2. San Antonio Spurs
Utah vs San Antonio: 3-1
I know… I know. “It’s the Spurs!” and “Any team coached by Gregg Popovich has a fighting chance.”
I just don’t think this Spurs team feels like any of the traditional powerhouse Spurs squads of the past.
This season has featured poor communication, players-only meetings and subtle jabs among teammates. None of these things are part of San Antonio’s decades-long championship brand.
Before a tough 124-120 overtime loss to the Spurs last week, the Jazz were 3-0 against San Antonio this season. It took a career-high 45 points from LaMarcus Aldridge for the Spurs to pull out the OT win over the Jazz.
The Spurs have long had Utah’s number, however, this year feels different. With Kawhi Leonard’s status still oddly unclear, the Spurs are nothing more than a slightly above average team.
Manu Ginobili’s recent hustle and leadership along with Aldridge’s incredible offensive play of late have helped keep the Spurs afloat in the West, however, they are far from being a true contender.
Congrats to LaMarcus Aldridge on being named the @NBA's Western Conference Player of the Week, averaging:
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) March 26, 2018
- 34.8 points
- 9.3 rebounds
- 2.3 assists
- 2 blocks#GoSpursGo pic.twitter.com/mkp8ZCI5Ng
Again, the Popovich factor and playoff experience are both in San Antonio’s favor, however, I would be surprised if the Leonard-less Spurs could take down a scrappy Jazz team in a seven-game series.
Looks like it may be the beginning of the end for the Spurs and just the beginning of a new chapter for the Jazz.
Prediction: Jazz win 4-3