a subtitle to this thread should be "Aka the Importance of Defense":
1997-98 Spurs (56-26)
Structure:
C -- superstar 1
PF -- superstar 2
SF -- aging and injured
SG -- combo SG/PG
PG -- small, pure PG
resemble any team we know?
Stats:
C -- Admiral 21.6pts (.581TS%) 10.6reb 2.7ast 0.9stl 2.6blk 2.8TO
PF -- Duncan 21.1pts (.577TS%) 11.9reb 2.7ast 0.7stl 2.5blk 2.4TO
SF -- Elliot 9.3pts 3.4reb (.495TS%) 1.7ast 0.7stl 0.4blk 1.6TO
SG -- Del Negro 9.5pts (.493TS%) 2.8reb 3.4ast 0.7stl 0.1blk 1.0TO
PG -- Johnson 10.2pts (.514TS%) 2.0reb 7.9ast 1.1stl 0.2blk 2.2TO
SG/SF -- JJackson 8.8pts 2.6reb 1.9ast
SF -- Person 6.7pts 3.3reb 1.4ast
C/PF/SF(!) -- Perdue 5.0pts 6.8reb 0.7ast
SF -- MWilliams 6.3pts 2.5reb 1.2ast
Because of continuous injuries at SF/SG, bench guys actually started more collective games at those positions than the starters did. they even started Will Perdue at "small" forward a number of times.
They won 56 games. Admiral on his way down. Duncan a rookie. A group of little guys struggling to reach .500TS%. And they still won 56. How'd they do it? Defense:
Team Stats
Pts/Gm: 92.5 (23rd)
ORTG: 103.8 (17th)
Opp Pts Gm: 88.5 (1st)
DRTG: 99.4 (2nd)