a first since the ABA/NBA merger, as everything happens

For the first time in almost half a century, the Lakers and Spurs will both finish with a record below 50% of victories. It’s a small event when you know the ability of these two franchises to maintain themselves at the highest level.

Lakers and Spurs fans, we send you good vibes. If we could expect San Antonio to end the season with a bad record, due to a clear bet on youth, the fact that the Lakers also end with a negative record is a little more surprising. We have already said it several times, the Purple & Gold are one of the most disappointing teams because of their almost mediocre level of play, despite a historic and monstrous LeBron James. If we’re telling you about these two legendary franchises, it’s because for the first time since 1976, the year the ABA and NBA merged, Lakers and Spurs will finish below 50% at the same time. To put it simply, never in 46 years have Lakers and Spurs been in trouble at the same time.

Casually, it’s a small event when you know that these are the two most successful teams in NBA history. On the one hand, the Angelinos have won 3458 against 2373 losses, or 59.3% win, on the other the Spurs have a record of 2634 wins for 1804 losses, or 59.4% win, the highest percentage of the whole league. In recent years, both teams have been good, even very good and you only have to look at their respective records to be convinced of this. Since the year 2000, 10 of the 22 titles belong to one of these two franchises: four to the Spurs (2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014) and six to the Lakers (2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010 and 2020). What is even more original is that the two teams are antithetical to each other. On the one hand, superstars and glitter, on the other discretion and the collective. On the one hand, several groups have followed one another, on the other one and the same base of players have played together for almost twenty years. On the one hand… well, you get the idea, the Lakers attract the stars when the Spurs train them. Fans will witness it led to a superb rivalry that has been going on since the turn of the 21st century. Kobe Bryant himself said: “If they weren’t in the draw, we probably would have won 10 times in a row. »

Spurs and Lakers below 50% is an unusual picture in the NBA rankings. Small useful stat to know: since the merger between ABA and NBA, no Playoff campaign has taken place without at least one of these two teams. A first this season?