NBA San Antonio Spurs

Predicting the San Antonio Spurs’ 2014-15 Win Total

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By @DSchultz89

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When it comes to predicting where the San Antonio Spurs will be at come the end of the NBA regular season, it is not a very tough task considering the success they have experienced for a long period of time. The Spurs have recorded 15 straight seasons of 50 wins or better during the regular season. In fact, that streak most likely would have been up to 17 seasons if not for the lockout-shortened 1998-99 season when the team went 37-13 that year.

Winning is embedded into the culture of the team. This is largely because they were extremely fortunate over the last few decades to get the No. 1 pick twice in the NBA Draft and strike gold both times after selecting David Robinson (1987) and Tim Duncan (1997). The two players have combined for seven titles overall and have each helped usher in a new era of winning basketball in San Antonio.

Robinson retired in 2003 after winning his second championship, while Duncan is still carrying the torch. Many have already declared Tony Parker as the best player on the Spurs, but Duncan remains their fearless leader.

The Spurs enter this season in the complete opposite way they began last year. After suffering heartbreak in the 2013 NBA Finals when they lost in seven games to the Miami Heat, the Spurs returned to the Finals in 2014 and got their revenge on the Heat when they dismissed them in five games.

Last season, they came in with fire and a vengeful spirit. This season, head coach Gregg Popovich has been quoted numerous times as saying he is concerned that the team is coming in too satisfied, happy that they conquered their demons. Popovich’s biggest challenge this season will be igniting that same passion that the team had last year. One of the few things the Spurs have not accomplished in their otherwise very decorated history is defend their crown successfully. That alone should provide them with the motivation they need.

In terms of predicting their win total for this year, I would say in the 55-60 win range. The most incredible part of them being able to win this many games consistently is Popovich’s ability to pace his players over the course of a season. He realizes that they are not as young as they used to be, and that is why his target is a 30-minute cut-off per game for each one of his players. Last season, the Spurs became the first team in history to win a championship after not playing one player on their team at least 30 minutes per game.

Given that the core of the squad is still Duncan, Parker and Manu Ginobili, this trend of managing their minutes closely — and in some cases resting them completely for games — figures to continue.

As always, health is the major concern for the Spurs. Popovich knows that the championship is not won in the regular season, which is a grueling 82-game run, and many forget to even count the amount of games teams play in the playoffs. The Spurs probably average around 100 games or so a year, which is demanding for a team led by older players. After being called out last week by Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver during a preseason game in which the Spurs rested some of their key players, Popovich reiterated once again that keeping his guys fresh for the games that matter is his primary goal each and every year.

When looking at this season, I say the Spurs go 58-24. They will certainly rest their big players occasionally, most likely on back-to-back nights as to not wear them thin during the year. They will most likely not let any of their players average over 30 minutes per game either, which might keep them from having anyone represent them during the All-Star game.

Dan Schultz is an NBA sports writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on twitter @dschultz89. “Like” him on Facebook and add him on Google.

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