The difference between second place in the Western Conference, where the Spurs sit, and the sixth seed is 2.5 games. That's not a very large margin. Despite the often correct opinion that 82 games is too many, every one of them matters if you're trying to end the season with the highest position possible. The upcoming gauntlet of opponents is going to test those efforts in a major way.
Spurs' upcoming schedule will be grueling
January 10 - Boston Celtics
January 11 - Minnesota Timberwolves
January 13 - Oklahoma City Thunder
January 15 - Milwaukee Bucks
January 17 - Minnesota Timberwolves
January 19 - Utah Jazz
January 20 - Houston Rockets
January 22 - Utah Jazz
Listen, I know Utah isn't a good team in the wider scope of the NBA, but considering they just smacked San Antonio around less than two weeks ago, they'll get the respect they earned.