Jun 9, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich (right) talks with point guard Tony Parker (9) during the third quarter of game two of the 2013 NBA Finals at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

It goes by different terms: “The Spurs model”,“The Spurs philosophy”, etc. Some would have you believe it doesn’t exist; that the Spurs have no different philosophy as the 29 others organization other than to achieve the pinnacle of competitive basketball by any means, the elusive Larry O’Brien trophy. There are a lot of misguided labels and misconceptions of this successful franchise. “Boring basketball?” Maybe if you consider a team that finished the 2012-13 season 4th in points per game and 6th in offensive efficiency. In addition, it’s hard to try to nail descriptions to an ever-changing organization in an ever-changing league that forces innovation to be able to compete.

Gregg Popovich, the legendary Spurs head coach, recently created a stir about his comments regarding domestic and international NBA players saying foreign players are “fundamentally more hardworking than most American kids”. Regardless of the actual merit of the statement, it goes a long way to explaining San Antonio’s international plan of attack. A quick glance at the current roster reveals that only 6 of the 15 players were born in the United States. Currents Spurs hail from all over the world, including France, Brazil, Argentina, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. That’s not necessarily to say to American players have not been a key focus over the years (see Kawhi Leonard, David Robinson, Bruce Bowen, etc.) or that international players have always been solid finds. Heck, it even depends whether you consider Tim Duncan to really be international (he was born and raised in the US Virgin Islands). But there is something to say for a group that shuns signing flashy, usually domestic, players looking to build the next superstar duo, trio or any other super group.

In that same piece, Popovich talks about the lack of entitlement most international players have when compared to their American counterparts. He describes them as coming to the NBA as humble and coachable as opposed to unappreciative and lacking some basic fundamentals. This mentality even trickles down to those permanently seated on the bench. Mike Budenholzer and Quin Snyder, who currently compose the Hawks coaching staff, have both even had experience coaching in the Euroleague.

Having a set of General Manager and coaching staff on the same page is another hallmark of the recent Spurs regime. Gregg Popovich was the General Manager before naming himself coach in 1996. For a period of 6 years, we was both General Manager and Head Coach. Talk about continuity between the two positions. He gave way to R.C. Buford in 2002. Both were former assistants on the same coaching staff back in 1988.

Admittedly, Mike Budenholzer is not as brash as Popovich is with the media. The already tight-lipped Hawks organization need not change that aspect to emulate those in black, silver and white. But the common fan doesn’t care about media protocol, just simply about fielding a championship level team. The Hawks may step on some toes along the way, as Popovich did in resting his main players in front of a national televised game. It drew the ire of Commissioner David Stern and carried a $250,000 fine. And yet, as of June 16, 2013, the Spurs are two wins away from hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy for the fifth time in under two decades.

Danny Ferry has a long connection with both Mike Budenholzer and Quin Snyder. Budenholzer was a long time Spurs assistant, during with Ferry both played for him and overlooked in as he sat in the front office. Ferry and Snyder were roommates for four years in the last 1980′s as members of Duke’s basketball team. There should not be any noticeable impasse in proper communication between these entities.

When Tim Duncan’s career is over, he will rank possibly among the ten greatest players in NBA/ABA history. The Hawks probably will not come across a player of his caliber in the follow decade or beyond. For this reaspm, don’t expect an exact replica of the current Spurs’ offensive and defensive schemes to be implemented. However, you can attempt to model without the requirement of replication. Robby Kalland of Peachtree Hoops has already outlined some of the ways Al Horford can be used under a Spurs-like regime. But with the majority of the roster left to fill, the direction of those signings and drafting’s will go a long way to determining what the team will look like this upcoming season and beyond.

Jan 19, 2013; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; San Antonio Spurs Tony Parker (9) goes up for a shot while Atlanta Hawks Jeff Teague (0) defends during the second half at Philips Arena. The Spurs defeated the Hawks 98-93. Mandatory Credit: Josh D. Weiss-USA TODAY Sports

Under the assumption Jeff Teague returns to the Hawks next season, what can we expect in his third season as starter and fifth in Atlanta? His sophomore starting season was met with mixed reviews including his sometimes lackadaisical pick and roll defense. Teague had to take on a larger role with the departure of Joe Johnson and Marvin Williams. One can only hope he picks up a tape of Tony Parker in the offseason. Parker’s paint penetration has sliced apart the Heat defense and others for the last few years. Teague and others will also try to expound on the motion offense that Larry Drew began to install in his 3 year tenure. The Spurs finished the 2012-13 season first in assists per game, helping motivate the selflessness stigma of the players that come through the city of the Alamo.

Expanded use of all resources will be on the table. Beyond international scouting and development, there will be more emphasis on the domestic development NBA D-League. The Spurs currently have ties to the Austin Toros, in which players like Cory Joseph have been groomed for a future role in the San Antonio rotation. The Toros even won the D-League championship in the 2011-12 season, in a mild upset over the Laker’s affiliated team, the Los Angeles D-Fenders. While the Hawks are a ways away from a one-to-one affilitiation with a D-League team, the recent success of many D-League alumni in the Association as well as the CBA granting more use for teams, for example rookies can be optioned three through their third season, it will certainly be a noticeable aspect going forward.

Another word often associated with the Spurs has been flexibility: of the players to play different positions with ease and of the coaching and management to react and respond to change, whether at halftime of an NBA Finals game or with the introduction of a new NBA bylaw. The Spurs have typically had shooting guards that can handle the ball and run an offense, speedy and penetrating point guards with wide court vision, and forwards that can stretch the defense as well as bang down low to complement the rock solid Tim Duncan over the years.

In the end, all franchises are judged on results, not the process. No one is here to argue against a .700 winning percentage during Popovich’s reign or 4 championships. The Hawks certainly want just a piece of that success. But an organization must have a clear plan of attack before all the details fall in place. Why not model after such an incredibly pace-setting regime.

There exists a basic doctrine regarding the movement of teams in this league; that this league is a copycat league. It’s a creed as basic as a Tim Duncan bank shot.

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The most anticipated matchup of the semifinals is definitely the Heat against the Bulls. However the second round of the 2013 NBA playoffs begins Sunday, March 5 at 1:00 PM (ET) with the No.1 Oklahoma City Thunder hosting No.5  Memphis Grizzlies.

Here’s the current schedule of the second round playoffs :

EASTERN CONFERENCE

(1) Miami Heat vs. (5) Chicago Bulls

• Game 1 at Miami: Monday, May 6 at 7:00 PM (ET) on TNT
• Game 2 at Miami: Wednesday, May 8 at 7:00 PM (ET) on TNT
• Game 3 at Chicago: Friday, May 10 at 8:00 PM (ET) on ESPN
• Game 4 at Chicago: TBD
• Game 5 at Miami: TBD
• Game 6 at Chicago: TBD
• Game 7 at Miami: TBD

(2) New York Knicks vs. (3) Indiana Pacers

• Game 1 at New York: Sunday, May 5 at 3:30 PM (ET) on ABC
• Game 2 at New York: Tuesday, May 7 at 7:00 PM (ET) on TNT
• Game 3 at Indianapolis: Saturday, May 11 at 8:00 PM (ET) on ABC
• Game 4 at Indianapolis: TBD
• Game 5 at New York: TBD
• Game 6 at Indianapolis: TBD
• Game 7 at New York: TBD

WESTERN CONFERENCE

(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (5) Memphis Grizzlies

• Game 1 at Oklahoma City: Sunday, May 5 at 1:00 PM (ET) on ABC
• Game 2 at Oklahoma City: Tuesday, May 7 at 9:30 PM (ET) on TNT
• Game 3 at Memphis: Saturday, May 11 at 5:00 PM (ET) on ESPN
• Game 4 at Memphis: TBD
• Game 5 at Oklahoma City: TBD
• Game 6 at Memphis: TBD
• Game 7 at Oklahoma City: TBD

(2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (6) Golden State Warriors

• Game 1 at San Antonio: Monday, May 6 at 9:30 PM (ET) on TNT
• Game 2 at San Antonio: Wednesday, May 8 at 9:30 PM (ET) on TNT
• Game 3 at Golden State: Friday, May 10 at 10:30 PM (ET) on ESPN
• Game 4 at Golden State: TBD
• Game 5 at San Antonio: TBD
• Game 6 at Golden State: TBD
• Game 7 at San Antonio: TBD

Mark J. Terrill / AP

Greetings! Now that the first round playoff schedule has been released, and we gave our take on the X-factors and predictions, lets take a look at the possibility of “upsets” in each series. Let’s get it started!

Eastern Conference

#1 Miami Heat vs. #8 Milwaukee Bucks

I could go on for 1,000 words on this series, but it’s fairly simple. Miami has the best three players in the series, they were the best team in the NBA by six full games this season, and Milwaukee finished the season at 38-44 on the back of a bottom-10 offense. If there is one area where Milwaukee could challenge Miami, it is in the backcourt, as both Jennings and Ellis possess the ability to blow up an opposing defense, but any chance of an explosion from them is likely a one-game-only scenario. In short, the Bucks have no chance.

Upset Probability: 1%

#2 New York Knicks vs. #7 Boston Celtics

Now we’re talking. Two of the league’s signature franchises square off here, and this should be ultra-competitive. New York is the significantly better team on paper, playing with a legit MVP candidate in Carmelo Anthony and a bunch of explosive offensive pieces (read: shooters) around him. For Boston, they match-up very, very well with an offensive-minded team like New York thanks to the efforts of stoppers like Avery Bradley, Jeff Green, and Kevin Garnett. For me, the possibility of a Boston upset in this series comes down to two factors. First, they desperately need full health from Kevin Garnett. They are simply a different team if he is absent/hobbled, and he anchors everything they do defensively while providing 15-18 points in the bank. Secondly, Jeff Green is one of the NBA’s biggest enigmas, but his consistency has improved vastly over the second half of the season, and if he can be the guy that has given Miami fits this season for seven games? Boston immediately becomes a factor.

Upset Probability: 40%

#3 Indiana Pacers vs. #6 Atlanta Hawks

There will be a ton of content about this series in this space (obviously), so I’ll keep this short. For the life of me, I can’t figure out why Atlanta seemingly tanked the final week of the season to line up a series with Indiana. This is not a good match-up for the Hawks. Indiana has an elite wing player in Paul George (something the Hawks don’t want to face), a defensive stopper in the middle in Hibbert (giving Al Horford fits with his size and without Pachulia available), and they finished the season with the league’s best defense. Stop me when I say something positive. Without the benefit of two of their top 7 players (Williams and Pachulia), this is not a match-up where I can see the Hawks really threatening to win 4 out of 7 games. The brightest picture here comes from the fact that Indiana is offensively challenged at times, and if the Hawks can aid them into some bad shots with good defense, it could become competitive.

Upset Probability: 15%

#4 Brooklyn Nets vs. #5 Chicago Bulls

The hanging cloud of Derrick Rose’s absence hangs over this series. With Deron Williams suddenly playing well (averaging 23 and 8 after the All-Star Break), the Bulls are in deep trouble in the backcourt, having to deploy the Nate Robinson/Kirk Hinrich combination. The frontcourt battle between Joakim Noah and Brook Lopez could be a draw, with both guys taking advantage of their strengths, but Brooklyn is certainly the more talented team in the absence of Rose. The positive end for Chicago is their ability to hold the opponent down defensively (allowing a top-5 in the league number of 100.3 points per 100 possessions), but with their offensive issues, I can’t see it.

Upset Probability: 25%

Western Conference

#1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. #8 Houston Rockets

James Harden facing off against his old team is one of the best subplots of the first round this season. With that said, however, the Thunder are head-and-shoulders better than Houston is just about every aspect. Oklahoma City is 2nd in the league in offense (fractionally behind Miami) and 3rd in the league in defense, while Houston fails to maintain that consistency with a #5 offense and a #16 defense. Harden will be keyed on by Sefolosha, and without an absolute explosion from him, the Rockets are in trouble. On the other end, I look for Durant to average 30-35 a night, and Jeremy Lin will have his hands full with Russ Westbrook. The Thunder cruise.

Upset Probability: 10%

#2 San Antonio Spurs vs. #7 Los Angeles Lakers

Injuries rule the day. For the Spurs, Manu Ginobili will likely miss the entire series while Tony Parker is extremely rusty following his own injury struggles. For LA, Kobe Bryant’s noticeable absence casts a deep shadow, and Steve Nash was unable to play down the stretch of the regular season. San Antonio should be thrilled that the slow, plodding Lakers were able to secure the #7 seed, as they avoid the lively Rockets, and without Kobe, this version of the Lakers simply isn’t a threat to win a series without some help from San Antonio. I believe in Pop, Duncan, and Parker, and despite D’Antoni’s late acceptance of the Dwight/Pau duo, the perimeter play for the Lakers won’t be enough.

Upset Probability: 15%

#3 Denver Nuggets vs. #6 Golden State Warriors

This is going to be a riveting series. It’s generally a good idea to pick the team that employs the best player in the series, but in this instance, the best player (Stephen Curry) is on the underdog. Both teams are top 10 in offensive efficiency and top 5 in pace, so this is the casual fan’s dream of up-and-down basketball with point totals in the 110-120 range every night. Denver isn’t at full strength after the loss of Danilo Gallinari, but with Ty Lawson looking to be close to full strength, they are still the favorite in the series. For the Dubs, they’ll lean heavily on the Curry/Thompson/Lee combo in this series, likely aiming to outscore the slightly short-handed Nuggets. Because they have the firepower, Golden State has a big-time chance at an upset, but with a gun to my head, I’d take the Nuggets.

Upset Probability: 40%

#4 Los Angeles Clippers vs. #5 Memphis Grizzlies

This series is honestly dead even, with LA becoming a slight favorite on the back of home-court advantage. Each team had identical home/road records this year (and overall, obviously), so it will come down to this for me. Who has the best player in the series? On paper and in my mind, Chris Paul is one of the best 5 players on Planet Earth, and if he plays to his capability, the Clips possess the ultimate weapon. His match-up with Mike Conley is must-see-TV, and he’ll hold the ball in his hands for virtually every crunch time possession. If Memphis has designs on advancing, they’ll need a super-human effort from Zach Randolph, and because we’ve seen him take over a series before, it’s certainly in play. It won’t be the casual fan’s dream, but NBA diehards should love this series, and it’s the best bet on the entire board for a 7-game war.

Upset Probability: 45%

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It hasn’t been long since “March Madness” ended, but the NBA playoffs are a survival of the fittest and “upsets” are hard to come by. Stay tuned for the fantastic action!