Spurred to Success
- Brad Allred
- Apr 5, 2017
- 3 min read
The San Antonio Spurs are not human.
The Spurs secured another 60-win season Tuesday night by defeating the Memphis Grizzlies 95-89 in overtime, their second such campaign in a row. It’s their sixth season winning at least that many games since the 2002-03 season, and the first time they’ve done it in back-to-back years.
As the NBA season winds down, the argument begins to heat up: Which is the best team in the NBA? The Cavaliers are the defending champs; but they aren't the best team. The Warriors have the best record in the NBA and won the title two years ago; but they aren't the best team either. The best team in the NBA is the San Antonio Spurs.
You might not agree with my assertion, but if the Spurs have earned anything, it is RESPECT. Players and fans alike are forced to admit that the Spurs are formidable. After all, they have the second best record in the league; but wouldn't that make them the second best team?
Let's take a look at their competition. The Cleveland Cavaliers are the defending champs and have made it to the NBA Finals the last two years. Since are currently tied in the East with the Celtics for 1st place, there is a good chance they can make it back to the Finals again - unless something happens to LeBron. Without LeBron, the Cavaliers are just another pretender rather than contender. He carried the Cavs to five straight playoff appearances before taking off for Miami. During his four year hiatus, the Cavs didn't make the playoffs once. When Cleveland's prodigal son returned, he carried the team to two straight Finals and clinched the franchise's first ever championship. However, one player doesn't make a team.
The Golden State Warriors have the best record in the NBA for the third straight year. They too have played in two straight Finals and won it all two years ago. If LeBron isn't the best player in the NBA, then that title belongs to Steph Curry. Klay Thompson has been a superb wing man. With the addition of Kevin Durant, another Top 5 talent, it looked like they were a lock to take another crown this season - until Durant got injured. Yet even with Durant, are they better than last year, or the year before? They've already lost more games than last season and would have to go undefeated to finish better than they did in 2015. Despite having three players averaging 22+ ppg, as a team they are only scoring 10 more ppg (115.8) than the Spurs (106.1), who only have one player averaging more than 18. Having the best players doesn't make you the best team.
The San Antonio Spurs are the gold standard among NBA franchises. They've not only made it to 20 straight playoffs, they've never finished below second in their division during that run. The next longest playoff streak currently belongs to the Atlanta Hawks with nine. In fact, the Spurs have only missed the playoffs five times in their 50 year existence. Only the last place Lakers come close to matching that extended dominance, making the playoffs 43 times over that span.
What is the secret to the Spurs' success? With the Tim Duncan era officially over, weren't they supposed to go through a rebuilding phase? They habitually play with "old guys" and castoffs from other franchises; yet year after year they grind out the victories. Much of their success has to be attributed to Gregg Popovitch. He is the architect of the roster, finding the right pieces that somehow compliment each other to make the whole team much greater than the individual parts. Despite his gruff exterior, he is able to convince each player to put the team ahead of the individual.
You might think that the Spurs would be in dire straits without Kawhi Leonard (26 ppg); yet others have stepped up to win 6 of the 7 games he's missed this season. The Spurs aren't built around one player. They are built to play as a team. Each player has a role, and plays it well - eschewing personal glory in the quest for another ring. Watching them play is like watching poetry in motion. If anyone can stop the Warriors this year, it will be the Spurs!
The tendency with the Spurs dynasty is to reflect. We talk about how long they’ve been good, about where their Big Three ranks against the other top trios and we remember the years they won their five titles.
I say we should look forward to even more success with this team. With Popovich, Kawhi and management that almost always makes the right move, San Antonio’s future looks nearly as promising as its past.
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