San Antonio Spurs

[dmx]

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ako idol naku Tony Parker ky hot iya wife..hehe lisud kau depensaan iya tear drop. nya paspas ug hingigo pa gyud. maayo nga point guard...

[digitalsuperman]

batia oi.. Tiago Splitter opted to stay in europe than join the spurs..waaah!

[tackielarla]

Yeah. Bummer jud. Saon mas dako man iya sohol ngadto.

Anyways, na sign na nila si George Hill (26th 1st round pick nila). Nya they have 17 players for training camp - 2 kabuok mataktak ana and 3 ang reserve.

Sorry wa na ko nag update diri. Tua na ko sa Spurs na forum nag tambay.

[tackielarla]

Food for Thought: Another sneaky signing by Spurs?
Mike Finger - Express-News

Even in an offseason bereft of anything close to a roster-changing splash, this week's news out of Spurs headquarters hardly made a ripple.

This time of year, people want big transactions, the kind they can get excited about. You know, something like:

A.) Signing free agent Jannero Pargo, who nearly provided enough of a lift for the Hornets to slip past the Spurs in the Western Conference semifinals last spring;

Or B.) Reacquiring Beno Udrih, who was dumped by the Spurs last year and caught on in Sacramento, where he blossomed in his fourth pro season;

Or C.) Making a move to emulate the Boston Celtics, who worked their own version of the three-star-plus-a-handful-of-role-players system to the NBA championship.

Instead, the Spurs did all three.

Sort of.

No one is saying that Salim Stoudamire — who the Spurs acquired this week in the kind of under-the-radar, headline-defying move that has become their specialty — will be the key to the Spurs' next title, or that he'll even crack Gregg Popovich's active roster. Normally, signings like this turn out to be as forgettable as they appear when they're made.

But every now and then, they pay off, even if only in just a game or two. And as tight as the top of the Western Conference is these days, a game or two can mean the difference between home-court advantage throughout the playoffs and a first-round exit.

So it's at least a bit interesting to note the similarities between Stoudamire and the players who would've turned more heads and sold a few more tickets had the Spurs been able to land them.

You wish the Spurs would have been able to sign Pargo, who they reportedly offered a $2 million-per-year contract before he signed for $4 million in Russia? Stoudamire, with a similar body and skill set, has been a better shooter and better scorer in his first three NBA seasons than Pargo was in his (see chart).

You still rue the day the Spurs let go of Udrih, who finally showed glimpses of his explosiveness when he escaped Popovich's doghouse? Stoudamire, while being stuck in his own war of wills with Atlanta coach Mike Woodson, put up better numbers and was more consistent with the Hawks than Udrih was in San Antonio.

You think the Spurs could use someone like Eddie House, who provided the Celtics with instant offense off the bench when their stars needed a rest? Stoudamire already has shown more ability to do that in his first three seasons than House did by the same point in his career.

Will it work out that way? Maybe not. And besides, the Spurs' chances of winning another championship will boil down to what it always does — whether Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker are healthy and peaking in May and June.

But if, during that time, there's a key moment in which the Big Three are covered and an afterthought of an acquisition is left open on the perimeter?

It might only be one play. But on teams like the Spurs, in a league with such a thin line between celebration and despair, that's what moves like this are all about.

Birds of a feather?

Salim Stoudamire might not be as well-known to Spurs fans as Jannero Pargo, Beno Udrih or even Eddie House, but his numbers compare favorably to those of each of those players through the first three years of their careers. A rundown:

Player — Height — MPG — FG pct. — 3-pt FG pct. — APG — PPG

Stoudamire — 6-1 — 17.0 — .407 — .366 — 1.0 — 8.0

Pargo — 6-1 — 16.2 — .395 — .365 — 2.1 — 6.9

Udrih — 6-3 — 17.5 — .438 — .362 — 2.4 — 7.1

House — 6-1 — 17.1 — .408 — .383 — 1.7 — 7.5

[tackielarla]

Tony Parker Interview

Link in french :
http://www.francesoir.fr/sport/2008/...s-a-paris.html

Translation :

Before going back in the USA Tony Parker evoke his future while the preview of his movie "9".


Tony, 9, it is the title your film and also the number of your jersey in SA...
The figure 9 has always been a lucky charm since I'm very young. I always had that number except in the 2001 Euro and in my first year in Paris Basket Racing where I had number 10. But at that time I was the rookie and I cna't choose my number.

What do you feel when you see Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan giving you props in your movie?
I enjoy it! Especially that they were my idols. The day when I played against Jordan, they was great. When I've come on the court, I was shaking. he even knew my name!

This is an odd year as when Spurs won their previous titles…
This is an odd year! Normally, if things go well, we will celebrate at the end of June. Our team is aging, but I think we had a shot to win it all, providing, of course, we stay healthy.

Shouldn't the team be renewed?
Pop has already announced it: this is the last year with this team. After this year, we will have to renew the team and get some young players.

Will your role change this season?
Not, I don't think so… I will have the same role this season than in the past. Even if it's true that with Manu's injury, I will even have to play more and better.

Do you think ending your career in San Antonio?
I still have three years of contract with Spurs. After that, all will depend on Tim and Pop. I will see what they want to do, it will have an effect on my choice. At the end, I think I will stay in SA, even if I'm not against of playing for another franchise.

Is a come back in France possible?
Why not in Paris if there is a NBA team there one day.

Have you get over the failure of French NT?
I stay with a positive attitude. We can still qualifying for the Euro 2009. As long as I can play with French NT, I will always be there until I can't run anymore. I will be part of all the competitions to come.

[tackielarla]

Harvey: Only 101 Reasons To Like Mason

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/s...ike_Mason.html

Roger Mason Jr. attended an exclusive middle school that included, among others, Chelsea Clinton. He designed his house in Maryland.

He has his own construction business, and that figures. A Washington Wizards executive says Mason might be the only player who could make more money outside the NBA than in it.

His father was an outstanding eye surgeon who died of kidney failure when Roger Jr. was 11. Then, Roger Jr. decided he had to be “the strong one” because he had a little brother and two little sisters.

The stories go on and on. The newest Spur is part Steve Kerr and part Bruce Bowen, with some David Robinson thrown in, and Mason arrived Monday at the Spurs' media day with the personality in place. Mason went from camera to camera, greeting everyone with a handshake and a smile.

But it won't be long before no one cares. For about the first six weeks of the season, Mason will be asked to ease the loss of Manu Ginobili, and there are reasons to think he can't.

There are also reasons to think he can.

Specifically, there are 101.

The Spurs settled on a few less this past summer when they signed Mason. He is versatile, he can shoot 3-pointers, and he can defend.

They love who he is, too. He's a smart, engaging man who fits in this locker room. Mason has earned his success, and this goes back to when he left Virginia after three years.

He entered the draft because some analysts thought he would be a top-15 pick. Some scouts don't remember rating him that high, but none of it mattered when Mason crashed to the floor during a workout before the draft. He still has the scar on his right shoulder from the surgery that followed, not far from a tattoo in honor of his late father.

Mason fell to the second round. The injury kept him out for nine months, and then he was caught in a regime change in Chicago. He went to Greece and Israel, the kind of path other Spurs have taken before, if just to play again.

He played summer league, too, and the Spurs brought him into their summer program in 2006. They liked him but had no place for him, and the next summer, the Spurs brought him back. Then they offered him a small, three-year deal that wasn't fully guaranteed, and he chose to return to the Wizards in a make-good year.

Mason had bet on himself. And when Gilbert Arenas went down early, Mason slid over a few seats on the Wizards' bench and helped stabilize a group that wasn't supposed to make the playoffs. But it did.

“He has meant as much to this team as myself or Caron Butler,” Antawn Jamison said last spring. “He's one of those stories of a guy who wouldn't give up.”

His coach, Eddie Jordan, called Mason “the quiet assassin” because he showed no emotion on big shots, and the Wizards wanted him back. Handcuffed by negotiations for Arenas, however, they couldn't counter the Spurs' offer.

Few saw the signing as significant. Mason wasn't the sexy free agent that Corey Maggette was, and this goes back to the scouts' initial impression of Mason. He's never been physically imposing; it takes time to appreciate what he does on the floor.

That's partly because it's taken time for Mason to get better. For example, a year ago, he would end every summer workout the same way. His trainer, Joe Connelly, would require Mason to make five consecutive 3-pointers.

This summer, Mason took it further. Connelly says Mason missed only two days; the day Mason signed his contract with the Spurs, he flew back to the Washington area and was in the gym that night.

“He's no longer just a spot-up shooter,” Connelly said Monday. “He's revolutionized his game, and here's my prediction. He will be a candidate for the league's most-improved player award.”

The Spurs aren't anticipating that. But they don't yet know what Connelly knows, and what happened the day before Mason left for San Antonio earlier this month.

Connelly didn't have Mason make five 3-pointers to end the workout. Mason instead shot 109.

And made 101.

bharvey@express-news.net

__________________________________________________ _________________________________

Oh! Asa ka ana! 101 out of 109 shots beyond the arc!

[Javaman]

forever Spurs!!! basta naa pa si duncan

[Javaman]

batia oi.. Tiago Splitter opted to stay in europe than join the spurs..waaah!

salary-wise...europe is getting competitive. this year alone, daghan na kaayo mga NBA players nibalhin na sa europe.

[tackielarla]

Hollinger's Team Forecast: San Antonio Spurs

ESPN - Hollinger's Team Forecast: San Antonio Spurs - NBA

Though they failed for a fourth time in their quest to repeat as champs, the Spurs made a credible title defense, returning to the conference finals in a loaded West and succumbing partly because of an ankle injury that rendered Manu Ginobili ineffective against the Lakers.



Yet one also wonders if we've seen the first chinks in their mighty armor. For the first time in eons, San Antonio looked better at the start of the season than at the end, with the offense in particular going into a tailspin in the second half. And with multiple key role players getting well into their 30s, there's a question of how long they can keep playing at this level.

HOLLINGER'S '07-08 STATSW-L: 56-26 (Pythagorean W-L: 57-25)
Offensive Efficiency: 104.7 (13th)
Defensive Efficiency: 99.5 (3rd)
Pace Factor: 90.8 (28th)
Highest PER: Tim Duncan (24.41)

For 2007-08, at least, other teams would have killed to have San Antonio's problems. There was no championship hangover for these guys -- they opened the year 17-3. But then they hit a serious midseason lull, winning just 11 of their next 24 games. As usual, their nine-game February "rodeo road trip" saved them. Though it came earlier than usual, San Antonio won six of the nine games on the trip and nine more in a row once it ended to boomerang back to the top of the West.


In past seasons, the Spurs have ridden that wave through March and into the postseason, but not this time. San Antonio finished the season 13-9 and several of the losses were ugly, including defeats by 21 to the Lakers, 17 to Phoenix, 26 to Utah, and 25 to New Orleans.


In particular, the offense ground to a halt. San Antonio ranked 26th in the NBA in second-half offensive efficiency, behind such luminaries as the Knicks, Nets and Wolves. Obviously, this was an unacceptable performance for a championship aspirant, and what made it particularly aggravating was a pronounced tendency for the offense to fall apart in the second half after a solid opening two quarters.


San Antonio showed the same tendencies in the postseason. It lost three times when leading at halftime against New Orleans and punted leads of 20 and 17 points to lose to the Lakers in the conference finals. For the postseason as a whole, the Spurs were only 12th out of 16 teams in offensive efficiency.


Relative to the league, the Spurs' second-half offensive decline was absolutely massive. While the league average offensive efficiency rose by five points after the break (this is fairly normal), San Antonio's fell by 3.5. If those numbers resonate, try this one on: San Antonio's second-half decline was larger than Miami's, even though the Heat traded Shaq, shut down Dwyane Wade and fielded a glorified CBA team for that stretch while the Spurs were gunning for a repeat championship.


Second-half Offensive Efficiency Declines, 2007-08


TEAM1ST O EFF.2ND O EFF.RELATIVE TO AVG.San Antonio105.9102.6 -8.3 Miami98.797.2 -6.5 Memphis102.6102.1 -5.5 Detroit108.1108.0 -5.1 L.A. Clippers98.898.8-5.0 League avg.102.9107.90.00


Fortunately, their D bailed them out time and again. The Spurs have always been a dominant defensive team under Gregg Popovich, and after a slow start they were again last season. After the All-Star break, San Antonio ranked second in defensive efficiency, barely missing Boston for the top spot. Relative to the league, the Spurs were 7.18 points better after the break -- only Orlando improved more.


San Antonio's defensive strategy was predicated on taking away all the easy stuff -- for years it has been among the hardest teams to get a 3-pointer against, and had one of the league's lowest opponent assist rates. That trend held up again last season, when the Spurs were third in 3-point defense (34.2 percent) and were the third-hardest team to get a 3-point look against -- just 19.1 percent of opponent field-goal attempts were 3s. With Tim Duncan around, it wasn't easy to score inside the arc against them either -- San Antonio was fourth in 2-point defense and gave up a below-average number of free throws.


With two world-class defenders in Duncan and Bruce Bowen and a number of solid defenders around them, San Antonio rarely needed to double or overcommit from the help side; as a result, it tended to turn opponents into one-on-one jump shooters. San Antonio gave up assists on just 52.2 percent of opponent field goals; only Phoenix gave up fewer.

Defensive Rebound Rate: 2007-08 Leaders


TEAMDEF. REB. RATESan Antonio77.1Cleveland75.9New Orleans75.4Dallas75.0Toronto75.0League average73.3
But perhaps the most important plank in the Spurs' defensive wall was the rebounding. With Duncan as the centerpiece, San Antonio rebounded 77.1 percent of opponent missed shots (see chart). That total led the league, and allowed the Spurs to limit their opponents' shot attempts despite rarely forcing turnovers.


Their D was still rolling in the postseason, where they ranked fourth in playoff defensive efficiency despite facing three of the league's top five offensive teams. The offense, however, couldn't overcome Ginobili's injury in the conference finals. He scored 7, 7, 9 and 10 points in the four San Antonio losses, and the Spurs averaged just 86.4 points in the five games against L.A.







Biggest Strength: Interior scoring

No matter how much they struggle to score, the Spurs have always been able to fall back on the fact that their opponents will struggle just as much. The Spurs have been one of the league's top three defenses every year of the Popovich-Duncan era, and last season was no exception.



OFFSEASON MOVES What roster moves did the Spurs make over the summer? Were they the right moves? John Hollinger breaks it down. <A href="http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/trainingcamp08/insider/columns/story?columnist=hollinger_john&page=SpursMoves0809 ">Insider


Popovich is one of the game's top teachers and motivators, and he has two outstanding individual defenders to base his system around in Bowen and Duncan. Bowen shuts down the opponents' top wing player with his quickness and savvy, while Duncan quietly dominates inside with his shot-blocking and rebounding.


Around them are other strong defenders. Ime Udoka is the heir apparent to Bowen as the wing specialist, Thomas is excellent at defending the post and helping teammates, and even scorers like Ginobili and Parker are solid defenders -- as are most of the secondary players. Even with the team getting up in years, it's hard to imagine San Antonio finishing outside the league's elite in defensive efficiency. Speaking of which …


Biggest Weakness: Age

If you haven't noticed, these guys are getting really, really old. Parker is the only key player who is on the good side of 27. Everyone else can be expected to be somewhere between slightly worse and massively worse than they were a year ago.



Taken individually, it doesn't seem so horrible that Ginobili and Udoka are 31, or that Mason is 29, for instance. It's when you start piling up the cumulative impact of all their ages that it really sinks in. Bowen is 37, Finley and Thomas are 35, Fabricio Oberto and Jacque Vaughn are 33 and Duncan is 32. Yeesh.


In particular, the age of the wing players has to be a concern. San Antonio's top four wing players are 31 and older, and while they've taken exceptional care of their bodies, history tells us that the only direction they can surprise us in is down.


Up front, they at least have size and smarts to fall back on, but the age of the top three is a worry too. Ian Mahinmi, a 2005 first-rounder, is the one flicker of youth in that group; he comes off a strong D-League season and will try to win a role as the fourth big man. Unfortunately, San Antonio's frontcourt succession plans got a little messed up when 2007 first-rounder Tiago Splitter decided to stay in Europe; he would have provided an inexpensive, quality young center, but couldn't take the pay cut dictated by the league's rookie salary scale.








Outlook

With Ginobili set to miss a big chunk of the season and probably needing several games to get his timing back upon returning, and age questions running up and down the rest of the roster, San Antonio seems in position to take a step back in the West … at least during the regular season. The Popovich-Duncan tandem has produced at least 56 wins for eight straight seasons, an incredible accomplishment, but it seems highly unlikely to run that string to nine.



The problem is that the Spurs don't have anyone else capable of stepping up into a primary scoring role when one of their stars go out -- they've entirely built the team with the idea that the other guys will be snipers who can play off their three ace scorers. Take Ginobili out of the equation and that begins to unravel; should Parker or Duncan turn an ankle in the fist half of the season, things could really get ugly.


San Antonio is trying to squeeze two more years out of this nucleus, but there's a possibility they won't make it that long -- in fact, the roster's advanced age leaves open the possibility of a sudden, unexpected collapse. I don't think it's likely, mind you, but that's the thing about sudden age-related collapses -- we never expect it. Just ask Miami.


More likely, All-Star-caliber play from Duncan and Parker and the usual suffocating defense keeps the Spurs afloat long enough for Ginobili to come back and get them into the playoffs. If they're healthy at that point, they'll be a very dangerous first-round opponent because of their three stars and history of late-season surges … but they'll also be playing every round on the road.


Prediction: 47-35, 3rd in Southwest Division, 5th in Western Conference

[tackielarla]

Spurs Still Believe

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=10143

The Los Angeles Lakers are the team to beat this year. After them, it's the New Orleans Hornets, Houston Rockets, Utah Jazz, and you have to consider the Portland Trail Blazers a dark horse because of all the talent they have. That's the majority consensus on how the Western Conference will shake out this year. After winning a title in 2007 and advancing to the Western Conference Finals in 2008 the San Antonio Spurs are viewed by many as a team whose championship days have come to an end - at least for now.

The Spurs couldn't concern themselves less with thoughts like that. All they are worried about right now is improving as a basketball team. They know what it's like to win a championship.

"Even in the championship years we had no clue we were going to be the last team standing. It's the same boring philosophy in the sense that we want to be as good as we can possibly be come April. Things may work out or they may not, but we want to give us the best opportunity we can," explained coach Gregg Popovich.

The NBA community may not be high on what the Spurs accomplished this offseason, but within the organization there is definitely a lot of confidence in the team they currently have assembled. One of the biggest additions is Roger Mason, coming to San Antonio from Washington with a lot of expectations in year one.

"Roger is somebody who has been in our gym before in years past. It hasn't worked out timing or contractual wise, but we felt he was someone we needed in the program. We talked to Corey Maggette and after he made his decision to go to Golden State Roger was the top guy on our list. Hopefully he can do some of the things we need done on the perimeter like Brent Barry did for us in the past few years. He's a versatile guy that can play a couple positions and is tough minded on the defensive end. He's got to play a big role for us with or without Manu. He's going to be important to us," said Popovich.

Mason could potentially be the answer to a lot of the Spurs' woes, and he's coming into camp with the mindset to be the difference maker this team needs.

"I think I can be an X-Factor. Everyone talks about Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker. I want to fit in, but I want to make a difference. I think I'm at a point in my career where I'm growing up. Last year gave me a chance, but I'm hungry and I want to prove myself to the rest of the league and win a championship," stated Mason, who also said that he's never worked harder in his career than he did this offseason.

Another key move this offseason for the Spurs was re-signing veteran big man Kurt Thomas. Thomas was acquired in a deadline deal last February with Seattle and will be getting his first full training camp under his belt with the Spurs.

"He didn't get that benefit last year, although he caught on very quickly. It'll be better for him to understand exactly what we're doing," said Popovich, whose excitement over having Kurt Thomas was shared by Tim Duncan.

"He was great last year and I know he's going to bring the same thing to the table," said Duncan. "To have him on a night to night basis so he can know what to expect coming in, he's going to have half a year under his belt. He knows what pop expects from him and knows how to play with some players. He'll be great for us. You'll never know his true impact by the box score, but you can feel it out there on the floor. He takes a lot off of my shoulders. He's a good defender and a smart player, his intelligence with the game is something that is underrated."

Coach Popovich was equally enthused with the re-signing of Michael Finley. With Manu Ginobili out and Brent Barry going to Houston the Spurs would have lacked a true shooting guard with any knowledge of the system if Finley would have decided to retire. Finley is still capable of helping the team, although at this point in his career his impact may be felt the most off the court.

"It was very important to keep Mike. With Robert not coming back and Brent going to Houston losing Michael would have really been a depreciation of corporate dollars, if you will. His leadership is paramount to our success. He's really respected in the locker room. We were really happy when he decided to stay. His role will be the same. We want him to shoot the basketball, knock it down, and keep being the teammate and leader he has been," said Coach Popovich.

Even with a lot of the talk about a new season and the offseason singings, the big topic remains Manu Ginobili and how his absence will affect the team in the early going. It could cause the Spurs to fall behind early in the home court race, and Tim Duncan recognizes that.

"It's going to be tough," admitted Duncan. "He brings a different aspect to the team. Without him in the playoffs we struggled at times. We're going to have to work around that. Luckily enough it's not the playoffs, which is a completely different animal altogether. We'll figure it out."

Considering this franchise's track record it's hard not to place faith in Tim Duncan's optimism. No team has been better over the past ten years. They are still capable of accomplishing what they've already done three times this decade, although the task has never been as difficult as it's going to be this year. It's early, though, and Duncan pretty much summed it up perfectly:

"Nobody's played a game, nobody's done anything. People will be surprises this year. Teams will step up that you'll never see coming. Some teams will implode, you never know. We have a proven system and we like our chances."