The 5 Keys to Winning It All. The Spurs Can Win Another Championship IF…


  1. They stay healthy!

    The Spurs aren’t getting any younger. Well, on second, thought… actually, they are. They’ve made significant youthful additions to this roster each of the past few years. But San Antonio’s “big-3” isn’t getting any younger. Fortunately for the Spurs, none of their all-star performers played international ball over the summer. Everyone stayed home and rested to prepare for the upcoming season. For Manu Ginobili, this will be his second consecutive off-season of rest. This certainly bodes well for the silver and black. And of course, the future Hall of Fame Coach, Greg Popovich, will limit the minutes of his star players, especially Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili, throughout the regular season to ensure they’re at their best when it counts the most.

    Several players also came to camp lighter and in better shape than last season. Power forward, DeJuan Blair, cut his body fat from 14% to 8% over the summer. Richard Jefferson has also worked hard to get himself in peak physical condition, and Tim Duncan can into camp noticeably lighter, in order to reduce pressure on his 30-something knees and back. This is the most obvious of all truths, but the Spurs must remain reasonably healthy if they are to play deep into the playoffs come springtime. And as the “Thin is in!” sign hanging in their practice facility would seem to indicate, health has been major focus of Popovich’s squad this summer.

  2. The Spurs return to championship level defense

    Richard Jefferson has been laboring over the summer to improve his game on BOTH ends of the floor. He is no Bruce Bowen; not a lock-down defender… but his ability to at least considerably slow down the better “two’s” & “three’s” in the league will be critical to the Spurs’ success. But it’s their latest European import, 6’11” Tiago Splitter, who represents the greatest potential defensive renovation.

    Every championship San Antonio team has featured TWO noteworthy low-post defenders, and Tiago Splitter – along with Tim Duncan – could once again give the Spurs a “twin towers” combo capable of defending the paint. Splitter’s defensive ability is believed by many to be more evolved at this point in his career than his offensive game, and Spurs officials believe Splitter can have a considerable impact on the defensive end of the floor. While he will undoubtedly spend a good bit of time spelling Tim Duncan, Tiago has the mobility to play alongside Duncan without slowing the pace of the game to a crawl.

  3. Tony Parker has a big season

    The 2009-2010 season was a remarkably disappointing one for Tony Parker. Hobbled with plantar fasciitis, among other ailments, most of the season, Parker was unable to be the consistent offensive weapon he had been in recent years. But Tony enters this season healthy, having abstained from international play over the summer, opting instead to make sure he would be well rested and 100% when the Spurs break camp. After last season, he feels he has something to prove, but that’s not his only motivation. It’s no secret that this a contract year for Tony, and he has been open about his belief that this may be his last opportunity to win a championship alongside Tim Duncan and Co. Now healthy and highly motivated, a big season from Tony Parker seems a smart bet.
  4. Richard Jefferson steps up in his sop re San Antonio season

    Talk to any player who has ever had to acclimate to the Spurs system in the Greg Popovich era, and they’ll tell you “It ain’t easy”. It was especially challenging for new Spur, Richard Jefferson, last season, given that he had played “run-and-gun” offense (in stark contrast to the Spurs’ preferred offensive flow) every year since high school. Add to that the difficulty of being scorer trying to feel out your role among several other prominent scorers… and last season was a less than comfortable one for Richard Jefferson in San Antonio. And it showed.

    But again, Jefferson has worked tirelessly over the summer to adjust both offensively and defensively, spending a great deal of time with Greg Popovich to get a better handle on the system and his role within it. Mentally, Jefferson is already in a better place. He is much more comfortable and confident heading into his second season in San Antonio and should more closely resemble the player Spurs fans were looking forward to seeing this time last year.
  5. The kids come through in a big way

    The Spurs are optimistic about what a healthy “big-3” can bring to the floor, and they’re hopeful that Richard Jefferson can make that a “big-FOUR” this season. But that won’t be enough to get past the NBA’s elite. To compete for a championship, the Spurs will need a championship supporting cast. And that will start with kids: Tiago Splitter, George Hill, DeJuan Blair… and to a lesser extent, guys like James Anderson and Gary Neal.

    At age 25, Splitter isn’t new to pro ball, however, he IS new to the NBA – and certainly to the Spurs system. Tiago was considered by many to be the best big man in Europe when he signed with San Antonio, and his ability to adapt to the NBA and the Spurs’ way of doing business with be a critical factor in the team’s success.

    George Hill and DeJuan Blair, entering their second and third NBA campaigns respectively, will be called upon to play larger roles this season. Hill displayed tremendous improvement last season, earning more minutes and more trust from Greg Popovich. Chances are, he’ll be called upon more often to play highly meaningful minutes right out of the gate.

    Blair has already been named an opening night starter after an impressive preseason. His ability to clean the glass has been well do ented, but he has more offensive talent in the post than many realize, and he spent more hours refining his shot over the summer than he spent sleeping. Don’t be surprised to hear great deal more DeJuan Blair buzz around the league the season.

    Many believe Hill has all-star potential, and some are beginning to say the same about DeJuan Blair. If one or both can play at a high level with more consistency this season, that could go a long way toward putting the Spurs back in the championship conversation.

    James Anderson and Gary Neal may each be called upon to play a much smaller, but still crucial role. When they’re on the floor, they’ll be asked to knock down 3’s and open jumpers. This is something the Spurs sorely lacked during their last playoff run, and without the ability to make opposing defenses pay for collapsing on the paint, they cannot achieve the lofty goals they’ve set for the season ahead. So while Anderson and Neal won’t be called upon to take many shots, the ones they do take could be critically important.


    Adding one more championship banner to the rafters at the AT&T Center wont’ be easy. Everything will have to come together. However, the Spurs do have the talent to reseat themselves among the NBA’s elite. If they remain healthy, this could be the best showing from the Spurs’ “big-3”, as a whole, in several years. And if Jefferson can put together a quality season and highly talented kids like Hill, Blair and Splitter make substantial contributions; the Spurs could prove to the world that their Duncan-era championship window has not yet closed.