Spurs window closed?

[Ballings7]

Yeah... I will say they weren't harmless last year... they didn't get outclassed by OKC, they were in all those losses. They went down fighting. They needed just a couple more guys to step up.

[mitrandil20]

It would be delightful to see Duncan get his last trophy.
If Parker, Manu, Green, Leonard will be what they've been this past year, if Splitter keeps getting better and the new acquires work fine, I can see the chance of reaching the finals

[Luigi]

You must be confused, getting handled is what the Spurs did vs the Jazz, but yes... according to you the Spurs aren't anywhere near contenders.

Yes they did handle my Jazz. Is that what we're discussing though?

Nobody considered the Jazz to be a title contender. People want to keep the Spurs on the list of contenders. Nobody wanted to list Utah with Miami and OKC, but everyone insisted that you just can't rule out the Spurs. That was true in 2008, but it hasn't been since then.

They've been a good playoff team since then, but their ceiling has been more clear than anyone else's. They're consistent, which is good, but it also means they are predictable. Whenever they go up against a real threat in a 7 game series, the smart thing to do is remember how long it has been since they were relevant at an elite level. We can all stop overrating them now by pretending they are somehow underrated.

[An Unbiased Fan]

They've been done since 2008. I mean just 2 years ago they lost as a #1 to a #8, and last year they were the #1 seed and blew a 2-0 lead.

[Blame Rasho]

You must be confused, getting handled is what the Spurs did vs the Jazz, but yes... according to you the Spurs aren't anywhere near contenders.

Yes they did handle my Jazz. Is that what we're discussing though?

Nobody considered the Jazz to be a title contender. People want to keep the Spurs on the list of contenders. Nobody wanted to list Utah with Miami and OKC, but everyone insisted that you just can't rule out the Spurs. That was true in 2008, but it hasn't been since then.

They've been a good playoff team since then, but their ceiling has been more clear than anyone else's. They're consistent, which is good, but it also means they are predictable. Whenever they go up against a real threat in a 7 game series, the smart thing to do is remember how long it has been since they were relevant at an elite level. We can all stop overrating them now by pretending they are somehow underrated.

With all due respect, but you are talking out of your ass....

You have said the Spurs are harmless and were handled in the playoffs... I am pointing it out that they weren't and put a reference to what being handled is because clearly you have no idea what you are talking about or just purposely obtuse to what those two words mean.

You don't go 10 games in the playoffs without losing and 2 games from the finals and not be considered a contender. Everyone had them as one of the favorites to reach the finals by their play in the season and playoffs, and that is being called a contender.

[Mr Grant Hill]

No it's not closed at all.
In my eyes they're a legitimate contender.
A 36-year old Tim Duncan was still able to pull off 17.4/9.4 on 50% shooting in the playoffs (Bosh 14/8; Gasol 13/10).
Best coach, easily (Brown, Spoelstra, Brooks )
Deepest team, easily (OKC=Harden, Lakers=zero, Heat=zero)
Great chemistry (Lakers=new beginning).

I know one thing, one thing is for sure: no coach, no player in this league of superstar teams wants to play against the Spurs.

[Luigi]

You must be confused, getting handled is what the Spurs did vs the Jazz, but yes... according to you the Spurs aren't anywhere near contenders.

Yes they did handle my Jazz. Is that what we're discussing though?

Nobody considered the Jazz to be a title contender. People want to keep the Spurs on the list of contenders. Nobody wanted to list Utah with Miami and OKC, but everyone insisted that you just can't rule out the Spurs. That was true in 2008, but it hasn't been since then.

They've been a good playoff team since then, but their ceiling has been more clear than anyone else's. They're consistent, which is good, but it also means they are predictable. Whenever they go up against a real threat in a 7 game series, the smart thing to do is remember how long it has been since they were relevant at an elite level. We can all stop overrating them now by pretending they are somehow underrated.

With all due respect, but you are talking out of your ass....

You have said the Spurs are harmless and were handled in the playoffs... I am pointing it out that they weren't and put a reference to what being handled is because clearly you have no idea what you are talking about or just purposely obtuse to what those two words mean.

You don't go 10 games in the playoffs without losing and 2 games from the finals and not be considered a contender. Everyone had them as one of the favorites to reach the finals by their play in the season and playoffs, and that is being called a contender.

Hmm. You've insulted my team, which I laughed off, and now me. I'll overlook that, but I do want to bring it up so you can see.

Don't mischaracterize my position. I've said they are harmless to elite teams, and that they don't belong on that list. Moreover, everyone has been wrong to keep them on that list, and history has been showing it for quite some time now. The Spurs had a nice run in the playoffs last year. They also had a serious collapse, giving up 4 straight. The first shows they are still a good playoff team, the second shows they are not elite. I think "handled" looks like the right word for getting backdoor swept.

[twinthunder3]

The thing is that Spurs are known for developing players...but they hadn't been developing their current players.

[franktony]

Well,

Obviously OKC, Miami and LA are the teams to beat, but that doesn't mean you have to give up, especially when you had your team in the top 4 last season. And a rebuild is not so easy as people think. Look at the Bulls after MJ. Several top lottery picks over the years and they still sucked until they were gifted Derrick Rose.

and lol @ Jazz fans

Being handled is what SA did with the Jazz. A nice sweep with the "White Hope" Gordon Hayward going for 7 points per game shooting 18%FG, 8% from 3P line, PER of 7 and negative wins hares

[EArl]

Door closed...the lights are out, the eggs are cooling, the butter's getting hard, and the jello's jiggling

[Donald Kaufman]

Ah, the time-tested "Is the Spurs window closed" thread. An annual classic.

No. It isn't. The window is propped open with several Depends undergarments.

[druggas]

It would take some major injuries to Western teams for the Spurs to reach the championships.

[Donald Kaufman]

Door closed...the lights are out, the eggs are cooling, the butter's getting hard, and the jello's jiggling

...don't forget about the bandwagoners bandwagoning now...

[TaiLs21]

Everyone said they were never considered but last year being 2-0 to the Thunder everyone was praising how they're going to take it all this year. A valid thought til they lost the next 4, but it's great to see everyone forget how people were counting out the Thunder.

[EArl]

Door closed...the lights are out, the eggs are cooling, the butter's getting hard, and the jello's jiggling

...don't forget about the bandwagoners bandwagoning now...

???

[taii1234]

No it's not closed at all.
In my eyes they're a legitimate contender.
A 36-year old Tim Duncan was still able to pull off 17.4/9.4 on 50% shooting in the playoffs (Bosh 14/8; Gasol 13/10).
Best coach, easily (Brown, Spoelstra, Brooks )
Deepest team, easily (OKC=Harden, Lakers=zero, Heat=zero)
Great chemistry (Lakers=new beginning).

I know one thing, one thing is for sure: no coach, no player in this league of superstar teams wants to play against the Spurs.

Great, so Duncan scores 3 points more and rebounds 1 shot more than an injured Bosh.

No one is saying Pop is a bad coach, but you can only coach so far..you need talent to execute the coache's plans.

Your underestimating Miami's and LA's bench. Each player on the Heat's bench had huge games in the playoffs last year.

Miami has great chemistry too, if not better than the Spurs.

[narmerguy]

I'm not saying I'd pick them to win, but if people's argument for the Spurs not being a contender is because they didn't go the finals since 2007...how is that a practical measuring stick? The team made it to the WCF, played a close series, and ended up losing. Perhaps they're worse than OKC and the Lakers. So what? Even with Rose the bulls were worse than Miami and that doesn't stop them from being a contender. So long as the distance between the teams isn't so drastic that nothing could overturn the outcome, the Spurs are still reasonable contenders...just like the bulls will be contenders when Rose is back.

[dan_atko97]

they can be regular season threats but not title contenders imo

[RatherUnique]

They're the third best team in the West. It's over. The only chance they have of making the conference finals is if the injury bug hits the Lakers & they're never able to get into a rhythm & Pau Gasol continues to play like he has the past two postseasons.

[Joker]

Here's who the Spurs have beaten in the playoffs since their last title:

2008 - Suns and Hornets
2009 - n/a
2010 - Mavs
2011 - n/a
2012 - Jazz and Clippers

Bleh. 3 young teams with no playoff experience, and 2 highly flawed veteran teams.