Forgive me, citizens of Easily Entertained, Need-Flash-To-Appreciate Nation for this blasphemous proposal:
Let's root for another edition of Pistons versus Spurs in the NBA Finals!
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Tim Duncan
AP Photo/Mark Avery
Maybe fans should stop grumbling about Tim Duncan being boring, and start appreciating his incredible success.
(Trying to block out the sound of 260 million people collectively groaning.)
I'm hoping that suggestion doesn't make NBA commissioner David Stern lose his lunch. But if Stern could overcome his nausea at the thought of another clash of these underappreciated titans, even he would have to admit that Pistons-Spurs would be the best thing for the NBA.
Full disclosure: As a Detroiter, I would love to see the Pistons in the Finals for the sixth time in my lifetime. But this isn't about me. This is about the league's credibility.
As an NBA fan, there is nothing more irritating than when the league's credibility is challenged by cockamamy conspiracy theories. (See: New York Knicks and Patrick Ewing, and Michael Jordan's impromptu first retirement.)
The biggest NBA conspiracy theory going right now is that the league is trying to make a Boston-L.A. Finals happen, because it would mean insane television ratings and a return to the time when the dominance of those two franchises overshadowed everything else in sports.
This has undoubtedly been the NBA's best season since MJ's heyday. The Western Conference was the most competitive conference in NBA history, the Slam Dunk Contest returned to relevancy, trades rejuvenated the Lakers and Celtics, Chris Paul emerged as the league's next transcendent player, and the drastically improved TV ratings in the playoffs showed that sports fans were gobbling it all up.
I disagree. I have never had a problem watching the Spurs, but this year they're dull even to me. Their offense is just not that fascinating. Duncan has lost a step, which means no more double teams. No double teams means less success for Manu and Parker, and less open three pointers. Their defense isn't as good either, again with Duncan declining physically.
People will realize how much Tim Duncan meant to the Spurs when he is gone and they fall off the map. He was really the foundation of everything that made them successful.
Ya post presence is extremely important if you want to take your team to the next level
Detroit didn't become perennial contenders until they got Sheed
Look what happened when shaq left lakers
Now lakers get Gasol and Celtics get KG and you see where they're at
you can always get away with a good year if you have a crazy player (like LeBron last year or Chris Paul this season) but at the end you are highly unlikely to be a contender for the championship year in and year out without a post presence
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I'mma send it upstate for all my dudes makin wieght
You see I take none slack
Rhymes and track is mack
Zev Love X-Lax a brown man not a
A black ******* I'm stringin 'em up stringin 'em up higher
Than the '86 Nikes on the wire
Right outside my rest
I don't suggest taste testing if you can't digest and I quote:
"Zev with cess, God damn God blessed I wrote"
I tote Disks, Dats, Gatts and Bats
And vote no to canine, feline, rats and double drats
Foiled again by that maniacal madman
He wraps like seran wrap can a leg of lamb
So ****'s wrapped up
X makes hits like a
Pimp's hoes is smacked up
All cracked up so constantly actin' up
Constipated monkeys got **** backed up
Get it?
Ya post presence is extremely important if you want to take your team to the next level
Detroit didn't become perennial contenders until they got Sheed
Look what happened when shaq left lakers
Now lakers get Gasol and Celtics get KG and you see where they're at
you can always get away with a good year if you have a crazy player (like LeBron last year or Chris Paul this season) but at the end you are highly unlikely to be a contender for the championship year in and year out without a post presence
Lebron almost beat the Celtics too, Illgauskas and Gooden were great for the Cavs
anyways, Sheed is barely a post presence, Detroit wins because of their defense and backcourt
I disagree. I have never had a problem watching the Spurs, but this year they're dull even to me. Their offense is just not that fascinating. Duncan has lost a step, which means no more double teams. No double teams means less success for Manu and Parker, and less open three pointers. Their defense isn't as good either, again with Duncan declining physically.
People will realize how much Tim Duncan meant to the Spurs when he is gone and they fall off the map. He was really the foundation of everything that made them successful.
I am going to disagree with you John about Duncan. To me, Duncan looks like the same player, but guys like Kurt Thomas, Michael Finley, Robert Horry, Brent Barry, Jacque Vaughn, Bruce Bowen and Damon Stoudamire are all 3-4 years passed their primes.
The Spurs need an infusion of youth to help an older Duncan. No more of this geriatric group they got now. It's painful to watch them play when Parker, Ginobili or Duncan isn't carrying them. You can't win a series 3 on 10. The Spurs have been status quoing it after they win titles every single time. Well, if they still want to win titles, it's time to make some wholesale bench changes. Finley should never start ever again and it's also time to get someone who can put the ball on the floor but also defend to eat into Bowen's minutes.
Go after Matt Barnes, go after Ryan Gomes, go after Chris Duhon. Draft an American that can come right in and play for a change. This is what San Antonio needs to do.
__________________ Favorite NBA players: Deron Williams, Carmelo Anthony, Ben Gordon, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Josh Smith, Dwight Howard, Chauncey Billups, Brandon Roy, Rudy Gay, Roy Hibbert, Jerryd Bayless, Greg Oden, Kevin Martin, Eric Maynor, Jeff Teague
2010: Jordan Crawford, Evan Turner, Demarcus Cousins, Ekpe Udoh
duncan was doubled all series long against the hornets.. he actually hasn't lost a step - well, maybe he did.. but he doesn't need it. tim's strengths were never in foot speed. it's his footwork, shooting touch, and length that make him special.
I am going to disagree with you John about Duncan. To me, Duncan looks like the same player, but guys like Kurt Thomas, Michael Finley, Robert Horry, Brent Barry, Jacque Vaughn, Bruce Bowen and Damon Stoudamire are all 3-4 years passed their primes.
The Spurs need an infusion of youth to help an older Duncan. No more of this geriatric group they got now. It's painful to watch them play when Parker, Ginobili or Duncan isn't carrying them. You can't win a series 3 on 10. The Spurs have been status quoing it after they win titles every single time. Well, if they still want to win titles, it's time to make some wholesale bench changes. Finley should never start ever again and it's also time to get someone who can put the ball on the floor but also defend to eat into Bowen's minutes.
Go after Matt Barnes, go after Ryan Gomes, go after Chris Duhon. Draft an American that can come right in and play for a change. This is what San Antonio needs to do.
I hope you're right about Duncan. You're definitely right about the Spurs needing to get younger and faster. Parker and Ginobili are veterans now so they don't need all these old guys around to "mentor" them.
San Antonio has played some of the best basketball in the playoffs. They have had spurts where they looked unbeatable. No team has played a better game in these playoffs than the Spurs in Game 3 on the road against Phoenix.
Yes, they only go 8 deep right now, so there is definitely room for improvement this summer. More youth and athleticism would help. Another guy that can create his own shot wouldn't be bad. They will be fine.
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NBA OFFICIATING, IT’S HORRIFIC!!!!!!!!!!!
San Antonio has played some of the best basketball in the playoffs. They have had spurts where they looked unbeatable. No team has played a better game in these playoffs than the Spurs in Game 3 on the road against Phoenix.
Yes, they only go 8 deep right now, so there is definitely room for improvement this summer. More youth and athleticism would help. Another guy that can create his own shot wouldn't be bad. They will be fine.
The clock is ticking because Duncan has only two or three years left at a superstar level. He will be 33 next year and the Spurs have usually played deep into the playoffs, all those games have taken its toll on him. He is still a Top 5 player, but at the same time I think he has lost a little bit of his ability to score whenever his team needs it.
I agree that they will still be in good shape if they replace some of the old veterans with younger players.
She brings up things that many people think but typically don’t say (honestly I made the King Kong comparison myself well before the whole brouhaha, as it was clearly the intent of the photograph).
Agree or disagree, she raises issues that foster good healthy debate.
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I find it interesting the way she and Steven A. are capable of making peoples blood pressure rise. Just the mention of their names brings a twitch to peoples upper lips.
I compare it to the way people tense up when any mention is made of Al Sharpton or Jessie Jackson
Doesn't this have everything to do with the conspiracy and not the Tim Duncan thing? Why are we debating about the boringness of the Spurs? (She's an idiot btw)
__________________ Jerome James on Nate McMillan's accusation that he is too selfish-
Quote:
"I don't even know what he's talking about, I just worry about Jerome."
I consider this "piece" as writing just for the sake of getting something out there. Not giving it any thought or reason, just mindless typing and getting it up on a page that tries so hard to appear knowledgeable or whatever. Causing some havoc and stirring some **** while hoping to garner some interest of the general public. That's the same kind of crap that T.J. Simmers of the Times does and I don't like him either. Sensationalism at it's finest.
As for her "article"; the Spurs and the Pistons have won 5 of the last 9 championships. Forgive me if I fail to see a conspiracy here. I sure as hell won't be rooting for the Spurs and Pistons just so the league can save face or whatever she's trying to imply. Especially not if a team doesn't belong there.
I think she's a tool; her last priceless stuff I remember was how she at first blasted away on how Kobe shouldn't be the MVP only because of sympathy and that the whole lifetime achievement idea is bad, especially when there is a clearly more deserving candidate. Then when ESPN had that vote going, she put Kobe 1st and here reasoning was (among other things) this:"Besides, if Kobe doesn't win it this year, he may go down as the greatest player to never win an MVP." Lol, how's that for horrible flip floping and changing stances by the week.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by duncan2k5
kobe isn't a top tier player in the nba...i would rather have ginobili on the spurs than kobe. easily...also a healthy t-mac, lebron, or wade any day of this or any other lifetime.
i would even perfer troy hudson over kobe at this point.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kflo
is ts% a more accurate measure of scoring efficiency than fg%, yes or no?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChrisRichards
FG% is more accurate reflection on your performance in a game because nobody is defending you when you shoot a Free-throw.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChrisRichards
And yeah, Kobe does work hard. Good for him. He learned that work ethic from MJ. He picked a good role model to copy.
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