Season 48, Game 43
San Antonio 109, Denver 99
27-16, 7th in the West

The “Oh Yeah, Kawhi is really important to this team” reminder tour rolls on.

While the game was ragged at times, and the Spurs struggled to pull away and then put them away, Kawhi Leonard was again a monster in this game. Even when his shot isn’t going down, he does so many overwhelmingly positive things on a basketball court that you can just see the team is better. Once the shots start falling? Forget about it. Not coincidentally, the game really started to turn once his shots went in. But just look at his work elsewhere: 15 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and a block. 17 points for good measure. He continues to be our most important player, if not our best.

Duncan might have something to say about that, though. Shut out in the first half, he took control of the paint on both ends in the second half, scoring all 16 of his points. Time and again when the Spurs needed points and to reassert control of the tempo, the ball went down in the block to ol’ 21.

In general, this was a pretty odd game. The Spurs started shooting 1 for 12, and just looked a little flat. As the first half wore on, they found their stroke a bit, but everything just seemed a bit…off. The cuts were right, the passes were right, the ideas were right; the end results were not. A pass too low here, a cut too soon there, the Spurs just couldn’t get in full rhythm. Not until they started sinking some 3s early in the 4th quarter did they take control of the game.

I did find it interesting that Pop pulled Kawhi a little early in the 4th with the team up 14. The game was not yet won, and with Leonard out, the Nuggets made it semi-interesting. I’m not sure if Pop is watching his minutes or had something else in mind, but I didn’t like the way the closing line-up closed. Tony hit a few big shots late to really seal the game, which was nice to see. But in general, the team didn’t fully put away the Nuggets.

Can we talk about Manu for a minute? I’ve figured out Manu this season: I don’t want him shooting jump shots ever, but I want him doing everything else. His passing is still immaculate, and he is his usual pesky, opportunistic, harassing defensive self. His drives to the rim are really good, and he’s figured out some new ways to get layups over big men from a little further out. He still runs the second team wonderfully.

But I never trust his shooting. His 3-pointers, in particular, drive me mad. He has a tendency to eschew the drive for the pull-up 3, and pretty much always misses. He especially does this in 2-for-1 situations, which kind of nullifies the idea. I almost literally want any other guard on the team shooting 3-pointers before him. (Especially since Manu tends to be the best passer to wide-open 3-point shooters.) His mid-range jump shot is pretty poor this season. And for some reason, his ability to shoot FTs has gone off a cliff. He used to be our most reliable clutch FT shooter, now I close my eyes when he goes to the line.

I do think his FT shooting can rebound, but I’m dubious about his 3-point shot. I hope it doesn’t come back to bite the team in the ass.

The team is on a nice little roll, and this was the kind of game that a team on a roll should win…and one we would have lost last month. So we’re making progress. Up next, the Spurs travel to Chicago to play the Bulls on TNT on Thursday. This will be a good test for the team.