With an 87-86 win at Boston on Wednesday, the Spurs won
their ninth in a row and sit just one game behind Oklahoma City for best
record in the West.
So why does it seem no one is taking them seriously?
Well, the reasons are quite understandable, actually.
For one, some of the Spurs’ best players are considered ancient. If Tim Duncan
and Manu Ginobili aren’t completely over the hill, it’s safe to say they are
slowly sliding down the wrong slope.
For another, the Spurs compiled the West’s best record last season, but they
were bounced by Memphis in the first round of the playoffs.
By the end of that series, the Spurs looked old, slow and all but finished.
Things didn’t appear much better once the lockout ended this season, as the
Spurs completed the first month at a very average 12-9.
They looked old and slow and were barely hanging on.
But things are different today ... and it’s more than just the winning streak.
The Spurs still defend very well. They still share the ball. They still have
one of the game’s true masterminds in coach Gregg Popovich, now in his 16th
season. That makes him the longest-tenured coach with the same team. Not just
in the NBA, but the NFL, NHL and MLB, as well.
So Popovich knows his players and his players know what he expects. The players also have a great deal of respect
for their coach — and in professional sports, that means a lot.
No less than veteran swingman Stephen Jackson expressed excitement about
getting to play for Popovich a second time. That came after a midseason trade
put Jackson back in San Antonio. (He also played for the Spurs during their
2002-03 championship season.)
Jackson is viewed as somewhat bull-headed and sometimes difficult. Popovich is viewed
as someone with an iron will. It’s an unlikely pairing. But somehow, it works.
That example alone explains Popovich’s pull. He is clearly in charge, yet
flexible if the need arises.
Then there’s the roster.
With Duncan, Ginobili and point guard Tony Parker continuing to lead the way,
the Spurs have exceptional direction. They always play hard and they always
play smart. They rarely fall to lesser foes — which is why last season’s playoff
loss to the Grizzlies shocked just about everyone who follows pro basketball.
Nor do the Spurs play to the level of their competition very often.
For instance, the Cavs haven’t been very good and the Spurs knew that going into Tuesday's game.
But instead of letting up, they turned the game into 48 minutes of garbage
time in a 125-90 win.
As an added bonus, these Spurs seem to be getting more from their younger
players. Starting shooting guard Danny Green is just 24 years old and in his
third season. He also played just eight games in 2010-11.
But Green missed just one of the first 51 this year, making it easy for
Popovich to continue to bring Ginobili off the bench.
The Spurs are also receiving improved play from backup point guard Gary Neal
and reserve big man Tiago Splitter — both in just their second seasons. Same
goes for third-year center DeJuan Blair.
Throw in Jackson, Matt Bonner and recent signee Boris Diaw, and the Spurs are
more than just ancient. They are balanced and deep, an impressive combination
of cagey veterans and younger players capable of learning on the job.
It’s reached the point where the biggest issue has been finding a rotation
where everyone is getting regular minutes. And that includes old standbys such
as Duncan, Ginobili and Parker.
On the bright side, those three are getting more rest than usual, simply
because the younger guys have been making the most of their time. In a lockout
year, that’s critical.
No, the Spurs don’t have the overall talent and youth of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
No, they aren’t as sexy as those two teams out in LA.
And yes, people who care about television ratings are probably praying or
poking Voodoo dolls in an effort to keep the Spurs out of the Finals.
That, of course, doesn’t mean the Spurs will fail.
Their time is running out, yes. But it's not expired.
The bottom line is the Spurs are a team in the truest sense. They’re a team
that’s led by men who have won championships, a team that is well-coached and
stable, a team that has a sense of where it is today and how to get to where it
needs to go.
Being taken seriously, it seems, is almost beside the point.
Follow Sam Amico on Twitter @SamAmicoFSO
