For the first time since 2019, the San Antonio Spurs are in the NBA playoffs, but it won't be an easy march back to the Finals.
For the first time since 2019, the San Antonio Spurs are in the NBA playoffs. The Spurs entered the season with lower expectations, projected to be fun and frisky, but ultimately an early exit. Instead, San Antonio is one of the Finals favorites, but their regular-season finale loss to the Denver Nuggets makes life a bit trickier.
The OKC Thunder remain the biggest threat to the Spurs' title bid, and as the top two seeds, they won't meet until the Western Conference Finals.
The Spurs will have home court advantage in the first two rounds and get the added benefit of playing a play-in team in the first round. Here's how the postseason could shake up for San Antonio.
NBA Western Conference Playoff Bracket
In the first round, the Spurs will play the Western Conference's eighth seed, which will be determined by way of the play-in. On Tuesday, the Portland Trail Blazers will travel to take on the Phoenix Suns, with the winner advancing to take on San Antonio.
The loser of that game will play the winner of the LA Clippers and Golden State Warriors, clinching the final postseason spot.
The Spurs should be expected to make short work of their first-round opponent. This version of the Suns and the Trail Blazers' team both lack postseason experience, so the Spurs' Achilles heel shouldn't be much of a factor.
In the second round, the Spurs will play either Minnesota or Denver, both of whom they have struggled against this season. Had the Spurs beaten Denver in Sunday's game, San Antonio would play either Los Angeles or Minnesota in the second round, making for a much easier slate.
All signs point to the Thunder waiting for them in the Conference Finals, and either the Detroit Pistons or Boston Celtics making it out of the East.
The first round will tip off on Sunday, April 19, with the Spurs hosting the play-in winner at 9:00 pm, with coverage on both NBC and Peacock.