Cuatro Triunfos
2017 NBA Western Conference First Round, Game 6
Victory - We've been hot for a long time burning like a candle. Much like Newton's Laws of Motion, one would assume it safe scientific theory to postulate that if two basketball teams were to repeatedly play each other over and over again, it's a statistical inevitability that eventually one of the two teams will win a game on the road. In the 2016-17 NBA season, the Memphis Grizzlies and San Antonio Spurs made an impressive run at turning any such theory on its head. Prior to Game 6 of our Western Conference Quarterfinal matchup, the two teams had faced each other nine times this season and in all nine contests, the home team had come away victorious. Heading into Thursday's game, it was beginning to look like statistical probability (and by extension science itself) was being rejected by these results. This was of grave concern. Not only because our series with Memphis was not playing out as we (as Spurs fans) had expected but also because in Trump's America, the last thing we (as intelligent lifeforms) need is to give the anti-intellectual crowd anything else to hang their science-rebuking hats on. On Thursday night, the San Antonio Spurs finally got around to celebrating Earth Day by doing something that we had fought valiantly but ultimately failed to do last Saturday in Game 4. Six nights after failing in overtime at a stellar defense of science on the actual holiday, we went back into Memphis on Thursday and belatedly participated in the March For Science by finally proving our scientific theory of statistical inevitability by way of winning a basketball game on the road. For the first time in one year and four days, and when it mattered most, the Spurs won a game in the FedExForum and, consequentially, are heading back the Western Conference Semifinals for the second consecutive year. Hurray, science! Our season series with Memphis was like one of those fantastic rallies in a tennis match in which both players want the point so desperately that a once athletic exhibition devolves into the equivalent of a staring contest; merely an exercise in who's will power can hold out the longest. For one nerve-racking, mentally-draining Thursday evening at the Grind House in Memphis, the city of San Antonio held on to our will power long enough to eventually heave at a seemingly out of reach passing shot and get enough racket on it loft it up in the air and back across the court with the minimal necessary velocity to have it ricochet off of the top of the net and favorably drop on the other side. Credit to Memphis. They were not an opponent intent on being broken. It took every single last available neuron of mental energy for the Spurs to somehow outlast a poised, rugged Grizzlies bunch 103-96 in Game 6 and eliminate our division rival from the 2017 NBA playoffs by finally winning on the road. Congratulations are in order to the Memphis Grizzlies and their bombastic rookie coach David Fizdale on an excellent season. With Mike Conley proving once and for all this season that he's one of the best players in the NBA, the future looks bright on Beale Street.
Newton's First Law
Every object persists in its state of rest or uniform motion in a straight line unless it is compelled to change that state by forces impressed upon it. With 6:28 to play in the fourth quarter of Thursday night's Game 6 against the San Antonio Spurs, the Memphis Grizzlies were trucking along in a state of uniform motion. Up seven points at 88-81, they were moving steadily towards forcing a Game 7 back in San Antonio on Saturday. Unfortunately for the Grizzlies and their fans, a force was impressed upon them that compelled them to change that state of motion. What exactly was this force that was impressed upon the city of Memphis? Kawhi Freaking Leonard. In Tres Triunfos, we talked about how (at six years in, roughly the same point as Tim Duncan in 2003) Kawhi, as the new franchise cornerstone, needed to start doing Tim Duncan-like things such as closing out hard-fought tough playoff series on the road. In Game 6 on Thursday night, The Klaw did exactly that. Down seven, 88-81, in the Grind House (about as hostile an environment as exists) with 6:28 to play and the Grizzlies playing for their playoff lives, Whi not take the game over? Leonard impressed his will in Memphis with such blunt force, the aftershocks are still resonating on Beale street four days later. After the Spurs had fallen behind by seven (and with Memphis building momentum in uniform motion), Kawhi countered with eight points, two rebounds, two assists, and a crucial steal down the stretch to lead the charge in closing out the Grizzlies. It was another masterful MVP performance by the Spurs' new franchise cornerstone that seemed eerily similar to the types of performances in closeout games that we routinely saw for years from the old one. Leonard finished his Game 6 chef d'oeuvre with 29 points (8-19 from the field and 12-13 from the line), nine rebounds, four assists, and three steals. The question now, heading into the Western Conference Semifinals, is, "Does a force exist in the NBA that can be impressed upon Kawhi to compel a slowdown of his uniform motion assent to 'best player in the world' status?" Based on the evidence that's been provided so far by the 2017 NBA playoffs, I wouldn't bet on it.
Newton's Second Law
Force is equal to the change in momentum per change in time. For a constant mass, force equals mass times acceleration. Heading into this year's playoffs, many of the "experts" predicted that 34 year old Tony Parker was washed up and that the oldest starting point guard in the Western Conference would be a limiting force on the Spurs' chances of making a deep postseason run. The assumption was that time and a depreciation of momentum during the regular season would prevent the 16 year veteran from being a force in these playoffs. Once again on Thursday night, the timeless Parker showed why opponents and "experts" alike who underestimate a four-time NBA champion simply because of his age, do so at their own peril. TP went off for 27 points (11-14 from the field, 1-2 from deep, 4-4 from the line), four assists, and two of the most cold blooded dagger jumpers you'd ever want to see en route to player of the game honors. Has time changed Tony's momentum? Of course but the reason he's still able to be a force when it matters most is that Coach Pop and the San Antonio Spurs understand the science of aging better than any other team in the NBA. The thing the "experts" couldn't understand when they made their naive predictions that Tony would be a liability for the #BlackAndSilver in these playoffs is that Tony's mental mastery of the game of basketball is a constant and Coach Pop knew exactly how to pace him physically during the regular season so that he could accelerate in these playoffs and return to being the force we're accustomed to him being as a playoff performer. In case the "experts" need reminding, Tony Parker is the active leader in playoff games played and 6th all-time at 219 games and counting. This man, better than anyone else in these playoffs, knows how to be a force on a title contender. Either that or in his free time, TP must moonlight as an airpot express shuttle driver based on the way he showed up at the Grizzlies door step and rushed them off to vacation with this shot...
Newton's Third Law
For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. So now it's on to battle the Rockets and guess what, Houston...you have a problem. Longtime Spurs fans have not forgotten. And rest assured we're still thirsty for revenge. That's right, we've been waiting patiently for 22 years to get a shot at redemption for the 1995 Western Conference Finals. Don't think for a second that this Spurs lifer has forgotten what it felt like to be a heart-broken 16 year old San Antonio fan after losing that series. To say I'm looking forward to a rematch that's been over two decades in the making would be an understatement. It is actually quite remarkable that the Rockets never played the Spurs in the playoffs once during the 19 year Tim Duncan-era. Of course, the Spurs won 35 playoff series during that span compared to the Rockets only winning three. Really, Houston? Only three measly playoff series won in 19 years? Suffice it to say, the Rockets didn't exactly hold up their end of the bargain in giving us the opportunity for a rematch during Timmy's career. It's a shame, too, because after unleashing Hakeem Olajuwon - the greatest player in Rockets' franchise history - on us in the 1995 series, the polite thing to do would have been to allow us the opportunity to return the favor by giving Tim Duncan - our greatest player in franchise history - at least one crack at them. But, unfortunately, like an overmatched boxer who landed one lucky knockout punch to grab the title from an historic heavy weight, Houston was no where to be found to grant the rematch during the entirety of Timmy's legendary career. For those who can remember, the storyline coming out of the 1995 Western Conference Finals, after Houston defeated San Antonio 4-2, was that Houston's Olajuwon had outplayed that year's league MVP (and Duncan's future teammate) David Robinson. In fact, the most iconic example of Hakeem's Dream Shake and probably the most replayed move of his career came against Robinson in that series. Houston may have been able to successfully duck and hide from Tim Duncan for 19 years but (as we learned earlier in this post) the science of statistical inevitability suggests that eventually the Rockets were going to have to allow the Spurs an opportunity to respond to the humiliating and humbling defeat handed to us by Dream and Clutch City in 1995. That opportunity finally begins tonight. The science that should have Rockets fans most fearful at the moment, however, is Newton's Third Law of Motion. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. The stage is set for this series to play out as an equal and opposite reaction to the 1995 series. It is safe to assume that Rockets point guard James Harden is the frontrunner to win the 2017 NBA MVP. However, not only is Kawhi Leonard a better basketball player than Harden...I have no shortage of confidence that Leonard will prove it by outplaying Harden en route to defeating the Rockets in this series. So in essence, Kawhi outplaying and eliminating this year's likely MVP could prove be the Spurs equal and opposite reaction to Hakeem outplaying and eliminating Robinson during the Admiral's MVP season. Being a lifelong defender and practitioner of science, I'm just going where the evidence leads me. Of course, the "experts" have different designs on this series. The trendy "expert" prediction that's been popping up left and right on the internet these past few days is Rockets in 6. Unfortunately, while handsomely paid, these "experts" in the mainstream media never seem to learn their lesson when it comes to predicting a matchup between a Gregg Popovich coached Spurs team and a high octane offense / mediocre defense Mike D'Antoni coached team. Three times this has happened in the past and all three times the "experts" in the mainstream media were backtracking faster than Amar'e Stoudemire and our good friend Boris Diaw after a Robert Horry hip check. Coach Pop is a master at devising a game plan to disrupt the head of the snake in a D'Antoni offense during a playoff series. He did it three times to two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash and I expect nothing but the same for likely first-time MVP James Harden. So go ahead and make your Rockets in 6 predictions, "experts." I'll just continue laughing them off. In the end, science always wins the day even if it means you have to come to grips with the unfortunate reality that a part-time blogger (with an unrelated full-time career) may be able to do your job (on the side) as well or better than you do. My songs bump in Houston like Scarface produced 'em. You ain't gotta like me, you just mad cause I tell it how it is and you tell it how it might be. As for the Houston Rockets, tonight we will finally welcome you to the playoffs in San Antonio for the first time since Gregg Popovich took over as coach. We are no longer the feisty little brother that Hakeem Olajuwon easily brushed aside en route to Houston's second and last championship. In case you haven't noticed, we've raised five banners of our own since then. So, welcome to the playoffs in San Antonio for the first time in the AT&T Center, Houston. In other words, welcome to the playoffs in San Antonio for the first time since the Spurs became the Spurs. Welcome to Titletown, TX. Welcome to the jungle.
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Tres Triunfos
2017 NBA Western Conference First Round, Game 5
Let It Be - When I find myself in times of trouble, Manu Ginobili comes to me, bringing that grandpa juice, let it be. Welcome to the 2017 NBA Playoffs, Manu. In all sincerity, it really just wasn't the same without you. I had a sneaking suspicion all day yesterday, as I nervously awaited tip off, that you would arrive in Game 5. Because of this hunch, there was no controversy in deciding which jersey to put on in preparation for the game. I grabbed my silver (home alternate) Number 20 jersey (my go-to jersey during the 2014 title run) and put your name on my back so that I could have yours. Immediately after you checked into the game, I knew that you were back (pun intended) when, on your first touch, you drove hard to the cup for a score plus the foul and then walked to the free throw line with The Look in your eyes. I've written extensively about The Look in the past but I've honestly never been more relieved to see it than I was last night. You finished the game with 10 points (on 4-6 shooting), three assists, three steals, two rebounds and a block in 18 minutes. More importantly, you provided what Patty Mills coined that grandpa juice in setting an emotional tone early in the game that gave the #BlackAndSilver the edge we desperately needed in order to regain control in this hard-fought series. So, for the umpteenth time in your fifteen year Spurs career...thank you for saving the day, Manu. Despite all of the noise coming from "expert" land (you know, like allegations that you're retiring before our eyes), I never doubted for a second that you would deliver in this series. In fact, I guaranteed in my previous post that you'd give us a signature Manu performance against the Grizzlies (guarantees are not something I take lightly). And for the umpteenth time in my seven years blogging about the Spurs, you made me look good. By the way, all of that noise coming from "expert" land got awfully quiet in a hurry after Game 5. Considering that a mob of these "experts" had gathered outside of the AT&T Center yesterday evening before the game and was waiting patiently to pick apart your carcass like a committee of vultures, it must feel pretty good to be back to your hall-of-fame magical best. Keep it up, Manu. Vamos a necesitar con el fin de lograr nuestro objetivo.
* * *
With Manu Ginobili serving as our emotional spark plug, the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 116-103 in Game 5 of the Western Conference First Round series last night in front of 18,418 bloodthirsty fans at the AT&T Center. Now that's was I'm talking about when I talk about the ear-piercing noise generated by Spurs fans during the first home game of Fiesta. When Manu drove to the basket late in the first quarter and completed the And 1 for his first points of the series, I could hear the home crowd blowing the roof off of the building all the way from my apartment in Denver, Colorado. (Full disclosure: the fact that I have a phenomenal surround sound system may have had something to do with this.) Man, it pains me to be so far away from the city during this time of year. There's nothing like being drunk and in the building sipping cerveza during a Fiesta playoff win in San Antonio. Once it hits your lips, it's so good. Trust me, I have 13 years of experience. As a longtime San Antonian, I can't wait to get back and experience it again for myself (hopefully in the not too distant future) but for now, I'll settle for soaking in victories like last night's by living vicariously through the inebriation of my former friends and neighbors.
Capitalizing on the massive home court advantage afforded us by a rowdy Fiesta crowd, the Spurs are now back in front in this emotionally-exhausting series, leading three games to two. With all deference to Manu's inspirational performance, the player of the game was Patty Mills. After Memphis went on a terrifying run to cut the (once 18 point) Spurs lead down to four with 9:29 left, Mills went bonkers hitting four threes in the frame to reopen a double-digit lead en route to his playoff career high of 20 points. To quote Spurs play-by-play announcer, Bill Lamb, "Good on ya, Patty!" Besides Manu's and Patty's, there were several other huge performances up and down the Spurs roster in Game 5. Particularly of note: Tony Parker's 16 points and 6 assists, LaMarcus Aldridge's 12 points and 9 rebounds, and David Lee's 11 points and 8 rebounds. Unfortunately, we somehow got next to nothing out of Kawhi Leonard. Just kidding. The Klaw was his usual dominant self, inflicting another 28 points (on an efficient 9-16 from the field, 3-5 from downtown, and 7-8 from the stripe) and six assists upon the Grizzlies punch-drunk perimeter defenders. If something looks off to you about those shooting numbers it is probably because for the first time in the series, Kawhi Leonard missed a free throw. After entering the game a perfect 40-40 from the line this postseason, Kahwi went ice cold by missing one of his eight free throws last night, dropping his series free throw percentage to .979. Somehow, I don't think Coach Pop is going to be benching him any time soon.
Speaking of Kawhi and looking ahead to Game 6, Thursday presents an opportunity for our small forward to take the next step in solidifying his place as the best basketball player in the world. Since he's already more than comfortable in his role replacing Tim Duncan as the franchise cornerstone, it is time for Kawhi to start doing some Tim Duncan-like postseason things. Namely, it's time for Kawhi to start taking the lead role in closing out hard-fought playoff series on the road. In his sixth NBA season, Leonard is roughly in the same place in his NBA career as Duncan was in 2003 (his sixth year in the league). During the 2003 NBA Playoffs, Timmy (coming off of back-to-back NBA MVP seasons) was fully established as the best player in the world at the time. During the 2017 NBA Playoffs, Kawhi still has a lot of people who need convincing that he's really that good. Playing like the 2003 version of Tim Duncan tomorrow night will be a good way to start silencing the doubters. During the 2003 NBA Playoffs, TD led the Spurs to win three consecutive Game 6 closeouts on the road. In the first round, Timmy had a triple-double in Game 6 leading the Spurs past Phoenix in Phoenix 87-85 to eliminate the Suns 4-2 (TD: 15 points, 20 rebounds, and 10 assists). In the Western Conference Semifinals, Timmy dominated the three-time defending champions in Game 6 leading the Spurs past Los Angeles in Los Angeles 110-82 to eliminate the Shaq-Kobe Lakers 4-2 (TD: 37 points, 16 rebounds, 4 assists). In the Western Conference Finals, Timmy overpowered an in-state rival in Game 6 leading the Spurs past Dallas in Dallas 90-78 to eliminate the Mavericks 4-2 (TD: 18 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks). The 2017 Memphis Grizzlies have proven to be a worthy adversary. They are completely capable of winning tomorrow night's contest at home and then coming back into our building on Saturday night with eyes on stealing the series. This is a perfect situation for Kawhi, like Tim Duncan before him, to gain the experience and accolades that come with battling through the adversity of a tough, emotional series only to rip the opponent's heart out in front of their home fans in the end (because that's what the great ones do).
While I haven't enjoyed the anxiety that this tough first round matchup with the Grit N' Grind Grizzlies has given me over the past two weeks, I'm really glad the Spurs did not sweep the first round of the playoffs. Why am I glad that we didn't get an easier first round opponent? The Spurs have never one a championship in a year where we swept the first round. 1999 (3-1 over Minnesota), 2003 (the aforementioned 4-2 over Phoenix), 2005 (4-1 over Denver), 2007 (4-1 over Denver again), and 2014 (4-3 over Dallas). Only through figuring out how to persevere through early playoff adversity did past Spurs teams (generally) and those teams' best player - Tim Duncan - (more specifically) achieve the mindset necessary to survive the later rounds and win a championship. In all five of the first round series mentioned above, the Spurs had to overcome the agony of losing a heartbreaker in the final minutes of an early series game (much like the Game 4 loss in this series on the Marc Gasol buzzer-beater) and dig deep within to find the necessary composure to right the ship. Kawhi Leonard and the 2017 San Antonio Spurs have an opportunity tomorrow night in Memphis, Tennessee to see another soul-wringing first round series through to it's completion. If Kawhi Leonard can deliver the same type of Game 6 road performance to close out a series that Tim Duncan was famous for (and that helped propel Number 21 to the upper echelons of basketball greatness), the Spurs could very well be off to the races in these 2017 playoffs. Easier said than done (Memphis is not going down without a fight) but if greatness was easy...every player would be Tim Duncan and every team would be the San Antonio Spurs. Kawhi Leonard has the talent to be the next Tim Duncan and these Spurs have the talent to be San Antonio's next championship team but the proof is in the pudding. Tomorrow night is going to be a dog fight. The challenge is right there in front of us and ripe for the taking. Tomorrow night, no matter how tough the conditions in the FedExForum and how resistant the opponent, all that matters is one playoff road closeout victory.
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Dos Derrotas
2017 NBA Western Conference First Round, Game 4
Heroes - Congratulations are in order for the city of Memphis. What a hard fought victory. In particular, congratulations are in order for Marc Gasol. What an incredible shot. Put more succinctly, what a heroic shot. With the weight of the entire Grit-N-Grind era of Memphis Grizzlies basketball quite literally hanging in the balance, Pau's little bro aka Big Spain found the soft touch to deliver one of the biggest buckets of his career; a bucket so huge...it saved a series, a season, an era, and most importantly a city (at least for the moment). Gasol's miraculous shot defeated the Spurs 110-108 in OT of Game 4 of our first round matchup with the Grizz on Saturday night at the FedExForum in Memphis. Unfortunately for Spurs fans, the best playoff game of the year (to date) resulted in an L and equaled a series that we had earlier led 2-0 at two games apiece. As the most competitively played often do, this game turned into one of those contests where the team that had the ball last was going to win. Simply put, we weren't lucky enough to be that team. Even though both teams played phenomenal basketball and were deserving, there could only be one winner. So I guess, in the end, this night was just meant to belong to the home team and their fans.That being the case, let me just say without qualification, "Felicidades por una victoria muy reñida, Memphis."
Having now extended our congratulations to our opponents on a hard-fought and well-deserved victory, let's turn our attention to the question of the moment. Should we as Spurs fans be freaking out right now? In short, I think the answer is no. While obviously concerning, I don't think this disappointing loss gives us a reason to need to panic. After all, as unlucky as we were to lose this closest of closely contested contests in such heartbreaking fashion, the reverse holds true for the Grizzlies. Memphis is the luckiest basketball team on the planet right now to have miraculously won this closest of closely contested contests and in doing so to have avoided a 3-1 series hole that they would have had little to no hope of digging themselves out of. In other words, the Spurs were intimately close to, for all intents and purposes, ending the series on Saturday evening. When put in this context, Memphis, who is in a good position (technically tied with us now in this series) is (at the same time) also barely holding on for dear life. It bares mentioning that we have outscored the Grizzlies 409 to 379 in the series thus far. 30 points is a pretty sizable disparity for a series that is tied after four games. Thinking about things from the standpoint that we're winning the series by an average of 7.5 points per game should give us plenty to be confident about going into tomorrow night's pivotal Game 5. I still would much rather be us than them at this point in the series for several reasons. First, we have home court advantage in the now best two out of three series. Second, we have the more talented, deeper, and all-around more experienced team and coaching staff. Next, Manu Ginobili will make his imprint on this series. We all know that he's been held scoreless through four games but Manu's struggles thus far should, more than anything else, scare the living daylights out of Grizzlies fans that a signature Ginobili performance is forthcoming. In every single playoff series that Manu has played in during his illustrious NBA career, he has had at least one game where he played his hall-of-fame magical best. I guarantee that we will get a signature Manu game in this series and when we do, it's unlikely the Grizzlies will have the weapons to weather the storm on whichever night Manu decides to make his 2017 NBA playoff debut. Lastly, if all else fails, we have to best player in the series (and in the world). It should come as a surprise to no one that I like our chances tied 2-2 against anyone so long as Kawhi Leonard is suiting up for the #BlackAndSilver.
What more can I say about Kawhi? I know I've been beating the "he's the best player in the world" drum quite profusely during this series. I feel obligated to do so for one very simple reason. There's as much scientific certainty that neither Kawhi Leonard nor the San Antonio Spurs organization will ever campaign for such recognition as there is that human activities contribute to climate change. Because of the amazing culture established by the likes of David Robinson, Tim Duncan, and Coach Pop many moons ago, San Antonio does not promote individual success. Therefore, it's up to us, the Spurs fans, to scream it from the rooftops that Kawhi is not only the 2017 NBA MVP but also currently the best basketball player in the world because if we leave it up to our good friends the "experts" to come to the same conclusion, we may be waiting for a very long time given that their current infatuation with the James Hardens and Russell Westbrooks of the world doesn't seem likely to wane anytime soon. On second thought, if the Klaw keeps putting together performances like he did on Saturday night, it will be hard for even the most prestigious of these "experts" to continue denying him. In Game 4, Kawhi went bananas in the latter stages of the fourth quarter, doing everything in his power (on both ends of the floor) to try to single-handedly steal the game away from Memphis. Down eight and seemingly dead in the water with 3:51 left, Kawhi proceeded to score the Spurs next 16 points to lift us out of the hole and even build as much as a three point lead of our own before the game eventually found itself tied at 96 a piece with zeroes on the clock. (Go figure, I had just written about the Spurs playoff success in overtime against the Grizzlies in Uno Derrota. Of course I jinxed our overtime good fortune. My bad.) Kawhi went on to score another eight points in overtime including two miraculous three point shots, the latter (with 12 seconds left) tied the score at 108. We all know what happened next. (Man, that was a heroic shot by Marc Gasol.) Kawhi finished the game with a career-high 43 points (14-30 from the field, 7-10 on threes, 8-8 from the line), 8 rebounds, 6 steals, and 3 assists. With this incredible performance, Kawhi became the first player in NBA history to score at least 40 points while making at least five steals as well as five threes. Kawhi's performance was incredible, indeed. Put more succinctly, it was heroic. So heroic, in fact, is it even necessary to formally announce that he has earned player of the game honors for the third time in for games of this series? (I guess I just did). Honorable mention goes to Tony Parker. TP had quite the heroic performance of his own on Saturday night, carving up the Grizzlies defense for 22 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, and a steal. Coming off of the scoreless performance in Game 3, Parker answered the bell and continued the general trend of proving he's still got plenty left in the tank to quarterback another title run. Keep it up, Tony. Keep proving the doubters and naysayers wrong.
Oh, I almost forgot. There is one more reason, which I failed to mention earlier, why Spurs fans should be confident that tomorrow night at the AT&T Center (back home in good 'ole Titletown, TX) we will retake control of our 2017 NBA Playoff destiny. In case it hadn't occurred to you yet, Game 5 will be the first home playoff game for the Spurs during Fiesta 2017. If you're currently in San Antonio or have ever lived there, you understand the significance of what I just pointed out. If you do understand the significance of what I just pointed out, Happy Fiesta! For everyone else, let's just say that our home court advantage just got cranked up from somewhere in the seven range to an unmatchable eleven. The Memphis Grizzlies and their fans may not realized it yet, but when it comes to crowd noise and the home court advantage that comes with it, they're in for a world of hurt tomorrow night. While San Antonio fans aren't consistently the loudest in the NBA, we have the highest ceiling. It's not even close. If you think there is another basketball fan base or arena in the league (or in the world, for that matter) that can rival Spurs fans in the AT&T Center at it's loudest...I admire your innocence and find your naivety quite endearing. I probably shouldn't do it but I'm going to let all of the San Antonio outsiders who are reading this in on a little secret. The noise in the AT&T Center only gets cranked up to eleven (or louder than any other arena in the NBA can match) on two separate occasions. The first? Obviously when the Spurs are playing an NBA Finals game at home. (By the way, in Game 5 of the 2014 NBA Finals during the run when the Spurs overtook the Miami Heat, the noise level actually hit twelve. Being the only such incident of a twelve ever being recorded on Earth, Game 5 was the loudest gathering of people in the entirety of human history. No need to look it up. I verified it, trust me.) The second occasion when the noise level gets cranked up to eleven in the AT&T Center? Fiesta. More specifically, the first Spurs home playoff game after the start of Fiesta. Usually, the opening weekend of Fiesta coincides with the opening weekend of the NBA playoffs. And since the Spurs usually have home court advantage in our first round matchup, the first game of Fiesta usually coincides with the first game of the playoffs. This year, for whatever reason, the NBA playoffs started the weekend before the opening weekend of Fiesta. So guess what that means? The Memphis Grizzlies are coming back into town expecting to play their third straight road playoff game dealing with a noise level in the seven range. They have no idea what's about to hit 'em when our Fiesta crowd (who, by the way, will not only be drunk but will also be angry that the series is tied to begin with) blows the roof off of the building with the type of emphatic eleven that puts to shame the nines registered in Memphis over the past couple of ballgames. Sure, David Fizdale manufactured some extra noise out of his home fans with his now infamous "take that for data" rant. But manufacturing a gimmick can only get a team's noise so far. To belt out a ten, the fans' love for the team needs to be burning from deep within their souls. The ability to raise the noise level to a ten is cultivated through years of devotion, through triumph and heartbreak alike. Gimmicks can't manufacture tens. Tens are built by rallying behind your team over the course of decades, not over the course of press conferences. To belt out eleven in the first round of the playoffs? Well, unfortunately for everyone else, the team needs to be the Spurs, the arena needs to be the AT&T Center, and the scenario needs to be, "¡Viva la Fiesta!" This is why we should be confident tomorrow night. Nothing else matters. Yes, David Fizdale whined. Let it be. Yes, the Memphis scorers table screwed the Spurs in Game 4 by neglecting to reset the shot before Patty Mills launched that three. Let it be. Yes, the refs gave Memphis the lion share of the calls down the stretch of the fourth quarter and overtime in Game 4. Let it be. Tony's heroism was wasted. Let it be. Kawhi's heroism was wasted. Let it be. Mike Connely's heroism was rewarded. Let it be. Marc Gasol's miraculous shot made him (not Kahwi) the enduring hero of the game. Let it be. Bottom line, the Spurs are still the better basketball team and tomorrow night, we get another opportunity to let it be. We don't need to rely on our heroes to make heroic shots to win tomorrow's game. San Antonio is at its most heroic when we come together as a city and let it be. So, no. There's no need to panic. All our players need to do is lace 'em up, play suffocating Back to Black Spurs defense coupled with tantalizing Wild International Spurs offense, and let it be. Similarly, all we as a community need to do is celebrate Fiesta, crank the noise in the AT&T Center up to eleven, and let it be.
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Uno Derrota
2017 NBA Western Conference First Round, Game 3
HUMBLE. - If the last six months have taught us anything, it's that whining can take you a long way in Donald Trump's America. Case in point, Memphis Grizzlies head coach David Fizdale. Congratulations, Fizzy. Whining has now earned you a playoff victory against the San Antonio Spurs. In the least surprising development of the 2017 playoffs, to date, Memphis defeated San Antonio 105-94 on Thursday night to close the series deficit to 2-1 and place a nice, fuzzy bow on the city's obnoxious love affair with Fizdale's childish, classless, and unwarranted post-Game 2 rant. The fact that Memphis seized on the manufactured momentum to grab an emotional "backs against the wall" victory was the predictable outcome to Thursday night's contest. A Hollywood writers room couldn't have scripted it any better. There was more suspense in Thursday's new Game of Zones episode than there was in Spurs v. Grizzlies, Game 3. Note to Adam Silver: It's foolishness like this that provides fuel for conspiracy fodder that the NBA is just as scripted as WWE. Of course the team whose coach made an ass out of himself and his city (err, I mean stood up for his players) after going down two games to zero gets the vomit-inducing (err, I mean heart-warming) desperation win after returning back home a cult hero. Having already collected Fizdale's (err, I mean his players) $30K fine, why wouldn't the NBA do everything in it's power to make sure that the after-school special storyline of a coach who cares too much rallying his team to victory happens? That's just good television. I know the NBA is trying to angle it's way into the business of hosting award shows by putting on the NBA Awards this June but, come on. Usually in sports, awards are given for performance in competition, not for putting on an Oscar worthy performance for the media in the postgame press conference. But whatever, Fizzy is going to quickly learn that the award (a home playoff victory over the Spurs) which the NBA predictably bestowed on him for manufacturing a fake controversy is merely a participation trophy. Within the next week, David Fizdale is going to come to realize that he's still light years away from knowing how to coach on a level that earns real hardware, namely Larry O'Brien trophies.
Indeed...with his Monday night stunt, David Fizdale has already played his hand for this series. What a weak hand he was holding to feel compelled to so haphazardly play his cards two games into the 2017 Playoffs. The beautiful thing about Coach Pop is that his counter to Fizdale's loud, bombastic, desperate hand was quiet, stoic, and confident. Pop was so cool, calm, and collected on Thursday night, he almost made the Game of Zones White Walker caricature of him seem realistic. Pop's ice cold YIN to Fizzy's red hot YANG should provide startling evidence to every Memphis fan that their newly beloved coach is completely overmatched. The former (once again) did something that he's done several times before and something that no other coach in the history of the NBA has ever also had the stones to do. He waved the white flag and gave his opponent the victory with more than enough time left to mount a comeback. Pop did this in order to demonstrate to his players that their energy and focus to start the second half were completely unacceptable for a playoff game. In other words, he prematurely conceded the battle to help teach his soldiers how to win the war. Only down four after a relatively evenly played first half, the Spur came out after halftime and started the third quarter like we'd just been in the locker room celebrating 4/20. We committed two turnovers while the Grizzlies scored five points to start the frame. Carelessness like we displayed in the opening minute of the third is a telltale sign of littering and... so Pop rushed in like Jeff Sessions visiting Colorado and shut the whole thing down. He pulled Kawhi Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge, Tony Parker, Danny Green, and Dwayne Dedmond one minute into the third quarter and replaced them with Pau Gasol, Patty Mills, David Lee, Kyle Anderson, and Jonathan Simmons because his starters had allowed Memphis to extend the lead from four to nine. There is not another NBA coach (current or former) that would have had the nerve to do that in a playoff game. In case you haven't noticed over these past 19 years, Gregg Popovich is playing chess. Unfortunately for Grizzlies fans, as much as they may have loved David Fizdale's fiery rant, such a weak hand is evidence that David Fizdale is playing checkers. On second thought, Pop hasn't even begun playing chess yet. This is still the first week of the first round, after all. Gregg Popovich is playing checkers like it's chess. David Fizdale, having gone all-in on his Monday night stunt, has already demonstrated he's playing checkers like it's Tic-tac-toe.
Here's the biggest misnomer about Game 3. The narrative is that Fizzy rallied his team to completely outplay the Spurs on Thursday night. That's true...but only if you reduce basketball to a free throw shooting contest. Fair warning: what I'm about to say is going to blow your mind. As much credit as the Grizzlies (and Fizzy in particular) were given for their Game 3 performance (and even despite Pop conceding the game early to teach our players a lesson), in actuality the Grizzlies didn't beat us in Game 3...we beat ourselves. The Spur were a horrendous 16-28 from the free throw line. Yep. We left 12 points on the board at the charity stripe in a game that we lost by 11. If we had made our free throws, which we're fully capable of doing (keep in mind, in Game 2, three nights earlier, we demonstrated it, going a ridiculous 31-32 from the line), despite everything else, we would have been right there at the end of the game with a chance to win. In all actuality, Memphis should be counting their lucky stars to have won Game 3. Had we shot that same percentage again on Thursday as we did on Monday, all Coach Fizdale's self-aggrandizing version of the Win One for the Gipper speech would've been able to muster is a shot for the Grizzlies to win Game 3 in overtime. It's kind of sad to think about the game in this context as a Fizzy-frenzied Grizzlies fan given that Pop threw in the towel with a quarter left to play. Also, knowing Pop, had the Spurs hit free throws in Game 3 allowing the bench to get the game to overtime, our plays checkers like chess coach would have awarded the bench players the overtime minutes and given them a chance to steal the game. By the way, Memphis does not have a good track record against the Spurs in overtime playoff games (having lost not one but two of them) in the 2013 Western Conference Finals. Don't get me wrong, Memphis fans should be thrilled to have finally snapped a ten game playoff losing streak to San Antonio. But being thrilled about it because you're buying the "Fizdale coached 'em up to dominate the game" narrative is delusional. Given all of this, you're probably not surprised that I am extremely confident in the #BlackAndSilver's chances to win Game 4 tonight in the FedExForum. By the way, the player of the game on Thursday was LaMarcus Aldridge. L.A. logged 16 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, and a block in 30 Game 3 minutes. We need him to keep up that type of production in Game 4. Combine it with a bounce back game from the backcourt tandem of Tony Parker and Maun Ginobili (who were both held scoreless on Thursday for the first time in the same playoff game in their illustrious careers playing together) as well as the type of dominance we've come to expect from Kawhi Leonard (aka the best player in the world) and the Spurs will have a fantastic shot to get the series back on track this evening. Gregg Popovich has played enough games of both checker and chess to not only know the difference between the two, but to also know that if we get back to playing focused, determined Spurs basketball in Game 4...we're going to be just fine. No need to panic yet. We just need our heroes to be heroes.
Featured Image Source: Yahoo Sports
Headline Image Source: San Antonio Express-News
Dos Triunfos
2017 NBA Western Conference First Round, Game 2
Good - What are we talking about? Data? We're talking about data, man. We're talking about data. We're talking about data. We ain't talking about the game. We're talking about data, man. Different bat time, different bat channel, same bat story. The San Antonio Spurs have now defeated the Memphis Grizzlies an impressive ten straight times in the postseason after vanquishing our division rival 96-82 in Game 2 of the Western Conference First Round series deep down in Titletown, TX on Monday night. Grizzlies coach David Fizdale is clearly sick of watching reruns of Star Spurred: The Next Generation starring Kawhi Leonard as Data (an artificial intelligence and synthetic life form desigend in a laboratory to perfect the game of basketball). Can you blame him? I mean, he basically just watched the same episode for the second time in three days. He's so sick of watching reruns, in fact, he decided to take it upon himself to do a remake instead during his postgame press conference on Monday night. Apparently, Fizdale has the Answer for why the Grizz lost the game and was more than happy to express it by channelling his inner-Allen Iverson. In case you've been living under an NBA rock, Memphis' rookie head coach went off after Game 2. This rant, or motivational tirade, or van down by the river speech, or whatever you want to call it has caused quite a stir on social media these past 48 hours and today cost Fizdale a significant chunk of change. I think it's safe to say that the episode has gone viral and won't soon be forgotten. So let's examine exactly what Coach Fizzy said, shall we?
“It's unfortunate that I've got a guy like Mike Conley, who in his whole career's got zero technical fouls. And just cannot seem to get the proper respect from the officials that he deserves. It was a very poorly officiated basketball game. Zach Randolph, the most rugged guy in the game, had zero free throws, but somehow Kawhi Leonard had 19 free throws. First half we shot 19 shots in the paint and we had six free throws. They shot 11 times in the paint and had 23 free throws. Not a numbers guy, but that doesn't seem to add up. Overall, 35 times we shot the ball in the paint, we had 15 free throws for the game. They shot 18 times in the paint and had 32 free throws, Kawhi shot more free throws than our whole team. Explain it to me. We don't get the respect that these guys deserve, because Mike Conley doesn't go crazy, he has class, and he just plays the game, but I’m not gonna let them treat us that way. I know Pop’s got pedigree and I’m a young rookie, but they’re not gonna rook us. That’s unacceptable. That’s unprofessional. My guys dug in that game and earned the right to be in that game. And they did not even give us a chance. Take that for data!”
Fizdale’s logic is flawed. It assumes that taking shots in the paint automatically equates to drawing fouls. The Spurs coaching staff is renowned for teaching players how to play defense and contest shots without fouling. Just because the Grizzlies were finding shots in the paint doesn't mean they were getting fouled. It is insulting to our organization's defensive infrastructure for Fizdale to insinuate as much. Were there missed calls? Sure, of course there were. Most notably, Mike Conley was probably fouled by Danny Green driving the lane on LaMarcus Aldridge with 6:03 left in the fourth quarter and the Grizzlies down eight, 83-75. It’s unfortunate. But it happens to every team. Quite frankly, it happened to us in Game 1 of this very same series (the Grizz were getting the friendly whistles on Saturday night) and it's happened to us in dozens of playoff scenarios that are more tirade-worthy than this one that Coach Fizdale is fuming over. I know it's tough when you're new to it (at least as a head coach) but don't worry, bro. You'll get used to it. It's happened to us more times in the past nineteen playoff runs than I could even attempt to remember. And since I don't care to remember anyway, we can just look back to last year to find a more tirade-worthy refereeing hatchet job than the one Fizdale's Grizzlies experienced on Monday night. Don’t forget that we lost not one but two games last year because of bad calls in our tight semifinal series against OKC. Were we mad about it? Or course, but that's just the breaks. Part of the challenge of playoff basketball is to play well enough to not give the referees the opportunity to swing the outcome of a game or a series with a blown call. In other words, keep a sizable, decisive lead on your opponent and then bad refereeing can’t sink you.
While I give Memphis credit for showing the resolve to claw their way back into the game, with all due respect to Coach Fizdale, this loss wasn’t on the refs (making his tirade actually quite laughable). A couple of extra trips to the foul line wouldn't have swung a fourteen point defeat. I suspect that after Fizdale dug a little deeper into the numbers, he might have felt a little embarrassed about playing the refereeing "victim" car in this scenario. Here's why. The Grizzlies shot 31-82 from the field (37.8 percent) including 7-27 from distance (25.9 percent). That’s simply not good enough to get a road victory in the playoffs. The crux of Fizdale’s argument during his tirade was that the Spurs took 32 free throws compared to the Grizzlies only taking 15 and Kawhi Leonard (19) shot more than his whole team. Essentially, we got 17 more shots from the line so Fizdale was arguing that that was the difference in the game. Okay, yes there was a massive free throw disparity but let's dig a little deeper. What he failed to mention is that the Grizzlies took 21 more field goal attempts than we did. In other words, there was also a massive field goal disparity. This resulted in part from the Grizzlies getting four more offensive rebounds and committing six fewer turnovers than us but was also a by-product of the Grizzlies going to the line less than us (less free throws means more field goal attempts). Let's keep digging into these numbers a bit. 17 more free throws only equates to 8.5 more shots than the opponent. Take those 8.5 away from the the 21 more field goal attempts the Grizzlies had in the game and Memphis still had 12.5 more opportunities to score than we did. The Grizzlies lost by 14 points (or 7 two-point field goals). Fizdale’s club lost this game all on their own. Blaming the officiating for this one is a huge stretch.
The player of the game was obviously Kawhi Leonard, once again. The Klaw poured in 37 points on 9-14 from the field and an exceptional 19-19 from the charity stripe. This was the third greatest playoff performance from the free throw line in league history (Dirk Nowitzski went 24-24 against Oklahoma City in 2011 and Paul Pierce went 21-21 against Indiana in 2003). Oh, did I mention that the Klaw also collected 11 rebounds? Kawhi was once gain laser focused and up to the challenge of leading his teammates into playoff battle. Grizzlies defenders must be seeing Barkleyesque downhill fast break dunks and Jordanesque fade away jumpers in their sleep right now after the offensive display Kawhi has unleashed so far in this series. During the two games in San Antonio, the best player on the planet was a combined 20-28 from the field (71 percent shooting) and 28-28 from the free throw line (100 percent shooting). To quote the bombastic David Fizdale (and to continue playing up my Star Spurred: The Next Generation theme), "Take that for data!"Speaking of Kawhi, there’s something I've been meaning to get off my chest for a few weeks now. There's something that baffles me about the way the beloved “experts” in the national media talk about his game. It’s a common talking point right now to call Leonard “the best two-way player in the game.” This makes absolutely no sense to me. If Kawhi is the best two-way player in the game, then he is the best player in the game. Period. Last time I checked, basketball is played on two ends of the court. Basketball players spend about half of their time on the court playing defense. In my opinion, you can’t be the best player in the game – or the MVP for that matter – if you’re only mediocre half of the time you are on the court. It doesn’t matter how brilliant you are on offense, if you don’t play defense at an elite level you’re simply not better than a player that plays at an elite level on both ends of the court. With all due respect to James Harden, Russell Westbrook, and Steph Curry, even though all of them are as good or better than Kawhi at offense, none of them are as good at the game of basketball. It’s simply a fact. In Uno Triunfo, I called Kawhi Leonard the best basketball player on the planet. His only competition is LeBron James and (to a lesser extent) Kevin Durant now that Durant’s defense is consistently elite. To be clear, I still consider LeBron James to be the greatest active basketball player in the world. If I needed one player on my team to win a Game 7 in the NBA Finals, I’m still taking LeBron. While also a Finals MVP, Kawhi obviously still has to accomplish a lot more in the postseason to catch up to LeBron when measuring greatness. But if I need one player on my team to win basketball games throughout an NBA season in 2017, I’m taking Kawhi. Today, he’s the best in my opinion. I give him the slight nod over LeBron because, with all of the miles LeBron has logged, his defense has understandably slipped a bit late-prime moving into post-prime. Thanks for letting me get that off my chest.
I'll close by warning that the #BlackAndSilver and every fan out there in Spurs nation need to be extremely guarded when the ball tips tomorrow night at the FedExForum in Memphis. As misguided of a rant as David Fizdale's Monday nighter was, it would be foolish of us to not expect a fiery Grizzly squad to use it as the fuel they need to claw their way back into the series at home. The Grit N' Grind house is going to be rocking like no one's business tomorrow, I guarantee you that. The Spurs and specifically our newest franchise cornerstone, Kawhi, need to bring the same level of intensity and focus on the road that we have shown thus far at home in the 2017 playoffs. One irrational, misguided rant could still prove to be the medicine Memphis' veteran core needs to dig themselves out of a hole and back into this series. Finally, in the spirit of giving some closure to one of the more remarkable meltdowns in NBA history, I have some advice for Coach Fitzdale moving forward in this series. Win or lose, long series or short. Everything is going to be okay, my man. Sit down. Be humble.
Featured Image Source: the 30ish
Headline Image Source: The Establishment
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
Twelve Ahead
2016 NBA Western Conference First Round, Game 4
The Background - It was the Fourth of July around 10:00 am when I heard the news. My wife and I were getting ready to head up into the mountains to visit with family and celebrate the holiday. Despite the fact that we were running late, as soon as the texts started popping up on my phone I had to stop packing my bag and investigate for myself. Sure enough, I was immediately able to confirm what multiple friends had already been texting to me. On his Twitter account (which is currently deactivated), LaMarcus Aldridge aka the top free agent available on the 2015 open market wrote, "I'm happy to say I'm going home to Texas and will be a Spur!! I'm excited to join the team and be close to my family and friends." Bam, just like that with this one simple tweet, the San Antonio Spurs' championship window was yanked back to being more wide open than a refrigerator in the Inside the NBA break room thirty seconds after the show wraps. Wait a second, I'm understating the magnitude of LaMarcus' tweet. Not only was the Spurs' proverbial championship window reopened, but the screen and glass were completely removed from it so that the winds of triumph could continue to flow freely into the AT&T Center for the next four seasons to come. Indeed, this one simple tweet paved the way in allowing a transition for Tim Duncan aka Time's Father (the greatest winner in the modern NBA) to move quietly into the background this year (along with perennial running mates Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker) while LaMarcus and Kawhi Leonard took over center stage in putting together what would later prove to be the winningest season in franchise history. Given that I had been tempering my optimism about our chances of landing LaMarcus during the free agency courting period (the Spurs had never signed a free agent of Aldridge's caliber in franchise history), that moment on the Fourth of July where I heard the good news engendered a simply amazing feeling. It was a grand mixture of disbelief, excitement, and of course (being that it was Independence Day) patriotism. Yep, it's safe to say that I was bouncing off the walls elated that morning. The Spurs were back. Granted, this would be a new remixed version of my beloved team, but we were definitely back. As my wife and I finished packing and got on the road, I couldn't wait to get up into the mountains so that our elevation would match my mood. When we finally reached our destination, I got out of the car and breathed in a deep breath of the crisp mountain air and coupled it with the world class fireworks show that was popping off in my chest. Cloud nine. Man, what an amazing morning that was. Oh, and the phenomenal barbecue feast we had up in those mountains later that evening wasn't too shabby, either. God bless America.
LaMarcus Aldridge to sign with the San Antonio Spurs. God bless America! #LAtoSApic.twitter.com/npBk0VU2Pj
— Ted James (@tedjames) July 4, 2015
This past Sunday, LaMarcus and Kawhi indeed took center stage as the San Antonio Spurs completed a sweep of the depleted Memphis Grizzlies at the FedExForum in Memphis. After a competitive first half, the Spurs made quick work of the Grizzlies in the second half and won the game and series going away 116 to 95. The karmic powers that be in Tennessee (yep, that rhymes) must have seen the writing on the wall because they attempted to turn the lights out on the Grizzlies season a couple of hours too early. LaMarcus and Kawhi (the one-two punch of the remixed Spurs) amassed 36 points and 17 rebounds in only 54 minutes of combined game action while securing the victory as well as the welcomed six days of rest that came with it. Considering that we are the oldest team in the field, completing a sweep in Memphis and becoming the first team to advance to the second round (giving us more rest at this point than any of our potential opponents) could prove to work to our advantage in the coming weeks as the competition gets stiffer. While LaMarcus and Kawhi had equally dominant outings closing things out at The Grind House in Game 4, LaMarcus edges out Kawhi to earn his first ever Black & Silver player of the game honors. LA earns the honors not only for his Game 4 double-double (15 points, 10 rebounds) but also in recognition of the stellar defense he played the entire series on Zach Randolph. LaMarcus' length frustrated the Grizzlies best available player and prevented him from being able to put together a signature performance in any of the four games. While everyone has been focused the entire season on how LaMarcus Aldridge fits into our offense, it is the way that LA has seamlessly plugged into our defense that has probably been his biggest contribution in helping to transform the #BlackAndSilver into a 67 win juggernaut. Sure, no one would have labeled LaMarcus a defensive stalwart back in his Portland Trail Blazers days. He was certainly a serviceable, but no one was mistaking him for the second coming of Hakeem Olajuwon (or Tim Duncan for that matter). However, when you put his length and quickness next to Timmy and a certain Defensive Player of the Year named Kawhi Leonard, all of a sudden you have one of the most formidable defensive front courts in NBA history. The numbers bare it out. San Antonio league best defense was not only vastly better than the next best defense in the league this year, it was historically great. Back to LaMarcus' offense for a second. With less touches and less minutes this season, a lot has been made of the slippage in LaMarcus' offensive numbers playing for the Spurs. Numbers can be deceiving. A lot of that slippage had to do with LaMarcus learning how to find his spots in the Spurs offensive system early in the season. A lot more of it has to do with him adjusting to our "good to great" unselfishness as a group. Make no mistake about it, though. LaMarcus Aldridge is still one of the most dangerous post weapons in the entire NBA. His ability to get buckets in the low block and on put backs is a huge safety net that we did not have last year.
After the Memphis Grizzlies were dispatched last Sunday in what proved to be a record-breaking ninth sweep for head coach Gregg Popovich, the Spurs returned home to get some rest and also to prepare for our good friends Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Starting tonight, the two teams will square off in the playoffs for the third time in the past five seasons. With the Thunder taking the 2012 Western Conference Finals and the Spurs returning the favor to win the 2014 Western Conference Finals (both series ending in six games), it's fitting that we are being treated to this postseason rubber match. Fitting, but considering that OKC boasts two of the leagues six or seven best players (yes Mark Cuban, Russell Westbrook is a superstar and tests confirm that Kevin Durant is correct, you're an idiot), this is a very scary second round matchup. It is going to take the Spurs playing disciplined, focused basketball to take care of business in this series. We need to limit OKC's fast break attempts and force them into half court sets as much as possible. Whether Scott Brooks or now Billy Donovan, the Thunder are not known for picking teams apart through complicated half court offensive wizardry. That is why limiting OKC's opportunities to use Durant and Westbrook's speed and athleticism as a way to push the tempo will be crucial to our game plan. Sure, the Thunder are bringing two incredible weapons into the AT&T Center this evening but one of our biggest advantages in this series is that, overall, we boast a much deeper arsenal. Depth is a huge advantage for us against OKC. Players three through ten on the Spurs' depth chart include future hall-of-famers Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili. Once you get past Durant and Westbrook, the Thunder simply can't match our firepower. On July Fourth, the San Antonio Spurs landed a major weapon in LaMarcus Aldridge. What made the signing so spectacular, however, was placing LA in the mix with the incredible arsenal of weapons we were already stockpiling deep in the heart of Titletown, TX. It's true that we are facing an incredible challenge in this series because of the scope of the two huge guns our northern neighbors will be deploying in the Alamo City tonight, but hopefully the Spurs will prevail in this series because, when it comes to weapons, we don't have to just rely on LaMarcus and Kawhi. When it comes to weapons, we've gotta lotta.
Featured Image Source: The Morning Call
Thirteen Ahead
2016 NBA Western Conference First Round, Game 3
Thieves in the Temple - Friday was Earth Day. One day after the passing of Prince, the world was still blanketing itself in purple showers. A resplendent purple Earth. At least that's how I imagined our beautiful planet might have looked on Friday from outer space. I spent a fair amount of my day that day thinking about that sort of thing. Thinking about the precious gift that is our natural habitat and how heartbreaking it is that we are destroying it while also thinking about the music of a prince and the color purple. On Friday evening, as I was taking a light rail train to Denver International Airport during RTD's grand opening of Train to the Plane, I looked off towards the mountains as the sun was setting to witness some spectacular purples in the sky. Many other passengers on the train were looking over at the sunset as well. Some were taking pictures of it on their phones. There was a communal feel to the moment. On that train we were a group of strangers, yet the desire to discover beauty that is part of our common humanity fortified a bond, admittedly fleeting, but one that gave each of us common inspiration to carry on the airplanes that would leave DIA and disperse us from a singular group of people who had captured a glimpse of beauty together on a train's passenger car in Denver, Colorado to our varied and unique destinations around the world. Sure, the idea of a purple earth is metaphorical. But to me, the communal experience of discovering beauty with a group of people that then disperse apart and consequently spread the inspiration carried from that shared discovery of beauty across the globe is how and why our planet was purple on Earth Day 2016. We, the passengers of that compartment of that train, took in a little light together while watching the sun rest in purple behind the mountains of the Denver sky and then we traveled into the night to spread our individual flicker of purplish joy around the world.
Around the same time that purple hues were lighting up the Denver sky, the San Antonio Spurs were in Memphis tipping off a game of basketball against the Grizzlies. I must admit, while I was absorbing in the beauty of a magnificent Denver sunset, I was doing so with WatchESPN streaming Game 3 of a certain Western Conference First Round series on the iPhone in my hands. (Hey, just because you're a deep thinker with a profound appreciation for artistic beauty doesn't preclude you from having the ability to multitask. Particularly during a Spurs playoff game.) To say I was multitasking on my now infamous RTD voyage to the airport is an understatement. Not only was I taking in the sunset and streaming the game, but I was also reviewing the transcript from a piece of audio collected by one of theLeftAhead's field reporters earlier on Friday in the Memphis hotel that the Spurs were staying at. Since our resources are very modest here at theLeftAhead, rather than hire a full time sports writer to cover the Spurs playoff run in person, I sent Ken Adams (our Pop Culture writer and currently my only full time employee) to Memphis to cover the series. Ken had to amazing good fortune to somehow get the room right next to Gregg Popovich's room at the hotel in Memphis where the team was staying. Around 2:00 pm on Friday, Ken also had the amazing good fortune to realize that the walls in this hotel were incredibly thin and he could hear everything that was being said next door in Coach Pop's room. Being the smart reporter that Ken is, after realizing his good fortune, he immediately hooked up a USB microphone to his computer, put it up against his shared wall with Coach Pop's room, and started recording audio. The following is a transcript of what he captured on the recording:
-- Begin Transcript of Recording --
Coach Pop: Okay Darryl, yeah I know it would mean a lot to you but no, I'm not going to do it. I don't care how badly you think you need this. (pause) Trust me, nobody is going to buy a 54 year old making a comeback to pitch in the Majors. If I give you the beans so that you can try to make a comeback with the Mets, our cover will be blown. It's too big a risk to national security for me to allow it. (pause) Sorry Darryl. (loud banging). Okay Darryl...I've got to get off the phone. There's someone at my door. (pause) Let me know what you find out about the Vladimir Putin operation. (pause) Okay, talk to you later. (pause) Come in.
Kawhi: (barely audible) Hey coach.
Coach Pop: Hey Kawhi, I'm a little busy, what's up?
Kawhi: (again barely audible) I just wanted to let you know that my shot felt really off at shoot around this morning. In fact, this is the worst I've ever felt about my shot in my career heading into a playoff game. I know winning this Game 3 is really important so that we can get Timmy, Manu, and Tony some extra rest. I was talking to Danny after shoot around and telling him how my shot felt off and he told me to come and ask you if I could have some magic "irrational confidence" beans?
Coach Pop: Dammit, Kawhi. You're currently one of the three best basketball players on the [bleeping] planet. There is absolutely nothing about your confidence that is irrational. No, you can't have any mother [bleeping] beans. Go out there tonight and just let it fly.
Kawhi: (still, barely audible) Okay, thanks Coach. I feel better already.
Coach Pop: Okay, good. Get the hell out of here.
Kawhi: (you guessed it...barely audible) Hey Coach, why is there a painting of Vladimir Putin hanging in your hotel room?
Coach Pop: Mind your business, Kawhi. (Door shutting) [Bleepity bleep bleep].
-- End Transcript of Recording --
Kawhi Leonard was red hot on Friday night, shooting 6 for 9 on threes and scoring 32 points (matching his playoff career high) to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a 96-87 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. When you factor in the 5 blocks and 4 steals that Kawhi registered on the defensive side of the ball, this easily ranks as one of his best playoff performances to date and earns him player of the game honors in the tough nosed, street brawl that was Game 3 of our First Round series. By going into the Grindhouse temple, absorbing haymaker after haymaker from our undermanned opponent, yet still thieving a victory, the #BlackAndSilver now have a commanding 3-0 lead in the series. Today's game begins in just a few minutes and we can expect the same type of physical, desperate opponent this afternoon that we faced on Friday night. Despite being undermanned, the healthy Grizzlies players still have a great deal of pride and will do everything in their power to avoid having the city of Memphis face the embarrassment of getting swept out of the 2016 playoffs. It is going to take a focused, disciplined effort but if we play Spurs basketball the way we have all season long, in a few hours (like the purple hues behind the mountains of a Denver sunset) we can put this First Round series in the background.
Fourteen Ahead
2016 NBA Western Conference First Round, Game 2
Idioteque - Ice age coming, ice age coming. Let me play both sides, let me play both sides. The NBA has been put on notice. The Spurs are coming. Not only are we coming, but (over this past season) our starting small forward completed his mutation from an ordinary White Walker into the best two-way player in the game. It has been quite a transformation for the quiet, humble kid from Riverside, California. To put it mildly, The Klaw is a beast. It's safe to say that Kawhi Leonard is now grown. During the 2015-16 season, his game undoubtedly demonstrated most of its growth on the offensive side of the ball where he averaged 21.2 points per game to lead the Spurs in scoring for the second consecutive season (a 4.7 points per game improvement, however, over the 16.5 he averaged during the 2014-15 season). Boasting one of the most complete offensive games in the NBA is what's new. What we already knew was reaffirmed this past Monday as Kawhi solidified his reputation as the best defensive player in the world by earning his second consecutive Defensive Player of the Year award. Congratulations are in order to Kawhi. With a NBA Finals MVP, two DPOY awards, and having made his first All-Star team this past February, Mr. Leonard seems to be locking down awards these days with the same ferocity that he puts on display while locking down the likes of LeBron James and Kevin Durant. Kawhi's transcendence from a player chosen outside of the lottery to the franchise player of the most successful NBA team to lace 'em up over the past 20 years is one of the biggest reasons the Spurs were able to post a franchise best 67 wins this season. If asked about why he put in all of the extra work it must have taken to transform from quiet Riverside kid into Kawhi Leonard: NBA Superstar, I can only speculate that his answer would probably be, Manu made me do it.
On Tuesday, Kawhi, Manu, and the rest of the Spurs had the challenge of not allowing complacency to set in after a dominating Game 1 performance over a depleted First Round opponent. Luckily, the Spurs have an anti-complacency device that is omnipresent in the locker room and its name is Gregg Popovich. True to form, the #BlackAndSilver responded to whatever crotchety pre-game message Coach Pop delivered and eliminated any possibility that we would fall victim to complacency by playing suffocating defense once again against the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night at the AT&T Center. By all objective accounts, we Grit & Grinded our poor challengers down to sawdust and when all was said and done and the dust had cleared, the Spurs had once again defeated the Grizzlies. This time, by a score of 94-68 in front of 18,418 raucous fans. In Game 1, San Antonio held Memphis to 39.2 percent shooting. In Game 2, we ratcheted the defensive intensity up another notch to hold the Grizzlies to a torturous 32.6 percent shooting. So far in this series, the Grizz are so overmatched that it just doesn't seem fair. Nonetheless, the Spurs must continue to resist complacency's temptation and go into Game 3 in Memphis tonight with the appropriate fear necessary to take a 3-0 series lead. While a sweep is never easy against any playoff opponent, if the Spurs can find a way to pull one off against the undermanned Grizzlies, we could give ourselves an added rest advantage over potential future playoff opponents Oklahoma City and Golden State (who have both already lost one game in their First Round series). Our Game 2 player of the game is Patty Mills. Patty was throwing mad shrimp on the barbie Tuesday night, shooting a blistering 4-6 from deep en route to 16 points off the bench. Good on ya, mate. That type of shooting from our back-up point guard is a critical ingredient to the formula necessary for the Spurs to make the type of deep playoff run we're all hoping for this season.
Let me conclude my thoughts by mentioning that it was hard to write yesterday after hearing the news about Prince. I was hoping to complete this post and check it off my to do list yesterday, but after hearing the news I knew that that would be a futile endeavor. I find as an artist, when the light of one of the greats is extinguished in its physical form, rather than create, I'm drawn to basking in the light of the art itself, at least at first. Prince was a genius. Yesterday was not a day for creating. Yesterday was a day for walking outside and submitting to the showers of majestic purple that were lighting up skies around the world and allowing them to rain down upon you. In the inaugural installment of the Black & Silver blog series, the genius of Prince inspired to serve as the theme for one of my 2013 Finals posts. Funny that the 1999 themed Fourteen Down just so happened to be the most creative post of the series to date. I encourage you to go back and read the delightfully hilarious fictitious account of what led the Spurs to achieve one of the greatest three point shooting performances in NBA Finals history during Game 3 of the 2013 Finals. For the life of me, I don't know what possessed me to write that post. It was a total deviation from everything that I had written prior in the blog series. Perhaps the mere act of choosing a Prince song as the theme of the post and then listening to it a few times in preparation played a role in the spectacular down pouring of creativity that washed over me that night when I sat down at my computer to write. After hearing yesterday's heartbreaking news, at least I'd like to think so. That's one of the magical things about the few among us who fall into the category of creative genius. Their creativity is infectious. Without question, Prince infected millions upon millions of people with his creativity for the better part of 40 years and the world is a better place because of the music he showered us with. Tonight, purple rain will continue to pour down from above. Also tonight, a band of black and silver outlaws will enter the FedEx forum in Memphis and attempt to steal a victory like thieves in the temple. Rest in peace, sweet prince.
Fifteen Ahead
2016 NBA Western Conference First Round, Game 1
Ignition (Remix) - Merriam-Webster's dictionary defines a remix as "a variant of an original recording (as of a song) made by rearranging or adding to the original." As a musician, I love remixes because they have a funny way of making things you've heard dozens (or even hundreds) of times before feel fresh and exciting. When we parted ways this past July, I left with this feeling that I get when I first hear a remix to one of my favorite songs. While the third installment of this blog series had undoubtedly ended in abrupt, disappointing fashion, there's also no question that it ended by striking a chord that (despite the agony of defeat) made things feel fresh and exciting. I had this overwhelming sense of anticipation because, as we parted ways this past July, we did so with the knowledge that our beloved San Antonio Spurs had landed LaMarcus Aldridge, the biggest free agent signing in franchise history. Combine that with having a young Defensive Player of the Year on a trajectory that the league hasn't witnessed in a very long time (perhaps since the emergence of Scottie Pippen), a trajectory that's ascendence is only heading toward's one place: Kawhi Leonard: NBA Superstar. Oh, and throw in that same old, same old of three hall of fame players and a hall of fame coach. Ladies and gentleman, as we parted ways last July, we had our selves the potential to turn the 2015-16 NBA season into a serious recording session. As expected, our remixed Spurs did not disappoint and were phenomenal in the regular season en route to amassing a franchise record 67 wins. Throughout the course of this installment of the Black & Silver blog series, we will dive deep into all of the nooks and crannies of the 2015-16 San Antonio Spurs spectacular season. Nevertheless, it's my intention to ease our way into this playoff run. We're going to slowly build some speed in order to make sure this mack truck is barreling down the highway by the time May rolls around in a couple of weeks. Still wanting just a little bit more? Now usually I don't do this, but go ahead and break 'em off with a little preview of the remix.
On Sunday night in front of a lively Fiesta crowd at the AT&T Center, the #BlackAndSilver obliterated the Memphis Grizzlies 106-74 to take a 1-0 lead in the Western Conference, First Round series. The poor, undermanned Grizzlies didn't stand a chance against a team that had just tied the 1985-86 Boston Celtics' NBA record of only yielding one home defeat all season to finish 40-1 at home. It's bad enough for any team to go up against the biggest home court advantage in NBA history but let's face it, with Marc Gasol and Mike Conely (arguably the Grizzlies two best players) unavailable for the postseason due to season-ending injuries, the task of repeating their 2011 magic and upsetting the Spurs seems dangerously close to hopeless. The remixed Spurs sure made it seem so in Game 1. Using a well rounded attack (five players in double figures), the Spurs carved the Grizzlies defense apart to shoot 51.9 percent from the the field and hold Memphis to 39.2 percent shooting. Kawhi Leonard takes home our player of the game honors for his work on both ends of the court. The Klaw poured in 20 points (8-13 shooting) on offense and paired that with four steals and three blocks on the defensive side of the ball. It was quite the stellar performance, indeed. One fitting of the magical first weekend of Fiesta. There is no better time of year and no better place to be than San Antonio during Fiesta to witness the Spurs home playoff opener and soak in all that Fiesta Oyster Bake has to offer. On a side note, happy 100th anniversary to Oyster Bake. While I couldn't be in San Antonio myself to take in the festivities, I can imagine that the beer was flowing and the turkey legs were plentiful. Speaking of turkey legs, a wise sage named Russel Westbrook once said, "The Spurs are coming." I'm happy to report that it once again, it feels that way down in Titletown, TX. It feels the same, but also fresh and new. Look out NBA, the Spurs are definitely coming. Idioteque.
Featured Image Source: Slate
Headline Image Source: NBA Passion
Twelve Down
2013 NBA Western Conference Finals, Game 4
Once In a Lifetime (Same As It Ever Was) - Patience is a critical attribute for people of faith. Without the fortitude to believe with steadfast patience, people are likely to lose faith sooner or later. A prolonged void from seeing hope manifested with one's own two eyes does not bode well for keeping faith over the convenience of instant gratification, especially in today's culture of lighting fast information and perpetual distraction. Without patience, this world will eventually use logic, science, probability, misinformation, fear, or whatever else it needs to to convince you that what you believe in your heart to be true actually is false and that you are better off abandoning your faith. For all of the San Antonio Spurs fans who have had the fortitude to continue to believe in our hearts for six long years that this core group still had the ability to make a run to the NBA Finals, our patience was rewarded on Monday night as the #BlackAndSilver swept the Memphis Grizzlies out of the Western Conference Finals by winning Game 4 at FedExForum 93 to 86.
Tony Parker made about as emphatic a case for player of the game honors as anyone could imagine pouring in 37 points on 15-21 shooting from the field and 6-6 from the free throw line. Tony also dished out 6 assists and scrapped together 4 rebounds for good measure. After getting poked in the eye (apparently not that eye, Drake and Chris Brown) in the middle of the fourth quarter by Marc Gasol, Tony returned down the stretch to hit two clutch jump shots that sealed the victory for the Spurs. The first, a three pointer with two defenders (one of them Gasol) leaping towards him and the second a classic Tony pull-up jumper off of the screen-and-roll. Just as he had done against Golden State, Tony Parker used what was once considered his liability as a player (his jumper) to ice a playoff series. I think that it is time for NBA writers and pundits to end the ridiculous exercise of merely allowing Tony to be in the conversation of best point guards in the league and give this man his due. If I hear the names Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, Stephen Curry, or Derrick Rose mentioned in the same breath as Tony Parker during these upcoming NBA Finals, I might start to become suspicious that ESPN's NBA analysts are currently auditioning for a more lucrative opportunity to cover President Obama's Benghazi "scandal" for Fox News. Tony Parker is currently the best point guard on the face of the planet, period. There is absolutely no reason for there not to be a consensus on this matter. If NBA pundits are simply incapable of avoiding the monotony of having these conversations for the sake of having these conversations, then please start putting Tony in the proper one. Parker should be in the conversation with LeBron James and Kevin Durant for best basketball player in the world. He truly has become that great.
On Monday night, Tony's greatness was the biggest factor in determining an outcome that affirmed the faith of the Spurs fans who were patient enough to continue to believe in our hearts that Tony, along with Manu, Timmy, and Coach Pop would eventually get us back to where we are right now despite an intimidating mountain of evidence to the contrary. The world sure did its best over the last two years to shake the faith loose from as many Spurs fans as it could pick off. With the best record in the NBA, San Antonio was knocked out of the 2011 NBA Playoffs in a shocking first round upset at the hands of these Memphis Grizzlies. Undefeated in the postseason, riding a 20 game winning streak, and up 2-0 in the Western Conference Finals, San Antonio collapsed against the Oklahoma City Thunder losing four straight games to find ourselves eliminated from the 2012 NBA Playoff in what seemed like the blink of an eye. The San Antonio Spurs, as an organization, clearly never lost faith. The fact that Tim Duncan and Greg Popovich will be entering into their fifth NBA Finals 14 years after their first is a testament to the extraordinary faith and resolve of the finest professional sports franchise in North America.
In the post-game press conference after Game 4, Coach Popovich commented extensively on this remarkable and irrational run to his fifth NBA Finals. He said, "I'm sure that we've been a team that's probably been written off, like they've had their day, and it seems logical...I would probably have said the same thing if I was a fan from the outside looking in but it doesn't show the way these guys compete." Pop went on to say, "I think a lot of people think that the grass is greener on the other side...and if we change this coach or trade these guys it's all going to be nirvana after that. But I think that if you stay the course and you've got leaders who are quality character people, you follow them for as long as you can. I've been hanging on Timmy's coattails for a long time."
Now, after a coach, an organization, and a city have ridden Tim Duncan's remarkable coattails for fifteen years, a return trip to the NBA Finals has manifested itself in 2013. As to be expected, there are literally millions of Spurs fans around the planet that will tell you that they never lost faith. On the surface, it is understandable that every Spurs fan would feel this way right now. It is a special time to be a Spurs fan and also a special time to be a San Antonian. Everybody that would like to be should get to be a part of the experience. And it is not lip service to suggest that a "the more, the merrier" mentality runs deeply into the cultural fabric of our city. But the deepest rewards are reserved for the purest of heart. Asking oneself, did I truly have the patience to remain vigilant against the onslaught of evidence to the contrary? This is a question that can only be answered by peering deep into depths of one's own soul. The logic, science, probability, misinformation, and fear that the Spurs' core players were too old to get back to the NBA Finals had become awfully compelling over the past couple of years. The world had mounted a rather seductive case to convince Spurs fans to abandon our faith. Whether a true believer or whether returning to the flock after losing one's way, we should be glad for every single person who has decided to be a part of the congregation at this special moment in time. The ability to have one's faith renewed is a wonderful characteristic of the human condition in its own right.
So, welcome home all ye prodigal sons and daughters. We have missed you and we're glad you're back. We are going to need every ounce of your enthusiasm, spirit, and commitment because we, as Spurs fans, have absolutely nothing to celebrate yet. Sure, the opportunity to see Timmy, Manu, and Tony compete in the NBA Finals again is a great validation for Spurs fans who have kept faith over the last six years and an exciting opportunity to be baptized into faith for those new or returning to the flock. But we don't celebrate conference titles around these parts and the next step in our long and weary journey is by far the hardest one. In San Antonio, we don't celebrate until the Larry O'Brien trophy is in the dutiful hands of Tim Duncan and being hoisted towards the heavens. In San Antonio, we celebrate championships. While this moment in time might seem celestial, there is more work to be done. We are merely knockin' on heaven's door.
Featured Image Source: Wayne Cavadi’s Online Portfolio
Headline Image Source: Pantrip
Eleven Down
2013 NBA Western Conference Finals, Game 3
Whoop That Trick (Hustle & Flow) - For the second game in a row, the San Antonio Spurs went to overtime against the Memphis Grizzlies and for the second game in a row, Tim Duncan came through in the clutch. The Spurs defeated the Grizzlies 104 to 93 last night to take a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference Finals. The 93 points put up by Memphis is the most that the Spurs have allowed in the last five games (since they elevated their collective defensive play Back to Black in the middle of the Golden State series) and for the fifth game in a row the Spurs held an opponent to under 47 percent shooting allowing Memphis to only shoot a paltry 39.2 percent from the field (38-97). The Grizzlies also had a nightmare night from the line shooting 55.6 percent and missing 8 free throws and a few in critical moments in the fourth quarter that could have helped them secure the win in regulation. In Game 2, Tony Allen was able to sink a pair of clutch free throws to help Memphis force overtime. In Game 3, on two separate occasions in the final two minutes of regulation, he split a pair of free throws. With so much at stake, these are the type of critical misses that can haunt you for weeks if not years upon end. I know that the Spurs have experienced our fair share of these disappointing blown opportunities over the years.
Earlier in the evening, it was the Spurs who were experiencing a nightmare. San Antonio began the game entirely unprepared to play. We looked stuck in neutral as the clearly focused Grizzlies fed off the energy of the FedExForum home crowd to turn the Spurs over eight times in the 1st quarter and take an 18 point lead. Watching this occur felt like Déjà vu. Last year, up 2-0 against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals, the Spurs came out flat in Game 3 and suffered a blowout loss (102 to 82) which shifted the momentum in the series. We appeared to be willing to concede a similar Game 3 outcome last night as the Spurs' starters looked like zombies in the opening quarter and didn't even seem to be capable of managing the basics such as passing the ball from the point to the wing. Tony Parker, in particular, did not have his head in the game as he committed four of the eight 1st quarter turnovers. Halfway through the abysmal quarter, Spurs Coach Greg Popovich made a decision that most NBA coaches wouldn't even dare entertain in such an important playoff game; he benched his entire starting five. While the second unit didn't do a whole lot to get the Spurs back into the game while closing out the quarter (San Antonio still trailed by 16 after the period), the message was clearly received by the starting five. Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, in particular, went on to play dominating basketball the rest of the way. Duncan finished the night with 24 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks and Parker finished with 26 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals. Because of his dominant play in overtime, Timmy earned my player of the game honors for the second game in a row. The utter brilliance of the performance of the #BlackAndSilver in the overtime period was a work of art. San Antonio outscored Memphis in overtime 18 to 7 while going 8-10 from the field and 2-2 from the free throw line. Duncan had seven points, a rebound, and the most spectacular assist you could ever hope to see as he through a no-look pass to Tiago Splitter with about two minutes left in OT. Standing with the ball on the high post, Timmy turned his head towards perimeter to pass the ball to the wing and then ripped a pass inside to Tiago for an easy layup. This one play epitomized the consistent excellence that Duncan has displayed throughout this playoff run and especially in the overtime periods of the last two ball games. Timmy is clearly on a mission this postseason and when he's locked in like this, at this time of year, I begin to count my blessings that he has always and continues to play for San Antonio. Tim Duncan is one of the few all-time great players who will play his entire career for one team and every Spurs fan should feel beyond fortunate that this historic career has been played for our team.
While being up 3-0 in the Western Conference Finals, really any NBA playoff series, is an amazing accomplishment, once again, the Spurs are hesitant to start celebrating a trip to the NBA Finals just yet. There is still more work to be done in Memphis, Tennessee. In the post-game press conference, Coach Pop said that "Game 4 is all that exists for us." Manu Ginobili pointed out how incredibly blessed the Spurs are to be in this position given that the last two games went into overtime. He said after the game, "We are very lucky to...be 3-0, I mean...I really didn't expect to be in this situation now." The Spurs could very realistically be facing a 2-1 hole with Memphis being the team with an opportunity to go up 3-1 by the weekend's end. Nonetheless, San Antonio is the team in this excellent position, which provides us an opportunity to close out another playoff series. Amazingly, for Tim Duncan, Monday provides an opportunity to close out the 30th playoff series of his career against only 10 defeats. And the days go by, but if we keep our play focused and building towards a crescendo tomorrow evening, the San Antonio Spurs could find themselves in position to write the script for another historic Memorial Day. Same as it ever was.
Featured Image Source: The Art of Movie Stills on Tumblr
Headline Image Source: USA Today
Ten Down
2013 NBA Western Conference Finals, Game 2
Even Flow (Once It Hits Your Lips) - And the Tony goes to...Tony Allen hit the floor, holding his head, writhing in pain. If you had missed the play and you had just seen the aftermath you would have thought that Manu Ginobili had grabbed Allen out of mid air, body slammed him to the ground, bent down and karate chopped him in the head, and then spit in his face for good measure. Sources tell me that after watching the latest incarnation of the business of basketball receiving official protection against the manifestation of spirited competition, a portal through which gladiators used to be willing to sacrifice a limb in order to earn the distinguished honor of a trip to the NBA Finals, Bill Laimbeer immediately changed the channel to WWE Royal Rumble in an effort to find more authentic programming. Faking an injury that did not occur to bate the refs into a flagrant foul is not in the character of champions. Only Tony Allen knows for sure how far he pushed that acting performance, but the fact that three Memphis-based personal injury lawyers have already solicited Allen for an endorsement deal since Tuesday night doesn't bode well for his credibility.
The player of the game was Tim Duncan. He saved the Spurs from the type of catastrophe that derailed the 2004, 2006, and 2008 title contending Spurs by dominating the overtime period. Had San Antonio lost Game 2 because Memphis was able to outplay us from opening tip to final buzzer, it would not have been the end of the world. We could have regrouped, looked at film, and come back with a focused performance in Game 3 like we did against Golden State under the same circumstances. However, had San Antonio lost Game 2 because of the shenanigans of Tony Allen and the apparent passion for Broadway theater that Bill Spooner, Scott Foster, and Bill Kennedy hold in common, that could have proven disastrous. The Memphis Grizzlies made it quite clear in their fourth quarter comeback Tuesday night that they are a tough minded, determined basketball team. They are good enough to win this series. Had the Spurs allowed a game to slip through our fingers that, by all intents and purposes, we had in the bag because of a couple of freak plays in the final minutes; there is no guarantee that we would have had the ability to refocus from that disappointment to win three out of the next five games. Don't get me wrong, I know we could have. But I'm extremely thankful that we don't have to put that scenario to the test. Thankfully instead, the #BlackAndSilver defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 93-89 in overtime on Tuesday which puts us in the same scenario as last year. The Spurs are up 2-0 in the Western Conference Finals with a chance for redemption. Second chances serve as spectacular opportunities. They are the purest type of opportunity; the kind that comes to those who are willing to put in the work to overcome adversity. You can't fake your way to the promised land. The Spurs face the ultimate opportunity to body slam the adversity they experienced last year and punch their ticket to the NBA Finals this holiday weekend in Memphis, Tennessee. They won't punch that ticket through their ability to sell fouls. They won't punch that ticket through their ability to make shots. They will punch that ticket by having an insurmountable desire to win. And they will punch that ticket with their hustle and flow.
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Nine Down
2013 NBA Western Conference Finals, Game 1
Coming Home - The San Antonio Spurs defense continued to impress yesterday afternoon as they held their opponent to under 92 points and 47 percent shooting for the third straight playoff game defeating the Memphis Grizzlies 105 to 83 in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. The Spurs most dominating performance of the playoffs (thus far) came at an opportune time given that this opponent had parlayed a Game 1 theft job in San Antonio into a first round upset just two years ago. From the opening tip, the outcome of this Game 1 was hardly ever in doubt as the Spurs dominated the Grizzlies from the opening jump with the exception of a singular 10 - 0 Memphis run in the third quarter. The Spurs made buckets and locked in on defense which is a lethal combination. While it would be foolish to assume that the Spurs could continue to play at this level for the duration of the series, I don't think that it is unreasonable to declare that Memphis is incapable of matching the #BlackAndSilver at this level of play. The Spurs played close to their maximum capabilities in Game 1 which is higher than the Grizzlies' maximum capability. The Spurs are a more talented offensive basketball team. Memphis is a tough, defensive minded group with a lot of heart and they are more than capable of imposing their will to bring San Antonio back down to earth in order to give themselves a chance to take control of this series. But matching San Antonio's Game 1 level to win this series? Highly unlikely. The Grizzlies don't appear to have enough weapons on offense to match a Spurs team that is hitting on all cylinders at both ends of the court.
The player of the game yesterday was once again the Red Rocket. After playing limited minutes against the Warriors, Matt Bonner was ready for the Western Conference Finals stage when Coach Popovich called his number. Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili did a masterful job of breaking down the Grizzlies perimeter defense to find open shooters and Bonner along with the other Spurs three point bombers got their work in yesterday by lighting up Memphis for a franchise playoff record 14 three pointers. Matty contributed four of those triples which was huge because it stretched the floor forcing one of the Memphis big men to have to guard away from the paint. Bonner also played tough inside against Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol on defense. While he only had two rebounds, he consistently held his defensive position on the block, which negated the Memphis big men from getting into rhythm and capitalizing on their biggest advantage over the Spurs: size and strength. Zach Randolph finished the game with a mind boggling 2 points on 1-8 shooting. The Spurs can rest assured that Randolph and Gasol will bounce back and play light years better in Game 2, but if we can stay locked in and keep the same focus and intensity, the Spurs will have a great opportunity to board a plane for Memphis on Friday with a 2-0 series lead which is something they were unable to secure two years ago against this opponent. Even if this comes to fruition, Tony Parker clearly will not be satisfied and he will not allow the team to celebrate yesterday's triumph for one second. He continues to impose levity on the San Antonio locker room by constantly harping on the valuable experience the Spurs gained having had endured last year's heart break. A reflective Tony was quoted in last night's post-game press conference informing all who would listen, "Nobody's happy in our locker room, because we were up 2 - 0 last year and we lost. So it's just one game." Tomorrow night is another game. Hopefully it will include another overpowering performance by the San Antonio Spurs. Should that happen, we will set ourselves up to be in the same position that we were in last year (2-0 lead in the Western Conference Finals) before the wheels came off. If given the rare opportunity of a second chance, I'm confident the Spurs have the fortitude to seize it. First things first. Here at home, we need to do one. Once it hits your lips.
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