San Antonio Spurs: No. 4 in NBA Watchability Rankings
The NBA's most successful franchise of the past 20 years now is trying to do something it never has: repeat as champion. The five-ring Spurs come in No. 4 on our NBA Watchability Rankings.
2013-14 record: 62-20, won NBA championship
2014-15 projected record: 59-23, No. 2 seed in Western Conference playoffs
What's new? Not much. The only new addition expected for the Spurs' regular-season roster is Kyle Anderson, the former UCLA small forward they drafted 30th overall.
How good will they be? At this point, 50 wins seems like a given. The only season they haven't reached that plateau since drafting Tim Duncan was the lockout-shortened 1998-99 season, when they went 37-13 and won the title. But last season was the best in franchise history, and it's tough to imagine a repeat of such heights unless Kawhi Leonard takes a big step toward stardom.
What's the goal? Another championship, clearly, is first priority. But the Spurs need to figure out what they have left as Duncan and Manu Ginobili are near retirement (and perhaps in their very last seasons). Most of their younger players are under contracts for a couple more seasons, but more clarity and chemistry couldn't hurt moving forward.
WHY YOU CAN'T MISS THEM
The best of the era: Yes, that's Duncan. (Sorry, Kobe Bryant fans.) Here's to arguably the best player on five championship-winning teams, a distinction only George Mikan, Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Michael Jordan can also claim. Duncan was great last season in limited minutes, but he is in the final year of his contract and will be 39 by season's end. If this is Duncan's finale, expect it to be much lower key than Derek Jeter's. Understated dominance will define a career that, to this point, has him 11th in NBA history in rebounds, seventh in blocks and tied for third in All-NBA appearances.
"Pop" culture: Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, as much or more than Duncan, is the face of this franchise. He built the roster, built the system, built the stars and is responsible for so much of the continuity and consistent excellence. But its his ineffable (or infuriating) charm that gets put on public display so often. A Popovich news conference or sideline interview is must-see TV.
The extra pass: Part of Popovich's system is finding the best shot on every play. That's why players such as Ginobili and Boris Diaw, with their extraordinary court vision, become stars for the Spurs. It's also why, over the past decade, the team has morphed from a defensive powerhouse to one of the most beautiful shows on hardwood.
PROJECTED STARTERS (with 2013-14 statistics)
- PG: Tony Parker — 16.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists a game
- SG: Danny Green — 9.1 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.0 steals a game
- SF: Kawhi Leonard — 12.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.7 steals a game
- PF: Tim Duncan — 15.1 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists a game
- C: Tiago Splitter — 8.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists a game
NBA WATCHABILITY RANKINGS