Into the Sunset?

Should a Spurs fan be planning to eulogize what will (likely) be the best team in the franchise's history?

A couple of questions regarding the four time NBA champs gearing up for the 2008-2009 NBA season.

1. Considering Ginobili's injury will likely sideline him until mid-November and will (likely) see reduced minutes upon his return, how bad is this for the team?

-This will all have to do with who's on two things: Who's on the roster these days? and Will it be good enough?


Who's on the roster:

Guards: Tony Parker, Jacque Vaughn, Manu Ginobili, Roger Mason and Michael Finley (not including unsigned free agents and a rookies. The Spurs don't sign rookies, unless they are from Europe and now they won't take our money)

Forwards: Tim Duncan, Bruce Bowen, Matt Bonner, Kurt Thomas, Ime Udoka

Centers: Fabricio Oberto, Anthony Tolliver (they do sign rookies, damn.), Ian Mahinmi

Six guys capable of playing the 5. Ok, probably just five. I haven't heard anything positive about Mahinmi.

Three guys good for playing the 4.

5 guys capable of playing the 3, but it'll basically be between Bowen and Udoka, and Bruce is getting close to done.

3 guys to play the 2.

4-ish to play the 1. Primarily between Parker and Vaughn again this season. Not bad, but Jacque isn't a spring chicken.

Will it be good enough?

This roster isn't terrible or anything. The concern would be that Manu won't rehab right, or he'll have lost his explosiveness when he does get back. This team can certainly weather the early part of the season without Manu. The West is quite good again, but they should be alright considering the talent and experience. The Spurs admittedly start out a season sort of slow. This season it could actually be because someone's injured. Nice to have an excuse finally.


2. Is this team good enough?

Possibly. It'll depend on how things come together for the other top teams out West this year.

a. The Lakers - Bynum is back, and Kobe is foregoing surgery on the pinkie he injured last February. Kobe still managed to average nearly 30 points a game. Pau will finally have a full season to develop chemistry with the team. None of these things really make me feel better.

Pau looks like a sissy terrorist from some slavic country?

Still don't feel better.

b. The Hornets - Chris Paul is a beast. David West is likely one of the best power forwards in the league playing with the best point guard in the league. Tyson Chandler feasts on the blood of infants, and by "infants" I mean "lob passes." Yes, I know that makes no sense, but I don't have any joke here.

c. The Rockets - Well, Ron Ron should make them a whole hell of a lot better, and they didn't suck before. Can I pencil in Tracy and Yao missing about a month a piece? In years past this mattered (well until last year and the winning streak) but now even if one is down, the Rockets will still have two superstar players. Rafer Alston can prove if his second half play last year was it clicking for him or an aberration, and the bench looks nice. The bench used to be one of their big issues, but now as a Spurs fan I understand it. Is this how the Captain used to feel about his team all the time?

The Spurs can likely handle the rest of the West without the whirling dervish.

Here's to hoping it works out. I do enjoy the odd year banners in the AT&T Center.

-Dusty