What's most important for the Spurs?

[Old School 44]

The number one seed and home court advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs?
OR
To be on the other side of the bracket from teams you don't match up well with, like the Lakers?

Obviously, it would be great if the Spurs could have both.

[cheguevara]

to finalize a rotation that minimizes the damage Blair and Bonner do out there on the floor

[Jumi]

To beat the Lakers convincingly. The seeds matter secondly imo. If we can help bump the Lakeshow to the fourth seed while still maintaining the two seed, the path to the title is ours for the taking!

[Old School 44]

I know there's no guarantee with wins/losses, but what if the Spurs could somewhat control this by trying to go to the last day of the season tied with OKC.

Since they have what amounts to one of the last games of the season at Golden State (10:30 start) they could in effect determine who they play and what side of the bracket they are on with the outcome of this game.

[rmt]

1) The most important thing for the Spurs is the adjustment of big man minutes. In the playoffs:

Duncan - 33 mins
Splitter - 33 mins
Diaw 15-20 mins depending on matchup
Bonner 10-15 mins depending on matchup
Blair - never set foot on the court

IMO, if they do this one thing, SA has a fair chance in most match ups.

2) Avoid the nightmare match up LAL

3) Win out their remaining games and hold on to #1 in the West and home court over every team except CHI. I don't see them beating CHI or MIA but there's the possibility that Rose/Lebron might choke. Wade won't. But the 2-3-2 Finals format (3 straight games in the middle) might be enough to tip the scales if SA has home court.

[Kuestmaster]

No way Pop plays Splitter more than 30 minutes. No freaking way. I'm not sure if he even will play 20. Sad
Prepare to see a lot of Matt Bonner in the PO. Besides Timmy he'll be the big most used

[gambit1990]

to finalize a rotation that minimizes the damage Blair and Bonner do out there on the floor

/thread

[Giuseppe]

Winning the last game they play.

[The ADMIRAL 50]

Winning the last game they play.

seppe venturing away from his usual shtick to actually provide a clever and completely true post :clap

odds he responds to this post with one from his usual repertoire?

[Giuseppe]

seppe venturing away from his usual shtick to actually provide a clever and completely true post :clap

odds he responds to this post with one from his usual repertoire?

I've always aspired to The Spisak Manifesto:::

1. make the playoffs.
2. win the last game you play.

You've already accomplished 1..

[Drom John]

Setting up a playoff matchup is for teams whose goal is to just win the first round. The Spurs want to win four rounds. That's four good opponents. You take what you get.

[Spurminator]

If you get #1, you most likely get #2. Unless you want to drop to 4 or 5, you're not going to avoid the Lakers in round 2 without being #1.

[Spurminator]

Unless the Lakers get #4, which is very possible now that I look at it.

So... forget what I said.

[Seventyniner]

Setting up a playoff matchup is for teams whose goal is to just win the first round. The Spurs want to win four rounds. That's four good opponents. You take what you get.

This. When the goal is the title, the attitude has to be anyone, anywhere. Win, develop chemistry and a good rotation, and let the chips fall where they may.

Now to only work out that good rotation part...

[Old School 44]

Unless the Lakers get #4, which is very possible now that I look at it.

So... forget what I said.

Exactly, if the Lakers are the 4th seed do you want to be the #1 seed?
And if you can control this by giving up the last game, putting OKC and the Lakers in the same side of the bracket, do you do it?

[tonight...you]

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2Rx24xlXvlU/TxJclRzLr0I/AAAAAAAAArg/Qq-ahgw2mH4/s1600/crush+your+enemies+see+them+driven+before+you.JPG

To crush the enemy, see them driven before you and hear the lamentation of their women.

[rmt]

Exactly, if the Lakers are the 4th seed do you want to be the #1 seed?
NO


And if you can control this by giving up the last game, putting OKC and the Lakers in the same side of the bracket, do you do it?
YES. There are no bonus points for going through the hardest opponent (match up). Take the path of least resistance. Let OKC have a shot/wear them down first.

[DesignatedT]

Everyone should do themselves a favor and stop thinking about it/looking at the standings. There's so much that can go in still it's impossible to figure out. Check back in a week and we should be able to get a better idea.

[YoMamaIsCallin]

Correct answer is (C) NONE OF THE ABOVE.

The most important thing is to enter the playoffs (1) not injured, (2) not burned out, and (3) playing well.

Other than that, the Spurs will take whatever seeding and matchup they get. Macht nichts.

HCA? Pffft. The Spurs have won lots of series without HCA. They'll obviously take it if it turns out that way, but...

HCA's value is overrated. With HCA, you have to win the first 2 games at home just to hold your HCA. Lose one? Series tied, and the OTHER TEAM now has HCA and gets to close it out at home in Game 6 if they can win games 3-4 at home.

[Mel_13]

Correct answer is (C) NONE OF THE ABOVE.

The most important thing is to enter the playoffs (1) not injured, (2) not burned out, and (3) playing well.

Other than that, the Spurs will take whatever seeding and matchup they get. Machts nichts.

HCA? Pffft. The Spurs have won lots of series without HCA. They'll obviously take it if it turns out that way, but...

HCA's value is overrated. With HCA, you have to win the first 2 games at home just to hold your HCA. Lose one? Series tied, and the OTHER TEAM now has HCA and gets to close it out at home in Game 6 if they can win games 3-4 at home.

This is correct.

[therealtruth]

Correct answer is (C) NONE OF THE ABOVE.

The most important thing is to enter the playoffs (1) not injured, (2) not burned out, and (3) playing well.

Other than that, the Spurs will take whatever seeding and matchup they get. Macht nichts.

HCA? Pffft. The Spurs have won lots of series without HCA. They'll obviously take it if it turns out that way, but...

HCA's value is overrated. With HCA, you have to win the first 2 games at home just to hold your HCA. Lose one? Series tied, and the OTHER TEAM now has HCA and gets to close it out at home in Game 6 if they can win games 3-4 at home.

It's a double edged sword. If you're really good home team home court advantage really helps. If you're a good road team it doesn't matter as much. However I think most champs tend to be really good road teams.

[Spurs and Mavs fan]

Honestly, it's more important for the Spurs to avoid teams that they match up poorly against, than it is to have the No. 1 seed in the West.


For instance, the Spurs were the 7# seed in 2010, yet beat the 2# seeded Mavericks in the playoffs.

But then last year, the Spurs were the West's highest seed, but were upset by Memphis.

[wut]

I agree, outside of being healthy and playing well, which is all a given; if you don't have those you're toast anyway...seeding/HCA is far less important than matchups. Spurs need to avoid the Lakers as long as possible.

tbh the only reason the Spurs need to avoid Lakers is because Pop's anti Duncan+Splitter lineup.

[pgardn]

By far the two most important things are to be playing well and to be healthy.

Who was Dallas going to lose to last year?

And...

Who thought they would win the whole thing?

The rest is BS. Lets just lose 1st round if we are not good enough.

[TheSkeptic]

I agree, outside of being healthy and playing well, which is all a given; if you don't have those you're toast anyway...seeding/HCA is far less important than matchups. Spurs need to avoid the Lakers as long as possible.

tbh the only reason the Spurs need to avoid Lakers is because Pop's anti Duncan+Splitter lineup.

It's not just the Lakers though. Bonner's going to be a problem during the playoffs and I don't think Diaw is enough by himself to upgrade our frontcourt with the redhead still getting significant minutes. We'll need Splitter's easy baskets and quality defense if we want to go all the way.

[wut]

Disagree about Bonner being a problem...I know a lot of people complain about it but the inside out combo works, evident by the Spurs record. Bonner just has to be used a certain times of the game (like when the opposing team is sitting their best bigs). The real problem seems to be that Pop is using lineups based on minutes and not matchups.

[TheSkeptic]

Disagree about Bonner being a problem...I know a lot of people complain about it but the inside out combo works, evident by the Spurs record. Bonner just has to be used a certain times of the game (like when the opposing team is sitting their best bigs). The real problem seems to be that Pop is using lineups based on minutes and not matchups.

That only works if he's actually spreading the floor though.

Memphis in particular sent guards and small forwards (or didn't bother) when he was playing and just clogged the paint. Of course Bonner>Blair so I'd rather see the redhead out there but it's pathetic that we're down to that. And if he's getting overplayed while that's not his fault that doesn't make him not a problem in my opinion.

[silverblk mystix]

Bonner ...season ending injury...before the start of the playoffs...

That would do it.

[ViceCity84]

Staying out of Lakers/Thunder bracket until WCF.
Pray for 1 seed.
Pray for Thunder to beat Lakers in 2nd round.
We need luck like 2007.

[TheSkeptic]

Bonner ...season ending injury...before the start of the playoffs...

That would do it.

Yes, but would it solve the Blair conundrum?

Terrible that it's come down to injuries though...

[spursince#99]

The most important thing for us is to get the Lakers on the opposite side of the bracket whether that's holding our destiny in our own hands by beating L.A our remaining 2 regular season games or getting the #1 seed. Either way we must get them on the opposite side of the bracket so that OKC hopefully beats them. However, in the instance that OKC doesn't beat them, then we can say it was worth a try for the 5th ring, and we did everything we could because there's NO way we beat them in a 7 game series and I'm just being honest.

[silverblk mystix]

Yes, but would it solve the Blair conundrum?

Terrible that it's come down to injuries though...

What would happen is that in crunch time...there would be no bonner on the court...and this would allow someone else to be on the floor...someone who is not a liability-but an asset...

and when you are talking about Bonner...anyone else on the Spurs roster instead of Bonner would be an upgrade.

[Josepatches_]

The number one seed and home court advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs?
OR
To be on the other side of the bracket from teams you don't match up well with, like the Lakers?

Obviously, it would be great if the Spurs could have both.

To be 1st seed is the best way to avoid the Lakers. 2 in 1.

Lakers are going to finish 3th.

Anyway Kobe will be playing and that makes easier to defeat them.

[100%duncan]

If you want to not meet the Lakers until the WCF you have to get number 1 seed.

[$pursDynasty]

Staying out of Lakers/Thunder bracket until WCF.
Pray for 1 seed.
Pray for Thunder to beat Lakers in 2nd round.
We need luck like 2007.

The most advantageous position would be to stay close/tied with the Thunder until the last game and then be able to either take the top seed or tank a game in order to avoid the only team we need to avoid, the LA Lakers. Best possible scenario would be able to tank the last game letting OKC be #1, SAS be #2, LAC #3, LAL#4 and Memphis #5. That way Memphis can war with the Lakers and the winner of that series gets OKC leaving the Spurs away from their three biggest threats until the WCF. That would be way better than just a #1 seed. :flag::lobt2:

[rmt]

The most advantageous position would be to stay close/tied with the Thunder until the last game and then be able to either take the top seed or tank a game in order to avoid the only team we need to avoid, the LA Lakers. Best possible scenario would be able to tank the last game letting OKC be #1, SAS be #2, LAC #3, LAL#4 and Memphis #5. That way Memphis can war with the Lakers and the winner of that series gets OKC leaving the Spurs away from their three biggest threats until the WCF. That would be way better than just a #1 seed. :flag::lobt2:

Love the scenario where LAL has to go through MEM and OKC before SAS. The remaining games will be interesting with LAL trying like crazy to beat SA (and make them #2) and the opposite for LAL/OKC where they would almost want to lose to OKC to let them keep the #1 spot. Since SAS has the tie-break with OKC, it's still in charge of its own destiny. It's a tall order though - to win out.

[Ryan Fitzpatrick]

Gotta dodge the Lakers and hope OKC takes them out for you. It's just an un-winnable matchup for the Spurs.

[Old School 44]

To be 1st seed is the best way to avoid the Lakers. 2 in 1.

Lakers are going to finish 3th.

Anyway Kobe will be playing and that makes easier to defeat them.

Don't be so sure. I can see the Lakers tanking to the 4 spot if the Spurs get the #1 seed.

[Mel_13]

Don't be so sure. I can see the Lakers tanking to the 4 spot if the Spurs get the #1 seed.

The Lakers can solidify a second round match with Spurs by beating them two more times. No need for them to tank.

[Venti Quattro]

Yeah. And why would they tank in a tight Western Conference race?