Southwest Division Predictions: Will Spurs Bottom Out?

Barring a significant roster shakeup, the San Antonio Spurs could end up being dead last in the Southwest Division for the first time ever.

Ever since the Southwest Division was formed in the 2004-05 season, the San Antonio Spurs have dominated the competition by winning the division crown nine times in 18 seasons. Not once have the Spurs finished last in the division, but that could change this season unless some major unforeseen roster moves are on the horizon.

The Southwest Division can be divided into three tiers. The top tier includes the Dallas Mavericks and Memphis Grizzlies with star guards Luka Doncic and Ja Morant. The middle tier features the New Orleans Pelicans, who could potentially jump into that top tier with Dallas and Memphis if Zion Williamson can stay healthy. Finally, the bottom tier includes the Spurs and the Houston Rockets.

The Rockets have been bottom-dwellers since trading James Harden in January of 2021, but that could change over the next few years, as they have some high-quality young talent in Jalen Green, Jabari Smith, Alperen Sengun, Kevin Porter Jr. and others on the come up.

Although the Spurs have some young pieces to be excited about as well, including Keldon Johnson, Josh Primo and Devin Vassell, it doesn't feel like that group has as much upside as what Houston's has. With all that being said, here are our preseason Southwest Division predictions:

1. Dallas Mavericks
2. Memphis Grizzlies
3. New Orleans Pelicans
4. Houston Rockets
5. San Antonio Spurs

Perhaps the Spurs will surprise us by competing for a playoff spot in coach Gregg Popovich's final season, but with the way the rest of the division is shaping up – not to mention the Western Conference as a whole, which is always a grind – we'll just have to wait and see.

The good thing for San Antonio is that it's much easier to surpass lower exceptions than it is to live up to higher ones.

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You can follow Dalton Trigg on Twitter at @dalton_trigg

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