San Antonio Spurs Need Tony Parker To Return To Form Next Season

Last season, the San Antonio Spurs saw some of the ill effects of age as Tony Parker rarely looked like himself. Parker missed 14 regular season games, although that number could easily have been more. Now, the Spurs are eying an NBA title with LaMarcus Aldridge on board, and San Antonio will need Parker to be fully healthy next season to achieve those expectations.

By looking at his month-by-month statistics, it is very clear just how much Parker’s play varied throughout the season. In March, Parker recorded his best month statistically, averaging 18.2 points and 5.3 assists per game on 55.5 percent shooting from the field in only 30.6 minutes per game. Parker was quick and explosive, consistently able to get into the lane and make his patented floater with ease.

However, in other months, this type of production was almost impossible to find. After returning from a hamstring injury, Parker averaged just 11.0 points and 4.1 assists per game on 40.7 percent shooting in January. February was not much better, as he posted 12.5 points and 5.0 assists per game on 39.6 percent shooting.

Unfortunately for San Antonio, the month of March was an aberration for Parker, who struggled mightily in the 2015 NBA Playoffs as well. In a first-round series against the Los Angeles Clippers, Parker logged a career playoff low in points and field goal percentage.

Due to these struggles, as Dan McCarney of the San Antonio Express-News reports, Parker has changed his whole offseason approach. This summer, Parker has turned to a rigorous regimen, similar to the one Tim Duncan uses. Additionally, Parker notes that he only took three weeks off at the end of last season, hoping that he will enter training camp much more ready for the season ahead.

Along with Parker, San Antonio hopes that this will be the case, as the Spurs’ offseason has put the team in position to compete for the franchise’s sixth NBA title. For that to happen, however, Parker will have to demonstrate that last season was an anomaly.

Nicholas Sciria is a writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Nick_Sciria, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.