Can the Spurs Be Considered the Team To Beat in the West?

You've heard it before I'm sure. You've heard that they're the oldest team in the league. You've heard that Tim Duncans' 33-year-old knees can no longer take the strain of an 82 game season plus, as it seems to be for the spur franchise post season games. Last season seemed to prove all this. For the first time in the Tim Duncan era, the Spurs failed to reach the second round in a 4-1 lost series to the mediocre Dallas Mavericks. The big three for the Spurs (Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, and Manu Ginobli) were each out for great lengths during the season due to injury. But only one, Ginobli, missed the playoffs where they were ranked No. 2 in the west. With the team getting older, it is certain that Tim Duncan's quest for a fifth championship is starting to look more and more bleak. But after this offseason, not all is lost for Spur fans. In fact, the next few seasons are looking promising, to say the least. The Spur franchise came into the offseason with a...