Boris Diaw: Yet another excellent find by the San Antonio Spurs – NBA Feature
Boris Diaw has been a great asset for the San Antonio Spurs ever since they acquired him from the Charlotte Bobcats. Just a few months ago, Diaw was a part of the Bobcats team, who ended the season with worst win-loss ratio ever
in NBA. The Spurs signed him to their team and now he is part of a team playing in the playoffs and the best contenders for the NBA championship. To say it has been a good break for Diaw will be an understatement.
The Spurs have always been very careful and systematic with their draft picks and trades over the years and that system has worked for them. Everyone in the league is marvelled at the player picks the Spurs make and how they turn
those players into excellent role playing additions to their roster.
It is for that reason that since the Spurs won their first championship back in 1999; they have not seen a decline as a team and won three more NBA championships. Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili are classic examples of players who
were not superstars when added but have now become two of the best players in the league. Diaw is on course to do the same.
“When Pop was trying to recruit him, I told him that we do the same plays on the French national team. For five years we have been doing the same stuff. I knew when Boris came here there would be no problem for him to adapt because
he is used to those plays” said Tony Parker
In the game 2 victory over the Clippers, Diaw scored 16 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists while going 7 of 7 from the field. He was too hot to stop.
“Because it's pretty easy to adjust to this team, the way they're playing. They're playing smart basketball and it's easy to recognize to see what to do, where to fit and try to be an addition. So it is a pretty easy role. I am
just trying to do my best, play good defense and try not to turn the ball over too much” said Diaw.
Diaw came close to an NBA championship back in 2007 when he was in the Phoenix Suns along with Amare Stoudemire and Steve Nash. They were beaten by the San Antonio Spurs in the playoffs. Now, he is enroute to be a critical factor
to the success of the Spurs this year.
Diaw is not a superstar nor is he high flying and charismatic. He is very structured and technical in his approach, and understands his role in this team well. His addition has added to their depth of role players and its doesn’t
come as a surprise that San Antonio’s bench is by far the best in NBA.
It helps them rest key players, spread the defense and provides scoring options. In an era where teams such as the Miami Heat and New York Knicks are adding superstars to their cast in an attempt to make them title contenders,
the Spurs are showing everyone that you need strategy, home work and depth to be a title contender.
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