San Antonio took care of Portland in five games for a resounding series win and met the criteria for a longtime theory about playoff success.
The San Antonio Spurs are winners of an NBA playoff series for the first time in nearly a decade after taking out the Portland Trail Blazers in five games.
In the gentleman's sweep, the Spurs showcased the talent that shot them toward the top of the NBA during the regular season. But they also fulfilled a long-running theory about success in the postseason.
The 2-1-1 Theory is a popular NBA fan-theory that posits in order to win the four games needed to capture a playoff series win, a team needs two big games from its superstar, one from its number-two man and one from an unexpected place in the lineup.
Lo and behold, San Antonio happened to fit the mold perfectly, even with multiple options, in its series with the Blazers.
Let's break it down win-by-win for the Spurs and examine what it could mean throughout the rest of postseason for the squad.
Starting with Game 1, Victor Wembanyama went nuclear for 35 points, five rebounds and two blocks. The Spurs would go on to win 111-98. There's one down for Wemby, one to go in order to fit the requirements of the 2-1-1.
Fast forward to Game 3 and there's no Wembanyama due to a concussion suffered in prior game, which ended in a loss. That opened that door for a monstrous effort from Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper, who ignited for 60 points as a duo.
While Harper had a masterful outing, the game has to go to Castle after 33 points, including three-made three pointers, and five assists. Most would agree that Castle is the second option for San Antonio, so his performance checks that box for the theory.
In the following game, Wembanyama returned to the floor and did not miss a beat. The phenom went for 27 points, 12 rebounds and seven blocks in a masterful comeback effort to put the Spurs up 3-1.
There is an argument for De'Aaron Fox with 28 points to get credit for the victory, but Wemby's all-around effort takes the cake. There's both games from the top guy to finish it off in the breakdown. Don't worry, Fox will have his moment soon.
Soon happened to be Game 5, as Fox surged for team-high 21 points and nine assists. He helped close out the series with a 114-95 win and captured the final piece of the 2-1-1 equation. There's another Spur that could fit the formula, as well, as Julian Champagnie narrowly finished behind Fox at 19 points and drained five three's.
Whether you choose Fox or Champagnie as the representative of Game 5, it still fulfills the criteria of the 2-1-1, with neither serving as the Spurs' No. 1 or No. 2 options.
That discussion highlights how potent San Antonio is and exemplifies how easily they fit into the theory. Outside of those mentioned, there's several other wild cards that could steal a game for the Spurs throughout their run.
Facing Denver or Minnesota up next, San Antonio has another chance to showcase its depth. If the Spurs take care of whoever steps into the arena, it will be interesting to see if they complete the 2-1-1 once again.