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San Antonio Spurs: Boris Diaw Is Heating Up

By Andrew Snyder

Mar 24, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Boris Diaw (33) warms up prior to the game against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 24, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Boris Diaw (33) warms up prior to the game against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /
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Have I mentioned that the San Antonio Spurs are back? Because they are very much back to being the ball-moving, destroyer of worlds that has seen them reach the NBA Finals in back-to-back seasons.

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They have won their last three games against the Thunder, Mavericks, and Grizzlies by an average margin of 23.66 points per game. That includes a 39-point drubbing of the Thunder during which they appeared to exorcise their third-quarter demons that have haunted them throughout the season.

Other than injuries, another issue that has plagued the Spurs during the low-points of their season has been the inconsistent play of their bench unit that had been so stable during the 2013-14 season. One of those under the radar pieces of the puzzle that has helped the Spurs during their last few playoff runs is finally starting to turn his season around.

That player is everyone’s favorite stretch-4, and Frenchman (you’re cool too, Tony), Boris Diaw. Diaw has seen a career resurgence in San Antonio after floundering during his final season with what were the Charlotte Bobcats.

Last season in particular saw Diaw become the ideal ball-moving, floor-spacing big man off the bench. He averaged 13.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, and four assists per 36 minutes on 52.1 percent from the field and 40.2 percent from three-point range.

In the playoffs, those numbers held steady at 12.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per 36 minutes on 50 percent shooting and 40 percent from deep. A timely 8-for-14, 26-point night in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals was essential in helping the Spurs knock off the Oklahoma City Thunder to reach the NBA Finals.

Over the course of the season, Diaw evolved into a crucial part of their rotation. After the Finals they made retaining his services a priority, eventually re-signing him to a three-year $22.5 million deal.

This season Diaw has seen his production dip significantly, particularly his scoring and shooting from outside. His 12.6 points per 36 minutes is not terribly far away from last season’s scoring average, but his shooting percentage has fallen to 46.1 percent and 32.2 percent from beyond the arc.

Diaw joined Marco Belinelli, Patrick Mills, and Manu Ginobili as bench players who got off to slow starts this season.

As the end of March draws near, and the playoffs beckon, Diaw is starting to look like the Diaw that destroyed the Thunder in Game 6. In his last five games, he has averaged 14.6 points per game on 58.9 percent shooting. The Spurs are 4-1 in those five games, all wins coming against teams currently in line for a playoff berth.

His shooting stroke has also returned, he has drained six of the ten three-pointers he has attempted during this stretch. The small sample size caveat applies, but it looks like Diaw has his mojo back.

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    • Diaw’s game is most accurately described as “older guy at the YMCA that destroys the guys in their 20s.” Of course, I mean that as a compliment. He will take his man down in the post and score with his selection of hook shots, flip shots, and floaters. When he’s knocking down his three-point attempts that helps open up the paint for Tony Parker’s dribble penetration.

    Even though his scoring tends to slump, his passing rarely takes a night off. His quick decision making when the Spurs are whizzing the ball around in the half-court frequently leads to an open three-point attempt.

    He’s not a superstar, he’s not even a star, but he has proven to be essential to what makes the Spurs the Spurs. If this bump in scoring and efficiency is permanent, then their Spursian rise back to title contender level may be permanent as well.

    At this point I’m starting to sound like a broken record, but come May I’d be shocked if the Spurs were not back in the Western Conference Finals.

    Next: 2015 NBA Draft: Towns or Okafor

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