Why are the Spurs on pace to win 72 games, yet the Jazz are floundering again?

[LogGrad98]

....the Spurs didn't have to go up against Jordan and his boys in their prime, like Stockton and Malone had to do!

As I said in my previous post, I concede that we lost it to the greatest player to ever play the game...ok fine there point taken.

Now explain why Sloan was unable to get us there the other 16 years we had 2 HOF'ers on our team?

 

[chemdude1232]

Assuming that means you are displeased with Sloan to the extent that you'd want to replace him, how do you know that his replacement would be any better? And who would you suggest?

 

[LogGrad98]

Personally I would not mind seeing Hornacek take over coaching duties. I do not think any of his current staff would do anything different. I am willing to just see what a different coach could do. Of course we run the risk of becoming just another team that cycles through coaches but as I see it right now the biggest risks we take will possibly get us to the 2nd round, maybe WCF. I am for taking bigger risks to try to win it all.

 

[prodigy]

Popovich is a fantastic coach and I just read up he went to air force, i have to tell my little bro cause that's where he wants to go. But yeh Pop is a smart dude, case in point he has a masters degree and he took over as coach of the spurs the season they decided to tank therefore landing tim duncan in his lap the next season. he sure has a eye for talent, spurs always draft well. also he should be applauded for finding a international player like Gary Neal and turning him into a great role player his first season with the team.

I don't understand all the Sloan hate, it's just comparing him to Pop is unfair. There's not a lot of Greg Popovich's out there, just something to ponder when thinking of replacing sloan. Jerry is like Pop in a way that he can get his team to overachieve, he can get a lot out of his players. Sloan is considered a good coach, but not a great one. If we build up the team again to be a contender can we win a title with just a good coach? Who knows.

 

[vj_74]

As I said in my previous post, I concede that we lost it to the greatest player to ever play the game...ok fine there point taken.

Now explain why Sloan was unable to get us there the other 16 years we had 2 HOF'ers on our team?

Stupid point. The only years that we were good enough to be in the Finals were 97 and 98. Just because Stock and Malone played together for 18 years doesnt mean that they were in peak form and played at a superstar level for 18 years. They were at their peak for about 7-8 years max(91-98) and in that time they had enough help to get to the finals only in 97 and 98 where they lost to the best ever. And remember, apart from Malone who averaged 25+ Jazz did not have a SINGLE player averaging 15ppg or more during the 97/98 finals. It is amazing enough that we made it to the Finals twice with those teams. A lot of the supporting role players(Russel, Shandon, Eisley) on those teams fizzled out when they went to other teams. They were borderline scrubs overachieving because of the Jazz system

 

[franklin]

Pop is superior to Sloan so much that he would have forced Malone to hit his fade away shot and free throws in clutch time.

 

[zman1527]

Stupid point. The only years that we were good enough to be in the Finals were 97 and 98. Just because Stock and Malone played together for 18 years doesnt mean that they were in peak form and played at a superstar level for 18 years. They were at their peak for about 7-8 years max(91-98) and in that time they had enough help to get to the finals only in 97 and 98 where they lost to the best ever. And remember, apart from Malone who averaged 25+ Jazz did not have a SINGLE player averaging 15ppg or more during the 97/98 finals. It is amazing enough that we made it to the Finals twice with those teams. A lot of the supporting role players(Russel, Shandon, Eisley) on those teams fizzled out when they went to other teams. They were borderline scrubs overachieving because of the Jazz system

1988: Frank Layden had Stock-Malone challenging the showtime Magic Johnson-Jabbar Lakers, losing 4-3 in the semifinals. Sloan takes over in 89 and the Jazz take a humiliating first round loss to the Warriors, 0-3. Sloan set them back 10 years. Sloan continues to be a very very good regular season coach who shows not a clue as to how to set his team up to win a ring. Facts if facts.

 

[vslice02]

explain why Sloan was unable to get us there the other 16 years we had 2 HOF'ers on our team?

vj_74 is right and your "16 years" statement is inaccurate. Sloan's first full season as head coach was 1989-90. Counting that year as his first (and you should since being asked to take over a team 17 games into a season is pretty difficult), Sloan's first 3 full seasons as HC, the Jazz advanced to the 1st round, the 2nd round, and then to the conference finals. They made the NBA Finals in Sloan's 8th and 9th full seasons as HC, and although he would have Stockton and Malone for 5 seasons after the Finals runs (including the misfortune of the lockout season in which the Jazz likely would've won it all if not for the compressed schedule) - they were in the twilight of their career during that stretch.

And I agree that I would do anything it takes to allow Hornacek to take over for Jerry. He'd definitely be my #1 choice, I just wish we could get him on as a fulltime assistant so he can get a little more bench experience.

 

[mellow]

Sloan criticisms aside. I attribute the spurs success to 1- Thier max player plays like a max player. 2- The team is willing to pay a SG more than a vetran minimum contract. 3- They have more draft picks on thier team contributing--mostly because of thier superior draft postion over the jazz:

George Hill 26th
Tony Parker 28th
DeJuan Blair 37th
Gary Neal Undrafted

 

[jimmy eat jazz]

The Spurs are healthier, more talented, better skilled and deeper than the Jazz. Part of me still can't see San Antonio keeping this up, whether it's Ginobili getting banged up again or teams altering their strategy now that they know Duncan is about 75% washed-up and focusing more on stopping the Spurs perimeter players. 29-4 but I'd be suprised if they win more than 62 games.

Also 2 championships were there for the Jazz's taking, but Utah lost to the best player who ever played and to one of the greatest dynasties in the modern NBA. If the "Stockton and Malone" Jazz peak 6 years later I think they definitely win multiple championships.

That's not entirely true. Jazz had legit chances the two years Jordan was out but choked in the Western Conference playoffs, including a first round exit to Houston (the lower seed) one of the years Houston won it. Can't blame Jordan for those ones.

 

[vslice02]

That's not entirely true. Jazz had legit chances the two years Jordan was out but choked in the Western Conference playoffs, including a first round exit to Houston (the lower seed) one of the years Houston won it. Can't blame Jordan for those ones.

Those were Jazz teams posted some terrific records but the Rockets were just the better team (they did win championships both years). Houston was vastly superior in 93-94 - better role players and the Jazz had no answer for league MVP Hakeem.
In 94-95 Utah was better but after sleepwalking through the beginning of the regular season Houston turned it up - partly due to the Drexler trade. And if David Benoit doesn't miss 3 WIDE-OPEN 3's in the 4th qtr of Game 5, the Jazz probably win that series. Hard to blame Sloan for that, and hard to blame Sloan for Malone missing 2 FT's in the final minute of Game 7 of the 1996 WCF in Seattle.

The two years the Jazz went to the Finals they went definitely the superior team - both times going beating Houston.

 

[NUMBERICA]

Sloan criticisms aside. I attribute the spurs success to 1- Thier max player plays like a max player. 2- The team is willing to pay a SG more than a vetran minimum contract. 3- They have more draft picks on thier team contributing--mostly because of thier superior draft postion over the jazz:

George Hill 26th
Tony Parker 28th
DeJuan Blair 37th
Gary Neal Undrafted

I don't think you meant superior draft position, because the Jazz almost always pick before them. And with exception to Deron and AK (still too early to say either way for Hayward) the Spurs out-draft THE **** out of the Jazz, at least in the first round. And even though the Jazz have found some very good finds in the 2nd round, the Spurs getting Ginobili in the 2nd round eclipses all of our choices by itself.

And let's not forget that while Splitter isn't destroying the league (at least not yet), he does contribute above the league-average when he does get time and we passed on him (or rather, passed on waiting 3 years) for Morris Almond.