The Next Lamb: The San Antonio Spurs

Game 34: San Antonio (29-5) at Boston (26-7)

Wednesday, January 5

7:30 p.m. Eastern

NBA League Pass

At the end of last season (prior to Boston's run to the Finals, anyway) a lot of NBA people were saying the same thing about the Spurs as they were about the Celtics; namely, that these were two former heavyweights whose championship windows had closed. Now, with the halfway point of the 2010-11 season approaching, the Spurs have the league's best record and have been the surprise team thus far.

What's so fascinating about San Antonio is that they've resurrected themselves among the NBA's elite by completely changing their style of play. For years, the Spurs have been associated with slow-paced, defense-oriented, and (to some) boring basketball. This offseason, however, the coaching staff decided to change to a more up-tempo attack -- and with Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker healthy, the team has flourished. The 72 points the Spurs gave up to the Knicks in the first half on Tuesday night aren't exactly par for the course, but it isn't going to give Gregg Popovich a heart attack the way it might have in recent years. (The fact that San Antonio scored 69 points themselves in the first half helps.)

What this means is less reliance on Tim Duncan, arguably the best power forward ever to play in the NBA. Statistically speaking, the 34-year-old Duncan is having the worst season of his 14-year career, with his stats -- including his minutes -- at career lows almost across the board. But he's by no means been put out to pasture, and with Kevin Garnett out of Boston's lineup, it wouldn't surprise me to see a heavy dose of Duncan on Wednesday.

Parker is the point guard, but in my mind it's Ginobili who is the true key to San Antonio's success. The improvisational Argentine has often drawn the ire of Popovich with his freelancing ways, but he has more freedom in this system and his ability to score and to create for others isn't matched by too many players currently in the league.

Another key to the Spurs' winning ways has been the re-emergence of Richard Jefferson, one of the front-runners for Comeback Player of the Year. He signed a pretty big free agent contract with San Antonio two offseasons ago, then drew the ire of many Spurs fans with a poor performance. He got some personal instruction from Popovich this offseason, and has been much more effective this year. His statistics look almost exactly the same, except for one key area: three-point shooting. Last season, he shot 31.6 percent on 2.3 attempts per game; this season, he's at 43.2 percent on more than four attempts per game.

The long ball is a big part of the Spurs' attack. They were 11th in the league in attempts last season, but that's moved up to fifth this season, and they are near the top of the league in percentage from behind the arc. It a major component of Ginobili's arsenal, and perhaps the only weapon of note for backup center Matt Bonner and rookie reserve guard Gary Neal. Boston is among the best teams in the league at guarding the three-point shot, so that will be a big key.

Inside, in addition to Duncan, the Spurs start second-year player DeJuan Blair, who is very short for the center position but is active, skilled, and strong as an ox. He struggled to start the year but put together a very nice December. Given Shaquille O'Neal's recent struggles, Blair is a guy to worry about, especially on the offensive glass.

San Antonio started with a very easy schedule, and most people assumed they'd come back down to earth a bit during this difficult stretch of games. Although they did suffer a loss to Orlando on December 23 (foreseeable, on the second night of a back-to-back), they won five in a row before losing to the Knicks, including big-time blowout wins over the Lakers and Thunder, and a tight win in Dallas over the Dirk Nowitzki-less Mavs. Wednesday's game in Boston, on the second night of a road back-to-back, is another potential measuring stick for the Spurs. But Popovich has always played the regular season with an eye toward the playoffs, so there's a chance this marquee matchup could turn into a dud. Otherwise, it should be a good game.

Also, my beautiful girlfriend (who celebrated a birthday today) wants me to mention that she's a Spurs fan. A big Spurs fan. A scream-at-the-TV-even-though-it's-the-first-quarter-of-a-regular-season-game, will-forever-carry-a-grudge-against-Roger-Mason-Jr., forgives-Tony-Parker-even-though-she-loves-Eva-Longoria Spurs fan. I know what you're thinking, and yes, it's tough to take, especially given the fact that we were the ones supposed to get Duncan all those years back (which would have made her a Celtics fan; her allegiance to San Antonio comes from liking Duncan in college). But given that I met her in Los Angeles, it could be a lot worse, no?

Boston 90, San Antonio 83

[recap] [box score]

Spurs fans were left grumbling over their team's performance last night. I think Boston can take credit, to an extent, for San Antonio's shooting (42 percent from the field, 2-of-16 from deep), as well as a great number of their 18 turnovers. Boston can't take assert that they had any influence on San Antonio's free throw shooting (an awful 7-for-17), and had the Spurs knocked down a few more freebies, it might have had a different outcome.

Of course, it might have been an easier win for Boston if not for Spurs rookie DeJuan Blair, who threw up an 18/11 on 9-for-11 shooting, with five offensive boards. Like many people, I was stunned when he fell as far as he did in the draft this summer, and he's proved all of us right. He's going to be a handful, if not a beast, in this league for as long as his problematic knees hold out. I might be able to forgive passing on using a first-round pick on him and thereby giving him guaranteed money, because of his injury history, but there's no excuse for not snapping him up immediately in the second. San Antonio's other major offseason acquisition, Richard Jefferson, hasn't found a rhythm with the team yet, but Blair was the Spurs best player, hands down, Thursday night. If I have one critique of him, it's that he doesn't use his strength enough to go through people with the ball on the way up for his shot. He's very short for a post player, and he does a lot of double-clutching to avoid shotblockers. I'd like to see him seek out that contact more and get a few more and-ones, but man, that guy is going to be good. Super relentless on the O-glass, too.

A couple of you pointed out to me, before I noticed, that Brian Scalabrine and Matt Bonner spent a lot of their court time guarding each other. Quite a treat to watch these two red-haired, perimeter-oriented-despite-being-six-foot-nine-and-unathletic-compared-to-the-rest-of-the-NBA veteran forwards go at each other, even exchanging baskets during one sequence. Really, switch these guys' uniforms and I don't think anyone notices.

Next game is tonight at Oklahoma City in a really tricky second game of a back-t0-back. I haven't gotten to watch a ton of the Thunder this year. I saw them play the Clippers live here in LA, and they seemed to content to stand around and throw up jumpers, making just enough to win in a very listless performance. On the other hand, they've blown out Orlando at home and have road wins in Orlando, San Antonio, and Utah already this year. It's going to take a hell of an effort to beat Kevin Durant & Co. tonight on tired legs.

San Antonio 105, Boston 99

Kind of a surprising game yesterday.

[recap] [box score] [highlights]

I'm not used to seeing that kind of intensity, particulary on the defensive end, from San Antonio on the defensive end. I'm not used to the Celtics -- not these Celtics, anyway -- losing games when they're up three and the ball with a minute to play. And I'm certainly not used to seeing Matt Bonner score 23 points.

As always, I'm (reluctantly) impressed with the Spurs. So good defensively when they apply themselves like they did against us, and a seemingly endless roster of unflappable players who step up in big moments. Rookie George Hill, out of IUPUI, had all seven of his points in the fourth quarter. Bonner pulled the Spurs to within one late, after which Roger Mason Jr. - who is making a habit of these things - drained a leaning three-ball to take the lead for good.

The one thing I didn't like too much about this game was that I thought Paul Pierce really forced the offense, particlarly late in the third and early in the fourth when he was playing with the second string. He's obviously the man in that spot and we need scoring from him, but he's gotta recognize that teams are focused on him in those situations, and a good defense team like the Spurs won't let him get in the lane. I also with we'd stop running that set where he posts up on the same latitudinal line as Rajon Rondo, 15 feet from the basket on the opposite elbow, and Rondo loops the ball to him. That's a pass that's just waiting to get stolen in a big moment. It's long, slow, loopy -- and wost of all, easy to see coming.

We lost a chance to pick up a game on the Cleveland Cavaliers in the race for Eastern supremacy (and homecourt advantage through the Eastern Conference finals). The Los Angeles Lakers dealt the Cavs their first home loss of the season, and this is about the only time it's' acceptable to be happy about a Lakers win. LA picked up another win against us for home court should we both make the Finals, but I still think that the loss of Andrew Bynum is enough to keep up with the win pace of the elite Eastern teams.

Two off days now before a New Orleans-Dallas back-to-back in advance of the All-Star Game. It's the start of a six-game road trip. The Mavs game is on TNT on Thursday at 9:30 p.m. Eastern.