The Official Pop Is Tanking Games Thread 2013

[MSPaint]

Can there be any other explanation? Maybe he's trying to erase the karma of going in as the 1 seed. It hasn't worked for some time now and hey, it's worth a shot, right? Has Pop turned to mysticism of the basketball gods by offering sacrificial losses to balance the wins in some sort of perpetual harmony? Or is it simply a message to his team that they have loftier goals than what can be achieved in the regular season?

Or is it just injuries?

Either way,
:flag:

[DejuanorwhatDude]

It's injuries and the bench playing terribly and their being no playmaker off the bench or real point guard. So really this getting to the point where a first round exit is looking possible.

[RD2191]

Dementia, tbh

[200 miles]

Dementia, tbh

:lol

[Splits]

He was not happy with last year's 20 game win streak, there is no doubt about that: http://espn.go.com/espnradio/play?id=8952460 (http://espn.go.com/espnradio/play?id=8952460)

So who knows what's going through his batty skull, but I'm sure he's happier than he was last season at this point in time.

[letmk]

He was not happy with last year's 20 game win streak, there is no doubt about that: http://espn.go.com/espnradio/play?id=8952460 (http://espn.go.com/espnradio/play?id=8952460)

So who knows what's going through his batty skull, but I'm sure he's happier than he was last season at this point in time.

I don't think Pop is tanking at all. But right now, it's looking more and more like 2011. As disappointed as I was last year, it's light years' better than 2011.

[Big Empty]

Gotta admit. The 2nd seed look a bit easier path than the 1st seed. Especially limping into the playoffs

[jestersmash]

Can there be any other explanation? Maybe he's trying to erase the karma of going in as the 1 seed. It hasn't worked for some time now and hey, it's worth a shot, right? Has Pop turned to mysticism of the basketball gods by offering sacrificial losses to balance the wins in some sort of perpetual harmony? Or is it simply a message to his team that they have loftier goals than what can be achieved in the regular season?

Or is it just injuries?

Either way,
:flag:

Yeah. Our offense is atrocious, mostly because we're missing Tony and a healthy, in-rhythm Manu, and partly because our chemistry in general is off this year.

[Brunodf]

Playing 5 midgets vs Denver tall ball is very suspicious

[Hoops Czar]

It appears Denver did everything they could to throw this game unfortunately they just couldn't play that bad.

[will_spurs]

Houston -> Denver is definitely an easier path to the WCF than Lakers -> Memphis/Clippers. And if the Spurs can't win on the road vs OKC, there's no point in even making the trip to Miami.

There's always been a lot of talk about "better healthy than 1st seed", but in previous years Pop actually played his player into the ground to get the 1st seed. Yesterday, instead, he decided to sit Parker even though he was probable. Also for several years now the spurs had the worst path to the WCF despite being the 1st seed. I think it's the first year when the Spurs can finally have a bit of control about who they are going to meet in the playoffs. I definitely think he's tanking.

[milkyway21]

As long as the team is healthy I don't mind the seeding or that 60-win regular season record.. rest them Pop!

2nd seed - easier road ............................... :flag: --->> __?______ :lobt2: :lobt2: :lobt2: :lobt2:

[UZER]

Pop scared of third straight number one seed with nothing to show for it.

[elec99]

Yeah, 2 seasons at the 1 seed didn't lead to much, plus a 20 game win streak ended up with 4 straight losses. Like Seinfeld said, if what you're doing is wrong then the opposite would have to be right.

[Dex]

Yeah, 2 seasons at the 1 seed didn't lead to much, plus a 20 game win streak ended up with 4 straight losses. Like Seinfeld said, if what you're doing is wrong then the opposite would have to be right.

:lol :tu

"My name is George. I'm unemployed and I live with my parents."

[Trill Clinton]

i really do hope he's tanking because the team looked flat and uninspired last night. not the way you want to play headed into the playoffs.

[Russ]

One thing is for sure -- the Spurs can put the Lakers into the playoffs (and make sure OKC plays them) by tanking that last game in LA.

[Dex]

One thing is for sure -- the Spurs can put the Lakers into the playoffs (and make sure OKC plays them) by tanking that last game in LA.

Who knows, maybe thats the plan all along. Give OKC a good test in the first round, having to contend with Howard and Gasol. (On the flip side, there is no way the Lakers will be able to contain Westbrook, so I don't think there is any way they could win that series).

If things stand as they are now, OKC would have to go through two of the following: Lakers, Clippers, Memphis. Those are all three teams that can hurt them on the inside, and would at least be bruising opponents. Meanwhile, the Spurs get better matchups for the first two rounds.

I always felt such a strategy is playing with fire, but if you combine seeding with the stigma of being a one seed, I think I'm sold that the two seed is the way to go.

[Cklbmk]

In Pop We Trust.

[UZER]

In Pop We Trust.

Mrs. Popovich?

[TJastal]

Pop scared of third straight number one seed with nothing to show for it.

:lmao

:pop: Must look good and preserve legacy.... mustn't draw unnecessary attention to self...

[Thread]

One thing is for sure -- the Spurs can put the Lakers into the playoffs (and make sure OKC plays them) by tanking that last game in LA.

& I think we're gonna need that.

[Strategic]

That's Pop making coaching snafu's, but that's the players tanking. I'm just afraid of an 85% Timmy, 60% Manu and 70% Parker suiting up for the playoffs and Pop telling everyone else to trust them because they got it done as recently as six years ago.

[024]

honestly the spurs have been overachieving this year and that's probably because of duncan. even with lots of injuries, pop was able to wring out the last drop of talent from perennial scrubs like neal, bonner, blair and green. all the actually talented players like parker, diaw, and leonard suffered injuries while manu and sjax remain too old and tired to cross the street by themselves. duncan has really lifted this team but he can only do so much. splitter has been disappointing of late too, it looks like his balls shrank.

as much as i would love to watch the spurs sweep the lakers, it's probably for the best to continue resting parker, ginobili, diaw, and jackson. spurs should shut things down until the last couple of games.

[james evans]

if anyone actually watches the spurs games and the lineups pop has in the games, u can EASILY see he's tanking. a combination of splitter, bonner, and nando on the floor at the same time aren't even good enough for a final 4 team in the NIT.

[elec99]

Haaaaaaaaaa!!

[lefty]

If Pop is doing this on purpose, then I guess he i trying to prepare his team mentally for the playoffs, sending the message " its not gonna be easy"

Maybe the Spurs were overconfident last season after sweeping the Clippers and dominating OKC in the first 2 games of the WCF

[EricB]

It's injuries and the bench playing terribly and their being no playmaker off the bench or real point guard. So really this getting to the point where a first round exit is looking possible.


Lmao yeah sure.

[FromWayDowntown]

It would be funny if the Thunder and Spurs each tanked out to try to avoid LAL and ended up in a 3-way tie with Denver.

[JingleJangleJingle]

It would be funny if the Thunder and Spurs each tanked out to try to avoid LAL and ended up in a 3-way tie with Denver.

or knowing our luck the Jazz win out and take the 8th seed while the Clippers beat the Grizzles in the first round ensuring a very easy route for the Thunder :(

[Brunodf]

:lolThat Mills/Cojo/Neal/Bonner/Blair lineup

[TheGoldStandard]

Pop is doing something all right but it involves sitting on a porcelain bowl and reading his wine digest magazines. I haven't seen Pop do one meaningful thing all season long and he regresses more and more each year that he leans on his Big 3 to basically do everything.

[therealtruth]

Pop's got his excuse ready in case we lose in the first round.

[pgardn]

Indeed.

The best player on our team is beat up, our second best ball handler is out, Diaw gets hurt, and we lose to one of the best teams in the league at home.

And so Pop puts extra effort into tanking. Yeah,of course, like it was needed. We need to get healthy, to hell with the seeding.

[FromWayDowntown]

or knowing our luck the Jazz win out and take the 8th seed while the Clippers beat the Grizzles in the first round ensuring a very easy route for the Thunder :(

After the 2007 playoffs, Spurs fans can't really complain about bad luck.

[phxspurfan]

Dude played the most random guys last night. No question Darius Miles he's tanking some of these games.