Mike Lowry wrote: Tue Jun 16, 2026 2:53 pm
Are the Spurs still runaway champions?
What is the same, or different from the opening coronation that tells you they will or will not run through everyone who stands in their way?
How often do GM's overreact to player motion that looks great on paper?
No, they aren't "runaway" champions. They are runaway favorites in the West. But the Celtics are likewise runaway champions in the East and can stand toe-to-toe with the Spurs. If the Spurs can hang on and finish with a better record than the Celtics to ensure homecourt in the Finals, they will be slight title favorites; if the Celtics finish with the better record, they should be the slight favorites.
The difference is the Celtics - they made two key moves to try to keep up with the Spurs getting Magic - they pulled the trigger on getting Craig Ehlo after the draft to fill their void at SF and they picked up Purvis Short as an insurance policy. Injuries are going to keep the Spurs from 70 wins, but everyone was already calling the Spurs favorites "barring injury." Nothing has changed with the Spurs, but the Celtics made moves to try to match them, so now instead of one dominant squad, we have two dominant squads.
I think GMs often overreact to player motion because we're all bitter - or at least annoyed - when a player we were chasing moves to someone who isn't us. Every one of us thinks we're the main character and everyone else is an NPC.
