
Exactly. This is the most obvious turn of events on ST. Like clockwork.
Parker's struggles this season are almost entirely due to injuries. He has had some struggles adjusting to the altered personnel around him but not more than any other player on the team. When he's moving freely and not limping around the court, he's still an All-Star level asset.
The theory that the lack of shooters is hurting Parker just doesn't jive with reality. He's finishing fine at the rim -- even better than last season. His dip in offensive production is due to a drop in his own perimeter shooting percentage.
The Spurs have enough talent to win with only two healthy members of the Big 3. In fact, the Spurs are 3-0 this season without Duncan and 4-1 without Manu. With this latest win, the Spurs are now 3-2 without Parker ... so it's not like Parker sitting out is the secret to Spurs success.
Saying Parker should come off the bench or that the Spurs are better with Hill as the point guard is just crazy talk. For the Spurs to win a championship, they need TP playing at a high level. They have no shot at winning it all with a gimpy Parker or with him playing a reduced role. He's by far the best PG on the team (he's arguably the only PG on the team), he's the best playmaker on the team (Manu is very possibly the better passer but even then TP would easily be the second best passer on the team) and Parker getting easy buckets off penetration is the lifeblood of the team's offense. He has flaws but when healthy he's definitely an elite point guard in the NBA.
I'll never understand why Parker is such a difficult player for New Age Spurs Fans to appreciate. For his whole career, these type of threads have popped up -- no matter how well he's playing. I guess TP will only be appreciated once he's gone and Spurs fans really see what it's like to have an issue at the point guard position.