Still a cop-out by timvp
it won't be an antijinx or troll job if the spurs lose this
Am I the only person believing that they can sweep heat? haha x
Still a cop-out by timvp
it won't be an antijinx or troll job if the spurs lose this
I'm not predicting in this series because I can't do it comfortably.
I fear that all Miami has to do is have LeBron attack the rim every time and either the refs will foul out our bigs, which puts us in a big hole running our offense, or else he just scores every time, which puts us in a highly pressurized position to match his scoring every possession which I don't believe will happen.
I hope that we have some defensive schemes up our sleeve that allow us to disrupt his scoring. Leonard can't contain him by himself. No one can. So we have to help on him...and that will leave others on their team open. If they miss, we win. If they don't we don't.
I am already thrilled with the Spurs this season. I just really really hope they come out on top this time, for both Timmy and Manu's sake.
And I don't care how they get it done.
Seems like Pop is at the root of almost all your points. Keeping Tiago on the court, resisting the temptation of Bonner and small ball. For the first 2 games, I don't see why Pop can't shorten his rotation - they've had a lot of rest before game 1 and 2 days before game 2. Play only TD, TS, Diaw, TP, CJ, KL, Manu and Green, go after game 1 hard and put doubt/pressure on them. I also hope Pop's game plan is to stay home on the shooters and let Lebron have his (contested by Kwahi, of course). It's the role players bombing 3s that discourages the opponent. Lebron beating you is easier to stomach and maybe he gets tired, chokes or it causes problems with team mates (Wade, Bosh if they feel left out).
You gotta love ESPN the current headlines on Sportscenter are
Revenge
Lebron in the finals
Expectations for the Heat..
It's like they don't have an opponent.
Great post; hope you're right.
No. If The Spurs had HCA and less rest time, I probably would've called a full-blown homer sweep.
Splitters stats against the Heat when the big three and Green didn't play: 18 points, 9 rebounds
Low blow to HIM
Thanks for the compliment, but I hate that analogy. Robinson played Hakeem straight up. The Rockets doubled Robinson, which they got away with because the Spurs didn't shoot the three as well as Houston did. Part of their faulty strategy was Bob "Boner" Hill's poor coaching, but another part of it was Rodman basically being a mutinous asshat.
Moreover, Elliott choked. Spurs were up 2 points late in Game 1, with Elliott, an 80+ percent FT shooter at the line and he missed both. Next possession Big Shot Bob hit the first dagger of his incredible career and boom Spurs are in a 0-1 series hole. If they win that first game, it's a completely different story.
Really, the '95 Rockets lucked out. Both in the WCF and the NBA Finals they were down late with the other team's best FT shooter at the stripe to salt it away and both times the opponent missed both shots.
I agree with everything Timvp said, but i think all his points are obvious to any basketball fan who follow the NBA closely. If us basketball fans can see those points, I am sure as coach Pop have seen, studied, and already made adjustments and counter-attacks on those miami heat strengths and exploit their weaknesses. I think thats where this series will all come down to, coaching. Pop's not gonna let 2012 WCF happen again. I trust in Pop and the Spurs to pull off this one!
This is such a hard series to call...which is why I went with Spurs in 7. Can the Spurs put together a good enough defensive plan to keep James from killing them? Can the Heat shift into and stay in that other gear that looks like the Game 7 vs. Indy? Will Manu be Supermanu? Will the Heat role players shoot like they did last year? Will Splitter make the Heat pay for going small? It almost seems like any outcome from the Heat in 5 to the Spurs in 5 would not be surprising. Overall, I agree with those who said winning would be extra sweet but just being back in Finals is an incredible feeling regardless. There is no shame in losing James and the Heat...but there would be legendary glory in beating them.
Heat in 3, tbh
I don't get the logic of anyone picking Spurs in 7, tbh. While it would be great to see (and heart attack-inducing), you're basically calling for something to happen that hasn't happened in baseball since 1979 and in basketball since 1978. It's almost impossible for a road team to win the a Final game 7.
Spurs in 5. If they lose it'll be in 7.
Naw, the analogy holds. Everybody is ganging up on timvp, you have GNSF representing crappy Spurs role players who can't shoot the three, you have Fabbs, silverblk mystix and co. playing the role of Bob Hill, and me as Dennis Rodman.
Not to mention how Solid D choked by reposting that thing about Phil Jackson picking the Spurs.
Yeah I know it hasn't happened in a long time, but it will happen again eventually and if it's going to happen this year is as good as any to pick it. The Spurs really haven't had any problem bringing less than their best on the road in these playoffs. I'd give them damn close to a 50/50 shot going into a Game 7 in Miami...especially if the match ups had worked in their favor throughout the series.
Unlike WCF, I don't have legit reasons to rebutt LJ's take. Just pray for the miracle.
Diaw better be aggressive - they'll be leaving him open since he's so reluctant to shoot.
Furthermore...winning a game 7 in Miami is more likely than...say...a 37 year old Duncan still putting up per minute numbers like he did in his prime and helping anchor a defense that has gotten the Spurs back to the Finals. Might as well keep pushing the chips to the center. Seems to have worked out so far.
That wasn't his point, probably. His point, probably, was that Spurs in 6 makes more sense than Spurs in 7, if you're picking the Spurs.
I agree with what Timvp said. This series basically boils down to Green, Bonner, and Neal's knocking down 3's on the biggest stage and Tiago taking advantage of his mismatch. The Heat will blitz Parker and the Spurs should be able to find the open man. The question is, will the open man knock down their 3's/take advantage of his mismatch or wilt in the limelight?
End game execution will also be a problem. The Spurs' offense lives and dies with Tony Parker. When the Heat switch Lebron on Parker, who else can create? If Lebron shuts down Parker, it'll basically be up to a 37 year old Duncan throwing up prayer shots. Judging from Parker's past struggles with long and athletic defenders, it is very likely Lebron or even Wade can shut him down when needed.
And defending the Heat will require flawless execution. With Lebron's elite passing ability that rivals or even surpasses the elite point guards of the game, the Spurs can't make a single rotation error. When Duncan rotates to help Leonard stop Lebron driving to the rim, you can bet Lebron will find an open Anderson or Bosh. The Spurs defense looked superb when they attacked Randolph but that's because he's a terrible passer and no one on the Grizzlies could hit a long jumper or 3. That is not the case here, the Heat are full of long range shooters and have one of the best passers in basketball delivering them the ball.
Lastly, I can see turnovers haunting this team... and I'm looking at Ginobili. If Manu continues committing his careless turnovers along with Neal and possibly a nervous Cory Joseph, Wade and Lebron will have a field day in transition. The Grizzlies never could fully capitalize on the turnovers when Tony Allen and Bayless were running the break. It looked like an abomination. But Wade and Lebron are the best in the league at converting turnovers into transition points so every turnover will hurt very badly.
No, only reason I didn't pick it is bc I figure refs will screw us at least one game, and maybe Pop plays Bonner too much.
When they put Lebron on Parker, Pop has to make an adjustment, putting Manu and taking out Green. Manu can split the creation part with Tony and he is the only player capable of doing that in our team.
I think SA will struggle to defend the Heat when they go small. The BIG 3 + Battier and Allen is a nightmare for SA to defend.
I agree, all this talk of a game 7 Spurs win is kind of ridiculous to me. If Spurs win, they gotta do it in 4-6 games. Road team in Game 7..refs will make the difference, and I don't want the Spurs in that position. If it gets to 7, I don't trust the NBA with Spurs on road in Miami. I see this as kind of like the last fight of Rocky 3. Don't let it get to the last round. No game 7. Take care of business early.
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