San Antonio Spurs: Projected 2014 Starting Lineup

Photo Credit: Ronald Martinez – Getty Images

The San Antonio Spurs brought home the NBA championship last season and will look to repeat in the 2014-15 season. The reason they won stems from their depth; they have a good starting lineup with a bunch of solid role players off the bench. Everyone knows their role which helps the team run their team so effectively. The projected starting lineup for the Spurs is as follows:

Point Guard – Tony Parker:

One of the best point guards in the NBA, Tony Parker is guaranteed to be the starter for the Spurs. Patty Mills and Corey Joseph will play behind Parker, but as long as he is healthy, they will be nothing more than role players.

Parker is a quick, agile player that is crafty and can get into the lane and finish at the basket. At 32, he is the youngest of San Antonio’s original big three. He is locked to a respectable contract and by the looks of it, he’ll be a Spur for the entirety of his career. He isn’t a dominant three-point shooter, but he does his part by penetrating to the basket, creating open looks for his teammates who can knock down threes.

Shooting Guard – Danny Green:

He isn’t the best shooting guard on the Spurs roster, but the other option is one of the best sixth men in the entire league. Manu Ginobli could easily start, but the Spurs rather the veteran leadership from Ginobli off the bench. Green is still a respectable starter.

He can hit the three with ease and if he catches fire, he can be one of the greatest threats on the court against any team. He never stops on the offensive end which causes trouble for the opposing defense. He is someone that the other team needs to think about when planning out their strategy when going up against the Spurs. If he gets open looks, he is sure to knock them down.

Small Forward – Kawhi Leonard

With his performance in the NBA finals, Kawhi Leonard was one of the major stories that most NBA fans will follow throughout the season. He played at the top of his game which was topped when he earned the Finals MVP. He is going to be the best player on the Spurs in the coming years and he will surely have the starting spot on lock.

He locked down LeBron James in the NBA Finals, proving his worth as one of the best wing defenders in the league. He can shoot the three ball and score inside too. He can be the one of the best players in the NBA in the coming years if he continues to put in work off the court.

Power Forward – Tim Duncan: 

One of the best power forwards of all time, Tim Duncan will be the starting power forward for the Spurs until he retires. He seems to be timeless and is one of the most fundamentally sound players in the history of basketball.

He has one of the most diverse games in the NBA, scoring on the inside with ease. He can post up and score against some of the best defenders in the NBA. He can also step out and hit both 16-foot jumpers and his patented bank shot with ease. He has increased his foul shooting percentage in the recent years, showing that he is still committed becoming a better player.

Center – Tiago Splitter:

After coming over from Europe, Tiago Splitter took some time to adjust to the NBA. He has since become a reliable starter in this league. The Spurs have a comfort level with Splitter at the starting spot, as he gives them what they waited for while he was overseas.

He has a decent post game and has the ability to hit the mid-range jumper. He is quietly becoming a better defender and is reliable option to play against most big men in the league. He can block shots with ease, sometimes making offensive players think twice when driving to the rim. He is an important part for the Spurs moving forward.