neither could the "better" spurs. the fucking LAKERS won more regular season games than the spurs.
The Spurs had fifty-seven wins in the regular season. The Lakers had fifty-six. The Lakers were seeded higher because the Division Champion is automatically seeded no lower than second, not necessarily because they had more wins.
Take the Eastern Conference, for example: the Pistons had fifty-four wins, and the Nets had forty-seven, but the Nets were seated higher because they won their division.