SAN ANTONIO – Add the oddsmakers in Las Vegas to the group of NBA experts who believe the San Antonio Spurs will not make the playoffs this season.
The Westgate SuperBook released its win totals for this season with the Spurs not in the top eight in the Western Conference.
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The Spurs are projected to win 43.5 games, which would leave them out of the NBA playoffs for the first time since 1997, the year before they drafted Tim Duncan.
San Antonio has advanced to the playoffs 21 consecutive seasons.
The top eight according to the Westgate SuperBook are:
Vegas set some over-unders on NBA season win totals Sunday.
— ESPN (@espn) August 6, 2018
Oddsmakers have the Lakers pegged as a playoff team, with the Spurs out. https://t.co/Vvz6i8MURm pic.twitter.com/60ga2k2pIS
On Friday, ESPN posted an article by insider Kevin Pelton that said San Antonio would miss the playoffs as well.
In response, Spurs forward Rudy Gay commented on the ESPN infographic on Instagram by saying:
”Imagine a postseason without LeBron. @espn make sure y'all remember this during the season. Imagine a playoffs without the @spurs. #Fakenews.”
The Spurs won 47 games last season with Kawhi Leonard playing in only nine of those contests.
A disgruntled Leonard and Danny Green were traded for DeMar DeRozan this offseason, which would indicate the Spurs should possibly win a few more games.
However, the loss of Green will affect the team's defense and other teams in the conference, most notably the Lakers with LeBron James got stronger.
Denver and Minnesota are both young, upcoming teams and New Orleans still has MVP candidate Anthony Davis.
Still the Spurs have proven over time they will compete and have no intentions of going away any time soon. The preseason begins Sept. 30.
NBA seas wins
— Jeff Sherman (@golfodds) August 5, 2018
Atl 23.5
Bos 57.5
Brk 32.5
Cha 35.5
Chi 27.5
Cle 30.5
Dal 34.5
Den 47.5
Det 37.5
GS 62.5
Hou 54.5
Ind 47.5
LAC 35.5
LAL 48.5
Mem 34.5
Mia 41.5
Mil 46.5
Min 44.5
NO 45.5
NY 29.5
OKC 50.5
Orl 31.5
Phi 54.5
Phx 28.5
Prt 41.5
Sac 25.5
SA 43.5
Tor 54.5
Uth 48.5
Wsh 44.5