Spurs Officially Eliminated From Playoffs; Victor Wembanyama Soon?
For just the second time in 26 years, the San Antonio Spurs will not be playing bonus basketball.
After the events from Thursday night's play, the Spurs are mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.
As of now, the Spurs sit with a 16-49 record and are 15.5 games back of the New Orleans Pelicans for the 10th and final spot in the play-in tournament with just 17 games to play.
Their .246 winning percentage is on pace to be the second-worst in franchise history, only behind the 1996-97 mark at .244. The previous year, the Spurs won 59 games and made it to the Western Conference Semifinals. However, a major injury to David Robinson sent the Spurs into a spiral and the team coughed up its worst season in franchise history.
However, the ping-pong balls were kind to the Spurs, netting them No. 1 overall pick Tim Duncan, who became the greatest player in franchise history, leading San Antonio to five championships in his career.
The Spurs are hoping for a similar outcome in this year's draft. Should the Spurs maintain one of the poorest records in the NBA, they will have the strongest odds to grab the No. 1 pick to select French star Victor Wembanyama.
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