Clippers or Rockets

[LoneStarState'sPride]

Rather face the Rockets. A D'Antoni coached team doesn't scare me.

[HarlemHeat37]

Based on PD, MOV, SOS, etc, so far, it's

Tier 1: Warriors
Tier 2: Spurs, Clippers, Rockets, Jazz
Tier 3: Thunder, Grizzlies

[313]

Its funny that 4years ago were dominating the clippers and all Spurs fans here in spurstalk always say the clippers are choke artist in the playoffs!! But now all of a sudden they are scared of the clippers?!

Four years ago we had MVParker

[313]

If Pau starts in a playoff series against the Clippers then they are by far the toughest match up on this side of the conference.

[NameLess Scrub]

That's what I thought until the last handful of games. To my eyes, the Spurs are playing much better as of late. They have moved away from the Iso-intensive offensive they were running the first +/- 20 games of the season. Both the ball movement and player movement have increased/improved greatly and the % of isolation plays for Kawhi and LMA has been reduced a lot. (I am not sure I even remember a Kawhiso play against the Pelicans.) That brand of basketball is not only more fun/exciting for the fans, but it also offers the team a better chance of success in the playoffs.

Actually, I haven't being able to watch the latest game well. They're usually pretty late for me as I'm not in the time zone.

I'm gonna have to catch up a little bit on LP.

Hope you're right, even if the Suns and Pelicans are not exactly great teams.

[Frankie23]

Rockets. We'll have Kawhi (and Danny Green) guarding their best offensive weapon (Harden). Kawhi's too big to guard CP3 and too small to go against Griffin. He's be isolated in a corner so that he's not able to make a difference on defense.


If they playoffs are tomorrow (with healthy teams), we'll have to face:
- OKC in the first round: tough to stop Westbrook, but it's mainly a one man show which the Spurs could beat in 4/5 games.
- Winner of Rockets vs Memphis. Standings say Rockets, but it's not going to be easy against a great defensive/physical team.

Warriors won't have a problem against Portland, but they could "struggle" against physical frontcourts like Utah or Clippers.

That being said, Warriors are in the WCF and i think this standings are better for this Spurs team

[dabom]

Rockets. We'll have Kawhi (and Danny Green) guarding their best offensive weapon (Harden). Kawhi's too big to guard CP3 and too small to go against Griffin. He's be isolated in a corner so that he's not able to make a difference on defense.


If they playoffs are tomorrow (with healthy teams), we'll have to face:
- OKC in the first round: tough to stop Westbrook, but it's mainly a one man show which the Spurs could beat in 4/5 games.
- Winner of Rockets vs Memphis. Standings say Rockets, but it's not going to be easy against a great defensive/physical team.

Warriors won't have a problem against Portland, but they could "struggle" against physical frontcourts like Utah or Clippers.

That being said, Warriors are in the WCF and i think this standings are better for this Spurs team

[spursistan]

Spurs need some to put some separation for a top 2 seed while Clips/Rockets deal with their injuries..

[Kawhitstorm]

Kawhi's defensive prowess can be best utilized against the Rockets since he can basically guard their entire starting 5 if needed. He took away Ryan Anderson out of the equation as Harden didn't bother running the 1-4 PnR to get switches. Softridge also doesn't have to bang w/ anyone & can overpower Capela, possibly get him in foul trouble.

**The Pau/LMA frontline should NEVER see the day of the light against the Rockets**

I would start Bertans (Pop might start Fat Head) & put him on Ariza while Porker/Lee should be fine checking Beverley whose defensive prowess would be wasted on TOSB Porker. Simmons can guard Gordon while Manu can be matched up w/ Brewer. Simmons/Kawhi can provide relief for Danny from the Harden assignment.

Pau/Lee would most likely be matched up w/ Nene/Dekker but Fat Head might take Lee's minutes if he can't guard Dekker which means Dedmon might not play much unless LMA/Pau are in foul trouble or Pau is completely unplayable.

Bertans/Fat Head are the two players that could emerge as X-Factors since the Rockets play w/ stretch 4s for 48 minutes.

[TD 21]

Rockets' lesser version of Warriors and Cavaliers might seem more dangerous on the surface, but it's the Clippers, because superior talent usually trumps fit. It's why, despite the trouble the Rockets give the Spurs, they still lose to them more often than not. It's also why that used to be the case with the Clippers and why they've turned the tables in the past 2+ seasons.

Even though I don't expect any significant changes no matter how their seasons plays out, there is also significant pressure on the Clippers to reach the WCF, so they'll likely play with a level of desperation and urgency the Rockets can't match.

[itzsoweezee]

Clippers are the worse match up. The Rockets are entirely dependent on Harden and he'll tire out by the end of the season. Plus Harden is turnover prone and the Spurs defense can take advantage of that.

Spurs still have no one to guard the Paul - Blake pick and roll. They'll get slaughtered again and again.

The capella-harden pnr is even tougher. And the rockets shot a lot more threes. When Gordon is in for Beverley, the rockets will simply outscore the Spurs

[Kawhitstorm]

The capella-harden pnr is even tougher. And the rockets shot a lot more threes. When Gordon is in for Beverley, the rockets will simply outscore the Spurs

How is Capella going to stay in the floor when he can't guard Softridge on the block?

[024]

The capella-harden pnr is even tougher. And the rockets shot a lot more threes. When Gordon is in for Beverley, the rockets will simply outscore the Spurs

Capella is like 1/5th the playmaker Griffin is. Griffin is so dangerous because not only is he an athletic big, he's an athletic big with good court vision.

[timtonymanu]

Spurs still get their ass kicked by a Griffin-less Clips team.

[spursistan]

[Kawhitstorm]

[Hoops Czar]

Where have I heard this one before? Oh right, 2013-2015.

[Hoops Czar]

The only difference between the Clippers and the Rockets is the Clippers won't miss 32 of 46 uncontested shots, blow a 13 point lead in 4 minutes and lose by two points. I wouldn't want to play either team in a seven game series.

[Kawhitstorm]

0:00

		End of the 4th Quarter	90 - 88
0:00		Austin Rivers lost ball turnover (Seth Curry steals)	90 - 88
0:03		Harrison Barnes makes 10-foot two point shot	90 - 88

Barnes/Curry doing the Spurs a favor.

[$pursDynasty]

Proving this is a match up league. Clips beat Spurs lose to Mavs. Just a bad match up for us but not a great team.

[spursistan]

Proving this is a match up league. Clips beat Spurs lose to Mavs. Just a bad match up for us but not a great team.

no CP3+Dirk back for the Mavs who are healthy for the first time this season..

[Kawhitstorm]

no CP3+Dirk back for the Mavs who are healthy for the first time this season..

Carilsle shut their PnR by putting Barnes/Finney-Smith on DeAndre & switching it thus Fatton couldn't feast on Dirk who was hiding on Pierce/Moute. (Dirk actually didn't play in the 2nd half)

....and of course, Re also had more turnovers than made shots tonight.

[YGWHI]

The Clippers are still the worst matchup for the Spurs.

Clippers offense is based on CP3/Blake/DJordan P&Rs...The Spurs have almost the 26th? worst defense in P&Rs.

[skin27]

i think we can beat both teams if we have homecourt advantage...the only thing that i hate about the clippers is cp3 wont miss his 15 foot jumper from the pick and roll and their scrubs hitting fluke shots and cant miss too..

[spursistan]

Looks like the Clippers might be finishing as the 4th seed with all their injuries woes; they are dropping games to everybody right now..

Warriors-Clips in the same bracket would be perfect from a Spurs perspective...It wouldn't be easy but I'll take a second round with HCA vs. Houston/Jazz over the Clips anyday ..