Spurs Reassert Themselves in NBA Championship Conversation
The Spurs have reeled off four straight games since their 11 game winning streak ended last Sunday at the Garden. The 114-89 loss to the Knicks was the team’s only loss during their annual Rodeo Trip which saw the Silver and Black go 8-1.
With just 18 games remaining in the regular season the Spurs still have action at not only the number one seed in the West but the number one seed overall. The team currently occupies the number two overall seed, just 2.5 games behind the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder. They maintain a 1.5 game lead over the third place Detroit Pistons.
As they make their final push headed into the playoffs, the team looks to be on a collision course with the Thunder in a Western Conference Finals matchup. That in my opinion would be in optimal position for the Spurs considering they are 4-1 against the champs in the season.
From there the Spurs would face an Eastern Conference that has seen the Spurs go a whopping 19-4, with two of those losses coming at the hands of the Knicks.
As a team the Spurs have been one of the most consistent and dominant teams on both sides of the ball. On offense, the squad ranks fifth in overall points per game at 118.6 a contest. They also rank fifth in field goal percentage at 48%. Those marks are also reflected in assists as the team averages 27 dimes a game which ranks eleventh in the association.
If Defense wins championships the Spurs are on the right track. As a team the Spurs are ranked seventh in opponents ppg giving up 112 ppg. The team ranks fourth in opponents fg% holding opponents to just 45%.
It seems like ages since there was serious talk about a championship coming back to the Alamo City. The Spurs are firmly in the center of that conversation as it stands today.
