The Spurs greatest playoff plays: Sweet 16, Bracket 1

Round 1 of the quest to find the Spurs’ greatest playoff play is complete, so this week it’s time for the start of the Sweet 16! Today we’re back to Bracket 1, where all four higher seeds won the first round pretty handily. Here is a quick recap of how the polls turned out:

(1) Memorial Day Miracle: 92%

(8) Tony Parker to LaMarcus Aldridge: 8%

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(2) Manu Ginobili clutch 3: 89%

(7) Danny Green OT and-1: 11%

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(3) Tim Duncan 1st OT 3: 93%

(6) Gary Neal Buzzer Beater: 7%

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(4) Tony Parker 3, steal, layup: 67%

(5) Bruce Bowen clutch 3: 33%

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So no upsets today, but that’s okay! Some plays are just that good. Similar to last week, the Sweet 16 for each bracket will be posted each day Monday through Thursday, and the winners will advance to the Elite 8 next Monday. Be sure to vote for a winner of each match-up, and remember everyone can only vote once, so make yours count.

The first match-up today is one of the most iconic shots in Spurs history vs. an amazing sequence of plays that was very near championship and Finals MVP clinching if not for what happened after . . .

(1) Memorial Day Miracle — Game 2 vs. Trail Blazers, 1999 WCF

(4) Tony Parker 3, steal, layup — Game 6 vs. Heat, 2013 Finals

Today’s other match-up is quite interesting, consisting of similar shots from two entirely different players, but both came in extremely clutch situations. (Also: does anyone else noticed they both “assisted” each other on these plays? Manu in the literal sense on Tim’s shot, and Tim with the screen for Manu, although the actual assist came from Kawhi Leonard.)

(2) Manu Ginobili clutch 3 — Game 6 vs. Thunder, 2014 WCF

(3) Tim Duncan 1st OT 3 — Game 1 vs. Suns, 2008 1st round

Come back tomorrow for the Sweet 16 of Bracket 2, and remember all polls for the Sweet 16 will close on Sunday, Sept. 1 at 6:00 PM CT.