I've come to a realization. It's been hard. It's been tough to swallow. And I haven't liked it one bit.
But, it was just a matter of time. I mean, I couldn't expect the San Antonio Spurs to stay on top forever. They had a good run - one for the ages.
It just wasn't their year.
They looked slow, maybe even tired of winning championships. After all, they have four, winning in 1999, 2003, 2005 and 2007.
Still, I thought, or rather hoped, Tim Duncan and Co. had one more championship run in them.
On the brink of elimination, down 0-2 to the New Orleans Hornets, they showed the resilience of champions, tying up the series, only to go down once again, 3-2. Calm and collected, they showed nerves of steel - not panicking, and again tied up the series at 3-3. And then, when few thought they could go into New Orleans and win Game 7 on the road, what did they do?
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From there, they moved on to compete in an always epic battle with the Lakers. I'll be the first to tell you, I was worried, especially since Derek Fisher was back on board. Fisher has always had God on his side. Last time he suited up in a Lakers uniform, he lobbed up a prayer up with .04 seconds to beat you know who - I can't muster up the self-restraint needed to not burst out in tears when saying their name. I cry every time.
Self-pity, anger and resentment - not to mention envy - consumes me. So, instead of making everybody's life miserable, I'm checking back into Heartbreak Hotel. I called them almost instantly after I saw the final score flash across the screen. "Yes, is this the infamous Heartbreak Hotel?" I asked. "I'd like to book your suite so I can take the sour taste out of my mouth."
Needless to say, I'm still here, wallowing around in my own misery, recalling the what-if's: What if Fisher is called for that foul in Game 4? Does Brent Barry drain those free throws and send it into overtime? In turn, does the outcome change? Do they surf into Los Angeles with newfound momentum and sweep the next two games? I will live this off-season pondering these questions.
Some of you ask, why?
I had a friend (not so much a friend anymore) say to me: "Hey, man, I'm sorry about the (I still can't say it), but it's not the end of the world."
Yeah, not for him. He's a Lakers fan.
But there's an underlying issue, one I can't cope with: Everybody said they were old. Always a biased fan, I vehemently disagreed, contesting instead that they were "vintage" or "experienced." Now, as much as I may hate to admit it, those critics were right in their assumptions.
They are indeed old. Maybe a complete roster tune-up isn't necessary, but it's safe to say that there'll be an Extreme Makeover (San Antonio) Edition in the off-season.
If we want to remain competitive in the Western Conference, we need to address some realities: Michael Finley's 3-ball-bank is broke - tapped out. Robert Horry, aka "Big Shot Rob," has all but lost that mantra. In fact, Horry avoided taking any shots, even ones where no one was in the same vicinity - let alone arena - as him. I think it's safe to say Mr. Clutch has lost his grip. And Barry couldn't sell a foul to Tim Donaghy, who, by the way, probably still found a way to wager on this year's playoffs.
(Just a side note: The NBA later admitted Barry should have been awarded a two-shot foul. Little good that does. That's like getting dumped by your girl and then her telling you, "It's not you; it's me." Somewhere inside that comment, there's an apology, but it's not like you're getting back together.)
The Triple Threat
As much as we may need to part with some of our old, decrepit players, we still have Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and America runs on Duncan. The one-two tandem - Parker's speed and Obi-Wan Ginobili's athleticism - can still save the (Spurs) Galaxy. Duncan is still the centerpiece for San Antonio and will continue to be effective in the low-post. And a young (OK, maybe not that young - he's 30) Udoka proved there is a place for an Ime in team. But, let's not kid ourselves. The Spurs need a forward. Take the Lakers for example. Before the trade for Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom was Los Angeles' primary force in the middle. But until they added Gasol and enabled Odom to play in his comfort zone at the four position, the Lakers didn't really flourish. Sorry, but Fabricio Oberto isn't Odom. At best, he's a mediocre role player with limited talents. Just an idea - it probably won't happen because of cap issues and salary demands - but imagine if the Spurs got a guy like Corey Maggette from the Clippers. Maggette averaged 22.1 points per game, along with 5.6 rebounds. By the way, the guy's an unrestricted free-agent. Maybe he'd want to come to a competitive organization, being that the Clippers had idled in mediocrity for years.
Expectations
All in all, although the Spurs will definitely need to tweak their roster, I don't expect a colossal flop next year. If anyone has been so quick to prove, Gregg Popovich and the Spurs' organization have prided themselves on making adjustments. Conservatively, I'll give the Spurs a 51-31 record in 2008-09, enough to garner a No. 3 seed in the West.
Right now, L.A.'s considered the NBA's fountain of youth. But if the Lakers aren't able to beat the Boston Celtics in the Finals, how long until Bryant's presumptive off-season antics take an aging toll on that organization?
Don't discount the Spurs.
