Spurs lacking championship mentality

<!--EZCODE QUOTE START--><blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>a guy with attitude, cut throat mentality, chutzpah, etc. You can only be so professional before your gut has to kick in.<hr></blockquote><!--EZCODE QUOTE END--> TRUE, TRUE, TRUE!!! <p><!--EZCODE IMAGE START--><img src="http://www.remembertheaba.com/TributeMaterial/GervinSwoopNice.jpg" style="border:0;"/><!--EZCODE IMAGE END--></p><i></i>

Tonight totaly proved Drew's point - I haven't seen anythimg that bad in MANY years <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :( --><img src=http://www.sahoops.net/smilies/frown.gif ALT=":("><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <p><!--EZCODE CENTER START--><div style="text-align:center"><!--EZCODE IMAGE START--><img src="http://www.sahoops.net/jackie/blondie4spursbanner.jpg" style="border:0;"/><!--EZCODE IMAGE END--></div><!--EZCODE CENTER END--></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p204.ezboard.com/bsanantoniospurs62937.showUserPublicProfile?gid=blondie4spurs>Blondie4Spurs</A>  <IMG HEIGHT=10 WIDTH=10 SRC="http://homepage.eircom.net/~bray/em/orose.gif" BORDER=0> at: 3/13/05 8:28 am<br></i>

I have never been a big believer of intangibles, so help me out. What exactly determines whether someone has the "championship mentality" or not? Is it toughness? Is it stubboruness? Either way, I am not too worried. This latest loss shows that Pop is looking beyond the regular season right now. Looking at the teams that pose a big threat, the only one that I think could beat the Spurs would be Detroit. And even then, with Parker being quick enough to deny Billups penetration and Bowen being skilled enough to at least hamper Hamilton, I am not sure we would crush them entirely. I think we are all over-reacting a bit, our defense is still there, we are just experiencing a lack of offensive production. All teams go through similar slumps, the only difference is that the Spurs have managed to win thanks to a lax schedule and some timely career nights.<br>
<br>
Remember, this is a team that is good at denying the fast break, denying second chances and holding opponents to an average of just 11 3 pt attempts per contest. We will do well regardless since we match up so well with everyone. <p>hZ_Firebat - The Original Galactic Hitchhicker</p><i></i>

BTW - <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :welcome --><img src=http://www.sahoops.net/smilies/welcome.gif ALT=":welcome"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> to the board FireBat <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :) --><img src=http://www.sahoops.net/smilies/smile.gif ALT=":)"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <p><!--EZCODE CENTER START--><div style="text-align:center"><!--EZCODE IMAGE START--><img src="http://www.sahoops.net/jackie/blondie4spursbanner.jpg" style="border:0;"/><!--EZCODE IMAGE END--></div><!--EZCODE CENTER END--></p><i></i>

I'm a big believer in the intangibles. During the 3-peat, the Lakers would walk into a building and they just *knew* without a doubt that the game was theirs, period. In 2002 Mike Bibby said the biggest difference in that series was that the Lakers became human, they weren't afraid of them anymore (of course they still lost, thank you Horry). The Spurs aren't scaring anyone, they don't walk in and just know that the game is theirs. That's intangible but key. This 4th quarter choke-job that is becoming habit has got to stop. No more "I'm tired" or "I'm hurting" or "Timmy isn't playing" excuses, no more excuses period. Own the loss then do something about it. <p><!--EZCODE HR START--><hr /><!--EZCODE HR END-->MistiLynn<br>
<!--EZCODE IMAGE START--><img src="http://www.mistilynn.com/spurs/banner-tp.jpg" style="border:0;"/><!--EZCODE IMAGE END--><br>
<!--EZCODE FONT START--><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:x-small;">"It's got to be hard to defend us," Nesterovic said, "when we don't even know who's going to shoot." 1/26/05</span><!--EZCODE FONT END--> </p><i></i>

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>To answer your question; The ability to close out a game without allowing the opponent to even think there is ever going to be a chance they may get back in the game. Having the mental attitude that it is a personal insult to you and your team if someone on the team has a mental lapse and allows the other team to score even if you are all ready up 65 points. NEVER stopping until the last buzzer has rung,Until the series is over, until you have the O'Brian in hand nothing else will satisfy. FOCUS of this caliber ONLY is acceptable and its the only attitude that counts (or works for that matter). </strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--> We DO have the best team in the NBA. I only wish we acted and played like it consistently. <p><!--EZCODE IMAGE START--><img src="http://www.remembertheaba.com/TributeMaterial/GervinSwoopNice.jpg" style="border:0;"/><!--EZCODE IMAGE END--></p><i></i>

The Spurs had that intangible earlier in the season. They were walking in the gym and dismatling teams - picking them apart - a thing of beauty!<br>
<br>
After CHristmas it seems to have dissappeared..... <p><!--EZCODE CENTER START--><div style="text-align:center"><!--EZCODE IMAGE START--><img src="http://www.sahoops.net/jackie/blondie4spursbanner.jpg" style="border:0;"/><!--EZCODE IMAGE END--></div><!--EZCODE CENTER END--></p><i></i>

With all due respect, that just sounds like something a baseball purist spouts when faced with a column of stats, or, worse yet, an interview given by a HS football coach post-defeat; There is no team that have not had its ups and downs, and the Spurs are still the team widely recognized as the best in the league. If the fear and intimidation is the factor, than the Spurs are still the team with the most "intangibles." The very fact that teams sees beating us as a significant victory shows that. More telling is the quotes given after our two latest losses. The pure amount of "a win is a win" comments from Phenoix and Denver players shows us how intimidating the Spurs are. The very fact that they have to make excuses for beating a short-handed Spurs team after victory is perhaps the biggest statement of San Antonio's "intangibles."<br>
<br>
The Lakers' myth of invincibility was created by the media, the Blazers nearly took them two years prior. The reason the Lakers won was that Shaq finally decided to defend the pick-and-roll after Bibby scorched the Lakers all series long. From what I am hearing so far, this intangibles seems to be a mix of work-ethic (which I think the Spurs have), confidence (which I know the Spurs, especially Tony, have) and fan superstition. Fluctuations of the season are expected, and there are explanations for those fluctuations that does not depend on "intangibles." (like having your big men making revolving visits to the IR, for example. <p>hZ_Firebat - The Original Galactic Hitchhicker</p><i></i>

<!--EZCODE QUOTE START--><blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>From what I am hearing so far, this intangibles seems to be a mix of work-ethic (which I think the Spurs have), confidence (which I know the Spurs, especially Tony, have) and fan superstition. Fluctuations of the season are expected, and there are explanations for those fluctuations that does not depend on "intangibles." (like having your big men making revolving visits to the IR, for example.<hr></blockquote><!--EZCODE QUOTE END--> <!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>It is the difference between hoping to win the game and knowing your going to win the game. Anyone who has played the game knows exactly what we are talking about. </strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--> <p><!--EZCODE IMAGE START--><img src="http://www.remembertheaba.com/TributeMaterial/GervinSwoopNice.jpg" style="border:0;"/><!--EZCODE IMAGE END--></p><i></i>