clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

The bad side of the Spurs first ten games

In which we chuck the Lexicon back into the abyss from which it came, leaving its wrath for future generations of Pounders to deal with.

By Aaronstampler
USA TODAY Sports

For the first part of this series, click here.

Say, that Cavs game on Saturday night wasn't the least bit competitive. It sure would be hard to come up with something interesting or insightful to write about that, outside of this or that but it was a home game so thankfully I didn't have to. Call me a pie-in-the-sky optimist if you want, but I just really like the Spurs' chances against the Cavs if they should happen to meet up in the Finals, especially if Mike Brown, noted tactical mastermind that he is (ahem), insists on having Matthew Dellavedova guard Tony Parker.

Good heavens is the Eastern Conference terrible. I propose giving them -- outside of Miami and Indiana -- the entire first round of the next three drafts. Would anyone be against this?

A couple posts ago I went over the stuff I liked about the Spurs season. Obviously, there's been a lot to like. However, it hasn't all been wine and cheesecake. There's a couple of nitpicky things here and there that have bugged me, so I'll mention them briefly, just for symmetry's sake. Again, you're probably gonna want The Lexicon at the ready, lest you think I'm sort of loon.

Bad:

Tim Duncan. I'm afraid to say that even Tim Kness is concerned with Duncan's play thus far. So far he's been more of a HBF than an HOF, amirite? I mean, I don't know how he ranks on FARS, but the numbers are what they are, and they are not kind when it comes to Duncan's shooting and scoring averages. His jump shooing has been abysmal, definitely the wink link of the half-court offense so far and it's venturing into slup territory. Heck, even his URA is down and perhaps pushing DeJuan Blair and Gary Neal out the door in favor of Marco Belinelli and increasing Patty Mills' role has hurt Duncan's game because of his struggles to ATUWTFTFISN, and it's affecting his BBIQ overall. I'm not sure PATFO spent enough time considering Duncan's delicate sensibilities when composing the roster or the playing rotation. All I know is that the guy who used to be our bedrock and was an automatic double-double last year is struggling to reach double digits in either category, and while that's not a huge deal ASAKOW, I'd like to see him pick it up and for the coaches to make more ofa conscience effort to get him going, if for no other reason than my peace of mind. While it's been a privledge to watch Duncan play all these years, I selfishly don't want to see him hang it up anytime soon (nor do I want to contemplate LWM either). After all, it's not like there'll be a bunch of other Tim Duncans gowning on trees, so permit me if hold on to a vestive of hope that he's still got some life left.

Only one closer. I know this is more of a CADTWNHMS, but I gotta say I'm not totally down with the idea of Parker as the team's only designated closer in tight fourth quarters. I mean, I know Parker's play gets a JTU, and I realize he's been brining it, and saved the team from a TQC or three already. By now the idea of Parker as Team MVP is nothin I can't candle, it's not like I think he's a GINO or anything, but I think we saw last year how vulnerable the plan of relying on him and him alone can be. I know Parker, with his whip flash quickness has never played grater down the stretch than these past couple of years, and there's no denying he's our first option and our best in big spots, but I say ballocks to the notion that we shouldn't have a Plan B. Are we really supposed to just concede victoly to our oppenents every time he sprains an ankle or hurts his hammy? I tell those dark thoughts to GOOMB, but they just won't leave. Look, I know GOOMTA, so surely I'm not alone here. Pop has to let Ginolili, Duncan and even Leonard have some time with the rock in close and late situations, not only so that they can have some practice in those situations but also to make the team less predictable. Only a manman can't understand that.

The crappy schedule they've played. This isn't the Spurs' fault by any means, but I think with the early schedule, with all the crummy Eastern Conference teams and their watered-down roasters, one certainly didn't need to be Commentor Vangelis to figure that they'd get off to a good start this season. 12-1? No, I didn't see that coming, but so far STTOTTM has been a rather predictable affair, and not that I'm complaining about all these JV teams that make me text "HEADQUARTERS" every time Manoli asks me if I'm worried about the upcoming Spurs game, but I'd like a bit more narrative, I think. Not to sound like some drama queen (NTTAWWT) sitting high and mighty on my ice thrown, but playing so many softies with so many low CLAPS in succession cannot be good for the team. Don't get me wrong, I love that the BAMs are getting so much time and dominating every night, but my theorgy is that one of the main reasons the Spurs are dead-last in free throw attempts is because they haven't found the incentive to be all that aggressive yet with all the weak competition they've faced and also because there's been some DRI against them to keep the margins of victor respectable.

I think what I'm trying to say is I wouldn't mind a ogiti-finish or two, with someone other than Parker doing the honors, preferably Duncan to show that he's still one bad ICS.

MORE FROM Pounding the Rock 

Ptr_logo_large

More From Pounding The Rock