Uno Triunfo
2017 NBA Western Conference First Round, Game 1
Forever - Last name EVER, first name GREATEST, like a sprained ankle, boy, that Black & Silver franchise ain't nothin' to play with. Wasn't this whole thing supposed to have ended six years ago? I mean, I listened to the "experts" back then. When the San Antonio Spurs failed to advance to the conference finals for three consecutive seasons, starting in 2009, the "experts" told us the dynasty was dead. "Nothing lasts forever," they said. The 2011 first round upset loss as the one seed was supposed to have been a funeral for the Spurs' dynasty, right? "All good things must come to an end." Isn't that what the "experts" told us? Yeah, right. We want this thing forever, man. I'm not going to lie. It was fun watching the "experts" scramble to jump back on the longevity bandwagon when the Spurs returned to two more NBA Finals and won another title after they had already buried us. Indeed, after having shown up and dutifully served as pallbearers during their self-imagined 2011 funeral, how quickly they forgot. By the time Tim Duncan was hoisting his fifth trophy in the summer of 2014, most "experts" had completely erased it from their memory that they had left us for dead three years earlier. So it goes, I guess. On and on. Once again, this past offseason, after our unexpected collapse against Oklahoma City in last year's Western Conference Semifinals and then the subsequent retirement of Timmy - the greateat all-time player in franchise history - these same "experts" have been back this year predicting the death of the Spurs dynasty once again. "It's impossible for a team to lose a top-five all-time greatest player and still continue to win 50 games year after year after year." That's what they told us, right? I guess they were correct, in a way. Having lost Tim Duncan to retirement over the summer, the Spurs didn't win 50 games in the 2016-17 season. We won 61 instead. The greatness of the Spurs transcends one player (even one as singular as Tim Duncan) because one player can't play forever. And the fact that one player isn't eternal doesn't matter because why, class? We want this thing forever, man. You get it, right? Sho nuff. But exactly what is the THIS we want to keep forever? I'm glad you asked. We want to keep forever a label that all of the so called "experts" never thought we could obtain. A label that's so difficult to acquire, only two other franchises have ever captured it. GREATEST FRANCHISE EVER. (First, middle, and last name.) That's right, class. The San Antonio Spurs have now surpassed the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers as the NBA's greatest franchise ever. It's indisputable.
Don't agree? No problem. Here's a few facts for you to chew on that pair nicely with the haterade you're so clearly fond of drinking. The San Antonio Spurs have now won 50 plus games for an unfathomable 18 consecutive seasons. Here's the kicker. It would be 20 consecutive seasons had the 1999-99 season not been shortened due to a lockout. The Spurs went 37-13 (.740 winning percentage) that year en route to the title. Had it been a full 82 game schedule that winning percentage would have put us at around 61 wins (same as this season). So, since the Spurs clearly played 50 plus win basketball that season as well (despite the lockout), we have essentially played 50 plus win basketball for two straight decades in a row. To put that in perspective, the next longest streak of 50 plus win seasons is the Los Angeles Lakers with 12 consecutive (1980-91). Considering that our current streak of 18 and counting is already 50 percent longer than the next best in history, it is unlikely to ever be broken. I say this not only as evidence that the San Antonio Spurs are the GOAT franchise but also to remind everyone that the "experts'" reports of the death of the San Antonio Spurs' dynasty were, are, and will always be greatly exaggerated. The Spurs are the most successful franchise in NBA history and we don't plan on letting it end. We want this thing forever, man. Still don't agree? Let me know how this one tastes. The Spurs have made the playoffs a ridiculous 37 out of 41 seasons in the NBA and 45 out of 50 in franchise history (including ABA). There is not another NBA franchise that comes even close to that percentage of seasons making the playoff. Don't take my word for it. Look it up. We want this thing forever, man. I still haven't convinced you? Your'e killing me, Smalls...but here's another one. The San Antonio Spurs are the NBA's all-time leader in winning percentage. And with a .621 winning percentage compared to the .598 winning percentage boasted by the second best franchise, the Los Angeles Lakers, we're the NBA's all-time leader in winning percentage by a mile. With Kawhi Leonard in his early prime paired with the best coach in the NBA, there is no indication that we'll slow down anytime soon. Or ever. I'm sure there will be a fresh batch of reasons for the "experts" to predict the Spurs impending demise again this summer (as they do every summer). Let 'em at it. Every year they do it and every year they're wrong. (And once proven wrong suddenly develop amnesia.) And so it goes, I guess. On and on. All I know is we're not going anywhere. We want this league forever, man.
Case in point, on Saturday night in front of a rowdy, pre-Fiesta crowd of 18,418, the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 111 to 82 - snatching Game One of the Western Conference First Round series. The game started out tense with both Marc Gasol and Mike Conley propelling the Grizzlies to an early 13 point lead at 28-15 with 2:29 left in the first quarter. But in typical Spurs fashion, we kept pounding away and cut the lead to five by the end of the first. By the end of the second, our attack had weakened the structure of their game plan significantly, taking a three point lead of our own into halftime. We busted the dam wide open in the third using our suffocating defense to take complete control. When the smoke cleared from the explosive period, we had outscored the Grizzlies 32-15 to extend our lead to 20 points. That was a wrap. The services of our starters were hardly needed during the fourth quarter and the #BlackAndSilver won Game One going away. Several Spurs stepped up big in the first playoff game of the post-Duncan era. Most notably, Tony Parker immediately shifted gears into playoff beast mode logging an outstanding 18 points on 8-13 shooting and applying constant pressure on the Grizzly defense. It remains to be seen whether this was a flash in the pan or what we should expect to regularly see from Tony during this postseason run. I know one thing, though. If Tony can indeed play at this level consistently throughout the playoffs, the rest of the field is in for a world of hurt. The next player deserving of mention is Danny Green. While Danny only contributed two points on a pair of free throws on the offensive end, he was spectacular on the defensive end. Danny had four blocks and one steal and was the primary defender involved in holding Mike Conley scoreless from the 8:40 mark in the second quarter on. L.A. came to play, as well. After a shaky start, LaMarcus Aldridge settled in to have a solid evening with 20 points and 6 rebounds. He also did his part in ratcheting up the Spurs defense after the first quarter playing Gasol and Zach Randolph extremely tough in the post. Also, an honorable mention to Jonathan Simmons because if I had to choose one play that sums up the stifling defensive performance San Antonio delivered (in holding Memphis to 52 points over the final three periods), it would be this...
While many Spurs chipped in with exceptional performances in the first playoff game sans Timmy, the player of the game (surprise, surprise) was Kawhi Leonard. The Spurs newly anointed franchise cornerstone carved up bear meat last night like he's practicing to win the Best Butcher in Texas contest later this month. The Klaw unleashed 32 points in 32 minutes on a ridiculously efficient 11-14 from the field and 9-9 from the free throw line. He added in 5 assists, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals for good measure. All of this without playing in the fourth quarter. Every one who doubted him is asking for forgiveness. Earlier we talked about there being no end in sight to the Spurs run of dominance. The acquisition and development of Kawhi Leonard is unquestionably the biggest reason why this is the case. In a lot of ways, we have the Memphis Grizzlies to thank for our eternal twist of good fortune. Who laid the groundwork for the funeral that the "experts" had for the Spurs' dynasty in the summer of 2011 after the Spurs were eliminated in the first round as a one seed? The Memphis Grizzlies. When Gasol, Randolph, Connelly and company decisively defeated and embarrassed a 61 win one seed Spurs club in the first round, Coach Pop and R.C. Buford realized that our team needed to get younger and more athletic on the wing. How did Coach Pop and R.C. respond? By making one of the biggest gambles in franchise history, trading George Hill (Coach Pop's favorite player) on draft night for a skinny prospect from San Diego State named Kawhi Leonard. Clearly, the gamble turned into a grand slam as the Spurs unprecedented run of greatness has been extended infinitely beyond the horizon by the arrival and subsequent development of Kawhi into a bonafide superstar. Oh...by the way, the Spurs are now 9-0 against the Memphis Grizzlies (the team who allegedly killed the Spurs' dynasty) in the playoffs since acquiring Kawhi Leonard during the 2011 draft. And if the determination on display last night by the Spurs newest franchise cornerstone is any indication, he doesn't plan on stopping at all. Ladies and gentleman, that skinny prospect from San Diego State has officially arrived. It only took Kawhi Leonard six seasons, an unrivaled work ethic, and the city of San Antonio to become the best basketball player in the world. If you haven't been a part of it, at least you're about to witness. I predict that by the time Kawhi finishes this playoff run, he may have just made it impossible for anyone (no matter how prestigious their expertise) to deny that we got this thing forever, man. He's just that good.
Video Source: NBA, playoff 2017 on YouTube
Featured Image Source: WallpaperSafari
Headline Image Source: Grantland
Three Forward
2015 Western Conference First Round, Game 5
Over - I'm living life right now, man, and this what I'mma do 'til it's over...'til it's over. It's far from over. In One Back (my first blog post of these 2015 playoffs), I predicted that "there are going to be moments of panic and moments of doubt for Spurs fans" during this title defense journey. Man, I wasn't lying. Last night was intense. I have never been to Disneyland, but somehow I feel like I've become a regular visitor after enduring a second roller coaster ride out in Los Angeles in less than a week. My emotions swung back and forth so many times last night that I'm not entirely convinced in the accuracy of what I'm about to report, but somehow, someway the San Antonio Spurs outlasted the Los Angeles Clippers 111-107 at the Staples Center yesterday in Game 5 of the Western Conference First Round series to take a 3-2 lead and put the Clips on the brink of elimination. They say that football is a game of inches. Apparently basketball can be a game of millimeters. There is no question that Bill Kennedy and crew made the correct call in disallowing the tip-in by DeAndre Jordan of a Blake Griffin shot as the ball hung above the cylinder during an opportunity for the Clippers to take a 109-108 lead with 4.7 seconds left in the game, but let's be honest...that was a lucky break for the Spurs. Both teams played determined, focused basketball and both teams were equally brilliant in last night's game. We could just as easily have been the team to catch a bad bounce that would have resulted in us being the ones feeling the heartbreak that comes with facing elimination in a close series. Luck was certainly on our side last night. Having said that, we have absolutely nothing to apologize for. Luck is a part of the equation when two evenly-matched opponents square off. It always has been and it always will be. In the end, luck has a funny way of gravitating to the more deserving team. After squandering the home court advantage that we stole on our last trip to Cali in an uninspired Game 4 performance, the Spurs regrouped and earned the opportunity to be in a position for luck to help us steal it right back in last night's gritty Game 5 escape. It takes remarkable composure to play that well in that environment in that situation. We earned the victory and we earned the opportunity to finish off this series at home. On Thursday night, let's hope we are ready to capitalize on the remarkable opportunity that we earned last night (more on that later).
Okay, campers, rise and shine, and don't forget your booties 'cause it's cooooold out there today. It's coooold out there every day. The player of the game last night was Tim Duncan. What else is there to say about the old man? He never ceases to amaze. Timmy (continuing to upstage Bill Murray in his ongoing portrayal of the Phil Connors character from Groundhog Day) came up huge with a monster 21 points (8-13 from the field, 5-6 from the line), 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and an enormous blocked shot in the guts of the game. With 59 seconds remaining and San Antonio clinging to a 107-105 lead, Blake Griffin got to one of his sweet spots to launch an eight foot leaner (the type of shot that he has been making routinely throughout the series). He was met at the summit by Duncan, who again stripped Griffin after Blake recovered the blocked shot and attempted to reload for another. Boris Diaw snatched the ball after Timmy's strip and J.J. Redick subsequently fouled out of the game trying to subdue Tony Parker. Tony hit one of his two free throws to put the Spurs up three, which proved to be huge in keeping the Spurs at an advantage once clock management became a factor in determining the outcome of the game. It can't be overstated how consequential Timmy's block was in giving us a 3-2 series lead. In the biggest moment of another huge postseason game, the greatest NBA player since Michael Jordan came through in the clutch...again. Groundhog Day.
As we start preparing for Game 6 tomorrow night back home in the comfy confines of the AT&T Center, let us have the wisdom to remember the horrendous effort we put forth in Game 4 and use it as a teachable moment. Our blowout Game 3 victory baited us into assuming that we had broken the spirit of the Los Angeles Clippers. That assumption proved to be disastrous. We didn't break their spirit then (after winning Game 2) and we haven't broken their spirit now (after winning Game 5). The Clippers are not only capable of coming right back and taking Game 6 in San Antonio, I'm certain that their mindset is such that they intend to do exactly that. Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and company will not play themselves out of the 2015 NBA Playoffs tomorrow night, we have to go out and execute our most focused basketball of the season for 48 minutes and eliminate them. The assumption that we can just show up and we will win because we are at home and we're the Spurs is as ludicrous as Doc Rivers' assumption that every single member of the basketball viewing public didn't simultaneously roll our eyes last night during his post game press conference when he stated, "I don't complain much." The dream of back-to-back Spurs championships has been a torturously elusive one. Each and every Spurs title defense prior to this year has gone down in flames in heartbreaking fashion. From losing Timmy for the playoffs in 2000, to .04 in 2004, to Manu's foul on Dirk in 2006, to the league admission of a missed foul call on Brent Barry in 2008, San Antonio fans know that we are far from out of the woods when it comes to an opponent as talented as our current one. Tomorrow night, we cannot face the Clippers as a team that we have gotten the better of over the past five games. We must face them as the gatekeepers standing in between a city and its pursuit of a dream. The #BlackAndSilver have a dream to catch for the Alamo City and as deserving as Los Angeles is of taking the next step as a franchise, if we play with one goal and one mind tomorrow night, the Clippers' evolution will have to wait for at least one more year. If the Spurs can channel The Beautiful Game and come together for a single purpose in Game 6, then the Clippers faithful will wake up on Friday and have to come to grips with the fact that they simply just had the dumb luck of running into a dreamcatcher in the first round. Tomorrow, we need to forget about merely chasing this elusive dream. Tomorrow, we need to go out there and start our sprint to catch it.
Featured Image Source: The Hype Factor
Headline Image Source: Yahoo Sports