256 Team All Time Basketball Tournament Preview-Region 9

 Region 8

A ton of Spurs clubs already in the field - but none have been top seeds until Region 9 and the 2016 Spurs. 

1. 2016 SAN ANTONIO SPURS v. 16. PLAY IN WINNER

(67-15)

-67 wins is a helluva lot of wins, and then the Spurs got bounced in the West Semis. Duncan's 39, Parker's 33, Ginobli 38, LaMarcus Aldridge is 30 and Kawhi Leonard is 24. They meet the winner of the Play in Game between the '99 Heat and '53 Knicks.

8. 2012 WEST CHAMPION OKC THUNDER v. 9. 1986 PAC DIV CHAMP LA LAKERS

(47-19)                                                                    (62-20)

-The Thunder made the NBA Finals; Durant and Westbrook are both 23 and James Harden is 22.  The Lakers lost in the West Finals, Kareem's 38, Magic's 26, Worthy's 24.  

5. 1981 CEN DIV CHAMP MIL BUCKS v. 12. 1988 ATL DIV CHAMP BOSTON CELTICS

(60-22)                                                            (57-25)

-Don Nelson's Bucks lost in the East Semis; Bob Lanier is 32, Sidney Moncrief 23, Marques Johnson's 24. They host a Celtics team that lost to Detroit in the East Finals.  Bird's 31, McHale 30, Parish 34. 

4. 2005 PAC DIV CHAMP PHOENIX SUNS v. 13. 2014 HOUSTON ROCKETS

(60-22)                                                                   (54-28)

-The Suns made it to the West Finals; Nash is 30, Marion 26, Stoudemire 22.  Speaking of McHale, he's coaching this Rockets team that fell in the first Round of the playoffs. James Harden is 24, Dwight Hoaward 28.

3. 2002 PAC DIV CHAMP SACRAMENTO KINGS v. 14. 2007 CHICAGO BULLS

(61-21)                                                                               (49-33)

-The Kings lost in the West Finals; Chris Webber's 28. The Bulls fell in the East Semis; 23 year old Ben Gordon led this group in PPG.

6. 1989 WEST CHAMP LA LAKERS v. 11. 2006 CEN DIV CHAMP DETROIT PISTONS

(57-25)                                                       (64-18)

-Pat Riley's Lakers lost the Finals to Detroit; Kareem's 41, Magic's 29, Worthy's 27. The Pistons won 64 in the regular season but lost in the East Finals. Rip Hamilton's 27, Chauncey Billups is 29.

7. 1959 NBA CHAMPION BOSTON CELTICS v. 10. 2010 PHOENIX SUNS

(52-20)                                                                       (54-28)

-It's a World Champion Celtics team that beat...wait for it...the Lakers in the Finals. Russell's 24, Cousy's 30, Bill Sharman's 32.  The Suns fell to the Lakers in the West Finals. Nash is 35, Stoudemire 27. 

2. 1983 NBA CHAMPION PHILADELPHIA 76ERS v. 15. 2011 DENVER NUGGETS

(65-17)                                                                               (50-32)

-They didn't quite go Fo-Fo-Fo but the Sixers did sweep the Lakers in the Finals.  Moses is 27, Erving 32. George Karl's Nuggets lost in the first round of the Playoffs. Chauncey Billups is 34, Carmelo Anthony 26.