The San Antonio Spurs have almost no playoff experience on their roster, but there is a distant precedent that suggests that they can go on a deep playoff run, maybe even winning the Finals.
This season, the San Antonio Spurs have addressed every single concern head-on. Their questionable 3-point shooting, guard rotation, health, Victor Wembanyama's longevity, and frontcourt depth are all issues of the past, and they look the part of the best team in the NBA.
The only thing they haven't been able to fix is their lack of postseason experience, although that isn't their fault. They have clinched their first playoff berth since 2019, won their first division title since 2017, and are generally expected to be the second seed.
From there, whatever happens, happens, although there is a largely forgotten precedent for them to go on a deep run.
Spurs Need to Follow Trail Blazers' Path
The Spurs have not made the playoffs since 2019, six seasons ago. The last team to win a title after that long a drought was the 1977 Portland Trail Blazers, who won their sole title in their first franchise playoff experience.
The Blazers, like the Spurs, were led by a never-before-seen center prototype in Bill Walton. In that title-winning season, Walton led the league in both rebounds and blocks, and would take home MVP honors the following season.
Could Victor Wembanyama be on the same trajectory?
"History says that San Antonio faces long odds in its pursuit of not just winning the conference but another NBA title," wrote CBS Sports' John Gonzalez. "The Spurs haven't made the playoffs since 2019. You have to go back to the 1976-77 Portland Trail Blazers to find a team that overcame that kind of playoff inexperience to win the championship."
Portland, of course, never won another ring in large part thanks to Walton's foot injuries. Hopefully, the Spurs can avoid a similar fate.
It's also worth noting that the Blazers were a fairly new team when they won their first ring, having been established only six years prior. The Spurs, meanwhile, have a rich history. On top of that, the NBA is deeper and more talented than it was in the 1970s, although Wembanyama is perhaps the most transformational player in league history, passing the likes of Walton, Magic, and Curry.
San Antonio will have to get through more experienced teams like the Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Oklahoma City Thunder on the way to the Finals, but if they can handle the postseason like they did their first 73 games, it shouldn't be an impossible task.