With Strong Duncan, Healthier Outlook For Champs

Maybe it's a one-game mirage, or maybe they were playing possum on us the whole time.
All I know is after three games of watching a team called the Spurs battle the Hornets, Sunday I finally felt like I was watching the defending champion San Antonio Spurs.
In evening their best-of-seven series 2-2 with a 100-80 rout of New Orleans, the Spurs did everything we've become accustomed to over the past few years. Each of their Big Three produced big numbers, with Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan combining for 54 points in the first three quarters to put the champs up 85-61 before the Hornets waved the white flag.
The Spurs' ball movement was outrageously good, with the ball flying around the perimeter once one of the Big Three gave it up and seemingly always landing in the paws of an open shooter. That enabled the Spurs to shoot 58.9 percent through three quarters and assist 22 of their 33 field goals; nearly all the ones that weren't assisted were straight screen-and-roll drives by Parker.
"It's all about moving the ball against these guys," Duncan said. "We know where they're coming from and we have to find our shooters and make jump shots."
The offense was a major factor, but the D was just as important. San Antonio stopped the Hornets for the first time all series, by using the same strategy they've used successfully against Phoenix's Steve Nash and applying it to Chris Paul.
They let him get his points (23) but cut off the Hornets' other scorers -- through three quarters his teammates only had 38 points. (Side note: I'm using all third quarter stats here since the game had effectively ended by then; we don't care how 12 minutes of Jacque Vaughn and Ryan Bowen impacted the numbers).