San Antonio Spurs
The first teams were eliminated over the weekend in the NBA bubble, and the San Antonio Spurs are happy not to be one of them. The Spurs are currently riding a 22 consecutive playoff appearance streak, tied for the NBA record. This year, however, might be the year the five-time champions do not extend that streak.
Currently sitting in eleventh place and a game out of the eighth seed, the Spurs chances did get brighter Sunday with the Memphis Grizzlies loss. The Grizzlies loss meant that the Western Conference will have a guaranteed 8 vs. 9 play-in game to determine the final team in the 2020 playoffs.
The Western Conference play-in game is set for Aug. 15 (2:30 p.m. ET, ABC). If the 8-seed wins Saturday’s game, that team will advance to the playoffs. However, if the 9-seed wins, a second contest will be played Aug. 16 (4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).
Coming into the bubble, the Spurs were mainly focused on developing some of their young players in the absence of big man LaMarcus Aldridge. Aldridge stayed home and is rehabbing an injury. Being a game out of the playoffs is a pleasant surprise for the Spurs.
Race for Eighth
Led by a string of hot play from DeMar DeRozan, who is averaging 21.5 points per game in the bubble, and coupled with the impressive play of Rudy Gay, the duo have inserted the Spurs back into playoff contention. But, perhaps the biggest surprise of the bubble is the elevated play of third-year point guard Derrick White. The guard is scoring over 20 a game and dishing nearly five assists per game.
While all-season a playoff appearance seemed unlikely for the Spurs, no one can really be surprised at this late-season push. San Antonio has been home to playoff basketball for the last 22 years, and while the team would not be playing basketball at home, they do have a chance now to extend that streak to an NBA record 23 straight seasons.
“I think it’d be huge,” said Gregg Popovich, the Spurs’ coach. “If we’re able to be in that ninth spot, that’s quite a victory, and it says a lot about how this young group has come together with three of the starters out. I’m already thrilled with how they played, and it’d be really fantastic if we could get that.”
The remaining legs in San Antonio’s race for eighth place, however, will not be easy. Tuesday, the team matches up against the Houston Rockets, and they follow that up with a second game against the tough Utah Jazz. Despite the tough matchups, it is hard to imagine the Spurs not being in the postseason.
The San Antonio Spurs are built for moments like this. One game back, and veteran head coach Gregg Popovich with an NBA record on the line. The Spurs have been hot in the bubble and expect that fire to roll into an August 15th play-in battle against the Memphis Grizzlies.
