San Antonio Spurs: 5 reasons to be excited for the 2019-20 NBA season
The Western Conference race
The Western Conference has been the most lauded, terrifying bloodbath for a decade now. Each year, the top couple of seeds include the best teams in the league. Last year, with LeBron James in the West, it housed the best players.
Even to be the eighth seed, your team has to win close to 50 games. The Golden State Warriors, of course, dominated the West for a few years. Now with the dynasty whittled back down to its core, a new West team is looking to emerge.
It could be the Warriors again, or the Houston Rockets with Russell Westbrook, the Paul George and Kawhi Leonard LA Clippers, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Denver Nuggets or the Utah Jazz and the Portland Trail Blazers.
It certainly is daunting. The San Antonio Spurs sit somewhere in the back of all the hype. All the teams mentioned above have, rightfully so, more buzz around them. It is something about superstar power that the Spurs do not have.
Sure, DeRozan and Aldridge are elite, but the best players in the league are a step above them and the results show. What can the Spurs hope to achieve this year? Where is the ceiling?
This season just feels like a high-ceiling and very low-floor scenario. At their best, the Spurs can place in the top five of the West and make a legit push to the conference finals. At their worst, they will be picking in the lottery.
Last season, there was a nine-game difference from the eighth seed and the outsiders. This year should not be the same.
There is enough talent after the top eight or so teams. The Dallas Mavericks, the Sacramento Kings, the Minnesota Timberwolves and the New Orleans Pelicans are all teams that missed out on the playoffs last year that can make it this year.
The Spurs are in for a tough and grueling schedule. If this team can come together and the coaching staff can make something special, there should not be any worries. But if the team faces some struggles or injuries, it might be the worst season in years.