Going Off The Deep End: How The Spurs Turned It Around

The San Antonio Spurs were written off in the offseason. They are too old to do anything, especially against a good LA Lakers team. But the Spurs now have the top seed in the West, even though they are getting career lows in production from Tim Duncan, and limiting the roles of aging players like Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. This is where depth comes into play. It is true that Gregg Poppovich greatly changed this team in the offseason. They abuse the 3-point line to a great extent, and they have a great offense to complement their typically stout defense. But he has just found role players who fit in perfectly with his system. His biggest find is probably Gary Neal. He gained fame early in the season for air daps, then further recognition as the dunk victim of the season. But he has done a great job coming off the bench and filling in for Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. Really everyone on the bench is great, especially George Hill and Matt Bonner. The Spurs are so great because they don't have to rely on any one person to get the job done, because of their immense depth.