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Johnny Ludden
Express-News
LOS ANGELES — For all the plus/minus data, efficiency ratings and assorted other statistical analysis NBA coaches now have at their disposal, Tony Parker has devised his own simple formula to assess the production of the Spurs' reserves.
"The bench is playing well," Parker said. "I don't think I played the fourth quarter for, like, three or four games now."
Parker has watched the final quarter of the Spurs' previous three games from the sideline along with most of the other starters. In each game, the first unit's work night was cut short because the reserves not only sustained the lead — they helped build it.
The Spurs' bench accounted for 75 of the 129 points in Monday's victory over Golden State, the team's highest scoring total since Nov. 20, 1987. On Friday, the reserves combined for 62 points as the Spurs routed the Los Angeles Clippers.
According to Elias Sports, the Spurs entered Saturday ranked eighth in the NBA in bench scoring, averaging 33.7 points per game. The Chicago Bulls led the league with an average of 37.1 points.
"The more you practice and the more we play together, the more confidence we get in each other and the better everybody understands the way the other people play," said backup center Francisco Elson. "That's the thing we have to do, come out and play hard every minute you're on the court.
"If it's not one guy off the bench, then another guy seems to come in and play well."
The Spurs' depth could be tested this week as they begin a four-games-in-five-days stretch tonight against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center. It's not a coincidence, however, that last week's surge in production from the reserves began the same day Manu Ginobili returned to the team.
Ginobili has come off the bench in each of the previous three games, which the Spurs won by 40, 20 and 29 points. His playmaking skills helped trigger the first two routs. On Friday, he made four 3-pointers and scored 22 points in only 20 minutes.
"The last three games, we had three blowouts, so that didn't help my expectations of going back in the (starting) lineup," Ginobili joked after Friday's victory.
The Spurs' coaching staff has long debated whether the team would benefit more from keeping Ginobili in a reserve role. In each of the previous two seasons, coach Gregg Popovich shuffled Ginobili from starter to reserve depending on the team's needs in the playoffs.
In recent days, Popovich has playfully avoided the question of when he planned to start Ginobili again. "Go ask (Dallas Cowboys coach) Bill Parcells," Popovich said Friday. "He's better at handling these kind of controversies."
Michael Finley has started to show signs of emerging from his season-long shooting slump, which could be incentive to not immediately alter the rotation. But Popovich admitted he would have difficulty keeping Ginobili on the bench for an extended period of time because the Spurs will need him on some nights to match up with the opposing team's starters. That could include tonight if Kobe Bryant returns to the Lakers' lineup.
For now, Ginobili's biggest concern is increasing his minutes, regardless of whether he starts or comes off the bench. Popovich wished he could have kept him on the floor longer Friday, but the score was already so lopsided.
"I would like to be playing more just to get in rhythm and get conditioning," Ginobili said. "I'm not feeling those six or eight minutes in a row I played (that) I got very tired. I felt very good, so I'm ready to play."
The same could be said for most of the Spurs' reserves. Brent Barry has played as consistently as anyone on the team not named Tim Duncan, making 52 percent of his 3-pointers. He and backup point guard Beno Udrih also have shared the ball well in the open court.
"Brent knows what I like, and I know what he likes," Udrih said. "Especially if you find him in rhythm. He's like, really awesome and knocks all the shots down."
Elson has provided a jolt of energy off the bench in recent games. His one-handed slam off a lob from Parker on Friday might have been the best dunk by a Spurs big man since David Robinson was young enough to elevate.
"He's running the floor well, going to the boards well, starting to figure out the defense and the offense and what we're trying to do and making good decisions," Popovich said of Elson. "He's really becoming more and more important as the year goes along."
Popovich has usually employed a 10-man rotation at the expense of Matt Bonner, Jacque Vaughn and Eric Williams, with the latter two alternating nights on the inactive list. All three players, however, have recently helped win games with their contributions.
"Everybody is just trying to play relaxed," Barry said. "It's nice to play that way, play together and see some guys start to click a little bit."
Kobe update: Bryant's availability for tonight will likely be a game-time decision.
Bryant sprained his right ankle against Indiana on Monday, played the next game against New Orleans, but then missed Friday's victory over Atlanta after the swelling worsened. He said Saturday he was feeling better but was still unsure whether he would be able to play.
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