Do the San Antonio Spurs Need a Go-To Scorer to Find Success in 2014-15?

For 17 years now, Gregg Popovich's squad has challenged the best franchises in the Western Conference, but its offensive style has evolved over time.

Instead of demanding every player fits the mold of a particular scheme, Pop has tweaked his own methods to fit the San Antonio Spurs roster.

These days, San Antonio utilizes a team-oriented offense predicated on swift and efficient ball movement to create open looks for shooters. And it certainly was effective during the 2014 postseason.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau (h/t Chris Chase of USA Today), Tony Parker's 17.4 points per game during the most recent NBA Finals was the lowest team-leading mark of a championship squad in the shot-clock era.

But as the competition level of the Western Conference continues to rise, should Popovich be looking to establish a go-to scorer in the final days of Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili?

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While it's quite simple to resist changing what's worked—especially after winning a championship—adapting has been a key to the Spurs' prolonged success.

San Antonio must have someone ready to provide the proverbial dagger, because the much-improved West is likely to result in more contested finishes. Per TeamRankings.com, the Spurs' average margin of victory has ranked in the top five in the league throughout each of the last four seasons.

Though the impressive trend might endure, the number should drop considerably. Put simply, the conference is that much better.

Over the past five seasons, Parker has gradually developed into the top option, assuming control of the once post-heavy offense centered around Duncan. Despite not being known for clutch exploits, Parker recently buried a game-winning three-pointer against the Dallas Mavericks during the season opener.

But excluding that shot and his victory-sealing acrobatic ridiculousness to stun the Miami Heat in Game 1 of the 2013 Finals, Parker isn't heralded for late-game heroics.

Ginobili has remained an offensive force but is barely scraping 24 minutes per night, which hardly constitutes being labeled a true big-shot preference.

With that being said, Ginobili still records late playing time, and San Antonio still occasionally leans on the Argentinian, as seen on Wednesday night against the Atlanta Hawks.

The adventurous lefty shockingly drove into a triple team, received a bailout foul call yet confidently buried two free throws to give San Antonio the victory. While exploiting opportunities is crucial—and Ginobili did just that—what exactly was he doing?

Maybe that was the issue: The Spurs didn't really have a plan, so Ginobili essentially stepped into a role occupied by none yet vacated by all. Ultimately, it seemed like they instituted a "go with the flow" attitude and hoped to capitalize on a defensive breakdown.

So, perhaps this is a prime opportunity for Popovich to give budding star Kawhi Leonard the keys to a shiny, powerful car.

In late September, per Dan McCarney of the San Antonio Express-News, Leonard said his responsibilities were supposed to increase during 2013-14, but it never happened. The small forward played 35 minutes per night and had a higher level of scoring production, so he's awaiting what Pop has in mind this year.

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It's just in order to get me more involved in the offense, that's what I go by. Like I said, if I'm going to get seven more minutes on the floor, that's going to be important. We'll see what happens. I mean, my role was supposed to expand last year and we played pretty much the same basketball. So we'll see what Coach Pop has.

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According to the NBA statistical database, Leonard was on the floor for 13 contests with a plus-minus point differential of plus-five and less than one minute remaining last season. He attempted a single three-pointer during that time, which was off the mark.

In that case, who has San Antonio historically called upon?

Surprisingly, Parker has nailed 8-of-10 from the field and tallied 23 points—the No. 2 shooting percentage and 10th-best scoring output in the league.

That's just it: Parker isn't known for clutch moments, but a thorough look shows he was actually one of the league's most prolific in 2013-14. What's more, it was the second consecutive campaign he ranked in the top 10.

Wednesday night's win over Atlanta was an exception to the rule of the point guard handling late-game duties. For all the team-first narratives accurately formed around San Antonio's collective unselfishness, Parker is not only the Spurs' go-to scorer, but one of the NBA's best in the waning moments.

He doesn't need to be a dominant force during the entire contest, because the team-oriented offense is what has made Pop's teams collectively excel. The Western Conference is reaching new heights, and that system will help San Antonio stay near the top.

But when an emergency bucket is needed, Parker must be the one to break the glass and save the Spurs.

All stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference unless otherwise noted.

Follow Bleacher Report NBA writer David Kenyon on Twitter: @Kenyon19_BR.