5 reasons I 2nd seed is better

[deibero]

1. Much rather play anyone but the Lakers in round 1.

2. We still have a good chance to draw the Warriors instead of the Rockets in Rd 1 which will be ideal. I much rather play them than any other team.

3. I like much better to play Denver as a 3rd seed in the second round (Gallinari and Lawson could both be out) than the winner of LAC and MEM.

4. We havent done anything with HCA throughout the playoffs last two seasons. Maybe its better to be the agressor and go steal one on the road than to have to protect your home against OKC?

5. I like the status of the team under the radar and not thinking of choking a 1 seed again. Just play ball, no pressure.

[DapDaGenius]

Acceptance...this is the stage we are at now guys. :toast

I'm sure we'd make it out of the 1st round regardless. I don't want us to play the Warriors. Even if we when the series, it's going to be painful watching Jarrett Jack destroy us.

[letmk]

Other than the match-ups, I also think the pressure as #2 seed is much less than #1 seed. Put OKC under the spotlight, and have them answer the "how to beat the Heat" question before and after every game they play.

[Bruno]

I don't care at all about Spurs having the 1st or 2nd seed. Being healthy is the only priority.

And the whole NBA outside Miami sucks this year. Good teams have injuries and/or chemistry issues. Thunder has none but they are so much weaker than last year with Harden gone. If Miami stay healthy, repeating will be a cakewalk for them.

[Sean Cagney]

Oh now fans accept it lol, before it's you are negative and we have a shot and we need #1 seed to beat OKC! Now it's accepted! I called it a week or so back we would be the #2 seed, some idiots tried to say you are negative etc.

[timvp]

I don't care at all about Spurs having the 1st or 2nd seed. Being healthy is the only priority.

And the whole NBA outside Miami sucks this year. Good teams have injuries and/or chemistry issues. Thunder has none but they are so much weaker than last year with Harden gone. If Miami stay healthy, repeating will be a cakewalk for them.

I want the Spurs to be the 1st seed ......... but other than that I agree with your assessment.

Miami >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> any team in the league.

OKC's Harden trade might go down as a top 5 dumbest trades ever. They have a good shot of making it to the Finals but no way they can beat the Heat unless LeBron gets injured. There's just no way. Trading away Harden lowered their ceiling dramatically.

[chapnis]

I want the Spurs to be the 1st seed ......... but other than that I agree with your assessment.

Miami >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> any team in the league.

OKC's Harden trade might go down as a top 5 dumbest trades ever. They have a good shot of making it to the Finals but no way they can beat the Heat unless LeBron gets injured. There's just no way. Trading away Harden lowered their ceiling dramatically.

They weren't going to be able to keep him in the long run and they got something for him while they could. A bad trade but not top 5 of all-time.

[DejuanorwhatDude]

Rationalizing losing the one seed...how the mighty have fallen in just a week. Lock up the two seed and just shut TP and TD down. Thats all that this team needs to be focused on.

[Russo21]

Damn it's been a long weird season. Bring on the playoffs already.

[Russo21]

Lakers have Memphis and Clippers coming up. Will be an important 2 games. So they'll most likely finish 8th or even miss the P/O if they blow those 2 games. Dallas are done.

Looks like 1st seed will play Lakers or Utah
2nd seed will play Golden State or Houston

Haven't taken a lot of notice of GS or Houston this year so i dunno what damage they are capable of. And I'm assuming the Jazz will be an easy beat again. 6 games left in the season and 4 possible first round opponents, d'oh!

[Hoops Czar]

The Spurs haven't won a road game since February. They need the number 1 seed or they aren't sniffing the NBA finals

[spurraider21]

4. We havent done anything with HCA throughout the playoffs last two seasons. Maybe its better to be the agressor and go steal one on the road than to have to protect your home against OKC?

no. just... no.

[wut]

warriors or rockets will be tougher than people think...if we go into those games with heavy legs, we will lose. Flat out, if we continue to play like we have, getting past the 2nd round is in jeopardy...not to mention talk of finals.

Without Parker at 100%...and I mean 100%, Spurs have zero chance of competing for a championship.

[wut]

One more thing. Spurs vs thunder this season split on their home courts....so there is no positive to losing hca over thunder, in the playoffs the home calls for thunder will be magnified.

I know people are trying to. Be positive, but without a healthy Parker, we have no logical reason to be optimistic, sorry its the truth.

[rmt]

Shut them all down (Manu, SJax, Leonard, TP - can they call up someone from D-league) and get healthy. Have Neal and TD alternate games. Try to keep at least #3 seed.

[Captivus]

Try to keep at least #3 seed.

http://helpingadvisorsblog.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/cliff_diving.gif

[weeks]

even if it's true, who wants to be the fan of a team that has to play this way? I want the Spurs to have #1 seed and proudly accept the mantle to take on the Heat. OKC had their shot.

[Bruno]

I want the Spurs to be the 1st seed.

For HCA over the Thunder in a potential WCF and/or for an easier path to the WCF ?

[Russ]

I don't care at all about Spurs having the 1st or 2nd seed. Being healthy is the only priority.

Young man, you get neither. :)

[SpurSwag]

Couldn't agree more, OKC beat us last year and they were the #2 seed so clearly its not that big of a deal. Honestly, shut down Parker and Manu until about one or two games left in the regular season for him to get some rhythm back. We're not getting the 1 seed, which while unfortunate maybe, doesn't matter in the long run. OKC will win one on our home court, so HCA wouldn't matter much in that series. I feel much more confident going into OKC and getting a win then i did last year. As long as Tony, Tim, Manu, and Kawhi are healthy, we'll be fine and have a great chance of winning the west. The way Parker was talking, it didn't seem like anything that would hamper him heading into the playoffs. He spoke of just needing to do whatever it takes to being 100% by the time they start, and personally idt there's anything wrong with him, I just think he's very sore.

[benstanfield]

Sorry but anyone that doesn't think 2 seed will be an easier path isn't paying attention. Sure, HOU and the Warriors have their gimmicky fast break moneyball offenses, but there is no way either of those teams will be as tough as LA, who are much more suited to the half court playoff style. Then the 2nd round will be hobbled Denver without Gallo or Lawson, or else HOU or GS, basically first round fodder.

HCA against OKC in the WCF is less meaningful than we make it out to be. Win 1/2 at OKC, win game 3 at SA, and suddenly game 4 at SA is a must win for OKC.

[deibero]

Sorry but anyone that doesn't think 2 seed will be an easier path isn't paying attention. Sure, HOU and the Warriors have their gimmicky fast break moneyball offenses, but there is no way either of those teams will be as tough as LA, who are much more suited to the half court playoff style. Then the 2nd round will be hobbled Denver without Gallo or Lawson, or else HOU or GS, basically first round fodder.

HCA against OKC in the WCF is less meaningful than we make it out to be. Win 1/2 at OKC, win game 3 at SA, and suddenly game 4 at SA is a must win for OKC.

YES! Exactly the points I wanted to make with this post.

[Kidd K]

1: Lakers aren't that good, and the Rockets have beaten us twice this year and played us hard and close one of the other 2 times. You'd rather play them than a team we've blown out twice? I wouldn't.

2: And the Warriors have kicked our asses too. But I would rather play them than the Rockets. Still, that's a gamble that was about as likely as us playing the Lakers as the one seed.

3: This is the only one I would agree with, but the Nuggets aren't in total control of the 3 seed. They may drop down to the 4 due to the injuries. Meaning the 1 seed would be better, not that we'll see them in the 2nd round either way with both of their injuries.

4: ??? We haven't done anything without HCA either. Ever. We nearly got to the Finals last year when reasonably healthy and having HCA too. The best odds are the ones we want to be playing with. The higher the seed the better. "well this and this happened before" doesn't matter. It's still the highest odds.

5: We're not under the radar anymore with two straight #1 seeds and another #1 or #2 again. We'd be under more pressure now because we've just choked away a locked up top seed in the span of about a week and a half. Now more than ever they're going to talk about how the Spurs are chokers. Getting the 1 seed is the only way to dispel that talk. Pretty much too late now though, so the undeserving Thunder fluke back into the 1 seed because we choked.

[rascal]

For HCA over the Thunder in a potential WCF and/or for an easier path to the WCF ?

If you are looking for easy paths then you don't believe the Spurs are good enough to be champions.

[rascal]

The number two seed looks to be the easier path as it stands now because the Spurs are not good enough to beat the Lakers, Memphis or the Clippers but somehow they are a title contender. That is the general thought.

[Darkwaters]

I don't care at all about Spurs having the 1st or 2nd seed. Being healthy is the only priority.


Bingo

[Seventyniner]

1: Lakers aren't that good, and the Rockets have beaten us twice this year and played us hard and close one of the other 2 times. You'd rather play them than a team we've blown out twice? I wouldn't.

2: And the Warriors have kicked our asses too. But I would rather play them than the Rockets. Still, that's a gamble that was about as likely as us playing the Lakers as the one seed.

3: This is the only one I would agree with, but the Nuggets aren't in total control of the 3 seed. They may drop down to the 4 due to the injuries. Meaning the 1 seed would be better, not that we'll see them in the 2nd round either way with both of their injuries.

4: ??? We haven't done anything without HCA either. Ever. We nearly got to the Finals last year when reasonably healthy and having HCA too. The best odds are the ones we want to be playing with. The higher the seed the better. "well this and this happened before" doesn't matter. It's still the highest odds.

5: We're not under the radar anymore with two straight #1 seeds and another #1 or #2 again. We'd be under more pressure now because we've just choked away a locked up top seed in the span of about a week and a half. Now more than ever they're going to talk about how the Spurs are chokers. Getting the 1 seed is the only way to dispel that talk. Pretty much too late now though, so the undeserving Thunder fluke back into the 1 seed because we choked.

Wow. A five-point post where every single point is wrong.

1. The Rockets have only beaten the Spurs once this season. The Spurs are 2-0 against the Lakers, but the wins are by a total of 5 points.
2. The Warriors have only beaten the Spurs once this season. It wasn't an asskicking; it went into OT.
3. If Denver drops, it would have to be to #5 because the Clippers have to get a top 4 seed due to winning their division.
4. The Spurs didn't have HCA against the Suns in either 2005 or 2007 and won those series anyway.
5. Top 2 seeds don't go under the radar. Unless it's this year's Knicks or Pacers. Other teams have far more respect for the Spurs than you would think by watching ESPN.

[rascal]

If you can get OK City, Lakers, Memphis and Clippers all on the same side then the Spurs would only have to play one out of that bunch for the WC. The other teams, Golden State, an injured Denver team, Houston the Spurs should have no problem beating.

[Gagnrath]

I think getting parker healthy is most important. I frankly don't care with manu at this point, I love the guy but I want him to talk to Tim Duncan's trainers and spend the next month trying to get his body right then stay on that all summer. At that point if he is physically ok then think about basketball.

Neal as the back-up 2 is a defensive issue but not that bad, and he has shown the ability to score nearly at will, and he can facilitate well enough especially if paired with Nando or Johnson.

I really think the Key to the spurs hopes this year are Diaw, having him reasonably aggressive on offense and fairly warm shooting makes the spurs very hard to beat.

I don't know why but for some reason I think tonight is a preview of play-off splitter for the next 2 years untill someone tells him the play-off are alot more physical and you are allowed to dunk and half to go strong about everything.

[rascal]

1. Much rather play anyone but the Lakers in round 1.

2. We still have a good chance to draw the Warriors instead of the Rockets in Rd 1 which will be ideal. I much rather play them than any other team.

3. I like much better to play Denver as a 3rd seed in the second round (Gallinari and Lawson could both be out) than the winner of LAC and MEM.

4. We havent done anything with HCA throughout the playoffs last two seasons. Maybe its better to be the agressor and go steal one on the road than to have to protect your home against OKC?

5. I like the status of the team under the radar and not thinking of choking a 1 seed again. Just play ball, no pressure.

The lakers have given the Spurs fits over the years and match up well against them with their size advantage. I wanted to see a healthy laker team vs the Spurs to really see how good the Spurs are. The Spurs need to be tested, not get a cakewalk to the WCF like last year then get steamrolled by the first real test they see.

[Sean Cagney]

One more thing. Spurs vs thunder this season split on their home courts....so there is no positive to losing hca over thunder, in the playoffs the home calls for thunder will be magnified.

I know people are trying to. Be positive, but without a healthy Parker, we have no logical reason to be optimistic, sorry its the truth.

I agree with you 100% there. This is the truth whether some are in denial or not.

[Phenomanul]

People keep pointing out that the Denver Nuggets' injuries means we would face a 'weakened' version of them in the 2nd round. No matter where they land, they are not getting to the 2nd round because of those injuries. Furthermore, their opponent will surely be rested before the start of the 2nd round. That does not benefit the Spurs in any way.

[Spur|n|Austin]

Being healthy is the only priority.


Bingo

Yep.

[benstanfield]

1: Lakers aren't that good, and the Rockets have beaten us twice this year and played us hard and close one of the other 2 times. You'd rather play them than a team we've blown out twice? I wouldn't.

2: And the Warriors have kicked our asses too. But I would rather play them than the Rockets. Still, that's a gamble that was about as likely as us playing the Lakers as the one seed.

3: This is the only one I would agree with, but the Nuggets aren't in total control of the 3 seed. They may drop down to the 4 due to the injuries. Meaning the 1 seed would be better, not that we'll see them in the 2nd round either way with both of their injuries.

4: ??? We haven't done anything without HCA either. Ever. We nearly got to the Finals last year when reasonably healthy and having HCA too. The best odds are the ones we want to be playing with. The higher the seed the better. "well this and this happened before" doesn't matter. It's still the highest odds.

5: We're not under the radar anymore with two straight #1 seeds and another #1 or #2 again. We'd be under more pressure now because we've just choked away a locked up top seed in the span of about a week and a half. Now more than ever they're going to talk about how the Spurs are chokers. Getting the 1 seed is the only way to dispel that talk. Pretty much too late now though, so the undeserving Thunder fluke back into the 1 seed because we choked.

1-2: Wrong about the games we've played, haven't beaten the Lakers by more than 3 IIRC. And you fail to comprehend that the Lakers halfcourt friendly style will make them tougher in the playoffs than teams that play track meet offense. Houston and GS will almost certainly be less difficult than any team with Howard and Pau in the playoffs.

3: Nuggets will be the three seed almost certainly. If the Clippers can make up 2.5 games in the next week maybe I'm wrong, but even then HOU/GS then LAC is better than LAL then MEM.

4: "The best odds are the ones we want to be playing with." HCA will not be affected if we get the 2-seed until the WCF (assuming OKC even makes it), so saying that 1 seed gives us the best odds is akin to saying that it is a given that we will advance to the WCF. You are saying that the possibility of having game 7 in SA rather than OKC (assuming they get to WCF, assuming we get to WCF, assuming it goes 7 games) is more valuable than playing 2 significantly easier opponents in the first and second round. Just awful logic.

5. This was incoherent. We should get the 1 seed to "dispel that talk" rather than rest our guys and get the easiest path we can?

[Sean Cagney]

1-2: Wrong about the games we've played, haven't beaten the Lakers by more than 3 IIRC. And you fail to comprehend that the Lakers halfcourt friendly style will make them tougher in the playoffs than teams that play track meet offense. Houston and GS will almost certainly be less difficult than any team with Howard and Pau in the playoffs.

3: Nuggets will be the three seed almost certainly. If the Clippers can make up 2.5 games in the next week maybe I'm wrong, but even then HOU/GS then LAC is better than LAL then MEM.

4: "The best odds are the ones we want to be playing with." HCA will not be affected if we get the 2-seed until the WCF (assuming OKC even makes it), so saying that 1 seed gives us the best odds is akin to saying that it is a given that we will advance to the WCF. You are saying that the possibility of having game 7 in SA rather than OKC (assuming they get to WCF, assuming we get to WCF, assuming it goes 7 games) is more valuable than playing 2 significantly easier opponents in the first and second round. Just awful logic.

5. This was incoherent. We should get the 1 seed to "dispel that talk" rather than rest our guys and get the easiest path we can?


Yes, now lets hope to GOD Tony is alright and just needs some rest because all of this is MOOT if he is not.

[bklynspursfan]

Getting Houston also means a chance to knock out Harden just for good measure on the way to take out his boys in OKC. :hungry: (just randomly thinking :) )

[TE]

Playing Houston will get the offense up and going. Who knows?...maybe we can get last year's rthym by playing them.

[InRareForm]

No Parker vs Houston, I would call it a coin flip series, only because of Spurs homecourt advantage.

[TE]

No Parker vs Houston, I would call it a coin flip series, only because of Spurs homecourt advantage.

Coin flip series? We'd win in 6 games or less tbh. Harden would go super mario on us per par but other than that we'd pull it out imo.

[boutons_deux]

"(Gallinari and Lawson could both be out)"

both are out for the season.

George Karl can't catch a break.

[therealtruth]

The lakers have given the Spurs fits over the years and match up well against them with their size advantage. I wanted to see a healthy laker team vs the Spurs to really see how good the Spurs are. The Spurs need to be tested, not get a cakewalk to the WCF like last year then get steamrolled by the first real test they see.

Yeah I don't think the Clippers tested the Spurs enough.

[Kidd K]

Wow. A five-point post where every single point is wrong.

1. The Rockets have only beaten the Spurs once this season. The Spurs are 2-0 against the Lakers, but the wins are by a total of 5 points.
2. The Warriors have only beaten the Spurs once this season. It wasn't an asskicking; it went into OT.
3. If Denver drops, it would have to be to #5 because the Clippers have to get a top 4 seed due to winning their division.
4. The Spurs didn't have HCA against the Suns in either 2005 or 2007 and won those series anyway.
5. Top 2 seeds don't go under the radar. Unless it's this year's Knicks or Pacers. Other teams have far more respect for the Spurs than you would think by watching ESPN.

1: We're till undefeated against the Lakers, who haven't been very good for most of the year. I was mistaken in thinking we lost to the Rockets twice since I didn't look it up first. I must've been thinking of last year. Their win/loss record this year I posted was off by one game. I would rather play LA than the Rockets. The Spurs have been able to control LA whereas our games against the Rockets have all seemed stressful and in some cases lucky to come out with a win.

2: You're debating semantics over the definition of "ass kicking"., in no way was my point wrong.

3: More semantics. Being out of the 3 seed was not even half the point, much less all of it as you're lazily pretending it is. They will not make it to round 2 with those injuries regardless. Whether they're the 4 or the 5, the outcome is the exact same.

4: And? The Spurs were a much different team in 2005 and 2007. You're talking about 6 and 8 years ago back when Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili were still in their 20's, not in their mid 30's. Stats from when Duncan and Manu were in their 20's and our entire team besides the main 3 guys was different are completely irrelevant. Terrible point.

5: You're arguing for my point with that comment, not against it. But somehow mine was wrong apparently.

[rascal]

The easiest scenario is getting Lakers(8), Memphis(4 or 5), OK City(1) and the Clippers(4 or 5) all on the same side so the Spurs only have to play one of those teams in the WCF. The Spurs should get past the other teams in the west, Hoston will push them but they don't have enough to beat the Spurs and Denver has been weakened by injuries.

[td4mvp21]

Spurs are 1-6 in OKC the last two seasons, playoffs included. I think that speaks volumes about how important the 1st seed is.

However, with how the team has been playing lately, it's looking like the 2nd seed may be the better option. WCF was/is their ceiling anyway.

[mavs>spurs]

still trying to figure out why they let harden go instead of porkins tbh

[FromWayDowntown]

The Spurs haven't won a road game since February. They need the number 1 seed or they aren't sniffing the NBA finals

That sounds worse than it really is; they're 0-4 on the road since February, having lost at Minnesota, at Houston (by 1), at Memphis (by 2), and at Oklahoma City. I don't dispute that the Spurs would benefit from having the best seed possible, but your point is slightly disingenuous given the extraordinarily home heavy schedule the Spurs have played.

[emanueldavidginobili]

It's crazy how bad we can play and alll these injuries anstill have a top 2 record in the enitire NBA. We will be fine come playoffs, its a whole new ball game and this team will be hungry for a championship. As long as we are healthy I am not worried about getting out of the west tbh.

[FromWayDowntown]

At this point, the Spurs next win clinches a top 3 seed no matter what -- it should also clinch the Southwest Division. Another win beyond that (or the next Denver loss) clinch a top 2 spot for SA.

[DrunkTXLabrat]

do the spurs have a better pick if they get 2nd seed? besides rest, that's the only benefit i can think of.

i don't buy into this match up stuff. i think denver (even injured, they still have altitude, depth, and a good coach) and okc are the only teams that seriously might knock the spurs out this season.

grizz, clipps, warriors, rockets, lakers, or even the jazz/mavs... meh. i think it's a bad omen, if the spurs drop to 2nd. they're all formidable foes, but i don't think any of them are worth willfully droppin hca over okc. hca is vital against okc, final season stretch rest for the big 3 is vital for a successful playoff run. to me that spells an expectation of greatness in the final season stretch for decolo, green, kawhi, diaw, and splitter.

i wouldn't spew a crappy list of reasons for a bad argument like 2nd seed is better. i'd ask, "who's going to have the worst final season stretch: decolo, green, kawhi, diaw, or splitter?"

imho, my money is on decolo or maybe diaw. imh(omer)o, all 5 outta be good enough to carry a big 3less spurs into the playoffs as a 1 seed. that would be a good omen.

[james evans]

the lakers aren't scary, the officiating in laker games is what's scary. nothing about that laker team puts fear in me, but the fact that they are allowed to play physical, foul when they wanna, but the opposing teams are constantly called for touch fouls. that's what i'm afraid of. and if we play them, i'm sure joe crawford will be officiating half of the games.

[HarlemHeat37]

#2 seed is certainly better, tbh..

A bracket with Denver, Golden State and Houston, rather than OKC, LA Clippers, LA Lakers and Memphis is a no-brainer, tbh..

The Spurs bracket would consist of teams that play a style that typically doesn't translate to the playoffs, tbh..also, the best treatment for the Spurs offensive woes could be playing against Houston or Golden State in a playoff series..

[rascal]

#2 seed is certainly better, tbh..

A bracket with Denver, Golden State and Houston, rather than OKC, LA Clippers, LA Lakers and Memphis is a no-brainer, tbh..

The Spurs bracket would consist of teams that play a style that typically doesn't translate to the playoffs, tbh..also, the best treatment for the Spurs offensive woes could be playing against Houston or Golden State in a playoff series..

The Spurs would not survive making it to the WCF playing as a number 1 seed against the Lakers, Memphis or Clippers. All those teams even the Lakers if healthy are capable of knocking out the Spurs. Taking the easy route, not challenged by worthy opponents as last year won't stand up well when they really get tested in the WCF. The bottom line is this Spurs team is a great regular season team but nothing special as a playoff team. So it will be another repeat of losing in the WCF for the Spurs as the 2 seed.

[HarlemHeat37]

The Spurs would not survive making it to the WCF playing as a number 1 seed against the Lakers, Memphis or Clippers. All those teams even the Lakers if healthy are capable of knocking out the Spurs. Taking the easy route, not challenged by worthy opponents as last year won't stand up well when they really get tested in the WCF. The bottom line is this Spurs team is a great regular season team but nothing special as a playoff team. So it will be another repeat of losing in the WCF for the Spurs as the 2 seed.

I agreed last year, the Spurs played 2 shitty teams in the first 2 rounds, which inflated their actual ability as a team..

This year, they need a soft team in the 1st round to build rhythm and confidence, rather than a tough challenge IMO..there's no 2011 Memphis in this year's 1st round, the Spurs will defeat Golden State or Houston, and they need a soft matchup to get back in to shape..

I don't think the Spurs will have the same problem with overconfidence if they get OKC again in the WCFs this year, following last year's humbling experience..I'd still pick OKC to beat them in a series, though..

The West is weaker than any point since 2004..Spurs need to built their confidence and rhythm at this point, so I'd rather match up against the weak side of the bracket, whereas last year I would have preferred the more difficult matchups..

[Robz4000]

The Spurs would not survive making it to the WCF playing as a number 1 seed against the Lakers, Memphis or Clippers. All those teams even the Lakers if healthy are capable of knocking out the Spurs. Taking the easy route, not challenged by worthy opponents as last year won't stand up well when they really get tested in the WCF. The bottom line is this Spurs team is a great regular season team but nothing special as a playoff team. So it will be another repeat of losing in the WCF for the Spurs as the 2 seed.

Memphis is just terrible offensively, I'm not sure they can put up enough points to win a playoff series in the condition they're in. Clippers would be a problem unless Tony and Manu are healthy. Looking more and more like Stern is set on the Lakers making a run, so it'd definitely be in the Spurs' best interests to avoid them.

[TE]

I don't think the Spurs will have the same problem with overconfidence if they get OKC again in the WCFs this year, following last year's humbling experience..I'd still pick OKC to beat them in a series, though..

Why tbh?

You think the Spurs are gonna run out of gas?

[timtonymanu]

I could see the Spurs beating OKC, but I can't trust Green, Splitter, and Diaw to play at their best. We are gonna need them. Also will Parker and Manu be back to 100%? Kawhi's emergence and having Martin over Harden certainly helps in our favor a bit.

[HarlemHeat37]

Why tbh?

You think the Spurs are gonna run out of gas?

If the Spurs are healthy, I'd pick them to win, but I can't imagine Parker/Ginobili/Tim all being 100% by the WCFs..

[cherylsteele]

1: Lakers aren't that good, and the Rockets have beaten us twice this year and played us hard and close one of the other 2 times. You'd rather play them than a team we've blown out twice? I wouldn't.

2: And the Warriors have kicked our asses too. But I would rather play them than the Rockets. Still, that's a gamble that was about as likely as us playing the Lakers as the one seed.

3: This is the only one I would agree with, but the Nuggets aren't in total control of the 3 seed. They may drop down to the 4 due to the injuries. Meaning the 1 seed would be better, not that we'll see them in the 2nd round either way with both of their injuries.

4: ??? We haven't done anything without HCA either. Ever. We nearly got to the Finals last year when reasonably healthy and having HCA too. The best odds are the ones we want to be playing with. The higher the seed the better. "well this and this happened before" doesn't matter. It's still the highest odds.

5: We're not under the radar anymore with two straight #1 seeds and another #1 or #2 again. We'd be under more pressure now because we've just choked away a locked up top seed in the span of about a week and a half. Now more than ever they're going to talk about how the Spurs are chokers. Getting the 1 seed is the only way to dispel that talk. Pretty much too late now though, so the undeserving Thunder fluke back into the 1 seed because we choked.

Ever?? 1999, overall #1 seed 1st championship; same in 2003 2nd championship.

[Johnny RIngo]

Having homecourt in the Conference Finals would be nice but it's not as important as getting to the playoffs with everybody healthy. Besides, in the post-Jordan era, teams with homecourt have only won the Conference Finals 50% of the time. 2000 and 2008 were the only years the first seeds from both conferences made the Finals in the last fourteen post-seasons.

[Kidd K]

Ever?? 1999, overall #1 seed 1st championship; same in 2003 2nd championship.

I'm not sure what you're getting at. You seem to be replying to me as if I said "with", when what you bolded clearly says "without". Your reply should've been directed at who I replied to instead of me. :P

The only team we ever had to beat en route to a title without HCA was the Charmin soft Kleenex Suns in 2005 and 2007. A team I never had a doubt we were better than as we've always beaten them. As opposed to this year when that prospect includes both the Thunder and the Heat.

[TampaDude]

Just get a top 3 seed in the West. Miami is gonna have HCA over everyone else, anyway. Being healthy is what matters.

[swaggerjackson]

I am a firm believer that having the 2 seed is better if the Lakers are the 8 seeds and LAC MEM is the 4, 5 matchup. With that in mind, do we "throw" the game Wednesday to enable Denver to hang onto the 3 seed and send us down to the 2 seed? I mean do we sit Tim, Kawhi, Tony, Manu, and anybody else who is even slightly injured or fatigued in order to boost Denver's chances of beating us.

[TheGoldStandard]

Nobody is going to throw any game for any seed, we'll play them and we'll do whatever if its the 1st or 2nd seed. Sure the 2nd seed looks okay right now given what the lies ahead but the Lakers are not that much of a threat over a 7 game series and neither is the Rockets. My concern is we match up better against LAC then we do against Denver.

[swaggerjackson]

Not disagreeing, just asking for information. How do we matchup well with LAC versus Denver? Could you expand on what advantages we have on LAC and what problems exist against Denver. Thanks

[John B]

2nd seed is fine with me. I'd rather avoid the big men, because in the playofffs the tempo slows down. Houston, Denver who has the least scoring bigs pose less threat. I'm not discounting McGee but he's not a post-up scorer compare to Dwight/Gasol, Randolf/Gasol or Griffin/Jordan. We're fine right now, just rest the guys.

[TJastal]

Lakers are a joke .. not sure why ppl are afraid of that team. Leonard is perfectly suited to guard Kobe and if Kobe doesn't go off the lakers have no chance. If I was Pop I would be trying for that matchup in the 1st round....if Pop is tanking for the #2 he's basically giving okc the easier path imo.

[exstatic]

Lakers are a joke .. not sure why ppl are afraid of that team. Leonard is perfectly suited to guard Kobe and if Kobe doesn't go off the lakers have no chance. If I was Pop I would be trying for that matchup in the 1st round....if Pop is tanking for the #2 he's basically giving okc the easier path imo.

Kawhi would have two fouls by the end of the first. Pop would sit him for 8 minutes in the 2nd, and the minute he came back, he would get #3.

LMAO at the networks. Pop refuses to take the first round upset bait they're laying out.

[hyhy]

Anyone thinking that Denver has the best chance of winning the thunder for us? so we need to be in the first seed for denver to fight thunder in the second round.

[rascal]

Anyone thinking that Denver has the best chance of winning the thunder for us? so we need to be in the first seed for denver to fight thunder in the second round.

No either the Clippers or Memphis whoever goes on to the 2nd round will be the ones who will beat the Thunder. The Spurs only shot is to stay with the 2nd seed and hope luck falls in place.

[rascal]

Lakers are a joke .. not sure why ppl are afraid of that team. Leonard is perfectly suited to guard Kobe and if Kobe doesn't go off the lakers have no chance. If I was Pop I would be trying for that matchup in the 1st round....if Pop is tanking for the #2 he's basically giving okc the easier path imo.

Their size will give the Spurs problems. A healthy Laker team will beat the small Spurs. Splitter will go into his shell in the tough matchup and it will all fall again on Duncan to carry the frontline.

I really wanted to see this matchup to guage how good the Spurs really are, now the Spurs get untested by inferior challenges until the WCF just like last year.

[Old School 44]

Kawhi would have two fouls by the end of the first. Pop would sit him for 8 minutes in the 2nd, and the minute he came back, he would get #3.

LMAO at the networks. Pop refuses to take the first round upset bait they're laying out.
I could see the Lakers getting a helpful whistle or two to get them going in the playoffs, especially if they play the Spurs in round 1. The Kawhi scenario is almost a lock, even if he's not guarding Kobe.

Who would I like to see in the playoffs? Any combination of these teams, Rockets, Grizzles, OKC? And NOT because of any matchup issues, I just don't like 9:30/10:00p West coast start times.

[DrunkTXLabrat]

I could see the Lakers getting a helpful whistle or two to get them going in the playoffs, especially if they play the Spurs in round 1. The Kawhi scenario is almost a lock, even if he's not guarding Kobe.

Who would I like to see in the playoffs? Any combination of these teams, Rockets, Grizzles, OKC? And NOT because of any matchup issues, I just don't like 9:30/10:00p West coast start times.

good point