What impresses me most about the Spurs

Who’s the MVP of this series if the Spurs win?  Pop?  Diaw? 

Who’s the MVP of this series if the Spurs win?  Pop?  Diaw? 

Even as late picks in themselves, some of those key players were complete castaways by the teams that drafted them on top of it.

Even as late picks in themselves, some of those key players were complete castaways by the teams that drafted them on top of it.

Spurs are timeless like Miles Davis

Spurs are timeless like Miles Davis

Two teams with drastically different approaches. The Heat can be considered somewhat lucky that so much talent was willing to sign for below market price. The Spurs team is good at finding talent, molding talent, and putting the talent in a position to execute.

A team like the Thunder is good at finding and molding talent. Their issue is the executing of a game plan. That shows strong FO and maybe lacking in the coaching area. 

Two teams with drastically different approaches. The Heat can be considered somewhat lucky that so much talent was willing to sign for below market price. The Spurs team is good at finding talent, molding talent, and putting the talent in a position to execute.

A team like the Thunder is good at finding and molding talent. Their issue is the executing of a game plan. That shows strong FO and maybe lacking in the coaching area. 

I think Tim Duncan would be the MVP if they win the series.  Kawhi Leonard had 1 GREAT game and two below average games.  Boris Diaw has had three really solid games, but Duncan has been consistently better throughout the series.

But, if Kawhi Leonard continues to play like he did in game 3, then he would be my pick to win Finals MVP.

Going into this series I thought Duncan or Kawhi would be the Finals MVP if the Spurs won the title.

It would be cool though if we get Finals co-MVP’s for the first time in history. 

Or, LeBron becomes the first Finals MVP from a losing team since Jerry West.

I think Tim Duncan would be the MVP if they win the series.  Kawhi Leonard had 1 GREAT game and two below average games.  Boris Diaw has had three really solid games, but Duncan has been consistently better throughout the series.

But, if Kawhi Leonard continues to play like he did in game 3, then he would be my pick to win Finals MVP.

Going into this series I thought Duncan or Kawhi would be the Finals MVP if the Spurs won the title.

It would be cool though if we get Finals co-MVP’s for the first time in history. 

Or, LeBron becomes the first Finals MVP from a losing team since Jerry West.

Tim Duncan and LeBron James are two of the best number one picks of the last 20 years along with Shaq.  Now, look at who has won titles in the past 20 years.

Tim Duncan and LeBron James are two of the best number one picks of the last 20 years along with Shaq.  Now, look at who has won titles in the past 20 years.

Beyond just where the guys were taken and the places where some did not work before, the role players on the Spurs play with an enpowerment that is refreshing. They aren’t mechanical. Danny Green exists because of his shooting, but is not afraid to put it on the deck. When Patty Mills or Cory Joseph have been pushed into action when Parker has gone down, they don’t play timidly as though they might get benched (and both have been benched before). When Aron Baynes and Matt Bonner have been called on, they have been ready. Baynes had a good game in the Portland series, and Bonner had one in the OKC series.

In a league that far too often gets covered as star watching, the Spurs have only two of their fourteen playoff wins come from having fewer than five guys score in double digits, and none in the Heat or OKC series. In the three losses to the Heat and Thunder, they have only had three guys (twice) and four (once). It is not a star system. When the Heat decided to make the San Antonio’s stars beat them last year in Game 6 and 7, they almost did. Tony Parker and Tim Duncan are unquestionably stars capable of beating a team, but they are not so insecure that they need to be the center of all actions on the court. It is great to see, and it would be nice if it gets acknowledged. What really bothers me, though, is that when LeBron plays unselfishly and tries to get his teammates involves and not every box is checked for Miami, he catches hell for it. If the Heat are down, LeBron has to take every shot to bring them back, otherwise he isn’t great. Unless he misses a shot, then he isn’t clutch. So between the media disdain for San Antonio being boring and the unending trial of LeBron James, they are failing to cover a beautiful showcase of offensive basketball.

Beyond just where the guys were taken and the places where some did not work before, the role players on the Spurs play with an enpowerment that is refreshing. They aren’t mechanical. Danny Green exists because of his shooting, but is not afraid to put it on the deck. When Patty Mills or Cory Joseph have been pushed into action when Parker has gone down, they don’t play timidly as though they might get benched (and both have been benched before). When Aron Baynes and Matt Bonner have been called on, they have been ready. Baynes had a good game in the Portland series, and Bonner had one in the OKC series.

In a league that far too often gets covered as star watching, the Spurs have only two of their fourteen playoff wins come from having fewer than five guys score in double digits, and none in the Heat or OKC series. In the three losses to the Heat and Thunder, they have only had three guys (twice) and four (once). It is not a star system. When the Heat decided to make the San Antonio’s stars beat them last year in Game 6 and 7, they almost did. Tony Parker and Tim Duncan are unquestionably stars capable of beating a team, but they are not so insecure that they need to be the center of all actions on the court. It is great to see, and it would be nice if it gets acknowledged. What really bothers me, though, is that when LeBron plays unselfishly and tries to get his teammates involves and not every box is checked for Miami, he catches hell for it. If the Heat are down, LeBron has to take every shot to bring them back, otherwise he isn’t great. Unless he misses a shot, then he isn’t clutch. So between the media disdain for San Antonio being boring and the unending trial of LeBron James, they are failing to cover a beautiful showcase of offensive basketball.

 Coincidence or logical that this team that values ball, off the ball movement and execution would have the majority of rotation players as foreign-born? 

 Coincidence or logical that this team that values ball, off the ball movement and execution would have the majority of rotation players as foreign-born? 

You don’t need top ten picks to play unselfish basketball, and buy into a system.  Watching the Spurs move the ball around for open shots is a thing of beauty.  Nobody else in the NBA even comes close to their passing, cutting and movement.  When the ball is snapping around like that it’s almost impossible to guard.  Last time I checked the ball moves faster than any lightning quick athlete in this world.  The way the Spurs play, they can get a quality shot on almost every posession.  

You don’t need top ten picks to play unselfish basketball, and buy into a system.  Watching the Spurs move the ball around for open shots is a thing of beauty.  Nobody else in the NBA even comes close to their passing, cutting and movement.  When the ball is snapping around like that it’s almost impossible to guard.  Last time I checked the ball moves faster than any lightning quick athlete in this world.  The way the Spurs play, they can get a quality shot on almost every posession.