Season Recap: Spurs achieve historical feat of 16th consecutive NBA title, MVP award for Brandon Ingram & DPOY for 3rd time to Andre Drummond, who wins 1st Finals MVP.

 

All-in-all, it was a tremendously successful season for the San Antonio Spurs basketball organization. Brandon Ingram finally, furiously silenced all the critics by winning his 1st league Most Valuable Player award, earning himself a super max contract extension in the ballpark of 260 million. Josh Richardson earned his keep as Spur, ushering past the KCP era, and firmly gained the starting SG role, showing promise as a backup PG for the silver-and-black squad. Gordon Hayward splashed in 51% of his shots from 3PT territory, hushing the skeptic response to his thirty-six million dollar expiring contract from the Charlotte Hornets, who in return got a young star in Victor Wembenyama with the #1 pick.

The 76ers moved on from James Harden, but not before being only one-of-three teams to defeat the Spurs in regular season play this year, including the Sacramento Kings. Sac-Town's young 'n hungry talent got swept 4-0 by the Spurs in the Western Conference Quarter Finals, as the Los Angeles Lakers gave San Antonio a 4-2 six-game showdown that just aches for a rematch next season (?), with their neighbor, Clippers, going down in 5 games, 4-1, with the previously mentioned James Harden trying to knock off the Spurs from going to the NBA Finals, what has come to feel like a second home away from San Antone, as the Milwaukee Bucks tried desperately to win Game 4 at home, just as they had for San Antonio's second defeat of the season. A ferocious put-back dunk by Andre Drummond, who won his 3rd Defensive Player of the Year honors, over the Greek Freak sealed the victory, along with a cold-blooded dagger from long range by Ingram, who scored 70 points once, 50 points at least seven times, and even had two triple-double performances this season. Dillon Brooks established himself as the new defensive alpha on the perimeter, with new Spur come trade deadline, Robert Covington, long-sought talent by the Spurs front office over the years, fitting in nicely behind Drummond at center and making Antetokounmpo earn every point in those fierce four showdowns.

Milwaukee had faced San Antonio twice in the Finals before, hoping their blockbuster deal for Damian Lillard would do the trick, but they fell in this seven-years-in-the-making encounter, lastly going 4-1, but this time, that "1" came in the regular season. The Boston Celtics didn't quite show up for a rematch in The Finals this year, and the Miami Heat are the reason this reign started, so many seasons ago, this year giving the Spurs two tough encounters, the first of which was saved by Brandon Ingram's buzzer-beating 3PTer to tie the score and lead his team to a victory in OverTime. The summer is always at the mercy of tradewinds, with a new era beginning in San Antonio, with some old faces, but in an ever-developing NBA landscape scorching-hot with athleticism and deadly perimeter shooting, who knows what is next for Coach Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs. Dejounte Murray is now eligible for his own super max deal, as the ex-MVP, Seattle-strong floor general turned in another stellar year for the dynastic champions, now the hardwood king of 16 NBA titles in 17 total seasons. Above all, this 16th championship is dedicated to Amali, who passed away between opening night tip-off and the Finals trophy presentation. You were here for so many of these victories. RIP.

 

#forAMALI 🤍

Spurs Season Spotlight: Brandon Ingram as Most Valuable Player?

Brandon Ingram has now been a Spur for eight seasons, joining this dynastic reign midway in exchange for Kawhi Leonard that now feels like so long ago, earning Most Improved Player honors in just his third season as a Spur, coming THIS close to edging out his teammate, Andre Drummond, for MVP. While it would have been a first-time in NBA history for Ingram to win both awards, Drummond instead joined the illustrious company of Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon & Giannis Antetokounmpo. To read more details of that season, check out this article: https://goldencompassed.blogspot.com/2020/06/spurs-finish-season-77-5-set-new-team.html. Ingram would go on to win Finals MVP for three seasons in a row (Years 10-12), only to be outdone by teammate, Dejounte Murray, later who's now won it four times, along with his own MVP award in Year 14. This trio of massive talent has now won five titles together, with Ingram & Murray winning seven as a duo before Drummond joined the western conference powerhouse. But the haunting question remains: Will Brandon Ingram ever win his own MVP award as a Spur?

"All the credit goes to my teammates," Ingram told Allie LaForce of NBA on TNT after a tremendous performance, a career-high 70 point effort by the Slender-Man, or Kingram as he's known to his hardwood brotherhood. Brandon is known for a fierce work ethic in the gym, constantly putting in work to improve his game. Soon after, in the Spurs' toughest win streak defense yet, B.I. splashed in a game-tying 3PT shot from the corner after the Miami Heat had pulled off one of their trademark 4th Quarter rallies at home, nearly shocking their Finals foe of old and putting a 1 after the 25-, but instead due to Ingram's heroic clutch gene, the Spurs improved to 26-0 on the season after recuperating well in OverTime. "I'm just focusing on my game every day [and] trying to win us another 'chip."

Brandon is also sporting a new look so far this season, letting his natural afro add some inches to rival Victor Wenbenyama's height (/s). When asked why he switched it up from his familiar cornrow hairstyle, Ingram said: "I ain’t messing with my hair. I’m tired of sitting down." And one can clearly tell that B.I. hasn't been sedentary often over the summer or since the season got underway with his production so far, as twenty-six games are now behind the Spurs. Ingram is humbly flexing a stat line of 29.2 points per game, 7.5 rebounds per game, 2.7 assists per game, .8 steals per game, .3 blocks per game & .8 turnovers per game on 57% field goal percentage, a stunning 53% on 3PT attempts and 79% from the free throw line with a +/- of 21.7 & a PER of 36.1 (behind only Murray, which could factor into his odds to win the award). Murray & Ingram both have the highest PER ranking with other candidate, Luka Doncic, sitting at a 30.6 mark, with Nikola Jokic just behind at 30.3 and 2x MVP, Andre Drummond, lurking at 29.9. If we're only looking at +/- though, Ingram is #1 in the entire league which perhaps evens out any favor to Dejounte, with Drummond right behind the two. Not far behind the star trio is first-year Spur, Dillon Brooks, Kawhi Leonard, Jayson Tatum, Jimmy Butler & Paul George. To his credit, Dejounte is the only Spur this season to earn a triple-double.

Lastly, it also serves as more motivation perhaps that Ingram is on the last year of his then-max salary extension, eligible for quite the salary increase again should he sign this new extension early or wait until the summer. As of now, Ingram is neutral on the matter, but having that elusive MVP award on his shelf surely wouldn't hurt when final negotiations would officially kick off once this season is done. However, as the Spurs focus on winning games and building momentum toward a 16th championship, the official MVP race reports have as of yet not been released.

Spurs rally against Hornets on opening night, 114-133, led by Vanvleet’s 37.

The Spurs stumbled through most of Opening Night, but the same tenacity which won them 15 championships erased a 14-PT advantage by the Hornets, sporting their generational talent, Victor Wembenyama (11 points, 4/11 FG%), and LaMelo Ball (25 points). Fred VanVleet was the spark plug for the Spurs, scorching hot from 3PT distance with 11 shots tickling the twine, totaling 37 points on the night.  Brandon Ingram scored 24 points, and Dejounte Murray had some decibel-shattering dunks in transition, coming up one assist shy of a triple-double with 25 points & 10 rebounds.

As the Hornets fought back to keep the crowd nervous to start the 4th Quarter, Gordon Hayward made his arrival for the silver-and-black as every other Spur’s unique talents went on display. “It was a great team win. It’s a long season, so we’re still trying to incorporate the new guys on the team and establish a defensive identity akin to how we’ve been so successful in years past. They pulled it out,” Coach Popovich spoke highly of the new-look second unit.

Spurs bolster bench with two super-capable veterans, Gordon Hayward & Tyus Jones.

After countless fierce wars with the Memphis Grizzlies, the Spurs had their eye on arguably the most accurate point guard in the NBA for six years and running, Tyus Jones, the Duke guard, on an expiring contract as Marcus Smart joins Memphis in his stead. Tyus is just 26 years old, the last of a dying breed of "small" point guards in a league that is getting taller every season, but brings a clever savvy to playmaking that San Antonio has long coveted as the league's least-turnover team throughout its dynastic reign atop the hardwood. Jones also boasted a stat-line during the Ja Morant drama of last season that saw his contributions literally double when he plays starter-length minutes on a basketball court, which bodes well for the Spurs as the rigors of a long upcoming season rear their ugly head. 

They've searched long and hard for a backup point guard and while Fred VanVleet could certainly do that job well, he's more than earned the starting SG spot next to Murray over the years, so Tyus will slot in nicely as San Antonio inherits his Bird rights, with their desire being clear to keep him in Texas for the foreseeable future next summer. This is Tyus' big moment to showcase his starting point guard potential and own the second unit. In exchange for Jones, the Spurs are dealing TJ McConnell and Blake Wesley to the Wizards. Coming in with a similar swagger is veteran swingman, Gordon Hayward, whose career has taken a dip since a gruesome foot injury spoiled his departure from Utah to Boston several years ago, and he's dealt with injury woes since during his tenure in Charlotte, which has now concluded. In return, the Hornets acquire the draft rights to French phenom, Victor Wembenyama, along with Keldon Johnson who should more than replace Hayward's contributions and better fit their timeline, having secured the point guard sensation, LaMelo Ball to a five-year extension. For taking on Hayward's contract, the Spurs got draft capital.

For San Antonio, Hayward brings with him a scorer's mentality and the bold fact that he is a plus player throughout his career with a solid defensive rating. He's long, shrewd and more than capable of splashing in the long ball out on the perimeter, freeing up Evan Fournier to probe inside, and hopefully able to show Brandon Ingram a third eye's view of the league, given his lengthy experience in the league. Hayward slides back into his natural SF position, but also brings with him the ability to play the PF spot if needed, after doing such for Charlotte last season. For Charlotte, they secure their team's future and get a bonafide starting PF in Wemby, rather than him join a crowded frontcourt in San Antonio with Andre Drummond still beasting and feasting on the glass every night. Hayward's contract is by no means light, but the Spurs were able to absorb it due to Wenbenyama's #1 pick salary (roughly 12 million) and Johnson's extension (20 million), along with the recently acquired John Konchar from Memphis (6 million)'s extension filling in the rest of the financial gap. The Spurs are hoping for a similar stay in Hayward as they got from Kevin Love, a veteran on a pricy contract in the downturn of his career, but still capable of contributing in a different role, with San Antonio's trusted coaches and medical staff at Gordon's disposal to stay on the court. Hayward, unable to wear #20 (retired for Manu Ginobili, who once praised Gordon's game as he came into the league), will don #2 for the Spurs, with Tyus Jones wearing #1 as he did in his pre-Memphis days with Minnesota. Welcome to the Silver and Black, Gordon & Tyus.

Highlighted by trade of Buddy Hield for Dillon Brooks, Spurs grit 'n grind re-tooling begins.

Another NBA season in the books as the dynastic San Antonio Spurs swept the Boston Celtics in The Finals, Dillon Brooks became a restricted free agent for the Memphis Grizzlies as skepticism circled the dogged perimeter defender, an emerging star that was underpaid but unreliable from 3PT distance and streaky from the mid-range. Rather than commit to a lucrative new contract, Memphis accepted an offer for the services of marksman Buddy Hield by the Spurs, a much better perimeter shooter who'd shattered records in San Antonio during his two-year tenure but conversely struggled to be steadfast on defense. As per usual with the Spurs, this trade was the main piece of a bigger picture to its off-season plan. In Brooks, San Antonio is getting a fierce stalwart that readily jumps at the chance to guard the opposition's best player every night, taking immense pressure off Dejounte Murray, who will be freed up to operate primarily as a scorer. With former league MVP Murray running the offense, Brooks will be recipient of many open 3PT opportunities and he's also been a consistent double-digit scorer throughout his career, despite those efficiency concerns. By acquiring Buddy Hield, the Grizzlies gain another deadly shooter to pair with upcoming sniper, Desmond Bane, providing Ja Morant another hot hand on the perimeter, and bide time to examine the fit as Hield's contract expires next summer instead of this summer like Brooks. Joining San Antonio, Dillon Brooks gets his payday in the form of a 5 year, 100 million pact. The Spurs also briefly acquired John Konchar, traded elsewhere to Charlotte.

Losing Buddy Hield's marksmanship, San Antonio recuperated perimeter proficiency in its next deal by re-signing Josh Richardson and taking the misguided hefty contract of Evan Fournier off the Knicks' hands, with Kevin Love joining New York only to be waived and sign with the Miami Heat. San Antonio gets a reunion with the French slasher/shooter hybrid in Fournier, who two years ago was the main piece in the trade with the Sacramento Kings that got Buddy Hield to the Spurs.

A savvy veteran, Evan drew early comparison to the game of Spurs legend, Manu Ginobili, which was part of San Antonio's consideration in acquiring Fournier with the mid-level exception four years ago, playing well and showcasing his long-range ability to catch fire in the clutch. It was a risk that paid off in the long run, but losing Fournier was tough to swallow at the time; therefore, rekindling a pact with Fournier was important to the Spurs, especially after Evan's rough time in New York and his hunger to redeem himself. Where better than San Antonio, when he was at the top of his game? For his career, Fournier is just-under 38% from 3PT territory. In hindsight, Spurs brass reportedly lamented the 2% increase gained by acquiring Hield, eager to enjoy Fournier's return.

In Josh Richardson, unfortunately a journeyman in his career, the Spurs get a great teammate, a great community participant and past recipient of NBA Cares service awards, and a tenacious dual-end contributor. Richardson is athletic with a 6'10" wingspan, whose hustle is unreal, and he's shown potential as a secondary playmaker via his strong passing skills, along with flashy perimeter streaks. An expiring contract that came over from Boston, Josh was acquired in a sign-and-trade caveat, getting a sizable raise from his post-rookie pact with the Heat, enthusiastically donning the silver-and-black on a 4 year, 60 million agreement. Richardson also receives a no-trade clause, one of a handful of players to have one in the league today, a clear sign of the Spurs' confidence in his future development.

San Antonio also signed Derrick Rose, after rumors circulated about possibly acquiring him at last year's trade deadline and with Rose expressing interest in joining San Antonio during his last outing as a free agent. With the Knicks declining the all-star veteran playmaker, San Antonio got it done this summer and used its bi-annual exception to give Rose an above-minimum deal, while being well under the 15 million that New York declined. Rose may have lost his speed and athleticism that made him the league's youngest-ever MVP, but he has adapted his game to be shrewder in the paint with savvy discipline and also developed a reliable three-point shot. Rose's 15-year experience should offer much knowledge to Dejounte Murray, with Derrick's 6'8" wingspan on defense and proven scoring ability hopefully boosting the second unit.