It’s true: Post-ups are a thing of the past. Back-to-the-basket possessions are among the least efficient in today’s pace-and-space NBA, and traditional post-up players are the game’s floppy discs, gradually being relegated obsolete.
But the following may also be true: Post-ups are more valuable than ever. As teams go small and prioritize switching and perimeter defense, they are less prepared to contend with isolated mismatches on the block. Players that possess those skills can bend, or even break, new-age defenses that are now built from the outside in.
Enter the Spurs, who have a well-known penchant for zigging while everyone else zags, occasionally dusting off relics that find new life within their malleable system.