I was watching the Spurs last night and had a couple of thoughts I thought I'd share. After all, despite people saying they're boring and any number of pejoratives, it's hard not to view them as a model franchise and certainly KP admires them.

1. Ginobili. Do you know who Brandon Roy is? Ginobili. Now look, before you start calling me a lunatic for comparing an all-star and MVP candidate to someone's sixth man just look at the game. Ginobili plays with that same deceptive speed, the controlled pace, the drive-and-kick and the drive-and-finish. It's eerie how similar the theoretical approach of those two players is. And ponder this: if Blazers had had Oden and LMA in the linup for 3 years and then Roy had joined the team, wouldn't his career trajectory have been radically different? Circumstances play a role (as well as amazing talent and godlike willpower) in creating an MVP. I regard Ginobili as a great player. There are far worse people Roy could be compared to.
2. Tony Parker. In looking at the Spurs as a team we would aspire to be, who is our Tony Parker? Is it Blake? No. Is it Jack? No. Is it Sergio? Well, I have to say he has the best chance of achieving it out of our 3 point guards. In JQ's excellent chat this week, he mentioned that Sergio may end up getting traded. That he wasn't a "good fit" with Nate. I think we can all agree on that. I'm a Surge man-crush guy but I have to say that, for the greater good of the team, we may end up letting him go. After all, we can't have all the talent. But I can't help thinking we're letting one get away in Surge. We can easily live without and replace Blake and Jack (okay "easily" is a stretch but they're not irreplacable). Surge, I don't know. I feel he may end up being someone's Tony Parker.
3. Duncan. It's hard not to watch Duncan and think LMA. Every time Duncan calmly hit one of those bank shots I think of LMA's feathery outside jumper. Duncan's got some great moves to the basket but at the end of the day I regard him as a kind of face-up player, which seems to be LMA's pursuit.
4. Barry. I watched this guy just sit on the sidelines and shoot 3's. If that isn't Webster, I don't know what is. At least, it's what Webster appears to be consigned to do. I wish he would do more. I'm puzzled by the guy. He's one who's reliability game in and game out I question. Ultimately, if he could give the Blazers some reliable, Barry-like 3pt shooting, I think we'd all be very happy.
5. Poppovich. I love stability at the coaching position. I love the predictability, the certainty, and the authority that comes with a long-term coach. For how much I'm puzzled about Joel and Surge, I'm no longer thinking of doing anything but keeping Nate long-term. I want him just like SA has had Poppovich for so long.