Do the Sonics really have a chance?

[HB22inSA]

After the game 1 loss to Denver, everyone was worried and jumping ship.

After a convincing game 1 win over Seattle, and 2 injuries to boot, it seems like everyone is quite confident, perhaps a bit overconfident.

Is this series already over, or do the Sonics have life?

[Kori Ellis]

I thought the Spurs would win in five games before Game 1. I still think the same thing. It was just one win, but the first half was rather impressive.

(If Ray Allen doesn't play again by some miracle -- then break out the brooms.)

[mookie2001]

well this being a best of 7 series, id say yes but they must win 4 out of the next 6

but honestly

no.

[Horry For 3!]

I can't see the Spurs losing the series. I predicted a sweep before Game 1.

[Obstructed_View]

Not everybody panicked after game 1. The Spurs don't get a lot of slack for poor effort. If they don't stop and admire their work Seattle will be lucky to win a game, Allen or no.

[Rick Von Braun]

The Spurs still have to play the games. The worst thing that can happen to this group is overconfidence.

[Gerryatrics]

No, they don't have a chance. The Sonics can't limit penetration and they can't shut down the paint. It doesn't matter how hot your shooting is if you give up easy layups all night. Unless the Spurs totally fall apart or both Parker and Ginobili get hit with the injury bug, they're pretty much done.

[slayermin]

With Radmonovic and a healthy Allen, they might have won two. At this point, I would be a little disappointed if the Spurs don't sweep. Let's just beat this team and keep our health.

[boutons]

"The worst thing that can happen to this group is overconfidence."

No. The worst thing that can happen to the Spurs is what happened to the Sonics last night, injuries.

[FromWayDowntown]

Lost in the shuffle of the victory was a 13 point 3rd quarter. It was okay last night, but I think the second half may have been what the doctor ordered for the Spurs. Pop got so hot about their play that he called a time-out and gave Tim a "get your ass over here" shout. I think the way that second half (and mostly the 3rd quarter) went gives Pop something to get on his team about today and some adjustments to make going in to Game 2, and may stave off some overconfidence, at least for a little while.

[exstatic]

Seattle has no chance, barring any further injuries. When your go to guy and leader is making excuses, and seeing the boogey man wearing #12 under the bed, stick a fork in yourselves, you're done.

[Jimcs50]

If Allen and Rad are healthy, then yes they have a chance.

Bowen could not stop Ray at all yesterday, only the ankle sprain stopped him.

Yesterday, the Spurs would have won anyway, but in Seattle, Seattle can win some games.

[Fouled Out]

I don't think they can. If Pop plays his cards right and puts in a big guy to stop Allen's drives to the basket It is over. Allen was driving in the 1st quater. I hope Pop saw that and could adjust, which I believe he did after the game on TNT he said he liked to mention the 1st half. All you need is A big guy down by the paint Rasho, or Massenburg. I only see the Sonics winning one game in this series and I am being nice.

[boutons]

"what the doctor ordered"

Wait a minute! Wasn't Game1 vs Nuggets the doctor's prescription to wake up the disappeared Spurs?

Sometimes I think the Spurs really don't like to play basketball, or that they don't know the game contains 4 qtrs, not 3. Or they are only happy when Pop is isn't.

13 pts? And shit on defense, to match the offensive "effort".

Why do the Spurs have to mar a beautiful, awe-inspring work-of-art of a first half with an ugly, mutilating gash of a totally shitty 3rd quarter? Just at average 3rd quarter was enough, like win 22-20 pts, or tie 20-20, but lose the 3rd qtr 13!!! to 22?

[CosmicCowboy]

"what the doctor ordered"

Wait a minute! Wasn't Game1 vs Nuggets the doctor's prescription to wake up the disappeared Spurs?

Sometimes I think the Spurs really don't like to play basketball, or that they don't know the game contains 4 qtrs, not 3. Or they are only happy when Pop is isn't.

13 pts? And shit on defense, to match the offensive "effort".

Why do the Spurs have to mar a beautiful, awe-inspring work-of-art of a first half with an ugly, mutilating gash of a totally shitty 3rd quarter? Just at average 3rd quarter was enough, like win 22-20 pts, or tie 20-20, but lose the 3rd qtr 13!!! to 22?


When you are up by 30 points it's hard to do the little "extra" things that are required to totally dominate a team...why give up your body on a contested drive and take a chance on getting hurt?...why run the score up to 60?...Why NOT use all of the shot clock and play a little more conservatively?...The outcome of the game was NEVER in question...Spurs have proven they can play four hard quarters when they have to...Seattle made some half time adjustments and they were getting some points from guys that the Spurs really hadn't game planned on...big deal...they will be watching tape today and have different defensive reactions next game when presented with the same situations...

[reydawg]

(If Ray Allen doesn't play again by some miracle -- then break out the brooms.)

Maybe I'm alone here, but I enjoy the Spurs matching up against and beating the best opponents out there. I, for one, hope both Vlade R. and Jesus Shuttlesworth (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0020931/) are back and healthy by the next game (which seems unlikely at this point). If Jesus Shuttlesworth doesn't make it back, I would call it unfortunate - not a miracle. It's better for basketball in general for these two teams to give each other their best shots.

And I'm as much as a black & silver fan as anybody, but the last thing I would ever want is for us to go 16-0 in the playoffs at the expense of 4 totally depleted opponents. I'm not saying I want us to lose, I just want to see the best competition the other team can put up go against our boys.

Drumming the Sonics 4 straight without those two playing just isn't dramatic or fun and what are the playoffs about if not drama and fun?

I know, I know - the dead bodies (http://ctchoops.com/magic_johnson_se_insert.jpg).

[SPARKY]

I don't mind Spurs fans feeling overconfident as long as the team is not.

[Supergirl]

Spurs won by 20 points after playing a game in which they committed 18 turnovers and scored 13 points in the 3rd quarter. They didn't play all that well, yet they drummed the shit out of the Sonics. The Sonics ought to be scared.

That being said, a series that comes too easy for the SPurs is more dangerous than a close series, and I think the Spurs will lose focus for a game and win the series 4-1.

[Solid D]

Spurs in 6 games. I'm not overly confident.

If Allen can't go in Seattle, however, then the series is over.

[bigbendbruisebrother]

I called a Spurs sweep in the prediction thread two days ago, but I guess I'll have to change that now that Radmanovic and the Appendix are injured. Spurs in 3.

[Rummpd]

No, Nien, Nyet, Nunca, Nevermind.

[boutons]

"little "extra" things that are required to totally dominate a team"

come on, I'm not talking about the 3rd quarter continuing like the first two. Just that the Spurs, at least, just swap baskets for the 2nd half. Losing 13 - 22 pts in the 3rd is a long way from swapping baskets, never mind that 13 pts is almost 1/3 of the 1st qtr points.

Even if the Spurs slack off on defense, where the REAL effort is required, in the second half, how can they totally disappear on offense, too? Isn't scoring "fun" while defense is "work"?

35 27 13 28 = 103

... is pretty sick (in the bad sense).

When the Spurs went in to the half-time break, I noted: "Wow, what an amazing performance, I wonder which Spurs wil come out in the 2nd half?"

[Vashner]

I don't know man.. after we watched the Lakers beat us 4 in a row I think anything's possible. It's NBA ball... every playoff game has to be taken one at a time. Victory by victory...

[bigbendbruisebrother]

I don't know man.. after we watched the Lakers beat us 4 in a row I think anything's possible. It's NBA ball... every playoff game has to be taken one at a time. Victory by victory...

Goddamnit! Stop making sense man!

[HB22inSA]

I don't know man.. after we watched the Lakers beat us 4 in a row I think anything's possible.
I was thinking the same thing.

I thought for sure the Spurs would roll the Lakers last year after Game 2, and look what happened.

[MadDog73]

Anything is possible, but the Sonics aren't the Lakers obviously.

IF Spurs play their A game and no one gets hurt (knock on wood) this series should be over in 4. I say 5 (lose one to incredible 3 point shooting and/or Spurs overconfidence.)

[Obstructed_View]

Last year and the year the Spurs got swept by the Lakers I (as a mere fan) was supremely confident. I am as confident as I was both of those times. That means the series is the Spurs' to lose, and if the Spurs don't choke like they did those other times they should win this series easy. This would be a choke an order of magnitude higher than that because this Sonics team is not a championship caliber team like the Lakers were. Let's not fool ourselves into thinking the Sonics are better than the Nuggets.

[Solid D]

They gave themselves a chance. It wasn't as easy a series as some thought.