5 Biggest Takeaways from the San Antonio Spurs' 1st Half of the Season
If I had claimed prior to the start of the season that the San Antonio Spurs would be sitting seventh in the Western Conference and fourth in their own division as the All-Star break approached, I'd have been called crazy.
But I would have been right.
Of course, I didn't predict that San Antonio would begin the 2014-15 campaign so slowly. Nobody did.
However, the start of the season has been injury-riddled, and a tough schedule to date hasn't helped.
Yet even as they sit near the bottom of the West's playoff pool, the Spurs are still featured in all discussions of title contention. Such is expected with a squad whose routine dominance has fans worried about a 29-17 record midway through the season.
But even if the first half of the year has been far from ideal, it's offered plenty of insight about the team and the individuals who compose it.
The Point Guard Situation Is More Complex Than Ever
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The Tony Parker that has been on display this season is not the Tony Parker that fans have grown accustomed to in recent years.
An All-Star in each of the past three seasons, Parker is now considered a long shot for the honor—and it isn't just because he missed 13 games with a hamstring injury.
The veteran point guard's per-36-minute point total is his lowest since the 2004-05 season while his assist average is below five for the first time since his rookie campaign. To find a lower player efficiency rating and win shares per 48 minutes, you'd also have to look back to his first year.
Of course, the injury has done more than simply sideline him. Having been affected by the strain both in his recovery and while he tried to play through it, his stats reflect the circumstances.
Nonetheless, it's evident that Parker isn't the same All-NBA player he had been.
Even so, it's arguable that San Antonio's point guard position is the strongest it has been in years.
Behind Parker on the depth chart are Patty Mills and Cory Joseph.
Like Parker, Mills missed a significant portion of the season to injury as he recovered from shoulder surgery. Though his return has seen its ups and downs, the sharpshooter has shown on numerous occasions that he's fully capable of being the instant-offense bench spark he established himself as last year.
The big surprise, however, has been the emergence of Cory Joseph, who received increased exposure in light of the absences of Mills and Parker.
Posting career highs across the board, the fourth-year guard shattered expectations. He has been reliable both as a scorer and a facilitator and has played himself into the rotation even with the other two 1s back.
How the team will juggle the trio's minutes going forward remains to be seen, but it's obvious that all three deserve ample playing time.
Even with Parker struggling, the state of the point guard position is stronger than ever. And as he and Mills begin to find their grooves and Joseph continues to break out, it's a safe bet that the situation will only improve.
Tim Duncan Is Still an Ageless Wonder
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If Tim Duncan is 38 years old, someone forgot to tell him.
Every year, the veteran big man's ability to defy Father Time becomes that much more remarkable. He isn't only avoiding a performance drop-off; he's improving on previous campaigns against all odds.
It's a stretch to say that Duncan can carry the team offensively. Though he's predisposed to a throwback scoring night every so often, it's on the defensive end where he has managed to make improbable strides.
Without Tiago Splitter for the season's start, Duncan was forced to shoulder a greater defensive burden. Having previously shared rim-protecting duties with his interior partner, he was the only remaining defensive anchor. Yet the added pressure didn't hamper him. Instead, it pushed him to execute in a manner worthy of ESPN.com's Marc Stein's "Defensive Player of the First Trimester" honor:
"A third of the way through his 18th NBA season, Duncan has been the league's most impressive defensive force. Despite the frequent injury absences of key defenders Tiago Splitter and Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio ranks No. 6 in the league in defensive efficiency, thanks largely to Duncan's work as the Spurs' anchor.
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Duncan remains one of the league's top five shot-blockers despite his advanced age and is surely playing more (at 32.1 minutes per game) than his coach wants to be using him during the regular season. But it must be hard for even Pop to resist when Duncan sits atop ESPN.com's shiny new DRPM table, which estimates a player's on-court impact defensively based on points allowed per 100 possessions.
Though he should be on the decline, Duncan's an All-Star candidate and in line for a spot on an All-Defensive team.
With Splitter and Leonard back, his defensive load should lighten. He'll have a younger partner in the post as well as a defensive stud to provide a line of defense along the perimeter. All in all, if there was any question regarding his ability to maintain his level of production, it's fair to say that he won't have to for San Antonio to retain its label as a top defensive squad.
Of course, few would be surprised if he continues to be a force in the post. With Duncan's 39th birthday now just a few months away, it appears as though everybody is aware of it except for him.
Kawhi Leonard's True Value Has Been Realized
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For years, it was apparent that Kawhi Leonard was the future of the San Antonio Spurs. Once the Big Three chapter had drawn to a close, Leonard would assume his rightful spot as the next face of the franchise.
Except the Big Three is fully intact, and Leonard may very well be the best player on the team—or, at the very least, the most crucial to its success.
With the All-Star break approaching, it's crystal clear that the fourth-year small forward is much more than a prospective star. The era of Kawhi is already here.
Though the bulk of his contributions lie on the defensive end, it's worth noting that the 23-year-old leads the team in scoring. Though it may only be 15.5 points per game, it's enough to rank above the likes of Manu Ginobili, Duncan and Parker.
As his mid-range shot transitions from developing to deadly, Leonard now has a broad arsenal of offensive weapons. He's a talented finisher and can get to the rim with the best of them. Throw in improved ball-handling, and Leonard is a versatile threat on the end of the floor on which he draws the least amount of praise.
He has also made significant strides on the glass, as he now posts a career-high 8.1 rebounds per game and is a threat to grab double-digit boards on any given night.
However, it's his defense that first drew praise, and he has been expectedly extraordinary on that end.
With Leonard on the floor, San Antonio claims a defensive rating of 98.0. Without him, that number spikes to 106.1.
Unfortunately, the team has been forced to play a good portion of the season without his services, as he too missed an extended stretch during the critical month of December.
That month, San Antonio's defense fell apart, as the team posted its first December losing record since Duncan joined the franchise.
However, since his return, the Spurs have allowed just one of six opponents to score more than 100 points. Not coincidentally, the team has lost just one of those games.
Having proved himself as a key cog in the Spurs' present, Leonard is fully recognized at this point for the star he already is and the invaluable service he provides.
San Antonio May Very Well Be Setting Itself Up for a Deadline Deal
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After winning the championship, San Antonio elected to bring back its entire title roster, with the only new addition being rookie Kyle Anderson.
However, forward Austin Daye was waived earlier this month, freeing up a roster spot for the team to use in a potential transaction.
Though NBA D-League standout JaMychal Green occupied that spot for a short while, Yahoo Sports' Marc J. Spears is reporting that the Spurs have not elected to bring him back for a second 10-day contract.
With the roster spot currently unfilled, it's extremely possible that the team is preparing for a trade before the deadline.
Though San Antonio has managed to stay out of the rumor mill for quite some time, it's hard to turn a blind eye to the sequence of events that unraveled ending in the Spurs' severance with Daye.
With injuries to Tiago Splitter and Kawhi Leonard unveiling a number of glaring holes, the Spurs have started the season wobbly. Daye—though not a key component to the team—certainly wasn't a stand-alone liability.
That he is no longer with the team means the San Antonio front office believes his roster spot could be better filled by someone else.
Whether or not they elect to go through with a trade remains to be seen, but by waiving a member of the championship team, the Spurs were admitting that the current roster might not be solid enough to take them the whole way.
That much, I'd say, is pretty significant.
The Spurs Are No Longer Title Favorites
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This one might be obvious, but at this point in the season, the San Antonio Spurs are no longer the title favorites—nor are they anywhere close.
While the Spurs have hobbled their way to seventh place in the West, the rest of the conference has improved drastically around them.
The Memphis Grizzlies went and got themselves a small forward in Jeff Green.
The Dallas Mavericks added the talent they lacked at the point guard position by welcoming Rajon Rondo, one of the league's finest pass-first floor generals.
Even in the East, teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers have made midseason moves to fill in any holes that could prevent a deep postseason run.
And of course, there are the squads in both conferences that have emerged as powerhouses without making any moves at all.
In the East, the Atlanta Hawks are winning with a Spurs-like formula and doing it more often than San Antonio.
In the West, the Golden State Warriors have looked fairly unbeatable at times, with a defense that rivals its high-scoring offense.
With the league as competitive as ever and San Antonio looking a move away from contention, the Spurs—who were seen as widespread favorites before the season began—are no longer favorites to win the title.
Of course, that may very well be how they prefer it.
Unless otherwise noted, all stats are courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com.
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