Team comes first for Spurs
Leonard’s too grumpy, Diaw is too lumpy and Mills is… Australian. But they are three of the unlikely cast of characters assembled by San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich in his hunt for a fifth NBA title, a holy grail which could be reached tomorrow against the more star studded Miami Heat.
The NBA is often chastised as being a sport driven by the individual rather than the team. Sometimes that can be effective as in the most recent example set by Miami who place much of the pressure on the incredibly capable shoulders of LeBron James, with occasional cameos from the other two-thirds of the big three: Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
Miami have won the last two championships and these finals have the three-time champions gracing the biggest stage for the fourth season in a row. No matter what happens — and they are in a major hole, down 3-1 and forced back to Texas for game five — they will be among the greatest teams put together and James’ legendary status is assured.
Last year they came from 3-2 down to beat San Antonio 4-3 in what was a cruel turnaround for Popovich’s players. Game six was decided by a memorable three-pointer from Ray Allen but his presence is only an occasional reason for the Heat coach Erik Spoelstra to look beyond the talents of James and Wade (and maybe Bosh).
There simply isn’t the ability to spread the wealth beyond those three the way the Spurs can. Popovich has drilled it into San Antonio for almost two decades that the team is better than any individual, a cliché which has become fresher with every successful outing.
Popovich won’t accept a coach of the year award without his assistants and backroom team sitting around him. Former players will not only be welcomed back with open arms whenever they visit the Texas outpost, they’ll be treated like members of a family.
On Thursday, when they brushed past Miami with murderous intent for the second game in a row, the commentator and former coach Jeff van Gundy noted with awe the way the players on the bench carried themselves. In one example, three-time champion Manu Ginobili from Argentina was on the verge of being brought back into the game when his coach changed his mind. Instead of moping back to the bench, he leapt up and got back to his seat to support the five on the floor.
It all might seem a little wholesome but to watch San Antonio produce the sort of dazzling team scores which don’t necessarily involve players named Tim Duncan or Tony Parker has proven to be a lot more rewarding than sensational dunks.
Versatile centre Duncan has been a mainstay for Popovich throughout the four titles secured so far. He is also a figurehead for that aforementioned cosmopolitan feel so unique to the NBA.
At the start of the season, the Spurs broke their own record with 10 of their signed players born outside the US. Going into these play-offs, French player Nando De Colo was the only one of those not to make the cut.
Although Duncan is a US citizen, he grew up in the US Virgin Islands, not a basketballing stronghold by any stretch. He was embarking on a life that would unfurl into probable Hall of Fame status but he was learning the game in a tropical environment not conducive to the constant movement of the game, the climate resembling the now infamous conditions of these finals’ first game when the air conditioning failed and sent LeBron James into a frenzy of cramps.
As for the rest, point guard Tony Parker is the most prominent French player of all time and is enjoying an Indian summer in this series, almost single handedly destroying Miami and personifying the Popovich ploy: complete buy-in to the team mentality.
His compatriot Boris Diaw was going nowhere with the Charlotte Bobcats two seasons ago and was picked up by the Spurs and revitalised to the point that he has been a thorn in the side of Miami this past week.
Another South American is Brazilian big man Tiago Splitter who might be playing in the shadow of Diaw — more workhorse off the bench than game changer — but he has been a consistent contributor for the last couple of seasons.
Italian Marco Belinelli and Canadian Cory Joseph have been struggling of late while the international contingent is rounded out by Australian duo Aron Baynes and Patty Mills,
If Miami can come back from this, it will be miraculous and historic. What’s more likely is that Gregg Popovich and Tim Duncan will be five-time champions by tomorrow evening. Their own miracle.
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