The San Antonio Spurs are a veteran club and they are once again up 2-0 in the Western Conference Finals after defeating the Memphis Grizzlies Tuesday evening in Game 2. The Spurs already blew a 2-0 lead last year, is it safe to say they are already shifting their thoughts to Game 1 of the NBA Finals?
The Spurs have all the experience in the world and unless fatigue plays a role in the next games in this series, then the Spurs should have the advantage heading into Memphis for Games 3 & 4. Expect the Grizzlies to come out firing in Game 3, but expect the Spurs and Gregg Popovich to make the adequate adjustments throughout the series as they will avoid to lose back-to-back 2-0 leads in the conference finals.
Last year, the Spurs lost four straight games to the Oklahoma City Thunder after owning a 2-0 lead. San Antonio looked sturdy and focused in last year's Western Conference Finals, similar to the same focus they appear to have early in this series. It is safe to say the Spurs are the dominant team in this series. They are controlling the perimeter and Tiago Splitter has done a great job defending the Grizzlies' bigs.
The Grizzlies are having issues controlling the Spurs and look far removed from team that defeated the Los Angeles Clippers and Thunder. They have the fight and the drive, but they lack execution and pretty much got lucky because the Spurs looked fatigue as of late.
The Spurs would advance in the bracket and face the Miami Heat or the Indiana Pacers. If you ask Jeff van Gundy, it's a no-brainer that the Heat will be in the NBA Finals as the Pacers don't truly stand a chance against the defending champions. With the possible Spurs and Heat meeting set for a crash course, it will be a chance for LeBron James to get his payback against the Spurs as they took out his former club, the Cleveland Cavaliers, in the 2007 NBA Finals in a four-game sweep.
Here are the four remaining teams in the quest for the Larry O'Brien trophy as there are just weeks left before the beginning of the NBA Finals.
WEST
(2)San Antonio Spurs
vs. 2-0
(5) Memphis Grizzlies
EAST
(1) Miami Heat
vs.
(3) Indiana Pacers