HoopsHype.com Season Previews

San Antonio Spurs (57-25) ....

SUBTRACTIONS: Matt Carroll, Alex Garcia (New Orleans), Jason Hart (Charlotte), Hidayet Turkoglu (Orlando), Charlie Ward (Houston) and Kevin Willis (Atlanta).

STRENGTHS: They have the second most dominant player in the NBA in Tim Duncan ... Tony Parker could very well become one of the premiere point guards in the league this season ... The Spurs' defense will still be one of the best ... They can adjust to any type of game tempo ... They have the ability to score on the break and look pretty good in halfcourt sets ... Very athletic backcourt ... Very big frontcourt players ... Much better shooting with the addition of Brent Barry ... The team's core has been together for a while now ... No big egos in the locker room ... Chemistry will be good.

WEAKNESSES: Tim Duncan and Emanuel Ginobili played in the Olympic Games this summer ... That's certainly not going to help them come playoff time ... Durability could be an issue ... Radoslav Nesterovic is not going to make fans forget David Robinson for now ... They have no proven backup for Tony Parker ... Another small forward wouldn't hurt.

PROJECTION: 1st in the Southwest Division / 1st in the Western Conference

.PROJECTED STARTERS
	Point guard Tony Parker		Shooting guard Emanuel Ginobili		Small Forward Bruce Bowen
	One of the quickest players in the league. Excels in the open court. Could be one of the top PGs in the NBA real soon.		Very good slasher and defender. Streaky shooter. Plays with a lot of heart. Great teammate. A real winner.		One of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA. Will guard some of the biggest stars in the league. No offensive talent.
	Power Forward Tim Duncan		Center Radoslav Nesterovic		Sixth Man Brent Barry
	The best player in the Western Conference now that Shaq is gone. Would make a title contender out of any team.		Incredible shooting touch for a big man. Has really improved on the defensive end. He's no David Robinson though.		A clear candidate for Sixth Man of the Year. His shooting and passing skills will be great assets for the San Antonio Spurs.