Those Spurs return right before All-Star break

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Wednesday night the San Antonio Spurs reminded us how good they can be at full strength, dominating the Detroit Pistons 104-87. Not only did they show how good they can be, they showed how good they can be when their two best players don’t bring their A games. Tim Duncan and Kawhi Leonard combined for 16 points and the Spurs still managed to get over the 100 point mark. Not a lot of teams can say that. It helped that they were playing a mediocre team that’s missing one of their two or three best players, but this isn’t about the what the Pistons didn’t have or didn’t do as much as it’s about what we saw from the Spurs that we haven’t seen a ton this season.

Injuries aside, the third quarter has been the Spurs’ biggest bugaboo this season. They’re just not a good team in the third quarter. According to NBA.com, the Spurs have a net rating of -2.9 in the third quarter and a -4.6 rating on the road in the third quarter. Every other quarter is a plus of at least five. Wednesday night the Spurs outscored the Pistons 34-24 in the third and had a net rating of 51.9. That’s certainly not sustainable, but that’s the exact kind of outburst you want to see in any quarter as this team gets healthy. Speaking of that health, they’re now the number two defense in the league. If they get that offense back in to top 10 range (it’s 12th right now), they’re going to quickly move up the Western Conference standings.

Tony Parker didn’t have a “wow” game, but he was efficient, was able to get into the paint and get to the free throw line. He’s not all the way back to the Tony Parker of the last few years, but we’re getting close. In his five February games, Parker is averaging 16.4 points on 48 percent shooting. The spin moves, the tear drops in the lane, they’re all coming back.

It’s just one night, but after a stumble in Toronto and a near stumble in Indiana, it’s good to see the Spurs offense start hot and stay that way for the most part. Now Tim Duncan and Marco Belinelli head to New York to take part in All-Star Weekend festivities and everyone else get some rest before the Rodeo Road Trip continues next Thursday in Los Angeles against the Clippers. Then it’s Golden State on the second night of a back-to-back. Then Portland, Utah, Sacramento and Phoenix in a six day stretch. So that should be fun. Enjoy All-Star Weekend, Spurs fans.

  • spurs10

    Thanks for the write-up! A lot of things to be happy about with this game. Especially after that horrible loss in the last .1 of a second…… I am meaning to say one -tenth of a second!!! Our third quarter woes have been vanquished for eternity.

  • DorieStreet

    I’d sure like to believe the team can return to the court after halftime and at the very least match their opponents’ offense every game here out. 29 more opportunities over the next two months.

  • thedrwolff5

    apparently the season long habit of complimentary milk and cookies at halftime was substituted with coaching. look how we crush teams when we have a good third qtr. Back to Spursing

  • spurs10

    Yes Dorie and thedrwolff5 our third quarter this last game was wonderful to watch. Time to flip the switch and protect the ‘ship!