Tag: NBA

Spurs poised to take the title in an “even” year

The Spurs are back.  The best evidence to back up this claim is the lack of media attention the Spurs have been playing through.  No longer are there catcalls that the team is too old to compete.  In fact, this 2011-12 edition of the Spurs are now the 13th oldest team behind such teams as (and in order)

NBA Oldest Teams

  1. Mavericks
  2. Hawks
  3. LA Lakers
  4. Celtics
  5. Suns
  6. Heat
  7. Trailblazers
  8. Magic
  9. Bulls
  10. Clippers
  11. Raptors
  12. Pistons
  13. Spurs

The Spurs are also still being disrespected by the Vegas odds makers who still have them listed at 8/1 to win while the Heat are 9/5, Thunder are 3/1, the Bulls are 15/4, the Lakers 14/1 and the Clippers 20/1.

While the Spurs are indeed younger, this team in this lockout shortened season and their head coach Gregg Popovich are indeed the perfect fit.   Pop has been regulating minutes for his “Big Three” all season and when an 11-game winning streak was on the line, Pop did not hesitate from not playing (heck not even flying them over) the Utah Jazz in Utah.  While some of the Jazz players said they felt “disrespected” by Pop’s move, they have to know that if the “Big Three” had shown up, the Jazz would have been one step further from the playoffs. As it is, they are barely hanging on and the victory over the Spurs kept them alive.  So, Jazz fans do not be miffed that the “Big Three” were held back.   You should be thanking Popovich for the gift.

Duncan’s deal: Three years, $30 million

The three-year contract that will take Spurs captain Tim Duncan to the end of his career with the Spurs will pay the two-time Most Valuable Player just over $30 million, according to NBA executives privy to details of the deal that have been released by the league.

Duncan, whose contract last season called for him to be paid $21.2 million, will get $9.65 million next season and $10.4 million in 2013-14. The final season of the three-year deal, at Duncan’s option, is for an even $10 million.

The 36-year-old Spurs star last season averaged 15.4 points, a team-high 9.0 rebounds and a team-high 1.52 blocks.

Earlier published reports had put Duncan’s pay package between $34 million and $39 million.

Free agency: Spurs’ Green prepares for pay day

When the free-agent bell tolls tonight at 11 San Antonio time, all eyes in the Alamo City will be on Tim Duncan — and rightfully so. The Spurs franchise icon is set to become a free agent for just the third time in his 15-year career.

Elsewhere below the radar, however, the Spurs’ starting shooting guard is also set to hit the market. Danny Green says he’s ready.

“This is my first time to be pursued,” Green, who is set to enter his fourth NBA season, told the Express-News on Saturday by phone from his home on Long Island.

“It’s an exciting time, and hopefully a fun time. I’m hoping there’s a good amount of teams who like what I can do.”

Green, who turned 25 on June 22, started 38 of 66 games for the Spurs and averaged 9.1 points while shooting a blazing 43.6 percent from 3-point range. Now, he is set to cash in.

The Spurs liked Green enough to extend a qualifying offer worth nearly $2.7 million, making him a restricted free agent and giving the team the right to match any offer he receives.

Even if Green hears only crickets in free agency, he is set to more than triple the $854,369 he made last season as one of the NBA’s biggest bargains.

Green was a force for the Spurs during the first two rounds of the playoffs, averaging 10.3 points against Utah and the Los Angeles Clippers.

He faded in the Western Conference finals against Oklahoma City, when he went 8 for 31 from the floor and was eventually replaced in the starting lineup by Manu Ginobili.

Though Green said he’s looking forward to wading into the free agency waters, he says he would like to return the Spurs.

“I really do like San Antonio,”  Green said .”Hopefully, they have faith in me and will do what they need to do to bring me back.”