Is Game 2 a Must Win?

[Amuseddaysleeper]

I felt game 2 in the Dallas series was a must win, but I think the Spurs role players have shown they play much better at home.

I wouldn't be devastated if they dropped game 2, and I always feel that a series begins only when the road team wins.

[Spurminator]

It's a must compete, but not a must win. If we lose but keep it close I think we can go back home confident that we can take those 2.

Obviously we have to win one on the road, but there will still be two more chances to do that if we lose Game 2 (provided we hold serve at home).

[Mr.Robinson]

I felt game 2 in the Dallas series was a must win, but I think the Spurs role players have shown they play much better at home.

I wouldn't be devastated if they dropped game 2, and I always feel that a series begins only when the road team wins.
Game two is a must win. It seems like Tim is done. He just looks flat. Couldn't score on the Suns small bigs. Hopefully he gets it going.

[Morg1411]

I think "Yes". I don't like assuming we're going to return home and automatically win Games 3 & 4. Phoenix has proved itself far too good of a road team for that.

[Blake]

no, but it would be a very nice win.

[Muser]

Every playoff game should be must win.

[nkdlunch]

For the Suns? yeah.

For Spurs? Game 3,4,6, and 7 are must wins.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

It's not a must win for either team but it's important. And whoever wins it becomes the decent sized favorite to win the series. I know I don't want Phoenix in position needing to win game 3 or 4, and I don't think SA fans want SA in a position that requires winning 4 of 5.

[TDMVPDPOY]

not a must win, but a win is better then nothin comin home

we win game 2? it be over for them in 5 games

[coyotes_geek]

Not a must win, but it sure as hell would make things a lot easier.

[Spursmania]

I think it's a must win. If this thing goes to game 7 it's on their court, and I don't think they want to be in that position.

They need to take care of business now rather than later.

[in2deep]

A must win? yes. A win or go home? no

[pjjrfan]

No, it's not a must win, but if we do lose game 2 then certainly game 3 becomes a must win.

[spurs1990]

You guys are crazy if you think the Spurs can win a series after going down 0-2.

And if you can remember the last time any team much less the Spurs accomplished that I would love to know.

[ALVAREZ6]

Every playoff game should be must win.

I've gone back and forth with what I believe, but I conclude with agreeing with this.

Can't ever assume we're going to take the 2 home games, not even close. No assumptions, balls out every game.

If Spurs win game 2, Spurs in 5.

If Spurs lose game 2, then I have no idea, perhaps Phoenix in 6 or 7.

[Budkin]

Yes.

[dastrey]

You guys are crazy if you think the Spurs can win a series after going down 0-2.

And if you can remember the last time any team much less the Spurs accomplished that I would love to know.

We got blown out the 1st 2 games in New Orleans a couple years ago and came back to win in 7.

And no, game 2 is not a must win. As long as the Spurs don't go down 3-1 they will win the series.

[PDXSpursFan]

Yes we must win to avoid a 7 game series and get rested for the WCF.

[NFGIII]

No, it's not a must win, but if we do lose game 2 then certainly game 3 becomes a must win.

Agreed. And if they lose game 2 the series isn't over but becomes very difficult to win. Then 3 & 4 become must wins IMHO. Better to take game 2 and put the pressure on the Suns.

[nkdlunch]

you guys are crazy if you think the spurs can win a series after going down 0-2.

And if you can remember the last time any team much less the spurs accomplished that i would love to know.

game 1: Spurs 82 @ hornets 101 final
game 2: Spurs 84 @ hornets 102 final
game 3: Hornets 99 @ spurs 110 final
game 4: Hornets 80 @ spurs 100 final
game 5: Spurs 79 @ hornets 101 final
game 6: Hornets 80 @ spurs 99 final
game 7: Spurs 91 @ hornets 82 final

[YoMamaIsCallin]

My theory has always been that the even numbered games of a series are the most telling. Someone has just won and gone ahead in the series, and it's up to the other team to come back and win one, or they're in a 2-game hole which is very hard to come back from.

If the Suns go up 2-0 the Spurs will have to win 4 of the next 5. That is a tough assignment. They'd have to win 2 at home and then win game 5 or 7 on the road.

On the other hand, if the series is tied 1-1, that sets up the Spurs for another 6-game win, just like the Mavs series.

[lefty]

game 1: Spurs 82 @ hornets 101 final
game 2: Spurs 84 @ hornets 102 final
game 3: Hornets 99 @ spurs 110 final
game 4: Hornets 80 @ spurs 100 final
game 5: Spurs 79 @ hornets 101 final
game 6: Hornets 80 @ spurs 99 final
game 7: Spurs 91 @ hornets 82 final
You beat me to it

[LoneStarState'sPride]

Every playoff game should be must win.

This is an incorrect statement.

[YoMamaIsCallin]

My theory has always been that games 2 and 4 of a series are the most telling. Assuming it's not a 3-0 blowout scenario, someone has just won and gone ahead 1-0 or 2-1 in the series, and it's up to the other team to come back and win one, or they're in a 2-game hole which is very hard to come back from.

If the Suns go up 2-0 the Spurs will have to win 4 of the next 5. That is a tough assignment. They'd have to win 2 at home and then win game 5 or 7 on the road.

On the other hand, if the series is tied 1-1, that sets up the Spurs for another 6-game win, just like the Mavs series.

[dastrey]

The Suns played their A- game and the Spurs played their B- game. The Spurs are certainly not going to let Phoenix score 20+ transition points again. I feel so much better against this team after game 1 than I did against Dallas after game 1.

[benefactor]

It's not a must win for either team but it's important.
Indeed...but for different reasons IMO. For any team that is starting on the road, getting the split is a pretty big priority. No team wants to go 2-2 playing a best of 3 with 2 games away. It's no different for the Spurs. I think they could win a game 5 or 7 in PHX, but it becomes a much taller task if they have already lost 2 in a row there. Even if the Spurs lose one in SA, it makes going back to PHX much easier to swallow if they have already taken one there.

For the Suns its more mental than anything. Considering their history against the Spurs anything less than a 2-0 lead coming to SA would hard to overcome. I think the Spurs still hold a psycological edge and dropping one of the first two games would begin to plant some seeds of doubt that could hurt them later in the series.

[nkdlunch]

The Suns played their A- game and the Spurs played their B- game. The Spurs are certainly not going to let Phoenix score 20+ transition points again. I feel so much better against this team after game 1 than I did against Dallas after game 1.

the suns starters played their A game. The suns subs played a C game.

But spurs starters played B game and Spurs subs D-

[blkroadrunners]

Every playoff game should be must win.

+1

I hate that sports cliche so much.

[kaji157]

It is not a must win, but if we don´t win it, then the next 2 are.

I feel that the importance on winning there, more than the home court advantage, would be the mental impact it would have on them.

I like our chances for game 2 if some other players step up. The Big 3 can repeat what they did, none played off the marks, if only a couple of role players show up i think we can win.
If you consider that:

The Big 3 shoot a combined 28 of 56, for 50% shooting. Quite in their averages. The supporting cast shoot 37% at 10 for 27.

And the Suns 3 best players shoot 32 for 52, almost 62% shooting. Way above their average. Their supporting cast shoot almost as ours 9 for 27.

Given what is more expected, i say we have more chances than them to mantain or improve our production, at least from the key players. That´s why i see game 2 very winnable.

[manu the best]

yes!!!

[Borosai]

Yes.

[Martin R]

Psychologically, it is.
It is very useful to send the message : "YOU...are in trouble now"
:)

[ALVAREZ6]

I don't think the Spurs have the mental toughness to bounce back from a 2 game hole right now. Going down 2-0 would make the rest of the series tough. I'm not saying it wouldn't be possible for the Spurs to still win the series if PHX wins game 2, but very unlikely. The Spurs on paper do not have the most reliable players, and wins are going to be hard to come by from here on out, just like against Dallas. The Spurs are performing at a level much higher than most teams by far given the talent they have...in other words, they are stepping up, lately, whereas other teams are underperforming for what they have on paper. With that said, going down 2-0 against the Suns with game 7 in PHX means the Spurs would have to play out of their minds in order to win the series, the entire team. And I don't know if that would happen if they were in that position, especially given the completely different playing styles the two teams play, the Spurs would have to completely control those games.

[Obstructed_View]

Winning 4 out of 5 against a pretty good Phoenix team is going to be tough. I'd say they need to find a way to take game 2.

[SpurOutofTownFan]

statistics aside and whatnot, game 2 is a must win - specially since you dont want the series to go 6 or 7 games if at all possible. if you dont rest again and have to play the lakers like it happened after game 7 in new orleans, you are toast.

they need to get this game and the next 3 and close out early

[DBMethos]

"Must win" is such an overused cliche. The only must win games are elimination games, which Game 2 clearly is not.

[elbamba]

With Tim, Manu and Dice playing so many minutes every game is a must win. This team will run out of gas if every series goes 6-7 games. Even with a day of rest between games, this team will wear out.

[dbreiden83080]

Awful close

Holding serve at home just to tie it up ain't easy..

[romad_20]

With Tim, Manu and Dice playing so many minutes every game is a must win. This team will run out of gas if every series goes 6-7 games. Even with a day of rest between games, this team will wear out.

Every team's starters are going to play heavy mins in the playoffs. If the Spurs can't hold up after being rested all year then they are done anyway. They can't be thinking "Oh, God, we have to win in 5 or 6", it takes what it takes.

Game 3 will be a must win if they lose.

[scottspurs]

vs the Mavericks I thought it was very important to split the first two games because home court advantage didn't matter as much, but against the suns I don't think winning in phoenix in the first two games are that important although it would give the spurs a much better chance of winning the series more quickly.

[da_suns_fan]

Every playoff game should be must win.

Thats how I feel. I hate the "hold serve" analogy thats overused to death. Its the first to four.

If the Suns, win the Spurs would have to win four of the next five so I think it would be pretty difficult.

But I think Spurs win tomorrow.

[slick'81]

a must win?!? not yet even down 0-2 i wouldnt say this spurs team is done but i would like them to win :king

[RedRaider]

It's obviously not literally a "must win", but it is something that we really need to do. I think the first 4 games could very easily go 2-2 with both teams winning at home both times.

[Killakobe81]

No, it's not a must win, but if we do lose game 2 then certainly game 3 becomes a must win.

If spurs go down 0-2 They can still win ...

BUT you guys may need HOF Tim instead of borderline all-star Tim ...

[Russ]

Game 2 is not a must win, but it can lead to must wins.

[SenorSpur]

It's not a must win because they're not facing elimination. However, by winning this game, the Spurs could really take control of the series by seizing the homecourt advantage.

By winning this game, the Spurs would maintain that mental edge and, at the same time, cast more of that familiar doubt in the minds of the Suns.

[50 cent]

I felt game 2 in Dallas was much more important than Game 2 in Phoenix. Still, it would be nice.

[alchemist]

With each game that passes by you get to know your opponent even more so yes I believe tomorrow is huge game.

[VBM]

If Joey doesn't ref tomorrow, then yes.

[I <3 SPURS]

We HAVE to win game 2 because if we don't then we're in a deep hole and the Suns will have all the momentum coming into San Antonio for game 3. Reason being is that if the Spurs win game 2 then the series is tied 1-1. The next 2 games are in San Antonio where the Spurs are 3-0 and its very difficult for teams to win there in the playoffs. My prediction is that the Spurs will be up 3-1 going into game 5 where its a 50/50 chance we win. I hope the Spurs can get it over with in 5 games 'cuz the Lakers/Jazz series will probably go 5-6 games.

[Xylus]

I agree with Muser. Game 2 is a must-win for both teams. So are Games 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7.

[tuncaboylu]

You guys are crazy if you think the Spurs can win a series after going down 0-2.

And if you can remember the last time any team much less the Spurs accomplished that I would love to know.

A series doesn't start till the away team wins a game. We can turn it back from 0-2 down. Would it be difficult, hell yeah. But 0-2 down is not the end of world.

[SpurAddict561]

lol@ the guy saying "youre crazy if you think they can go down 0-2 and win"

uhh....Hornets ring a bell?

we got smushed the first 2 by 20 pts each game and still came back to win


but I do personally believe it's a must win in the fact that it puts so much pressure on us to have two great games at home, if you win game 2 you don't have the young guys on edge as much at home trying to go wild and pull it off

so yes game 2, must win.

[Muser]

game 1: Spurs 82 @ hornets 101 final
game 2: Spurs 84 @ hornets 102 final
game 3: Hornets 99 @ spurs 110 final
game 4: Hornets 80 @ spurs 100 final
game 5: Spurs 79 @ hornets 101 final
game 6: Hornets 80 @ spurs 99 final
game 7: Spurs 91 @ hornets 82 final

Yeah let's make it 7 games so we're once again tired for the Lakers who will have a shit ton of rest.

[kace]

A series doesn't start till the away team wins a game. We can turn it back from 0-2 down. Would it be difficult, hell yeah. But 0-2 down is not the end of world.

does that mean we could be eliminated without the serie even began ? because that's what will happen if both teams win all their home games.

[tdunk21]

not a must win...but a win in game 2 will kinda boost the confidence of the team, coach and fans...
:flag:

[gameFACE]

It's not a must win in the sense that neither this nor Game 3 is a must win. All you have to do if your down 0-3 is win four in a row. Piece of cake.

Of course it's a must win. And the Hornets analogy is terrible. Do you really want this kind of series to go 7 and then play the Lakers or Jazz?

[SpurCharger]

I think Every Game Is A Must Win..... The players have to Play With that Mentality.... You Go Down 2-0, now all PHX has to do is sneak 1 game in San Antonio, and were in Trouble.... Tonights Game is Huge..... If we Win, we in the series in 6..... if we Lose we have our hands full and may lose the series or have to have a hard fought series in 7....w hile The lakers are resting after beating Utah in 4 or 5.....

[iManu]

In my mind, it is a must win, because the spurs are nice guys, and it's hard to make tens of thousands of people cry.
:flag:

[sa_butta]

It's not a must win because we will not be eliminated if we lose, but it is a very important win because if we lose we are in hole coming back home with no momentum.

[elbamba]

Every team's starters are going to play heavy mins in the playoffs. If the Spurs can't hold up after being rested all year then they are done anyway. They can't be thinking "Oh, God, we have to win in 5 or 6", it takes what it takes.

Game 3 will be a must win if they lose.

Perhaps that can't be their thinking but it is reality. The more games we play, the more our older players will wear down. If it means they are at the end of their careers as opposed to the beginning, well, they are.

Just look at the 2008 series against the Hornets and Lakers. After going 7 against the Hornets, the Spurs had nothing left in the tank. Manu could barely move. The team had no energy. The suns play the exact style which will mean heavy running for anyone on the floor. LA looks like they might coast through Utah and that would mean a similar situation, SPurs play a hard fought series while LA rests and waits.

[PDXSpursFan]

game 1: Spurs 82 @ hornets 101 final
game 2: Spurs 84 @ hornets 102 final
game 3: Hornets 99 @ spurs 110 final
game 4: Hornets 80 @ spurs 100 final
game 5: Spurs 79 @ hornets 101 final
game 6: Hornets 80 @ spurs 99 final
game 7: Spurs 91 @ hornets 82 final

And then the Spurs ran out of gas on the WCF against the Lakers. That's exactly why I've been saying that Game 2 is a MUST win. Spurs need to wrap up this series as quickly as possible and get rested for the WCF.

[rascal]

I felt game 2 in the Dallas series was a must win, but I think the Spurs role players have shown they play much better at home.

I wouldn't be devastated if they dropped game 2, and I always feel that a series begins only when the road team wins.

No, it is not a must win and the series begins with game 1.

[Spursmania]

And then the Spurs ran out of gas on the WCF against the Lakers. That's exactly why I've been saying that Game 2 is a MUST win. Spurs need to wrap up this series as quickly as possible and get rested for the WCF.

:tu

Yeah, the Spurs were beat up after game 7 in New Orleans.:fight

They need this one as much as anything else to give them any type of hope of getting out of the Semi's in time to rest a bit before battling the Lakers.

[rascal]

And then the Spurs ran out of gas on the WCF against the Lakers. That's exactly why I've been saying that Game 2 is a MUST win. Spurs need to wrap up this series as quickly as possible and get rested for the WCF.


The spurs could have two weeks off and still not beat the lakers.

[Spursmania]

The spurs could have two weeks off and still not beat the lakers.


:smchode:

[BadOne]

I don't think everyone will need to start jumping off cliffs if S.A. does lose game 2 [though don't be too surprised if they do], however I think it does too much for the confidence of PHX if they do. The Spurs have to at least give their best effort to play smart like they did in Dallas Game 2. If they can even this series and take home court advantage, then we should drive the dagger in games 3 & 4. The nail in the coffin would be game 5 or 6. If they lose game 2 though, this could very well go all the way to 7 games with the outcome being uncertain.

GO SPURS GO!!!

[dastrey]

And then the Spurs ran out of gas on the WCF against the Lakers. That's exactly why I've been saying that Game 2 is a MUST win. Spurs need to wrap up this series as quickly as possible and get rested for the WCF.

That and the NBA deciding to give the Spurs a back-to-back due to the WNBA opener. And I'm sure sleeping in a grounded plane in New Orleans didn't help as well. They also aren't starting Finley and Kurt Thomas this year, so a 7 game series isn't the end of the world.

Game 2 is very important, but a Spurs loss changes nothing. The Suns just held court and now the Spurs must do the same.

[Sisk]

The spurs could have two weeks off and still not beat the lakers.

i hope the Spurs win just to spite your bullshit sentiment these whole playoffs

lakers haven't impressed me, TBH

[dastrey]

The Lakers/Jazz series will definitely be done before this series, so the Spurs won't be getting any rest regardless of how many games it goes.

[TheManFromAcme]

This is an incorrect statement.

so what do you do?

You purposely lose the first 3 to prove to yourself and other team that you can come back and win 4 in a row?

YOU ALWAYS try to win every game. Every game is important.

Geesh....(head nod)