Season 49, Game 75
San Antonio 100, New Orleans 92
63-12, 2nd in the West
The problem with playing an injury-riddled team like the New Orleans Pelicans this late in the season is that while their talent isn’t on par with the Spurs, their effort and energy are. In fact, given that most of these players are fighting for their NBA careers tooth-and-nail while the Spurs are in full-on rest mode, it’s easy to make the argument that the Pelicans brought a ton more energy and effort and desire to the game.
Thankfully, talent still matters a little bit more, and the Spurs were able to fight off the pesky Pelicans without pushing any one player too hard or getting anybody injured.
That’s the point we’ve reached in the regular season. There’s literally nothing left to play for, only things to play against: injury and fatigue, mainly. The Spurs can’t get the #1 seed; nobody is taking the #2 seed from them. With one more win, they’ll set the franchise record for wins.
The thing that’s left is going undefeated at home in the regular season, a record I think a lot of Spurs fans would like to see the team go for. It feels like Pop is going to intentionally undercut that at some point by throwing a home game, just to end the conversation.
With 7 games left in the regular season, an interesting dichotomy is playing out between the top two teams in the West. The Spurs are downshifting, resting starters, throwing games, making sure they get to the playoffs healthy. It’s all that matters to Pop and the team at this point.
Meanwhile, the Warriors are going the opposite direction. Already an all-time great team, they are chasing history and immortality – 73 wins. They want it bad. And they are playing every game as if it matters, as if a title is on the line. They had every chance to punt a game in Utah Wednesday night, down late. They kept their starters in, got a few lucky bounces, and pulled out the win.
Congratulations to them. But at what cost?
Rest or rhythm. Which is more important? Does one preclude the other? By resting starters and taking their foot off the gas over the final few weeks of the season, will the Spurs be thrown out of rhythm, and give back some of the positive gains they’ve made throughout the regular season? Will they lose the ‘magic’? And if so, how long does it take to come back?
Is Golden State wearing themselves out (mentally and physically) by chasing that record? What happens if a key player gets injured down the stretch? Are they pushing themselves too hard at the expense of a playoff push? Can they find rest in the playoffs?
Will it all come out even in the wash in a potential Western Conference Finals between the two teams anyway?
I don’t have the answers, but I worry about Pop being too judicious with rest and too cavalier giving away games.
At the same time, I hope the Warriors keep pushing themselves and run out of steam at some point in the playoffs.
It makes the final two games between these two teams fascinating. What will be on the line for the Warriors when they play the Spurs twice in the last week of the season? Will the Spurs essentially ‘give’ the Warriors two wins? Will both teams fight to protect their home unbeaten streaks?
Will the games even be any good?
We’ll have to wait to find out. In the meantime, the Raptors come to town tomorrow night. Toronto is #2 in the East and having a great season. They also beat the Spurs in Toronto at the beginning of the season. Coming off two days rest at home, I expect a full Spurs squad for this one.
Go Spurs Go.
