In contrast to the star ensemble of the Los Angeles Lakers, the San Antonio Spurs with Austria’s basketball star Jakob Pöltl are not yet in vacation mode. With two wins in two knockout games, the Texans could be the last team in the NBA to book a playoff ticket.
In the event of an away defeat on Thursday night (3.30 a.m. CEST/live DAZN) against the New Orleans Pelicans, the season would have ended prematurely, as in the previous year. If the Spurs overcome this hurdle, they would also have to survive an away duel in the loser of the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Clippers on Friday. A “best of seven” series against the winner of the regular season, the Phoenix Suns, then awaits the winner of this encounter.
“We found a rhythm after the all-star break. I think we can go into the game with optimism,” says Pöltl, not yet ready for vacation, even though San Antonio is the clear outsider in New Orleans. In the regular season, the Spurs won three out of four duels with the Pelicans, but after trades and the All-Star break in February, New Orleans was in very good shape recently. Pöltl: “Obviously it won’t be an easy game, they have a very strong team on paper. We have to start concentrated and step on the gas.”
Gmunden’s “free play”
After the outstanding teamwork in the home win over leaders BC Vienna, the Gmundner Swans in the Superliga are now being tested by the Bulls in Kapfenberg (6:55 p.m., Sky). Since the second place in the table and thus the start of the play-off phase against Wels is secured in just under two weeks, the game has more of the character of a “free game” from Gmundner’s point of view. It could still be exciting. In the most recent encounter between the two teams, the Bulls prevailed 99:98 in a true overtime thriller.
Source: Nachrichten
