Sports: NBA FINALS 2013

                                              *photo credit to google images *

 “When Breaking Records Doesn’t Matter”
June 13, 2013
By Rey Andrade-Garza

San Antonio, TX

          The San Antonio Spurs didn’t just break some records in game 3, in retrospect some were shattered. Gone it seems are the days when breaking records didn’t just matter it solidified a team’s place in mystical lore. It added to the mystique. Oh, the glory days of 2012, when it was the Miami Heat breaking the records and not these bland Spurs. The Spurs Big Three won their 100^th playoff game together, 2^nd all time for a trio.  The Spurs set a NBA Finals record with 16 three pointers. Gary Neal tied John Starks for 24 pts is also a Finals record.  Those were the records that were scrolling after the game on ESPN and NBA TV that no one out of San Antonio seemed to pay any attention to.  Other statistics that were also glaring were the following:  Miami is 4-5 in the last nine, Spurs 7-1. The second trio on the Spurs in Leonard, Neal and Green are outscoring the Big Three of Miami in LBJ, Bosh and Wade. You tell me who is playing championship style basketball? What is most glaring is this fact that no one seems to have caught on to: Miami is 3-23 vs Spurs in San Antonio all time! Spurs have taken games 1 & 3 which are the statistical plateau markers everyone points to in who will win in this series but no one seems to care. Everyone seems to be giving the defending champions a pass they seem to not make on the court let alone deserve in this conversation. What is more indicative is this double standard for the Miami Heat that should be reserved for storied franchises like the Celtics or the Lakers, hell even the Spurs as the fourth best franchise in NBA history should get that kind of rarified respect but they don’t.  Some call this Miami team a dynasty with one chip to the Big 3 belt, really?! Flip the script and no one would give the Spurs a pass as defending champions playing this poorly in a playoff run. I would say if LeBron James were not playing on this team everyone would admit that this defending champion, with this current 9 game record, ranks as the worst in 20 plus years.  In fact, I will take a step further, Wade is playing hurt yet, when Manu went down a couple of years ago during a playoff run no one gave the Spurs a chance and with good reason one of the main pieces or the glue of the team wasn’t on the court or couldn’t even step on the court to contribute in anyway. Reading this morning’s shoot around Tony Parker seems a lock to play tonight in any condition which begs the question: Why is it that the Heat’s injuries are more magnified and forgiven but the Spurs play bang up all year and the same respect is not given? Let me make the point clearer.  Stephen A. Smith said yesterday in our fair city, that no way the Spurs win the championship with Tony Parker not on the court, yet when Sean Elliott interjected that the Spurs have proven all year they can step up when one of the Big Three didn’t play he forgot to mention that the Big Three for the Spurs missed 50 games together, yet still as a team, compiled 50 or more wins for 14th straight year. Everyone makes excuses for why the Heat is playing this shoddy but not me.  James with his humorous cape delivered a guarantee when in hindsight he should just keep his mouth shut.  He hasn’t delivered, champions always deliver. MJ never scored less than 22 pts in any NBA Finals game, yet, with all his guarantees, LBJ hasn’t scored 20 in any of the 3 Finals games where it matters! Instead, the Heat combined Big Three make like 300 million dollars yet can only tie the secondary 3 of the Spurs who make like 250 million dollars less but seem to shut up play and deliver with no guarantees.  It’s comical to see a superhero drink his own kool-aid and guarantee mythical wins and why not right?  The media has crowned Miami to win this title before the first thud of the basketball hit the court and they’ve been celebrating this phantom trophy all year, all along the way, cheapening the ride with hanging rim dunks, chest pumps and now sadly, with a homemade cape! The Heat have made everyone forget that records matter and distorted the myth, yet, quietly, between the hype and the “He was going to be on Sports Center one or way or another”-- when game four is done, the statistics should ultimately play out and the quiet champion should emerge and Sports Center will have to play it one way or another.  Sometimes instead of just saying you’re going to get the job done, just do what the Spurs have been doing all along, keep your head down, keep your mouth shut, play the game and get it done in the court no matter what the records say.

Sports: Blogamentary--Spurs vs Warriors: NBA Playoffs 2013

May 11, 2013

          This will be what I will call a “blogamentary”.  Essentially this will be an observation of the semi-final series of the San Antonio Spurs and the Golden State Warriors. Pictures used come from google.com and cited here as exclusive rights of google.com and used here for artistic purposes only.

 

  “The Crowning of the Uncrowned”

by: Rey Andrade-Garza
San Antonio, TX

     For two days leading to last night’s thumping of the San Antonio Spurs on that exciting little team from Cali-for-nia the stage of death was set. The noise of anticipation before the game at Oracle Arena was laid out as a perfect, ready- made coffin for the old guard of champions. That’s where they got it wrong. Parker’s 25 first half points were gutsy and for all of Tim Duncan’s 23 points at the age of 37, this was nothing new, not shocking but who finished the Spurs before they were finished? Certainly, not those who watch Spurs basketball in the Duncan era with 16 years of playoff contention. Yet, despite that it was hard to see through all the premature glitter of paper crowns and virtual champagne splashes the media created for the Cinderella Warriors. This is just the NBA’s latest love affair in the dubbing of the Splash Brothers Steph Curry and Klay Thompson-- is not new.  This coronation by the media, who is hell bent on anyone, yes, anyone but the San Antonio’s Big Three of of Ginobili, Duncan or Parker, as premature winners. They might as well be called The Step Brothers. Even for all their boring crowns are past champions. These are the same champions who Mark Jackson finally called had four future hall of famers in Coach Popovich and the Big Three.  Thanks for noticing. Why did it take this victory for the critics to finally not count out the Spurs who are not to be counted out?  For years, the ESPN, NBA fans everywhere were perfectly okay with crowning King James before he even won his first title.  Mark Jackson at last night’s press conference was finally shown that casting crowns with no banners was an oversight when he called the manifestation of the backcourt of Curry and Thompson the best in the history of the NBA. Finally admitting with the series 2-1 that he knew and I paraphrase that this would be a heavyweight fight and that he wasn’t taking the Spurs lightly. Not so fast Mr. Mark “We’re shocking some people!” Jackson. Aren't you the one who exuberantly clamored this exact oversight in a timeout during a key stretch in the second half of game 2? Or should we just forgive the oversight since you like to live in your fantasy hyperbole world? As I was watching the replay of the game today on NBA TV I kept looking at the decibel meter each time Curry or Thompson splashed a three yet, when Duncan shoved Andrew “Don’t call me Bogus!” Bogut checked him with a statement in the opening minutes of the game it was a clear message that the supposed, sleeping giants came to play. That's when I knew the fight in the Spurs was always there.  I find it disheartening and damn right “disrespectful” as Stephen A. Smith would say to only acknowledge the greatness of the Spurs when these Step Brothers of the NBA, obviously prove yet again that they are a legitimate contender for the true crown. To know Popovich is to know he could care less what anybody says of his team and has little use for accolades, egos and unnecessary hype. Parker said as much at the press conference after the game when he was asked if he needed motivation to perform at an MVP caliber level. This is downright disrespectful to a real NBA finals MVP. Parker in line with Popovich’s said he is only motivated by what Popovich says and plays only for his team and the city of San Antonio.  Does this team have to remind everyone four banners hang on the rafters of the AT&T Center and none of the Big Three are retired yet? As long as the Step Brothers step on the court you can rest assured the Spurs will not go down easy. If these accolades and resumes that the Big Three have compiled were part of a high glamour and trendy high market team like Chicago, NY, Miami or LA would anyone dare dispute or count them out? Someone needs to tell the analysts that only real champions in this series wear robes of silver and black.  To be honest, I will take this opportunity to say that Popovich was robbed of a back to back Coach of the Year title. No disrespect to Denver Nuggets coach George Karl who is a fine coach but he is not in the same caliber as Gregg Popovich. Lest we forget what Popovich was able to do with this team this year and yes, the NBA and ESPN did because apparently Popovich wasn’t even in the top 3 in the voting. That is the true epitome of disrespect. The shunning of greatness is commonplace for the Spurs who every year all they do is win! In fact, this year, the organization celebrates 40 years of existence and in all that time they have only missed the playoffs 3 times! So, when the NBA analysts are forced to recognize greatness all they can ever say of the Spurs is they fly under the radar. No, they don’t, that’s just what they think they have to say because they obviously don’t watch Spurs basketball at all. They are too busy following the next sensation in the NBA and engaging in pointless dialogue of what the Lakers will do next year when the Spurs just finished sweeping them off the court! Shameful and disrespectful but if it were the other way around the endless dogging of the unpopular Spurs would be comical right?  What Popovich did with his Big Three who missed 50 games collectively, but as team managed to win 50 games or more for a record 14 years running is the blueprint of how championships teams are built on paper on and off the court. Now that the Spurs reclaimed home court advantage and lead the series 2-1 can they finally, admit, for once they were wrong to count out the Spurs, yet again? Whether they get to the finals this year is yet to be seen but as long this team is led by Popovich and these battle tested Warriors of Duncan, Parker and Ginobili step on the court, these Step Brothers will ankle check the Curry’s and Thompson’s of the world with a splash of class and rarified championship fight.

Spurs enter 2013 Playoffs Banged Up

photo copyright of Spurs.com

It's no surprise to Spurs fans. This same script has played out the last few seasons almost in the same fashion with the same cast of characters injured. The recipe revolving around the big 3, Duncan, Ginobili and this year it's Tony Parker with an ailing ankle and sore neck and Manu Ginobili with a chronic hamstring. Last year, there was a glimmer of hope as the San Antonio faced Oklahoma City in the NBA Conference Finals. By the time San Antonio disposed of the Clippers in a sweep they were running on fumes. Holding the best record for most of the year and unsuccessfully integrating the youth of Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green and Tiago Splitter in time for the playoffs.  In 2011, Ginobili played with a broken arm in the Memphis series. Tim Duncan hobbled with plantar fasciatis in 2010.  So, as you can see, Spurs fans are hopeful but have seen the team's drive for 5 NBA Championships halted mostly by injury concerns. Will this be the year? For most of this season, the Spurs have held on to the top spot in the Western Conference, only to unravel in the last five contests. With two straight losses to Miami @home with no Lebron or Wade the team played out of sorts and then a subsequent loss to playoff contender Memphis. The Spurs won against a limited Orlando team, followed by a disappointing loss to OKC in a statement game. San Antonio almost faltered in a near loss against a cast of near unknowns in the Atlanta Hawks at home. Giving the Spurs a 2-3 record in that span. It's obvious the Spurs are sputtering at season's end without their best play-maker and facilitator in Tony Parker. The only reason the Spurs have held on to the top spot, simply due to a rejuvenated Tim Duncan. Duncan's averaging an amazing double-double for the season with 17.0 ppg, 10.0 rbg and 2.7 bgp. Tim's playoff tested demeanor has kept the Spurs close in these last 5 games. Another test comes tomorrow as the Spurs face against Denver Nuggets in Denver. Even without Gallinari, who was lost to a recent ACL injury, the Nuggets present tough match up problems because of their swingman flexibility on the perimeter and defense. Coach Pop will rest his main guns in Duncan along with ailing Ginobili and Parker as in years past, but with the hopes that this time he can finally have his unit firing on all cylinders. Especially now that the young talent of Kawhi Leonrad, Tiago Splitter and Danny Green has proven their resolve most of this NBA season and should pay dividends in the 2013 playoffs. Spurs can only hope, cross fingers, and light candles for their hard court heroes.
- Rafael Andrade Garza, (c) April, 2013.