Now The Real Work Begins For San Antonio Spurs

The San Antonio Spurs made it to the Western Conference semifinals. Now the real work begins.

**We interrupt this article for a public service announcement**

Shout out to Tim Duncan as he celebrates his 40th birthday today. Welcome to the F.U. Forties, my fellow April Taurus!

(like he’s going to read this.)

**we now return you to this Hoops Habit article, already in progress**

The San Antonio Spurs, as expected, swept the injury-decimated Memphis Grizzlies to become the first team to advance to the Western Conference semifinals. The win also allowed team captain Tim Duncan to get two early birthday presents (he turns 40 on Monday): he tied and passed former Spurs teammate Robert Horry in two all-time NBA Playoff categories (wins and games played):

And he gets some extra downtime before the next game:

This sweep gave head coach Gregg Popovich his ninth playoff sweep, passing Phil Jackson for most playoff sweeps ever.

The Grizz worked with what they had and put up a good fight, but their injuries–combined with an improved and full-strength Spurs squad–was too much to overcome.

The Spurs don’t have to play for another week (the second round officially begins on May 2) while they await the outcome of the Oklahoma City Thunder–Dallas Mavericks series.

In the meantime, they need to turn an eye toward what’s going to happen next week.

Regardless of who they play (the smart money’s on the Thunder, who currently hold a 3-1 lead over the Mavs going into Monday night’s Game 5), the Spurs will need to be sharper than they were during the first half of Game 4 against the Grizz. Point guard Tony Parker didn’t get going until the third quarter and he sat most of the fourth.

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This cannot happen against the Russell Westbrook, who always plays as if someone insulted his mother right before tipoff.

Granted, Parker isn’t the primary option for guarding quicker guards such as Westbrook (hat tip to Buck Harvey of the San Antonio Express-News). Still, he is going to be needed to penetrate in the paint and get his signature buckets. His performance all season, and even in the playoffs, has been streaky.

You never quite know which version of Parker is going to show up–the future Hall of Famer or the hobbled guard–and that’s not going to cut it as the Spurs march toward a sixth ring.

A Kawhi Leonard/Kevin Durant matchup isn’t as concerning as a Spurs matchup against Steven Adams or Serge Ibaka. Duncan remains the first and best option for rim protection; whenever he sits, the Spurs need someone to neutralize Adams. Ibaka brings his own brand of lethality both on defense and shooting, but Boris Diaw should be able to handle him.

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Danny Green‘s Tar Heel Triples need to make a consistent appearance: till now they’ve been more like the Tar Heel Turtles: poking a head out, then quickly retreating back into their shells.

Patty Mills also needs to find a good rhythm early and ride it till the final buzzer sounds.

Then there’s the matter of Andre Roberson and Dion Waiters, both of whom have had some pivotal moments during both the regular season and the first round. If either (or both) get hot, the Sours could be in trouble withour a reliable antidote. Luckily, Diaw and Manu Ginobili are around to help keep things settled.

Kyle Anderson, Jonathon Simmons, and Boban Marjanovic are coming along but they may not be ready for the Playoff Thunder, who are vastly different from the Regular-Season Thunder.

The Spurs also need to capitalize on OKC’s tendency to blow any leads in the fourth quarter, and also Durant’s icy-hot shooting. The Thunder’s tendency for hero ball can also be exploited, as well as their perennial over-reliance on Durant and Westbrook.

More hoops habit: 50 Greatest NBA Players Of The 1970s

This series is going to go the distance, so stock up on snacks and your caffeinated beverages of choice.