Things have felt awkward from the jump, no pun intended, for the San Antonio Spurs.
I’ve posed this question before, but it’s worth repeating in case you haven’t heard it (I’m always looking out for you). When was the last time things felt totally right for San Antonio in your opinion?
The closest answer in terms of time is the brief stretch this season when Kawhi Leonard came back, but even that was awkward. It was like having a new phone and not taking the plastic film on the front off. It was pure caution and paranoia.
You can make the argument that this haphazardness can be traced back to the ankle seen around San Antonio, when Zaza Pachulia ruined the Spurs’ collective playoff lives in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. But even then, Tony Parker had been lost in the series before against Houston.
That brings us to our actual answer… May 3rd, 2017. It was then that Parker was lost against the Rockets, but before he was, everything seemed whole and it hasn’t since.
Through 58 games during the 2015 season, the Spurs were 35-23.
Today, they're 35-23.
Both seasons SA faced the injury bug through most of the season.
— Paul Garcia (@PaulGarciaNBA) February 13, 2018
This season has felt weird, it’s felt broken. But as the legendary Paul Garcia points out, it’s really not. So why does it feel that way?
The answer is because we’re spoiled. We’re used to the Spurs dominating all season long, an occasional hiccup here and there, and the Spurs cruising on their way to 50 wins in typical San Antonio style.
The panic is high, it’s settled in nicely, and that’s because it’s been hanging out since early May of 2017. That’s nine months! We’ve got a panic baby on our hands.
While it’s true that this specific season has in-fact been clunky, looking at it from an objective lens like Paul did proves that it’s far from Armageddon.
I’m not saying the Spurs will be totally fine and that this season will end exactly how everyone wants it to. I’m simply saying they’ve been down this road before.
I think the uncertainty and overall gloom and doom feeling of many Spurs fans this season also has to do with the lack of TD on the floor. In 2015, yes the 35-23 record was mildly disappointing, but having TD around kept us confident. When you have a top 5 all time guy on your squad you will no doubt feel better no matter the circumstances. This time around, that 35-23 record seems bleaker than it should because TD isnt there and neither is our current franchise player, Kawhi.
The question remains, can Kawhi show up on time and save the day? This team clearly has talent with or without him proven by our current 3rd seed position. This is a good team. But Kawhi will make us elite if he can come back 100%.