We simply handed the midway mark of the season. Should you might describe the Spurs up to now in a phrase, which might you employ?
Marilyn Dubinski: Though issues have been higher the final couple of weeks, over all the principle phrase to explain this season up to now would nonetheless be disappointing. I do know there have been plenty of rising pains with the group getting used to Victor Wembanyama and vice versa, however to reiterate what Jesus, J.R. and I mentioned some time again, I simply by no means imagined the group would worsen earlier than they bought higher. There’s nonetheless loads of time to show issues round (particularly as soon as Wemby’s minutes restrictions are lifted), however the first half of the season in all probability hasn’t been what anybody envisioned.
Mark Barrington: Is there a phrase that in some way encapsulates frustration mixed with euphoria? I’m so overjoyed about the way forward for this group, however the feeling is tempered by the just about every day expertise of watching them fail to execute fundamental basketball performs. There’s a lot future potential, so few outcomes now. It’s like a child drooling throughout itself and spitting up milk, and also you marvel if it’ll ever have the ability to do something, and earlier than you already know it, that little helpless creature is studying calculus. It’s these years in between that make your hair grey. However we actually don’t need to go that far with a metaphor, since a number of gamers on the Spurs are actually gawky youngsters who nonetheless studying how you can play the sport.
Jesus Gomez: “Irritating” in all probability suits greatest. The losses are usually not enjoyable, however they’re acceptable and arguably even fascinating this 12 months. The larger challenge was the shortage of path and the pointless experimentation that disadvantaged the group of an identification. Each the Level Sochan after which the Level Branham experiments appeared unwise and so was working a lot of the offense by Zach Collins when he was the starter. These issues, mixed with the comprehensible inconsistency of a younger group, made plenty of video games irritating to observe, particularly earlier within the season. Now that Wemby is at middle, Jones begins at level guard and everybody appears to be within the place they swimsuit greatest, it’s extra enjoyable to observe the younger core be taught on the job.
J.R. Wilco: I’m going to go along with “long-suffering” — first in its apparent which means for what this half-season has meant for followers, and for its synonym of “endurance” for what I see as the principle driver within the group’s decision-making. The Sochan Experiment confirmed Pop’s long-suffering strategy to Jeremy’s improvement, and required our long-suffering as we watched the league’s prime draft decide get more and more pissed off whereas being virtually ignored as an alternative of scoring simple baskets. The identical might be mentioned for: Wemby’s first 20 video games at energy ahead, Pop not calling performs so the group might “determine it out themselves,” and Tre Jones’ inexplicable (and unexplained) absence from the beginning lineup. In all of this stuff, the group confirmed endurance and the followers suffered lengthy … even when it the experimentation wasn’t even half a season lengthy, and although a synonym of endurance is passivity.
The Spurs received seven of their first 41 video games. Will they win extra within the second half of the season? What file do you assume they’ll have on the finish?
Dubinski: I imagine they are going to be higher. Wemby has been so good in restricted minutes these days and will have the ability to play regular minutes once more quickly, which can be an enormous increase, plus the group has been significantly better since Gregg Popovich lastly determined to begin Tre Jones. It would nonetheless be an uphill battle on most nights, and the group wants to determine how you can win tight video games (they’d misplaced their final 14 video games below that situation earlier than the win in Washington), however I’d prefer to assume they will nonetheless get it collectively sufficient to achieve 20 wins.
Barrington: The Spurs are a complete lot higher than they have been in the beginning of the season, they’ve moved from the realm of unbelievably dangerous to merely terrible. The issue with their win/loss file is that there aren’t a complete lot of worse groups than them within the league. I nonetheless assume the advance in play will web them some extra wins, however in all probability not much more. My prediction for whole wins is someplace within the 17-20 win vary, barring main damage.
Gomez: They need to win extra. Wembanyama is taking part in like a star since transferring to middle, Jones is offering a steadying presence on offense, Sochan is lastly discovering some stability and Keldon Johnson is offering some much-needed bench scoring. I’m not anticipating them to all of the sudden rattle off a six-game win streak or something like that, however they’re in all probability higher than the opposite bottom-dwellers and so they have the expertise to catch some higher groups off guard. Getting 20-22 wins sounds doable.
Wilco: It could be robust to double their first-half wins and finish at 21, however I’ll give them even odds at making it. Once I consider all the video games they have been in attain within the 4th quarter when Wemby needed to sit due to his minutes restriction, I feel possibly it’ll be potential for them to match or surpass final 12 months’s win whole of twenty-two. Whatever the last file, we’re speaking about a way more optimistic half-season, because of the manner the group is taking part in and the seen enchancment that’s been more and more apparent to see.
Who’re your front-runners for the key league awards (MVP, DPOY, ROY, COY, 6MOY) at this level of the season?
Dubinski: Joel Embiid ought to be a favourite for MVP if he can meet the 65-game threshold. I’m certain Nikola Jokic can be up there per ordinary, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jayson Tatum are underdogs to control. DPOY I haven’t paid an excessive amount of consideration to, however Rudy Gobert has actually rebounded (as in returned to his outdated self) this season, and naturally it’s exhausting to disregard Wemby from a statistical standpoint if the Spurs can proceed to show round their protection as they’ve just lately accomplished (not that he’ll win it). ROY ought to be Wemby, however Chet Holmgren will get some votes. For coach, I’d go along with the Thunder’s Mark Daigneault due to their enormous enchancment, and 6MOY I’ll give to Jordan Clarkson.
Barrington: I feel the MVP race might be between Embiid and Giannis, however I actually assume Shai Gilgeous-Alexander deserves consideration, as a result of he’s making the Thunder right into a Western Convention powerhouse. The DPOY might be going to be Gobert, however Wembanyama ought to get seen, as a result of he fully modifications the sport every time he’s on the courtroom. It would come as no shock that I feel the Rookie of the Yr must be Wembanyama. Chet Holmgren is having a high-quality season for the Thunder, however he’s only a complementary participant for his group, whereas Victor is the principle risk for his group, and has higher stats. Coach of the Yr is a toss-up for me between Daigneault of the Thunder and Finch of the Timberwolves. Mazzula has a powerful case for the job he’s accomplished with the Celtics, as a result of they’re much extra mentally robust than in previous seasons. The sixth man of the 12 months will in all probability be Austin Reaves, though I feel he’s a bit overrated. Being on the Lakers all the time helps a participant win awards. My sentimental favourite is Bobby Portis of the Bucks, who brings a toughness to the sport that’s past his basketball abilities.
Gomez: MVP is difficult as a result of Jokic is clearly the most effective participant within the league, however Joel Embiid is having the higher season, so I’ll go along with him. Defensive Participant of the Yr has to go to Gobert, contemplating the Timberwolves have the most effective protection within the league by a mile and he’s on the middle of all of it. Chet Holgrem is nice however Wemby is the Rookie of the Yr, as a lot as that upsets some folks, for some cause. I’d give Coach of the Yr to Rick Carlisle, who has formed the Pacers into a greater group than I’d thought they’d be, nevertheless it’s in all probability going to return all the way down to Chris Finch and Mark Daigneault and between them, I’d go along with Finch. For 6MOY, I’ll go along with Clarkson if he will get traded to a great group, however proper now I’m selecting Malik Monk, who’s having a powerful season off the bench for the Kings.
Wilco: For anybody who doesn’t bear in mind my stance on these awards, right here’s the TLDR: it’s an award given by the media, which suggests it’s all in regards to the narrative. That mentioned … Since Embiid received MVP final 12 months when it ought to have been Jokic, why not give this 12 months’s to Jokic when it ought to be Embiid’s? DPOY might be Gobert’s, but when ROY goes to Chet, then console Wemby with the DPOY! Will Hardy is my selection for COY. The Thunder’s enchancment has been great, however they’ve SGA and Hardy has accomplished a lot with far much less. The 6MOY might go to any of the present frontrunners and I’d be completely happy.
