San Antonio Spurs: Why No Media Love for NBA's Top Team?
The still-young 2010-11 NBA season is nearing its one-third mark and has already been overloaded with big stories. There has been LeBron James and his Heat team full of Super Friends, the possibility of another three-peat by the Lakers and the continuous coverage of no longer if, but when and where Carmelo Anthony will be traded.
Lost among all the trade hype and coverage of early-season favorites is the team with the best record in the NBA. In case anyone hasn't noticed, that would be the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs' early-season success has come as quite a surprise to outsiders.
However, despite all this, they still can't break into that little circle known as the media fanfare. The typical reasons have usually included their play being too fundamental and boring to watch, a small market, etc. Apparently the fact that they are playing some of the most exciting, fast-paced ball in the league hasn't gotten around and changed many minds yet.
Here are several reasons why they Spurs can't (and probably won't) find their way into the media's spotlight without winning a championship (and even then it might not happen).
Reason 1: Assumption That It Won't Last
1 of 8
Probably the most obvious reason (outside of the usual) that the Spurs are not gaining much attention is the assumption that their success will not last. After two or three seasons of countless injuries, there are reasons to be skeptical.
The common assumption is probably that due to age, they will eventually get worn out and won't be able to survive come playoff time. While their early success is partially the result of an inactive summer, early statistics suggest that they can continue at this pace and stay at the top of the standings.
With one of the deepest benches in the league, only six players are averaging more than 20 minutes per game, and five more are averaging more than 10. Tony Parker is playing the most at a mere 33.5 minutes per game, followed by Manu Ginobili and Richard Jefferson each playing 32 minutes and Tim Duncan with a career low of 29.4 minutes per game.
If these rates continue throughout the season with so much success, everyone, including the oldies, will be well rested and ready to go all the way through the playoffs.
Reason 2: Too Many Unknown Players
2 of 8
Outside of the Big Three plus RJ, the only Spur to make any kind of headline has been undrafted rookie Gary Neal, and not for the right reasons.
Despite his amazing display of shooting ability and an inspiring personal story, all the media knows about him is he made a mental mistake of high-fiving the air after a technical free throw, and he was the posterized victim of J.R. Smith's potential dunk of the year.
Add in several late first- and early second-round draft picks from the last few years (George Hill, DeJuan Blair, etc.) with over-the-hill veterans like Antonio McDyess and Matt Bonner, and the Spurs supporting cast is a big group of unknowns.
As long as Duncan, Ginobili and Parker are the "best they have to offer" in terms of who will attract media attention, the Spurs can forget about being regulars in the lead stories.
Reason 3: Not Among the Continuous Trade Talk
3 of 8
First it was Chris Paul claiming he wanted out of New Orleans. Now it's Carmelo Anthony begging his way out of Denver to get back to his hometown of New York City.
Add in a somewhat surprising but not completely unexpected mega-trade between the Phoenix Suns, Orlando Magic and Washington Wizards that finally laid to rest what would become of the tormented Gilbert Arenas, and the headlines will remain stacked throughout February.
The Spurs already made their trade of the decade last year when they acquired Jefferson from the Milwaukee Bucks while not losing much in return. Without any intention of trading, the Spurs will remain in the background.
Reason 4: Too Many Streaking Teams
4 of 8
The Spurs may have been the first team to produce a double-digit winning streak (12 wins from Nov. 1 to Nov. 24), but they haven't been the only one. In fact, three other teams have won 10 or more games in a row at some point in a bizarre start to the season.
Those three teams include the Dallas Mavericks (12 straight from Nov. 20 to Dec. 11), Miami Heat (12 straight from Nov. 29 to Dec. 18) and finally the Boston Celtics, who have won 13 straight since Nov. 22.
With so many teams winning in bunches and all of them being teams that naturally garner more media attention than the Spurs, there will continue to be a lack of respect as they hum along.
Reason 5: Few Outside Distractions
5 of 8
Normally this title would have the word "no" in place of "few" in it, but unfortunately Parker's recent Hollywood divorce brought the Spurs the type of media attention they didn't want.
On the bright side, unlike other similar circumstances, that news became relatively washed up after about a week and really hasn't affected his game at all.
Besides that rarity, the Spurs never have a story to tell outside of continuous winning that has been going on for two decades. They don't get in fights, don't earn many technicals and don't get in trouble with the law.
For these reasons the Spurs are happy to not have the media hanging on their backs. If they prefer to cover players and teams that are not role models and set poor examples to make the league look bad, that's their problem.
Reason 6: No Flashy Plays
6 of 8
Despite the Spurs' new up-tempo offense, they still aren't making the flashiest plays, just the most efficient. They are more often the victims, not the creators, of the dunk of the night.
Thanks to some recent late-game heroics from Ginobili, the Spurs have managed to crack SportsCenter's Top 10 a few times. However, speed and efficiency apparently don't overcome the attention of power and finesse when it comes to what the media wants to show off.
Even though the Spurs are putting up relatively unspeakable numbers (for them) on offense—numbers that that have attracted so much attention for other teams like the Phoenix Suns—the Spurs continue to be ignored, but that doesn't matter.
What does matter is they are putting points on the board, and that's what wins games.
Reason 7: No True MVP
7 of 8
The NBA Most Valuable Player Award is given to the best performing player of the regular NBA season and is voted by a panel of sportswriters in the US and Canada.
There are typical values that the panel looks for in an MVP, such as if he is contributing to a championship-caliber team, putting up impressive enough stats to be considered the best player on his team and, in general, if his team can win without him.
So far this season, the Spurs have been more about team effort than one individual's performance. Almost every one of their wins has had a different MVP. However, if there is one player that seems to determine whether the team with the best record sinks or swims, it's Manu Ginobili.
He fits all the standards of an MVP. He's the best player on the best team. He's averaging career highs in points, minutes, assists and steals per game, and it has been proven in previous years that he is the one who puts his team over the top and they cannot win without him.
Because he has almost always been seen as a role player (one of the best ever), it is difficult for the media to label him as MVP material. He doesn't put up the gaudiest numbers, and averaging only 32 minutes per game keeps him from matching up with the other contenders.
Ultimately, the Spurs' success has been all about teamwork and spreading minutes. Without one particular player for the media to marvel over, the Spurs will remain out of the conversation.
Reason 8: They're the Spurs, What Else Did You Expect?
8 of 8
When Tim Duncan won his second straight MVP in 2003, he did not grace the front cover of Sports Illustrated like most before and after him have. Instead it was the picture of a high school basketball player from a small town in Ohio named LeBron James. This is just a small example of the attention that has been robbed from the Spurs year in and year out.
Ultimately, no matter how well the Spurs play or how many championships they win, they will always just be that team from South Texas. There will never be the lights of Hollywood shining down on them, the sands of South Beach acting as their backyard or the hustle and bustle that is New York City.
They have always been a low-key team that has never garnered the praise or media attention they deserve despite being a role model franchise, and they're fine with that. It almost works as an advantage to them with other teams and fans not completely knowing what to expect.
The Spurs will always have the city of San Antonio ready and waiting to support them through good and bad times. All those other teams can continue to make the headlines for not meeting expectations. The Spurs will continue to exceed expectations without all the pressure of spotlights on them, ready to pounce on all those standing in their way of another championship parade down the famed River Walk.
