After 82 games and advancing to the Western Conference semifinals before being swept
out of the playoffs by the Phoenix Suns, the Spurs season began with high expectations and ended with the team falling flat on their faces.
But overall, how would you sum up the 2009-2010 Spurs NBA season?
Well our staff here at Project Spurs decided to sum up their thoughts on the Spurs season. Enjoy!
Michael De Leon, Founder:
This season was full of surprises and disappointments. After getting booted out of the first round of the playoffs last season, this past summer gave us some hope. George Hill showed veteran poise in the summer league, the Spurs got the steal of the draft in DeJuan Blair and Peter Holt made a big dent in his pocketbook to be able to get Richard Jefferson and Antonio McDyess. After opening the season with seven new players on the roster, the Spurs just couldn’t seem to put it together and Jefferson looked like the bust of offseason signings. Just when things started to come together, an injury killed the momentum. Towards the end of the season, it looked like this team was starting to put the pieces together with big wins over the Celtics, Cavs, Lakers and Magic. But as the Suns exposed, this team still needs some work and changes before they will be a contender again.
Jeff Garcia, Co-Founder:
From the excitement in the preseason on the news of the Spurs acquiring Richard Jefferson, to being swept in the playoffs by the Suns, the Spurs season can be summed up in one word — inconsistency. We saw the end of the once mighty Spurs’ defense, frustrating games where they turned the ball over, Jefferson becoming a failed trade, the high of beating the Boston Celtics in Boston, the low of losing to the New Jersey Nets, and beating the Dallas Mavericks in the first-round of the playoffs. But for as much as inconsistency seemed to be the norm, there were bright spots for Spurs fans to take away. The emergence of George Hill, the immense potential of DeJuan Blair, Manu Ginobili resigning with the team making him a Spur for life, and Tim Duncan still putting up numbers even at the end of his great career. With a few tweaks, namely getting a legit big man, the Spurs should be back in contention in the Western Conference next season.
Emily Allen, Staff Writer:
The 2009-2010 season was most definitely a transitional one for the men in Silver and Black. While the San Antonio Spurs did not have their best team in recent years, they were able to overcome their place as a seventh-seed in the playoffs and survive the Dallas Mavericks to see the second round. This year gave the team an opportunity to learn about its strengths and weaknesses, lessons that could potentially prove vital as they work over the summer to prepare for the new season. Regardless of the insane losses (see New Jersey in April) and sometime-inability to maintain a rhythm in games, the Spurs proved they are still a top-caliber team in the NBA – one that still has the ability to give other teams a tough game on the court.
Jeff Cerda, Staff Writer:
When the news broke about the Spurs trading for Richard Jefferson, I think I was the only Spurs fan in my area that was highly disappointed. With that said, I still had just as high expectations for them as any other person in the country did. I felt like they lost a few games that could have and should have been won(see Nets, Bobcats, Grizzlies twice and Raptors games), but still expected them to at least reach the western conference finals. Overall, in my opinion, it was still a successful season and I was pleased with the performance of the big 3 as well as some surprise contributions from George Hill and DeJuan Blair. This off season should be interesting to see what moves the Spurs will make to address their needs and last but not least, GO SPURS GO!
Lance Fell, Staff Writer:
The 2009-2010 season for most Spurs fans will be remembered as a disappointment. The Spurs spent more money than Fort Knox for a team that barely won 50 games and then not only lost to the Phoenix Suns in the playoffs, but got swept. None the less, we still did win 50 games, which is an extraordinary feat, considering we play in the highly competitive Western Conference. Not only that, but as a seventh seed, we knocked out our bitter rivals, the second seeded Dallas Mavericks, whom some picked to win it all. So while many of you will look back on this season and think of it as wash, remember this season was filled with many great things, such as the emergence of George Hill, the arrival of DeJuan Blair and the return of Manu Ginobili. And no matter what anybody says about this season, we stilled whooped the Dallas Mavericks.
OK Spurs fans it’s your turn. How would you sum up this past season?
