The Spurs have been a true dynasty in the league over the last decade and half. They have won four championships since 1999. Coach Gregg Popovich is currently the longest tenured head coach in league. Students of the game can learn a lot from observing how meticulously the Spurs execute their plays and their opponents.
Check out an example, of how wide open Popovich got Duncan underneath the rim through simple screens:
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http://nbaplaybook.com/2011/01/13/a-beautiful-play-by-gregg-popovich-puts-the-game-away/
Its not just the on court members who make this organization tick. The Spurs front office has made a habit of picking diamonds in the troughs. Or maybe the players they pick are transformed by the culture of the Spurs. They don’t just pick players based on hype. They have six international players on their roster currently, it shows how extensive their research is going into scouting prospective talent. Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili were unsung and unsought players whom the Spurs picked up and helped become the superstars they are today.
The key to the Spurs success lies with the entire team working together as a whole. Tim Duncan is averaging average numbers, but Mr. Fundamental is always a reliable bailout option for any situation. You can bank on his bank shots.
Plus, he’s not let age catch up to him all the way yet as is evidenced by this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7AoBj6tnnA
El Contusion, Manu Ginobili, is one of the best players in the league. He doesn’t have the monster raw athleticism of LeBron or Wade, but he has enough to service him well with his savvy and smarts. He does everything. Dive around, take it inside, do it from outside, play pestering defense and check out this bullet of a baseball pass:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpIgF-8BECk
In terms of numbers, Tony Parker has been the MVP of the Spurs this season without a doubt. He’s been averaging 18.3 ppg and 7.7 assists. A one man fast break attack, for a small guard, he gets inside the lane a disproportionate number of times. He’s even led the league in points in the paint for a large part of the 05-06 season. What he does really well is toss up a teardrop floater with a deceptively quick release. But this season his game at the rim has fallen off a bit. http://www.48minutesofhell.com/48moh-statistical-sleuthing-on-tony-in-the-paint
The Spurs have a couple more spark plugs on offense. Gary Neal and Stephen Jackson can light it up at a moment’s notice. And with Gregg Popovich at the helm you cannot sleep on any of the Spurs players.
Guess who hit a game winner for the Spurs in the preseason? Kawhi Leonard.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQHkW0sazlw
Kawhi who? Say rather the open man who got the ball and got off a good look. Trust Gregg Popovich to put players in positions where they can make a difference, irrespective of their track record. He may be the best head coach in the league right now.
The Spurs lead the West, but they did last year as well when they got eliminated by the Memphis Grizzlies. They aren’t going to be caught off guard this time around.
