Season 51, Game 04
San Antonio 117, Miami 100
4-0
This was the Spurs biggest victory of the young season. And perhaps their worst game.
The defensive intensity just wasn’t there, as Miami was able to consistently get good looks at the basket. To their credit, Miami is a team of grinders who always play hard, execute their stuff, and make you work on every possession. What they lack in high-end talent, they make up for in depth and hustle. Maybe the Spurs just didn’t have the focus in them tonight, and the Heat made them pay.
On offense, even though the team scored a bunch, it was more a matter of talent rather than execution. There wasn’t much “beautiful game” to watch; more, it was exceptional individual scoring acumen. In particular, Aldridge and Gay.
We’re only 4 games in, but I’m ready for this to be the new-version LaMarcus. This is everything we thought we were getting two years ago, including passion and intensity. He just looks like a different dude out there. He is playing free, untethered from expectation and self-consciousness.
Rudy continues to be an early-season revelation. An old tweet of mine was unearthed a few days ago saying that I thought Gay was a negative asset this summer (before we signed him). I ask: was I wrong? A player on the wrong side of his peak coming off the worst injury an athlete can suffer; a player who has shown an ability to score but not much else and has only been on one playoff team in 11 seasons. Does this sound like a solid off-season move?
The answer–now–is “yes”. Gay is determined to come back from this injury, and he is determined to play winning basketball. The Spurs have given him a soft place to land, and in return, he is giving the Spurs his best effort at reclaiming his career. There’s a fine line between being selfish and being a productive individual scorer; right now, Gay is walking that line beautifully, and setting himself up to be a 6th-Man of the Year candidate.
I also like how Pop is experimenting with different line-ups this season. The writing is on the wall, and teams need to be able to play small to truly compete with the Warriors. But, there is still value to being big and long. To wit, at one point in this game, Rudy Gay was playing center; 5 minutes later, he was playing small forward. It’s not hard to envision a line-up where he could conceivably be the shooting guard. Versatility is the name of the game.
Finally, I’d like to give a little nod of recognition to Kyle Anderson. This is the most critical year of his career, as he is playing for his future. We all know his basketball intelligence and his vision. We also all know how slow he is. Through 4 games, given the opportunity to play regular minutes, he is acquitting himself wonderfully. He is averaging just under 10 points and 8 rebounds, and is showing newfound aggression looking for his shot. His “speed” can actually be an advantage, as he almost always draws fouls on overzealous defenders (while still managing to wiggle by them). And while he is not quick on defense, he is long and has great anticipation.
The real key to his success will be his ability to play both the 3 and 4 positions and continue to work as a secondary ball-handler and facilitator.
The Spurs continue their East Coast swing against the surprising Orlando Magic on Friday night.
Go Spurs Go.
