It ain't over until its over

[Rummpd]

These are times that test loyal Spurs fans souls. Yet fans and Spurs must "fight the fight".

In the famous words of John Belushi's speech (Animal House): Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?

Mark my words. Spurs are going to suck it up, win some games without Duncan, and stay very competitive. Don't lose hope perhaps the Suns still have a fade left in them etc. Whether or not the Spurs hold the 1-2 seed who wants to face them if Duncan is back and healthy in the WC playoffs. Answer NO ONE.

Loyalists unite.

[bigzak25]

word dude. get healthy and get ready. playoffs are coming.....

[BigVee]

The way I look at it...they have already qualified. IF they are totally healthy I don't care if they start in the 8th spot. HCA is certainly desirable, but when they are right, they can beat anyone, anytime on any court. Just get F'ing well.

[ALVAREZ6]

They just gotta win another championship. Don't care how you do it, just get it done.

Go Spurs!

[GrandeDavid]

I think the Spurs will do enough to secure the division title and #2 seed. I`m really not worried about Phoenix having home court advantage. Before talking about a potentional SA/Miami or SA/Detroit matchup, I`d like to see how healthy Duncan is upon his return.

[Dex]

Thank god somebody said it.

Note that I have not been one of the one's running around like a chicken with it's head cut off.

I'll flip out when and if it becomes necessary.

[samikeyp]

Its all about the playoffs. If SA is healthy then, its all good.

[T Park]

^^ Exactly right.

A healthy Spurs team, playing intelligently, beats any team, anywhere, any time.

We know this, everyone else knows this.


Get the 2 seed, and your fine.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

I think this might be a good time for the NO LIMIT ARMY COMMANDER to come out.

[Jimcs50]

^^ Exactly right.

A healthy Spurs team, playing intelligently, beats any team, anywhere, any time.

We know this, everyone else knows this.


Get the 2 seed, and your fine.


Not true.

Even a healthy Spurs team has been a pretty pedestrian road team this year. Giving teams like Phoenix, Seattle, Dallas, Miami and Detroit one more game at home is not what the Spurs want.

To win a series w/o HCA means that they will have to win a road game and NOT lose a home game. If Spurs drop a home game, they will have to win 2 on the road, and that is something that a weak road team like SA has not been very adept at this year.

SA will have to play the best bball of the year and win every home game and try to win half of the road games to try to keep the #1 seed or I am affraid that SA's playoff run will be short lived.

[fonzy16]

Healthy spurs can do it even from the 8th seed.

[Summers]

These are times that test loyal Spurs fans souls. Yet fans and Spurs must "fight the fight".

In the famous words of John Belushi's speech (Animal House): Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?

Mark my words. Spurs are going to suck it up, win some games without Duncan, and stay very competitive. Don't lose hope perhaps the Suns still have a fade left in them etc. Whether or not the Spurs hold the 1-2 seed who wants to face them if Duncan is back and healthy in the WC playoffs. Answer NO ONE.

Loyalists unite.

*raises mug* Hazzah!!!

[kskonn]

I know a lot of people are making a big deal about not having home court advantage. The spurs are not that bad on the road. they are not as good as they have been in the past, but they still win on the road more than they lose. Their incredible home record just makes their road record look worse than it really is. If we go by records then phoenix should want to play on the road since their road record is better than their home record.

[Jimcs50]

I know a lot of people are making a big deal about not having home court advantage. The spurs are not that bad on the road. they are not as good as they have been in the past, but they still win on the road more than they lose. Their incredible home record just makes their road record look worse than it really is. If we go by records then phoenix should want to play on the road since their road record is better than their home record.


Not against WC playoff teams, they do not win more than they lose....huge difference betw beating EC teams on the road and beating the Phoenix', Seattle's, the Denver's and the Dallas' on the road.

Spurs are in one heap of shit and they must all step their games betw now and when the season ends....they MUST keep HCA or they are screwed.

[FromWayDowntown]

Not true.

Even a healthy Spurs team has been a pretty pedestrian road team this year. Giving teams like Phoenix, Seattle, Dallas, Miami and Detroit one more game at home is not what the Spurs want.

and strangely, despite their much-lamented road struggles, the Spurs have won games in Phoenix, Seattle, and Dallas. They had the ball in hand with a chance to tie or go ahead in the last two minutes in games at Detroit and at Miami. The record might not be great overall, but the performance on the road against top teams has been pretty steady.

If you can't win on the road in the playoffs, you don't deserve to win a title. When the Spurs have won titles, they've been great on the road during their playoff runs. This year's team, I think, is unique in that it seems to rise to challenges, but tends to play like its bored in many other situations. Call me overly optimistic if you want, but I firmly believe that the playoffs are the situation that this team has been waiting for, and I suspect they'll raise their level of play to meet whatever challenges might arise in the second season.

[BigVee]

I have the same feeling. That they coasted through several games, especially after building big leads. I feel too that when healthy they have another gear they can shift into. However, I am not sure I truly believe it, or just want to.

[T Park]

Thye do have another gear, and I think honestly, they havent WANTED to shift into it.

This team is easily capable of pulling off a run like in 99.

They are THAT good.


get Ginobili and DUncan 100%, and you are ready to go.


Jim I disagree, your once again overevaluating the losses at Detroit and Miami.

Put a healthy Tim Duncan in those games for 38 40 minutes, and those are wins.

They also have wins like stated, in Seattle, Phoenix, Dallas, and if you can beat THOSE teams at home?? YOu can beat ANYONE on the road.

[Jimcs50]

I have the same feeling. That they coasted through several games, especially after building big leads. I feel too that when healthy they have another gear they can shift into. However, I am not sure I truly believe it, or just want to.


Who here remembers that they were saying the same thing in LA after they won their 3rd championship. That they will shift gears and play a lot better in the playoffs and they will not have those mental lapses and let downs that they had during the reg season and that they will not be bored any more?

[Jimcs50]

Tpark, I have never said anything about their road loses at Detroit or Miami before.

[T Park]

I remember the team in 03 and 99 have the same problems this team does.

[T Park]

You said no big wins on the road.

I pointed out big wins, and losses that a healthy Tim Duncan would've helped and probobly would've won.

I also garuntee a healthy Duncan would have won the Knicks game as well.

[boutons]

"I know a lot of people are making a big deal about not having home court advantage."

As others have pointed out repeatedly, the Popovich Spurs have a bad record in playoffs when they don't have HCA. So, HCA is a BIG DEAL for the Spurs, esp when home dominance has been one of the stellar acheivement this season.

"The spurs are not that bad on the road."

They are 5th the league, with other top teams being ahead of them, including Rockets who beat us twice @HOU, and who beat Heat @HOU last night.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/standings?season=2005&group=league&column=roadWinPercent&order=false&seasontype=2

"Their incredible home record"

... is not so incredible anymore, has been dented seriously recently, exactly the wrong part of the season for dents. Spurs are only 2 home losses ahead of Heat.

"just makes their road record look worse than it really is."

It is what it is.

But second-order analysis, road games against current playoff teams:

Nov
@Seattle L 94 - 113
@Boston W 92 - 84
@Memphis L 90 - 93
@Denver W 89 - 75
@Dallas W 107 - 89

Dec
@Chicago W 91 - 75
@Houston L 80 - 81
@New Orleans W 83 - 67

Jan
@Sacramento L 81 - 86
@Houston L 67 - 73
@Phoenix W 128 - 123
@Sacramento W 103 - 73
@Seattle W 103 - 84

Feb
@Washington L 87 - 95
@Miami L 92 - 96
@Cleveland W 94 - 92

Mar
@Phoenix L 101 - 107
@Detroit L 101 - 110
=====================

Spurs are a mediocre 9-9. (and that's excluding the Spurs' 5 road losses to current lottery teams)

Given the history of HCA for Popovich Spurs and given this season, HCA for these (oft-injured) Spurs is extremely important.

[FromWayDowntown]

Who here remembers that they were saying the same thing in LA after they won their 3rd championship. That they will shift gears and play a lot better in the playoffs and they will not have those mental lapses and let downs that they had during the reg season and that they will not be bored any more?

I remember and I agree somewhat with your insinuation. I'm less worried about this team, though, because when challenges have arisen, it has generally upped its game and met the challenge. The 2002-03 Lakers never did beat the Spurs during the regular season, and they were 7-9 against the teams that were seeded 1-5 in the West that season. These Spurs are 9-4 against teams that would be seeded 1-5 in the West this season. That strikes me as a pretty big difference.

[Jimcs50]

You said no big wins on the road.

I pointed out big wins, and losses that a healthy Tim Duncan would've helped and probobly would've won.

I also garuntee a healthy Duncan would have won the Knicks game as well.


I never said "no big road wins" I said we have been pedestrian on the road...especially compared to our 99 and 03 teams who were the best road team in the league those yrs...look it up.

[team-work]

As a Spurs fan, it's heart-breaking to see what happened these few weeks. I'm natural towards Malik's trade. Immediately after that we saw the team lost to Memphis, with a lot of turnovers, but everybody said the loss had nothing to do with the trade. Afterwards, in the All-Star game, Pop tried to rest Duncan by limiting his minutes, even though that meant a loss for the West. Duncan was also on the bench in the loss to the Suns. But Pop's effort was totally in vain!!!!! Duncan sprained his ankle three times! Now even Devin Brown is sideliined. I wonder if the rest of the team can step up. The loss to the Knicks was too nasty. I just hope the team can put a better effort in the upcoming games.

[FromWayDowntown]

"The spurs are not that bad on the road."

They are 5th the league, with other top teams being ahead of them, including Rockets who beat us twice @HOU, and who beat Heat @HOU last night.

And somehow, 5th in a league of 30 teams is troubling?



"Their incredible home record"

... is not so incredible anymore, has been dented seriously recently, exactly the wrong part of the season for dents. Spurs are only 2 home losses ahead of Heat.

What dents exactly are you talking about? The loss to Memphis? The loss to Denver without Manu and Tim? Since that Memphis game (and with the exception of that Denver game) this team has been very good at home and has been nearly impossible to beat down the stretch at home. Are we seriously doubting the significance of 31-3!! If so, we are spoiled.


"just makes their road record look worse than it really is."

But second-order analysis, road games against current playoff teams:
Spurs are a mediocre 9-9. (and that's excluding the Spurs' 5 road losses to current lottery teams)

What are the road records of current playoff teams against other playoff teams? Have you figured that one out? In that context, 9-9 might be pretty damned good.


Given the history of HCA for Popovich Spurs and given this season, HCA for these (oft-injured) Spurs is extremely important.

True, but even in years where they've had HCA, the hallmark of successful Spurs playoff teams has been the ability to win on the road. In 1999, the Spurs were a ridiculous 8-1 on the road during the playoffs. In 2003, they were only slightly less successful at 8-4. HCA is a nice luxury, but you don't win titles unless you can win on the road.

[Jimcs50]

As a Spurs fan, it's heart-breaking to see what happened these few weeks. I'm natural towards Malik's trade. Immediately after that we saw the team lost to Memphis, with a lot of turnovers, but everybody said the loss had nothing to do with the trade. Afterwards, in the All-Star game, Pop tried to rest Duncan by limiting his minutes, even though that meant a loss for the West. Duncan was also on the bench in the loss to the Suns. But Pop's effort was totally in vain!!!!! Duncan sprained his ankle three times! Now even Devin Brown is sideliined. I wonder if the rest of the team can step up. The loss to the Knicks was too nasty. I just hope the team can put a better effort in the upcoming games.

I said after the trade that the Spurs would rue the day that we traded our sparkplug and our good luck charm.....The Spurs are 0-22 winning championship w/o Malik and 2-4 with him.....coincidence? I think not.

[boutons]

"the Spurs are 0-22 winning championship w/o Malik and 2-4 with him.....coincidence?"

Statistially controlled for all other variables, right? :)

[Ballcox]

I do think HCA is very important for this team. Yes, it's great that Duncan gets to rest and come back fresh for the playoffs, might it might not mean a damn thing if we don't at least finish with the #2 seed. I can't buy into finishing below the #2 seed and just turning our game on and winning theory, doesn't work for me. This is an opportunity for other players to step up and keep this team above water until TD gets back at the end of the season, but we've GOT to win our division and get the #2 seed as a worst case scenario-IMO.

respect the 'fro :fro

[boutons]

"What are the road records of current playoff teams against other playoff teams?"

I asked my question and worked out the answer. You ask your question, you go get the answer. If I were you, I wouldn't bother with any teams except Heat, Pistons, Sonics, Suns, Houston, because I think the NBa champion is somewhere in that group + the Spurs.

Another angle in the playoff-team road record, but only after 1 Jan, removing Nov/Dec performance as ignorable in guaging Apr/May/Jun performance

.

[wildbill2u]

While there are all kinds of positives about this team (good bench, good starting five, team plays defense, home record) there are also a lot of negatives. (no killer instinct, bench not playing to potential, Parker 4th quarter blues, road record)

The primary negative is that TD has been injured, will miss a month of conditioning & go into the playoffs rusty--and will be subject to re-injuing the ankle because it will be weak. If TD is unable to play at his usual level, that alone will end this year's run for a championship.

[bigzak25]

i like being the underdog....

[td4mvp21]

The Spurs road record all in all is mediocre, but you have to remember that Duncan was either coming back from injury, in his slump, or he didn't play at all. If you take that into consideration, their road record seems appropriate.

[boutons]

If you want to go to 3rd order analysis to see who was injured for Spurs, you have to do the same for other team. eg, Larry Hughes was out for Wiz when they beat Spurs, etc.

[Gtown]

i expect the spurs to eventually get mentally refocused. after all now is the time the national media is off the bandwagon. sportscenter never opened up with the spurs till their loss after monday. all day monday no word on duncan's ankle, not even on the bottom right corner of espnews. we just need to get healthy.

[totalspurshomer]

At this point, the Spurs seem destined to finish 2,3, or 4. (remember that Dallas is only 4 games back in the loss column tonight) To finish:

2. They'd have to get their act together fast and hope the Sonics' bumps and bruises get them some losses, too. Duncan would have to come back for about 7 games and Dallas would have to run hot and cold. Here, I'l guess they face Denver in the first round.

3. They'd have to hold off Dallas. This would probably mean Duncan couldn't come back until the last week and the rest of the guys couldn't get over their own ailments or shortcomings and Sonics did. Here, I'll guess they face Sacramento in the first round.

4. Very real possibility. Dallas must've gotten hot. Sonics regrouped. Duncan missed too many games and his crew could only win about 6 of the remaining games. At this spot, they'd probably face Houston in the first round. Fortunately, the Spurs have enough cushion that it's unlikely Houston could catch them for number 4 to get home court.

[angel_luv]

That's the spirit you guys! I'm proud of you =). Everyone faces adversity and this is just our time. I know the guys will pull through it like the Champions they are. And I'll be with them every step of the way! Go spurs go!

[Ishta]

Like I said yesterday... The sky is not falling yet!! They will pull through for us.. This is their year to win!