San Antonio Spurs' rookie James Anderson suffered a right foot injury in Novemeber but now has been cleared to play.
Currently he is playing with the Austin Toros (Spurs D-League affiliate) to get back into game shape before coming back to suit up for the Spurs and if Spurs fans are curious as to the strength of his right foot he seems perfectly fine.
Forty six games into the season and the San Antonio Spurs currently lead the league with a 39-7 record. While most NBA observers still believe the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics or Miami Heat will eventually win it all, the Spurs can't be taken for granted.
Except for the 96-72 embarrassing loss to the New Orleans last January 22, the Spurs have played well enough, continue to win ball games and show continued improvement on the defensive end.
They are currently 7th in league in defensive efficiency and 4th in effective field goal percentage and for good measure here are some stats over their last 10 games.
| Team | Points | Rebounds | Assists | Turnovers | FG% | 3PT FG% |
| SPURS | 100.5 | 44.6 | 23.1 | 13.6 | 46.5% | 36.3% |
| OPPONENTS | 94.7 | 42.4 | 18.7 | 11.8 | 42.9% | 39.7% |
The decline in points per game average indicates that the Spurs are now finding more balance using their
running game and half court plays which is a good thing as the playoffs approaches.
Their offense is also one of the league's best, they are currently third in offensive efficiency and fifth in assist to turnover ratio.
All these numbers suggest the Spurs are playing great basketball; however, there are many factors as to why the Spurs remains the best in the league.
One of them is health, although they have their share of injuries such as rookie James Anderson, three-point specialist Matt Bonner and George Hill. Regardless, the Spurs have been lucky enough to have their starters healthy all season which is key.
Besides that, the Spurs' offense has also evolved into a good mixture of running game, inside plays and consistent outside shooting. In fact, it could be argued that they are actually a better offensive team this season compared to their championship years.
The Spurs' backcourt is looking top-notch at this point and their bench have more fire power than ever. If and when Anderson comes back and play like he plays earlier in the season, the Spurs will be really tough to beat.
Nevertheless, the Spurs still need to raise the level of their defense like in the past before having serious thoughts on winning another title, allowing the Jazz to connect on 55 percent of their shots in their most recent victory won't make the cut.
Not only that, one of the most pressing issue for the Spurs right now is length. Sure they are winning more than ever before and have used the same starting line up all season with great success. But it is no secret that the game pace become more slower when the post season arrives.
If that's the case, will the Spurs have enough size against teams with huge frontline like the Lakers, Mavericks or Boston? Tim Duncan is Tim Duncan, DeJuan Blair plays above his height but lacks consistency and McDyess has shown that there's still plenty left on his tank. But for them to get over hump, they will need Tiago Splitter to play his role and maximize his talent. If they believe otherwise they should look for another big to help them out.
The Spurs will be the first one to admit this fact and for that, they know they still have a lot of work ahead. With coach Gregg Popovich at the helm and Duncan, Ginobili and Parker healthy as ever, they have their best shot but with this current group their margin for error becomes relatively smaller especially during the post season.
Yes, the Spurs has have been impressive so far and it's safe to say the no one expected them to be on top of the standings at this point of the season, but fair or not their true success will only be measured by winning a title this season, anything less than that might be considered a failure in San Antonio.
According to Forbes, the San Antonio Spurs are the NBA's best bang for the buck team:
We looked at the last five completed seasons to determine which teams were the best when it comes to performance versus pay. Playoff wins counted twice as heavily as regular-season ones. For player costs we included spending on player benefits, but not luxury tax payments. We compared each team’s annual performance and spending to the league median and averaged those five years of numbers. The Spurs fared the best at 47% above the NBA average.
The Spurs have averaged 56 regular-season wins (second best in the NBA) and an NBA-high 10.6 playoff wins over the past five years. They have done that with player costs that average $73 million annually, only ninth highest in the NBA. Credit coach Gregg Popovich and general manager R.C. Buford, who have been with the team since before Duncan arrived. It’s the kind of stability rarely seen in a league where only seven coaches have been on the sidelines for four full seasons with their current teams. Owner Peter Holt has seen the value of his team soar from $122 million to $404 million since Duncan arrived as the consistent winning helped get AT&T Center built mostly with public money.
Coming in second place was the Phoenix Suns and third was the Cleveland Cavaliers. Failing to make the list was the Dallas Mavericks.
This is just another reason why Spurs fans should appreciate this team and the winning culture it has brought to the city of San Antonio. Be proud Spurs fan.
The San Antonio Spurs withstood a late rally to beat the Utah Jazz 112-105 for their 10th win in the last 11 games.
The Spurs improved to a franchise-best, 39-7 record after 46 games. The Jazz are known for their comeback victories this season, overcoming deficits of more than 15 points seven times.
However, the Spurs made just enough clutch plays down the stretch to spoil Utah's comeback bid.
What are the numbers that stood out in this Spurs' recent victory? Let's find out!
79.3 - Both teams went to the foul line often, the Spurs shot their free throws a bit better, making 23-29 (79.3%) foul shots, while the Jazz connected on 21-28 (75%) free throws.
54.7 - Utah shot a blistering 41-75 (54.7%) from the floor. The Spurs weren't that bad either, hitting 41-80 (51.3%) of their field goal attempts.
39 - Deron Williams had a game high 39 points with 17 coming in the final quarter. He also had nine assist and four rebounds for the Jazz. The Spurs leads the league win 39 wins after 46 regular season games.
35 - The Spurs shot 7-20 (35.0%) from behind the arc while the Jazz just made 2-12 (16.7%) of their 3-point attempts.
33 - San Antonio had a slight edge on the rebounding department edging the Jazz 33-31 on the boards.
26 - Manu Ginobili led the Spurs with 26 points, seven assists, six rebounds and two steals.
23 - Tony Parker added 23 points, six assists and three rebounds for San Antonio but also committed five turnovers. The Spurs had 23 dimes compared to Utah's 21.
22 - Al Jefferson chipped in 22 points and nine boards for the Jazz.
13 - Tim Duncan had 13 points, seven rebounds, four assists, one block and a steal for the Spurs. Gary Neal scored 13 points off the Spurs' bench while C.J. Miles also scored 13 points from the Jazz bench.
10 - George Hill had 10 points and three rebounds for San Antonio while Andrei Kirilenko had 10 points, six rebounds and three assists for the Jazz in 37 minutes of action.
0 - Richard Jefferson, DeJuan Blair, Hill and Neal did not commit a single turnover for the entire game.
Rookie Watch: Neal scored 13 points and had two assists in 20 minutes of action. Tiago Splitter had one steal in seven minutes. James Anderson was assigned to the Austin Toros and scored 12 points in his debut.
What's Next? The Spurs will host the Houston Rockets at the AT&T Center on Saturday.
Follow me on Twitter @RobbyLim21
By D'Ann Faught
Cross-posted from TorosNation.com
One of the benefits of the NBA D-League is that the fans get a sneak peek at some talent of the future. Attendees to the Austin Toros morning game on Wednesday got a special treat when James Anderson, the San Antonio Spurs 2010 first-round draft pick, suited up for the Toros in a conditioning stint.
James Anderson was drafted 20th overall this year by the San Antonio Spurs from Oklahoma State. The 6’6” guard from Oklahoma State started off a promising season in San Antonio, averaging 7 points per game and converting on 50% of his three-point attempts. Unfortunately for the Spurs, Anderson was sidelined in mid-November with a stress fracture in his fifth metatarsal. The injury required surgery and has kept Anderson on the bench since November.
After rumors had been swirling for over a week, James Anderson was finally assigned to the Austin Toros to get some game time in the D-League before his return to San Antonio. Good news for Spurs fans? Anderson looked strong in his debut during the Toros win today, getting 11:35 of playing time and scoring 12 points for the victors.
Anderson went in for 5:12 in the first quarter, but then sat out for the remainder of the first half. Anderson said the first five minutes he was “just trying to get loose and find a good rhythm.” Having not played with the team he also faced the challenge of “getting a feel for the guys.” In the third period, he came out and started contributing right away on the scoreboard. Anderson said he was happy to be “able to create…able to find some guys and some shots for himself.”
After the game Anderson said his foot felt good and that he felt like he was “back to 100 percent.” He mentioned that it felt good playing on it and landing on it, but he knew that he would have to work to be ready for the Spurs when they call. Anderson said that the Spurs have not given him any timetable for his return, but instead were playing it by ear and seeing how he progresses. While Anderson will likely be with the Toros for a few games to work into playing more minutes and getting back into basketball condition, it will not be long before he is back in the NBA at this rate.
It appears Larry Owens' time in San Antonio will be extended at least another ten days, according to an official announcement from the Spurs.
The San Antonio Spurs today announced they have signed forward Larry Owens to a second 10-day contract. Owens signed his first 10-day contract with the Spurs on January 16 becoming the second call-up of the 2010-11 NBA Development League season.
Owens, a 6-7, 210-pound forward, has appeared in five games for the Spurs, averaging 1.8 points in 5.2 minutes per game. He is shooting .600 (3-5) from the field and .333 (1-3) from three-point territory.
With James Anderson getting back into playing shape with the Toros in Austin, the Spurs had the space to keep Owens around and he'll have another ten days to prove to the Spurs that he belongs in San Antonio.
| Ranking | Team | Last poll | Change | Record | Avg Ranking |
| 3 |
|
7 |  4 |
34.6 | 2.5 |
| "I hate to say it, but I still see this team wearing down as the season progresses."-Thunderballers | |||||
The San Antonio Spurs ranked third in the Bloguin NBA Power Rankings for the month of January. Coming in first was the Boston Celtics and second the Miami Heat.
I can see why the Celtics would come in first especially getting the win, without Kevin Garnett, over the Spurs but to come in behind the Heat is questionable. Spurs have a better record than the Heat in the month of January unlike the Heat. To see the complete Bloguin NBA Power Rankings, click HERE.
OK Spurs fans time to chime in on the power rankings. Do you agree or disagree where the Spurs ranked?
The Spurs announced today that they have assigned James Anderson to the Austin Toros.
Anderson, a 6-6, 215-pound guard, has been out since November 11 when he was diagnosed with a stress fracture in the fifth metatarsal of his right foot. Before the injury, he appeared in six games for the Spurs, averaging 7.0 points and 1.5 assists in 17.7 minutes per game. He is shooting .424 (14-33) from the field and .500 (10-20) from three-point land.
Anderson is the first player the Spurs have assigned to the Toros this season. The Toros host the Reno Bighorns today at 11:00 a.m. at the Cedar Park Center.
Anderson will have the opportunity to work himself back into playing shape in Austin while seeing more time on the floor for the Toros.
For more on the Toros and to keep tabs on Anderson's progress while in Austin, visit our sister site, Toros Nation.
• San Antonio Spurs' forward Matt Bonner continues to rehab his injured knee and will not join the Spurs
on the road trip to Utah to play against the Jazz:
“He hasn’t improved a lick,” Popovich said. “It still isn’t getting any better. We’re real concerned about it.”
Also, the Spurs have not made a decision on whether to keep Larry Owens:
“They haven’t given me feedback (about whether he’ll be re-signed),” Owens said. “I just can’t worry about any of that. If I get minutes, I have to go out there and bust my tail. After that, we’ll see what happens.” (source Express News)
• Now that San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has been announced as the 2011 Western Conference All-Star coach, he and the assistant coaches will have to fill out the bench and according to Popovich, Golden State Warriors' Monta Ellis might have a spot:
San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich conceded Ellis is "having an All-Star kind of year." (source mercurynews.com)
• Bloguin's own Stepien Rules, listed their NBA divisional All-Star teams and for the Southwest Division, a few Spurs made the list:
SG – Manu Ginobli, San Antonio Spurs. Best player on the best team in the West (and quite possibly the entire league), he’s been playing at another level this season. A level I didn’t think he’d have in him at this age, but him being a starter has rejuvenated him to a degree where he’s a genuine contender as MVP right now. If he can avoid those niggly injuries he’s become accustomed to, the Spurs will be for real come May and June.
C – Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs. Duncan is having the worst year of his glittering career with measly averages of 14 points and 9 rebounds. Yep, those are career lows. He’s still had a couple of vintage Timmy games and he still hits that bank shot from the corner better than anyone else, but Duncan has accepted that his legs aren’t what they used to be and has accepted a smaller role in what the Spurs do. Scary, that he’s probably option 4 on this team when they need a bucket at times. Right now, would you bet against him and Pop winning it all again? Thought so.
Reserves
PG – Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs.
SF – Richard Jefferson, San Antonio Spurs
Head Coach: Gregg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs
• Stepien Rules also listed who they want to see on the 2011 Rookie All-Star squad and Spurs' Gary Neal made the cut:
SG – Gary Neal, San Antonio Spurs. At the start of the season I had fellow Spur James Anderson pegged for this spot, but Andersons injury has resulted in Neal stepping up. He’s had some big games when the Spurs needed a spark, and for $525,000 a year may be the bargain deal of the season. Great to see him embracing his second chance at NBA Stardom, good for him.
• Express News' Tim Griffin talks about the Spurs bench.
• Two men in El Paso, Texas were arrested for fraud which included Spurs tickets:
El Paso promoter Ramiro Guzman, one of two El Pasoans who pleaded guilty to bribing elected officials in South Texas two years ago, was sentenced to four months probation on Monday by a federal judge in McAllen, according to court records.
According to court records and the indictment issued in 2008, both men admitted that the items they gave to officials included tickets to a San Antonio Spurs basketball game, tickets to Houston Astros baseball games and tickets to an Oscar de la Hoya boxing match in Las Vegas at a cost of $6,500. (source elpasotimes.com)
Former San Antonio Spurs play-by-play announcer, Greg Papa, sat down with Spurs coach Gregg Popovich prior to the Warriors game to interview him for Chronicle Live on Comcast Sports Net.
Papa and Popovich talked about the current Spurs record, his time coaching in Golden State, his relationship with Tim Duncan and how long he plans on coaching.
"He was a great follower when David was here and it turned him into a great leader," Popovich said of Duncan. "It's pretty hard to not follow his lead."
Popovich also said he plans to continue coaching although he says he does not plan to coach as long as Don Nelson and Larry Brown, who he coached under in Golden State and in San Antonio.
"I still love it and I can see myself coaching for a while."
