Consistently Contending Spurs
By Marty Gitlin
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer
The lifespan of greatness in professional sports is about the same as your average car battery. Dominance generally lasts three or four years.
Then there are the San Antonio Spurs.
Bill Clinton had just begun his second term in the White House the last time the Spurs were lousy. San Antonio has won at least 53 games in each of the past eight full seasons.
It would appear 2006-07 will prove no different. San Antonio is now tied with Dallas atop the Midwest Division at 13-5. The most fundamentally sound team in the NBA simply outclasses the competition.
The Spurs have outscored their opponents this season by a league-best 7.5 points a game. Their .398 3-point shooting percentage ranks atop the NBA. They have surrendered just 92.4 points a game, second to Houston. They are among the leaders in most statistical categories.
Individual consistency translates into team consistency every season. Tim Duncan is again scoring 21.9 points with 11 rebounds a game. Guard Tony Parker is averaging 19.5 points and 5.2 assists. Bruce Bowen is playing his usual lockdown defense. Manu Ginobili and reserve guard Michael Finley have yet to find their shooting accuracy, yet the Spurs continue to win.
If revenge is a motivator, they should win Wednesday night as well. According to WagerWeb.com, they are 8-point favorites in Charlotte, which stunned the Spurs in San Antonio earlier in the year.
ONE BOUNCES BACK, ANOTHER DOESN’T: Two sizzling teams finally lost earlier this week. Dallas had its 12-game winning streak ended Monday in Washington. Detroit had its eight-game streak snapped in Charlotte.
Both teams had a chance to redeem themselves Tuesday night. Only the Mavericks did.
They did it in style, knocking off disappointing New Jersey on the road, 92-75. With enemies such as the Nets, they required no friends. The New Jersey bench contributed just 10 points. Its three reserve guards missed all nine of their shots and combined for one assist.
The Pistons lost their second consecutive game to considerably weaker competition, falling at home to Portland, 88-85. Detroit jacked up 24 3-pointers and hit just seven.
DRIBBLES: The Golden State Warriors have lost their past two games by a combined 68 points, both to Midwest Division powers. They fell to San Antonio, 129-89, and to Houston, 118-90. Guard Jason Richardson missed both games due to soreness in his surgically repaired left knee. … Cavaliers guard Larry Hughes is close to returning from his high ankle sprain injury, but likely won’t play against visiting Toronto on Wednesday night. Cleveland is an 8.5-point favorite, according to WagerWeb.com. … The Chicago Bulls can even their record at 9-9 and win their sixth straight Wednesday night at home against struggling Philadelphia. WagerWeb.com lists them as 9-point favorites. … Phoenix guard and two-time reigning Most Valuable Player Steve Nash dished out an NBA season-high 20 assists in a 127-102 victory over Sacramento on Tuesday night.