It’s hard to get excited about acquiring a role player, but for the San Antonio Spurs, landing Boris Diaw could make a big difference. Diaw isn’t going to be a big time scorer, he’s not going to fill up a stat sheet, but that’s not what the Spurs need. They have scoring. What they needed was size and depth, and now they have it.
The Spurs have been down a big man all year. It has pretty much been Tim Duncan inside with a little help from undersized forward DeJuan Blair. The move for Diaw was one that had to be made.
While this still doesn’t give the Spurs a “Twin Tower” situation, it will help take some of the pressure off down low. It will also help them match up with teams like the Lakers, should they meet in the playoffs. If you had asked me two weeks ago if the Spurs would beat the Lakers in a 7-game series, I would have been hesitant only because of the matchup problems caused by Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol. Now, I’m almost positive the Spurs would win.
Another thing that Diaw brings to the table is versatility, which will be huge come playoff time. He’s capable of banging inside as well as stepping out and shooting the jumper. He’s also a great passer, as he showed in last night’s win against the Suns where he notched four assists in just 18 minutes. Not bad for a big man. He’s capable of filling in for the three through five spots at any time, which means that he can give rest to a majority of the team. A well-rested team is going to be key during the playoffs.
With the addition of Diaw (as well as Stephen Jackson and Patty Mills) the Spurs have made it to the status of championship contender. They’re going to be tough for any team to beat, even the highly favored Oklahoma City Thunder. San Antonio should get ready for a deep playoff run.
What do you have to say Spurs fans? Is Diaw the big man the team needed or do you feel the team is still undersized?
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