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When the San Antonio Spurs lost game six in 2013 to the Miami Heat, I was certain they had lost their best shot at one more championship.
They missed three key free throws down the stretch, couldn’t corral a board that Chris Bosh kicked out to Ray Allen for the dagger that ultimately pushed the game to overtime, and the Heat closed out the tight win.
I was absolutely gutted for Timmy Duncan and co.
Fast forward to 2014, the Spurs absolutely demolished the Heat. Tim Duncan brazenly, and uncharacteristically threw down the gauntlet before the finals, stating they would get it done this time. Gone was the silent optimism, replaced by quiet confidence.
Personified by none other than Kawhi Leonard, the third year ‘Claw’ with the long arms, sinewy frame, and almost passive demeanour was a beast in the last three games of the finals. Garnering the MVP award, his proclamation as the future of the franchise was laid down.
Fast forward another 10 months, and the Spurs are finally healthy, after a rash of injuries kept Tiago Splitter, Patty Mills, Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard out for extended periods of time this season. They just lost Splitter again to a calf strain this week, and are hoping to have him back by the playoffs. But other than that they are primed for another deep playoff run.
Coupled with the hibernation of Boris Diaw, who is a match up nightmare when he is on form, coincidentally he has woken up from his trance and is playing like he actually gives a damn.
‘Old Man Riverwalk’ has been a model of consistency and dominance, and Manu Ginobili has reverted back to the uninterested bust from the 2013 finals for big parts of the season. Despite the challenges, different line-ups and gut-wrenching losses this season, the spurs are two game out of the third seed for the stacked West Conference.
They are 17-3 in their last 20 games (it should be 20-0, except they gave up 10 digit leads very late to the Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, and the Dallas Mavericks).
When Gregg Popovich has been able to start his core of Parker, Green, Leonard, Duncan and Splitter, they have been demoralising. Running defences ragged, and making other teams pay with their pass heavy, three point, inside out barrage. They have been a perfect 10-0 with Matt Bonner in place of Splitter.
The team will only go as far as Parker will lead them, but he doesn’t have to put up 20+ a game to get the job done. He has so much help in his starting five and on the bench. It helps to have blue collar workers who have bought into the system, there are no egos on this team.
They are about getting it done. They encourage each other, even when it’s for a player taking their minutes, nobody whines for touches, shots, or minutes (and if they do, it’s not out there for people to see).
As Duncan, Ginobili and Parker have aged, they have aggressively encouraged Green, Leonard, and Splitter (the future of this proud franchise) to take a bigger role offensively. Boy, have they taken that to heart.
Green is now the most deadly trailer on a fast break, taking and making super deep threes on fast breaks. Popovich has encouraged him to do so, and he has been a stone cold killer from deep, he has also added a dribble, drive and up pull up jumper to his arsenal giving him options versus defenders who have closed out quick enough to alter his shot.
Leonard has developed a very strong post, and his cutting game is so solid, he consistently finishes drives with two defenders hanging on to him. His free-throw shooting is poor in key situations even though he has a respectable average at 78.9 per cent. The duo gives the team about 28.5 points/game on 30 minutes, coupled with stifling perimeter defence.
I hadn’t even mentioned Aron Baynes, Marco Bellinelli, Jeff Ayres or Cory Joseph, and with those three they get a legitimate 12-man rotation that they use to great effect. The bench has been able to extend leads, and fill in the gaps when the starters have been struggling.
The Spurs just beat the league crushing Golden State Warriors, leading by 28 at one point. They stifled MVP candidate Stephen Curry, especially when Leonard was defending him. Golden State were never in the game.
The Spurs also beat Golden State comfortably early in the season, and are 2-1 against them making them the lone winner of a series against the Western Conference winners.
Everything points to the Spurs and Warriors being the real Western Conference finalists, whether they meet in the second round or Conference Finals.
Could the Spurs get out of the stacked West, and will they get to play LeBron James’ Cavaliers in the finals?
That would be three straight years that LeBron and Kawhi get to pound each other. Except the wily vet is a year older and would be matched up against one of the best two-way players in the league – and a potential defensive MVP candidate.
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