SocraticGadfly: Did Timmeh, Manu, Pops? and TP? of the Spurs just get a retirement gift?

April 25, 2016

Did Timmeh, Manu, Pops? and TP? of the Spurs just get a retirement gift?

Steph Curry is supposed to be out a minimum of two weeks with a sprained knee suffered Sunday against the Rockets.

This means he could be back for the Western Conference finals round, if the Warriors get past the L.A. Clippers (I presume) in the second round.

That said, given their own very strong season, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, Kawhi Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge and coach Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs, while not wanting to win this way, have to move to the head of the line in the Western Conference, right?

An easy win against the Grizz, with time to rest before playing the Thunder in a series that (sorry, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook) shouldn't go more than six. That said, we'll see how Billy Donovan as head coach vs. Scotty Brooks does in a matchup like this.

That said, assuming the Clipps beat the TrailBlazers in their first round series, could they beat the Warriors? I'll still give Golden State odds on that, but that's a series quite likely to go seven, no matter who wins. Sure, with Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and others, and Shaun Livingston a decent replacement, you can't bet hard against the Dubs. (That said, don't expect the emotion of Sunday's second half against the Rockets to be a constant.)

And, that's music for the Riverwalk in San Antone.

Meanwhile, if Los Spurs do take it all, I assume Timmeh and Manu, at least, are riding off into the sunset faster than Peyton Manning, if they have any brains. The sixth title would tie them with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, and go one up on Kobe Bryant.

What about Pops? He's 67, and the sixth title would put him behind just Red Auerbach and Phil Jackson.

At the same time, while Curry this year had the eighth-best season ever, the Warriors won a year ago with him outside the top 50. On the third hand, when he had more ankle problems in the past, they never could go higher than the second round of the playoffs.

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