In the 2015-16 season, the San Antonio Spurs broke a record even the great Golden State Warriors could not achieve. Although Steve Kerr’s men bested the feat of the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls by posting a 73-9 season record, the Spurs claimed the joint best performance on home soil by losing just one of their games last season, ending with a 40-1 record at the AT&T Center.
As a result, San Antonio will head into the new campaign full of confidence of another surge into the playoffs. Their run last season was ended by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semi-finals, leaving Gregg Popovich and his side hungry for success when the new season begins. The Spurs are backed at 9.00 in the latest NBA betting odds for the 2016/17 season as of September 19, but will face a huge challenge to overhaul the Warriors’ dominance of the Western Conference, especially given their off-season additions.
Off-Season Activity
The Spurs were certainly dealt a blow when outstanding forward Tim Duncan confirmed his retirement from the game after a distinguished 19-year career. The 40-year-old was an integral part of San Antonio’s five NBA Championship wins, while also claiming two league MVP awards in 2003 and 2005. San Antonio will have to find a new leader on the court, although they have strived to add veteran presence in Pau Gasol and David Lee to fill the void at forward.
All eyes will be on 2016 All-Star Kawhi Leonard to keep improving after his outstanding campaign. The 25-year-old is now the club’s leading man in Duncan’s absence, but proved that he could handle the pressure last term by scoring over 20 points per game for the first time in his NBA career. Leonard was even better in the playoffs, despite his team’s failure. Should he continue to elevate the level of his game, he could well be in the mix to be regular-season MVP.
The problem the Spurs and every other team in the NBA are now facing is the fact that the Warriors’ formidable roster was strengthened with the signing of Kevin Durant from the Oklahoma City Thunder. The thought of Durant alongside Steph Curry and Klay Thompson is a terrifying prospect for any side of the Western Conference hoping to compete for the Championship.
Challenging The Warriors
San Antonio’s 67-15 record last season would have been a remarkable feat in any other season if it hadn’t been overshadowed by the Warriors’ record-breaking accomplishment. The two sides were on a collision course in the Western Conference final due to their brilliance throughout the term.
Their first meeting came in January when Golden State secured a 120-90 victory, with Leonard restricted to just 16 points. Popovich’s men avenged their defeat in the second match, playing excellent defensive ball to hold the potent Warriors’ attack to 79 points to claim the win. However, Golden State were back on form at the Oracle Arena in their next contest, notching over 100 points to clinch a 112-101 victory, despite Leonard’s best efforts. The final clash came in April as the Spurs pursued perfection at home, and although the Spurs put in a good defensive display it was not enough to snatch the victory, losing their first match of the campaign.
After easing past the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the playoffs, the Spurs were expected to advance at the expense of the Oklahoma City Thunder in the semi-finals. However, despite taking a 2-1 lead they were unable to contain the dynamic duo of Russell Westbrook and Durant, allowing the Thunder to take their place in the final where they were beaten by the Warriors.
What To Expect From The Spurs
Even without Duncan, expect San Antonio to remain a force in the NBA next season. They are the outstanding team in the South West Division, despite the attempts that the Dallas Mavericks have made to close the gap during the off-season.
Popovich’s men should be in line for another playoff berth extending their post-season run into its 20th season, which would be a remarkable achievement for the club. Their task for a sixth Championship will be a tough one for the roster given the strength of Golden State.
The Los Angeles Clippers and the Thunder could pose a threat to stop the Spurs reaching the Western Conference Final, but the smart money would appear to be on seeing a duel between San Antonio and the Warriors next May.
Popovich is the best coach in the league despite the efforts Kerr has made to close the gap. The wily veteran will need all of his skills to put in a strong defensive effort against them in their clashes. As proven last season even that was not enough to stop the Warriors’ juggernaut, while they also failed to cope with Durant in the Conference semi-finals when he was playing with the Thunder.
Should the Spurs reach the NBA Finals it will be another remarkable effort by Popovich, his coaching staff and more importantly the players.
