Rest or momentum?

[Spurs and Mavs fan]

I'd prefer to see the Grizzlies-Clippers series go 7 games and let the Spurs have the entire week off, but there are doubtlessly those who would prefer the Spurs to face their next opponent while they are still "in gear" from beating the Jazz.

[Cow Eye]

As it is now, assuming the Clippers win on Wed. and they start round 2 on Sat. That will have been 4 days rest for the Spurs, and that will have only been a 5 game series between LA/Memphis.

How much rest do you want? Something like 8 days is entirely too much... A 7 game series between LA/Memphis would be over a week of no playing. Way too much.

[Beanzamillion21]

Rest up and study. Hopefully these next couple of games in the Clipps/Grizz series will be a bloodbath.

[spurraider21]

I sort of hope it ends in 5. As stated, it would give them about 4 full days of rest which is plenty. That's like the all star break, about as long as you could ask for. If the series stretches to 6 or 7 games, the only way I'd prefer that scenario is if somebody on the Clippers gets hurt lol. For the record I'm thrilled the Clippers are up 3-1. While it would be cool to get revenge on the Grizzlies, the Clippers are the easier matchup for us, and as a fan from LA, I am pumped to see some Spurs playoff games

[Arcadian]

I want round 2 to start as soon as fucking possible. I'm only in SA until the 15th, and I really want to go to game 1. So the Clippers better wrap this shit up soon.

[TDMVPDPOY]

problem if it goes to game 7, we dont want them to be building any form of team chemistry...

[lrrr]

I think it was Don Nelson who said "rest is always good", but how much rest does this team need? They swept and none of the starters palyed huge minutes, no nagging injuries, so I'd prefer to get the 2nd round started ASAP.

Main advantage of getting started sooner is that the sooner they can dust off the clippers, the sooner they can rest up for the WCF. Rest will be more important the deeper they go into the playoffs.

[Splits]

Pop said in his presser last night that some rest is good but too much is detrimental. Clips in 5 is the best outcome.

[spursfan1000]

I'd take the rest, plus it gives spurs more time to practice

[DesignatedT]

I think going 6 games would be good. That would put a little more wear on the clips and give the Spurs 5-6 days rest.

[baseline bum]

I hope the Clippers end the series tomorrow so that the second round can get started ASAP. If it gets pushed to 6 or 7 games there will be:

1. Much greater chance of B2Bs
2. Less rest before facing the winner of OKC/LA, when the Spurs might actually need it against a real contender. LA closes Denver out for sure tonight, so the LA/OKC series is going to start before the Spurs/Clippers or Spurs/Grizzlies. I don't want to see a situation where the Spurs take 6 games to close out the Clippers and OKC gets a couple of extra rest days after taking LA out in 6.

[GSH]

I hope the Clippers end the series tomorrow so that the second round can get started ASAP. If it gets pushed to 6 or 7 games there will be:

1. Much greater chance of B2Bs
2. Less rest before facing the winner of OKC/LA, when the Spurs might actually need it against a real contender. LA closes Denver out for sure tonight, so the LA/OKC series is going to start before the Spurs/Clippers or Spurs/Grizzlies. I don't want to see a situation where the Spurs take 6 games to close out the Clippers and OKC gets a couple of extra rest days after taking LA out in 6.


Yeah, I was thinking about that. The Spurs got some extra rest in the first round, and I wonder if that will be a little justification for b2b's in the second round. If that series has to get compressed even more because it goes to 7 games, it would almost make it mandatory that they get one or two b2b's.

On the other hand, with the dept this team now has and the way they play together, I'm not so sure the b2b's wouldn't hurt the opponent more.

[baseline bum]

Yeah, I was thinking about that. The Spurs got some extra rest in the first round, and I wonder if that will be a little justification for b2b's in the second round. If that series has to get compressed even more because it goes to 7 games, it would almost make it mandatory that they get one or two b2b's.

On the other hand, with the dept this team now has and the way they play together, I'm not so sure the b2b's wouldn't hurt the opponent more.

I'm not worried about the Clippers whatsoever; it would take an epic collapse to blow a series to them. I'm worried about a quick turnaround into the WCF like we saw in 08. The Spurs have no one to blame but themselves for needing 7 games to beat New Orleans that season while the Lakers were waiting for them, but having the Spurs-Clippers matchup delayed 2-3 days behind the OKC-LAL one could easily setup that situation even if both second round series are decided in the same number of games. The other alternative is the Spurs-Clippers series is compressed while the OKC-LA one is played with more rest days.

[Spurs and Mavs fan]

Main advantage of getting started sooner is that the sooner they can dust off the clippers, the sooner they can rest up for the WCF. Rest will be more important the deeper they go into the playoffs.

That's true. I hadn't thought of that before.

[maverick1948]

problem if it goes to game 7, we dont want them to be building any form of team chemistry...


:nope If the chemistry is not there now, it ain't ever gonna be there.

[Yuixafun]

Winning a game seven will do wonders for confidence and morale for a team, especially a young one like the Clippers.

I think that momentum coupled with the Spurs resting for a week could yield results like the final 3 minutes of game 4 against the Jazz.

Where the starters were reinserted cold, while the Jazz were on fire.
We'll still win the series but game one would be in jeopardy.

Although maybe losing game 1 in the second round might not be bad in the grand scheme of things.

The streak ending and a wake up call might be in order to really sharpen the teams focus for the increasingly difficult games to come.

I feel maybe the Spurs are coasting a bit, so I'd rather they got socked in the mouth in the 2nd round and then be ready for the third, then another sweep and coming in the WCF too high on themselves.

[cd98]

Spurs have rested all season and round one took two weeks to play four games. Meanwhile Clippers/Grizzlies are going to be sharp after playing a highly competitive series. Hope we can get our mojo back after a long break.

[timtonymanu]

Denver stealing one in LA right now certainly helped us.

Hopefully the Clips can seal the series tomorrow.

[spursfan1000]

If clippers win tommorow that would be fantastic

[spurraider21]

Clippers in 5 gives us plenty of rest anyway, and as said above, reduces the odds of back to back games big time

[Spurtacus]

Rest not needed with 1-2 days off between playoff games. Spurs are deep and won't be playing guys 40+ minutes in regulation. I hope Clips end it tonight.

[Yuixafun]

Denver stealing one in LA right now certainly helped us.

Hopefully the Clips can seal the series tomorrow.

It'll be funny if it ends up the Thunder are left waiting.

[100%duncan]

I see Clippers winning in 6. So that already gave us enough rest and still has momentum.

[GSH]

I don't know why the Washington Post published an article on the Spurs, and their layoff between series, but here it is:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/wizards/no-rush-resting-spurs-in-no-hurry-for-west-semifinals-to-start-after-condensed-season/2012/05/09/gIQA5dGkDU_story.html

The San Antonio Spurs fretted all season about not getting enough rest. Now they might get a little too much.

... San Antonio finished off the Jazz on Monday. The Spurs practiced Wednesday for the first time since then, and guard Manu Ginobili expressed no qualms about taking an extended break following a lockout-shortened season that the Spurs ended by playing 16 games in 23 days.

Far as Ginobili is concerned, the Grizzlies and Clippers can take their time.

“I think I prefer a long series. Whoever wins gets a little more tired,” Ginobili said.

[boutons_deux]

The clips/grizz winner should be required to spend the night before the Spurs game sleeping on a plane at the airport.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

1. Much greater chance of B2Bs

Nah

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

Rest. A good team may come into a series rusty and play a bad half of basketball. Come into a series tired and you're in deep shit if the series goes 6 or 7.

As for the Spurs specifically I'm not worried about their focus. In that respect I think the fourth quarter against the Jazz was the absolute best thing that could have happened. Spurs escaped without adding another game to their schedule and Pop's got a few minutes of tape he can lean on to remind them the price of not staying sharp for 48 minutes at a time.