Spurs' sneaky brilliance set fans up for the surreal gift they truly deserve

Fans and media have spent so much time focusing on how long it's been since the Spurs have made it to the postseason that we haven't mentioned how much time has passed since they've actually won a series. It's been nine years. That means that San Antonio hasn't felt the rush of winning a playoff series since Manu Ginobili was on the roster. It feels appropriate that it happens on the home floor.

It would have been nice if the Silver and Black swept Portland, and had Victor Wembanyama never gone down with a concussion, they likely would have pulled that off. After what we saw in Games 3 and 4, it's hard to believe that San Antonio wouldn't have ended that night with a win with their 7'4" demigod on the floor.

But I'm sort of glad they didn't. The Spurs and their fans have been as close as ever this year. This is the first season for the Jackals, and the victory drum Wemby introduced to celebrate wins with Spurs Nation after big games and awesome performances. Winning their first series as a group in front of the home crowd feels like the perfect next chapter to what's been an amazing story.

A magical Spurs' run truly feels like it's meant to be

Remember that this team started the season with five consecutive wins, setting a new franchise record, despite De'Aaron Fox and Luke Kornet's unavailability at the time. When Wembanyama and Stephon Castle went down in November, the Spurs continued to win games—and important ones at that. Those dubs over the Lakers and Nuggets were impressive.

Even when they stumbled in January, they found a way to win enough games to keep the number two seed within range. Then they regained their footing in February and evolved into the best team in the league. Nobody won more games than San Antonio over the last two and a half months.

Landing Portland in the first round gave these guys a reasonably physical enough defense to contend with, but they were never really in danger of losing. Their next opponent will either be an exhausted, injured Timberwolves team or an exhausted, injured Nuggets team. If they clear those obstacles, OKC will be waiting in the Western Conference Finals, but that's what this team wants.

Everything has been lining up perfectly for the Spurs. You couldn't ask for anything more if you're a fan who's been dying to see their team back in the tournament. Winning it all is on the table. How's that for a welcome back to the playoffs?

San Antonio's last semi-successful playoff run is a complicated memory

The last postseason matchup the Spurs won was against the rival Rockets. San Antonio ended the series in six games on May 11, 2017. This was the series that saw Ginobili pull off a clutch, potentially game-saving block on James Harden at 39 years old in Game 5 before the Silver and Black completely destroyed them in their final meeting.

Unfortunately, this also preceded the fateful Zaza Pachulia injury to Kawhi Leonard that ruined Gregg Popovich's last legitimate chance for a championship. Everything went off the rails after that. We don't need to rehash that part. Clearly, the basketball gods thought Pop had his foot on the NBA's neck for long enough. Besides, it led us to a new day led by our alien overlord.

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