Spurs Are Great At Tanking

[iLLmatic860]

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Pop doing Goat things

[TacoLord]

[Harry Garris]

If you're going to tank this is the year to do it

[AdagioPace]

Popovich is 1st all time in NBA wins as a coach and 14th all time in losses. Where's the problem?

[AbeVigodaLive]

That's pretty good. He's making a run at Minnesota Timberwolves futility... so we'll have to see if the Spurs can keep it up like those vintage Wolves tanking seasons:

2010: 1 - 23 to end season
2011: 0 - 15 to end season
2012: 1 - 13 to end season
2015: 0 - 12 to end season

That's a nice 2 - 63 record when fighting for the most number of ping pong balls. Top that Popovich!

-----------

But those may not even be the most embarrassing Wolves tank jobs.

In 2007, they finished 0 - 7. Meh... BUT... the team sat Garnett for no reason for the final 5 games of the season (his only missed games all season). The team blamed Garnett.

But that's not the worst either.

On April 19, 2006, the Wolves battled the Memphis Grizzlies in the last game of the season. It was a close game. Oh oh. No worries.

- Mark Madsen took a career high 15 shots. He made only 1... and missed his only two free throws. But wait... it gets worse. Madsen only had one FG attempt at halftime.
- Madsen missed all 5 shots in the 4th quarter. But wait... it gets worse.
- Madsen missed two three pointers in OT. But wait... it gets worse.
- Madsen was instructed to shoot even more in the 2nd OT. He missed all 6 shots... including 5 three pointers.

This was the same Mark Madsen who made one three pointer in his career and shot 18% fg and 17% ft over his final two NBA seasons.

The Timberwolves lost that game. WHEW! And they moved up one higher spot in the draft lottery... which they then traded to drop down one spot anyway (so the owner could pocket another $2M).

And THAT is what it's like to be a lifelong Minnesota Timberwolves fan!




[Note: In a bit of irony, the franchise's first coach, Bill Musselman, was fired for winning TOO MUCH.]

[CelticsFTW]

For the sake of the NBA and Basketball I hope that Wenbanyama ends up with the Spurs. I do not want his talent wasted in an incapable franchise. Popovich and the whole Spurs organization would be great for his development and as a basketball fan, I think that would be great for the sport in general.

[dhsilv2]

The spurs have a pretty good track record when they get the first pick...

[76ciology]

Should have let Captain Brett Brown do it for the Spurs. And if they need a fall guy at the GM position, Hinkie is unemployed. But let Buford do the drafting.

[SK21209]

For the sake of the NBA and Basketball I hope that Wenbanyama ends up with the Spurs. I do not want his talent wasted in an incapable franchise. Popovich and the whole Spurs organization would be great for his development and as a basketball fan, I think that would be great for the sport in general.

Same, even though they're in our conference. Of the Spurs/Pistons/Rockets/Hornets bottom 4 the Spurs are by far the most trustworthy in terms of developing young players and just being competent (although, to be fair, the Rockets have also been a pretty strong franchise over the last 20 years or so). That Spurs roster with Wembanyama would also be pretty interesting right away. I like the fit of Vassell/Johnson/Sochan/Wembanyama, they'd just need to find a point guard.

[MavfanAus]

If you're going to tank this is the year to do it

They just better hope they get the first or second overall pick because the drop off from the top two is immense.

[Bergmaniac]

They have a -15.7 net rating in the last quarter this season. The second worst team in the league at this is only at -8.6. -15.7 net rating in the last quarter is next level tanking.

[Homer38]

The Spurs need to have their next true franchise player,so this is the thing to do

[Mavrelous]

I respect them for not tanking last year after DDR and LA left, they competed even though they had no chance to make the PO.

[KokoKaizer]

That's pretty good. He's making a run at Minnesota Timberwolves futility... so we'll have to see if the Spurs can keep it up like those vintage Wolves tanking seasons:

2010: 1 - 23 to end season
2011: 0 - 15 to end season
2012: 1 - 13 to end season
2015: 0 - 12 to end season

That's a nice 2 - 63 record when fighting for the most number of ping pong balls. Top that Popovich!

-----------

But those may not even be the most embarrassing Wolves tank jobs.

In 2007, they finished 0 - 7. Meh... BUT... the team sat Garnett for no reason for the final 5 games of the season (his only missed games all season). The team blamed Garnett.

But that's not the worst either.

On April 19, 2006, the Wolves battled the Memphis Grizzlies in the last game of the season. It was a close game. Oh oh. No worries.

- Mark Madsen took a career high 15 shots. He made only 1... and missed his only two free throws. But wait... it gets worse. Madsen only had one FG attempt at halftime.
- Madsen missed all 5 shots in the 4th quarter. But wait... it gets worse.
- Madsen missed two three pointers in OT. But wait... it gets worse.
- Madsen was instructed to shoot even more in the 2nd OT. He missed all 6 shots... including 5 three pointers.

This was the same Mark Madsen who made one three pointer in his career and shot 18% fg and 17% ft over his final two NBA seasons.

The Timberwolves lost that game. WHEW! And they moved up one higher spot in the draft lottery... which they then traded to drop down one spot anyway (so the owner could pocket another $2M).

And THAT is what it's like to be a lifelong Minnesota Timberwolves fan!




[Note: In a bit of irony, the franchise's first coach, Bill Musselman, was fired for winning TOO MUCH.]

You make me laugh hard but I feel for you Wolves fans !

[TheAlchemist]

I think the trade of Jakob will drive them right to the gutter bottom of the league.

[RunOKC]

I respect them for not tanking last year after DDR and LA left, they competed even though they had no chance to make the PO.

So you have no respect for them this year?

[Bornstellar]

Yes and no. Tanking by way of not using their cap space to field a competitive team, sure. But they are not outright tanking. Look at our roster. Spurs have been plagued by injuries and have the worst roster in the NBA. Our second best player had knee surgery in January and has been out for almost two months. We just severely lack talent. If Silas was coaching this Spurs team they'd probably have 5 wins.

We are "tanking" for Wemby but Pop is still coaching and the guys are not purposely losing games. Again, look at the roster and tell me how this team should have more wins. It's incredible that they're still ahead of Houston who are shamelessly tanking

[MoneyTalks41890]

Spurs are definitely intentionally tanking through roster construction.

But somehow the Rockets still have the worse record. We don't talk enough about the generational tank going on in Houston.

[Jadoogar]

We are "tanking" for Wemby but Pop is still coaching and the guys are not purposely losing games. Again, look at the roster and tell me how this team should have more wins. It's incredible that they're still ahead of Houston who are shamelessly tanking

This is the case with every tanking team. Players and coaches don't tank (in general), tanking is done by the front office by selling good players or sitting useful players. Houston's players are trying, they are just young and poorly built.

Spurs are absolutely tanking, they traded their best player for a pick. This was the right decision for the roster but it is still tanking.

[Karate Diop]

This is the way.