The Margin: Spurs wrap up quick road trip with easy win
Typically, we wrap up games with El Conclusion, where we grade each player on the night’s performance and give Coach Pop no lower than an A- (those are the rules, we didn’t make them up… actually we do and that’s the rule). However, we’re having some issues with the grades site, so we’re bringing back another favorite: The Margin. The Margin is one bullet point for every point in the difference in the score, as made famous by Rob Mahoney. Spurs won by 103-91, so here’s 12 points about the game and whatever else we feel like talking about.
- The bench, the bench, the bench. This is the bench we were used to seeing last season and have been waiting to see this season. Matt Tynan’s going more in depth on this in a separate post, but to say the least everyone was really impressive.
- I’m pretty sure we’re seeing the best Aron Baynes can be. He’s 28 and guys don’t typically get much better as they get to 30 but what we’ve seen this season has been really nice. He’s probably best suited to be the second big off the bench, but having Tiago starting and be able to back him up with Baynes gives the Spurs the ability to bang with a team like Memphis in a playoff series. He could get better than he’s been, I don’t think many of us expected him to be this good this season, but if he doesn’t I think every Spurs fan would be more than happy to have him continue to play the role he’s been playing.
- Unclear if Cory Joseph has officially replaced Patty Mills in the rotation, two games isn’t much of a sample size, but it’s good to see him getting minutes. If we’re just going off of how well each guy has played Joseph obviously should get more minutes. But Patty was so lethal in his role last season it’s easy to understand why Pop wants him out there. Ideally, Patty gets to a point where Pop can play either guy when a specific situation calls for it.
- Here’s Kawhi Leonard’s post All-Star break numbers: 17.5 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 2.7 assists and 2.5 spg with 51/31/76 shooting numbers. He has a net rating of 97. If he keeps this up is he going to sneak on to an All-NBA team? What about defensive player of the year? Obviously the games missed will play a factor, but those are some great numbers. Also, that 31% 3-point shooting number is misleading. In March, he got that back up to nearly 36%, which is his career average.
- I officially don’t know what to expect from Manu Ginobili in the playoffs, but if the rest of the bench plays close to like they did Wednesday night, he’ll have way less of a burden, can play distributor and pick his spots as it relates to scoring.
- Spurs are now in a three-way tie with Portland and the L.A. Clippers for fourth place in the Western Conference, two games back of Houston for third place. Because of tie-breakers they’re still in sixth place. It’ll be tough to leap frog the Clippers, Blazers and Rockets for third place, but there’s likely going to be a ton of shuffling over the next two weeks. Next week, the Spurs play Houston back-to-back (not on consecutive nights) and that could ultimately decide whether the Spurs catch the Rockets.
- I’m not sure moving up a spot or two would matter for the Spurs mostly because that means seeing Golden State a round sooner. When I asked on Twitter many of you said it wouldn’t when you see Golden State because you’re going to have to face them eventually. It’s a good point, but I guess it’s better to see them after they’ve been beat up by a couple other teams.
- Spurs could also play a big role in the eighth seed. They play Oklahoma City next Tuesday and close out the season in New Orleans two weeks from now. If the Spurs seeding is locked up by then they’re resting their players and New Orleans could take advantage of that.
- Spurs play Denver next before hosting Golden State. I really hope they don’t stumble Friday because they’re looking ahead to Sunday.
- The last two games are a great example of why Tim Duncan could play another season or two as long as the Spurs stay competitive. There’s going to be stretches where he plays well under 30 minutes, sometimes less than 20. He’s shown he’s fine being a role player in stretches. That’s a selling point for people like Marc Gasol, LaMarcus Aldridge, Kevin Love or even someone like Paul Milsap when the Spurs are doing some recruiting this summer.
- According to ESPN’s Jeff Goodman, Arizona forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is about to declare for the NBA draft. He’d be the perfect Kawhi Leonard/Danny Green backup. He can’t shoot, but he does everything else really well. Keep him in mind this summer.
- 18 straight years in the playoffs is a Hell of a thing.
