NBA general managers pick Spurs to repeat

[Mo Z. Dizzle]

October 25, 2005

NEW YORK (AP) -- The San Antonio Spurs are overwhelming favorites to repeat as NBA champions, according to an NBA.com survey of the league's general managers.

The Spurs received 77 percent of the vote among the approximately 25 GMs who responded. That percentage is the highest a team has received in the four years the survey has been conducted. The defending champions got 96 percent of the vote to win the Western Conference and 100 percent to win the Southwest Division.

Miami also was a unanimous pick to win the Southeast. Results were posted beginning Tuesday on NBA.com.

San Antonio star Tim Duncan got more than 78 percent of the votes as the league's top power forward and is the favorite to win another MVP award. Other popular choices among the league GMs were Miami's Shaquille O'Neal, who got 84 percent as the top center, and Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki (77 percent) as the league's top international player.

Lakers guard Kobe Bryant received the most votes in two categories: best shooting guard and the player wanted to take a shot with the game on the line. Reigning MVP Steve Nash replaced Jason Kidd as the point guard -- the first year Kidd didn't receive the most votes at that position -- and Tracy McGrady of Houston was picked as the top small forward.

New Knicks coach Larry Brown was picked as the best coach.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AufhyuBoM4XmhftItBj2Pb68vLYF?slug=ap-gmsurvey&prov=ap&type=lgns

[TeeRaySix9Teen]

yeah, its pretty much a given that we'll be favored to win the championship. we're the defending champs...and probably made the best moves during the summer. but the season hasnt even begun...crazy things can happen through an 82 game season. bein the favorite wont matter if SA doesnt back it up. i picked LA to win the championship over Detroit 2 years ago, like most people...and Detroit came out unstoppable. so you never know what to expect i guess. bottom line...anything less then a championship will be a dissapointment this year.

[7even]

I don't need a fucking GM to know that. Spurs vs. Miami finals Spurs take it no way around that

[acbaylove]

I really don't know about the Heat, man.

[7even]

Shaq - Best Center ever
Haslem - great young rebounder, also good %
Walker - proven all-star vet
Wade - proven all-star, one of the most promising young players in the league
Payton - proven all-star vet
Mourning - proven all-star vet
Posey - good defender
J. Will - nice PG
Kapono - some teams would be happy!


Please. This team is SCREAMING finals.

[acbaylove]

Kobe Bryant
Shaquille O'Neal
Gary Payton
Devean George
Derek Fisher
Stanislav Medvedenko
Karl Malone
Kareem Rush
Bryon Russell
Horace Grant
Rick Fox
Luke Walton
Brian Cook

Ask Fisher about the difference between NBA Finals and Western Conference Finals.

[7even]

^The Laker project with Payton and Malone was definitely a failure because they didnt win it. Everyone held them for favorites. They fucked up. If the Heat don't make the finals, they fucked up too. But most likely, they will make the finals.

[h cottie is bac-tive?]

if the spurs stay injuryfree its a lock.

[TeeRaySix9Teen]

Kobe Bryant
Shaquille O'Neal
Gary Payton
Devean George
Derek Fisher
Stanislav Medvedenko
Karl Malone
Kareem Rush
Bryon Russell
Horace Grant
Rick Fox
Luke Walton
Brian Cook

Ask Fisher about the difference between NBA Finals and Western Conference Finals.

7even picked the Heat to go to the finals...not necessarily win it. That Laker squad went to finals too. So you guys aint exactly in disagreement here.

[acbaylove]

Naw. I just think the Spurs are a lock, while the Heat arent that sure. Their roster looks impressive, but it doesnt necessary means something.

[Stone Cold is Bout It, Bout It]

Damn..i  guess we could expect the lowest ratings in NBA Finals history again,that will put the spurs in the top 3 in Lowest ratings in NBA History     ..David Stern has to be real happy with what the spurs are doing to his league

And 7 even i think you had to much of shaqs dick in your ass...Shaq is not the best Center ever...i would throw facts & stats out there but i don't feel like it

[Stone Cold is Bout It, Bout It]

If no one is watching the NBA Finals.Did you really win the championship    

[7even]

Damn..i  guess we could expect the lowest ratings in NBA Finals history again,that will put the spurs in the top 3 in Lowest ratings in NBA History     ..David Stern has to be real happy with what the spurs are doing to his league

And 7 even i think you had to much of shaqs dick in your ass...Shaq is not the best Center ever...i would throw facts & stats out there but i don't feel like it

wilt is mad overrated. you can't compare the stats, average a certain amount of rebounds back then was a whole less harder than now. 15 rebounds per game is really good nowadays. he averaged like 50, LOL. now, what do you think, is he really THHHAAAAAAAAAT much better than ANY player who played in the last 15 years, or was the league and the game maybe a LITTLE different?

[Stone Cold is Bout It, Bout It]

fool,you're from Europe,you don't know shit!!

shaq's never led the nba in rebounds,,blocks,he's never been on a first team all defence,the Lakers have only been a top 3 defence 1 time when shaq was here

he's #9 in BPG all time,wont finish top 5 in total blocks,he wont reach 15,000 rebounds for his career,he's not in the top 10 in RPG all time..

it took the 2nd best player in the nba for him to win champinships...fuck that,,it took some clutch shots for this fool to win some championchips  (R.horry game 4 2002 WCF & 4rth quarter game 7 WCF 2000 come back when ,B.Shaw,Horry,R.Harper & kobe hit big shots)


he's overrated b/c the way he talks about himself how he's the "MDE" and the way you faggots ride his dick by saying he did this and that..he's actually an under achiever he could of been waaay better then he is and he could of won more championships but he never plaid defence..

Hakeem Olajuwon & Karl Malone are big men who are in the top 10 in steals..shaq is not even in the top 30

shaq doesn't have great "BIG MAN" NUMBERS

he was known to sleep walk through the season and not wake up untill after the all star game..he needed to create drama to get motivated b/c he "used to get bored" remember that "X -shaq haters"


And Laker fans have been saying this on Sports radio in L.A for the longest(about his #'s and individual accomplishments),,i'm not saying this shit b/c i don't like him no more,it's just the truth

and go slap yourself for saying Wilt is overrated. what the fuck is wrong with you

[acbaylove]

Shaq used to be the most dominant player in the league because of his big ass, his big arms and his amazing power, not because of his skills, attitude and basketball IQ. That's the only thing i can say about him. It was great having him in purple&gold, because we had the best supporting cast in the NBA and the 2nd best player in the league in Kobe, and he was the right guy in the right place. But those Heat are far from being a supporting cast. They have no Horry, no Fisher, no Harper, no Shaw, no Fox, no Phil, no heart.