NFL
By: Jeffrey Newholm
The Spurs’ four titles in seven years in the mid 2000’s may be an accomplishment that pales in comparison to the flashes of brilliance from the Bulls, Celtics and Lakers. But for what the Spurs lack in short term dynamism they make up for in consistency. The team currently owns the official NBA record for consecutive 50 win seasons. They hold the unofficial record for number of times they’ve bounced back after being counted out. In fact San Antonio recently had a threepeat of postseason heartbreak only to come back strong each subsequent year. In 2011 the 60 win Spurs lost in the first round to the eight seeded Grizz. In 2012 a 20 game winning streak going into the West finals turned into a four game season ending losing streak. And then there was the 2013 finals. Not only was the ending devastating, it seemed to mark a changing of the guard from Tim Duncan’s team to Lebron’s Heat team. After a five point lead with 30 seconds to go in game six went up in smoke, so did the dynasty, it seemed. But 2014 was a dominant title team. After a sub-par 2015, this year has the makings of another one. There’s just one minor obstacle.
Golden State.
Yes, one would think a team that’s 45-8 going into the break would hog all the headlines. But the Spurs may as well be the pre-Popovich Spurs for all the press they’ve gotten for it. Everything the Spurs can do, the Warriors can do better. San Antonio currently has the fifth longest home streak in NBA history at 37 games. Well Golden State has the second longest at 42. The Spurs play a hard-nosed, grind it out style of play and actually lead the league in margin of victory at 13.3 points a game. But who cares about that when the Warriors play such an exciting style of play, jacking up threes that lead to absurd point totals for Steph Curry and embarrassing beat-downs of supposed challengers. They beat Cleveland by 34. They smoked Chicago by 31. And yes they even beat San Antonio by 30. The Warriors broke the NBA record for longest winning streak to start the season and could even break the ’96 Bulls record of 72 wins. But here’s a warning to Golden State bandwagoners: don’t plan your victory celebration just yet. And even the Warriors do win the 2016 title, don’t apply for trademarks for clever titles for additional championships. The West has a double dynasty at the top, and the Spurs aren’t about to cede control to their nouveau rich challengers. Let’s take a closer look at the old guard Spurs.
Yes, the key players of the past Spurs success are on their way out. Duncan has missed 13 games this year and averages less than ten points a game. Tony Parker’s point and minute averages have progressively gone down each of the last four years. But there is young talent already on the roster to fill their roles. Kawhi Leonard was one of the goats of the 2013 finals because his missed free throw preceded Ray Allen’s tying three. But Pop didn’t throw his second year player under the bus and I’d say Leonard shook the miscue off pretty well. He has since become 2014 finals MVP, 2015 defensive player of the year and his point and minute averages have gone up each year since, to the point he leads the team in scoring at 20 points a game. This off-season the team signed him to a five year max contract extension. Perhaps some counted the Spurs out yet again after the team finished sixth last year and lost in the first round. Well first of all had they won one more game they would have finished second. There was that little difference between the top teams in the West last year. And secondly the team signed star free agent Lamarcus Aldridge to a four year contract. Aldridge is second on the team with 17 points a game and leads the team in rebounding with eight boards a game. I don’t know how much longer Duncan and Parker will play. But I do know Leonard and Aldridge will be around for at least three more years. And as for that 30 point loss to the Warriors? So Pop’s team lost big in Oakland…In January. With Duncan not playing. I’ll take that as mere sandbagging. Why waste the team’s best effort in the regular season when it’s clear Golden State will be the one seed and San Antonio the two? All that matters is the seemingly inevitable West finals matchup this spring. You can bet your bottom buck the team will be more competitive when it really counts.
To be clear: Golden State is not a bully or villain. Their runaway success is the rising tide that lifts all boats. Even Pop himself recently said on ESPN radio: “I’ve spent more time thinking about Golden State than I have any other team I’ve ever thought about in my whole career. Because they are really fun”. There’s nothing wrong with one team being on top. But they need some sort of obstacle to make winning the title satisfying. Last year the Warrior’s romp to the crown was pretty much unchallenged, which is fun for one year. But if they win so easily every year, fans league-wide would lose interest. That’s why the Spurs are just as important to this year’s narrative as the Warriors. Because every champ needs a talented foil lest they make a mockery of the league. The Spurs are that foil. And for that we should be grateful.
You can follow me on Twitter @JeffreyNewholm and our blog @NutsAndBoltsSP.
