San Antonio Spurs

[fish]

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David Robinson, who enters the Hall of Fame on Sept. 11, has done many admirable things

funny, i always refer to this guy as tim duncan's sidekick... and he enters the hall of fame...

[tackielarla]

funny, i always refer to this guy as tim duncan's sidekick... and he enters the hall of fame...

Most probably you caught him in the tail end of his illustrious career.

[tackielarla]

David Robinson's achievements:

NBA Champion (1999, 2003)
NBA MVP (1995)
NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1992)
NBA Rookie of the Year (1990)
All-NBA First Team (1991, '92, '95, '96)
All-NBA Second Team (1994, '9
All-NBA Third Team (1990, '93, 2000, '01)
All-Defensive First Team (1991, '92, '95, '96)
All-Defensive Second Team (1990, '93, '94, '9
10-time NBA All-Star
Only player in NBA history to win the Rebounding, Blocked Shots, and Scoring Titles and Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and MVP
One of only four players to have recorded a quadruple-double
NBA Sportsmanship Award (2001)
Third player in NBA history to rank among the league's top 10 in five categories in one season (7th in scoring (23.2 ppg), 4th in rebounding (12.2 rpg), 1st in blocks (4.49 per game), 5th in steals (2.32 per game) and 7th in field-goal percentage (.551))
First player in NBA history to rank among the top five in rebounding, blocks and steals (per game) in a single season[6]
Fourth player ever to score 70+ in an NBA game
3-time Olympian (1988, '92, '96)
One of 50 Greatest Players in NBA History (1996)
Led NBA in Scoring (1993–94 season) - 29.8 ppg
Led NBA in Rebounding (1990–91 season) - 13.0 rpg
Led NBA in Blocked Shots (1991–92 season) - 4.49 bpg
Holds record for most IBM Awards (1990, '91, '94, '95, '96)
His 10,497 rebounds and 2,954 blocked shots are the most by any player wearing a San Antonio Spurs jersey, and his 20,790 points are second most only to George Gervin's 23,602. (Had only Gervin's NBA numbers been taken into account, Robinson would be #1 in this category; Gervin scored 4,219 of his points while the franchise was in the American Basketball Association.)
Gold Medal in 1986 FIBA World Championship.[12]
Member of Dream Team #1 during Olympic Games at Barcelona.
Elected into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
Elected to the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame Class of 2008

I'd say Pau Gasol is more sidekick-material than the Admiral. That 71-pt game he had was just classic!

[vcmov_15]

he wouldnt be inducted to the hall of fame if he was always a sidekick... that says it all... they have the proof about the admirals achievements so no need to question him being there in line with the greats....

[tackielarla]

he wouldnt be inducted to the hall of fame if he was always a sidekick... that says it all... they have the proof about the admirals achievements so no need to question him being there in line with the greats....

Smart man.

[inc-pankz]

i dont think Think TD will not be where he is right now without the help tips given by David Robinson

[icon_king]

but to think it was duncan who gave robinson the ring.... it was duncan who gave them the rings no more no less. robinson was merely an accesory.... duncan was the missing piece they have been waiting... even if he didnt win a ring, he would be in the hall of fame after all.

[tackielarla]

Austin Toros summer recap: the vacation's over...
Justin Biehle

With the NBA Summer League finished, and team training camps around the corner before the preseason, D-League teams find themselves in potentially their most beneficial time all year. As roster spots become more and more scarce, D-League affiliates have their veritable pick of the litter as teams looking to stash players away for later view domestic development as a better alternative to the foreign kind. The Toros, much like their business-like NBA big brother, have developed quite a reputation as being THE team with an eye for future talent. That said, here's a look at some of the more intriguing players who look to spend some of their time this season in Austin.

Beginning with perhaps the most intriguing question mark on the potential game day roster, let's look at James Gist. The 6'9" athletic wunderkind hopes to begin his second year of pro ball not simply in the United States, but in a Spurs uni. However, with the Spurs offseason procurement of Richard Jefferson as well as some choice veteran bigs, Gist may potentially find himself on the Toros' roster at times during the season, at least until the Spurs have a clear idea of what needs are being filled. Gist spent his rookie season abroad, playing for Pallacanestro Biella in the Italian Leagues. Despite not putting up earth shattering numbers during his stay, Gist has Spurs fans and team officials alike salivating at his otherworldly combination of size and athleticism. It helps that he has a terrific motor, as well. Gist looks to work his way into Spurs rotation as a swiss army type player in the mold of Robert Horry, but with a bit more scoring panache. This multi-functionality will likely be Gist's best trait as far as his ability to crack the pro roster is concerned. It definitely provides him with an advantage over other Toros, and perhaps any other player in the entire D-League. As before, The Spurs will definitely look to keep Gist close to the chest should he not suit up immediately as a Spur.

Next, we take a(nother) look at Ian Mahinmi, whose career as a Spur has been continuously impeded by his prodigious inability to stay healthy. No knock against his natural talents, but that lone impediment has caused the Spurs to finally look elsewhere for reliable size up front. Though 2009-10 looks to finally be the season when Mahinmi breaks into a more solid rotation for the Spurs, the fact remains that San Antonio no longer has a dearth at those positions. With Antonio McDyess and Theo Ratliff dividing up the all important reserve minutes, Mahinmi may find himself once again the odd man out, but for another completely forgivable reason this time: experience. Still, his predicament must be looked at as a positive. Most teams don't have the benefit of being able to give a genuine blue chip talent like Mahinmi the tutelage of two true veterans of the game (and this is without even considering the wealth of knowledge he could gain from Tim Duncan). Look for Mahinmi to spend some meaningful time on the bench with the Spurs this season, but don't rule out some choice dates in Austin by any stretch.

It should probably be touched on that with Spurs' gifting of Dejuan Blair by the entire NBA, the Spurs have a genuine machine on their hands, and given that he's no slouch in the size department (6'8" 265, fluctuating), both Gist and Mahinmi will have to clamor for whatever scraps they can get. In my opinion, since Gist seems to be more of a utility type player, he'll probably find more solid work in San Antonio's rotation sooner than Mahinmi will. That said, let's touch on a player who WON'T be competing for a job as Tim Duncan's enforcer/partner in size.

Malik Hairston is another second year player, coming over to the Spurs in a draft night '08 deal with arch-rivals Phoenix. He was sought out as a set of fresh legs that could learn from team veterans Michael Finley and Bruce Bowen, and potentially be used for spot minutes here and there. As with the two previously examined players though, San Antonio's offseason pick-ups may leave Hairston with some time to be spent in Austin. Since George Hill finally seems ready to take over full time back-up point guard minutes in San Antonio, this causes a shuffle of players to prevent what might have been an open roster spot for Hairston. Still, as long as Michael Finley fails to get any younger, Hairston will likely be viewed as the best, if not the cheapest alternative. For that reason alone, look for San Antonio to delegate a substantial portion of his time to the Austin Toros. There, he will continue to refine an already decent shooting stroke as well as learn the system.

Although the roster for the Toros will begin to clear up more towards the season tip-off, these are definitely the players to watch, should they spend any considerable amount of time in the Capitol City. The Spurs were one of several teams in the NBA that made significant strides to put themselves into title contention over the summer, and that only serves to benefit their D-League affiliate with some genuinely NBA level talent. From a fan perspective, that means that, at the very least, the Austin Toros will at least be potentially fielding a team that will be exciting to watch, if nothing else. Of course, being a minor league team, one can place no guarantee on how long one or any of these marquis players will stick around, but that's another topic for another day.

[tackielarla]

"The Spurs don't rebuild; they reload."

[tackielarla]

Bruce Bowen Turns Down The Celtics?

by Roy_Hobbs

Bowen reportedly declines to join Paul in Boston, at least right now

Hoopsworld reports:

Sources close to the situation say Bowen is leaning heavily towards retirement, or at least sitting out until the regular season gets underway. The Boston Celtics were said to be aggressive in their pursuit of Bowen but were turned away. The common belief is that Bowen may pull a "P.J. Brown" and sit out until January, then joining a playoff team as a hired gun for the post-season.

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Hmmm...