The stage is set and the San Antonio Spurs (0-0) will host the Los Angeles Lakers (0-0) this Sunday in San Antonio as old foes renew their rivalry in the first round of the NBA playoffs. Not only that, Mike D'Antoni will once again be facing the same team who doomed his Suns teams in seasons past, crumbling any hopes for a title for the city of Phoenix.

After the Lakers locked up the 7th seed after beating the Rockets in overtime last night, D'Antoni spoke on facing the Spurs. From showering Popovich with praise, trying to win a game in San Antonio to every player knowing their role, D'Antoni weighed in on his old nemesis.

It's playoff time everybody!

On this week's episode of the Spurscast, Project Spurs' writer Jose Grijalva joins me to talk about the impact Tracy McGrady is going to have for the San Antonio Spurs in the postseason.

We also break down all the NBA playoff matchups and you'll be surprised at some more of Jose's bold predictions. 

The Spurscast. The original Spurs podcast.

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We'll be breaking down the playoffs like crazy in the upcoming Spurscast episodes, but if you have anything else you want us to throw in there, email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Music: Freelance Whales -- Starring

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Andrei Kirilenko was once an All-Star back in his 2004 season with the Utah Jazz. Then, at the age of 22, Kirilenko was known as a defensive monster on the perimeter as he averaged 16.5 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.9 steals, and 2.8 blocks per game.

Fast forward nine years later, Kirilenko now at the age of 31, was only able to score five points, grab six rebounds, and steal two passes in his team’s season finale victory over the San Antonio Spurs.  

Prior to the game, I caught up with Kirilenko in the Wolves locker room and asked him about his thoughts on a young player who has the potential to be an All-Star one day, Spurs sophomore Kawhi Leonard.

“I think he’s a really talented promising player who is blossoming under Popovich,” said Kirilenko. “He’ll be a very crucial part for San Antonio. He’s a guy who can really cover both defense and offense.”

Before the Spurs’ season finale with the Timberwolves, Leonard was about to end the regular season as the Spurs’ third leading scorer.

Things were different then.

But now, a four-time NBA champion and soon-to-be Hall-of-Famer is at the tail end of his career instead of being in the middle of his prime.

Now, a former perennial All-Star, two-time scoring champ and highlight machine is back in the NBA after debilitating knee injuries took him on several short-lived NBA stops and a stint in China.

And now, Tim Duncan and Tracy McGrady are finally together.

In the summer of 2000, way before LeBron, Wade and Bosh came together, another trio was expected to form the first super team. Duncan, McGrady and Grant Hill were considered the blue chips of the free agent class.

San Antonio Spurs' Manu Ginobili hasn't been the same player this season. Riddled with injuries (the most recent being a right hamstring injury) he has played 60 games, saw some of his numbers dip from last season and before last night's game versus Minnesota, had sat out nine games due to the hamstring injury.

Needless to say, a healthy Manu is needed before the postseason begins this Sunday against the Lakers.

Ginobili got some time on the court in the team's regular season home closer and though he didn't light up the box score (two points and two assists in 11 minutes), seeing him healthy and back on the court was more important.

After the game, Manu spoke on the recent hamstring injury and aside from a bit of fatigue, says he is feeling good.

"Very good. I was a little tired because I've been lifting a lot. The point where the tear was feels great," said Ginobili.

The first round for the San Antonio Spurs is officially penciled in against the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Spurs won the regular season series 2-1 against the Lakers, but this is going to be a far more different series than we saw in the regular season.

Kobe Bryant is out for the season and so is his 27.5ppg average against the silver and black this season.  While the Lakers also have Steve Nash's status up in the air with injuries, the Spurs will be without Boris Diaw (back) for the first round. Manu Ginobili will play his second game from injury in Game 1, where he's averaging 11ppg, 4.5rpg, and 3.5apg in two games in the regular season against the Lakers. The newest San Antonio Spur, Tracy McGrady, is likely to make his debut in the playoffs against the Lakers also to help bolster the team's offensive attack. 

AT&T CENTER--Surveying the court ahead, catching a glimpse of Tim Duncan running side-by-side with Chris Johnson towards the rim, Manu Ginobili instantly started calculating steps and angles in his head. The equation solved as quickly as it appeared, Ginobili threaded a full court pass with just the proper amount of spin to reach its destination. 

A transition layup, a foul, and a highlight. It was the perfect blend of art and science that Ginobili specializes in tiptoeing; the kind that borders on magic. A magic not so coincidentally absent from the AT&T Center over the past month. 

"It's a huge difference for us, he changes the game for us," Duncan said of Ginobili. "He's done it for years. To have him back out there and to have another x-factor is huge for us."

It has been a struggle for the San Antonio Spurs, literally limping to the finish line nursing a myriad of injuries. Ginobili's hamstring, Gary Neal's legs, Boris Diaw's back, Tony Parker's everything. And yet, for a brief stretch in the first half on the last night of the regular season against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Spurs caught a reminder of everything they could be. 

With 6:14 remaining in the second quarter Ginobili checked in for Danny Green, reuniting the Big Three with second-year sensation Kawhi Leonard in a lineup the Spurs figure to lean on heavily during the playoffs. 

The matchup of the game in the last game of the season for the San Antonio Spurs and Minnesota Timberwolves will be between Manu Ginobili and Ricky Rubio.

This will be Ginobili's return game from a hamstring injury that's plagued him these past few weeks. He'll likely come off the bench to continue his role as the Spurs' sixth man, but he should see a good amount of minutes to get him conditioned for the first round of the playoffs. He'll be matched up against Ricky Rubio, who's the starting combo guard for the Wolves. Both men have a similar game of pick and roll attacks coupled with flashy Top 10 worthy passes. Don't expect anything less from Rubio and Ginobili, who'll be looking to get into rhythm with the playoffs approaching.

What Ginobili must do on offense:

The newest member of the San Antonio Spurs, Tracy McGrady, spoke to the media after today's practice for the first time.

McGrady spoke on how he found out he was coming to the Spurs, being a "couch potato," joining a championship team and much more.

Though he will not play tonight in the team's final home game of the regular season, McGrady says he will be ready to go once coach Popovich calls his number.

The San Antonio Spurs (58-23) will close out their regular season with a home game versus the Minnesota Timberwolves (30-51) tonight at the AT&T Center and with the No. 2 seed in the West locked up, expect the Spurs' key players to get minimal time on the court.

The Spurs recently added former NBA player Tracy McGrady to the roster. With the team waiving forward Stephen Jackson and injuries to Boris Diaw, the Spurs needed a fresh body on a thin roster.

The good news is that Manu Ginobili will play tonight while Tiago Splitter and Tracy McGrady will be out of action tonight.

The Spurs lead the regular season series versus the Wolves 2-1. In the last meeting, the Spurs lost to the Wolves 107-83 in Minnesota. Ricky Rubio led the Timberwolves recording a triple-double, with 21 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists. However, San Antonio has not been kind to Minnesota as the Wolves have lost 16 games in a row in the Alamo City.

The Spurs are coming off a 106-116 loss to the Warriors in Oakland. Gary Neal led San Antonio with 25 points.

The Wolves are coming off a 86-96 loss to the Jazz in Minnesota. Minnesota was paced by Derrick Williams' 18 points.

And as the Spurs and Wolves close out their respective regular seasons, here are five things to watch for during tonight's game:

• In April, Spurs' Tim Duncan is averaging 19.7 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists and 2.67 blocks while shooting 48.5 percent from the field and 84.6 percent from the foul line.

• The Wolves are 1-19 when scoring less than 90 points.