<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Spurs clinch their 18th straight playoff berth. It's 5th-longest playoff streak in NBA history</p>— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo/status/583437404729511936">April 2, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Fingers cross indeed. They have the playoff experience, we have the MVP. This is their 18th straight year appearing in the playoffs. With the 30 points win over the Nuggets, the Spurs have 16 seasons in a row of 50 wins. They are red hot, having won 16 of their last 19 games.
The near 2 decades of Spurs dominance is just an amazing marvel. It speaks to a few different things: 1) the greatness that is Tim Duncan - it will be just as rare to see another player like him ever come through the NBA. People talk about 'no other LeBrons ever' etc but I feel we're more than likely to see the next LeBron than we will the next Duncan 2) that front office - being able to go through and shuffle out championship cores and still surround Duncan with high level talent consistently 3) Pop - this guy has re-invented the Spurs so many times over the last 18 years its ridiculous. He never seems to lose focus on the big picture. Since Duncan join the team - his teams have only won less than 50 games once -- the lockout shortened season of 98-99. Had that been a full 82 game season they would have been on pace to win 61 games that year. The next lockout season they were on pace to win 62 games. The fewest games Duncan's team have ever won in a 82 game season were 50 and 53. Duncan is leading his team again in WinShares this season in his 18th season. I cant think of any other team reaching the consistency and levels the Spurs have had over the last 2 two decades. I cant imagine another team being able to re-create anything like that again. We all figure it will have to end eventually - I dont think Leonard can carry this team as a lead player (though he is the closest scottie pippin clone I can think of) but its just amazing to see. Things may change but in my mind Tim Duncan is truly the greatest player to have entered and played in the NBA in the last 20 years. (Not including greats like Hakeem and Jordan etc who were in their decline - just played who were rookies or have not entered the league since 94-95) -- Better than KG, better than LeBron, better than Kobe, IMO better than Shaq because while Shaq was dominant and a freak of nature - Duncan's ability to adapt and allow others to take the spotlight was huge. Shaq's ego would not let him do that. Plus Duncan kept his body in shape year in and out so despite having some big injuries early in his career he still has been able to play at a high level late in his career despite his age unlike guys like Shaq, KG and Kobe. and there is no way I want the Rockets to face the spurs in the first round
They haven't really done anything yet. I'll say they're back once they get to the 2nd round. Anyway finally it seems TD and co. are showing their age, they usually bounce back after their rodeo trip but now it seems it took them longer to heat up. We'll see how much they still have left in the tank. However it is amazing how great the Spurs' run has been, I'm not a fan of the Spurs but I'm really happy TD, Pops and the Spurs org got together and formed probably the most special team in NBA history.
Mid-way through this season quite a few people on this board didn't even think they would make the playoffs. Now they're 2 games back of 2nd seed in the west.
All 3 division winners are guaranteed a top 4 seeding. As a division winner, Portland is locked into a top 4 seeding. However home court is still determined by record. Since Houston, Memphis & SA have a better record than Portland, if they finish 2, 3 & 5; all 3 will have home court in the 1st round.
Shaq was fine letting others have the spotlight, he did that while he was still a 1st team player in Miami, and he certainly did it later on.
No he wasnt... he did that when he was in Miami coz he was already past his prime and wade was at his peak. If he stayed in la with kobe they would have won more chips. And somebody said, they havent done anything yet, well i dont know if u remember but they are the nba champions, so i guess they done more than all the other teams in the league at the moment.
