Spurs Kicking Ass Can they catch the Lakers

[41times]

With Andrew Bynum's injury, the Lakers now look vulnerable for at least however long he is out.

If this is a bad injury then the West is Wide Open.

Can the Spurs catch'em? They are playing very good right now.

5 games back as of today.

[scanry]

We'd be a lot closer to the Lakers had Manu & Tony played the entire season. I think the Spurs are on par with the Lakers. We are just 5 games adrift and considering that we started 2-5, we'll be alright.

The 2003 season springs to mind and Dallas was steamrolling in the first half of the season, and yet we ended catching them and won the West.

[SenorSpur]

We'd also be a bit closer if the Spurs hadn't "laid an egg" in LA two Sundays ago.

[superbigtime]

I really want to win the division first and foremost, and that is looking very possible. The team is really rounding into form and the RRT is going to make them even more solid. I think we will get within 3 games of the Lakers and maybe closer. The Lakers don't need Bynum as much we would like to believe, IMO. Is Chris Mihm able to play?

[samikeyp]

Lot of basketball left so it's possible.

[FreeMason]

Hopefully the defense will start to look worth a damn.

With Oberto sporting that epic beard, things are looking up.

[z0sa]

The Spurs most assuredly can catch LA. There is still a shit ton of basketball to be played and don't be surprised if it comes down to the last few games when it comes to seeding.

[xtremesteven33]

I dont think the Spurs are too concernced about a #1 spot. They are concerned about playing thier best basketball on the RRT.

Bynum being out will be a big time hit to the Lakers. They are pretty short on good big men right now and i can pretty confidently say that if Bynum is out for a good 2 months that the Spurs will have the upperhand on the Lakers this year to get to the Finals.-

[NFGIII]

What is more important?

1) Catching the Lakers and getting the #1

or

2) Entering the POs with the team playing at peak performance?

Obviously both would be desirable but noticing what Pop has done for many years now he will choose the latter over the former. He just may sacrifice catching the Lakers in order to rest key players and even let some games go - ...ie...lose - rather than try to put forth a monumental effort to win them - see last Laker game when he threw in the towel late 3rd Q.

Pop has always used the regular season as an extended "training camp" - experimenting with different lineups, resting some players more than would seem neccessary, changing defensive strategies...etc. in order to get the team playing their best come the POs. I expect that to continue. I would love to get the #1 seed but that isn't as important as having the team as rested as possible performing at their best entering the POs.

:flag:

[z0sa]

What is more important?

1) Catching the Lakers and getting the #1

or

2) Entering the POs with the team playing at peak performance?

Obviously both would be desirable but noticing what Pop has done for many years now he will choose the latter over the former. He just may sacrifice catching the Lakers in order to rest key players and even let some games go - ...ie...lose - rather than try to put forth a monumental effort to win them - see last Laker game when he threw in the towel late 3rd Q.

Pop has always used the regular season as an extended "training camp" - experimenting with different lineups, resting some players more than would seem neccessary, changing defensive strategies...etc. in order to get the team playing their best come the POs. I expect that to continue. I would love to get the #1 seed but that isn't as important as having the team as rested as possible performing at their best entering the POs.

:flag:

Both of those things can happen, I'd go as far to say the number 1 seed goes hand in hand with the Spurs playing their best basketball. :huh

[NFGIII]

Both of those things can happen, I'd go as far to say the number 1 seed goes hand in hand with the Spurs playing their best basketball. :huh

I hope you're right and we do indeed see both happening but your statement isn't neccessarily true. Yes, I'm nitpicking to a certain degree since just because the Spurs are playing their best doesn't automatically mean we get the #1 seed. How the Lakers respond to the Bynum injury for one will be key and considering what happened last year - they rolled into the POs - IIRC. Another is that the Spurs seem to lose some games they should have won and vica versa. Sometimes those wins/losses equal out but not always.

Lots of BB to play and anything can happen. Heaven forbid it but one of our key players could get banged up and have their production drop causing some unforseen losses. Or the Lakers could not seem to get that chemistry going like they did last year and we catch them in the end.

All I want to see is the Spurs well rested and at peak performance entering the POs. They are a great road team in the POs so if we don't get the #1 seed I won't be too unhappy so long as we get HC with one of the top 4. I might even go so far as to want the #4 seed so we can get the Lakers in the 2nd round. That way the Spurs get more rest between games in that round than they would in the WCF, which would be beneficial for the Spurs.

[Manufan909]

What is more important?

1) Catching the Lakers and getting the #1

or

2) Entering the POs with the team playing at peak performance?

Obviously both would be desirable but noticing what Pop has done for many years now he will choose the latter over the former. He just may sacrifice catching the Lakers in order to rest key players and even let some games go - ...ie...lose - rather than try to put forth a monumental effort to win them - see last Laker game when he threw in the towel late 3rd Q.

Pop has always used the regular season as an extended "training camp" - experimenting with different lineups, resting some players more than would seem neccessary, changing defensive strategies...etc. in order to get the team playing their best come the POs. I expect that to continue. I would love to get the #1 seed but that isn't as important as having the team as rested as possible performing at their best entering the POs.

:flag:

2, but both happening is possible.

[FromWayDowntown]

A few weeks ago, I would have said that just making the playoffs is priority #1. With the passage of time, the Spurs are now +8 in the loss column over the Jazz (and already owning the tiebreaker with UTH), who sit 9th at the moment. I'm very much less worried about that basic question now.

I'd agree with the notion that the first order of business is to keep a top 4 seed and get HCA for at least one round. Being +2 in the loss column over the entire division is a good start. I think that the RRT includes a bunch of winnable road games and something like 6-2 or 5-3 seems entirely reasonable, with something like 7-1 being possible. With a great trip, they could give themselves some good cushion -- during the RRT, the Hornets have a few winnable games up front, but end that span with Boston at home, Orlando at home (on the 2nd night of a back-to-back), and a back-to-back at LAL and at UTH.

Catching the Lakers seems unlikely to me, no matter how serious Bynum's injury might prove to be. LA's crew was good enough last year to put some distance between themselves and the rest of the West, even without Bynum. While I think his absence for an extended period might make the Lakers a bit more vulnerable, I don't think it's enough to bring them back to the pack at this point.

[tlongII]

Spurs can't. Blazers can.

[Banzai]

As KG would say "ANYTHING IS POSSSSSIBLLEEEEEEE"

[tmtcsc]

I may be in the minority here, but I hope Bynum is ok. I want us to play and beat them at full strength. NO EXCUSES ! I don't want Laker fan saying: "If we had Bynum...."

[Manufan909]

I want him to be healthy... in the WCF. No sooner, he can have the 2nd round to shake off the rust.

[Spork KIller]

With Andrew Bynum's injury, the Lakers now look vulnerable for at least however long he is out.

If this is a bad injury then the West is Wide Open.

Can the Spurs catch'em? They are playing very good right now.

5 games back as of today.

The Spurms are not going to catch the Lakers...

Bynum or not the the spurms are still the Lakers' bitch.

Remember last year?

No Bynum...no problem!

[Spork KIller]

I may be in the minority here, but I hope Bynum is ok. I want us to play and beat them at full strength. NO EXCUSES ! I don't want Laker fan saying: "If we had Bynum...."

They didn't have him last year, and what happened?

Sorry ass spurm fans

[WildcardManu]

Spurs can. Blazers can't.

Fixed.

[tmtcsc]

They didn't have him last year, and what happened?

Sorry ass spurm fans

They didn't have Bynum and we didn't have Manu at full strength. Bynum is good and Manu is great. You fail.

You are supremely pathetic and whatever team's jock you jump on, you are destined to fail. YOU ARE A LOSER> ALWAYS.

[024]

lakers having no bynum means nothing in the regular season. it just means the lakers will play odom and gasol more, who are better players. odom might choke away the fourth quarter but just don't give him the ball then. what really made the lakers good this year isn't bynum himself but rather the depth of the bench and a healthy ariza. bynum isn't some all-star integral to the lakers, just a solid player than can contribute and strengthen the bench by moving odom. it's ariza's defense that makes the lakers better.

[Brazil]

I may be in the minority here, but I hope Bynum is ok. I want us to play and beat them at full strength. NO EXCUSES ! I don't want Laker fan saying: "If we had Bynum...."

+1000000000000

[ClingingMars]

The Spurms are not going to catch the Lakers...

Bynum or not the the spurms are still the Lakers' bitch.

Remember last year?

No Bynum...no problem!

Hi Louis. How's Houston?

[rayray2k8]

I remember last year in the playoffs, the lakers didnt have bynam and still
beat us...
So how does that help us??
Spurs are still in need of a big man.
Don't worry about what others teams are doing...

[PDXSpursFan]

What is more important?

1) Catching the Lakers and getting the #1

or

2) Entering the POs with the team playing at peak performance?
...

Both need to happen. Plus, I'll add that we need to play almost perfect basketball. Our margin of error against the Fakers this year is too narrow.

[Allanon]

The Lakers don't need Bynum as much we would like to believe, IMO. Is Chris Mihm able to play?

Bynum, like last year is the difference between winning a championship and not. However, for the regular season, the Lakers don't need Bynum. You won't see a drop in the Lakers play in the regular season but the Playoffs may be different if Bynum's not back by then.

Even without Bynum & Ariza & Chris Mihm, the Lakers got to the Finals pretty convincingly...they still won 85% of their games with just Pau.

Chris Mihm, hasn't really played but last time he played major minutes, he was doing pretty well as the Lakers starting Center. Good offensive player, decent defensively and he's 7 feet with bulk.

[Obstructed_View]

Hi Louis. How's Houston?

That can't be Louis. There's been no mention of any of his keywords in any post so far. Louis would be here ranting like nbadan in the political forum.

[ManuTP9]

we still need a big man.

[KaiRMD1]

I'd rather the spurs enter the playoffs at peak performance, f winning the west, we've lost as the number 1 seed before so I'd much rather the Spurs concentrate on being ready for the playoffs.

[remingtonbo2001]

The Spurs shouldn't even concern themselves with standings. Personally, I don't think Pop, or the team for that matter gives much credence to HCA. The main focus for this club is shoring up our defense. If we can start playing top teir defense, everything else will work itself out.

[mystargtr34]

I may be in the minority here, but I hope Bynum is ok. I want us to play and beat them at full strength. NO EXCUSES ! I don't want Laker fan saying: "If we had Bynum...."

I hope Bynum gets better for his own sake. If he doesnt, tough luck - I dont really give a shit what the Lakers or their fans say. As long as the Spurs win the championship.

[word]

The Spurs shouldn't even concern themselves with standings. Personally, I don't think Pop, or the team for that matter gives much credence to HCA.


Hmmmm...

[peskypesky]

Even with no Bynum, I think the Lakers will keep the #1 seed in the West, by a hair. I think the Spurs may gain a little ground on them but not enough. Lakers are still stacked with talent.

[Rogue]

They didn't have him last year, and what happened?

Sorry ass spurm fans
Bynum is a murderer.

http://static.keebali.com/arizonasportsfans.com/vb/images/smilies/new/suns.gif http://static.keebali.com/arizonasportsfans.com/vb/images/smilies/gun.gif

[Brazil]

Bynum, like last year is the difference between winning a championship and not. However, for the regular season, the Lakers don't need Bynum. You won't see a drop in the Lakers play in the regular season but the Playoffs may be different if Bynum's not back by then.

Even without Bynum & Ariza & Chris Mihm, the Lakers got to the Finals pretty convincingly...they still won 85% of their games with just Pau.

Chris Mihm, hasn't really played but last time he played major minutes, he was doing pretty well as the Lakers starting Center. Good offensive player, decent defensively and he's 7 feet with bulk.

I remind that now you are on the spurs bandwagon!!!!!

[Brazil]

Spurs can't. Blazers can.

but can't defeat the hornets

[Brazil]

but can't defeat the hornets

Well I think I jinxed the hornets, run of the blazers in the 4th 22-5 6 min to go game tied:wow

[DrHouse]

I think the Spurs have more than proven they don't need HCA in the playoffs.

If anything Pop is likely more concerned with the team's health come playoff time.

[Chief]

I may be in the minority here, but I hope Bynum is ok. I want us to play and beat them at full strength. NO EXCUSES ! I don't want Laker fan saying: "If we had Bynum...."

They made it to the finals last year without Bynum.

Plus Lakers fan shouldn't be able to put Asterisks on Any Team since They had the Luxury of getting Gasol without giving up Odom or anyone else.

They still have Kobe, Gasol, Odom, and great bench players.

I like the way the Spurs are playing right now, we just need to set our defense right and we need a quality big man.

[DrHouse]

They made it to the finals last year without Bynum.

Plus Lakers fan shouldn't be able to put Asterisks on Any Team since They had the Luxury of getting Gasol without giving up Odom or anyone else.

They still have Kobe, Gasol, Odom, and great bench players.

I like the way the Spurs are playing right now, we just need to set our defense right and we need a quality big man.

So any team that makes a good trade for themselves has to put an asterisk on their championships because it didn't pass your trade commission? That's ridiculous.

Do you realize what the Pistons were able to get Rasheed Wallace for in '04? Bob Sura and Zeljko Rebraca. Where was your outrage when that trade went down?

Oh, wait I get it. You don't like trades that benefit the Lakers.

[Spork KIller]

Re: Spurs Kicking Ass Can they catch the Lakers

:lol They are so much kicking ass that they are getting their asses handed to them by the powerhouse, Golden State Warriors :wow :lol :lol

[ehz33satx]

:lol They are so much kicking ass that they are getting their asses handed to them by the powerhouse, Golden State Warriors :wow :lol :lol

Man, you sure are obsessed. You must think about the San Antonio Spurs everyday of your life, probably from the time you wake till you go to bed.

[Allanon]

I remind that now you are on the spurs bandwagon!!!!!

I am :D

The Spurs have been impressive, they haven't let down like I thought they would. I thought they'd be a 7-8 seed, looks like they're going to be at least 2.

I'll eat my crow. :toast

[Ghazi]

Lakers will probably not yield any ground, a 5 game gap with 35 to play is HUGE.

Think about it, if the Lakers go 25-10 down the stretch (more than feasible even without Bynum), the Spurs would have to go 32-4 to have a better record...unrealistic considering the 2nd half of the schedule is much more difficult than the first half for the Spurs.

Or if the Lakers go 23-12, the Spurs would have to go 30-6 to achieve a superior record, still difficult.

The #1 seed is a lock for the Lakers barring further injuries. The Lakers are an elite team with or without Bynum.

[DrHouse]

The Spurs have yet to play BOS or CLE. You can pencil in 3-4 losses right there.

[wijayas]

With Andrew Bynum's injury, the Lakers now look vulnerable for at least however long he is out.

If this is a bad injury then the West is Wide Open.

Can the Spurs catch'em? They are playing very good right now.

5 games back as of today.

I don't think catching up with Lakers is a reasonable objective for the Spurs. Even without BYnum, the Lakers has too much offensive fire power. In the first half of the season, Spurs has allowed the opponent to shoot close to 46%. This is not a championship pedigree.

The more important objective for the Spurs is to keep the opponent FG% in the low 40% in teh second half of the season.

Lakers is still a class on its own. Let's not fool ourselves into thinking we are right there...

[wijayas]

Bynum is a murderer.


Karma is bitch.

[anakha]

The Spurs have yet to play BOS or CLE. You can pencil in 3-4 losses right there.

Considering your track record on guarantees the past week... :lmao

[DrHouse]

Considering your track record on guarantees the past week... :lmao

So you think the Spurs are going to beat BOS and CLE?

[Brazil]

I am :D

The Spurs have been impressive, they haven't let down like I thought they would. I thought they'd be a 7-8 seed, looks like they're going to be at least 2.

I'll eat my crow. :toast


:bking :toast

[xtremesteven33]

So you think the Spurs are going to beat BOS and CLE?



We kicked your ass.

[anakha]

So you think the Spurs are going to beat BOS and CLE?

Unlike you, I'm not stupid enough to make guarantees. :lol

[Agloco]

The Spurms are not going to catch the Lakers...

Bynum or not the the spurms are still the Lakers' bitch.

Remember last year?

No Bynum...no problem!


And who's YOUR daddy? :flag:

A Suns fan living vicariously though the Lakers. That's some fucked up shit right there.

[mytespurs]

With Andrew Bynum's injury, the Lakers now look vulnerable for at least however long he is out.

If this is a bad injury then the West is Wide Open.

Can the Spurs catch'em? They are playing very good right now.

5 games back as of today.

No....but anything is possible. This Laker group has played a year together....the Bynum loss is huge but I think they'll struggle through it.

[it's me]

Ask "The Game" if we can catch the Fakers.... dude seems to know his team pretty well.

[Bartleby]

And who's YOUR daddy? :flag:

A Suns fan living vicariously though the Lakers. That's some fucked up shit right there.

A Rockets fan pretending to be a Suns fan who is living vicariously though the Lakers, actually. Fucked up indeed!

[The_Game]

Ask "The Game" if we can catch the Fakers.... dude seems to know his team pretty well.

If a trade is made then yes of course. That said the Lakers even without bynum are still the team to beat. They rolled through the west without him last year.

[The_Game]

So you think the Spurs are going to beat BOS and CLE?

There is no reason why the spurs won't beat the Cavs at the end of the month mainly down to the fact the Cavs will be on the 2nd night of a back to back after playing houston the night before...so the Spurs should be able to beat the Cavs as great as they are..having rest compared to a team who doesn't plays a factor.

[anonoftheinternets]

There is no reason why the spurs won't beat the Cavs at the end of the month mainly down to the fact the Cavs will be on the 2nd night of a back to back after playing houston the night before...so the Spurs should be able to beat the Cavs as great as they are..having rest compared to a team who doesn't plays a factor.

whatever you say, laker fan.

[21_Blessings]

They didn't have Bynum and we didn't have Manu at full strength. Bynum is good and Manu is great. You fail.

This logic is retarded. Manu played heavy minutes in the playoff series and had a 30 point game and then went to the olympics before he actually 'hurt' his ankle enough for him to have an effect where he couldn't play. He was fine against LA. If you're going to use the 'healthy manu' card then the Lakers can use the 'healthy Kobe' card since he was playing with a fractured pinky on his shooting hand.

Oh and Ariza had a broken foot. Ariza proved he can give Tony Parker fits on the defensive end.

[NFGIII]

This logic is retarded. Manu played heavy minutes in the playoff series and had a 30 point game and then went to the olympics before he actually 'hurt' his ankle enough for him to have an effect where he couldn't play. He was fine against LA. If you're going to use the 'healthy manu' card then the Lakers can use the 'healthy Kobe' card since he was playing with a fractured pinky on his shooting hand.

Oh and Ariza had a broken foot. Ariza proved he can give Tony Parker fits on the defensive end.

Many a Laker and Spurs fan have been obsessed with the above. Manu this and Kobe that and on and on and on......ad nauseum. Lakers won the series and it's over and done with. Spurs weren't up to the challenge last year and didn't reach that championship level of play that we've seen in the past.

But Manu's was not even near 100% during the POs and actually reinjured the ankle at the Olympics. That ankle was going to have surgery on it reagrdless of the Olympics or not. So to state that he was fine and actually hurt the ankle - by that I take it you meant that he originally hurt the ankle at the Olympics and didn't reinjure it as was actually the case - is also retared.

Injuries are part of the game and the Spurs had their share last year as well as the Lakers. Both sides weren't at full strength and the Lakers won it.

Case closed.

I'm more concerned with what will happen this year.

:flag:

[Agloco]

With Andrew Bynum's injury, the Lakers now look vulnerable for at least however long he is out.

If this is a bad injury then the West is Wide Open.

Can the Spurs catch'em? They are playing very good right now.

5 games back as of today.

Fail.

[wisnub]

I think Spurs is up on par with Lakers, and if we dont rely on pure jumpshots (that means going to the rim or dunking the rock) we got better chances than Lakers. Dont get me wrong Lakers is a really good team with Inhuman Superstar on Kobe, but Spurs got more ammunition provided BIg 3 and young 3 (Mason,Hill,Bonner) share the same moment of truth. I hope Spurs can take advantage this opportunity with No Bynum (I heard No KG as well?) and be able to top them and take home court advantage. But sometimes dont hope too much, just smile,let it go and catch by nice surprise :toast

[Josepatches_]

If we are playing without the big3 we never can catch the Lakers.We only had 5 loses more when we began 2-7 this season but...

[slayermin]

It's an odd year so I know we have the mojo.

[anakha]

There is no reason why the spurs won't beat the Cavs at the end of the month mainly down to the fact the Cavs will be on the 2nd night of a back to back after playing houston the night before...so the Spurs should be able to beat the Cavs as great as they are..having rest compared to a team who doesn't plays a factor.

Sure thing, Laker fan.

[Ghazi]

It's an odd year so I know we have the mojo.

Didnt have it in 2001!:p:

[Yorae]

Didnt have it in 2001!:p:

Let's see we had it in 1999, 2003, 2005 and 2007

You guys didn't have it in lemme see....1999,2000,2001,2002,2003,2004,2005 uhmm..2006....2007......2008.....uh even if I go back to the triassic period I doubt you ever could win the championship back then....

[m33p0]

Fail.
?

[Ghazi]

Let's see we had it in 1999, 2003, 2005 and 2007

You guys didn't have it in lemme see....1999,2000,2001,2002,2003,2004,2005 uhmm..2006....2007......2008.....uh even if I go back to the triassic period I doubt you ever could win the championship back then....

Fluke championships

[Yorae]

If our championships are fluke, what do you call your team? I never thought one team could have as many fluke championships. I'd rather have them than have a fluke team.

[Ghazi]

:)

[Brickhouse]

Ghazi= SpursDynasty

[Yorae]

:)

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/getty/65/fullj.5b5d24b02b32c8b2c3b582cf6fe6f07d/5b5d24b02b32c8b2c3b582cf6fe6f07d-getty-82994468rm005_golden_state_.jpg

Damn, even Corey makes you lick his ass.