Spurs pulled a difficult season opener opponent for the 2015 season... OKC has all the makings of the team to beat in the West. The team has learned how to play stretches without Durant and Westbrook. They've also put together a deep bench that will allow them to go far.
The starting 5 for the Spurs tonight are:
- Duncan - I can't get over how good he is and he's pushing 40
- Parker - Solid game.
- Kawhi - Beast Mode.
- LaMarcus - Thicker this season... maybe its the new uniform? (Blew a big rebound at the end of the game)
- Green - I can't believe he's in the starting five... (his poor shot selection with 13 seconds in the 4th qtr killed the Spurs)
Pre Game Observations: I really dig the new alternate road uniforms. They're similar to the Sunday Home Grey's they wear... but these are all black. I think Uniforms look silly on adults - but I could see myself wearing Diaw jersey around the Apartment.
Game 1 - The Spurs look good. I think they're going to make a push to get a 2, 3 or 4 seed in the West. They're a team that is going to make a deep run in the playoffs. The loss tonight only hurts in head to head match-ups with OKC for seeding... I suspect they will bounce back nicely on Friday night.
I can't believe how well this team passes the ball. I watched a good bit of the Bulls game on Tuesday... I wish we could move the ball around as efficiently as the Spurs do. The lights could go out in the Arena and the Spurs would still be able to move the rock up and down without dribble.
The starting 5 played really well together and the transition to the second line (Manu, Diaw, Mills, West, Anderson) was seamless. The only Spur to not see any action tonight was my Detroit Mercy Titan - Ray McCallum.
The bench in many ways out-performed the starting five. Mills and Diaw had 9 each. Manu scrapped together 11 points going 4 for 5... West really looked good and pick up 8 points.
The Spurs allowed Kawhi to explode for a regular season high of 32 points and I think this is a step in the right direction. He took control of the game a number of times and he helped them pull within 2 points in the closing seconds of the game. LaMarcus had a slow night only sinking 4 of 12 shots for eleven points. I'm pretty sure he didn't score in the 4th. He blew an opportunity to pull down an important board with 12 seconds left in the 4th and he wasn't a focal point of the offense in the opening 10 minutes.
I suspect this may change in game 2.
The Spurs are scary good and scary deep. People around town will undoubtedly be bummed out tomorrow... A feeling they're likely going to feel 30 more times until the playoffs. San Antonio doesn't realize how good they have it sometimes.