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马刺中文论坛 » 环球刺讯 » 2.15 Buck Harvey Mailbag: Duncan hasn't lost "it" unless "it" is a supporting cast

 
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 2007-02-15 13:22  #1
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2.15 Buck Harvey Mailbag: Duncan hasn't lost "it" unless "it" is a supporting cast

Buck Harvey Mailbag: Duncan hasn't lost "it" unless "it" is a supporting cast

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA02142007.WEBbuckharveymailbag.en.81e44fe9.html

Web Posted: 02/14/2007 02:08 PM CST
Buck Harvey
Express-News Sports Columnist

He’s relatively young. But it seems to me that, despite his 20 and 10 per game, Tim Duncan has lost it. Not completely, but something is not the same. I certainly hope that I am incorrect, as he is certainly one of my all-time favorites. Any observations and comments on that?
–Donovan, Toronto

He’s lost some lift, and maybe a layer off of his onetime MVP status. But he hasn’t lost “it.”

Duncan still ranks as a top 10 player capable of winning a championship. The issue remains those around him.

Who is riding the bench that could give some fire power in scoring?
–Henry Wiggers, Highlands Ranch, Colorado

The obvious answer, as of today’s rotation, is Manu Ginobili. If he continues as the sixth man, the league should reserve that post-season award for him.

But the rest are spotty, which is why Luis Scola made sense. He’s a legitimate post-up player, and he would have come in handy this season for a team that sometimes struggles to score.

I have a different take on Michael Finley getting a ring. If he would have played better in last year’s Spurs run, he would be wearing a ring now. He has never hit the stride the Spurs expected from him when he signed with the club.
–Daniel Guerra, San Antonio

Finley held up his end against Dallas last spring; you can’t blame him for the Spurs not advancing. If not for Finley in Game 6, for example, there likely wouldn’t have been a Game 7.

I was wondering why the NBA analysts in San Antonio and around the league seem to be overlooking the major reason for some of the Spurs’ woes. Bruce Bowen has become a major offensive liability, while his age is beginning to show in his defense. The Spurs have won before without contributions from Finley and Robert Horry, but Bowen has always been there to hit a timely three pointer and stop somebody on the other end.

This year that isn’t happening, and we have no replacement for his scoring or energy. It seems to me that poor planning by not grooming a replacement has doomed them this year.

–Scott

It’s been pointed out in some venues, and it will be more often if Bowen has many more games such as the one in Miami. Missing open threes were just part of it. Bowen seemingly never got close enough to Dwyane Wade to bother him. In the past, a player such as Wade might have still scored – but Bowen would have contested everything.

As for grooming a replacement: Finding another Bowen is easier said than done.

While you recently expressed an interesting perspective that our signing of Michael Finley has resulted in our team being unable to shift into the next gear in comparison with Phoenix and Dallas, I believe there are two main components that have stopped the Spurs from living up to recent expectations.

The first and most important cog in our Spurs has always been defense. However, this year Bruce is not playing up to his defensive player of the year standards. This year was his title to lose with Ben Wallace leaving the Pistons in the offseason, yet, we all forgot Bruce, who played in the summer with the Olympic team, just does not have anything in the tank any longer.

Lastly, we are missing the interior defender playing alongside Duncan we have had for years. Sure Francisco Elson and Fabricio Oberto are putting up nice “numbers,” but opposing teams are not scared to drive it down the lane as they were in past seasons. Who would have thought losing Rasho Nesterovic and Nazr Mohammed would have been this much impact?

–Neilesh Verma, San Antonio

Good point on Bowen; he likely won’t get even one vote for defensive player of the year.

But as for the presence of another big man? Duncan’s partner in the fourth quarter in the 2005 postseason was Horry, not Rasho or Nazr. The Spurs miss a younger Horry more than anyone.

The reason the boys are struggling is because Big Dave Robinson is not next to Tim. It’s just that simple. Ask him to come back. Malik Rose could even help. Poor Tim is all alone.
–Eddie Garcia, San Antonio

I’m sure Duncan misses both Robinson and Rose, but that doesn’t explain 2005. Then Duncan won a title without either.

I was hoping you might provide me some insight as to why the Spurs refuse to go after Malik Rose again. I just read they traded for Melvin Ely, which I think is good to shore up the front line. But I don’t really know his game, and I heard Gregg Popovich made the trade because he wants the team to play tougher.

What about Malik? How much more energy and passion can you get beyond him? He’s just stuck at the end of the bench in New York, and I'm sure he hates it there. Besides, we would be going with a proven commodity, someone who understands the system and doesn't take 2-3 months to learn it. I know Malik is up in age, but he isn't a dinosaur! Ely is 28 going on 29, so it's not ridiculous.

I know Pop always wanted someone a little taller than Malik, but honestly, who else out there do you think the Spurs could get that would fit the system better than Malik? I haven't seen Ely play, but I'm sure he's no Malik. Anyway, just curious as to why they never tried to get him back after they gave away the guy they traded him for.

–Ivan Franceschi

It’s not a ridiculous idea except for one factor. Money. Rose will earn about twice as much this season as Ely. Rose also has two more years after this one on his contract, a total worth almost $15 million, whereas Ely’s contract ends this summer. This financial burden is why the Spurs were so motivated to trade Rose in the first place.

Do you think Wade Phillips can be a success as Dallas Cowboys head coach? Does anybody in their right mind think so? Jerry Jones is out of his mind.

The Cowboys go from having one of the best coaches in football to having one of the worst. As a longtime Buffalo Bills fan, I watched Wade Phillips preside over the destruction of the Bills -- from a Super Bowl team to last place in the AFC East. I sure was glad to see him go. Wade is the most uninspiring coach I have ever seen. When he talks he will put you to sleep. He might be a pretty good assistant coach, but as a head coach he is a loser. His dad, Bum, was a pretty fair head coach, but Wade is NOT his dad.

–Lee Doan, Auburn, N.Y.

If Jones is out of his mind, then the Chargers are, too. Had Phillips still been in San Diego, he’d be the head coach there today.

Here is a chance to steal another football team out of California and into Texas! Start the campaign to have the mayor call up the Chargers to express interest. The Chargers are ripe for the picking after the ownership screwed up the coaching situation by waiting to fire Marty instead of firing him right away and promote Cam Cameron or Wade Phillips or keeping him for the last year.

San Antonio will never be a big-league Texas city like Houston or Dallas until they have their own football team!

–Paul Gaines

Stadium issues mean something when it comes to relocation, and so does the attitude of an owner. But the firing of a coach? If that were true, San Antonio should call a half-dozen franchises every off-season.
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