Spurs 2016-17 Schedule: Top Games, Championship Odds and Record Predictions

After surprisingly losing in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs last season, the San Antonio Spurs are out for redemption, and the path was laid out for them Thursday in the form of the NBA schedule release.

While San Antonio's roster remains largely unchanged, the biggest difference from last year is the retirement of Tim Duncan, who was replaced by Pau Gasol. The Spurs may have gained in terms of production, but it is difficult to predict how losing the heart and soul of the team will impact their psyche.

With the Spurs set to enter a new era in franchise history, here is a look at their 2016-17 schedule, as well as further analysis of the top games on tap and predictions for how the first post-Duncan season in San Antonio will play out.

2016-17 Details

Season Opener: Tuesday, Oct. 25 at 8:30 p.m. ET at Golden State Warriors

Championship Odds: 10-1 (via Odds Shark)

Full Schedule: NBA.com

Top Matchups

Golden State Warriors

First Overall Matchup: Tuesday, Oct. 25 at 8:30 p.m. ET at GS

The Spurs enjoyed one of the greatest regular seasons in NBA history last year going 67-15, but they were very much overshadowed by the Golden State Warriors setting the all-time record with a mark of 73-9.

One of those nine losses came at the hands of the Spurs, although the Dubs went 3-1 against San Antonio and firmly established their dominance over their closest regular-season competition.

Golden State likely got better during the offseason by signing Kevin Durant away from the Oklahoma City Thunder. The jury is still out on whether the Spurs improved, but with superstars like Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge still in place, they figure to be an elite team once again.

Even though the Warriors fell to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals, they are the measuring stick against which all other teams are compared. In all likelihood, San Antonio will have to go through Golden State in order to win an NBA title in 2016-17.

Because of that, the Spurs' first regular-season matchup with the Warriors is of great importance. A win or loss in that game won't make or break the year for either team, but it could serve as a warning shot to the rest of the league.

The Warriors look unbeatable on paper with Durant joining Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green; however, San Antonio's roster is something special as well.

Leonard, Aldridge, Gasol, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili make up a strong core with a good mix of rising stars and championship-winning veterans.

Add in the influence of head coach Gregg Popovich, and there's reason to believe that San Antonio could be the one team capable of slowing down the Golden State juggernaut. 

Chicago Bulls

Road Matchup: Thursday, Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m. ET

Return matchups are always circled on the calendar when the NBA schedule comes out, and the most intriguing one involving the Spurs is Gasol's return to the United Center after opting against re-signing with the Chicago Bulls.

The Bulls didn't have as much success as Gasol hoped for when he signed with them for two years, but he put up strong numbers in his own right. The Spaniard was an All-Star last season with averages of 16.5 points and 11.0 rebounds, and he left the Windy City on seemingly good terms.

In an essay he wrote for the Players' Tribune, Gasol expressed gratitude for his two years with the Bulls despite not coming anywhere close to a championship:

"

I take so many positive things away from the entire experience in Chicago. ... I will be forever grateful to the Reinsdorf family, to the entire Bulls organization, to the players, and especially to the fans, for making me feel loved and at home, through good times and bad. You were there for me, and I will carry the memories we made together at the United Center and in the community for the rest of my life.

"

It is often tough to gauge how fans will react when a former player returns to town, but based on Gasol's classy exit, there seems to be a solid chance that he'll get a warm reception.

Regardless of how the Bulls fans treat Gasol, his first trip back to Chicago figures to be an intriguing one since the Bulls underwent a huge makeover this offseason.

Jimmy Butler is still in place as the cornerstone, but Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah are gone in favor of Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade. It isn't yet known if the Bulls got any better, but they shook things up significantly, which was needed after missing the playoffs.

Facing a team as talented as San Antonio at home will be a great test for the Bulls to see where they stand in the NBA hierarchy, and it will also be an opportunity for Gasol to prove he has plenty left in the tank at the age of 36.

Record Prediction

This offseason was one that saw the Spurs shuffle their depth by losing the likes of Boris Diaw and Boban Marjanovic but signing center Dewayne Dedmon and selecting guard Dejounte Murray in the first round of the NBA draft.

The biggest storyline, though, was undoubtedly the retirement of Duncan and his subsequent replacement with Gasol.

Duncan's numbers were down last season as he averaged career lows with 8.6 points and 7.3 rebounds, but stats are only part of the story.

He is a five-time NBA champion, three-time NBA Finals MVP and one of the most prolific playoff performers in the history of the NBA. Even though he had lost a few steps, his mere presence was of great value for the Spurs under the bright postseason lights.

As pointed out by Popovich, nobody else can bring the same qualities to the table that Duncan did, per ESPN.com: "He's irreplaceable. It can't happen. We're all unique—I guess each one of us is unique—but he's been so important to so many people it's just mind-boggling."

The production differences between Duncan and Gasol suggest the Spurs could be a better team in 2016-17 than they were last year, but the change in leadership is something that must also be accounted for.

In addition to that, the Spurs are always capped in terms of how many games they can win due to Popovich's preference to rest players when possible.

The talent is undoubtedly there to challenge the Warriors' record-setting mark of 73 wins, but approaching 67 wins again is likely more realistic considering Popovich's strategy.

San Antonio will be great and will almost certainly be Golden State's toughest competition, but due to a drop-off in depth and the possibility of its older stars being susceptible to injury, the Spurs will experience a slight dip in terms of wins but still finish second in the Western Conference.

Prediction: 65-17

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.