Out of Texas comes surprise NBA front-runners

          San Antonio is the surprise team in pro basketball so far. Whether the Spurs can maintain their blistering run through the rest of the NBA remains to be seen. We're already slightly past the regular season's mid-point and the Spurs are at the top of their game with a league-best record of 37-6.
          That's impressive. Still, it's very early. A lot can happen between now and the start of the playoffs in late April. The big pluses for San Antonio are savvy and big-game experience. But will those traits be enough to offset a roster that's stocked with older players?
          Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili are still good. But both are past 30 and can no longer play extended minutes over the course a long season like they did when they were younger. Ditto for 36-year old Antonio McDyess whose minutes have been reduced. McDyess, though, can still impact a game in short stretches. Then there's Tony Parker, a nine-year veteran who seems like he's been around forever. Parker is only 28, but has played heavy minutes over the past several seasons. At 30, Richard Jefferson has enough quality ball left in him to help San Antonio make another trip to the NBA Finals.
        Coach Greg Popovich figures heavily into the championship equation. His ability to skillfully manage floor minutes for his key older players will pay huge dividends. If the Spurs enter the playoffs in a worn-down state, they won't have much, if any staying power.
         On the other hand, if Coach Pop's crew is rested at the start of the post-season, the Spurs will be tough out for anybody. That includes the Lakers and anybody from the NBA's Eastern Conference.       
         Speaking of the East, the Boston Celtics have already proven that an older team can go a long way. Just look at what happened last season. The Celtics pushed the younger Lakers to a Game Seven of the NBA Finals. And don't forget that Boston was in position to win it all, until they ran out of gas in the fourth quarter of that game. Had the Celts won, it would have been their second league championship in three years.