Kawhi gives Spurs life and rhythm

All Kawhi had to do was extend his massive arms to create offense. In the first quarter of last night’s game against Denver, he tipped a pass intended for Randy Foye and Boris Diaw helped him with an easy layup in transition. If this was late December, that possession would have ended in points for Denver. Instead, Foye was on his back covered in spilled beer.  Kawhi ended the night with 17 points and 15 rebounds.

This has been the story for every game since Leonard’s return. With Kawhi back, the Spurs have won every game in double digits—a luxury that just didn’t seem possible last month. We all knew how important he was, this is just a powerful reminder. After Kawhi’s return against Portland, Spurs beat writer Jeff Mccdonald tweeted: “The difference between the Spurs’ roster that labored to fend off Charlotte 2 nights ago and the one that blitzed Portland tonight is one guy.”

Kawhi was guarding Wesley Matthews that night, the same guy that turned the bruised hand into a torn ligament. “You tried to put me out for the season,” Leonard told him. Kawhi said it was a joke in his postgame interview, but Matthews walked out of the at&t center with two points, hitting one of four shots. No one was laughing.

The Spurs still aren’t completely whole with Marco out, but the rotations are getting consistent and they have a little rhythm back after winning four straight. Now that Kawhi is filling his enormous role, the rest of the spurs can focus on their strengths.

We Miss You Kawhi

After one of the toughest months in franchise history where the Spurs scathed by with a record of 8-10, January looks much more promising. The New Year brings hope with the return of Tony Parker, and an opportunity to dig themselves out of the seventh seed in the West. The majority of the opponents in January are from a softer Eastern Conference, and even without Kawhi the Spurs should be able to take advantage. 

It was the second game of the brand new month and the Spurs led the Pistons by eighteen halfway through the second quarter, until they broke down again. The rebounds that would normally be gobbled up by the claws of Kawhi Leonard turned into second chance points for a talented Detroit frontcourt. In the third quarter, the eighteen-point lead would turn into a ten-point deficit. Once again, a small fourth quarter push brought the game down to its final seconds. Once again, the Spurs couldn’t finish a sub .500 team.

This is all to say that the Spurs have been missing their two best players (Tony only played 13 minutes against the Pistons) and the rotations have been unorthodox. Pop has often been subbing five for five to keep the energy up, and there has been a recent shift to zone defense to make up for Kawhi’s absence. But last year it didn’t matter who the Spurs were missing, as long as they were moving the ball they were winning.

The Spurs are struggling now, but Kawhi’s hand is getting better and he is predicted to return in two weeks. We are also an even deeper team with Cory Joseph showing his true potential. Pop doesn’t care what seed we are; he just wants to get to the playoffs. For now, the veteran Spurs will get back to work and San Antonio will not worry. Because the last time the Spurs had similar mid-season trouble, they won the championship in 1999.