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Game 7 will haunt Spurs, but don't write their epitaph just yet

"Players step up in the playoffs," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "Tonight, a great example of that was Dwyane Wade and LeBron James. They played Hall of
Chris Mannix|
Game 7 will haunt Spurs, but don't write their epitaph just yet
Game 7 will haunt Spurs, but don't write their epitaph just yet

"Players step up in the playoffs," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "Tonight, a great example of that was Dwyane Wade and LeBron James. They played Hall of Fame basketball tonight ... if you're going to match that, you have to be pretty perfect."

It's tradition to kick dirt on the Spurs' grave, to write epitaphs for this era. Then a draft pick here, a smart trade there and boom, San Antonio is right back at the top of the standings. The Western Conference will be loaded next season, stocked with young, talented teams eager and equipped to take the Spurs out. It will be a long, hard road to get back to this stage. But does anyone really want to bet against them?

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Chris Mannix
CHRIS MANNIX

Chris Mannix is a senior writer at Sports Illustrated covering the NBA and boxing beats. He joined the SI staff in 2003 following his graduation from Boston College. Mannix is the host of SI's "Open Floor" podcast and serves as a ringside analyst and reporter for DAZN Boxing. He is also a frequent contributor to NBC Sports Boston as an NBA analyst. A nominee for National Sportswriter of the Year in 2022, Mannix has won writing awards from the Boxing Writers Association of America and the Pro Basketball Writers Association, and is a longtime member of both organizations.

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