With the NBA season coming to a close in about a week, spots are solidified in the playoffs for some teams like, the Golden State Warriors, Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers. However, for the majority who have clinched the playoffs or are about to, much shuffling remains. In effect, it’s a mini playoff push for a lot of these teams, especially the 3-5 spots in the East as well as the 2-6 seeds in the West, with the San Antonio Spurs as the six seed, but looking to make a run, trailing Houston by 1 ½ games and the Grizzlies and Clippers by just a ½ game.
Winners of 8 straight games, the Spurs find themselves the hottest team in the NBA and what seems to be an important stat, is the scoring differential. Only two teams have a higher differential then San Antonio’s +6.2 margin. The Warriors and Clippers lead the way with L.A. at a +6.5 margin and G.S. with an out of this world +10.2, which when a team has a +10 margin or better, finds themselves playing the NBA Finals. Also, another thing that bodes well for Golden State to the NBA Finals, is they could potentially have an MVP in Stephen Curry, Defensive Player of the Year in Draymond Green and Steve Kerr as Coach of the Year. Last time that happened was the 2000-01 season, where the Philadelphia 76er’s accomplished that feat, on their way to an NBA Finals appearance. However, the Sixers did lose that year to the Lakers in 5 games.
If any team could knock the Warriors from a date with destiny though, it would be the San Antonio Spurs, right?! A team that seemingly never dies or quits. A team that seems to reload, not start over. It also helps when you have mainstays like Duncan, Parker and Ginobli who are Hall of Fame types. Not to mention a Hall of Fame Head Coach in Gregg Popovich. So, whatever San Antonio has in the arsenal, it seems like it’s coming at the right time. A team that has been a six seed and beyond at one point, is now poised for a championship run, yet again. Say the Spurs aren’t able to climb out of the six spot, it could potentially set up a meeting between the Warriors and Spurs in the Western Conference Finals. Is there a better match up in the NBA for a trip to the Finals than that? I think not. A lot could change in the next five games of the regular season and maybe it’s a second round match up between these two foes, but either way, it’s a match up that I think needs to happen. It could be one of the best series in recent history, and there’s quite a few great series’ to choose from, that’s for sure. The NBA isn’t lacking for ratings or anything, but there is just no other match up I think people would rather see. I know that’s at least how I feel. There is that chance we don’t see that at all, though. With as tough as the Western Conference is this season, it could be the age old adage of you just never know what will happen.
Featured Image by: Katie Haugland
