I have to be honest right off the bat: I think I’m in a more chipper mood about the Spurs today than I have been since at least 2019. Does being so upbeat over seeing a team clinch the 10th seed (at worst) in a down Western Conference (which wouldn’t even have mattered before 2020 when the play-in was implemented) seem a little ridiculous, especially when most of my lifetime has been spent watching the Spurs contend for championships? It does, but a little more context explains a lot.
Satisfaction #1: The Spurs are peaking at the right time, which is something they haven’t done since 2019 when they last made the playoffs after going 15-5 over their final 20 games of the regular season and nearly upset the Denver Nuggets in the first round.