San Antonio Spurs: Who Is the Most Important Role Player on the Deepest Team?
Many media members and non-San Antonio Spurs fans wonder how the team running away with the best record in the league got there.
Is it because they have the best player(s) in the league? Not really. There's no one in the front running for MVP.
Is it because they have so much veteran experience? Partly, although they're apparently elders according to some.
Is it due to sheer luck? Somewhat. The Spurs have been blessed with a relatively injury-free season (*knock on wood*), and what appeared to be a month without Tony Parker ended up being two games.
So, what is the real reason behind the Spurs' franchise-defining success? The most obvious answer is the depth they have built up over the last few years through the draft, free agency and trades.
With such a deep roster and everyone contributing in some way, it is difficult to decide who the most important role player (anyone besides the Big Three) on the team is, but here it goes.
10. Steve Novak
1 of 10
Stats: 3.2 points, 50% three-point FG's
Novak fits right in on a team that is thriving from the three-point line this season. He has only played an average of seven minutes in 11 games for the Spurs, but his role may increase as he learns the system.
At this point his main contribution has been hitting the last two three-pointers against the Miami Heat to help set the franchise record for three pointers made in a game (17).
9. Chris Quinn
2 of 10
Stats: 1.8 points, 0.8 assists
Despite being the team's third-string point guard, Quinn has done an admirable job when called upon. He has even had a few chances to be the backup during the eight games that George Hill or Parker have missed.
While he may or may not be the odd man out on the playoff roster, he's definitely the team's lucky charm as they have won almost every game he has played in (and that's not just because he plays in garbage time).
8. James Anderson
3 of 10
Stats: 4.2 points, 43.8% three-point FG's
As the Spurs' highest draft pick since Tim Duncan, Anderson (20th pick) got off to a very promising start before a stress fracture in his foot robbed him of nearly half the season.
He is slowly getting back into form and relearning the Spurs' system, but the rise of Gary Neal hasn't helped his cause in getting back into the rotation.
Unlike the beginning of the year, Anderson seems hesitant to shoot at times. His defensive presence and shooting abilities will be valuable in the playoffs, so hopefully he will find his way soon.
7. Tiago Splitter
4 of 10
Stats: 4.1 points, 2.8 rebounds
Coming into the season, Splitter was considered one of the biggest offseason pickups in the league and a dark-horse candidate for Rookie of the Year.
A season that showed so much promise has continued with much frustration for Splitter due to untimely injuries and difficulty cracking the Spurs' deep frontcourt, but his time will come.
Splitter has shown flashes of brilliancy and is probably one of the toughest, most composed players in the league. He has steadily improved over time and could be an important part of the Spurs' playoff run and future.
6. Antonio McDyess
5 of 10
Stats: 5.0 points, 5.0 rebounds
McDyess's role on the team is a lot more than his stats suggest as he contributes a very productive 18 minutes each game.
He's right up there with Duncan as the best interior defender on the team, and he makes some timely outside shots. Whether his move to the starting lineup is temporary or an earned role remains to be seen.
McDyess was probably the hardest player to place on this list. The fact that he is this low is just another example how deep the Spurs really are.
5. Matt Bonner
6 of 10
Stats: 7.6 points, 51.8% three point FG's
It never hurts to have the league's best three-point shooter on the team, but Bonner has shown he has more to his game than just outside shooting.
It's amazing how often he is left open despite being the league's leader, but he makes sure they go down. When he is covered, he has shown a knacking ability to get to rim: one of the more underrated parts of his game.
He unfortunately has missed 16 games due to some unusual injuries, but when he plays he provides a spark off the bench and knows how to pick up the team when they aren't scoring well.
4. Gary Neal
7 of 10
Stats: 9.5 points, 41.9% three-point FG's
Another season, another gem the Spurs plucked out of the dirt. Neal has helped the Spurs' front office continue its reputation as the best at finding unknown stars.
After going undrafted, Neal spent a few years in Europe before impressing the Spurs with his shooting abilities. He now leads all rookies in three-point shooting percentage.
His scoring average has continued to rise as he provides points of the bench. He has one of the best in between games of any player in the league. Defense is probably his only weakness, but he's improving.
3. DeJuan Blair
8 of 10
Stats: 8.6 points, 7.2 rebounds
Who needs ACL's? Blair is living proof that toughness can triumph over size. He is a rebounding machine who will one day pop the ball with his bear claws.
He continues to learn how to take advantage of his lack of size by boxing out and using the rim as protection from taller players. His up-and-under moves are almost automatic.
He has recently been moved to the bench possibly to try to fix the team's recent rebounding woes. The Spurs are not necessarily bad when Blair is having an off day, but they are certainly much better when he's on.
2. Richard Jefferson
9 of 10
Stats: 11.4 points, 43.8 % three-point FG's
Some may look at Jefferson's stats, notice his scoring is down from last year and not realize how much better he has actually been for the Spurs this season.
With a smaller contract taking some of the burden off his shoulders, RJ is shooting a career high from behind the arc. After working hard with the coaches all summer, he appears to have the Spurs' system down.
He is no longer hesitant to shoot, he drives to the basket more, and he has developed an excellent alley-oop play with Parker. Who says the Spurs are boring?
1. George Hill
10 of 10
Stats: 11.2 points, 2.4 assists
Probably one of the most underrated players in the league, Hill has taken over one of the most important roles on the team: sixth man.
He is charged with providing a big spark off the bench when coming in for either Parker or Manu Ginobili. As backup point guard, he has to be able to score and create plays for others.
Although he is having a somewhat down year compared to last year (when he started more games), he is still the most important role player on the team. His performance will go a long way in deciding the Spurs fate in the playoffs.
