The NBA season is finally upon us, and I couldn't be more ready. All eyes will be on the San Antonio Spurs to come out of the gate firing and deliver on the high expectations that they have received. However, when the Spurs aren't battling it out, fans should turn their attention to a select few squads that we are dying to see lose.
I hate to admit it, but no, the NBA doesn't completely revolve around the Spurs. Instead, we need to keep our eyes peeled for the moving pieces around San Antonio. Whether it be for the fate of the team's draft picks or bitter rivalry, these are the teams that we will laugh at in defeat.
An Atlanta Hawks downfall will benefit the Spurs the most
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Perhaps the most important for the Spurs' future is that the Atlanta Hawks need to suffer. As the Silver and Black hold a pick swap with the franchise, San Antonio could take on a lottery pick if they perform better than the Hawks this season. As the Spurs continue to build upon their young talent, adding yet another youngster would help propel them even further into becoming a future dynasty.
Widely dubbed as a team to [make a massive leap in 2025-26](https://airalamo.com/spurs-worst-nightmare-comes-true-nba-insiders-right), the Hawks have loaded up on talent and are preparing for a breakout year. But no fast. There is no guarantee that this will happen. The Hawks have notoriously failed to live up to their hype and have often found themselves in the play-in tournament over recent seasons.
In the event of a Trae Young breakup, it is not entirely out of the realm of possibility that the Hawks once again struggle and end up gifting the Spurs a lottery selection. Let's all hope that's the case.
Spurs' rivals and other Western Conference playoff teams
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The Spurs aren't friends with everyone. There is a list of franchises that Spurs fans would absolutely love to see fail.
The first two teams the Spurs will be [dying to see lose](https://airalamo.com/underrated-spurs-takeaways-buried-beneath-wembanyama-monstrous-return) are their in-state rivals, the Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets. There's no better rivalry than one that comes from your own state. These teams have always hated each other and will continue to do so. For bragging rights and the ownership of basketball in Texas, Spurs fans would love to see these guys fall off a cliff.
In previous eras, the Spurs have formed rivalries with the Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz due to intense Western Conference playoff matchups. While the heat may not be as fierce as before, it would put a smile on my face to see these squads sitting lowly at the bottom.
As the Spurs' quest to the finals begins, they may need some help from other teams. Getting to the playoffs won't be easy despite the Spurs' bolstered roster. While teams such as the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, and Denver Nuggets are shoe-ins for the top seeds in the conference, once you get past them, the door is wide open.
If the Spurs want to skyrocket to the upper echelon of the conference, it will take big losses from the Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Lakers, and Los Angeles Clippers. Sitting in the middle of the pack with these squads, the Spurs will be seeking the extra leg up. Be on the lookout for the demise of these strong units.