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NBA Finals MVP: Kawhi Leonard
dnc
Member Posts: 56,745
He wouldn't have even been in my top 5 most likely players entering the series. Looks like the Spurs are his team now.
Think Duncan comes back for a shot at 6?
Think Duncan comes back for a shot at 6?
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But at the same time, hard to complain about Leonard - his performance in the last 3 games was really the catalyst for the domination and the biggest difference between 2 close games to start the series where he really didn't do too much and the last 3 games that were blowouts. I wouldn't say he outplayed LBJ, but he played him fairly close to the point that the rest of the San Antonio's advantages were magnified.
Timmy's ability to focus on fundamentals will continue to allow him to be effective. As long as Pop continues to monitor minutes (which he will) and makes sure that his guys remain fresh, they will continue to be really good.
The one thing that I'd highly recommend that the Spurs do this summer is go out and find another guy off the bench that can matchup against KD. That's the one team in the West that they really don't have a great answer for (despite beating them this year thanks to a gimpy Ibaka).
I think Leonard is legit but I just marvel at what Pop did.
He just won a title without a top 5 player in the game currently(Duncan historically is great but in 2014 he's not a top 5 guy). Do they even have a top 10? Parker is fringe.
They have great depth though. Six guys averaged double figures, three more averaged over eight a game. That's nine guys averaging over eight a game is pretty sick.
The Spurs will be a contender for sure and the only teams that can really challenge them are the much younger Clips and OKC. Despite their ridiculous depth, father time is undefeated. But it's obvious this Season that both the Clips and the Thunders will need to add a piece before next year to beat them.
I give you Game 6, Western Conference Finals, benching himself for the 2nd half when he knew that he didn't have it as Exhibit A.
I rest my case.
He didn't bench himself. He rolled his ankle and had their been a game 7 his status would be 50-50.
That was one game. Not 82.
And his ankle was effed up.
Not a good comparison.
Twisters gotta twist I guess. I didn't say that He wasn't coming back. I asked a question of whether He would be happy being more of a 1A rather than playing 40 mpg every night.
But since He's a "spur through and through", it's a stupid question that not only deserves a roundface but possibly a teardrop.
I seriously can't come up with a Spur equivalent of Doog but if I could, THAT post nails it.
BTW, he only played 29 mpg this year, which is a far cry from 40. He'll probably yield another minute or two next year.
I just think that if He's rested and healthy and isn't getting to close out competitive games, it could be a problem
Very few HOF caliber players would have either said that they weren't helping or would have taken a decision to bench them without a fight. By all accounts, Parker was 100% ok with the decision.
As others have mentioned, he's taken less money to ensure team success.
His actions continually show that he's about the team first and himself second on the court (hi Eva Longoria).
I also don't remember it going down like that either.
SalemCoug, considering not one player on the Spurs averaged 30 minutes a game, I don't think you should worry about Parker playing 40. The Spurs veterans will get their rest and they will be great again. Championships are tough to predict, but the Spurs are always good, and will continue to be good until Pop retires. I do think OKC will make some tweaks and changes. I wouldn't be surprised if they are the #1 seed, mainly because they will be hungry while the Spurs are always focused on the bigger picture. I firmly believe Durant's time is coming. I just don't know if it will be next year.
At the same time, no complaints with Leonard. Timmy was solid. Would have definitely had no problem with Diaw because he was the most influential 6 point per game player in a series ever.
I also expect that Leonard will increase his minutes per game up over 30 this next season. The biggest thing that the Spurs need to do in the offseason is to find another wing to take some of the pressure off of Leonard when playing Durant and James.
I don't see how OKC wins a title with Durant at this point because I don't see them being able to go after any "elite" role players to surround them with given that their ownership is so damn cheap. What's funny is that they kind of remind me of the '95-'98 Mariners in that they have all of this elite talent but they are too damn cheap to surround them with the kind of supporting players necessary to win a championship.
Reggie Jackson made a big leap for OKC year and Steven Adams looks like he will be a legitimate starting center. Jeremy Lamb has talent and I think Brooks was a fucking idiot for not playing him more instead of Butler or Fisher. He has talent and could become an elite role player. OKC has some roster and management issues, but they have shown they can develop young players (Ibaka, Jackson, Westbrook, Durant, Harden). They will have mid level exceptions and will always be a player when veterans get cast off, like Butler, Fisher, Stojakovich, and Diaw were at one point.