San Antonio Spurs

[Motownkid]

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^haha thanks for reminding.. nag basketball marathon ko ron since udto both NCAA & NBA
hapit ko kalimot napa diay last game sa espn Spurs v Hornets. Go NOH!..

[tackielarla]

Fox Sports: Spurs No Longer Duncan's Team

As the NBA regular season grinds down the home-court stretch, it's easy to find ourselves walking a ledge that separates reality and sacrilege as both pertain to the San Antonio Spurs.

For example, just when they seem capable of dropping to the third seed (or lower) in the Western Conference standings, the Spurs rip off wins on successive nights. This surge of seed-sowing life arrived immediately after a home loss to the relentlessly challenging Houston Rockets, and compromises the opinions of those who were preparing to write off the allegedly descending powerhouse.

And it leads to another fit of sacrilege, one that inspires many of us to embrace the notion of Tony Parker becoming the team's go-to employee. Before proceeding under the seemingly shaky banner of this premise, please note that the Spurs' much-debated window of championship opportunity will remain propped open as long as Hall-of-Fame-bound post man Tim Duncan is supplying about 20 points and 10 rebounds per game.

But with that caveat firmly in place, we also should realize Parker — who will turn 27 in May — has massaged his preternatural speed into a variable few (if any) teams can deal with.

While we've detected no public chest-pounding in regard to assuming the defining offensive role in the Spurs' attack, Parker has made considerable on-court noise. In Wednesday's Duncan-free (resting the knees) triumph at Atlanta, Parker bagged an eye-popping 42 points — on 18-of-25 shooting from the field — and handed out 10 assists.

The night before, he dropped 30 and 10 in a victory over the Golden State Warriors.

Similar Parker salvos have been occurring more often during a season in which he is providing the Spurs with career highs in points (21.9) and assists (6.9) per game, while knocking in a career-best 79.4 percent of his free-throw attempts.

The spin through Atlanta became Parker's 11th game of 30 or more points; those games have been defined by exquisite marksmanship (an almost-stupid 60 percent from the field) and no loss of altruism (8 dimes per). They include a combined 76 points on a back-to-back last month.

OK, so even though Eva Longoria's hubby long has demonstrated he's much more than a marital novelty act (the seventh-year pro from France was Most Valuable Player of the 2007 NBA Finals, not Duncan), he still seems overlooked when popular chatter zeros in on the league's premier point guards.

With that topic on the table, the names usually streaming from the mouths of experts are the properly saluted Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Steve Nash and a small bundle of fine playmakers. Out of habit, the sharpies may even float the name Jason Kidd, whose alleged mutual flirtation with the Spurs several years ago predated Parker's upgrade in decision-making and shooting accuracy.

The franchise's move to stay the course with Parker has been rewarded with more Larry O'Brien hardware. But even winning at the highest level hasn't afforded Parker the hosannas associated with perceived superstardom.

"Playing in the shadow of Duncan — one of the sport's all-time greats, no doubt — has made Parker a bit less appreciated than he might be somewhere else," said a league scout who works for a Western Conference franchise. "To be fair, playing with Duncan creates opportunities for Parker and everyone else and has led to championships."

Yeah, the trade-off is pretty reasonable.

"But the main reason the so-called purists may not anoint Parker among the great point guards is the way he plays," the scout continued. "'That's not to say he's selfish; but his strength is blowing past guys and finishing.

"When we rate point guards, we like to go with the pass-first types. And that's fine. Most teams need someone to make the game easier for teammates. Parker has improved on that, but he's always done it in different ways. Having what we define as a pass-first point guard doesn't really matter if you can defend the position and are efficient, as a team, on offense. It never bothered Phil Jackson's teams."

Amen, but it never hurts to suit up non-point guards named Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant.

Anyway, with that blazing speed to the rim and a floater he unloads with uncanny accuracy, Parker generates more spot-up freedom for perimeter teammates while pulling attention away from Duncan in screen-roll situations.

"Exactly," the scout said. "He's gotten better at knowing where his teammates will be and when, but his bread and butter is that crazy speed and quickness. Along with that, he's improved his shooting."

Most of the improvement occurred after Parker learned to recognize what a good shot (for him) is. Great assistance in this education was provided by Spurs shooting coach Chip Engelland, who convinced the team's floor leader that the two-point shots you hit are more valuable than the threes you miss.

"His ability to take the ball anywhere on the court he wants at any time makes him one of the biggest threats we face," the scout said. "And the less Duncan is able to take over a game and just dominate as he ages, the more important Parker becomes."

With two-guard Manu Ginobili returning and professing more pop in his wheels than he's felt in a while, an emerging cast of younger snipers than in recent years and the big constant in the middle, the experienced Spurs still seem like a playoff team to avoid.

"Duncan gives San Antonio that presence on the block, potential foul situations and Ginobili is streaky and dangerous," said an assistant coach who also works in the Western Conference. "But Parker has turned into the guy who really scares you. You can send a double at Duncan and rotate out. It doesn't always work, but it can be effective.

"But you can't prepare for speed like Parker has."

And as the go-to-Point-B-from-Point-A guy in San Antonio, Tony Parker is reminding us that Hollywood doesn't hold the patent on fast lanes.
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^haha thanks for reminding.. nag basketball marathon ko ron since udto both NCAA & NBA
hapit ko kalimot napa diay last game sa espn Spurs v Hornets. Go NOH!..

Go home! (oh wait, they are at home...)

[juan penduko]

DIRTY & BORING SPURS!

2007 2nd round Playoffs:

Game 1 - Nash Gash, but still played with a nose bleeding and still scored 5 points in a minute.
Game 2 - Suns Won.
Game 3 - Tim Donaghy betting Scandal. All favors go to the Spurs.
Game 4 - Dirty Horry bumped Nash. Amare & Boris didn't want to instigate a brawl, they just want to check if their point guard is ok.
Game 5 - Unfair suspension. Six-players Suns rotation but they lose 3 points.

SUNS COULD HAVE GONE ALL THE WAY IN 2007.
SHAQ, PORTER, KERR & SARVER DESTROYED NASH'S RUNNING STYLE.

hey hey,

1. dont be a cry baby
2. sour loser
3. if ur a suns fanatic. well pack up ur things coz ul gonna miss the playoffs
4. but if ur a fakers. REMEMBER. tim donaghy was betting for the lakers. and that series was against the SACRAMENTO KINGS.

[Motownkid]

hahaha partida unta, depleted ang NOH nya injured si CP3, gi-buog daw cge sakay2x eroplano.



tsk Ginobili fouling CP3 shooting from halfcourt? come'on Manu, u are wiser than that.

[seepshank]

saonz daog hornets! haha

[menderouv]

faet pildi ta hornets

[tackielarla]

Ginobili and his stupid fouls (reminds me of his foul on Dirk during the '06 playoffs...)... hahay... trade him next season!

[tackielarla]

Next time we meet these guys, I want Bowen on CP3. I wanna see him no-shadow kick him in the crock, like little Stevie from the Suns.

[Motownkid]

Ginobili and his stupid fouls (reminds me of his foul on Dirk during the '06 playoffs...)... hahay... trade him next season!

haha some credits to Manu pod, he made a 6-point sequence in just 7 seconds. (3-points, steal, Finley 3-points).
Maru lang jud kaau CP3, he saw Manu coming to foul him, gi-labay dayon ang bola.
murag wala man kasulod si Bowen.. even Oberto.

[tackielarla]

Maru lang jud kaau CP3, he saw Manu coming to foul him, gi-labay dayon ang bola.

Plus CP3 was fouled TWICE in the backcourt before Manu that pitiful excuse of a foul... refs swallowed their pieces...

Ingani ako gusto buhaton ni Bowen kang CP3 next time:


No-shadow-flying-kick!