Phoenix 107 – San Antonio 101: Was this season a failure?
May 10, 2010
Well, THe Spurs got swept. It wasn’t pretty, but the Suns had every matchup at their disposal. No matter what lineup the Spurs put out there, the Suns were able to throw one that performed better. Alvin Gentry has done a phenomenal job with this team and he should be congratulated. As soon as the series is over, I am a gracious loser. Except for Amundson and Stoudemire, I wish this Suns team the best.
The question though is in the title. Should this season be considered a failure by the Spurs FO, Spurs fans, or the players? I’m of the opinion that this season was doomed before we started. We just didn’t know it yet. McDyess was a phenomenal sign. I think it worked out very well. Blair falling into our lap was perfect and he’ll help us for years to come. The negatives though were Roger Mason Jr. performing like a d-league rookie, Duncan was a year older and a step slower on defense, Parker was injured, Manu took a long time to recover from his injury, and most of all, Jefferson was a poor fit.
From the get go, this team peaked one night and then would fall the next. It didn’t matter against whom. They beat the Mavs without Duncan but lost to the Nets. They blew Orlando out at home, but lost to a Lebronless Cav team. They beat a very talented Mavericks team in the playoffs, but lost to a nearly blue-collar Suns team. The whole season has felt very odd, almost as if no one on the Spurs roster cared.
But they did. We know they did. We could see it every night. Rage might not have been the best fit for the Spurs. He wasn’t Bruce Bowen (there will never be another Bruce). He struggled with spot up shooting and while he defended decently, he wasn’t a difference maker on both sides. If he opts out, I expect the Spurs not to sign him back without a major pay-cut.
The season started off with the Spurs as the second best team in the West. A legitimate threat to the Laker’s chokehold. The first game aided that assumption. The Hornets were supposed contend for the Southwest division crown, and the Spurs obliterated them. Spirits soared among the fan base and many “experts” declared the Spurs to be back. Alas, instead of being solidly consistent, the Spurs went out and lost their next game to the Bulls by double digits. These two games captured the season. At the all-star break, Hollinger wrote that the Spurs had a 60% chance of making the playoffs (stat is off the top of my head, please don’t quote me). Once Parker got injured, it looked like the Spurs might miss the playoffs for the first time of Duncan’s illustrious career. Luckily, the Spurs showed their resolve and made it to the playoffs. After winning their series against the Mavericks, the Spurs were again toted as a challenger to LA’s crown. Then, the Suns picked them apart with their matchups.
This season is a disappointment for sure. For the Spurs and their fans, anything less than a championship is a disappointment. It should be, we don’t want any Spur to just be “happy to be in the playoffs”. But this season was not a failure. The Spurs performed above expectations. They became the first 7-seed to win a 7-game series. They won 50 games for the 13th season in a row (only the Lakers with Kareem and Magic did better). They showed Spurs pride and also developed two phenomenal players in Blair and Hill that will carry the banner of the Spurs for years to come. Congrats to the Suns on their victory. But, don’t get too complacent. The Spurs will be back.
