Spurs Taking Plenty of Positives into 2nd Round Following Sweep of Grizzlies

One never knows what might happen in an NBA playoff series, as injuries and prolonged stretches of unexpected ineffectiveness can turn a matchup 180 degrees. But if it were ever easy to predict the results of a first-round battle, the clash between the San Antonio Spurs and Memphis Grizzlies would serve as your shining example. 

On Sunday afternoon, the Spurs completed their beatdown of the injury-riddled No. 7 seed, winning 116-95 to finish the sweep. The series was never in doubt, with the only nail-biting moments coming during the second half of Game 3 before San Antonio eventually pulled ahead for good. The Spurs won each contest by an average margin of 22 points, and they now have the luxury of looking ahead while everyone else continues their first-round matchups. 

As LaMarcus Aldridge made clear, per Spurs beat writer Tom Orsborn, one of his teammates in particular could use some time off: 

LMA: “Tim is hundred years old…he needs the rest.” #Spurs

— Tom Orsborn (@tom_orsborn) April 24, 2016

Tim Duncan gets to hop in an ice bath and start feeling like he’s much younger while he waits for San Antonio’s next outing. Ditto for Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker and all of the other long-in-the-tooth veterans on this always-competitive roster. 

The Spurs are awaiting the winner of the Oklahoma City Thunder-Dallas Mavericks series. And while the heavily favored Thunder likely will emerge and face them in the second round, there’s no telling when that will happen. OKC has shown signs of weakness, inexplicably dropping Game 2 on its home court after blowing yet another fourth-quarter lead.

Despite showing some resiliency with back-to-back road victories that pushed the series to 3-1, Oklahoma City could very well drop a second contest Monday night while Duncan watches from home and sips some tea to celebrate his 40th birthday. If that’s the case, the Thunder must travel back to Dallas, hoping to close out the series in six before hopping over to San Antonio for Game 1 of the subsequent round. 

But even if the Thunder do shut the door on the Mavs’ Cinderella hopes Monday, the Spurs will still have the luxury of an entire week of rest. The two powerhouses won’t begin their duel until next weekend. 

It’s no secret San Antonio head coach Gregg Popovich prioritizes rest. He routinely sits key players during the regular season, trying to keep them fresh as possible for the games that truly matter. He’s probably reveling …

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