The San Antonio Spurs are a great team. I am not the first person to say this, and I won't be the last. But, as in many past seasons, they are also the most overlooked team, a team that continually sneaks up on their opponents, wins games at all costs, and enters the playoffs as perhaps the healthiest team, and, in the writer's estimation, the favorite to bring the Larry O'Brien trophy back to the Alamo City.
Now, I realize that Las Vegas has Miami, Chicago, and Oklahoma City as the odds on favorites to win the title (respectively they are set at 7-5, 3-1 and 3-1.) However, the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks are also two of the top-seven favorites according to Sin City, so take those odds with a large grain of salt. However, it is more than odds when it comes time for the playoffs. It is about personnel, health, coaching, experience and match-ups. And, when it comes to the San Antonio Spurs, they score an A+ in all of the categories they can actually control (match-ups will come down to the end of the season and is outside the Spurs' power.)
The reason this post is titled "Five Easy Pieces" has nothing to do with Jack Nicholson (though it might if the Spurs and Lakers face off in a second-round match-up). No, the title of this post refers to the Spurs personnel, and their rabbi, Greg Popovich. Over the past 10 years in the NBA, no coach has succeeded as much as Popovich with limited role players, a smaller budget, and a brand of basketball that many have written off as stodgy and boring. But, the Spurs keep on trucking, they keep on winning, and right now they are on pace to win their second consecutive #1 seed in the Western Conference.
The reason for the Spurs success is no secret, their players buy in to Popovich's system, they play fundamentally sound basketball, everyone knows their role, they have a great and stoic leader (Tim Duncan), and they have players who are willing to sacrifice their own talents for the success of the team. None of this is new. In fact, the New York Times described in detail just last week how successful the relationship between Duncan and Popovich has been over the years, because the two are selfless individuals, focused more on wins, than style.
Right now, the Spurs have one of the league's hottest players in Tony Parker. He is a speedy point guard who has become the focal point of their offense, and has improved as a defender to the point where he will not be over-matched by "top-tier" point guards like Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook and Derrick Rose. The Spurs have the luxury of bringing Manu Ginobili off the bench, a player who provides dynamic offense, can shoot from anywhere, defends well, and brings an intensity that has not been seen from a South American since Pablo Escobar did this. The Spurs have quality big men in DeJuan Blair and Tiago Splitter. Quality wing players who are "jack-of-all-trades" in Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green and Gary Neal. Wild card back-up players in Stephen Jackson and Boris Diaw. And lastly, a dynamic big man who stretches the floor and opens up driving lanes for the guards, in Matt Bonner.
The Spurs are rested. Lately, none of their players have spent more than 30 minutes a night on the floor, and the statistics are different each night. One night Parker is the engine, the next night Duncan puts up a vintage 22 and 13 with 3 blocks, 3 steals and 5 assists, and on another night Manu Ginobili goes perfect from the line, shoots over 50% from the field and scores 20+ points. These guys are just easy-going pieces who are interchangeable and unaffected by egos.
It should be reiterated that it starts at the top with their laid-back, Pinot-snob coach who can use his players like chess pieces, making substitutions on the fly and making beautiful music with each victory, in the regular season and the post season.
For all the flash that the Big Three in Miami bring, all the hype about the best 1-2 punch in Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook in Oklahoma City, and the top-overall seed Chicago Bulls, the San Antonio Spurs are my pick to win the NBA Finals this season. Two weeks from now, they could be losing a series to the Memphis Grizzlies, Los Angeles Lakers, or Dallas Mavericks. But, when you have selfless players, a brilliant coach, and talent at every position, I highly doubt they will bend, or break.
NBA Playoff Picks:
Eastern Conference:
Chicago, Miami, Indiana and Boston advance to the second round.
Chicago and Miami advance to the ECF.
Chicago wins the East.
Western Conference:
San Antonio, Oklahoma City, LA Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies advance to the second round.
San Antonio and OKC advance to the WCF.
San Antonio wins the West.
San Antonio over Chicago in six games.
