Sacramento 93, San Antonio 95

Cliches become as such because they contain truth. No matter how, or against whom, a win counts the same no matter what. A win is a win is a win is a win.

And after a 3-game skid which felt like an eternity (and seemed as if this team might never win again), and just before the team leaves for the annual Rodeo Road Trip, tonight’s win was a much-needed salve.

Pay no mind that the Kings were in control for most of this game, even while missing their most dominating force. Forget that the Spurs started a player they had signed to a 10-day contract not some 20 hours prior. It doesn’t matter that the Spurs needed a lucky miss in the final 10 seconds to secure the win, after missing 2 free throws that would have given them a much friendlier cushion. Ignore the fact that the crunch time lineup that actually won the game included the back-up PG (playing alongside the starting PG), the 5th big in a 6-Big rotation (and probably the 10th man on the team), and the back-up PF playing out of position at SF because the team literally has no healthy SF on the roster.

That back-up PG was a spark plug all night, bringing much-needed energy to a team lacking any for large stretches. That 5th big had his best game of the season, getting big buckets late and, more importantly (and surprisingly), playing great defense. And that PF out of position at SF continued his stretch of improbably great one-on-one defense against rangy scorers.

This is where the season is at now: all wins are good. A home game against the worst team in the West is no gimme.

But don’t let this stretch color your views of the future. Tiago came back tonight and looked good where we need him: on defense. Green and Leonard could be back in action within a few weeks. All of this playing time that the rest of the bench is getting can serve the team well going forward, with players playing with confidence and rhythm. The product doesn’t look pretty now, but there is plenty of time left. The Spurs will keep pounding that rock.

Cliches become as such because they contain truth.