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Its funny how things change. In years past (even when we won the regular season), I always watched the playoff races like a hawk, secretly hoping that we would get a favorable match-up in the playoffs and not have to play the tough teams. You know what I mean, LA and Utah in the other half and the Spurs playing Seattle or Phoenix to get to the Western Conference Finals. I thought, "Let them beat one another up and will beat whoever is left. They'll be tired and we'll have it easier." Hoping even for upsets and that the road would be easy.
Even as late as Early April I was wanting Utah to win the West so LA, Utah and Houston would all be on the other side of the bracket. It was the same reasoning. Those are the teams that I was scared of, so let them beat one another up. We'd be sitting pretty with Portland as the toughest team on our side. We might even manage home court against them.
But somewhere between there and here, things changed.
I think I have begun to feel like Chicago Bulls fans must have felt when Michael was playing. I don't care who we play and I expect us to win. Never while I was watching the final four games of the season did I have the familiar feeling of, "OK, the other team's about to get hot and our luck has run out." In the past I have always expected us to lose to the better teams. Call it heart. Call it intangibles. Call it a missing ingredient. Call it whatever.
But somewhere between there and here, things changed.
I decided that I want to play everyone on the road to the finals. I want to beat LA, Houston, and Utah on the way there (I know that's not possible), because it will mean so much more. I don't want anyone saying that we only got there because Utah got knocked out early or because we didn't have to play anyone tough along the way. I want everyone to know that this year, right now, the San Antonio Spurs are the best basketball team in the NBA.
Somewhere between there and here I became a believer. No, I don't believe that we can't lose, but I believe that we won't.
By Bill Pryor
Do the Spurs have what is takes to go all the way? Step on the Soapbox and have your say.
