Spurs Clinch Plan in 2021 NBA Play-in Tournament; Most stylish Western Conference Standings
AP Photo/Frank Franklin II
The San Antonio Spurs are headed to the postseason for the 2d time in three seasons.
The Spurs clinched a play-in assert with a exiguous bit support from the Sacramento Kings on Thursday, as the Kings had been officially eliminated from rivalry by falling 116-110 to the Memphis Grizzlies.
That secured the 10th and final play-in assert within the Western Conference for the Spurs, who are 33-37 with two video games left to play.
The Spurs also would net secured a match assert on Thursday if they’d defeated the Unique York Knicks, but they lost 102-98.
Here is a look for on the present Western Conference playoff image:
1. Utah Jazz (50-20) – x
2. Phoenix Suns (48-21) – x
3. Los Angeles Clippers (47-23) – x
4. Denver Nuggets (45-24) – x
5. Portland Path Blazers (41-29)
6. Dallas Mavericks (41-29)
7. Los Angeles Lakers (40-30)
8. Golden Convey Warriors (37-33) – pi
9. Memphis Grizzlies (37-33) – pi
10. San Antonio Spurs (33-37) – pi
Standings by potential of NBA.com. Updated thru 10: 49 p.m. ET.
– x denotes clinched playoff assert
– pi denotes clinched play-in match assert
The Spurs missed out on the postseason closing year after going 32-39, marking correct the 2d time in Gregg Popovich’s bustle as head coach that they did no longer reach the playoffs. However in 2020-21, they returned virtually the total lot of that roster.
DeMar DeRozan led the price for the Spurs, coming into Thursday night’s sport averaging 21.5 aspects and 7.0 assists thru 59 video games. Dejounte Murray turned into once licensed within the again of him with 15.9 aspects, 7.0 rebounds and 5.4 assists, with 1.5 steals per sport (a figure that ranks 10th within the NBA).
The Spurs will conclude out the season with a again-to-again at dwelling in opposition to the Phoenix Suns on Saturday and Sunday.
Apart from securing the play-in assert for San Antonio, Thursday’s results also present some readability for among the diversified teams within the Western Conference.
The Warriors will host the Grizzlies on Sunday, and the winner will come away with the No. 8 seed within the play-in match, in line with The Athletic’s Anthony Slater. Here’s seriously well-known, since the ninth and 10th seeds want to take two consecutive video games to assemble it out of the match.