Spurs bow to Lakers at a t & t

[Lurker]

And would you be willing to pay over half of your salary for a buyout?  THE TEAM CANNOT PAY FOR THE BUYOUT.  THE PLAYER MUST PAY IT!  THE SPURS DID NOT WANT TO PAY SCOLA $4+ MIL (so he would have enough to pay for the buyout).  I fail to see how even you cannot understand this.

The buyout is only 3.5, not 4 million.  Plus since the Spurs can pay 500k of that, it's down to 3 mill that Scola has to raise.
Scola does not have to earn the entire 3 million in one day.  If he signed a two or three year contract at only 2 million per he could get a loan for the buyout, pay it back to Bank of San Antonio or Banco Agentino with interest as he goes.  Do you get it?

I get it...you are totally and completely clueless.  Scola would have to WANT to sign for $2 mil.  HE DOESN'T.  The Spurs would have to pay him more than the $3.0 million buyout because....TA DA....uncle sam takes taxes out of the check.  So he borrows $3.0 mil and has to pay that back + interest + taxes and all of this out of a $6 mil 3 year salary.  I guess take home pay doesn't mean anything to you.

Scola is in Europe...therefore impossible to "give him a shot".  As for your what-if:  Anyone except a bandwagon jumper would know that you don't win titles by outscoring the opponent.  DEFENSE WINS TITLES.  DEFENSE EARNS FLOOR TIME UNDER THE CURRENT SPURS SYSTEM.  Again go back and look at stats...since mid-December Finley has been shooting better than Barry. 

Defense and offense combined wins championships.  Who besides you sees Finley as a stellar defender?  You asked me to provide one person who said he is sucking.  I gave you several.  Touche.

Finley had a few very good games in mid Dec that he counteracted with clunkers the rest of Dec.  Start of Jan Fins was much better with the leather ball. 

Update:
Last 5 games that is all gonzo as El Bricko is 10-30 on 3-14 treys. 
Last 5 for Barry:  14-29 but 9 of those are treys. 

Barry 29 shots = 37 points.
Findo 30 shots = 23 points.   
 

Now you are starting the infamous Randy/Reality tactic of dreaming things up.  I NEVER stated that Finley was a stellar defender...just that he is better than Barry.  And as far as who thinks so...well, my guess is the Spurs coaching staff.  And in the end that is who really matters.  And we both know...and at least I will acknowledge...that you are very good at manipulating stats to try and prove your point.

Accolades are only fading from bandwagon jumping fans and/or those not knowledgable about NBA coaching.  He is "riding" Beno because there is not another  PG on the team that can run it.  Pop has tried Vaughn and keeps going back to Beno.  Maybe Duncan should run the point.  As far as "babying" Duncan...Pop has done that for years.  It makes more sense to have Duncan available at full strength in April-June than worry about a victory or two in Dec-Jan. 

Not another point who can run the team?  Sorry, Barry has done it fatastically when filled in, including starting.  Why acquire Vaughn if he sucks so much?
Why bring in Nick Van Excell and keep Beno (stopping Benos progress) at the same time?  Its a screw up plain and simple and your El Poppy is calling the shots.
What does Babying Duncan have to do with having him at full strength in playoffs?  Playing less minutes is not what i am talking about babying.
Kobe came in for the slam and Duncan saw him coming a mile away.  He asked Kobe to please not get too much sweat on his blouse as he slammed on his face as he wanted it fresh smelling for his outing with Finley after the game.  Play hard or get off the court.  Duncan playing soft and whining to the refs very often this season.  Something numerous Real fans are noticing, not you and your crowd.  Which by the way, since you spout about "knowledgeable NBA fans" who do you watch/rap games with in San Antone?

Again there is more to the game than shooting the ball.  Barry cannot plat PG.  Pop has tried it over and over...guess what.  Barry couldn't stop a cripple who is dribbling on the perimeter.  The opposing PG regularly gfets into the lane and causes defensive problems for the Spurs.

Duncan backed off of Kobe on that play because he had FOUR (4) fouls and did not want to get a FIFTH foul.  Duncan is much more helpful top the tam when he is on the floor instead of the bench.

4) Jackie Butler is still raw and is finding it difficult to find floor time even with Elson & Bonner hurt.  The scoop I have heard is that he is having problems with defensive rotations.  Bonner was the real surprise this season slowly taking Horry's minutes until he was injured.   

  Failure to rotate.  Same complaints made about Nazr in the 2005 Champ run and Elson as they went 14-1 this year when he gets 20+ minutes.  Who gives a rats in the big picture.  Better to have cutesy wooters Proper Queens English Lord Popavitch Rotations and get your arse run in a loss or have a few missed rotas in some winning TallBall?

Sooo much nonsense that I couldn't even decipher what you meant.  Same complaints about Nazr...AND IF YOU NOTICE HE IS GONE!  And has had a hard time winning a starting role on a team with NO OTHER CENTER!  And not sure what Elson has to do with Nazr...only link is that Elson was acquired to replace Nazr.

Did you notice the Spurs won the title with an out of position Nazr?  Did you notice the Pistons were 18-8 with a 25 minute Nazr?  Did you notice the Pistons have dropped 4 of 5 since they demoted him to less then 10 minutes per game Nazr?  Did you noticie in your rant about DEFENSE DEFENSE that the Spurs were/are much better on DEFENSE with another Tall back on D combined with Duncan, as in Nazr/Rash and now Elson?
[/quote]

So the Pistons (and Joe Dumars) are so impressed with Nazr that 1) they cut his minutes and 2) signed a cripple (Webber) to take his starting spot.  But of course they should have stayed the course because some fan in SoCal knows more about the game.  Brilliant.  Just brilliant.

As far as 2 bigs making for a better defensive team...that is true if your opponent has two traditional bigs.  But to put Elson/Nazr/Rasho/Duncan/Fabs out on the perimeter to guard a quicker player is something that even elementary school ball players understand as futile. 

Basic Basketball 101:
The absolutely WORSE thing that can happen to your team defense is to set it up to be broken down by penetration on a regular basis.  When an opponent can regularly get into the lane it causes beaucoup problems.  And usually ends up with your opponent scoring on a high percentage shot.  The basis of the Spurs defense is to funnel the guards to the sidelines and to funnel any drivers to the baseline.  Putting a big man on the perimeter to get beat regularly then causes the rest of the defense to react.  Same thing for having Barry try to guard just about any starting PG in the league. 

Or to put it into terms you might understand...why do you think Parker is so successful?  Or why others say he disappears in the playoffs when the opposinfg team focuses on keeping Tony out of the lane?

[Reality]

I get it...you are totally and completely clueless.  Scola would have to WANT to sign for $2 mil.  HE DOESN'T.  The Spurs would have to pay him more than the $3.0 million buyout because....TA DA....uncle sam takes taxes out of the check.  So he borrows $3.0 mil and has to pay that back + interest + taxes and all of this out of a $6 mil 3 year salary.  I guess take home pay doesn't mean anything to you. 

6 mil salary - 4 mill payback (completely overestimating what someone/some bank would charge him, I'll even rule out the possibility that 9 mil a year Manu-Fabs combo might want to do a loan to their fellow Aregentine to up the Spurs title chances). = 2 million to squeek by on for 3 years.  Yes, i suppose Scola might not want this.  Then again he might, who knows?

Now you are starting the infamous Randy/Reality tactic of dreaming things up.  I NEVER stated that Finley was a stellar defender...just that he is better than Barry.

  No no no Randy you're not squaking out of this one.  While you did not say that he was a quote "stallar" defender you certainly didn't say he was simply "better than Barry."  Hold on I'll get your quotes.

And we both know...and at least I will acknowledge...that you are very good at manipulating stats to try and prove your point.

You initiate bringing up "Finley shooting better then Barry since mid Dec" now you want to bail?  bok bok bok bok Ba-Gawk.

Update:
Last 5 games that is all gonzo as El Bricko is 10-30 on 3-14 treys. 
Last 5 for Barry:  14-29 but 9 of those are treys. 

Barry 29 shots = 37 points.
Findo 30 shots = 23 points.   [/quote]

Again there is more to the game than shooting the ball.  Barry cannot plat PG.  Pop has tried it over and over...guess what.  Barry couldn't stop a cripple who is dribbling on the perimeter.  The opposing PG regularly gfets into the lane and causes defensive problems for the Spurs. 

Really, i only saw him play at pg a couple times.  Here is one.  When were all the "Pop has tried it over and over"s?
March 28 2006 win 98-87 to go to 55-16 in battling Dallas for #1 seed.
Spurs take one-game lead over Mavericks in West
Brent Barry, PG  25 min 3-6fg  2-3treys 3-4fts  3boards 5assists 1steal 1block all in only 25 minutes.
Oh btw, Nazr-Rash combined for 11 boards in that game and Barry assisted several to Findawg for 20 points on 65% shooting!
Sure it wouldn't work for a whole season or maybe not even a whole game.  But for every little guy drive vs Barry, Barry could pass over them and shoot and post over them while the little guy was on D.  Much better then Nick Van Ex bench beno dont bench beno bench beno dont bench beno try Vaughn sit Vaughn try Vaughn sit Vaughn try beno again bench beno.

Duncan backed off of Kobe on that play because he had FOUR (4) fouls and did not want to get a FIFTH foul.  Duncan is much more helpful top the tam when he is on the floor instead of the bench. 

  It's hardly just that one play.  He has been getting owned a lot this season.  Going up weak, getting stripped, whining to refs on every clean strip.  The Stand n Veg offense is recognized by other NBA teams and players.

  So the Pistons (and Joe Dumars) are so impressed with Nazr that 1) they cut his minutes and 2) signed a cripple (Webber) to take his starting spot.  But of course they should have stayed the course because some fan in SoCal knows more about the game.  Brilliant.  Just brilliant.

  yeah I'll check back to see how "brilliant" it works out with benching Nazr and playing Webber.  Indeed, Brilliant.  1-4 so far by benching Naz.

  As far as 2 bigs making for a better defensive team...that is true if your opponent has two traditional bigs.  But to put Elson/Nazr/Rasho/Duncan/Fabs out on the perimeter to guard a quicker player is something that even elementary school ball players understand as futile.

  Fine, are you going to address how it worked out with Nazr in 2005 or just elementary Randy around it?  And Fabs is not a "big", irregardless of where and how much Poppy plays him.

Basic Basketball 101:
The absolutely WORSE thing that can happen to your team defense is to set it up to be broken down by penetration on a regular basis.  When an opponent can regularly get into the lane it causes beaucoup problems.  And usually ends up with your opponent scoring on a high percentage shot.  The basis of the Spurs defense is to funnel the guards to the sidelines and to funnel any drivers to the baseline.  Putting a big man on the perimeter to get beat regularly then causes the rest of the defense to react.  Same thing for having Barry try to guard just about any starting PG in the league. 

Or to put it into terms you might understand...why do you think Parker is so successful?  Or why others say he disappears in the playoffs when the opposinfg team focuses on keeping Tony out of the lane? 

Who said put a big man on the perimeter?  I say keep Nazr-Rash/Elson down low with Duncan for the title in 2005 and 14-1 this season?  When Dirk is out at the 3 point line keep the two bigs in and let Fabs or Bowen guard him.  He'll get his, but in the long run we will (opps make that we Did) control the lane just as you suggested.  And won. The title. 

[Reality]

Reality, I knew you'd conclude that I'm saying coaches don't matter.  Obviously they do and I assumed it was a given that pretty much everyone understood that.  However, IMO, a coach builds a foundation and a system over time.  Phil and Pop are two current examples of excellent coaches with good systems that the players buy in to.  Coaching is not just calling plays and substitution pattens, it's a vast, comprehensive process that includes teaching, and developing players in practice and outside of game time 90% of the time. 

Coaches are important, but come game time players have to execute or no one will have success.  Last night wasn't about Phil or Pop.  Pop has taught these guys how to play D, they just didn't execute last night for whatever reason.  The NBA season is 82 games long, there are going to be plenty of nights where the shots don't fall, or the team just doesn't click ... that has little or nothing to do with Pop. 

Pop's system has proven effective time and time again.  The team wins a heck of a lot more than they lose and they've won 3 championships.  If you are able to win three championships at this level you are nothing short of a great coach. 

Wed nights game was about "not just calling plays and substitution pattens, it's a vast, comprehensive process that includes teaching, and developing players in practice and outside of game time 90% of the time."  This seasons Spurs so far is part of a process, one in which Pop is losing it and Avery has already overtaken him.  Ditto Lakers.  Was not just about "last night and a few shots falling".  Phils process budding, Pops process wilting.
Phils use of roster vs Pops is appaulingly in Phils favor.