RB: Spurs upcoming schedule to test mettle

[Blackjack]

Spurs upcoming schedule to test mettle

by Zvon Knezovic - Reigning Black

After being swept in the second round of last year’s playoffs, few would have predicted the Spurs to be sitting atop the West — and the league — with a 26-4 record. But even after racking up wins at a franchise record pace, question marks still remain as to whether this Spurs team can truly challenge for their fifth championship.

For all the superlatives thrown the way of this new and improved Spurs team, they've yet to really test themselves against the big boys of the league. Their best wins to date have been on the road against the Jazz and Thunder — likely 50-win teams, and not expected by most to seriously contend through June – and at home against the old Magic — who later went on a run of 7 losses in 8 outings before shaking things up with a trade (and delivered a 22-point blitzing of the Spurs — albeit on a back to back for San Antonio). However, the upcoming schedule will afford the Spurs an opportunity to test themselves against what are very likely to be the two biggest roadblocks standing in the way of an NBA Finals return.

The Spurs will play host to Kobe and the Lakers tonight, and then travel to Dallas on Thursday to take a second crack at Dirk and the new and improved Mavs. If the Spurs are to make a return to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2007, they will likely have to go through at least one, if not both outfits come the playoffs. It’s safe to say, when it comes to the Lakers and Mavs, the Spurs won’t find a tougher test in terms of matchups.

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[Agloco]

No doubt........ on Jan 6 we will have a much clearer picture of where this team is. Jan 6 is the day after the Boston game.....

[SenorSpur]

The Lakers present matchup problems for every contender, but possibly none more so than the Spurs, who lack size and another interior presence to compliment Duncan. Tiago Splitter was suppose to fill that void, but after missing training camp and the entire preseason, as well as the new offensive focus brought forth by the coaching staff, the Brazilian bigman hasn’t been able to establish himself in the rotation. Instead, the Spurs are likely to combat LA’s frontline of Gasol, Bynum and Odom, with Tim Duncan and the undersized trio of DeJuan Blair, Matt Bonner and Antonio McDyess.

Despite the fact that the Spurs have not met the Fakers in the playoffs since 2008, this glaring disadvantage has clearly been something many of us all feared heading into this past offseason. There is no question that both Blair and Bonner will be exposed in any matchup against this team.

In as much as Splitter was expected to help be a helpful antidote to the long, tall Faker frontline, his early season setback, due to injury, the lack of playing time, and the overall lack of confidence from Pop, have all worked to undermine his progress.

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

:tu great article!

[TD 21]

Good article. But this notion that the Lakers bigs are excellent rebounders is flat out wrong.

Duncan is 11th in rebound rate at 19.3, Blair is 15th at 18.4 and McDyess is 31st at 16.7. Gasol is T-37th at 16.0, Odom is 49th at 15.3 and Bynum is at 15.4 (not yet ranked because he's only played 6 games). The last two seasons, he was at 15.6 and 15.3, so his current rate is not a product of him working his way back into game shape/rhythm.

As a team, the Lakers are T-6th at 51.4 and the Spurs are 13th at 50.5. Last season, the Spurs were 3rd at 52.0 and the Lakers were 8th at 51.2. Head to head last season, the Spurs were a +8 on the glass in the 4 meetings (although Bynum missed 3 and Odom missed 1).

As much as people think their size advantage automatically equates to them owning the Spurs on the glass, it's not true. I wouldn't bet on the Spurs out rebounding them in a series, but I expect them to hold their own.