BEAST MODE

Aussie players love letting the clock run out before taking the shot in a buzzer beater scenario. One day I will learn why...

Gasol fucked up by not clearing out but it's still no excuse for Patty.

Great effort as their only real PG. 43 minutes for 20 points in an OT win. Solitary turnover too. Wonder if Pop would fancy him as starting PG in the future rather than forever that impact guy off the bench?

Video of Manu's block on the buzzer:

Parker does nothing but hurt the Spurs at this point. You can't trade him because no one would want him, and you can't trade him because he's a club legend. He's really going to hamstring them because he wants to play on for a few more years and he's just not up to it any more.

I think starting Mills for two or three years until Murray is ready to take the reins is not a bad idea.

If I were the Spurs i'd be looking to move Parker, Gasol, and Aldridge very soon.

Josh Hart out of Villanova seems as though he would be the perfect fit at the Spurs. Will likely go late 2nd round too. He is a senior out of college.

Lowry will be a free agent.

Parker wants to play on, but isn't Manu retiring?

Parker should retire because he's not a dominant PG anymore? Ok then. Or he could just come off the bench. Not sure how a solid veteran player who still has gas in the tank hurts the team when he's helped them get to the second round of the playoffs.

Ginobli will retire obviously or come back one more time and be deeper in roatation.

Why trade Aldridge? He fits the system and plays his role.

Gasol can take or leave as Lee has shown he still is a solid piece in the rotation.

Have to wonder if it's school holidays or if people even know a thing about the game anymore. You don't need to be a superstar to contribute to a team and have value. That and it apparatus people know more about how to coach the Spurs than popovich lol

It appears*

Aldridge hurts the team because he is scared (or injured?) to do anything but a 15ft fadeaway at this point. He gets a mismatch with a smaller guy isolated in the post and it's a turnaround jumper over the right shoulder instead of something more aggressive.

It's very risky for a guy like that to be your second option as he's lost his dynamism as a scorer - if the 15 footers aren't falling, he can't (or won't) go to his counters any more, and because he shies away from contact, he can't get to the free throw line to get a groove that way. If he was carrying an injury that would explain a lot because he has just lost all of his assertiveness and touch around the rim out there. Unfortunately the LaMarcus that had that massive series against Houston (for Portland) appears long gone, and he's nearly 32. He also outwardly does not like playing the five spot, which is a problem given his footspeed with the way the league has evolved.

Parker can't guard anyone in a league full of dynamic point guards, then on the other end he's lost the zip to get to the rack (and free throw line). It doesn't matter in the regular season because of the Spurs infrastructure, but his inability to stay in front of guys really hurts in a 7 game series and puts a lot of extra load on Kawhi and others. More importantly, he doesn't strike me as the kind of guy that would thrive in a bench role. He's also just had a pretty significant injury, and the rehab would be hell at that age.

Parker doesn't hurt them unless than can get someone better at the point who takes his minutes. Who knows how he's going to come back from his injury. For me, the point guard position is an obvious weakness for the Spurs against all other teams in the West.

Think about it - at this stage in his career he's clearly the worst starting point guard in the West except for maybe George Hill. And you could argue that one either way.

Parker and Aldridge don't need to be superstars. That's not how the Spurs operate. So long as they work the system and play their game it's not an issue.

Not so sure Ricey.

The Spurs play for titles and nothing else. Aldridge and Parker as the third and second options offensively in the starting five is ok for another team, but Kawhi needs more help if they want to win another ring.

That's why you judge Spurs players harder. Are those two guys good enough to be the 2nd and 2rd options offensively on a title team? Probably not.

Better to reload now so Kawhi's entire prime is spent on a legit contender.

Every year we hear the same arguments about how he Spurs are too old and not good enough. Every year they prove those arguments to be close to rubbish. Maybe Popovich knows something everyone else doesn't. Then again, he's only been to the playoffs every year since coaching the Spurs, so he probably is just getting lucky

They're not getting past the Warriors is my point, and internal development is not going to get them over that hump, so they're going to have to make a couple of moves this offseason or the next.

Organisations like the Spurs are held to a higher standard because they only play for titles.

(I'd love to be proven wrong because I can't stand the Durant Warriors, but I don't see it happening).

Then again, he's only been to the playoffs every year since coaching the Spurs, so he probably is just getting lucky

It's likely they're smart and competitive as is, but will also look to make a move, as they did with Aldridge.

Best point is probably Mick on Kawhi spending his prime with a strong supporting cast. If Manu retires, that's $14m to use. If Parker goes to the bench, Mills has to be a viable championship-contending starter, they have to replace him, or they have two solid guards on the bench. I can't see Parker playing for another team - Duncan, Parker and Ginobili are all Spurs legends.

I've been a Spurs fan since the Admiral was drafted and my views are:

LMA is under performing but has a dodgey knee atm, but I really don't like relying on jump shooting big men.

Best case scenario LMA gets healthy and returns to Portland form, Manu and TP retire, we resign Patty and pry either championship hungry CP3 or Lowry away from their respective teams.

Rumour has it the Violet Crumbles will sign Parker for the 2017/18 NBL season, half way through which he will retire for "family reasons".

Wait, did I post this in the wrong thread?????

Aldridge is certainly bringing it today

Aldridge is unstoppable when his shot is falling. Makes aside, he's putting in the effort to shoot quicker out of post ups and not pound the rock, and get waaay deeper seals in the paint on mismatches. Can't fault him here. Both he and Gasol are controlling the defensive glass as well.

The most underrated thing about this game is how well Patty is controlling the pace as a pure PG. I kinda expected him to come out and put up 25 but the Spurs to lose. Instead, he's playing under control, picking his spots, getting everyone involved and dictating the tempo. He looks like Mike Conley out there.

Patty is an assist machine today, in a Spurs team that's really sharing it around

Confused. One second Aldridge is a liability and the next he's getting props lol

That tends to happen when you have a great game after underwhelming for two years...

I praise when he plays well, and critique when he plays poorly and without effort.

What do you do?