I Hate the Spurs

[mkogav]

I love this.


What was the most exciting series last year?


Spurs/Suns



Who had the most exciting game in the 1st round of the playoffs?

Spurs/Suns game 1.





Spurs are boring to watch when they play an inferior team they stomp on.  Same could be said about the Celtics this year by non-Celtics fans. 

Boston/Atlanta game 7.  Complete bore if you were not a Boston fan. 



It is not the Spurs fault that Cleveland couldn't put up a fight and make the series interesting. 

If by 'exciting' u mean, Bowen mugging Nash on the side lines, endless flops, bogus ejections, and a ref on the take then yeah, it was super exciting.

Mk

[wdleehi]

I love this.


What was the most exciting series last year?


Spurs/Suns



Who had the most exciting game in the 1st round of the playoffs?

Spurs/Suns game 1.





Spurs are boring to watch when they play an inferior team they stomp on.  Same could be said about the Celtics this year by non-Celtics fans. 

Boston/Atlanta game 7.  Complete bore if you were not a Boston fan. 



It is not the Spurs fault that Cleveland couldn't put up a fight and make the series interesting. 

If by 'exciting' u mean, Bowen mugging Nash on the side lines, endless flops, bogus ejections, and a ref on the take then yeah, it was super exciting.

Mk

What series was better last year?



And there was no bogus ejections unless you mean Horry being suspended for two games for a hard foul on the side.  One game, yes.  But two? 

[mkogav]

I love this.


What was the most exciting series last year?


Spurs/Suns



Who had the most exciting game in the 1st round of the playoffs?

Spurs/Suns game 1.





Spurs are boring to watch when they play an inferior team they stomp on.  Same could be said about the Celtics this year by non-Celtics fans. 

Boston/Atlanta game 7.  Complete bore if you were not a Boston fan. 



It is not the Spurs fault that Cleveland couldn't put up a fight and make the series interesting. 

If by 'exciting' u mean, Bowen mugging Nash on the side lines, endless flops, bogus ejections, and a ref on the take then yeah, it was super exciting.

Mk

What series was better last year?



And there was no bogus ejections unless you mean Horry being suspended for two games for a hard foul on the side.  One game, yes.  But two? 

Hmmmm.... off the top of my head... Dallas/GS and Cleveland/Detroit

Mk

[Steve Weinman]

I love this.


What was the most exciting series last year?


Spurs/Suns



Who had the most exciting game in the 1st round of the playoffs?

Spurs/Suns game 1.





Spurs are boring to watch when they play an inferior team they stomp on.  Same could be said about the Celtics this year by non-Celtics fans. 

Boston/Atlanta game 7.  Complete bore if you were not a Boston fan. 



It is not the Spurs fault that Cleveland couldn't put up a fight and make the series interesting. 

If by 'exciting' u mean, Bowen mugging Nash on the side lines, endless flops, bogus ejections, and a ref on the take then yeah, it was super exciting.

Mk

What series was better last year?



And there was no bogus ejections unless you mean Horry being suspended for two games for a hard foul on the side.  One game, yes.  But two? 

Hmmmm.... off the top of my head... Dallas/GS and Cleveland/Detroit

Mk

I'll heartily agree that Mavs-Warriors was the most exciting series we've seen in a long while.  Cleveland-Detroit featured one unbelievable out-of-this-world game (Game 5), but beyond that sort of performance from Bron (though he was certainly very good in Game 3 as well), I'd rather watch Spurs-Suns any day.  I take it you don't agree, Mk?

-sw

[jaketwice]

Spurs are boring to watch when they play an inferior team they stomp on.  Same could be said about the Celtics this year by non-Celtics fans. 

Boston/Atlanta game 7.  Complete bore if you were not a Boston fan. 

You're missing the point. It's got nothing to do with blow-outs. It's about the mentality towards the game.

Whatever happened to honor?

I thought that thing with Zaza was funny. KG didn't walk around with his eyes wide open afterwards. Rondo was hit with the flagrant, but he just got up and shot the free-throws and got on with the game. Pierce doesn't get the call and the officials get a confused, slightly disgusted expression for all of 10 seconds - that's it.

With the Spurs, it's so much drama. I'm not paying to watch a TNT mini-series "...starring Manu Ginobli as the aggrieved Argentinian, and Tim Duncan as a giant confused turtle." I'm paying to watch a game, with, you know: running, and um, JUMPING (for all you TD fetishists) and what was that called again, oh that's right: legitimate shot attempts.

I don't need to see another sweating dude at the free throw line.

I tell you what: watch the next SA v. NO game, and if you don't hate them after watching that game, I will concede that that they are at times watchable.

[wdleehi]

Spurs are boring to watch when they play an inferior team they stomp on.  Same could be said about the Celtics this year by non-Celtics fans. 

Boston/Atlanta game 7.  Complete bore if you were not a Boston fan. 

You're missing the point. It's got nothing to do with blow-outs. It's about the mentality towards the game.

Whatever happened to honor?

I thought that thing with Zaza was funny. KG didn't walk around with his eyes wide open afterwards. Rondo was hit with the flagrant, but he just got up and shot the free-throws and got on with the game. Pierce doesn't get the call and the officials get a confused, slightly disgusted expression for all of 10 seconds - that's it.

With the Spurs, it's so much drama. I'm not paying to watch a TNT mini-series "...starring Manu Ginobli as the aggrieved Argentinian, and Tim Duncan as a giant confused turtle." I'm paying to watch a game, with, you know: running, and um, JUMPING (for all you TD fetishists) and what was that called again, oh that's right: legitimate shot attempts.

I don't need to see another sweating dude at the free throw line.

I tell you what: watch the next SA v. NO game, and if you don't hate them after watching that game, I will concede that that they are at times watchable.

I have watched them in the playoffs since Duncan joined.  They are only boring when the other team doesn't put up a fight.

Just like all the other teams. 

Do they flop?  Of course.  So does the majority of the other teams.  It is what the NBA has forced players to do if there is ever going to be an offensive foul game. 

Do they whine?   Yep.  Just like every other team in the NBA.  Do you know that Mutumbo still has never commited a foul.  According to Mutumbo.

Are they dirty?  What?  I watched the early 90's knicks and the bad boy pistons.  What the Spurs do pale in comparison to what those teams did. 

[mkogav]

I love this.


What was the most exciting series last year?


Spurs/Suns



Who had the most exciting game in the 1st round of the playoffs?

Spurs/Suns game 1.





Spurs are boring to watch when they play an inferior team they stomp on.  Same could be said about the Celtics this year by non-Celtics fans. 

Boston/Atlanta game 7.  Complete bore if you were not a Boston fan. 



It is not the Spurs fault that Cleveland couldn't put up a fight and make the series interesting. 

If by 'exciting' u mean, Bowen mugging Nash on the side lines, endless flops, bogus ejections, and a ref on the take then yeah, it was super exciting.

Mk

What series was better last year?



And there was no bogus ejections unless you mean Horry being suspended for two games for a hard foul on the side.  One game, yes.  But two? 

Hmmmm.... off the top of my head... Dallas/GS and Cleveland/Detroit

Mk

I'll heartily agree that Mavs-Warriors was the most exciting series we've seen in a long while.  Cleveland-Detroit featured one unbelievable out-of-this-world game (Game 5), but beyond that sort of performance from Bron (though he was certainly very good in Game 3 as well), I'd rather watch Spurs-Suns any day.  I take it you don't agree, Mk?

-sw

I'll take the Suns playing anyone on most days, just not the Spurs.  I have seen enough flops, whining, and cheaps shot for a while.

Seriously, unless u r from France or San Antonio, related to Eva Longoria, or a Wake Forest sycophant, how could u enjoy watching the Spurs in the playoffs?

If it makes the Spurs fans feel any better, I would watch the Spurs over the Bucks.

Mk

[wdleehi]

Then what about the exciting Spurs/Lakers battles when they had Shaq and Kobe?


The finals between the Spurs/Pistons was good.


Spurs/Dallas was always good in the playoffs. 

[mkogav]

Then what about the exciting Spurs/Lakers battles when they had Shaq and Kobe?


The finals between the Spurs/Pistons was good.


Spurs/Dallas was always good in the playoffs. 

The only reason the Spurs/Laker games were any good was b/c of Shaq and Kobe, not the Spurs.

Don't get me wrong, I respect the Spurs. They win. Good for them. I don't want to watch them play.

Mk

[wdleehi]

Then what about the exciting Spurs/Lakers battles when they had Shaq and Kobe?


The finals between the Spurs/Pistons was good.


Spurs/Dallas was always good in the playoffs. 

The only reason the Spurs/Laker games were any good was b/c of Shaq and Kobe, not the Spurs.

Don't get me wrong, I respect the Spurs. They win. Good for them. I don't want to watch them play.

Mk

no one team makes a series exciting. 


It takes two teams battling it out playing good ball that makes it exciting. 

[Who]

The Spurs are the most beautiful team to watch in the NBA when they're passing the ball well

Go back and watch the Conference Finals against Utah last year. Watch the series.

Watch Manu dribble through Okur's legs (two different times, think it was Okur, someone tall and white) on the fastbreak.

Watch Tony and Manu play the give and go from 40 feet out and getting a wide open layup without ever dribbling the ball

Watch their halfcourt passing which was reminiscent of the 70s Knicks's teams. Layup after layup. Open shot after open shot.

Just astounding basketball. It was so beautiful, so beautiful.

[mkogav]

The Spurs are the most beautiful team to watch in the NBA when they're passing the ball well

That's b/c Bruce Bowen isn't hip checking Tony Parker into the scorer's table nor kicking him u-know-where every  time he gets the ball.

Go back and watch the Conference Finals against Utah last year. Watch the series.

Watch Manu dribble through Okur's legs (two different times, think it was Okur, someone tall and white) on the fastbreak.

I assume Okur wasn't flopping all game and whining for a call?

Watch Tony and Manu play the give and go from 40 feet out and getting a wide open layup without ever dribbling the ball

Watch their halfcourt passing which was reminiscent of the 70s Knicks's teams. Layup after layup. Open shot after open shot.

Just astounding basketball. It was so beautiful, so beautiful.

Maybe it was beautiful. Most likely it was b/c Bruce Bowen wasn't holding anyone during the play. But the sad part was that not may people saw it b/c they weren't watching.

Mk

[Ersatz]

I'll take the Suns playing anyone on most days, just not the Spurs.  I have seen enough flops, whining, and cheaps shot for a while.

Seriously, unless u r from France or San Antonio, related to Eva Longoria, or a Wake Forest sycophant, how could u enjoy watching the Spurs in the playoffs?

If it makes the Spurs fans feel any better, I would watch the Spurs over the Bucks.

Mk

I can't read your mind, obviously, but I can read your posts, and it seems obvious to me that you don't really like basketball. You make like certain players or certain styles of play, but when a team, like the Spurs, doesn't play like you've already conceived of how the game should be played, you say they are boring, terrible, etc. People have made the case repeatedly for how and why the Spurs are not boring and are amazing to watch, but you've got other ideas of what constitutes basketball. That's fine, but simply repeating "boring" is both not an argument and pretty childish.

[Ersatz]

You're making my point.  You are asking why nobody is watching even though LeBron is playing.  "If LeBron is THE star of the league, he should be drawing big audiences" but he didn't, how come?  You are even admitting his status means he SHOULD draw big audiences, but you fail to say why he didn't. 

Nonsense. If you are the league's Second Coming, you do draw audiences no matter what. Jordan drew huge audiences against the Blazers and the Jazz.

In other words, I was suggesting, without saying it, that LeBron is maybe not as popular as the league wants him to be/is trying to make him. That's not the Spurs fault.

[Steve Weinman]

I love this.


What was the most exciting series last year?


Spurs/Suns



Who had the most exciting game in the 1st round of the playoffs?

Spurs/Suns game 1.





Spurs are boring to watch when they play an inferior team they stomp on.  Same could be said about the Celtics this year by non-Celtics fans. 

Boston/Atlanta game 7.  Complete bore if you were not a Boston fan. 



It is not the Spurs fault that Cleveland couldn't put up a fight and make the series interesting. 

If by 'exciting' u mean, Bowen mugging Nash on the side lines, endless flops, bogus ejections, and a ref on the take then yeah, it was super exciting.

Mk

What series was better last year?



And there was no bogus ejections unless you mean Horry being suspended for two games for a hard foul on the side.  One game, yes.  But two? 

Hmmmm.... off the top of my head... Dallas/GS and Cleveland/Detroit

Mk

I'll heartily agree that Mavs-Warriors was the most exciting series we've seen in a long while.  Cleveland-Detroit featured one unbelievable out-of-this-world game (Game 5), but beyond that sort of performance from Bron (though he was certainly very good in Game 3 as well), I'd rather watch Spurs-Suns any day.  I take it you don't agree, Mk?

-sw

I'll take the Suns playing anyone on most days, just not the Spurs.  I have seen enough flops, whining, and cheaps shot for a while.

Seriously, unless u r from France or San Antonio, related to Eva Longoria, or a Wake Forest sycophant, how could u enjoy watching the Spurs in the playoffs?

If it makes the Spurs fans feel any better, I would watch the Spurs over the Bucks.

Mk

As I articulated earlier, I enjoy watching the Spurs because I enjoy watching units that play -- flopping notwithstanding -- efficient, intelligent, team-oriented, successful basketball. 

I love Duncan's ability to use the window from the wings, elbows and top of the key.  Parker's ability to fly into the lane is a sight to behold, and he's excellent at utilizing the floater, going hard at the rim and dishing out both to cutters and perimeter shooters.  Even though he's getting near the end, I'm still a big-time Big Shot Bob fan (his Game 5 of the 2005 Finals against Detroit was incredible).

And I love watching this team play defense, just because they are so smart, particularly at that end of the floor.  Watching them play high screens is enjoyable to me because it feels like Duncan virtually never makes the wrong decision.  He knows just how to time his hedging, when to have his teammate go through the pick and when to make switches.  The boxing out, the job this team usually does locking down the interior, it's great basketball.  Even our beloved Celtics went a few years in the midst of this decade when it seemed they never stopped a high screen roll (in fact, the Hawks beat them in Game 4 by running the same high screen for Joe Johnson 83 straight times).  The Spurs always seem to make the right decisions on those plays, and their defensive rotations are fluid and excellent with regularity.  It's a big part of why they've been the best throughout this decade.

I love the game of basketball, and as Ersatz points out, there are a lot of different factors that can make basketball enjoyable.  I love watching teams like the fast-paced teams like the Suns and Warriors, and I enjoy watching individual studs like Kobe and LeBron.  But that doesn't prevent me from appreciating the beauty of watching San Antonio play either.

-sw