It's unwise to take too much from regular season action outside of wins, losses, point differential and a few select major statistical measures. By the time the playoffs roll around, the emotional highs and lows of the 82 tuneup games are mostly -- if not entirely -- forgotten. However, there are common traits that championship teams share. One such universal trait is the ability to self-correct during the midst of a game while exhibiting uncommon calmness in stormy waters.
I think that trait was present for the Spurs during their game tonight against the Nets. I'm uncomfortable throwing the C-word around but that was a very C-ish performance.
The Spurs were shorthanded going into the game. The feel-good, overachieving stage of playing without two of their three star players is over and the team is now faced with the harsh reality of having less weapons than the opposition. Winning with less while on the road is a daunting task, no matter the cir stances. In tonight's second quarter, Brooklyn had a double-digit lead in the second quarter and nothing was going right for San Antonio. The defense was faltering, the Nets were hitting improbable shots, the refs were allowing for a very physical game and the offense was strained to the limits trying to keep it close. It would have been easy for the Spurs to fold up their tents and go through the motions. Being shorthanded not only makes it more difficult to win, it offers a simple, reasonable excuse.
But instead of suc bing to the their own tale of woe, the Spurs righted the ship the way C teams have always done it: diagnosing midstream what is wrong, finding a solution and then imposing their will on the proceedings by playing to their strengths. In San Antonio's case on Sunday night, that meant becoming more physical in the paint, sending quicker help defense, crashing the boards with more ferocity, spacing the court on offense, and utilizing their superior speed, cohesion and passing to create open shots. The Spurs did just that. Turning the knob 180 degrees within a game illustrated a special type of conviction and awareness mortal teams usually don't possess.
I'm not saying the Spurs should be the favorites. I'm not saying a C is in their future. But if you were on the lookout for a promising sign, tonight's game offered a glimpse.
-One area that killed the Spurs last year in the postseason was the lack of interior defense when Tim Duncan was on the bench. Early on against the Nets, that same soft underbelly reared its gooey head. However, the Spurs worked through it and found ways to compensate. Tiago Splitter's improvements were the most notable as the contest progressed but most everyone else also chipped in. The bigs became more physical and the perimeter players defended with more determination and allowed only obstructed ventures into the paint. That's the recipe the Spurs will have to use in the playoffs when Duncan is on the bench.
-We've all made it a point to appreciate what Tim Duncan has done this season. What he's done is truly amazing for someone his age. But we need to be using that same verbiage with regards to Tony Parker. The level he's playing on right now is truly special. I don't even need to rattle off the numbers; if you've watched the games, it's obvious. It's not only the best basketball Parker has ever played, it's the best any Spur has played since Duncan's prime. That is in no way an overstatement. Parker has been as good or better than anyone south of LeBron James for the last 20-25 games.
-San Antonio's small forward position really clicked against the Nets. Kawhi Leonard fit in offensively. He made a difference on D with his activity. Stephen Jackson stayed within his strengths on offense. Defensively, he played a bulldog brand of ball that disrupted Brooklyn's flow repeatedly. When the Spurs get that type of one-two punch from their SFs, they are much more difficult to defeat.
-I have to give my daughter credit for her craftiness. Her new method to con her way out of going to bed is to sobbingly tell me how much she wants to watch basketball. No, you have to go to bed. But I want to watch baaaaasketball. Please, daddy, please. No you have to go to bed. But I like basketball. Sorry you can't.
-She watches intently but doesn't say much other than to point out when a player falls down or gives a high-five. She doesn't seem to mind when I replay the same possession three or four times to see exactly what happened. Her coaxing ability at that young of age scares me, to be honest. Well played, Lala, well played. Your mother is going to be mad if she sees you in here with me past midnight ... but well played.
-I get a little queasy thinking how this season could ride on whether Danny Green is randomly hot or randomly cold at the right time. The good news is that I don't think Green choked against the Thunder. The bad news is that I don't think there is any rhyme or reason to his shooting streaks. It could come down to pure, unadulterated luck.
-If the Spurs can win one of these final two games before the All-Star break, I think they'll be in great shape. They'll be on pace to win 62 games -- and that's not factoring in their home-heaving closing stretch. But, of course, being healthy for the playoffs is priority No. 1.
-Another promising sign: The Spurs are doing great so far this season but it's logical to ascertain that the best may be yet to come. Pop hasn't settled on a rotation. Many role players have underachieved and can be expected to play better between today and the end of the season. The offense hasn't revved up to the level it reached last season. The more Splitter, Duncan and Leonard learn to play with each other, the better the defense should become. Exciting -- healthy permitting -- times could lie ahead.
-It's 2013 and we're still talking about Cs. That's shocking in and of itself.
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