Hints of Leonard Return Upstage Spurs’ Date With Pistons
The last month-plus has represented an annoying holding pattern for many Spurs fans, as their team finds itself in unfamiliar territory toward the bottom of the Western Conference standings; the only answer to their questions has been the completely unsatisfying, “Just wait a little while, until everyone is healthy.”
We’ve repeatedly harped on the contributing factors in the Spurs’ 9-10 record over the last 19 games: The schedule in December was as ridiculous as any you’ll ever see (it represented just the third losing month of Tim Duncan’s 18-year career, by the way), and injuries to two of the team’s three best players made every game a grind, regardless of opponent. But, at some point that stuff ceases to matter as much as the results do.
San Antonio is 21-14 and in seventh place out West, nine games back in the loss column of a first-place Golden State Warriors team so freaking hot it’s shooting fireworks out of its butt. Speaking of fireworks, the Spurs ended 2014 with a bang against a Pelicans team they have all kinds of trouble with, and tacked on another impressive win against a very good Washington Wizards team to kick off 2015 the right way.
But it’s all felt sort of empty; there’s been a major void in the lineup that’s felt bigger than any win or loss in the first two months of the season. The absences of Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard have loomed large, delaying any serious evaluation of the team’s standing and causing unrest as the ninth seed moved closer and closer toward reality. But it appears relief is on the horizon.
Parker has been cleared to play tonight against the scorching hot Detroit Pistons after missing the previous five games, and 13 of the last 16, with a hamstring injury. That’s good news for an offense that’s been mediocre at best during that stretch.
But there’s better news. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports is reporting that Leonard will return to the court soon, likely in the next two weeks. Woj writes doctors are pleased with the progress he’s shown, and that they believe his hand will fully heal with no long-term issues going forward — great news, considering there was belief this injury could potentially require offseason surgery.
The impact of Leonard’s absence has been documented over and over again. He’s really good, and he’s incredibly important to the Spurs on both sides of the floor. Same goes for Parker. You already know all that. If these reports are accurate and the two stars’ returns to the court are imminent, San Antonio will soon be in position to take advantage of a relatively smooth schedule.
And that starts tonight.
Since Stan Van Gundy ejected Josh Smith and his bloated contract from the rapidly sinking S.S. SVG, the Pistons have gone on a tear. They’ve won five straight, beating opponents by 22 points per 100 possessions and lighting the net on fire with 42.9 percent shooting on 30.8 3-point attempts per game during the streak. Detroit is scoring efficiently, defending, rebounding, and taking care of the ball, all things that weren’t happening when every stat-fiend’s favorite whipping boy, Smith, was occupying space in the lineup.
Now, it must be said: Those five wins have come against the Pacers, Cavs, Knicks, Magic, and Kings, teams that have combined to go 16-34 over the last 10 games. (The Pacers are scrappy as hell, but the other four are playing like trash water.) Still, they’re not just squeaking by these teams; they’re murdering them. Even with Parker’s returns to the floor, San Antonio has its work cut out for it in order to build on its first winning streak in more than a month.
A win here is important, as the Spurs are neither gaining much ground on the opposition ahead nor significantly building a cushion between them and the Suns, Pelicans, or Thunder. But all that takes a back seat to news of the cleaner bill of health that’s come with the new year. After such a tumultuous, exhausting end to 2014, there must be a sense of relief among the weary veterans and coaches. If the prognosis is correct, and the outlook on Leonard’s hand is positive as the team heads toward springtime, then San Antonio must like its chances as much as any other team in the NBA.
And finally, for the fans, there might soon be answers to the questions in the back of their minds. And, perhaps, to their prayers.
