The San Antonio Spurs are expected to remain one of the best teams in the NBA this season, but one upstart team has them in their sights.
As one of the best teams in the NBA, the San Antonio Spurs are must-see TV. Historical rivalries with the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets are being renewed, and as the Dallas Mavericks improve, basketball down south will be appointment viewing.
Between the Western Conference Finals and the NBA Finals, the Spurs also have rivalries with the OKC Thunder and the New York Knicks. The Spurs seem to have figured out Chet Holmgren and the Thunder, although the Knicks have their number.
On top of that, the Spurs have a target on their back. After beating the Portland Trail Blazers in a five-game series in the first round, the Spurs were clearly the better team, although the Blazers want to prove that they can hang.
With the addition of Ja Morant and the return of Damian Lillard, they should be better than they were last year.
Blazers to Rival Spurs?
Even though the Spurs had their way with Portland in the playoffs, the stage was set for a rivalry.
Dylan Harper and Scoot Henderson exchanged words, and Deni Avdija went at it with both De'Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle. Expect the first game between the Spurs and Blazers to be chippy.
"The Blazers lost in five games in the first round of the playoffs to the San Antonio Spurs, who went on to win the Western Conference in a seven-game series against the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder," wrote SI's Jeremy Brener.
"The Spurs are coming back this season for blood as they try to make up for their loss in the Finals, but the Blazers should represent a very challenging opponent. Portland should come in with a chip on its shoulder after losing to San Antonio in five games, so it'll be interesting to see how they respond when they face their new rival."
The Spurs, led by Victor Wembanyama, remain the better team, although the Blazers will be looking to build on last season. They had to fight their way through the play-in tournament for even a chance at the Spurs last year, but should be looking to make the postseason outright in 2027.
If Avdija and Donovan Clingan improve, Morant stays healthy, and Lillard returns to form, it's hard to write them off.
