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In the last five to six playoff games the San Antonio Spurs have been an unfazed team. You’d expect that from a team that won the amount of games the Spurs did. Questions lurked though when the team struggled mightily in certain games against the Mavericks. At times their offense was strong their defense folded and vice-versa.

Something changed in game six against the Dallas Mavericks. It appeared the Spurs would close out the series as they held a seven point lead early in the fourth quarter. Instead a flurry of three pointers on horrendous defense of the three point line, had Dallas back in the game in a matter of minutes.

Comebacks at home happen all the time. That wasn’t where I witnessed a team grow. It was how they fought after getting behind by ten points late in the fourth quarter. The game seemed to be over. 90 percent of teams would have folded right at that moment. Instead the Spurs fought until the bitter end like a college basketball team does with relentless fouling. They came up short but somehow had a chance to win at the buzzer.

Since that game the Spurs have matched their defensive intensity with their incredible offense.

Is this form of basketball something the Thunder can match? The Heat or the Pacers?

It sure doesn’t look like it. When the Spurs got down 2-1 to the Mavericks, their odds to win the NBA title went to 5-1. I mentioned that day that there will not be another day in the playoffs of higher odds on the Spurs. Who knows by the time the NBA Finals start they may be the odds on favorite.

Coach Poppovich’s name gets tossed around the media lightly when they talk about the great coaches in sports. It’s time that his team and his players get their dues from the media. Even myself as much as I can’t stand Manu Ginobli and his never ending turnovers, he has a pivotal role. All the roles of the Spurs are manufactured perfectly by Gregg Poppovich.

It just may lead to another championship.

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The eye popping display of dramatic finishes in the NBA playoffs has been fantastic. It truly has the media and the fans living in the moment. In the world of sports what has happened yesterday is old news quickly. The current series between the Thunder and Clippers will be over sooner than later. All the hoopla around the past two games in the series will be ancient memory.

San Antonio has been the old reliable renegade team. Their seven-game series against the Mavericks has faded quickly. The young bucks from Portland had many people thinking upset minded but once again Coach Poppovich and company are proving the naysayers wrong.

An inevitable matchup looms. San Antonio versus who? The Clippers or Thunder. Which team provides the best opportunity for an upset.

Focusing on San Antonio’s keys, they spread the floor, have solid depth, experience, coaching, and great shooters.

From those basic intangibles you’d have to lean to Oklahoma City having the edge over the Clippers. Though the Thunder do cave from time to time with poor stretches, they also rise to the occasion just as much.

They have the interior players to match up with the Spurs. Players such as Nick Collison, Serge Ibaka, old man Kendrick Perkins, and young center Steven Adams. San Antonio will also have fits covering Kevin Durant. More than likely that job will be handed to Leonard. He’ll likely be up for the task but the downside will be on the offensive end.

Leonard has been brilliant with his drives and shooting in the first two rounds. Exerting effort on Durant will surely take away his energy and high field goal percentage.

A matchup versus Oklahoma City would have my money on a seven game series. This matchup could honestly be better than the NBA Finals, where the Heat look as vulnerable as they’ve been in the Lebron/Bosh campaign.

My money would still be on the Spurs to represent the Western Conference at odds of -148. For the Finals at slightly above 2-1 odds, are also favorable.