While we’re pretty sure it will be Detroit, we don’t know for sure who will win the Eastern Conference. We know there’s only one team remotely capable (no matter what the rankings say) of being number one in the West, and that’s the San Antonio Spurs. At 17-3, who in the western part of America can stop this freight train?
Few teams have reached the level of depth that the Spurs now have. While the Pistons’ bench is suspect for its length, San Antonio is deep enough for Glenn Robinson on the inactive list. Michael Finley and Nick Van Exel have done an adequate job along with Barry, Horry, Nesterovic and Beno Udrih backing up the starting five. Apart from Robinson, everyone on the bench is playing for cheap money. So not only can San Antonio get a great bank, it can afford it.
The starting five is what you would expect. Duncan, Ginobili and Parker have to be all stars, no exception. Tony Parker has readjusted his shot approach to get penetration from him. Ginobili and Duncan are the usual suspects, but how about Bruce Bowen #2 in the League at 3P%. If Tim Duncan came into the league with the same level of enthusiasm as LeBron James, Duncan would draw comparisons to Malone and Abdul-Jabar as the great big man.
The Spurs continue their strong defensive tendencies with the fifth fewest points allowed in the league. There’s been a void at Center since David Robinson left, but the Spurs are still fourth in total rebounds. It is an old team and plays half court. Still, it’s strange to note that San Antonio ranks 29th in the NBA in free throw attempts. They can get away with it since they’ve been making the outside jumpers and are 10th in the NBA in 3P%.
Overall, this is the best team in the Western Conference. The Phoenix Suns will have won Stoudemire too late in the year to propel them into first place. Both Miami and San Antonio made numerous trades in the offseason after successful seasons in 2005. Miami got players who came for a quick championship and the money. The Spurs signed players to cheap contracts that left their egos at the door. Finley and Van Exel have been solely dedicated to the championship ring and are playing within the team, something we haven’t seen from the Heat.