Much like the dead rising from the grave, so also goes the San Antonio Spurs.
Ah yes, the Spurs. A team made up of seasoned (and I do mean seasoned) veterans sprinkled in with a few budding stars that (somehow) notched the team’s 21st straight playoff berth this week.
Consider that for a bit. The last time San Antonio didn’t make the playoffs, (now retired) superstar Tim Duncan was still crafting his skills at Wake Forest.
Most of us don’t even have t-shirts that have survived for that long.
Yet, here are the Spurs and their quest for the club’s sixth ring in two decades.
One has to believe, however, this year’s playoff run could harbor the team’s finest moment yet. After all, 2018 hasn’t exactly followed the un-exciting, always stoic formula of years past.
The drama of “Will Kawhi Leonard play again this season” seems to have taken its toll on the team. Reports of team meetings, which are never positive developments, broke out roughly a month ago. Toss in the spin-doctors and Twitter statements and suddenly the Spurs seemed on the verge of a 21st century sports franchise collapse.
Fans can only speculate what is going on with Leonard and his challenges in recovering from injury suffered in the 2017 playoffs.
For what it’s worth, at least there will be extra basketball to watch this season.
It will be intriguing to see if Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, who between them have 31 years of combined NBA experience, can make another playoff run against opposition that is getting younger every minute.
Don’t let the gray hair and wrinkles fool you, though. There’s still some magic in those legs that maybe, just maybe, have one last hurrah in them.
But perhaps the better question is what happens next for the Spurs?
Sure, Parker and Ginobili can probably play until they’re 136 years old. But who will take the reins in their place when they leave?
LeMarcus Aldridge and Pau Gasol are stellar players, but both still haven’t quite hit that mega-superstar, franchise-carrying level just yet. Dejounte Murray, Kyle Anderson and Davis Bertans could be stars in the making, but they still need to grow in experience. Patty Mills and Danny Green are great complementary players, but may not be the icon the team needs.
That leaves Leonard, who, for a time before his injury, seemed to be Duncan’s heir-apparent.
Which makes this offseason one to watch for Spurs fans. Will San Antonio keep the team’s long-term investment, or perhaps move on and maybe search for greener pastures.
You get the feeling the run of success for the Spurs may be nearing its conclusion. Of course, we the media always come to that realization, only to see the team and head coach Gregg Popovich take a swig from the fountain of youth to prove us wrong.
Love them, hate them or somewhere in between, basketball fans can only marvel at the consistency San Antonio has held for the last 20 years.
Hopefully this time around, another title celebration will be planned on the Riverwalk.
That’s something I can tip my margarita glass to.
