With a record of 50-16 last season, the San Antonio Spurs became the first team in NBA history to string together 13 consecutive 50-win seasons. The 1999 lockout-shortened season was the last time the Spurs won fewer than 50 games. That year they were 37-13, which translates to 60 wins under a normal 82-game schedule.
With their championship trio of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker leading the way, San Antonio is poised to have another strong season. The experience that their young players, particularly Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green, gained during last season's playoff run will be helpful. And when you add a full season of Stephen Jackson and Patrick Mills to that mix, San Antonio has a solid formula of veteran leadership, youthful exuberance and cohesion that will result in yet another 50-win season.
Here are game-by-game predictions for the 2012-2013 San Antonio Spurs:
Game 1, Wednesday, October 31 at New Orleans Hornets- Spurs open their season with a Halloween night victory over the young Hornets in Anthony Davis' NBA debut (Record 1-0).
Game 2, Thursday, November 1 versus Oklahoma City Thunder- Spurs get a home win over Kevin Durant and the Thunder (Record 2-0).
Game 3, Saturday, November 3 versus Utah Jazz- Spurs defeat the visiting Jazz (Record 3-0).
Game 4, Monday, November 5 versus Indiana Pacers- Spurs close a perfect 3-0 homestand with a victory over the Pacers (Record 4-0).
Game 5, Wednesday, November 7 at Los Angeles Clippers- Spurs fall to Chris Paul and the Clippers at the Staples Center (Record 4-1).
Game 6, Friday, November 9 at Sacramento Kings- Spurs beat the Kings in Sacramento for the ninth consecutive time (Record 5-1).
Game 7, Saturday, November 10 at Portland Trail Blazers- Spurs fall to the Trail Blazers at the Rose Garden for the eighth straight time (Record 5-2).
Game 8, Tuesday, November 13 at Los Angeles Lakers- Spurs close a respectable 2-2 road trip with a victory over Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash and the Lakers (Record 6-2).
Game 9, Thursday, November 15 versus New York Knicks- Spurs beat the Knicks at the AT&T Center for the 10th straight time (Record 7-2).
Game 10, Saturday, November 17 versus Denver Nuggets- Spurs get a home win over the Nuggets (Record 8-2).
Game 11, Monday, November 19 versus Los Angeles Clippers- Spurs defeat the Clippers and remain undefeated at home (Record 9-2).
Game 12, Wednesday, November 21 at Boston Celtics- Spurs open a six-game road trip with a loss to the Celtics (Record 9-3).
Game 13, Friday, November 23 at Indiana Pacers- Spurs defeat the Pacers for the 10th straight time (Record 10-3).
Game 14, Sunday, November 25 at Toronto Raptors- Spurs drop a Sunday matinee to the Raptors at the Air Canada Centre (Record 10-4).
Game 15, Monday, November 26 at Washington Wizards- Spurs defeat the Wizards at the Verizon Center to successfully complete a back-to-back (Record 11-4).
Game 16, Wednesday, November 28 at Orlando Magic- Spurs beat the Magic (Record 12-4).
Game 17, Thursday, November 29 at Miami Heat- Spurs play their fourth road game in five days and fall to the Heat (Record 12-5).
Game 18, Saturday, December 1 versus Memphis Grizzlies- Spurs open December with a home win over the Grizzlies (Record 13-5).
Game 19, Wednesday, December 5 versus Milwaukee Bucks- Spurs beat the Bucks and win their eighth straight at the AT&T Center (Record 14-5).
Game 20, Friday, December 7 versus Houston Rockets- Spurs close out another 3-0 homestand with a victory over Jeremy Lin and the Rockets (Record 15-5).
Game 21, Saturday, December 8 at Charlotte Bobcats- Spurs defeat the Bobcats to open a four-game road trip (Record 16-5).
Game 22, Monday, December 10 at Houston Rockets- Spurs get a road win over the Rockets at the Toyota Center (Record 17-5).
Game 23, Wednesday, December 12 at Utah Jazz- Spurs fall to the Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena (Record 17-6).
Game 24, Thursday, December 13 at Portland Trail Blazers- Spurs play for the third time in three nights and drop another road game to the Trail Blazers (Record 17-7).
Game 25, Saturday, December 15 versus Boston Celtics- Spurs rebound with a home win over the Celtics (Record 18-7).
Game 26, Monday, December 17 at Oklahoma City Thunder- Spurs lose to the Thunder in the first half of a back-to-back (Record 18-8).
Game 27, Tuesday, December 18 at Denver Nuggets- Spurs visit the Mile High City and fall to the Nuggets (Record 18-9).
Game 28, Friday, December 21 versus New Orleans Hornets- Spurs open a four-game homestand with a double-digit victory over the Hornets (Record 19-9).
Game 29, Sunday, December 23 versus Dallas Mavericks- Spurs continue their home dominance with a win over the rival Mavericks (Record 20-9).
Game 30, Wednesday, December 26 versus Toronto Raptors- Spurs defeat the Raptors to avenge a November loss (Record 21-9).
Game 31, Friday, December 28 versus Houston Rockets- Spurs beat the Rockets for the third time in three weeks (Record 22-9).
Game 32, Sunday, December 30 at Dallas Mavericks- Spurs fall to the Mavericks at the American Airlines Center (Record 22-10).
Game 33, Monday, December 31 versus Brooklyn Nets- Spurs play for the third time in four nights and drop their first home game of the season to the Nets (Record 22-11).
Game 34, Wednesday, January 2 at Milwaukee Bucks- Spurs defeat the Bucks at the Bradley Center (Record 23-11).
Game 35, Thursday, January 3 at New York Knicks- Spurs drop the second half of a back-to-back to Carmelo Anthony and the Knicks (Record 23-12).
Game 36, Saturday, January 5 versus Philadelphia 76ers- Spurs get a home win over Andrew Bynum and the visiting 76ers (Record 24-12).
Game 37, Monday, January 7 at New Orleans Hornets- Spurs beat the Hornets for their 25th victory of the season (Record 25-12).
Game 38, Wednesday, January 9 versus Los Angeles Lakers- Spurs get a close home win over the Lakers (Record 26-12).
Game 39, Friday, January 11 at Memphis Grizzlies- Spurs defeat the Grizzlies for the sixth straight time (Record 27-12).
Game 40, Sunday, January 13 versus Minnesota Timberwolves- Spurs beat the Timberwolves at the AT&T Center for the 16th straight time (Record 28-12).
Game 41, Wednesday, January 16 versus Memphis Grizzlies- Spurs get another victory over the Grizzlies (Record 29-12).
Game 42, Friday, January 18 versus Golden State Warriors- Spurs defeat the Warriors for the 16th straight time (Record 30-12).
Game 43, Saturday, January 19 at Atlanta Hawks- Spurs drop the second half of a back-to-back to the Hawks (Record 30-13).
Game 44, Monday, January 21 at Philadelphia 76ers- Spurs play their third game in four nights and fall to the 76ers (Record 30-14).
Game 45, Wednesday, January 23 versus New Orleans Hornets- Spurs beat the Hornets and win their sixth straight home game (Record 31-14).
Game 46, Friday, January 25 at Dallas Mavericks- Spurs drop a close game on the road to the Mavericks (Record 31-15).
Game 47, Saturday, January 26 versus Phoenix Suns- Spurs open a three-game homestand with a victory over the Suns (Record 32-15).
Game 48, Wednesday, January 30 versus Charlotte Bobcats- Spurs defeat the Bobcats for the fifth consecutive time (Record 33-15).
Game 49, Saturday, February 2 versus Washington Wizards- Spurs beat the Wizards for the 14th straight time (Record 34-15).
Game 50, Wednesday, February 6 at Minnesota Timberwolves- Spurs kick off their annual Rodeo Road Trip with a victory over the Timberwolves (Record 35-15).
Game 51, Friday, February 8 at Detroit Pistons- Spurs beat the Pistons at the Palace (Record 36-15).
Game 52, Sunday, February 10 at Brooklyn Nets- Spurs defeat the Nets at the Barclays Center to avenge a New Year's Eve loss (Record 37-15).
Game 53, Monday, February 11 at Chicago Bulls- Spurs successfully complete a back-to-back with a victory over the Bulls (Record 38-15).
Game 54, Wednesday, February 13 at Cleveland Cavaliers- Spurs head into the All-Star break with a road win over the Cavaliers (Record 39-15).
Game 55, Tuesday, February 19 at Sacramento Kings- Spurs defeat the Kings and get their 40th win of the season (Record 40-15).
Game 56, Thursday, February 21 at Los Angeles Clippers- Spurs drop a road game to the Clippers (Record 40-16).
Game 57, Friday, February 22 at Golden State Warriors- Spurs fall to the Warriors in the second half of a back-to-back (Record 40-17).
Game 58, Sunday, February 24 at Phoenix Suns- Spurs play for the third time in four nights and lose to the Suns (Record 40-18).
Game 59, Wednesday, February 27 versus Phoenix Suns- Spurs exact their revenge with a double-digit victory over the Suns (Record 41-18).
Game 60, Friday, March 1 versus Sacramento Kings- Spurs open March by beating the Kings for the second time in 10 days (Record 42-18).
Game 61, Sunday, March 3 versus Detroit Pistons- Spurs defeat the Pistons and pick up their 12th consecutive home win (Record 43-18).
Game 62, Wednesday, March 6 versus Chicago Bulls- Spurs beat the Bulls and win the season series 2-0 (Record 44-18).
Game 63, Friday, March 8 versus Portland Trail Blazers- Spurs get a home win over the Trail Blazers (Record 45-18).
Game 64, Monday, March 11 versus Oklahoma City Thunder- Spurs close out a 6-0 homestand with a victory over the Thunder (Record 46-18).
Game 65, Tuesday, March 12 at Minnesota Timberwolves- Spurs drop the second half of a back-to-back to the Timberwolves at the Target Center (Record 46-19).
Game 66, Thursday, March 14 versus Dallas Mavericks- Spurs get back on track by beating the Mavericks at the AT&T Center (Record 47-19).
Game 67, Saturday, March 16 versus Cleveland Cavaliers- Spurs defeat the Cavaliers for the seventh straight time (Record 48-19).
Game 68, Wednesday, March 20 versus Golden State Warriors- Spurs continue their home dominance with a win over the Warriors (Record 49-19).
Game 69, Friday, March 22 versus Utah Jazz- Spurs close a 4-0 homestand with a victory over the Jazz (Record 50-19).
Game 70, Sunday, March 24 at Houston Rockets- Spurs defeat the Rockets and sweep the season series, 4-0, for the first time in seven years (Record 51-19).
Game 71, Wednesday, March 27 versus Denver Nuggets- Spurs get a home win over the Nuggets (Record 52-19).
Game 72, Friday, March 29 versus Los Angeles Clippers- Spurs beat the Clippers and tie the season series at two games apiece (Record 53-19).
Game 73, Sunday, March 31 versus Miami Heat- Spurs close March with home win over LeBron James and the Heat (Record 54-19).
Game 74, Monday, April 1 at Memphis Grizzlies- Spurs fall to the Grizzlies at the FedExForum (Record 54-20).
Game 75, Wednesday, April 3 versus Orlando Magic- Spurs defeat the Mavericks in the first half of a back-to-back (Record 55-20).
Game 76, Thursday, April 4 at Oklahoma City Thunder- Spurs play their third game in four nights and fall to the Thunder (Record 55-21).
Game 77, Saturday, April 6 versus Atlanta Hawks- Spurs defeat the Hawks in San Antonio for the 15th straight time (Record 56-21).
Game 78, Wednesday, April 10 at Denver Nuggets- Spurs defeat the Nuggets at the Pepsi Center and win the season series 3-1 (Record 57-21).
Game 79, Friday, April 12 versus Sacramento Kings- Spurs defeat the Kings (Record 58-21).
Game 80, Sunday, April 14 at Los Angeles Lakers- Spurs drop a road game to the Lakers (Record 58-22).
Game 81, Monday, April 15 at Golden State Warriors- Spurs fall to the Warriors and drop both halves of a California back-to-back (Record 58-23).
Game 82, Wednesday, April 17 versus Minnesota Timberwolves- Spurs lose their final game of the season to the Timberwolves (Record 58-24).
Prediction: With a strong mix of veteran leadership and youthful exuberance, the San Antonio Spurs will extend their streak of 50-win seasons to 14 and claim their third consecutive Southwest Division title in the process.
Mark is a lifelong fan of the NBA who has loved the game of basketball ever since his first trip to an NBA arena. Mark has watched more basketball games than anyone can count and has hundreds of articles about the NBA published on the internet. Mark also shares his random NBA musings and game-by-game predictions on RandomNBAFan.com.
More 2012-2013 game-by-game predictions
Indiana Pacers 2012-2013 Game-by-Game Predictions: One NBA Fan's Outlook
Los Angeles Lakers 2012-2013 Game-by-Game Predictions: One NBA Fan's Outlook
Boston Celtics 2012-2013 Game-by-Game Predictions: One NBA Fan's Outlook
Oklahoma City Thunder 2012-2013 Game-by-Game Predictions: One NBA Fan's Outlook
Miami Heat 2012-2013 Game-by-Game Predictions: One NBA Fan's Outlook
Information from Basketball-Reference.com's San Antonio Spurs Franchise Index and ESPN.com's San Antonio Spurs 2013 Schedule was used for this article.
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