NBA Team Profiles: San Antonio Spurs

We are slowly getting closer to the NBA playoffs every day, and avid fans and bettors have all eyes on the NBA spreads, however, we are still a little while away, so we have some time to think, reflect, and reminisce. 

 

That being said, when it comes to NBA betting it is always a good idea to be aware of all the facts about your favorite teams. The more you know, the more likely you are to make some good bets. 

 

Let’s consider the Spurs, while a good team, this year they have not been doing quite so hot. Their win-loss record is a bit sour at 20-58, they could be doing better. Granted they are not doing as badly as the Rockets are this year, but there is room for improvement. 

 

So, this begs us to ask who are the Spurs, and what should we be considering if we are fans of them?

 

Who Are The Spurs?

 

The Spurs are an American Pro basketball team based in San Antonio, TX. They are in the Western Conference’s Southwest Division of the NBA. They play their games at the AT&T Center. 

 

They are one of the four former ABA teams to remain intact in the NBA after ‘76. While they have not always been successful, they have had successful years, having won NBA Championships in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, and again in 2014. 

 

They were established in 1967, and their NBA championship stretch is considered to be one of the most dominant in the history of the NBA. 

 

Dallas Chaparrals To The San Antonio Spurs 

 

The Spurs started as the Dallas Chaparrals and were moderately successful, however, they were later sold to a group of businessmen in San Antonio in ‘73 and were then relocated and renamed to become the Spurs.

 

George Gervin, a future Hall of Famer joined the franchise halfway through the season in ‘73-’74 and was the star of the show for the team in its early days. He was a high-scoring shooting guard who was able to help the Spurs to show up consistently as a contender through the 70s and 80s. 

 

The Spurs joined the NBA when the league finally agreed to absorb the 4 most successful ABA franchises in ‘76 after the young league started struggling financially. 

 

The Spurs stood up to the NBA’s best teams despite predictions of them being mediocre.

 

Losing Seasons To Winning

 

When Gervin was traded from the team in ‘85, they experienced a slump for four years, all losing seasons. It ended with them adding superstar center David Robinson in ‘89. His presence was a catalyst for a 35-win improvement in the ‘89-’90 season for the Spurs, allowing them to qualify for the postseason for each of the 7 years he was in San Antonio.

 

However, he would not be able to carry them past the conference finals alone. 

 

Then, in ‘97, fortune shone upon them after an injury ridden 20-62 season, they were able to choose Tim Duncan from the draft and teamed up with Robinson, which led the Spurs to a 36-win improvement the season after. 

 

They were nicknamed the Twin Towers, and NBA rumors would say they were the only power the Spurs had at this time. 

 

Then in ‘03, Robinson’s last year on the team, they won another title, allowing him to end an impressive career on top! 

 

Turbulent 00s

 

The Spurs stayed dominant after the retirement of Robinson, combining veterans and young talent with coach Gregg Popovich. Duncan was joined by Ginobili and Parker, during championship runs in ‘05, and ‘07. 

 

Then in the 2010-2011 season, they tied an NBA mark by recording their 12th season in a row with at least 50 victories. However, in the postseason that followed they saw disappointment, as they became the 2nd top-seed to be upset by an 8th-seeded team in a 7-game playoff series.

 

Franchise Record in 2015-2016

 

In 2015-2016, they were led by emerging star forward Kawhi Leonard, and they won 67 games to make a franchise record, which tied them for the fifth-highest win total in the history of the league at that time. However, they failed to get further than the 2nd round of the playoffs. 

 

The next year they won 61 games and advanced to the conference finals, however, they did run a lead over the Warriors in game one, but without their best player, they lost that game in the end too. 

 

From 2017-2018, Leonard struggled to recover and was limited to 9 games, saying the Spurs only won 50 games, for the first time since Duncan was drafted. 

 

This campaign ended with a 1st round loss to the Warriors in the playoffs, and Leonard was traded in the off-season, however, the rebuilt team still advanced to the postseason in 2019 but lost in the first round. 

 

Overall

 

If the Spurs can snag another great draft pick maybe we will see them return from the slump they have fallen into one again. However, their recent reign of terror with so many consecutively successful seasons was incredible and is worth noting!