Southwest Division

San Antonio Spurs Power Rankings - 2011-12

Power Ranking
WEEKRECORDRANKCOMMENT
Week 1747-161David Robinson just proclaimed on Twitter that "this is the best we've looked headed into the playoffs." I think he meant "ever." Also think he might be right. The Spurs secretly fret about Manu's health even more than they worry about Duncan's, but this Pass of the Season would suggest he's ready to roll.
Week 1642-163Pop holds a narrow lead over Thibodeau and Doc Rivers in another ridiculous COY race with what might be his best-ever coaching job. Even if the Spurs don't snag the West's No. 1 seed -- and even after the Kobe-less Lakers humbled them at home -- he still has 'em at a level no one envisioned. No one.
Week 1540-141No other team has won more than nine straight games this season. The Spurs? They're on their SECOND 11-game win streak of 2011-12. As Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News noted on Twitter, new Spur Boris Diaw has seen more wins since March 23 (10) than his old team (Charlotte) has all season.
Week 1436-142Bowing at the altar of Pop: San Antonio has the league's No. 3 road record (15-10) after an 0-5 start that prompted the coach to memorably announce that "we suck on the road." Bowing at the altar of Pop II: Timmy, Manu and Tony have all played in the same game only 18 times all season. #howdoeshekeepdoingit?
Week 1333-143I admit it: I thought this was the season that the Spurs, with such limited flexibility to change their team, could finally be written off. So naturally they've managed to strengthen a supporting cast that was already underrated by importing Jack, Diaw and Patty Mills ... moves that even have Tim Duncan talking big.
Week 1229-143One cautionary note amid all the justifiable excitement surrounding Parker's brilliant season ... and the deadline deal that turned a declining Richard Jefferson into a potentially born-again Stephen Jackson ... and Friday night's statement win at OKC: There's still time, but Manu doesn't quite look like Manu yet.
Week 1126-134The momentum San Antonio carried into the All-Star break didn't make it to the other side, but something tells me you won't hear any outward concern from Gregg Popovich. Just to be sure: Pop will get a visit this weekend from the committee (of one) to confirm those premonitions before the next batch of rankings.
Week 1025-124They could probably rationalize the Chicago loss, given the quality of the opposition, but losing at home to the short-handed Nuggets on a night that (A) Manu made his return and (B) Denver lost yet another big man (Mozgov) to injury? The Spurs might need another Rodeo Road Trip to get back on track.
Week 924-103Maybe if Pop knew going in that no team in history has ever gone unbeaten on a trip of seven games or longer, he'd have played his whole team in Portland instead of resting Timmy and Tony. (Just kidding.) Anyone remember that the Spurs were 3-8 on the road before their 8-1 Rodeo Road Trip? (Didn't think so.)
Week 822-92The Spurs are the rare team that we won't immediately drop after a significant injury because they just went 15-7 without the hurt-again Manu. Rest assured, though, they'd trade it all and take the No. 8 seed in the West off you right now if you could guarantee they'd have a fully healed Manu for the playoffs.
Week 719-92The annual Rodeo Road Trip is generally good to the Spurs, but this one looks like it'll go down as an all-timer. The Spurs figure to be 5-0 before their next tough test Feb. 18 in Clipperland, Duncan has four straight double-doubles after just five in his first 23 games ... and Manu just came back!
Week 616-95Pretty sure Parker was going to be selected as an All-Star by the West's coaches anyway, but TP's 42-point shredding of West-leading OKC surely clinches it. Of course, with San Antonio's annual rodeo road trip looming, something tells me Tony and Timmy wouldn't mind if the coaches left them alone to rest that weekend.
Week 512-910Just when you think you've seen it all in what might still be the NBA's best rivalry, Pop unveils his Austin Toros lineup to erase an 18-point deficit, refusing to play any starter in the fourth quarter or overtime (apart from 1.1 seconds of OT for Kawhi Leonard) and nearly toppling hated Dallas in Dallas anyway.
Week 410-77Sentences we never thought we'd utter even with Manu still sidelined by that long-term hand injury: San Antonio is tied with its old friends from Lakerland, at 1-6, for the worst road record in the West. No wonder Pop has already publicly blasted the Spurs as "soft."
Week 39-44Let us be the first to point out (kidding!) how glad San Antonio must be that it didn't amnesty Richard Jefferson ... especially with Manu suddenly sidelined. RJ is shooting 50.7 percent from deep as one of only seven players in the league making half his 3s.
Week 26-39The Spurs are the last team that can moan about misfortune after the only two lottery trips they've ever made delivered David Robinson and Tim Duncan ... but Manu's freakish hand injury was yet another dose of not-again health woes for the old masters.
Week 13-17Through four games, Timmy Duncan had managed a whopping total of 36 points. Part of that, though, is that Coach Pop -- just granted entrance to the 800 Club in career wins -- is clearly pacing TD through the Spurs' favorable early schedule.
Preseason61-2110The committee (of one) shares a birthday with Mr. Duncan and badly wants to believe starting the season two months later is a huge help. The fear here is that TD's knees and thus his Spurs, with little flexibility to make changes, are in for a rough ride.
Training Camp22-90The Spurs are the rare team that we won't immediately drop after a significant injury because they just went 15-7 without the hurt-again Manu. Rest assured, though, they'd trade it all and take the No. 8 seed in the West off you right now if you could guarantee they'd have a fully healed Manu for the playoffs.

San Antonio Spurs