The NBA keeps betting on the Spurs like they know something we don't

The Spurs are the "it" team in the NBA right now, and how do we know that? Because the league keeps flexing their games into premier positions on national TV and just added two more. They're now set to host the Celtics on March 10 and the Bulls on March 30, and both matchups will be shown on Peacock in addition to the FanDuel Sports Network, with the Boston meeting also playing on NBC.

We've seen quite a bit of this from the league this year. I can't recall a time when they've flexed this many contests for any team ever. San Antonio started the season with 22 games set to be nationally broadcasted, and that number has risen to 29.

The league didn't add that many games for Zion Williamson's arrival; they didn't do it for the Golden State Warriors when they exploded onto the scene; they didn't even do it for LeBron James during any of his runs. I believe Victor Wembanyama is the driving force of the attention the Spurs continue to receive, but there's more to it than that.

The Spurs are must-see and reliable for the NBA

The Silver and Black have an erroneous reputation for sitting players that has stuck with them since Gregg Popovich snubbed his nose at the league over a decade ago for scheduling a huge televised matchup against the Miami Heat on the second night of a back-to-back. It was also the fourth game in five nights.

That one decision, combined with his dedication to extending the careers of his older players when they were dealing with injuries, painted the organization as a place that encourages sitting guys. That's not the case. When his athletes were healthy enough to play consistent basketball, they did that.

If you don't believe me, go look at how many times Tim Duncan played when he was 36 and up. The Big Fundamental got on the floor for 69, 74, 77, and 60 games in his final four seasons.

People act like Wemby is injury-prone, but he played 71 games his first season, and a blood clot is not a basketball injury. The league can count on him to be on the floor more times than not, and his team has the added benefit of being young and dynamic. He's the future face of the league with fun running mates everyone enjoys watching.

Again, I believe Vic is the driving force, but having Stephon Castle, De'Aaron Fox, and Dylan Harper helps. This team plays a fun brand of basketball, and though they went through their fair share of ailments early, they've been pretty healthy, and the league is capitalizing on the endless intrigue this squad brings. It's crazy from a fan's perspective.

The Spurs don't usually get this amount of publicity, but it's pretty damn cool. At 29 games, the only teams with more nationally televised games than San Antonio are the Knicks, Thunder, Lakers, and Warriors. I agree with Wemby when he said that the face of the league has to develop organically, but it's very obvious who the NBA wants it to be.