Our Biggest Foe Going into the Playoffs

[Calispursfan11]

There is no doubt that the Spurs have now fully risen from the ashes of the shadow of a team five years removed from the championship. A combination of great scouting, chemistry, perseverance and a little luck was the only way this could have happened. The way the Spurs are playing right now, I doubt any team in the West could beat them in a seven game series much less push them to the brink.

The current version of the Spurs is so good it's scary:

Tim "The Big Fundamental Reloaded" Duncan

Tony "MVP" Parker

Manu "crazy pass to you" Ginobili

Stephen "Bring the Pressure" Jackson

Kawhi "the Human Avatar" Leonard

Gary "the Real Deal" Neal

Danny "Green to Mean" Green

Patty "Speedy Claxton" Mills

Boris "Poor Man's Matrix" Diaw

De ju an a burger Blair

Matt "the Catapult" Bonner

Tiago "Most Improved Player" Splitter

James "would get some PT elsewhere" Anderson

While other contender teams destroy themselves from within, the Spurs watch calmly and just play. No drama. No thug-worthy run ins. No bs. Just basketball. That is what I love about this team.

Still, there is one thing that might derail us and it concerns me. Momentum. If Pop decides to chuck a few games to get key guys rest toward the end, it will do nothing but hurt us. I am not scared of other teams in the West, or even injury to a key guy as much as potentially getting thrown off our stride heading into the last few games of the season. Will Pop do what he normally does and give the old guys and starters a bunch of rest, or will he keep it in high gear until the playoffs start? The answer to this question might be the biggest factor in whether we make it out of the West and to the finals.

[InK]

Keep up the good work.

[SpursRock20]

You forgot Kawhi :rolleyes

[hooperflash]

you forgot kawhi :rolleyes

+1

[Robz4000]

Resting players down the stretch didn't hurt the Spurs last year, it was injuries during the last third of the season. Considering the Spurs may have to play b2b's in the playoffs, rest towards the end of the season is warranted. What they need to do is get their chemistry and rotations down by then and get everyone fully in game shape. Today's practice videos make me believe they aren't close to there yet, but they still look scary good. This team still needs to get that improvement in before the real season starts.

[gambit1990]

our biggest foe is our defense.

[Proxy]

So dramatic...

Do you honestly think that this team would lose in the first round if they're 100% healthy, but have no "momentum?"

That's a laugher... 1st seeded Spurs lose to 8th seeded Nuggets... due to a lack of momentum. Greg Poppovich blamed.

[therealtruth]

our biggest foe is our defense.

Agree. The only series the Spurs have won since '08 was the Mavs series and that series was won with defense. George Hill's defense on Jet and JKidd and Dice's defense on Dirk were crucial. In fact the Spurs won by keeping the Mavs to 93 ppg and 43% shooting.

[Mel_13]

Still, there is one thing that might derail us and it concerns me. Momentum.

The 2004 Spurs won the last 11 games of the regular season and the first 6 games of the playoffs.

Momentum is overrated.

[therealtruth]

The 2004 Spurs won the last 11 games of the regular season and the first 6 games of the playoffs.

Momentum is overrated.

Phil Jackson disrupted that momentum and the Spurs never made the counter adjustments. The Spurs were well on their way to winning that series if the Lakers hadn't adjusted.

[Small Fundamental]

Phil Jackson disrupted that momentum and the Spurs never made the counter adjustments. The Spurs were well on their way to winning that series if the Lakers hadn't adjusted.More like Derek Fisher disrupted our momentum.

[crellis]

I will take a healthy team every day of the week. These guys are to experienced to be concerned with momentum. Pop has been resting them all throughout the season and I agree/expect that trend to continue throughout April.

[Calispursfan11]

You forgot Kawhi :rolleyes

My mistake! Fixed.

[Calispursfan11]

I will take a healthy team every day of the week. These guys are to experienced to be concerned with momentum. Pop has been resting them all throughout the season and I agree/expect that trend to continue throughout April.

Resting one or two of our key guys every other game doesn't concern me, but essentially making the second/third unit play the entire final 3-5 games would be the wrong move and disrupt our momentum. Momentum is important throughout the playoffs and sustaining from round to round all the way through is significant as we saw with the Mavs steamrolling the Lakers last year. Coming into the postseason playing poorly, having lost a few games doesn't usually spell deep playoff runs. Some rest is good, but I think Pop is often guilty of overkill with the rest toward the end of the season.

[crellis]

Some rest is good, but I think Pop is often guilty of overkill with the rest toward the end of the season.

I agree with this, resting where it is warranted and deserved. However come playoff time it is up to Pop to get the rotations right and for the players to perform to build momentum. I think as long as we get to the business end of the season healthy we will build our momentum from there.

[Bartleby]

I am not scared of other teams in the West, or even injury to a key guy as much as potentially getting thrown off our stride heading into the last few games of the season.

You've got it totally backwards, tbh. If one of the big three gets injured in the last few games of the season we will probably be looking at a repeat of last year.

[Sean Cagney]

More like Derek Fisher disrupted our momentum.

No, they had lost two in a row and were down big in that game 5 of that series at HOME! SHOULD have never came down to that Derek Fisher shot had they not blown a lead in game 4 or been down so big in game 5 AT HOME! They came back and nearly won that game, but damn that getting down big hurt them in that game 5 and thats it.

I do not blame one shot in that series for losing it.

[Calispursfan11]

Tonight's strategy is what I was hoping would not happen, and with weeks to go in the regular season no less!

[DMC]

Our biggest foe is Manu, Tony, Tim and Kawhi. That's the big foe.

[Spurs da champs]

Our biggest foe is Pop.

[egtonecity]

Our biggest foe is Manu, Tony, Tim and Kawhi. That's the big foe.

Lol. Big 4, I got it.

[Giuseppe]

While other contender teams destroy themselves from within, the Spurs watch calmly and just play. No drama. No thug-worthy run ins. No bs. Just basketball. That is what I love about this team.

Though Jackson & Diaw at their prior station quit so they wouldn't destroy you from within.

It's a distinction.

[Mel_13]

It's a distinction.

A distinction with a difference.

Hey, Cul. I believe I understand what you're doing wrt the EC, but a successful endgame seems extremely unlikely.

A principled protest that appears doomed to failure. Then where do you go after ST?

[Dex]

Our Biggest Foe Going into the Playoffs:

http://www.basketball-refs.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/joey-crawofrd.jpg

[Giuseppe]

A distinction with a difference.

Hey, Cul. I believe I understand what you're doing wrt the EC, but a successful endgame seems extremely unlikely.

A principled protest that appears doomed to failure. Then where do you go after ST?

Let me check the list...yeah, you're not on it.

I have no idea. It's gonna be a big change for me that's for certain. I got to come with something. I'll hunt for another Board. I haven't looked since I came here over 3 years ago so there may be a seat for me by now.

It'll never be like this though. This is the epitome. I feel grateful for the time I've gotten.

[Mel_13]

Let me check the list...yeah, you're not on it.

I have no idea. It's gonna be a big change for me that's for certain. I got to come with something. I'll hunt for another Board. I haven't looked since I came here over 3 years ago so there may be a seat for me by now.

It'll never be like this though. This is the epitome. I feel grateful for the time I've gotten.

Unfortunate, but at least you chose the circumstances of your departure.

The place won't be the same without you.

[Paranoid Pop]

So dramatic...

Do you honestly think that this team would lose in the first round if they're 100% healthy, but have no "momentum?"

That's a laugher... 1st seeded Spurs lose to 8th seeded Nuggets... due to a lack of momentum. Greg Poppovich blamed.

If we lack momentum we certainly won't get the 1st seed because that means we would have lost a bunch of times.

2nd seeded Spurs lose to 7th seeded Mavs, how does that sound? Much more realistic and scary.

I mostly agree with Pop's strategy but the final stretch is so brutal that we're actually likely to head into the PO with a bunch of losses like last year.

[Giuseppe]

Unfortunate, but at least you chose the circumstances of your departure.

The place won't be the same without you.

True.

I'm just waiting the end now. Tim had to run to the clockmaker there in downtown San Antonio to get THE TIMER fixed and pick up some milk for the children. Once he brings that back, they have breakfast and count their money they'll wind the clock and I"ll be rendered impotent for the second time in 5 years.

[boutons_deux]

"This is the epitome."

Laker fan doesn't speak English well.