| Looking Back To Look Forward In San Antonio Authored by Elliot Cole - April 13, 2006 - 2:14 am
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Last week, the second-guessing of the Spurs even prompted Brent Barry to bite back at the media, asking, “We have won 58 games, haven’t we?”
While Barry can tack on a few wins to that total, the skepticism hasn’t exactly disappeared in the wake of back-to-back losses to Sacramento and Dallas, two potential playoff opponents. With the Detroit Pistons locking up home court advantage and the Dallas Mavericks looming in the rear view mirror, the Spurs may face more questions than answers.
But just as chances of repeating for the first time in franchise history seem to be thinning, we’re led to remember one thing: the Spurs have been through these sorts of things before. In fact, they’ve been through exactly these sorts of things. Taking a look at the uncertainties facing the Spurs in lieu of the playoffs, some seem eerily familiar.
Question 1: Health
Duncan’s plantar fasciatis has been a season-long problem for the Spurs, but injuries to their MVP are not exactly something new. Last year, Duncan struggled through ankle injuries that caused an extended stint for him on the inactive list (Duncan would only manage to come back a few games before the playoffs started).
By comparison, Duncan is on pace to play 80 games this season despite the foot injury, 14 more than last season’s total. Although his 18.5 PPG are a career low, Duncan hasn’t had to carry the load this season thanks to the emergence of Tony Parker. Will that continue in the playoffs? It may not have to. Duncan’s aggressiveness will pick up in the playoffs, and the lack of back-to-back games should help a player that has averaged only 14.7 PPG in back-to-back games this season.
The bench is getting healthier as well. Nick Van Exel seems to be rounding into form (sorry about the pun, Nick), and seems to have overcome elbow injuries that sidelined him in favor of Beno Udrih for most of March. He’s picked up his three point shooting, hitting 47% in April while giving the Spurs 15 minutes a game. Robert Horry, the other 3-point assassin off the bench, also seems to be back in shape after a groin injury.
Question 2: Chemisty
The one consistent here is that there are no off court problems to speak of. On the court, the team is still in the process of adjusting to new talent. The integration of new parts to a championship core is something the Spurs went through last year with Brent Barry and Nazr Mohammad, who was acquired at the 2005 trade deadline but ended the season as the starting center. Both players were patchy, but Barry showed up against Phoenix and gave San Antonio a huge lift off of the bench in game 7 of the NBA Finals. This year? Enter Michael Finley and Nick Van Exel, two former All-Stars known for timely shooting. Both players are still finding their way in the Spurs system, but last year’s team showed that their adjustment period may be best revealed in the playoffs. Expect both to play a major part in some decisive moments in the playoffs.
Question 3: The First Round
San Antonio, for all intensive purposes, will face either the rival Los Angeles Lakers or the resurgent Sacramento Kings in the first round. While nobody wants to play Kobe Bryant in a 7-game series, the Kings are the more daunting opponent, especially after their 97-87 thrashing of the Spurs on April 5th. The Kings had won 6 of their last 7 before a recent loss to the Suns, and the team seems to be gelling late in the season with a well-behaved Ron Artest in the fold. A low seed surging at the end of the season and being picked as a dark horse sound familiar? It should. After the Denver Nuggets ended 2005 on a 32-8 run and stole a game from the Spurs in San Antonio in the opening round, everyone thought the Nuggets had a great chance to knock off the heavily favored Spurs. Not a chance. San Antonio would ultimately knock off the Nuggets in four straight. It make take time for the Spurs to adjust to the niche style of a lower seed like the Kings, who have jump shooting big men and post up wingmen, but once they do, the Spurs defense will lock in.
We all know what the core of Duncan, Bruce Bowen, Ginobili, and Parker is capable of come playoff time (in case you forgot, there is a display case full of trophies at the AT&T Center to remind you). Despite looking vulnerable during the course of the season, the Spurs have 60 wins again, and they find themselves in a similar place to where they were last year. Although injuries and formidable opponents seem to be constantly looming, it looks more and more like Pop and company are right where they should be. |
