Are the Spurs at the end of the road?

With a young and hungry Memphis team taking a 3-1 series lead, a San Antonio loss tonight may very well be the end of an era.

On June 23rd, 2005, the Spurs won their third championship in franchise history, but more notably, their first without "The Admiral", David Robinson.  While they had seasoned veterans such as Brent Barry, Bruce Bowen, and "Big Shot Bob" Robert Horry, youth was also an x-factor in the seven game series victory over the defending NBA Champion Detroit Pistons.  In the 2007 Finals, the Spurs did it again, this time with Tony Parker becoming one of their franchise players, as well as Manu Ginobli, the youngster from Argentina, assuming the role as third leading scorer on the team.  While the veterans still chipped in mightily (led by the Spurs' leading scorer Tim Duncan averaging 20 points per game), it was clear that the play of the young players in the years to come would determine just how far this franchise would go. 

Fast forward to 2011.  Although Tim Duncan still played well enough to appear in his 13th NBA All-Star Game, the Spurs defenitely had a different look midway through the 2010-11 season.  Although the Spurs have a plethora of skilled players in their prime, they are also faced with the uncertainty of how their younger players, such as DeJuan Blair, and even 26 year old rookie Gary Neal will perform while having to be two of the franchise's top players in two or three years. 

Okay, say it all ends today for Tim Duncan, Richard Jefferson, and Antonio McDeyess.  That will leave you with Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli as the only two proven players on the Spurs roster.  And the key thing is, they share the backcourt.  What's going to happen on the interior?  While Tony Parker is able to get to the basket and create shots for his teammates, Manu Ginobli, not to take anything away from him, is a pure scorer.  So who does that leave in the frontcourt?  You may have Daniel Green at the three, Matt Bonner at the four, and DeJuan Blair playing the Center position.  And, at 6'7", while Blair is a solid inside player and collects rebounds pretty consistently off the bench, may have a bit of a rough time getting rebounds and baskets inside with no one truly no one else to focus on in a box out situation.  And, what about the Spurs' bench?  If you can tell me the Spurs will bring in someone to replace the presence of Duncan, McDeyyes, or Jefferson, I really want to know who.  The fact of the matter is that the Spurs will most likely not be able to have a solid bench for a long while.  And, once all three leave, get hurt, or whatever, the Spurs will be a middle of the road team for a long time.  The future building blocks of the team will be Tony Prker, DeJuan Blair, and Manu Ginobli.  And their cach Gregg Popvich will need to deveelop their young talent.  The Spurs, during their championship years, eximplified team basketball, never having one true superstar and playing unselfishly.  It was a nice run while it lasted, but now the Spurs are going to have to start as just another NBA team and work themselves up again to the ranks of Pro Basketball's elite.

ATL

With Kobe's injury, the Spurs showing their wear and tear, as well as Chicago showing signs of vulnerability, the Hawks have exemplified what may be slowly may be becoming a lost art in the NBA, the belief and confidence in each other, as well as stingy defense.

The Hawks, showing that they are clearly a better team than Orlando, using defense, intensity, as well as balance to push the Magic to the brink of elimination.  Who thought, after last year's embarrassing defeat at the hands of Dwight Howard's squad, that the Hawks would be one game away, not only from beating Orlando, but winning in five games, all the while being the underdog with the disadvantage of playing the first two games of the series at the Amway Center.  With Jamal Crawford's 24 points per game in this series, Joe Johnson's 20 per game, as well as Josh Smith, Al Horford, and Kirk Hinrich all averaging double digits, the Hawks may be primed to make a run in these playoffs (but don't overlook for one minute the fear Hawks strike in teams while on the defensive side of the court) and will defenitely have a shot to beat the struggling Chicago Bulls. 

Don't worry about the Lakers

Loss to Hornets not so much a sign of things to come, but more of a wake-up call for the two-time defending champs.

In 1980, the U.S. Olympic Hockey team defeated the U.S.S.R. 3-2 in arguably the biggest upset in sports history.  On January 25, 1998, the Packers were stunned by the Denver Broncos, an 11 point underdog, by seven points, 35-28.  And yes, in the 2006 Elite Eight, the UCONN Men's Basketball team lost to George Mason, an 11 seed, in overtime by two points.  What do all of these things have in common?  Yes, they are all upsets, that much is apparent.  However, on one night, they shocked a clearly better team and cemented their place in sports history.  Don't get me wrong, they deserved every last bit of it, and now have a place in their respective sport's folklore, but... it was one game.  For the Hornets to pull off arguably the biggest upset in NBA Playoffs history, they will need to beat the Lakers, a team that has faced adversity over the course of this season. 

So, Laker fans, before you hit the panic button, just take a deep breath, and look at the glass half full, because, although they are down 1-0, they over match New Orleans at nearly every position, with the exception of the Point Guard position.  Let's look at the teams' respective benches, shall we?  First, the Lakers have arguably the Sixth Man of the Year, a Perennial All-Star in Lamar Odom, who most argue is the third best player on the Lakers behind Pau and Kobe.  Okay, let's go further down the bench.  Matt Barnes.  His defense has been a focal point for the Lakers' success this year, a Ron Artest type player who brings energy and tenacity on defense, as well as being able to knock down the occasional perimeter jumper.  Really, who do the Hornets have on their bench that can produce anything worth bragging about?  Willie Green possesses an ability to get to the basket, but other than that, the Hornets are, quite frankly, a team with no depth at all.  So, the game one loss for Los Angeles is nothing more than a mere wake up call, as they simply have too much talent to lose in a seven game series to a much inferior team.

Top Moments of 2010-11 NBA Season

This season was a very unique one in the NBA, full of decisions, trades, and surprises.  In the most anticipated season in NBA history, we were certainly not disappointed, as new heights were reached, and we now have a taste of what the future might offer.

1)  "The Decision"

Close your eyes Clevelnd fans, this may be hard to read.  LeBron this year decided to "Take his talents to South Beach and join the Miami Heat."  After months of testing the free agent waters and exploring his options, LeBron took it a step further when he and Jim Gray got together, on national television, to give the world what they had been waiting for.  After growing up in Akron, carrying the Cavaliers to the finals, and putting the city of Cleveland on the map, LeBron left all of this for the sun and shores of Miami.  

 

While most people believed that this decision would be the final chapter, and we could just get on with life, Cavalier fans had another opinion.  They were offended by the way James had drug Cleveland through the mud, took them on ESPN, and made them America's pity town of the decade.  After "The Decision", LeBron underwent the most intense scrutiny of all, called a "coward", that he couldn't win a championship by himself, he was never going to be in Michael Jordan's league, and that he was unfaithful to his hometown team, especially after he had promised them a championship.  Now, the NBA landscape has been flipped upisde down.  Miami is the new 1927 Yankees, while the city of Cleveland looks destined to never win any sports championship, and the Cavaliers are just another bottomfeeding team in the NBA's cellar, which, in this day in age, is nearly impossible to get out of, considering the fact that most big time NBA superstars are taking their talents to major media markets, such as New York, L.A., and now, of course, Miami.  One can only wonder what might have been if LeBron had made his decision in private.

2)  Blake Griffin takes NBA by storm

Blake Griffin is the next Shawn Kemp.  Is that an insult or a compliment.  Now keep in mind, Shawn Kemp was an outstanding player, one of the most aggressive and intense of the last 30 years.  However, put Blake in a league of his own when it's all said and done.  I mean, what kind of rookie competes in the Rookie/Sophmore challenge, wins the dunk contest, plays in the NBA All-Star Game, and puts on a show for all three days?  Blake Griffin stole All-Star weekend.  Who averages 20 and 10, while still able to display his arsenal of rim rocking slams.  Out of the top ten dunks this year, you will see Blake Griffin at least in six of the ten highlights.  What he did as a rookie took the NBA by storm, put the Clippers on the map, and inspiring the imagination of their loyal fans, who are sick of their team being looked down upon as Los Angeles' "other team".

3)  Carmelo Anthony traded to Knicks



Yes, the Knicks missed out on the LeBron and were extremely disappointed.  However, it seemed ater one or two weeks had passed in the regular season, the Knicks were already eyeing the superstar shown above.  Despite already have Amar'e Stoudamire, the Knicks felt that they could revmp their roster even more with the addition of another superstar.  With the trade deadline approaching, the Knicks were almost a shoo-in to land Carmelo, after rumors that he may go to New Jersey and even the L.A. Lakers in a blockbuster deal that would have included Center Andrew Bynum.  However, Melo landed in New York, and now it seems as if the Knicks will be a legitimate contender for years to come in the NBA.  Despite struggling when Anthony arrived, the Knicks have showed spurts of success, but conistency will be the key if they want to be a legitimate title contender.  However, one thing is sure, the Knicks are a better basketball team with Carmelo.

Has Butler arrived?

With its second consecutive Final Four appearance, are the Bulldogs a force to be reckoned with in the world of Major College Basketball, or are they just a flash in the pan?



Where will Butler be five years from now?  The only team to ever appear in two consecutive final fours without being a #1 or #2 seed either time, the Bulldogs never disappoint when it comes to our traditional NCAA Tournament upsets.  In the first round, many people were picking the much bigger Old Dominion team to handle them in the first round.  Okay, Butler got past that.  Pittsburgh is too talented and relentless for the Bulldogs to handle.  Honestly, people really didn't know what to think of Butler even after that win.  The only vulnerability they've showed in this entire tournament may have been their inability to break Wisconsin's press late in the game when they seemingly had it locked up.  Now, with their school's basketball team putting the University on the map, Butler will attempt to clinch a berth in a second straight Nation Championship Game as they take on the VCU Rams Saturday, April 2nd. 

The question is, once again, where will Butler be in five years?  Do they have any future in big time College Basketball?  Sure, Butler will appear in NCAA Tournaments in the years to come, that much is inevitable.  However, will they ever be a legitimate National Championship contender in the Preseason?  Yes, people know Butler, but will they ever be a favorite, not just a team that sneaks into the tournament as an eight seed, and gives power teams whiplash in the first few rounds?  Yes, we would all like to see Butler, a tiny school from Indianapolis challenge the likes of Kentucky, Duke, and North Carolina, but it will be a while until we see it.  In the next five years, if Butler makes another Final Four, I may be a believer, but not yet.  Butler isn't exactly the most exciting team if you've watched them during their run.  Running a lot of a DDM offense, which includes a lot of off-ball screens, on-ball screens, double picks, and spreading the defense out, no one individual is primed to be a superstar.  Which is just fine, it's all about winning, isn't it?  That's what Butler does, they win, even if they do come out of no where the majority of the time.  However, most players now-a-days want to go to schools such as Kentucky or Kansas, so they can play on ESPN, get the exposure, and be a lottery draft pick. 

So, all in all, yes, I think Butler has arrived as a threat in College Basketball.  While they may not be a powerhouse, they will be a team that will be consistently winning tournament games, as long as Brad Stevens is there.