Time on Spurs bench paying off for Joseph
There are those games when Spurs backup point guard Cory Joseph is asked to provide offence, and others when he’s called upon to defend. On Sunday at the Air Canada Centre, the Pickering native entered in the first quarter for Tony Parker, asked primarily to be a defender. It was his role du jour.
For 11 minutes in the Spurs’ first half, he chased and did a stifling job against the explosive Raptors scorer Lou Williams, and versus point guard Kyle Lowry. In a first half that the Spurs ended with a 46-45 lead, Joseph was an impressive plus-19 with the man he hounded, Williams at minus-15.
In the second half, coach Gregg Popovich’s rotation did not include Joseph, sticking with Parker and Patty Mills at the point and Danny Green and Manu Ginobili at the two spot. Joseph can handle it.
“If I’m not getting as much minutes, I just go in there and try and spark some energy,” Joseph said. “Before, when there was a couple of guys missing, there was some scoring missing — Tony, obviously — so I needed to step up and score, which I did. Now we need the energy and defence.
“I always was confident in my abilities to do that. I’ve always worked so hard at doing this, so I knew when I was given the opportunity, I would be able to produce, for sure. It’s just another step, continuing to get better every day, continuing to learn, put the work in. Just another step.”
Joseph does not receive the publicity of Canadians Andrew Wiggins or Anthony Bennett, the most recent first overall picks in the draft, but after four years of backing up Parker as a key part of the Spurs’ win-first system of play, he is ready to cash in as a restricted free agent at the end of the season. In an era in which the playing field is often less than level, and with an NBA salary cap that precludes winners from keeping all of their buried treasures, it’s believed the Spurs won’t be able to afford him.
“It’s meant a whole lot,” Joseph said of his four seasons learning in San Antonio. “I was put in a situation where people look at it and say: Well, he didn’t get as much playing time, had his setbacks or what not. Maybe if I went somewhere else I’d be playing a lot more, but I’ve taken the opportunity to learn a lot. This is my fourth year now. I’ve learned a lot in four years, obviously from the coach, players, a lot of guys that maybe go to different teams — and Tim Duncan’s been in the league for, like, 10 decades. So, I’ve been able to learn a lot from him. I’ve been blessed.”
Even though there have been other high-profile Canadians before Joseph and fellow GTA native and Texas longhorn Tristan Thompson, selected in the first round of the 2011 draft, it truly seems like the Joseph/ Thompson Canadian exacta by the Spurs and Cavs sparked a surge of Canadians to the NBA. Consider that 11 other Canadians have entered the Association in the past three years, including Kelly Olynyk (Celt- ics), Tyler Ennis (Suns) and Nik Stauskas (Kings) plus Bennett and Wiggins, now with the Timberwolves.
“There’s a lot of great talent, Canadian players, here in the NBA,” Joseph said. “Right now, young guys are doing very well. Me and Tristan definitely say we started it all. I’m sure (Steve) Nash and those guys (like Leo Rautins and Jamaal Magloire) would tell you something different.”
It has not been an easy road for Joseph, who played at Pickering High School and prep school in Nevada before attending the University of Texas. But in 2014-15, he has already played more minutes and scored more points than any other season in his career. He filled in for five games as a starter when Parker was injured in 2013, reaching the NBA final twice in a row with a championship ring to show for it against the Heat last spring. He has done it the right way.
“He’s taken advantage of his opportunities,” coach Gregg Popovich said. “He’s done a wonderful job. He’s played not just the one position, but the two position with the injuries, so he’s been real important and given us an edge, a toughness. He’s got more confidence in his offensive abilities and that’s really helped us, too. He’s taken another step this year and done a good job.”
Having taken the long and grinding road with three trips to the D League and much time on the bench watching a championship-calibre team of veterans, Joseph feels able to offer advice to young Canadians who have followed, making the True North a hotbed for NBA scouts.
“For sure, I talk to guys all the time,” Joseph said. “Tyler (Ennis), I talk to those young guys. Things may not be going their way right now, but they just have to . . . that’s when you just have to lift your head up and keep going with it.”
Joseph is looking forward to representing his country this summer, along with all of the young talent that has entered the NBA in the past five seasons. First up, under coach Jay Triano, is the Pan Am Games at home, then an Olympic qualifier in Mexico.
“Hopefully, everybody’s healthy and they’re ready to play,” Joseph said. “That’s the first thing. We have to have all our guys here. I’m very excited.”