Bench Contribution Has To Step Up
The bench and role players always play a huge part in winning championships, this series will be no different for the San Antonio Spurs. We all know they have an edge on the inside thanks to the greatest power forward of all time in Tim Duncan, but when they are at their best Danny Green, Patty Mills, and Manu Ginobli all have great games.
Green’s last year Finals performance landed him in the record books for most three pointers made in a Finals series which included a perfect 5-5 in Game 2 and 7 three pointers in Game 3. The Spurs will need him throughout the series this year, as he went cold in the last two games which San Antonio lost. Mills can also heat up from beyond the arc and will be expected to give big minutes as Tony Parker battles nagging injuries. Last of the three mentioned guards is the wildcard Manu Ginobili, who can either give you 23 points and hit a game winning shot or turn the ball over 7 times in one game and shoot horrible from the field.
If the Spurs hope to avenge last year’s Finals loss, they will need Ginobili to perform like we all know he can and consistently. That is the recurring theme here, consistent bench and role player contribution.
Kawhi Leonard is an emerging star and has been growing in confidence offensively in the addition to the versatile Boris Diaw giving the team great effort. When those players are involved heavily, the Spurs are at their best and this year their best just may be better than the Miami Heat especially with home court advantage.