Spurs take down Warriors to win ninth straight game

The San Antonio Spurs are the hottest team in the NBA. On Monday, they extended their league-best winning streak to nine games by holding off the Golden State Warriors 111-105.

The Spurs’ 42-29 record now slots them as Western Conference’s No. 5 seed, which was a spot that seemed unrealistic a couple weeks ago. However, just one game separates them from the No. 8 seed. Monday’s win was obviously massive from a seeding standpoint.

Let’s wrap up the Spurs’ win by discussing three observations, two questions and a prediction regarding the team.

3 Observations

The Spurs have a bevy of tough shot-makers

This was a fantastic team win for the Spurs on both ends of the floor. You could tell the Warriors showed up to play in this game, but San Antonio was still able to outplay its more talented rival.

One aspect of this game, though, that might be a little out of the ordinary for a Spurs fan is the mere 20 assists on 41 made field-goals (48.8 percent). This season, San Antonio had assisted on 57.8 percent of its field goals prior to this contest.

The Spurs found a lot of success on Monday thanks to self-created offense, mainly from DeMar DeRozan, LaMarcus Aldridge, Rudy Gay and Derrick White. In the below video, you can check out some of the tough shots San Antonio was able to make in spite of good defense from the Warriors.

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Indeed, the Spurs as a team rank in the league’s top eight in both one-on-one and post play talent, per BBall Index’s talent grades.

One effect of the Spurs’ individual shot-making is that it’s a good safeguard against bad offensive performances. San Antonio has scored 102 or more points in 22 of its last 23 games. The team can call on individuals to make something out of nothing when its offensive flow just isn’t there.

DeMar DeRozan is silencing the doubters

DeRozan’s stat line was very good. He had 26 points, nine rebounds, eight assists, one steal and three turnovers on 9-of-17 shooting (8-of-9 shooting from the free-throw line).

Somehow, it felt like he played even better than his line indicated. On offense, his shots were very often heavily contested and at key points in the game. He was playing with such confidence and efficiency that the Warriors often loaded up to stop him, opening things up for teammates.

DeMar’s offense continues to be very dependable. He’s at 22.7 points, 6.1 assists and 2.6 turnovers per game since the All-Star break on a 60.5 true-shooting percentage. In 11 of his last 12 games, he’s both scored at least 18 points and made at least half of his field-goal attempts.

On defense, DeRozan had a very strong performance on Monday, continuing a run of solid play on that end in the Spurs’ winning streak. His motivation seems stronger than ever before. He’s being physical, getting in his stance and using his hands at opportune steals to pick up steals, blocks and deflections.

DeRozan’s Defensive Player Impact Plus-Minus has been plus-0.97 in the Spurs’ win streak, which is third on the team. Before the streak, his DPIPM of minus-0.60 ranked 12th of the 15 San Antonio players who have seen court time this season.

The Warriors are still the Spurs’ (and everyone’s) worst playoff matchup

Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves. The healthy Warriors still have five All-Stars and Andre Iguodala. Both Iggy and DeMarcus Cousins were out on Monday and would change this matchup. No one should want to face the NBA’s most talented roster that’s also the two-time defending champion in the postseason.

On Monday, the Spurs probably had a little bit better shooting display than normal, while the Warriors shot a bit below their average. That would even out over seven games. Golden State’s motivation to play its best will also hit a whole new level in the playoffs.

Finally, the Spurs are just 13-22 on the road this season. The Warriors are 19-2 at home in the playoffs since Kevin Durant joined the squad. That’s a bad mix considering Golden State would have home-court advantage.

My guess is that a playoff series between these two teams, both healthy, would end with the Warriors winning in five games.

2 Questions

What would Bryn Forbes’ role be in a Warriors-Spurs series?

Forbes has started for the Spurs 70 out of 71 games this year in somewhat of a surprising development. At 27.8 minutes per game, he plays more than everybody but Aldridge and DeRozan and has had a respectable season. But he’s still a guy who’s somewhat reliant on his threes falling to make an impact, much like bench guards Patty Mills and Marco Belinelli.

San Antonio is in a tough position because it needs the shooting and spacing from those guys, but it also needs to make sure it has enough playmaking and defensive versatility on the floor, especially against the Warriors.

Forbes played just 17 minutes against the Warriors on Monday, which was his lowest total of the season (not counting a game last month where he exited due to injury). He had only three points on 1-of-5 shooting from the field.

Who can Forbes guard in the Warriors’ starting lineup, though? There’s no good choice there, and I think Popovich saw that last night. Pop elected to give Davis Bertans a bit more run with the starters over Forbes. Bertans can provide Forbes’ shooting while adding a bunch more defensive versatility.

Does Gregg Popovich really believe Derrick White is the Spurs’ second-most important player?

Pop called White the Spurs’ second-most important player on the team a couple weeks ago. Presumably, Aldridge is No. 1, since the Spurs’ inside presence would be extremely lacking without him.

For the record, I think I agree with the claim. DeRozan is still a better player than White for now, but the quality of the team’s perimeter defense dips significantly when White is out.

However, if Pop really believes his claim about White, why is he only averaging 25.8 minutes per game? DeRozan (35.2) and Aldridge (32.9) are both way ahead, and Forbes (27.9) and Gay (26.9) also outpace him.

Is there a chance Pop’s quote was merely a means to motivate DeRozan? I wouldn’t put it past him. And if it was, it has worked.

1 Prediction

Gregg Popovich will earn some Coach of the Year votes

There are a bunch of deserving Coach of the Year candidates this season, such as Mike Budenholzer, Mike Malone, Nate McMillan and Doc Rivers. Popovich won’t (and shouldn’t) win, but he’s quickly rising in the conversation, and deservedly so.

Most people assumed the Spurs would miss the playoffs after Dejounte Murray’s injury. Now, they’re the West’s No. 5 seed and are on pace to win nearly 49 games. Let’s quickly run through some of Pop’s accomplishments this season:

  • Cultivated chemistry with a roster that brought in eight new players last offseason
  • Found ways to minimize the impact of defensive liabilities
  • Helped DeRozan snap out of a big pre-All-Star slump and motivate him on defense
  • Helped get Aldridge going after a dreadful offensive start to the season
  • Empowered Derrick White, Bryn Forbes and Davis Bertans to blossom in expanded roles

Pop’s reputation will earn him a bunch of top-three votes, even though he’s almost assuredly not going to win the award.

Note: All statistics are from NBA.com, unless otherwise noted. Video clips are from NBA.com and the House of Highlights YouTube account.

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