The Spurs won a Western Conference-best 63 games this season, yet San Antonio players commented that "they hadn't played that well." If that's not playing well, then opponents should hope the Spurs don't play to the standards they perceive as "playing well."
The Spurs, NBA Finals winners in 1999, 2003 and 2005, have become the NBA's most efficient franchise. Built around star Tim Duncan, they have an incredible set of complementary players. They won't overwhelm you, but they will beat you.
"San Antonio's a team that, when everybody plays thinks 'Well, we should have beat them,'" said former NBA head coach Kevin Loughery. "They play such a grind-out game. They don't allow second shots. Their team defense is outstanding. But also as individual defenders, they are outstanding. (Tony) Parker's good, (Manu) Ginobili's good, (Bruce) Bowen's all-league, (Tim) Duncan's all-league. They control the clock; they're deep on the bench."
If the Spurs have an Achilles ‘heel, it's their free throw shooting. Other than steals, free throw shooting is the only major statistical category that they trail their opponents in. Tim Duncan (.629) routinely gets to the line, especially in crucial fourth quarter situations, but can hurt his team with his inconsistency.
Sportsbook odds have San Antonio as the series favorite, but the Kings will show what they can really do and why they are in the post-season. The turning point in what seemed like a lost season came with a Jan. 25 trade that sent Peja Stojakovic to the Pacers in exchange for defensive-stopper Ron Artest. Almost instantly, the identity of the then 18-24 Kings changed.
Sacramento went from allowing opponents 100.2 points per game prior to the deal to limiting teams to 94.0 points per game in their last 39 games. Before Artest, the Kings allowed opponents to shoot .461 from the field. After Artest, the Kings defense has improved to a stingy .444.
"They added a player in the mix that's everything Sacramento wasn't when we played them in the playoffs," the Lakers' Kobe Bryant told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel after a recent Lakers loss to the Kings. "The guy plays defense first, and now Sacramento has become much more aggressive on defense."
The Kings' newfound toughness has shown itself in other forms as well, including resiliency. Sacramento is 11-3 with Artest in the lineup following a loss compared to 10-14 before his arrival. Sacramento finished the season by winning eight of their last 10 games. It will take on the Spurs in the first round.
