Though the loss of Kawhi Leonard for DeMar DeRozan might be a negative on paper, the reality is Leonard played a very little role in the Spurs 2017/18 season. Theoretically they have gained an All-Star player for the loss of very little, and with Gregg Popovich at the helm they will, as always, challenge for a Playoff spot. Check out their full roster and NBA Live 19 player ratings below.
Bryn Forbes, PG, 76
click to enlargeAge: 25
Position: PG
Height: 6’3’’
Playstyle: Wing Shooter
Best stats: 85 Stamina, 84 3-point Shot, 82 Mid-Range Shot
Bryn Forbes' second season in the league saw his playing time significantly increase, from just seven minutes per game in 2016/17 to almost 20 last season. In those minutes, he managed 6.9 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.0 assists - relatively modest numbers, but again a jump from the prior season. In 2018/19 he will get plenty of more opportunities with Tony Parker now in Charlotte, so expect his production to get a solid boost.
DeMar DeRozan, SG, 89
click to enlargeAge: 29
Position: SG
Height: 6’7’’
Playstyle: Slasher
Best stats: 98 Draw Shooting Foul, 96 Contested Shot, 95 Dunk
DeRozan was clearly taken by surprise when he was traded to the Spurs as part of a deal involving Kawhi Leonard, having played all nine of his NBA years in Toronto. The four time All-Star averaged 23 points per game last season to go with 3.9 rebounds, 5.2 assists and a steal, but the inability of him and Kyle Lowry to advance the Raptors deep into the Playoffs saw him sent west.
Rudy Gay, SF, 80
click to enlargeAge: 32
Position: SF
Height: 6’8’’
Playstyle: Wing Shooter
Best stats: 93 Stamina, 88 Vertical, 85 Mid Range Shot
Gay's 12 season career has seen him play for four different teams, and in 2018/19 he will find himself in San Antonio for his second season there. In his first he generally came off the bench, and averaged just 11.5 points in 21.6 minutes per game - his lowest numbers since 2006. This season, however, expect him to play a lot more starting minutes, which will subsequently boost his production.
LaMarcus Aldridge, PF, 87
click to enlargeAge: 33
Position: PF
Height: 6’11’’
Playstyle: Post Anchor
Best stats: 97 Post Moves, 94 Strength, 92 Stamina
With Kawhi Leonard absent for all but nine games last season, Aldridge was forced to carry a huge chunk of the offensive load for San Antonio. As a result, he comfortably averaged the most points he has since moving to the Spurs in the 2015 off-season, putting up 23.1 per game to go with 8.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.2 blocks.
Jakob Poeltl, C, 80
click to enlargeAge: 22
Position: C
Height: 7’1’’
Playstyle: Post Anchor
Best stats: 87 Post Defense, 84 Shot Block, 84 Inside Shot
Poeltl moved to San Antonio alongside DeRozan at the end of last season, after an impressive season in Toronto. After being drafted at pick 9 in the 2016 draft, Poeltl's first season was relatively uninspiring, but in 2017/18 he showed why he was a top ten pick. He only averaged 6.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 18.6 minutes, but his defensive abilities and high energy game style made him a valuable piece of the Leonard/DeRozan trade.
NBA Live 19 San Antonio Spurs Roster
| Name | OVR | Position | Height | Playstyle | Best Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeMar DeRozan | 89 | SG | 6'7" | Slasher | 98 Draw Shooting Foul, 96 Contested Shot |
| LaMarcus Aldridge | 87 | PF | 6'11" | Post Anchor | 97 Post Moves, 94 Strength |
| Pau Gasol | 83 | C | 7'0" | Post Anchor | 86 Rebounding, 84 Post Moves |
| Rudy Gay | 80 | SF | 6'8" | Wing Shooter | 93 Stamina, 88 Vertical |
| Jakob Poeltl | 80 | C | 7'1" | Post Anchor | 87 Post Defense, 84 Shot Block |
| Marco Belinelli | 79 | SG | 6'5" | Wing Shooter | 87 Free Throw, 84 Stamina |
| Dejounte Murray | 79 | PG | 6'5" | Backcourt Defender | 89 Speed, 86 On Ball Defense |
| Patty Mills | 78 | PG | 6'0" | Backcourt Shooter | 86 Free Throw, 85 Speed |
| Bryn Forbes | 76 | PG | 6'3" | Wing Shooter | 85 Stamina, 84 3-point Shot |
| Lonnie Walker IV | 76 | SG | 6'5" | Floor General | 90 Speed, 85 Shot off Dribble |
| Davis Bertans | 75 | SF | 6'10" | Wing Shooter | 82 3-point Shot, 82 Mid-Range Shot |
| Quincy Pondexter | 73 | SG | 6'6" | Wing Shooter | 83 Speed, 80 3-point Shot |
| Dante Cunningham | 72 | PF | 6'8" | Rim Protector | 81 Stamina, 81 Mid-Range Shot |
| Derrick White | 72 | PG | 6'4" | Backcourt Shooter | 85 Speed, 81 Dribbling |
| Chimezie Metu | 72 | PF | 6'10" | Stretch Big | 88 Dribbling, 84 Speed |
Playbooks
click to enlargeWe've put every play you can run with the Spurs on NBA Live 19 into a simple table - with Popovich at the helm, unsurprisingly it's pretty comprehensive. Take a look below.
| Play Name | Play Type |
|---|---|
| PG 41 Strong Ram | Pick and Roll |
| PG 41 Weak Double Drag | Pick and Roll |
| PG 41 Weak Reverse Pin Fist | Pick and Roll |
| PG 41 Weak Angle | Pick and Roll |
| PG 41 Strong High Double Drag | Pick and Roll |
| PG 14 Low High | Pick and Roll |
| PG 41 Strong Reverse Pin High | Pick and Roll |
| PG 41 Trade | Pick and Roll |
| PG 41 Weak Down Reverse Down Slot | Pick and Roll |
| PG 41 High Double Drag | Pick and Roll |
| PG 41 Lifted | Pick and Roll |
| PG Jungle Double Drag | Pick and Roll |
| PG Horns Twist | Pick and Roll |
| PG Horns Slot | Pick and Roll |
| PG Hawk Double | Pick and Roll |
| PG Horns Slip Pin Mix | Pick and Roll |
| PG Pistol | Pick and Roll |
| PG Pistol Up | Pick and Roll |
| SG Zip Fist | Pick and Roll |
| SG 41 Weak Pin Mix | Pick and Roll |
| SF 41 Strong Reverse Get | Pick and Roll |
| SF 41 Strong Pin Fist | Pick and Roll |
| PF 41 Weak High | Pick and Roll |
| PG Zip Trip | Screen |
| PG Zip Trip Cross Back | Screen |
| PG Zip Trip Peel | Screen |
| PG 41 Strong Reverse Pin | Screen |
| PG 41 Weak Reverse Through Pin | Screen |
| PG/SG 41 Strong Reverse Slip Stagger Down Cross | Screen |
| SG 41 Strong High Reverse Rip Stagger | Screen |
| SG 41 Weak Reverse Cross Down | Screen |
| SG 41 Strong Reverse Cross Down | Screen |
| SG 41 Strong Reverse Stagger | Screen |
| SG 41 Strong Reverse Back Down | Screen |
| SG 41 High Stagger | Screen |
| SG Floppy Double Curl | Screen |
| SF 14 High Al Slice Down | Screen |
| SF Horns Al Slice Down | Screen |
| SF Zip Trip Back | Screen |
| PF Jungle Zip Pop Down | Screen |
| C Horns Pop Down Slice Option | Screen |
| PG 41 Strong Reverse Slice | Postup |
| SG 41 Strong High Pitch Reverse Slice | Postup |
| SG 41 Strong Reverse Flex | Postup |
| SG 41 Strong Reverse Pin Entry | Postup |
| SF 41 Strong Slice | Postup |
| SF Jungle Pop Reverse Flex | Postup |
| PF 41 Strong Up | Postup |
| C 41 Strong Reverse Wing Entry | Postup |
| C 41 Strong Quick Entry | Postup |
| C 41 Strong Reverse Back Cross | Postup |
| C 14 High Al Slice | Postup |
| C Zip Wing Entry | Postup |
| C 41 Weak Quick Wing Entry | Postup |
| C 41 Weak Reverse Cross | Postup |
| C Horns Al Slice | Postup |
For more articles like this, take a look at our NBA Live page.