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After leapfrogging the Los Angeles Lakers and grabbing the final spot in the play-in tournament, the San Antonio Spurs are in position to earn their 24th playoff appearance the last 25 years. Led by coach Gregg Popovich and a young core featuring Dejounte Murray, Jakob Poeltl, Lonnie Walker, and Keldon Johnson, the Spurs will look to make things interesting and fight their way into the playoffs.
The past few seasons have been a transitional period for the Spurs. Now they're keen on keeping their season alive and earning a playoff spot. With all this in the fold for San Antonio, we'll discuss three reasons they'll beat the Pelicans during the 2022 NBA play-in tournament.
Gregg Popovich will out-coach Willie Green
Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich is the winningest coach in NBA history. Popovich has always known how to win at the highest level. His championship pedigree paired with his ability to create mismatches and adjust on the fly have been his formula for success all these years. Going up against a rookie head coach in Willie Green, Popovich's experience and masterful play-calling will be a huge advantage for the Spurs.
Popovich detailed why he was so insistent on pushing his team this year to compete and not throw in the towel.
The Spurs' Gregg Popovich on winning, and why it's better than tanking. 'I think the young players gain a real understanding of philosophically moral space,' he says, 'where it's the right thing to do, to continue to compete.' https://t.co/Q5F2wTXlLE
— Sig Christenson 🏕🔭🗽 (@saddamscribe) April 12, 2022
“I think the young players gain a real understanding of philosophically moral space,” said Popovich. This mentality helped his young core grow up faster than expected this season.
The Pelicans may possess a more talented roster, but the Spurs are a young and athletic squad with a ton of upside. Their sound and fundamental style of play is highly effective. Popovich always has a few tricks up his sleeve. The Spurs should be able to pull a fast one on Willie Green and the Pelicans.
The Spurs Well-Balanced Attack Against the Pelicans
With their team-centric approach to the game, the Spurs are bound to get major contributions all across the board. The deep and talented roster will be able outlast the star power of the Pelicans and overwhelm them. Even with electric scorers like CJ McCollum, Brandon Ingram, and Devonte' Graham, the Pelicans still won't have enough to the match the intensity of the Spurs.
San Antonio's balanced attack has been key for them all year. The Spurs' potent combination of scrappiness, resilience, and athleticism are all attributes that will help the them immensely. Looking to get back into the playoff picture, all this should factor into their play-in match-up and give them a leg up on the Pelicans.
San Antonio's Depth and Talent
Although they weren't expecting to make the play-in tourney, the Spurs made it and ready to compete. San Antonio took advantage of the Los Angeles Lakers collapse in the second half of the season. This provided new life and increased their chances of returning to the playoffs. Despite possessing less star power than the Pelicans, the Spurs have the grit and determination to match wits with them.
Plus with young talents like Murray, Walker, and Poeltl leading the charge for them, there's plenty of opportunity that lies ahead for them. Granted Spurs are still in a developmental phase, but they also maintain enough depth and skill to nab a playoff spot. With all this going for them, they'll be in prime position to spoil the Pelicans' postseason hopes and advance to the next round.
