NBA SW Update: Spurs Limp Into Playoffs
The teams of the NBA Southwest Division are going into the NBA Playoffs on a down note. The San Antonio Spurs, for most of the season the number one seed in the Western Conference, struggled down the stretch losing their last three games and seven of the last ten to fall to number two. Perhaps even worse news for the Spurs is they draw the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round. If ever there is a franchise you like to avoid in the post season, it is the 16 time World Champions.
The Memphis Grizzlies lost the home court advantage to the Los Angeles Clippers, thanks in large part to a loss suffered to them at home on Saturday. The Grizzlies will now go to Staples Center to face the Clippers for games one and two. Had the Grizzlies won on Saturday, they were in position to perhaps get the number three seed and avoid a possible second round match-up with the Oklahoma City Thunder. But now, if they get past the Clippers, that is their likely second round opponent.
The Rockets are probably the most dejected of the teams in the Southwest as they held the seventh seed for weeks until losing it on the season’s final day in an overtime loss to the Lakers. So now instead of getting the Spurs in the first round, they will play everybody’s favorite to win the West, the top seeded Thunder.
Oddsmaker has Futures on the teams to win the championship. Here are the odds on the three Southwest Division teams:
San Antonio Spurs +1000– Those are pretty good odds on a team with four titles, until you look at the age of their star players and how they’ve been playing the past couple of weeks. Then it doesn’t seem like enough.
Memphis Grizzlies +2500- Now these are some good odds. I would take Memphis over San Antonio straight up. Memphis is a team that could make some noise in the playoffs with Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph getting physical in the paint and Mike Conley and Tayshaun Prince knocking down jumpers.
Houston Rockets +8000- It might no be a bad idea to put a small wager on the Rockets are these odds. Just don’t bet more than you can afford to lose, because you will lose. The Rockets won’t get out of the first round, but if some miracle they do, then you have to like their chances after that.
