With their first four games out of the way this season, the San Antonio Spurs are already looking like the toughest team in the Western Conference. Kawhi Leonard has become an assassin on both ends of the court, looking to win his 3rd straight Defensive Player of the Year award, and averaging 28 Points Per Game, while shooting 50% from the field.
The loss of Tim Duncan has barley been recognizable, as the Spurs have been playing as if he never left. Winning all four of their first games by an average margin of 15.8 points per game, San Antonio is playing some of their best basketball since winning the title in 2014. With Duncan gone, the Spurs already had LaMarcus Aldridge to take over in the post, but with new starting center, Pau Gasol, in the mix, the Spurs frontcourt is the most lethal it’s been since 2003, San Antonio’s last season with the “Twin Towers” starting together.
With a total of 6 former All-Stars on the Spurs roster, they have the depth and veterans to continue to be consistent, much like they were last season. San Antonio’s consistency got them the number 2 seed last year, with their 67-15 record, it’s absolutely absurd to imagine them being any better this season. Adding on David Lee off the bench, he’s shown his production can still be efficient with a top backup point guard in Patty Mills and veteran shooting guard Manu Ginobili. The Spurs are better this year and their record, as well as playoff run will show it this season.
Although their record isn’t blemished, the 4-0 San Antonio Spurs have only faced 1 team that will become a playoff contender this year. They’ve proven they’re one of the most complete teams from top to bottom still, Tony Parker can still lead an offense and the Spurs haven’t even gotten to play starting shooting guard Danny Green. Jonathan Simmons has also shown some spurts of the player he can become with some of the Spurs core getting older.
The reign of the San Antonio Spurs was supposed to be over once the Duncan era was done, but the great recruitment and coaching of Greg Popovich has forced the Spurs to keep aging like wine. Kawhi Leonard at the top of his game and Aldridge still very much in his prime, the Spurs have more years of dominance down the line for the team who hasn’t missed the playoffs since 1997.
This will be Kawhi Leonard’s first respective MVP campaign, and it’s already been an impressive one throughout the first four games. He’s had 2 30+ point games in a row to start the season, his first time to ever accomplish that. Working out with Kobe Bryant in the offseason has definitely paid off for this young small forward, who’s working his way back into another extremely efficient season for the Spurs. If Leonard can keep up the scoring he has through the rest of the season, the Spurs are guaranteed a top 3 seed in the West and could also guarantee Leonard his first MVP. More importantly for Spurs fans, it could mean ending the Warriors attempt at a third straight Finals appearance and a shot at the Cavaliers in June.
The month of November will show why the San Antonio Spurs will be the Western Conference Champions this season, with some games against top big name teams, Houston Rockets (2), Utah Jazz (2), LA Clippers, Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons; if San Antonio can win 80% of those games (12/15), they’ll have the best record out West and will have every reason to think their only competition is the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers.
