When a player starts and plays 30 minutes, or comes off the bench and plays 30 minutes, either way he still played 30 game minutes. Speaking of Tim Dunkan. Use those accounting skills to grasp.
Is it more important for the 30 minutes to include the first quarter or the fourth quarter?
The rest of your ramble only verifies your total lack of understanding of the finer nuances of a 82 game season and a roster with 4 new players (incl 3 new starters) in the 9 man rotation. Add in 2 players in their 2nd season with the Spurs (Hill, Mason) as well as none of those 6 really playing with Manu and the team SHOULD have struggled out of the gate. If you can do the math that means Parker, Duncan and Manu are the only Spurs that are getting major minutes that have been in Pop's scheme for more than 1+ season.
To keep it simple a numbering system has been developed for you PopApologists.
#1 is the "Pops *system* takes a year or two to learn."
What a weak excuse.
Championships with Brent Barrdog in year one, also Man From Nazr who for that matter came over at the half season mark. Got another lamer excuse? Of course you do.
Ron Artest fitting in with the Flamers as is Brown the outcast shooting guard. Payton and Malone did not take over a year to learn Phil Winters offense, a new *system* for them.
Not exactly sure what the argument here is, but Payton certainly didn't take to the triangle easily, and Malone was an 18-year veteran from an extremely disciplined system. More often than not, players *DO* take time to adjust to the triangle offense.
Not exactly sure what you are not exactly sure of.
Lurkers excuse was, well you read it.
I already showed Barrdog and Man From Nazr as 1st year Spurs getting plenty of minutes yet the Spurs winning a championship. Heck lets look at the other two titles.
Stephen Jackson played the 4th most minutes as the Spurs rolled to 60-22 in 2002-3 and then
the 3rd most minutes in the playoffs resulting in a RealSpurs Championship.
2007 altho Frankie Elson was pretty much iced out of the playoffs, he got 20 min per game in the reg season and including being put in Pops phony self serving *doghouse* for many a game thus greatly lowering his mpg ave.
The lame excuse is debunked.
As to the Lakers, Gasol came over and 1st year while they needed more firepower from the Big 3 of Kobme, Dick Bavetta and Joey Crawford they still gave Boston a run for their money in the finals. Yet is was Gasols 1st year.
You're still not followup commenting on Jefferson.
http://forums.phillyarena.com/index.php?topic=5695.45