What does the 1-seed mean for the Spurs?
Well look at that. Written off as a middle-of-the-road playoff team just a few short months ago, the San Antonio Spurs are now sitting on top of the Western Conference. They’ve battled injuries and a grueling schedule to ride an 11-game win streak to the best record in the Western Conference, overtaking the Thunder.
Of course, it’s too early to call it and the Spurs are technically tied with the Thunder, but the way they’ve been playing, you have to think they won’t give up that lead.
Naturally, the 1-seed will bring back some horrible flashbacks of last year’s loss to the 8-seed Memphis Grizzlies. Is that what the Spurs are headed for again?
No way!
Last year’s loss to the Grizzlies was the basketball equivalent of a perfect storm. The Spurs limped into the playoffs after the injury to Manu. They were up against a team that was playing with a lot of momentum and confidence that they didn’t really match up well against. Even without Manu, the Spurs would have held their own against anyone else in the West, but the Grizzlies just had their number. It was just like the Warriors upsetting the Mavericks back in 2007. They won a couple of games and suddenly they knew it was their series for the taking. The home crowd was insane and it just seemed like the world was backing the underdog.
This year is going to be different.
Barring any injuries for the rest of the season (knock on wood), the Spurs will have a full, healthy, well-rested roster. Coach Pop has led this team to perfection in this lockout-shortened season. He’s managed to rest his stars and Manu’s injuries may have been a blessing in disguise because the Spurs continued to win without him and he got some extra rest.
It’s too early and the West is too jumbled to try and predict the Spurs’ first round opponent, but I really don’t think it matters. I could see the Spurs easily taking care of any of the teams at the bottom of the playoff picture (Nuggets, Jazz, Suns, Mavs). The second round will be tougher, but again I don’t see the Clippers or the Lakers posing much of a threat.
The real danger will come against Oklahoma City in the conference finals. Don’t let the season series make you too overconfident, the Thunder can play. This is when the Spurs will be glad they fought and won the 1-seed. The home court advantage will be huge in this series.
Right now, the Spurs look like the best team in the West. The spot in the NBA Finals is theirs for the taking. This year, they’ll be so happy they have the 1-seed (if they finish the season strong), making last year a distant memory.
I don't think we'll get the number one seed. Our schedule is much tougher than OKC and pop will rest big 3 on 2nd night of back to backs. I don't think it matters whether we have home court advantage or not against OKC, we should be the favorite in that series and I'm not just saying that due to our recent success against them. While OKC at times may look scary on offense, they easily give up on plays and give the 2nd most points allowed in the paint in the entire NBA (even though they have Ibaka leading the NBA in block shots, I guess that sort of helps him). Tony and Manu can making a living there all series long and as long as we contain Harden no matter how hot Durant and Westbrick are they won't be able to beat us 4 out of 7. I would much rather play OKC in conference finals than Memphis!!!
The Playoff is a totally different story to the regular season. If the Spurs still wanna win with their high scoring strategy, they may get burned again! There are only few games left, we need to strengthen our defense to be ready for the postseason.
Only time will tell. A glorious path or ignominy just last year. How much has the spurs improved? They have not meet the lakers with the 2 best big men plus bryant. It will test the mettle of Splitter and Blair plus the addition of Diaw, Jackson and Mills. Let's hope the gizzlies experience will not be repeated. Go Spurs!
I think the one team we want to miss in the 1st round is the rockets. We would win but man they can put up a fight like none of the other teams mentioned. I don't expect them to fall to 8th but it could happen. It also seems the lakers are doing anything they can to avoid okc in the 2nd round. They think they can hang with the spurs like Memphis did.
If the Spurs finish the season from here 10-2... they improbably continue their streak of 50-win seasons! "Unbelievably believable." - RG3
@Ironwill71 but you know pop might start resting players which may cost them the 1 seed
He's been resting them all season... 20 minutes a night most games max, along with some nights off along the way.
I think we just keep the same modus operundi and could hit 50. We do have some potentially difficult games left tho... we could lose two more and still keep the streak alive.
