Sports Illustrated gives the Spurs a midseason grade of A++

[Uriel]

San Antonio Spurs: A++

Record: 36–6
Off. Rating: 3 | Def. Rating: 1 | Net Rating: 1

Well, this one isn’t particularly difficult. The Spurs are on pace to shatter the all-time record for point differential, entering Monday’s action at +14.2 (nearly two full points better than the '72 Lakers at 12.3). They are undefeated at home, they own the league’s best defense by a country mile, they lead the league in double-digit wins (28, five more than everyone else) and 20+ point wins (15, six more than everyone else), and they have been the NBA’s steadiest and most dominant team, by a fairly wide margin, since Dec. 1. Somehow, they’ve managed to avoid major injuries throughout, allowing newcomer LaMarcus Aldridge to integrate with coach Gregg Popovich’s big starting lineup and smaller secondary lineups alike. On top of all of that, San Antonio has also introduced the world to 7'3" center Boban Marjanovic, the most intriguing garbage time sensation in years.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrMbPcNi3tQ

Like the Warriors, the Spurs possess an MVP candidate (Kawhi Leonard), a deep and versatile rotation (every Spurs player currently boasts a +10 or better net rating, which seems impossible but is true), and elite performance on both offense and defense. On many nights, the Spurs look even more formidable than the 2014 title team, even if Tim Duncan is doing less on offense and Danny Green has yet to get going from deep. They just have so many weapons and they are so precise in their execution. Anything other than a Golden State/San Antonio showdown in the West finals would be more than a little deflating, and giving San Antonio anything other than the same grade as Golden State would have been a disservice.

http://www.si.com/nba/2016/01/19/nba-midseason-grades-warriors-spurs-cavaliers-knicks-pelicans

[DJR210]

SI has been on the Spurs bandwagon for a while now..

[Sybok]

Is that 28 double digit wins 5 more than "everyone else" or 5 more than "anyone else"? If the latter, that's not a small mistake.

[steeledl]

No mention the Simmons . Smh

[exstatic]

Is that 28 double digit wins 5 more than "everyone else" or 5 more than "anyone else"? If the latter, that's not a small mistake.

I think it's 'everyone'. At one point, they made a point of telling fans that SA had more 20 p wins than GS, OKC, and CLE combined.

[MI21]

I think it's 'everyone'. At one point, they made a point of telling fans that SA had more 20 p wins than GS, OKC, and CLE combined.

I'm pretty sure there has been more 28 double digit point differential results in the NBA season excluding Spurs games...

Think about it for a second :lol

[LittleCriminal]

"San Antonio has also introduced the world to 7'3" center Boban Marjanovic, the most intriguing garbage time sensation in years."
Lol

[BatManu20]

SI drinking the kool-aid. Helps even out the love fest that ESPN's been showing the Warriors I guess.

[raybies]

"San Antonio has also introduced the world to 7'3" center Boban Marjanovic, the most intriguing garbage time sensation in years."
Lol

Who I just started a thread about if he'd start next year to put things in perspective lol

[Uriel]

Is that 28 double digit wins 5 more than "everyone else" or 5 more than "anyone else"? If the latter, that's not a small mistake.
I was wondering that too as I was reading it. If it's the former, then our team is holy-shit-fucking-amzing level. :lol

[Uriel]

SI drinking the kool-aid. Helps even out the love fest that ESPN's been showing the Warriors I guess.
Actually, ESPN came out with its own midseason grades, and gave the Spurs an A+.

http://espn.go.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/14592342/western-conference-midseason-grades-nba

[Cowboys_Wear_Spurs]

"San Antonio has also introduced the world to 7'3" center Boban Marjanovic, the most intriguing garbage time sensation in years."
Lol

He is really the reason why the Spurs have maintained or expanded their lead in garbage time of each game. Teams sometimes still play their starters and 2nd string players in garbage time and Boban still owns them.

[UNT Eagles 2016]

He is really the reason why the Spurs have maintained or expanded their lead in garbage time of each game. Teams sometimes still play their starters and 2nd string players in garbage time and Boban still owns them.
Whereas the Spurs would routinely turn 20+ point leads into 12-14 point wins (or less) in the past when we'd trot out pathetic lineups featuring Errors, CancerJo, Belinelli, Williams and Bonner.

[spursistan]

Whereas the Spurs would routinely turn 20+ point leads into 12-14 point wins (or less) in the past when we'd trot out pathetic lineups featuring Errors, CancerJo, Belinelli, Williams and Bonner.
How many times last season Pop had to reinsert Tony/Kawhi/Diaw/TD when those bums turn a 25-point blowout into 12 point shaky lead between the 7th and 4th minute mark of the 4th?

[Cowboys_Wear_Spurs]

How many times last season Pop had to reinsert Tony/Kawhi/Diaw/TD when those bums turn a 25-point blowout into 12 point shaky lead between the 7th and 4th minute mark of the 4th?

A bunch. Spurs bench would get outscored by like 12-14 points in like 4-5 minutes. Not once this year has the starters have to come into the game having a 15pt + lead going into the 4th. The lineup of West or Diaw, Boban, KA, Simmons and Butler has been downright tearing teams benches up, even most teams 2nd unit.

[wildbill2u]

How about this? Even if Pop puts in Butler, McCallum and Bonner they aren't going to embarrass the team. They are legitimate NBA players.

[Mr. Body]

A bunch. Spurs bench would get outscored by like 12-14 points in like 4-5 minutes. Not once this year has the starters have to come into the game having a 15pt + lead going into the 4th. The lineup of West or Diaw, Boban, KA, Simmons and Butler has been downright tearing teams benches up, even most teams 2nd unit.

This has been pretty big, IMO. Games stay done. The starters haven't had to warm themselves back up again and stay rested.

[Cry Havoc]

featuring Errors

Who?

[UNT Eagles 2016]

Who?
Jeff Pendergraph, also known as Jeff Ayers, colloquially known as Jeff "Errors" on ST and a few other Spurs sites.

[Cry Havoc]

Jeff Pendergraph, also known as Jeff Ayers, colloquially known as Jeff "Errors" on ST and a few other Spurs sites.

Who?

[SAGirl]

How about this? Even if Pop puts in Butler, McCallum and Bonner they aren't going to embarrass the team. They are legitimate NBA players.
I will agree with you. As long as you have the core of Boban/Anderson/Simmons, put any other two, RAy, Butler, Bonner, Danny... they are not going to blow that lead. Sometimes they will get scored on, like when they make Boban come out to guard a 3, but the thing is Boban would go right to the other end and get it back. For the most part they expand a lead, but if anything at least they maintain it. That just tells you right there, these three (Boban/Anderson/Simmons) are legit NBA players and have talent.

[Solid D]

Las Vegas odds-makers will have to put a +1 into their spread formula, the "Boban depth factor."

[UNT Eagles 2016]

Who?
:lol