5 Reasons Why the Spurs Will Beat the Thunder in the Western Conference Finals

The San Antonio Spurs have roared back and taken over first place in the Western Conference by a few percentage points.

If the season ended today and the Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder won their series as they're expected to based on their seeding, they would meet in the Western Conference Finals.

Although the Oklahoma City Thunder have looked like the better team all season long, the Spurs have what it takes to win this series and advance to their first NBA Finals since 2007.

Here are five reasons why the Spurs will win. 

Spurs Aren't as Old as You Think

The San Antonio Spurs are always labeled as "too old." 

Every year fans call them too old yet they're always in the thick of things. 

You know why?

Because they're actually not that old.

The average age of the top 10 minute-getters for the Spurs is 28.4 years. For the Thunder, it's 27. Although the core of the Thunder is considerably younger than San Antonio's big three, the Spurs bench and role players are young, energetic and a major part of the team.

Guys like Kawhi Leonard, Gary Neal and DeJuan Blair are in their 20s. And it seems like people tend to forget that Tony Parker is still in his prime. He's nowhere near old. He's one of the most effective point guards in the league and the best player on this team. 

The Spurs have what it takes to match the energy of the high-flying Thunder.

Confidence from Regular-Season Meetings

The San Antonio Spurs lost their first game to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the regular season, but that was way back in January.

The Spurs ended up winning the last two meetings and that'll give them the confidence to be able to match up with the Oklahoma City Thunder. In fact, only three teams were able to beat the Thunder more than once this season.

The Spurs beat the Thunder in both games by an average of 10 points. If they were able to handle them like that in the regular season, why can't they take care of them in the playoffs?

Experienced Veterans

We mentioned that there is a misconception regarding the Spurs' age. Many people think they're an extremely aging team when they really aren't. 

That being said, they still have savvy veterans who bring leadership and experience to the table. Guys like Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and even Tony Parker were part of the Spurs' championship teams from the 2000s. 

They're also major contributors to the team who are battle tested.

The Spurs, as a whole, are sort of like a salt-and-pepper beard. The salt consists of the Spurs legends that lead the team and the pepper is made up of the young guys who bring the energy. It's a wonderful mix that brings an attractive look to the team.

Finally, the Oklahoma City Thunder really don't have an elder statesman on the floor. They did acquire Derek Fisher during the trading deadline but there's only so much Fisher can do these days. He can hit the occasional clutch shot, but there's no way he's going to be getting the ball with Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant and James Harden on the floor.

The Spurs veterans, on the other hand, bring the same locker-room presence that Fisher does and they lead by example on the floor. 

Home-Court Advantage?

Home advantage might mean everything in this series.

Both teams are stellar at home, but a bit more pedestrian on the road.

The Spurs currently hold home court because they have the No. 1 seed and if they secure it for the series, it may be the difference against the Thunder.

The Spurs have a 25-5 record at the AT&T Center and feel extremely comfortable playing in front of their home crowd. 

Better Coaching

In order for a team to win an NBA title, they need a great coach. There's a reason why Phil Jackson had 11 rings and it's the same reason why Gregg Popovich has won four titles. 

They're both great coaches and it's quite clear that the Spurs have the advantage coaching wise. His knowledge, leadership, basketball IQ, experience and Midas touch to any team he coaches, will help the Spurs bolt past the Thunder.

Scott Brooks is a fantastic head coach for the Thunder and he's done a magnificent job in turning one of the youngest teams in the league into one of the best. That being said, he only has a handful of playoff experience compared to Popovich.

Popovich will have his team prepared to pull off a shocker and why not?

He's done it before.