Have the Spurs peaked?

[silverblk mystix]

Spurstalk posters...

just trying to get opinions,thoughts, predictions...anything and everything you'd like to chime in with regarding;

In the beginning part of the season, it seemed fair to believe (or fear) that this team had peaked too soon and that maybe the 2nd half of the season was going to be a letdown.

Lately though, it seems that this team is in cruise control and when tested..appear to wake-up to the challenge and get the job done.

There is also the feeling that they haven't even shifted into 3rd or 4th gear...like they still have something in reserve.....

Have they peaked at any time this season?

Will they?

Is this team gonna get even better?


Discuss...

[in2deep]

I think a team officially peaks when it's best players peak. Manu has slowed down these days, Duncan has been coasting all year, Parker has been great but we all know he can be better when asked.

So I would say no. At the same time, some teams never peak in a season. Let's hope the Spurs start peaking at the right time.

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

I think they have a lot of room for improvement and haven't even come close to peaking, individually and as a team.

In the playoffs I'd expect much better defense, we've seen flashes here and there but nothing too consistent, expect the defensive rebounding to get better, expect more slashing and fewer 3s by Manu, RJ. Also let's not forget a rested Duncan can bring significantly more to the table when the playoffs start. Splitter is a wildcard, he could make a difference as well.

Obviously none of the players have had an incredible year statistically/individually, the record is not due to that, it's due to the fact that the team is focused, rotations set, roles defined. They're deep, so that when some players are in a slump, Parker at one point, Manu and Neal recently, there are players who step up making the all-around team effort very consistent throughout the season, albeit the inconsistency of some players.

In a word, no, this team has a lot of uptapped potential and they'll need to realize it in order to win the title.

[dbestpro]

Lately though, it seems that this team is in cruise control and when tested..appear to wake-up to the challenge and get the job done.


This is exactly how the Chicago Bulls played during their run. They would cruise and save their energy until the 4th Q and would pick up their energy and out execute their opposition during the 4th q.

[silverblk mystix]

good takes...

it is difficult to keep things in perspective and just remind oneself that it is only the regular season...

but when you see how many games have been won by an unexpected performance by an unexpected contributor...it is hard to not start thinking that this might just be one of those special teams that just seem to be charmed...

[jjktkk]

good takes...

it is difficult to keep things in perspective and just remind oneself that it is only the regular season...

but when you see how many games have been won by an unexpected performance by an unexpected contributor...it is hard to not start thinking that this might just be one of those special teams that just seem to be charmed...

This is what makes the Spurs a true contender. Unexpected performances, that are starting to come more frequently from the Spur's impressive supporting cast.

[pawe]

I just hope they dont get complacent when teams start to gameplan a series with them.
The lakers game was scary to watch, they moved their defense closer to the perimeter so they can control the 3. Gasol was starting to trap the TP highscreen to cut him off from driving to the basket and kicking off to the open shooter.
i think offensively they have peaked already but come March, Pop will tighten the screws on defense.

[Mr. Body]

Seems Manu has been dipping a bit. But he'll return to form. When players have been struggling, other guys have picked up the slack -- that's a major thing this year.

[alchemist]

I just hope they dont get complacent when teams start to gameplan a series with them.
The lakers game was scary to watch, they moved their defense closer to the perimeter so they can control the 3. Gasol was starting to trap the TP highscreen to cut him off from driving to the basket and kicking off to the open shooter.
i think offensively they have peaked already but come March, Pop will tighten the screws on defense.
Lakers played playoff basketball that game. In 7 games the adjustments are going to be intense.

[jjktkk]

I just hope they dont get complacent when teams start to gameplan a series with them. The lakers game was scary to watch, they moved their defense closer to the perimeter so they can control the 3. Gasol was starting to trap the TP highscreen to cut him off from driving to the basket and kicking off to the open shooter.
i think offensively they have peaked already but come March, Pop will tighten the screws on defense.

I never worry about the Spurs being complacent. Pop and the big 3 would never allow that to happen imo.

[Bito Corleone]

Nope

[kaji157]

I dont think the spurs have peaked, when a team peaks you could say that at least his best player is at his best and 2 others are playing really well.
Manu and TD seems like they are coasting right now, and Tony seems like he is just taking where Manu left, so we are not peaking as of now.
In the same way, Duncan and Parker have shown they still can take their games to another level when needed, and Manu has also shown he can do that and still impose his will in ballgames which is great.
This team will peak within the next two months i think.

Teams i think that may have peaked early are the Celtics and the Mavs.

[Shifty]

Not even close, if anything they have underachieved individually.

http://www.48minutesofhell.com/halfway-to-70-but-is-it-sustainable

[TDMVPDPOY]

i think neal has peaked as a player what he can actually do and now is in a slump

as for blair, hill, splitter? the doorway to hell has just open and tonight we dine in hell

[Budkin]

Their defense is still not there, so no.

[greyforest]

SPAM. Someone explain that to this noob, thanks.

[HarlemHeat37]

Offensively, you can argue that the Spurs have peaked..in November and parts of December, the Spurs had Bonner, Manu, Neal, Anderson and Jefferson, all shooting over 40% from 3, some of them over 45%, which is an unrealistic efficiency number to keep up, so we'll probably not see that kind of shooting again this season..

However, Duncan is playing a career-low in minutes, and he's seemingly not going hard inside the paint(evident by the fact that he doesn't try any moves too often, rarely bends his knees in the post anymore, often settles for fadeaways and jump shots)..Manu is not driving as much as he usually does in the playoffs, settling more for the outside jump shot..

If Duncan and Ginobili play their usual playoff styles, then the Spurs' potential inside-outside balance could outweigh the regression in shooting from earlier in the season, so it's possible that they could reach that offensive peak, once again..

Defensively, they definitely haven't peaked..Duncan is only playing 29 MPG, he is by far the Spurs' best defender, the Spurs' D is 5 points better when Timmy is on the floor..assuming Duncan stays healthy and plays 5 extra MPG in the playoffs, that alone, should make the Spurs better defensively..

[concken]

I just hope they dont get complacent when teams start to gameplan a series with them.
The lakers game was scary to watch, they moved their defense closer to the perimeter so they can control the 3. Gasol was starting to trap the TP highscreen to cut him off from driving to the basket and kicking off to the open shooter.
i think offensively they have peaked already but come March, Pop will tighten the screws on defense.

The best part is that they are veterans. Even if a team does adjust to the Spurs offense, the experience allows them to recreate. If a team such as OKC were doing this hot and played legit contenders in the PO, they would be destroyed. There is no peak on efficiency and execution.

[phxspurfan]

After seeing the Laker game, we still need a big man (read: tall man) to play with the big boys (Celts, Lakers, even Magic). Gasol and Bynum were bullying their ways around inside. I think we can get better if we somehow can get our hands on a quality big without sacrificing too much firepower elsewhere.

[beachwood]

This team has yet to reach it's full potential. If anything, I feel they're underachieving in some aspects like defensive intensity for a full game. They seem to turn it on in the 4th quarters while sleepwalking through the first 3 quarters.

[Agloco]

This is exactly how the Chicago Bulls played during their run. They would cruise and save their energy until the 4th Q and would pick up their energy and out execute their opposition during the 4th q.

This.

They understand that the games are just warm ups for the last 6 minutes of the 4th.

[m33p0]

still suck on defense 3/4 of the time.

[m33p0]

After seeing the Laker game, we still need a big man (read: tall man) to play with the big boys (Celts, Lakers, even Magic). Gasol and Bynum were bullying their ways around inside. I think we can get better if we somehow can get our hands on a quality big without sacrificing too much firepower elsewhere.

too late in the season for that. you know Pop, he'll stick with what he has no matter what.

[Libri]

Their defense is still not there, so no.

I agree, the defense needs work. Here is an interesting stat I hadn't noticed before. The Spurs are second in point differential, 7.2. Miami is first and Boston is third.

[Muser]

No, did you see Duncan going into the post against the Raptors? He was beasting on them, I know it's only the Raptors but he can do that against any team.

[TD 21]

No, they haven't. People need to stop looking for reasons for this team to fail and acknowledge them as what they are: the best team in the NBA. It's going to take a catastrophic injury for them to not have a good chance to win the championship.

Their capacity to improve internally is greater than that of any other contender, just because of the low minutes being played by their best players (also, Duncan, Ginobili and McDyess will not need to pace themselves in the playoffs) and the fact that they have two rotation quality players not currently in their rotation (both of whom would be a defensive upgrade on their potential replacements . . . not that I expect a change to the rotation at this point).

So not only have they not peaked, they're more likely to go up another level than they are to go down a level.

[NRHector]

what about :spam: