Season 51, Game 19
San Antonio 106, Charlotte 86
12-7, 3rd in the West

Holding your opponent to 29 points in a half can cover up all manner of sin.

So while the Spurs only managed 14 points in the first quarter Saturday night, they were no worse for wear, as the Hornets only managed a meager 15. 12 minutes later, the Spurs were back on track (after a 26 point 2nd quarter), while the Hornets were still spinning in the mud.

That slow first quarter is easily misleading: after starting 1-for-10 from the field (10% for non-Math Majors), the Spurs finished 38-for-70 (54%) the rest of the way. Once the ill-effects of too much turkey wore off, the Spurs were blistering offensively.

We’ve spent a lot of time this season talking about LaMarcus, Kyle Anderson, and Danny Green. All had good games. LaMarcus continues to work his butt off, doing all of the dirty work that gets less notice than his scoring output. Kyle continues to be the best PG on the team. He also had 5 steals in the game, using his long arms and anticipation to make up for his lack of speed.

But one player we haven’t talked much about this season who is playing brilliantly is Pau Gasol. Most observant fans were left scratching their heads after the Spurs re-signed Pau for 3 more years in the off season. At his age and with his production last season (and how the contract left the team with little financial flexibility), that seemed like a mistake.

It very well may still be; but Pau is playing better on both ends this season, and seems even more comfortable in the system. He is a reliable shooter from anywhere on the court, and he is probably the best passer on the team. On defense he still lacks mobility, but he is tall with long arms who knows how to get big and intimidate shots at the rim. He is still a solid rebounder. He is second on the team in assists, second on the team in rebounds, third in the team in scoring, first on the team in blocks, first on the team in 3PT%, and second on the team in PER (a good indicator of overall offensive performance). All of this in only 25 minutes/game.

Pau is a great example of what the Spurs do best: maximize the best parts of your game, minimize your weaknesses, all while limiting your minutes to boost production and health. Pau is no longer an All-Star, and parts of the game have passed him by. But he is extremely skilled, competitive, and has great size. Rather than wondering what role he can play on a competitive team, the Spurs find exactly where he can contribute without overusing him.

Three years might still be too long on that contract, but for now, Pau is still worth it.

The most important news from the weekend, though, was the imminent return of Tony Parker. According to reliable sources, he is set to make his debut Monday night at home against the Mavs. I’m sure he’ll ease in slowly, but if he can come back fully healthy, he’ll be a welcome addition to the team. As previously stated, Kyle Anderson is currently the best PG on the team. He is not a PG.

A healthy actual PG will make a big difference for this roster.

Monday night proves to be a game worth watching.

Go Spurs Go.