SPURSIFIC

(THIS IS A COLLECTION OF BLOG ENTRIES ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON ASSOCIATED CONTENT.)

I've been eager to see more of the Spurs center Ian Mahinmi. I understand he has a tremendous upside, like back-up point guard George Hill. I like Hill too. I like his toughness and his defense. I would like to see him become a steadier jump shooter, which I think he will do in time.

That was a close game yesterday (December 25, 2008). I'm glad the Spurs' 2008 off-season acquisitions are not afraid to take shots. Roger Mason (the swingman who hit the game-winning shot), George Hill and Anthony Tolliver are fearless. I'm also glad the Spurs have gotten younger on the perimeter, which they sorely needed. Matt Bonner, who they got last season, is playing better. He's playing with more confidence. Although he's not a true center, he seems comfortable at the center position. The Spurs acquired him for his shooting, and he and Mason are among the NBA's top 3-point shooters, but he's also a solid rebounder who has surprised me with his post game. The Celtics are favored to win the 2009 NBA title, to repeat, but you can't count out other teams. That includes the Spurs--a smart, rugged and now more athletic team with much deep post season experience. Partly due to smart acquisitions by arguably the NBA's best front office they have won four NBA titles and have been in the playoff mix perennially except for two seasons (the lottery season before they drafted David Robinson and the one before they drafted Tim Duncan). With a core of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobiili, surrounded by superb role players and their perimeter sharpshooting and tough defense they should advance far again next postseason--provided they stay healthy. The Lakers (who now have a healthy Andrew Bynum along with Kobe Bryant and talented role players, and beat the Celtics yesterday), the Hornets (who are especially troublesome for their opponents), the Cavaliers (with LeBron James having a stellar season), the Magic (who are quick defensively as well as offensively and beat the Hornets yesterday), the Nuggets (who are stronger and more cohesive with Chauncey Billups at the point) and the Rockets (who now have the premier defender Ron Artest without any misbehavior so far and Luis Scola along with Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady) are some other strong contenders. The Celtics are going to find a second consecutive title harder to win than the previous one, as other defending champs have. They are exactly what every team wants to be: the one with the bulls-eye on its jersey.

The Spurs lost to the Bucks yesterday (December 30, 2008). It was a game they nearly had. Again, Roger Mason hit a clutch 3-pointer. Then, after a Bucks brain fart and resulting turnover, Tim Duncan attempted and missed a layup among a few Bucks and one or two Spurs and then lost a rebound to the Bucks. Had Tim Duncan scored that layup he would've forced overtime. Had he gotten the rebound and the Spurs scored again--well, I don't need to say what the outcome would've been, do I? I don't know why they struggle against this team. For years Bucks squads have given the Spurs squads trouble, even during the Spurs title years.

The Spurs have beaten the Memphis Grizzlies four straight times this season. As I'm sure the Spurs can attest the Grizzlies are no joke. This bottom-scrubber team is better than its record shows. The mighty Spurs have struggled mightily against this team, needing double overtimes to beat them on December 27, 2008. They beat the Grizzlies again last night (January 2, 2009) in regulation. With point guard O.J. Mayo and forward Rudy Gay (all-star-caliber players), center Marc Gasol (who replaced his brother Pau at that position) and their tight defense they are a lower rung team you must respect. A team struggling to make the playoffs in April would dread playing them then. Based on conference ranking alone some opposing teams might disrespect the Grizzlies, figuring a win to be a foregone conclusion--and get their butts kicked. That a team with the Grizzlies' winning percentage can be so troublesome is a reminder of how tough the Western Conference is overall and its Southwest division is in particular. That division has the Spurs (.656), the Mavericks (.625), the Rockets (.618), the Hornets (.690) and the Grizzlies (.303). (These rankings are as of January 3, 2009.) Don't be fooled by the Grizzlies' conference ranking. If the Grizzlies played in the Eastern Conference, they would be among that conference's top teams. I think that they will be a team to reckon with within a season or two, if not this season.

January 3, 2009: The afore-mentioned Memphis Grizzlies point guard O.J. Mayo is a quiet player who doesn't play a quiet game. He doesn't scowl, smile, talk trash or celebrate when he scores. He just plays the game--phenomenally. He'll kick your butt without blinking. He achieves what he does with a cyborg-like (or is it a shy?) demeanor. New Orleans Hornet point guard Chris Paul is another extraoinarily talented guard, but he shows at least enough emotion to remind you he's human. As good as Mayo is he's still a rookie and only 21. He's likely to get even better. That must be scary for his opponents.


January 4, 2009: I didn't tune into yesterday's game against Philadelphia until the third quarter. The Spurs nearly matched their franchise record of 16 3-point field goals. The Spurs never had that kind of 3-point accuracy in past seasons. Several Spurs players can hit 3-pointers: Matt Bonner, Roger Mason, Michael Finley, Manu Ginobili, Ime Udoka, Bruce Bowen, Anthony Tolliver, Tony Parker and George Hill. On rare occasions Tim Duncan will make a 3-point shot. Among bigs who shoot 3's, he's no comparison to Matt Bonner, Dirk Nowitzki or Rashard Lewis, but when he attempts 3's his stroke looks good. He looks like he knows what he's doing. The Spurs are among the league's top 3-point-shooting teams. I thought they might break the franchise record in last night's game. They didn't, but I think they will some time this season.

January 17, 2009: The Spurs lost to the 76ers yesterday and play the Bulls tonight. The teams that seem to give the Spurs the most trouble are athletic teams that play good defense: the 76ers, the Magic, the Hornets, etc. Although the Spurs are a great team, you wouldn't call them an athletic team. So far this season they've struggled against the 76ers and the Magic. They've split two games with the 76ers and lost both games against the Magic. The Magic are second in the East, where the 76ers are scraping .500. However, let's not forget, this is the regular season. The playoffs are what matter most, and the Spurs are a playoff-proven team and owner of four NBA titles. Can the Magic and 76ers go deep in the post season? Can they win an NBA title? We'll see.

January 24, 2009: As the Spurs 3-point shooters go I'd say that Matt Bonner has a purer shot than Roger Mason, and that Roger has the quicker release.

January 25, 2009: I agree with Jeff Van Gundy's assessment of the Spurs needs during today's game against the Lakers: a fourth explosive scorer after Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.
I think they should get a fomer Spur if one is available since he would already know the offense. I think he would quickly become reacquainted with the Spurs system. If he's available one I would consider is Stephen Jackson, who left the Spurs for more money with the Atlanta Hawks after winning the 2003 title with them. Another might be Desmond Farmer, who resembles a more muscular Stephen Jackson. A fourth scoring option could help the Spurs during their offensive dry spells such as they had in today's loss. So, who will be available for a mid-season trade?