There are exactly three teams who are making some noise right now in the league. The reigning champions Golden State Warriors, the emerging Boston Celtics and the offensive juggernaut Houston Rockets. Cleveland Cavaliers should be on the list but based on their current performance, they have a lot of work to do. However, where is San Antonio Spurs?
Old and gone?
For the past 6 games, the Spurs bowed down to teams who aren’t really a threat to anybody. They were beaten badly by the Detroit Pistons, got outrun by the young Philadelphia 76ers, and they were hit by a dagger from CJ McCollum of the Portland Trail Blazers.
Many basketball fans are now questioning the Spurs. Are they too old for the game? Is there a problem with their system? Do they have to make adjustments against a younger team?
Well, adjustments are actually normal in any game. Gregg Popovich who is arguably one of the greatest minds in basketball has a plan already in mind. Their experience is one of the biggest reasons why they have a successful organisation. For 21 years, Spurs seems to have a counter on every move that the opponent has.
The Klaw grounded again
Although the San Antonio Spurs is known for their 'system ball', it is no secret that their main guy is Kawhi Leonard. The silent assassin who was sidelined by an injury since last year’s playoffs made his first appearance a few weeks ago.
The Klaw looks impressive upon his much-anticipated return. Then injury struck the so-called robot of the NBA. Leonard has just gone through a quadriceps tendinopathy rehabilitation process and now, a partial tear on his shoulder was reported. There’s no timeline on his current injury but this is Spurs main priority.
LaMarcus Aldridge needs to lead the team
The versatile forward is showing respectable numbers this season. But can LaMarcus provide more? Well, yes indeed. L.A is no stranger to being the go-to-guy as he did it before with the Trail Blazers. Spurs will definitely make adjustments in giving Aldridge more touches and that will spell trouble for other teams.
Also, it seems that Manu Ginobili has found the fountain of youth. The proud son of Argentina has been showing his court brilliance for the past week. Age is just a number and he still has what it takes to be a Spur.
So for the fans who are counting the Spurs out this early, they might need to check their history. Spurs can still outplay super teams regardless if one of their stars is badly hurt. The last time the Spurs were eliminated in the first round is when Chris Paul hit the dagger layup in Los Angeles. Expect the oldest team to perform at a higher level once they have Kawhi and Tony Parker back in their lineup.
