Scary Potential First Round Match Ups?

[VI_Massive]

Is it me or are some of the potential first round match ups scary? Assuming (knock on wood) we hold onto the 1 seed it looks like we could face Memphis or Portland in the first round, both teams that scare me.

A front line of Camby, LMA, and Wallace is pretty imposing (though thin) especially if Brandon Roy can give Portland anything.

And Memphis has shown lately that they're not to be taken lightly, though I wonder if their late season success can translate to the playoffs.

Even if NOLA falls to the 8, they've given us some trouble this season as well. I think between CP3 and Monty Williams and Demps, they know us pretty well and could give us a time.

I find myself hoping for Phoenix to somehow slide their way in, even though they'd try to Pick and Roll us to death like last year. Hard to see how they get in though because those teams above them are playing well and Portland made a pretty significant acquisition with Wallace.

What do you all think? Am I being too much of a Chicken Little? Who do you think would be the least fear-inducing matchup?

[Bartleby]

Too much Chicken Little.

Anything can happen, but if the Spurs are healthy and rested I think it's pretty unlikely they will have to go a full 7 games to get to the second round.

[Rummpd]

Spurs have another gear and will bring it against anyone.

[TE]

This year, the Spurs won't have a repeat performance like they did against the Suns.


This years Spurs is a different monster, one that attacks from all over the court offensively, and one that will continue to increase defensive intensity leading up to the playoffs.

[justinandimcool]

Portland and Memphis are scary.

Would rather have Phoenix or New Orleans.

[Anonymous Cowherd]

Portland. Do not want.


Memphis could cause us problems but we should overcome. Ditto Hornets.

Suns or Jazz would be good for us.

[tlongII]

No way the Blazers fall to the 8th seed.

[ohmwrecker]

The Spurs will not be seriously challenged in the 1st round. Period.

[TE]

We're playing either the Blazers or Thunder in the second round, I believe.

5 to 6 game series at most.

[urunobili]

dont want Memphis or Portland...

[Spurs and Mavs fan]

Memphis = physical, not good.

[ohmwrecker]

Sack up, wooby snugglers!

[DesignatedT]

Give me Utah

[m33p0]

i hope memphis gets in as a 6th or 7th seed. :)

[SpurCharger]

Memphis = No Playoff Experience.....But Portland Would Be A tough Matchup... But spurs would win that in 5 or 6...

[NuGGeTs-FaN]

I'm hoping the Nuggets get the 6th/7th seed. Don't want to face SA until both teams are in the WCF :smokin

[stnick2261]

No way the Blazers fall to the 8th seed.

any teams that I'd eventually be worried about would have to go on a losing streak in order for us to play them in the first round. If that happens, I would no longer be worried about them.

[duncan228]

No guarantees for Spurs (http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/03/05/no-guarantees-for-spurs/)
Mike Monroe

The Spurs have dedicated themselves to keeping the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference they have held since mid-November.

“We’ve come this far, and obviously it’s very important,” Spurs captain Tim Duncan said after Friday’s blowout of the Heat. “We want to keep that home-court advantage throughout, and obviously every advantage we can get, we want to take.”

With 20 games left and five fewer losses than the second-place Mavericks, it is a goal the Spurs don’t take for granted, but one it seems reasonable to expect.

In the West, that doesn’t necessarily guarantee a cakewalk through the first round. Last season, the Lakers needed a last-second tip-in by Pau Gasol of a Kobe Bryant miss to avoid Game 7 against the Thunder in their No. 1 vs. No. 8 matchup.

Keep reading... (http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/03/05/no-guarantees-for-spurs/)

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/03/05/no-guarantees-for-spurs/

[ManuBalboa]

Gary Neal will take care of the 1st round.

[ChuckD]

tbh, no one below #3 even concerns me one bit.

[slick'81]

portland maybe with their front court and length but without a healthy roy i dont know

[DJB]

:lol @ anyone that thinks the Memphis Grizzlies are scary.

[Budkin]

Anyone is the playoffs can be considered "scary" if you look at them from a certain perspective. If it's possible to lose to them then they are scary.

[TE]

:lol @ anyone that thinks the Memphis Grizzlies are scary.

You're an idiot if you don't think they compete with the Spurs. The Spurs should beat them in a seven game series, but it ain't no cakewalk. Considering how the Grizzlies played the Spurs (very physical) I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the Grizzlies as being a pushover.

[Fireball]

Portland, Denver and Memphis would be tough match-ups, but in a seven-game series an experienced (and healthy) Spurs team with HCA should still win it in 5 games. We had bad games in Portland and Memphis, but especially Memphis cannot play with more intensity than they did there. With the Blazers you have to find a way to limit Aldridge and Pop would take care of that ...

[justinandimcool]

:lol @ anyone that thinks the Memphis Grizzlies are scary.

They beat us without their best player, and without their center there for a half. With Phoenix we can get away with some sloppy play because their defense and frontcourt are lacking. If we don't take Memphis seriously then Z-Bo/Gay would kill us inside and outside, and Mike Conley has played great against us as well.

They won't beat the Spurs, but they could make it very difficult.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Is it me or are some of the potential first round match ups scary? Assuming (knock on wood) we hold onto the 1 seed it looks like we could face Memphis or Portland in the first round, both teams that scare me.

A front line of Camby, LMA, and Wallace is pretty imposing (though thin) especially if Brandon Roy can give Portland anything.

And Memphis has shown lately that they're not to be taken lightly, though I wonder if their late season success can translate to the playoffs.

Even if NOLA falls to the 8, they've given us some trouble this season as well. I think between CP3 and Monty Williams and Demps, they know us pretty well and could give us a time.

I find myself hoping for Phoenix to somehow slide their way in, even though they'd try to Pick and Roll us to death like last year. Hard to see how they get in though because those teams above them are playing well and Portland made a pretty significant acquisition with Wallace.

What do you all think? Am I being too much of a Chicken Little? Who do you think would be the least fear-inducing matchup?

I think that's a good post. I'd rather face them in this order: Jazz, Suns, New Orleans, Memphis, Portland, and those last two would undoubtedly be draining series. I'm confident we would win both, but they'd be physically tough and probably go 6 or 7 games. That might be ideal seasoning for the rest of the playoffs for a younger team, but with aging stars I'd rather see us cruise through the first round in 5 (a loss is always good to remind the team how important every game is in the playoffs).

[Obstructed_View]

Gotta respect every opponent in the playoffs. The Spurs should be fine, but nothing is easy.

[ChuckD]

Anyone is the playoffs can be considered "scary" if you look at them from a certain perspective. If it's possible to lose to them then they are scary.

You can be scared of anything, if that's your mindset.

[TampaDude]

Not worried about Memphis. We split a home and home with them with Parker out. We'd take them in 5 in the playoffs.

[tmtcsc]

Scary for who ? For the lower seed to have to face us ? The Spurs have been the most consistent team all year. They've also shown a couple of things that our past teams have not:

1. An ability to kick their play up a notch for big games.

2. A refuse to lose attitude.

Some of the bottom seed teams will be a good challenge but the Spurs have played great against all of them. We can also win on the road. The only teams out their that have the ability to stop us are The Celtics and Lakers.

If we lost to anyone else its because we didn't bring our "A" game.

[armynick23]

No one can stay in a series with us. Spurs experience,determination and will will overcome most teams in a series. Some teams will just tougher and bang us up more.

[m33p0]

memphis can give the fakers a scare.