The Ship is still on course

The past couple of weeks have been taxing on both the Spurs players and their fan base. So much losing, and losing statement games against Detroit and Boston, although victory was clutched with merely a couple of minutes remaining were indeed tough to stomach. Through it all, Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich has maintained his signature stoic disposition toward the media, claiming that he saw more positives than negatives in those four straight losses, although after the loss at home to the Celtics he seemed to have caved in to his emtions, acknowledging that the team is undergoing a tough time. The fans are up in arms and the national media is doing what they normally do in January of seasons past, writing this team off as too old to get it done this year. The fact that this losing streak is happening as mid approaches late March makes even the truest silver and black fan give pause to wonder.

I refuse to count this team out.

Like most fans, I am upset at all the losing, but the season picture remains firm. I still think the Spurs have as good a look as anybody at the championship. This team is veteran and has a rich tradition of winning championships under their Big Three. The roster is mature yet deep. This team knows how to win in the playoffs. I could see this season’s team resembling the Houston Rockets’ championship team as a sixth seed in 1994 versus the swept Spurs of 2001.

While that paints the season picture, as far as the big picture is concerned, the Spurs will have lots of cap room this summer to retool their roster with more youth and will continue to shop for smart veteran role players. Give Tim Duncan some thanks for this since he restructured his deal to help ensure that the Spurs remain championship contenders for at least a few years to come.

It is an airtight Western Conference playoff race, to be certain. But championships are won in the playoffs, and not one team can match the Spurs’ championship experience. Once the stakes are raised and the games become more of a defensive grind, the Spurs will display their mettle and impose their style and will on teams. And to those who worry about the Spurs even making the playoffs, I can assure you that will not happen.

So while I’m ticked off that the once hapless Celtics now own a three game regular season win streak against the Spurs, I’ll take my chances with the Spurs against Boston or any other team in a seven game series. Only then does it really count and true champions show their stuff. The Spurs have done it four times under Duncan’s leadership, and this year I like their chances again.