San Antonio Spurs big man Tiago Splitter will be active for Game 1 of the team's first-round series against the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday night, coach Gregg Popovich announced before tip-off. Splitter missed the final six games of the regular season due to a calf strain but will be in the starting lineup as the postseason begins.
Tiago Splitter to play in Game 1 against Clippers
The Spurs have an extra weapon available as they meet the Clippers on Sunday night.
Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Splitter is one of San Antonio's top frontcourt players and should immediately have an impact in the series. Given the presence of high-energy bigs like DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin on Los Angeles, Splitter should be able to take some pressure of Tim Duncan to shoulder the load in the post.
The Spurs have never gotten huge numbers from Splitter, but their long-term commitment to the Brazilian big men showed what he means to the team. A solid two-play post player who’s strong at finishing around the basket, he’s a perfect fit for the system that Popovich runs.
Splitter has averaged eight points and nearly five rebounds in 52 games with San Antonio this season. He’s averaged fewer than 20 minutes per game -- his lowest number in three years -- but has largely kept up his production despite the decline in playing time. He’s only played more than 60 games in one of five NBA seasons, so durability continues to be a challenge for the 30-year-old.
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