Cleveland Cavaliers vs. San Antonio Spurs: Don't Rest Your Regulars

With Kyrie Irving unlikely to play tonight and Tim Duncan and Tony Parker potentially sitting due to a third game in four nights this one might be quite the odd game. The teams, who met in the 2007 NBA Finals, are each on the opposite end of long streaks. While the Cavaliers have dropped seven straight, the Spurs have reeled off seven consecutive wins and seem to be a safe bet to earn the second seed for the Western Conference Playoffs.

Song of the day: Trainwreck - New Found Glory

Tonight's Overview: San Antonio Spurs (36-14) at Cleveland Cavaliers (17-33) Ready for some Spurs love? (I want the Cavs to do what they've done.) The Spurs win and they win a way I respect. I absolutely admire every single thing the San Antonio Spurs have done over the years. I love how successful they've been over the years yet they're never the pick. They are always under the radar and you rarely hear them talked about. There are less Tim Duncan jerseys walking around on people's backs in this country than any other superstar of his caliber and I highly doubt it's close. The culture developed by coach Gregg Popovich and Duncan is something I am incredibly fond of and I really, really hope they surprise everybody and go all the way this June. And seriously, pay attention to how many people pick Chicago, Oklahoma City and Miami instead of these guys! There are fewer things more pure about basketball and how it should be than a humble superstar such as Tim Duncan. With recent pickups Boris Diaw and Stephen Jackson now playing signifcant roles the Spurs are back again where they end up every year: right in the title hunt. Add in very solid seasons from DeJuan Blair, Gary Neal, Tiago Splitter and rookie Kawhi Leonard and the core Spurs have been surrounded by many players picked up in very shrewd moves. These are the types of players the Cavaliers can acquire after they get their second (and third?!) stars.

Key Matchup: Tim Duncan vs. Tristan Thompson I'm not 100% sure these two will guard each other for the full game but I imagine at mayn junctures they'll be on each other if Duncan plays. Personally, while I don't think Thompson is going to ever be much offensively I really want to see him get tough and be able to stop the post big from the other team. I hope Duncan plays so Tigger gets that experience.

Fear the Sword's Fearless Prediction: I'm going on the record and saying Popovich doesn't sit his guys and therefore the Spurs squeeze out a 98-85 victory. If Duncan and Parker sit I expect the game to actually be pretty close.