Breaking down the Spurs' title chances

Written by Quixem Ramirez on May 30, 2013 13:30.

Eight of nine NBA.com writers believe the San Antonio Spurs should be favored to win the NBA Finals -- regardless if they're playing the defending

champion Miami Heat or Indiana Pacers.

But hold on. It shouldn't be such a foregone conclusion. For proof, here's some advanced statistics from this postseason, per NBA.com:

-- The Spurs are second in points per 100 possessions (106.5), only behind by Miami and their gaudy 109.6 figure. Indiana's offense is sixth (102.9).

-- San Antonio is first in defensive rating, allowing a stifling 95.4 points per 100 possessions. Miami, meanwhile, isn't far behind with a still pretty staunch 98.8 mark. Indiana's defense has regressed a bit against tougher competition but they were consistently the league's best defense in the regular season, a much more reliable sample size in the long-run.

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Tim Hardaway, Jr. works out with the Spurs

Written by Trevor Zickgraf on May 30, 2013 12:00.

The San Antonio Spurs continue to workout players for the upcoming NBA Draft. We told you Wednesday about Syracuse sharpshooter James Sutherland's impending workout with the Western Conference Champs. Now we're finding out the Spurs recently brought in another wing, Tim Hardaway, Jr., for a workout.

Nick Baumgardner of MLive.com reported earlier this month that Spurs interviewed Hardaway, Jr. at the Chicago Draft Combine and brought him in the following week for a workout. Hardaway, Jr. is 6'6" and can shoot the lights out. According to ESPN's Chad Ford, the Michigan two guard lit up the combine and as a result is looking more and more like a first round pick as opposed to a mid-late second round pick he was projected as a month ago. He's currently ranked number 32 on Ford's Big Board and 31 on DraftExpress'.

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'The Admiral' to be enshrined in FIBA HOF

Written by Quixem Ramirez on May 30, 2013 10:30.

25-year-old David Robinson started four games for the 1992 United States national basketball team. You probably know them as the Dream Team

-- the squad where Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, to name a few, altruistically worked together to reassert the country's unbridled basketball dominance.

A young Robinson was a truly imposing force, a sight to see -- standing 7-feet-1 with the chiseled body of a Greek God and the athleticism of a shooting guard.

In eight games during the '92 Olympics, Robinson averaged nine points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.5 blocks while shooting 57.4 percent from the field.

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On Coach Bud heading to Atlanta

Written by Quixem Ramirez on May 29, 2013 18:00.

Surprise. Another highly valued cog of the San Antonio Spurs organization -- assistant coach Mike Budenholzer -- will leave the nest for another

opportunity.

Budenholzer will join the likes of Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti, Orlando Magic's general manager Rob Hennigan and head coach Jacque Vaughn, Atlanta Hawks general manager Danny Ferry, Washington Wizards assistant Don Newman, Brooklyn Nets head coach P.J. Carlesimo, New Orleans head coach Monty Williams and Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers as graduates of the San Antonio program. It's a long list and it's still growing. They've each had varying levels of success in their own organizations and Budenholzer, offered a multi-year deal to coach the Hawks Tuesday, will attempt to replicate the culture conducive to winning in Atlanta.

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Heat or Pacers? Which team does San Antonio Want?

Written by Philip Rossman-Reich on May 29, 2013 16:30.

During the NBA Finals, Philip Rossman-Reich of Orlando Magic Daily will be contributing to Project Spurs during the San Antonio Spurs' chase for title number five. Here is Phil's first post on which team, Heat or Pacers, San Antonio wants to draw in the Finals.

The San Antonio Spurs get the luxury – or curse – of watching the remainder of what is increasingly looking like a very competitive Eastern Conference Finals and prepare for both the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers in the next week. The Finals are not set to start until June 6, and it is only natural that some rooting interest takes hold.

The easy instinct is to favor the Pacers as an “easier” matchup. The Miami juggernaut featuring a much more developed LeBron James than the one who was thoroughly dominated in the 2007 Finals – and if James is anything like the greats who came before him, he will not have forgotten that embarrassment.

As Indiana is proving in this series against the Heat, be careful what you wish for and what seems easy may not actually be easy.

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Should Duncan go out on top?

Written by Rey Moralde on May 29, 2013 15:00.

During the NBA Finals, Rey Moralde of The No Look Pass will be contributing to Project Spurs during the San Antonio Spurs' chase for title number five.

We have seen this before in San Antonio. David Robinson did this in 2003. But would Spurs fans be surprised if Tim Duncan did the same as

Robinson if the Spurs win title No. 5?

I'm talking about going out on top.

Tim Duncan is 37 years old but he still seems very healthy at this stage of his career. But if the Spurs win the championship, would you blame Tim for retiring? After all, he's 37 years old and another 82-game grind has got to be taxing for someone who has been in the league since 1997.

Duncan's legacy is secure. If he goes out, he doesn't have much left to prove. He may very well be the greatest player of this generation. If San Antonio gets the chip, that's five championship rings. Maybe his fourth Finals MVP. Two MVP awards. 10-time All-NBA First Team. Eight-time All-NBA Defensive First Team. 14-time All-Star. 2000 All-Star Game MVP. What else does he have to prove?

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Video: Spurs fans show their support for the silver and black

Written by Jeff Garcia on May 29, 2013 13:30.

The streets of San Antonio were a sea of Spurs fans last night after the team swept the Grizzlies and captured the 2013 Western Conference Championship.

From car horns blaring to fans running down street with Spurs banners, the city of San Antonio was alive in celebrations.

Check out just how much Spurs fans love their hometown team including fans heading to the San Antonio airport late at night to welcome back their basketball heroes. It even caught the attention of Danny Green.

Always great to come home to a warm welcome! Our fans are the best!Really appreciate your support and being at airport to welcome us back
— Danny Green (@DGreen_14) May 28, 2013

Here's the video of the jubilation in San Antonio.

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Spurs set to workout Syracuse sharpshooter Southerland

Written by Michael A. De Leon on May 29, 2013 12:00.

James Southerland With the NBA’s pre-draft combine over and the draft coming up late next month, the San Antonio Spurs will begin working out potential draft candidates.

With the Spurs being of the best perimeter shooting teams in the league, it’s no surprise that they’ll be bringing in Syracuse sharpshooter James Southerland in for a workout and visit.

Southerland is a 6-8 swingman who played all four years at Syracuse and ended his career on a Final Four run. While he’s a bit one dimensional offensively, he’s an efficient shooter with range beyond the NBA three-point line.

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Sorry everyone else, but this one is for Timmy

Written by Trevor Zickgraf on May 29, 2013 10:30.

With apologies to every other player on the San Antonio Spurs roster, every fan and even Gregg Popovich, this Finals run isn't about them. It's not even about Tony Parker, who has been brilliant this postseason, especially against the Memphis Grizzlies. No this run to the Finals is about Tim Duncan and the quest to get him ring number five.

The idea that it's about Duncan more than everyone else became clear after the Spurs held off the Memphis Grizzlies Monday night to advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2007. The evidence that this one came in several forms. First there was Tony Parker's postgame comments, where he admitted that he told Duncan he was going to do everything he could to get the Spurs another crack at the title after last year's devastating loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder (H/T to ESPN's J.A. Adande).

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Video: Spurs' 'Big 3,' Bonner speak on returning to the NBA Finals

Written by Jeff Garcia on May 28, 2013 21:01.

San Antonio Spurs fans are still beaming with pride over the silver and black's sweep of the Grizzlies and stamping their ticket for a return trip to the NBA Finals. This will mark the franchise's fifth time in the Finals where San Antonio is 4-0.

After the team was crowned the Western Conference Champs, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Matt Bonner spoke on making it to the Finals with our friends over at News 4 San Antonio.

Here is a boat-load of videos for Spurs fans to feast on and relive the magic one more time.

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