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The straw is not Matt Bonner. But roll with me for a second.

Matt Bonner leads the team with a positive +/- of 231. Alongside Tony Parker, he makes up the other half of San Antonio’s best 2 player combo. Bonner is, not surprisingly, also part of the team’s first and third most effective 3 player combination. 4 and 5 player combinations? You guessed it, Bonner and Bonner.

The Red Rocket’s team leading plus/minus numbers point less toward him and more toward his surrounding cast. The brilliance of Tony Parker and Tim Duncan-because of his injury troubles these numbers are less reflective of Manu Ginobili-is able to transform a mediocre bench player into an effective starter. Of course, we should not rob Matt Bonner of all credit. His shooting does provide something special that makes the offense hum—spacing. Bonner’s plus/minus stats are a testimony to good spacing. It’s a team sport, after all; chemistry often trumps talent.