Lessons Learned so Far from San Antonio Spurs' First-Round Series with Clippers

Four games into the 2015 playoffs, the San Antonio Spurs seem as likely to make a first-round exit as they do to win it all. They're split 2-2 with the Los Angeles Clippers and have showcased everything from uninhibited two-way dominance to frustrating struggles on both ends of the floor.

Individual performances have been inconsistent, with Kawhi Leonard's officially solidified superstardom the only positive constant.

The rest of the players have been up and down, and the back-and-forth nature of the series has showcased that much.

Though the remaining two or three games will tell the rest of the story, the scope of the Spurs' accomplishments and struggles already offer plenty of first-round takeaways.

Shooting Slumps Might Be the Spurs' Downfall

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After Game 1, I cited the team's poor shooting percentages—36.6, 30.3 and 53.8 from the floor, perimeter and free-throw line, respectively—as a primary reason for the defeat.

Through four games, poor shooting has continued to be the Spurs' downfall.

Game 4's loss can be credited to a variety of factors, but the team's 6-of-25 three-point shooting is undoubtedly at the top of the list. 

In fact, three-point shooting has slowed the team down in every contest, including the ones in which San Antonio won.

In the four games so far, the team has posted the following clips from beyond the arc:

• Game 1 - 10 of 33
• Game 2 - 8 of 25
• Game 3 - 6 of 23
• Game 4 - 6 of 25

Manu Ginobili hasn't been his usual sharpshooting self off the bench, and Marco Belinelli has failed to emerge as a reliable source of production yet.

Danny Green is still the worst offender. The two games in which he has failed to show up (both losses) highlight how much better the Spurs are when Green is another offensive weapon for the opposition to worry about. 

He was held scoreless in Game 4, going 0-of-6 from deep. His defensive aptitude make benching him a non-option, but his streakiness is killing the Spurs offense when he's off.

Though they've been getting good looks, the Spurs haven't been able to connect. If that continues, it's hard to see San Antonio winning the series.

San Antonio's Bench Has Yet to Live Up to the Hype

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Through four games, the duel between the teams' respective second units has seen no explicit rhyme or reason.

San Antonio's bench is consistently acclaimed as one of the best in the league, featuring a handful of starting-caliber players capable of taking advantage of weaker reserve units.

The Clippers, meanwhile, rely heavily on a six-man rotation. Outside of the starters, only Jamal Crawford was a significant regular-season contributor.

Yet despite the significant advantage that was supposed to sway consistently in the Spurs' direction, San Antonio's bench has struggled immensely, while the Clippers' has surpassed expectations.

Crawford singlehandedly kept the bench relevant in Game 1. And while explosions such as Austin Rivers' 16 points on 7-of-8 shooting in Game 4 have surprised many, it's been the lack of production on the Spurs' side—not the Clippers'—that has been the most perplexing.

Manu Ginobili has been invisible thus far, scoring 10, 9, 2 and 10 points in the first four games on a combined 9-of-24 shooting. He's been on and off defensively, either making key plays or committing silly fouls, but has failed to establish himself as the playmaker fans have come to recognize.

Marco Belinelli has been equally quiet, leaving Boris Diaw and Patty Mills to cover most of the scoring duties off the pine. 

Yet even Mills—who was integral to the Game 2 victory with 18 points, including a handful in the Tony Parker-less overtime period—has been quiet for most of the series.

The rout that was Game 3 was the work of the starters, with help from Diaw off the bench. 

Despite plenty of depth, San Antonio's bench is looking as short as the Clippers'—taking away one of the Spurs' presumed advantages heading into the series.

Tim Duncan Remains an Ageless Wonder

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Days before he turned 39 years old, the NBA's second-oldest active player—and the oldest one currently playing in the postseason—erupted for 28 points, as he carried his team to a crucial overtime win.

Tim Duncan's longevity is defying even the most common beliefs concerning aging and sports.

The Spurs' Big Three isn't the dynamic trio that it once was. Parker looked like an entirely different player for much of the season and has yet to erupt against L.A., while Ginobili is clearly breaking down despite sporadic vintage performances.

Yet, through it all, it's been the team's oldest contributor who has remained a reliable source of two-way production, capable of leading the team when needed.

His services weren't required in Game 3—that much was evident from the start. But he defied more and more logic with every passing minute in Game 2 as he exploded for 28 points. He was essential through the first three quarters and bounced back from a poor fourth period to help solidify the victory in overtime.

On Sunday, when San Antonio struggled to shoot and his frontcourt partner, Tiago Splitter, was seemingly absent, Duncan recovered after opening the contest with four straight foul shots to score 22 points and grab 11 rebounds despite the loss. 

Though the Spurs' shooting continues to be volatile, Duncan can still be relied upon to be a defensive backbone and a dynamic scorer inside.

It might make no sense, but against a team that often looks inside to its classic interior tandem, Duncan has proved that he'll be a leading playoff contributor until he calls it quits.

Kawhi Leonard Is a Superstar

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Even if the Spurs lose the series, there's a positive takeaway that will have fans clamoring until the start of next season.

Though it seems as if Kawhi Leonard has already had his fair share of breakout moments, his performance thus far might mark his official entry into superstardom.

Leonard led the team in scoring during the regular season and was recently named the league's Defensive Player of the Year. However, the two-way production that we've seen so far against the Clippers puts him in an entirely new category.

Best seen in Game 3, when Leonard's 32 points and stifling defense paced San Antonio to a 27-point win, the kid is poised to be one of the best two-way players in the league. He's improving with every passing game, and his consistent showings of stardom against L.A. have captured national attention.

After the Game 3 performance, Leonard was lauded by members of both franchises, per Scott Cacciola of The New York Times.

“I thought he was absolutely sensational,” Clippers head coach Doc Rivers said after his team’s 100-73 loss.

“We should give him an award before every game,” the Spurs’ Boris Diaw said.

“He put on a show,” Duncan said.

It's true; what Leonard did in Game 3 was remarkable. But what's truly incredible is that Leonard's offensive dominance has become the most predictable aspect of the Spurs offense. He scored 19, 23, 32 and 26 points in the first four games, respectively, shooting over 50 percent in each of them.

Even his Finals MVP recognition last year hadn't prepared us for what's now obvious: Leonard is the team's best player, by a long shot.

On the brink of a max extension, Leonard's postseason production has shown what Spurs fans should expect going forward.

This Series Has Game 7 Potential

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If nothing else, the first four games have taught us that we're looking at an even matchup between two talented title contenders. 

The sheer up-and-down nature of the teams' success—both in the regular season and thus far into the playoffs—makes it impossible to pick a favorite or even make a grounded prediction as to where this series is headed.

Nonetheless, after the squads split the early slate of games, with each team winning one on each floor, nobody would be surprised to see a Game 7.

Not only has the back-and-forth nature of the victories proved that everything from blowouts to overtime thrillers can be expected in the final three games of the series, it has also shown the determined nature of each squad.

Chris Paul is a man on a mission, still looking to lead a team into the Western Conference Finals for the first time in his career.

Duncan and Leonard, meanwhile, have been incredible and have stepped up in the moments when the Spurs need them the most.

A series win isn't going to come easily to either side; the opponents' veterans will guarantee that.

And regardless of who emerges on top—because at the moment, that's difficult to predict—the series will be a first-round classic between two evenly matched, committed teams.