Remaining Schedule: Can the Spurs maintain the best record?

[Budkin]

I was just looking at the remaining games on the schedule and there are some pretty tough ones left. We have to play the Heat and Lakers twice along with games against the Mavs in Dallas and the Celtics.

Realistically what are our chances for holding on to the best record for HCA throughout the playoffs? It sounded like it was pretty much a lock, but checking that out I'm not so sure anymore.

[barbacoataco]

Th Lakers also have a hard schedule and won't catch the Spurs, but Dallas could. Still, Dallas is going to lose a few games too and the Spurs are 6 games ahead. So even if the Spurs lost 10 more games, Dallas would have to go 23-4 to catch up. So the odds are stacked in the Spurs favor.

[TDMVPDPOY]

still have remainin games against lakers, mavs, boston and heat...

8 or 10 losses is what i see....

[Capt Bringdown]

Celtics only 4 games back in loss column, I could see them catching up, especially the way we've been playing lately.

[Budkin]

Dallas plays the Lakers twice and us once, but those are the toughest teams they have to face other than maybe the Hornets. Wait, nevermind.

Lakers play us twice, Dallas twice, Miami, and Orlando. Their schedule looks about as tough as ours.

[Capt Bringdown]

6 more b2b's for us

[tuncaboylu]

No need to worry about it, because our remaining schedule is easy.

The only threat is Miami for us. We played 27 home and 29 away games so far. The other teams coming after us are played:
Celtics: 30 home games and 24 away games.
Miami: 25 home games and 31 away games.
Dallas: 27 home games and 29 away games(Same as us)
Bulls: 29 home games and 25 away games.

We'll play only 11 away games. 2 Memphis, 2 Rockets, 1 Cavs, 1 Atlanta, 1 Lakers, 1 Miami, 1 Phoenix, 1 Denver, 1 Portland.

I don't think that we will lose more than 5 games in this 11 games.

At home I don't concern with 25-2 records. Oklahoma City, Miami, Lakers and Celtics will come to the town. The others can be count as win because most of them against below .500 teams. I don't think that we will lose more than 2 games in the remaining games in our own area.

When we sum up, our worst estimated record seems 65-17 to me which means we can get HCA easily.(Unless Celtics wins 25 of remaining 28 or Heat wins 24 of remaining 26)

[ElNono]

Just gotta stay healthy and pounding that rock...

[Rummpd]

Just lock down HCA in the West IMO

Mavs remain with a low point skewed by losses when Dirk and Butler went down but they have also won some close ones and the odds are they will drop at least 5 remaining. If Spurs beat them next meeting, Spurs lock down the West.

Metric and simulation based prediction still has Spurs winning HCA overall: http://espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/playoffodds

Heat are biggest threat and all the Spurs need to do is split with them - no worries.

One of our Lakers games in first game of BB end of year and bet Pop punts that game unless tied for the WC HC.

[nkdlunch]

if we don't go down in injuries we lock down the West easily. No worries.

[GrandeDavid]

I like that the Spurs have taken some heat in the national press for the quality of their wins over the top teams of the league. I'm not saying I agree with it, but I don't think they'll lack motivation when facing the Heat, Mavs, Celtics etc. I think that they'll be hearing the footsteps and know they have something to prove. I think we're in for an exciting stretch, and since basketball is entertainment, it should be a blast. I think that the Spurs will finish with the overall best record, btw.

[GrandeDavid]

I simply cannot wait to face the Celtics at home. That is gonna be a fun game to watch if there ever was one in the regular season.

[in2deep]

buckle up because these last 25 or so games are gona be a rollercoaster ride

[xmas1997]

After what the Bulls game exposed, and others before that, I am not the least bit worried whether the Spurs maintain, or have by seasons' end, HCA.
Their defense, or lack of the consistency of it, will determine how far they go in the playoffs, not their offense which is mostly responsible for their record right now.
Great defense always trumps great offense in the playoffs. Just ask the Suns.

[tlongII]

The Spurs have HCA pretty much locked up in the West. They could be overtaken by Boston or Miami though.

[DesignatedT]

It's not a lock but we should hold on. I think we go 18-8 to close the season out and that will be plenty to lock it down in the West. The month of March is pretty tough and if we lock it up early expect pop to start resting.

[TampaDude]

68-14 and HCA throughout the playoffs :toast

[Mugen]

17-9 the rest of the way is my guess. i think we lock up the west by the end of march but i have doubts that we keep HCA throughout the playoffs.

i think Miami has a chance of catching us for the best record in the league just because theyre going to be desperate to get HC against Boston. they dont have a chance without it.

[in2deep]

68-14 and HCA throughout the playoffs :toast

I wish. But doubtful.

IMO Spurs will get to around 62 wins. Lock up west handily but barely, just barely lock up entire league.

I just pondered on a probable worst case scenario. (If someone goes down to injury or somehow Spurs just stop winning)
IF Spurs go 50% rest of the way
AND all other teams go 75% which is Boston's rate,
these would be the final standings:
1. Boston 61-21
2. Miami 60-22
3. San Antonio tied with Dallas 59-23

So IMO worst case scenario we'll be tied with Dallas and we currently have an advantage in the tie breaker.

So even in worst case scenario, Spurs likely win the West.

[Cry Havoc]

HCA for the entire playoffs is ours to lose. All we have to do is not hit any losing streaks, win the games we should win, and we'll be fine.

[Indazone]

I think the Spurs are too good and will win most of their remaining games. Lakers, Heat, Celtics included. I think the Celtics might give the Spurs some trouble but not the one dimensional Heat and the lackluster Lakers.

[Budkin]

It's more the Mavs I'm worried about. Yes they are 6 games back but they just keep winning and they seem to have our number much of the time. Hopefully they will lose just as many as us.

[41times]

Love my Mavs but there is NO way the Mavs catch the Spurs unless the Spurs lose Duncan or Ginob or Parker for 10 games like the Mavs lost Dirk.

[MarHill]

After what the Bulls game exposed, and others before that, I am not the least bit worried whether the Spurs maintain, or have by seasons' end, HCA.
Their defense, or lack of the consistency of it, will determine how far they go in the playoffs, not their offense which is mostly responsible for their record right now.
Great defense always trumps great offense in the playoffs. Just ask the Suns.

I disagree with the Suns comparison. The Spurs have played defense this season in stretches but not consistently. The Suns never played defense...period.

I do agree the Spurs will have to play better defense in order to win the championship. But it will be because they've played great team defense in order to get it done without having a wing-stopper like Bowen anymore.

What the Bulls game exposed is that Rose made tough jump shots and when he's doing that...he basically unguardable! His athleticism is more deadly when he is making his jump shots.

They way he played last night...nobody was going to stop him.

[MarHill]

Love my Mavs but there is NO way the Mavs catch the Spurs unless the Spurs lose Duncan or Ginob or Parker for 10 games like the Mavs lost Dirk.

I agree 41times about the Mavs not catching the Spurs unless they have a injury.

However, I do think we will have a Spurs-Mavs showdown in the playoffs once again. It's destiny..I think!:toast

[TampaDude]

I agree 41times about the Mavs not catching the Spurs unless they have a injury.

However, I do think we will have a Spurs-Mavs showdown in the playoffs once again. It's destiny..I think!:toast

ABTFLITF :lol

[Obstructed_View]

The Spurs have HCA pretty much locked up in the West. They could be overtaken by Boston or Miami though.

True, but have a chance to make that pretty difficult for those teams if they take care of their business head to head.

[HarlemHeat37]

Celtics won't go all-out IMO..all their core players are playing more minutes than last season, they will definitely sit out some games and play less minutes, at some point IMO..if they don't, they're going to be worn out in the playoffs..last season, they made sure to conserve their energy, and it was a successful plan..

Miami is probably the only team that can catch the Spurs IMO, so the Spurs need to win at least 1 of the 2 games against them..

HCA in the West is enough for me though..

[TD 21]

Why would "HCA in the West be enough" for you? Given the lead they have, only home court advantage throughout should be enough. Home court is more crucial in the Finals than any other round, because of the format. If the two teams are relatively even, the difference is oftentimes home court, because what are the odds of the team without it sweeping the middle three games or winning two road games? They'd have to do one to win the series.

[FromWayDowntown]

If you believe that 60 wins will get HCA in the West, the Spurs get there by going 14-12; the Mavs would have to go 20-6.

If you believe that 62 wins (historically average for #1 team in the West overall over the last few years) the Spurs must go 16-10; the Mavs must go 22-4.

[Fabbs]

6 more b2b's for us
Would really like to see Splitts get healed up and contribute.

We cannot win Duncs breaking down.