The Spurs are in the midst of a historic season, and they're doing it while one of their starting five is under-performing.
Coaches and scouts are always looking for "3 and D" players. These are the guys who are premier wing defenders with the additional ability of being able to knock down the open three-pointers, thereby stretching the other team's defense. The first great "3 and D" player was probably ex-Laker Michael Cooper, who Larry Bird always said was the best in the league at covering him. As his career progressed, Coop became an excellent three point shooter, once knocking down 6 in a playoff game.