I had a sad realization during the Minnesota game. The Spurs have some exceptionally bad players getting significant minutes. I remember in 04-05, in the days when I actually involved myself in Spurs fans' ridiculously short-sighted evaluation of Kevin Garnett (if stampler only knew my past transgressions he probably would stop writing for this blog), writing that The Big Ticket didn't have one single player besides Szczerbiak that would get playing time for the Spurs. The Timberwolves, still a mediocre team, now have a whole slew of players that I would prefer over current Spurs.
Michael Finley has done almost nothing the entire year to justify his playing time. He's had a couple of great shooting nights, which speaks more of random distribution than a renaissance of his talents. He no longer fills any need for the Spurs. He can't create his own shot, he's a below average defender, and he's no longer even the guy who shoots our technical free throws.
Robert Horry is done. He's beyond "nothing left in the tank;" he's tankless. He's a foul prone defender who no longer can handle a plus offensive player one-on-one.
Pop plays these guys due to what can only be some misguided, myopic nostalgia; like an old man that insists "they don't make them like they used to" in a last futile attempt to hold on to relevancy. These wines have turned to vinegar Pop, uncork them and pour them down the drain.
The third in the Spurs triumvirate of geriatrics is Brent Barry. He's essentially the same player he's been since joining the Spurs. A very good three point shooter who's a horrible liability on defense. He cannot match up with 90% of NBA players. He lacks the quickness to guard 1s and 2s and lacks the strength to guard 3s. Spurs fans are apparently unable to see through the cloak of his guady 3P%, which will undoubtedly come down as the season continues. After all, he's just 10 made threes above his career average. Apparently that, along with some witty locker room banter and a backup PG who shares his defensive deficiencies, are all most Spurs fans need to poo poo the acquisition of an athletic, young, inexpensive rebounding 2 guard.
Of course, if (and, in my opinion, when) the Spurs get quicked out of the building tonight by the Mavs, finding themselves four games down in the loss column, I suspect the fickleness of fans will bubble up. After all, is it not a sobering thought, the realization the Spurs miss Francisco Elson?
Tonight's lines:
Dallas @ San Antonio: SA -5.5
Utah @ Houston: HOU -3
Post away.