty much the same 16 a piece.
But that did play into the spurs side and I have to give that one, they have better three point shooters, they have better finishers at the rim in terms of Duncan and are much better organized on offense. Den doesnt have three point threats, they were dependent on AI creating on offense with his drive and without foul calls he cant score going through so much traffic.
During third quarter they showed duncan talking to pop and after a long discussion you could see the strategy, duncan fell down on the next few posessions, whether nene touched him or not it was a foul and when they didnt call he just fell down and got the calls. I dont think spurs are going far this year, maybe just out of the first round but no more. They have had their share of championships for the decade.
But that did play into the spurs side and I have to give that one, they have better three point shooters, they have better finishers at the rim in terms of Duncan and are much better organized on offense. Den doesnt have three point threats, they were dependent on AI creating on offense with his drive and without foul calls he cant score going through so much traffic.
During third quarter they showed duncan talking to pop and after a long discussion you could see the strategy, duncan fell down on the next few posessions, whether nene touched him or not it was a foul and when they didnt call he just fell down and got the calls. I dont think spurs are going far this year, maybe just out of the first round but no more. They have had their share of championships for the decade.
The Spurs had a MUCH easier time with the Nuggets than they did in last years opening round with the Artest "I guarantee Kings make the playoffs." In fact, Pop said after they lost to Dallas in the next round 4-3 that the Kings had taken maybe more out of them than they realized in a 4-2 series down to the wire in nearly every game with Sac.
In a word, yes.
Not only that, but there's no team in the NBA that can provide what the Kings did last year... Don't ever get it twisted: we weren't in the class of the Spurs last year. It's all about the matchups. Hell, I can't believe that anybody who's watched a even a minute of this Mavericks/Warriors series cannot realize how important matchups can be. There's not another team in the playoffs that Golden State would get two games on. And you could have said the same thing about the Kings last year; just because we matched up well with the Spurs doesn't mean that they were a bad/overrated team, nor does it mean that we were anywhere near as good.
Not only that, but there's no team in the NBA that can provide what the Kings did last year... Don't ever get it twisted: we weren't in the class of the Spurs last year. It's all about the matchups. Hell, I can't believe that anybody who's watched a even a minute of this Mavericks/Warriors series cannot realize how important matchups can be. There's not another team in the playoffs that Golden State would get two games on. And you could have said the same thing about the Kings last year; just because we matched up well with the Spurs doesn't mean that they were a bad/overrated team, nor does it mean that we were anywhere near as good.