Anyone have a "2011 Grizzlies vs. Spurs" feeling about this series?

[Spurs and Mavs fan]

The Warriors, despite being the No. 6 seed, are simply the better team by a significant margin. The Spurs, despite being the No. 2 seed, are the ones who have to try to "steal" a win and hope for luck.


Without that highly improbable comeback in Game 1, do you realize that the Spurs would be 0-2 right now in this series as it headed over to Golden State? We'd then be looking at a real possibility of getting swept in that situation.



I now think the Spurs will be lucky to win this series in 7 games.

[100%duncan]

No. More like vs 07 Nuggets or 05 Sonics.

[waisman]

no stop z-bo
no stop curry

[RobinsontoDuncan]

It just doesnt feel like the Spurs have played with anything approaching a genuine sense of urgency in this series.

Add to that the fact that they are missing easy layups, all of their 3 point shots, and free throws. One component all of those championship teams had was the ability to wratchet up the intensity level when they needed to in order to play superior defense and control the game when it counted. I just havent seen that from these Spurs.

[Budkin]

No it's very different. I felt like we had no hope at all against the Grizz... agree about 2005 Sonics. Feels about like that.

[Spurs and Mavs fan]

No. More like vs 07 Nuggets or 05 Sonics.


I'm not sure how the 2005 Sonics-Spurs series compares? The Spurs took an early 2-0 lead in that series by winning the first two games by 22 and 17 points respectively.

[Austin_Toros]

Weren't some Spurs hobbling during the 2011 Grizzlies series, if my memory serves me right?

[100%duncan]

I'm not sure how the 2005 Sonics-Spurs series compares? The Spurs took an early 2-0 lead in that series by winning the first two games by 22 and 17 points respectively.

-Spurs needed SuperManu in the first 2 games of that series. Though not exactly the same now, the Spurs needed a miracle comeback on game 1 to assure the tie.

-Sonics a young team back then with shooters and some scrubs going off on us.

[PBEEZY]

Feels more like he Suns Series of '10, playing against a team we've historically owned and felt going into the series, a team we should beat with ease. Atleast we've managed to steal a game, they're gonna have to have a game where they can't hit anything, hopefully that happens in game 3 or 4

[sananspursfan21]

Why are the warriors being referred to as "the better team" /sentence. They're not actually the better team, you're completely downgrading San Antonio. The warriors are playing better than the spurs right now but talent wise and at their true level, the spurs are still the better team. The correct phrasing should be that GS is outplaying san antonio or is playing like the better team

[Spurs and Mavs fan]

Why are the warriors being referred to as "the better team" /sentence. They're not actually the better team, you're completely downgrading San Antonio. The warriors are playing better than the spurs right now but talent wise and at their true level, the spurs are still the better team. The correct phrasing should be that GS is outplaying san antonio or is playing like the better team


I understand your point, but if the Spurs are defeated in this playoff series by the Warriors, then there would hardly be any consolation in saying "The Spurs were the better team."

[sananspursfan21]

I understand your point, but if the Spurs are defeated in this playoff series by the Warriors, then there would hardly be any consolation in saying "The Spurs were the better team."

Sure I mean it doesnt help to say that and I believe the spurs can completely be the better team and lose the series. To elaborate my opinion on it, I justify that by saying that regardless of the outcome of the series, San Antonio would be a tougher matchup for any playoff team moving forward. But I see what you're saying, my opinion is off of a hypothetical situation. But for the record, San Antonio is the stronger team :)

[rascal]

Sure I mean it doesnt help to say that and I believe the spurs can completely be the better team and lose the series. To elaborate my opinion on it, I justify that by saying that regardless of the outcome of the series, San Antonio would be a tougher matchup for any playoff team moving forward. But I see what you're saying, my opinion is off of a hypothetical situation. But for the record, San Antonio is the stronger team :)

This current Spurs roster has not proven to be a tough playoff team. They are a tough regular season team.

[024]

I agree, because the Grizzlies were a beatable team. They also won through energy and supreme confidence, similar to the Warriors. Even though these teams played different styles, they're teams that are out hustling the Spurs. The Spurs in 2011 just laid on their backs and took it with barely a whimper. This team is reverting to its soft days of 2011. They think they can cruise through this series and don't recognize the danger.

[boutons_deux]

"They think they can cruise through this series"

bullshit. the Spur don't think that. They KNOW they've been playing like shit on both ends against a team with hustle and execution on both ends.

[spurraider21]

We were up 2-0 on OKC last year with game 2 being a pounding and the thunder came back and won 4. You guys are expecting us to sweep through the first 2 rounds like butter just because it happened last year. Last season the heat were losing 2-1 to Indiana, 3-2 to Boston, fell behind 1-0 to Chicago this year. Shit happens in the playoffs. That's why it's a 7 game series and not a 1 or 3 game series. Chill

[look_at_g_shred]

I agree, because the Grizzlies were a beatable team. They also won through energy and supreme confidence, similar to the Warriors. Even though these teams played different styles, they're teams that are out hustling the Spurs. The Spurs in 2011 just laid on their backs and took it with barely a whimper. This team is reverting to its soft days of 2011. They think they can cruise through this series and don't recognize the danger.

Exactly!

[Kool Bob Love]

We were up 2-0 on OKC last year with game 2 being a pounding and the thunder came back and won 4. You guys are expecting us to sweep through the first 2 rounds like butter just because it happened last year. Last season the heat were losing 2-1 to Indiana, 3-2 to Boston, fell behind 1-0 to Chicago this year. Shit happens in the playoffs. That's why it's a 7 game series and not a 1 or 3 game series. Chill

http://bringthetuck.us/rr/the-rock-clapping.gif

[mercos]

No, because the teams are completely different. The Grizzlies were a rugged defensive team that pounded the ball inside. The Warriors are a jump shooting team with average defense. If anything, this series reminds me of the 2010 Suns series where they seemed to hit every open three they got, or the 2012 Thunder series where they just hit every shot period. That being said, I like our chances better against this team than any of those previous teams. Despite a historic shooting night from Klay Thompson, the Spurs still could have won the game if they hit some of their open 3's or layups. The Warriors are able to build up big leads in the middle of the game thanks to hot streaks on 3's, but they have yet to hold a double digit lead. That is a big problem that most are ignoring.

[lefty20]

We were up 2-0 on OKC last year with game 2 being a pounding and the thunder came back and won 4. You guys are expecting us to sweep through the first 2 rounds like butter just because it happened last year. Last season the heat were losing 2-1 to Indiana, 3-2 to Boston, fell behind 1-0 to Chicago this year. Shit happens in the playoffs. That's why it's a 7 game series and not a 1 or 3 game series. Chill


:clap

[cd98]

I think the Spurs looked tired from Game 1. Basically, GS recovered quicker. That said, the Spurs have started two games out with less than stellar offense and defense. They will have to take it up several levels on both to pull out this series.

BTW, the Grizzlies were a great team that year. GS was definitely an underacheiver, but with Bogut and a cadre of lottery picks that are blooming into legit players, they have plenty of weapons to beat anybody other than a focused Miami Heat.

[Budkin]

if spurs don't win game 3 or 4 this series is over. im so tired of having great regular seasons and failing in the postseason, if this team cant win a title, its time to break it up, we keep setting ourselves up for failure each year with great regular seasons thinking this could be the year and all for not. we are cursed since 07 and have had bad luck with injuries and bad matchups and now with teams getting hot and just cant miss. im just tired of it all, the spurs are in no mans land, meaning we are a team that isn't good enough to win it all, but we aren't bad enough to miss the playoffs and get lottery pick(s) for a chance at the #1 overall pick. u need to be competing for ping pong balls are competing for titles, spurs are doing neither, that's not good.

We can and will win a game in Oakland. If you can't win on the road against a decent team you simply don't have what it takes.

[mikem]

I agree with this...the '10 Suns team seemed to never miss from three and our shooters were up and down the whole series. I guess this year's Spurs thought they could turn it on when they needed, but it seems they are sleepwalking through three quartersand then waking up to make a final push. Too dangerous against a more athletic, better shooting bunch of youngsters. Bruce Bowen said it correctly on Mike&Mike this morning - the Spurs have to come out of opening tip with the focus and physicality to not let the Warriors run off and hide. They need to get pissed off every time they see Steph and Klay with that little smirk after hitting an impossible three.
Feels more like he Suns Series of '10, playing against a team we've historically owned and felt going into the series, a team we should beat with ease. Atleast we've managed to steal a game, they're gonna have to have a game where they can't hit anything, hopefully that happens in game 3 or 4

[spurraider21]

if spurs don't win game 3 or 4 this series is over. im so tired of having great regular seasons and failing in the postseason, if this team cant win a title, its time to break it up, we keep setting ourselves up for failure each year with great regular seasons thinking this could be the year and all for not. we are cursed since 07 and have had bad luck with injuries and bad matchups and now with teams getting hot and just cant miss. im just tired of it all, the spurs are in no mans land, meaning we are a team that isn't good enough to win it all, but we aren't bad enough to miss the playoffs and get lottery pick(s) for a chance at the #1 overall pick. u need to be competing for ping pong balls are competing for titles, spurs are doing neither, that's not good.

a Tim Duncan nearing retirement doesn't deserve to sit through a rebuilding process, and he surely deserves to ride his career out as a San Antonio Spur. How about you respect the greatness you are watching, as the Spurs will dive into the mediocrity you are talking about once he hangs 'em up. This isn't a scrub team you are watching. This is a team who's core is getting up there in age, but they are infusing it with some young talent, and still have room for improvement. If you think the Spurs you have watched the past 2 games is the best they can play, you've lost your damn mind. For about 80% of this season they were playing at a much, much higher level than we are seeing now. It's not that this team ISN'T good enough, its just that they haven't playing at that peak level so far this series. We were missing shots at the rim. Tony, Manu blew a number of shots within 5 feet they typically make, Tiago missed a freakin dunk. Guys were bricking wide open shots. You aren't watching an inferior team, you are watching a team that isn't playing up to its potential. Fortunately for cliff jumpers like yourself, this is a 7 game series and not a 2 or 3 game series, so just stick around, you might be pleased with the outcome

[RD2191]

Series is over folks. Are the Spurs really the better team? Is our pf better? Yes. Our pg? No. Our sg? No. Our small foward? Maybe in the future but not now. And our center is a pussy who cant score on guys he has 4-5 inches on.

[dualmax]

I feel the same way, my thought is every young team wants to beat the Spurs because they are 1 of the best team for so long, so they mentally believe Spurs is the team to beat.

[Horry Hipcheck]

We were up 2-0 on OKC last year with game 2 being a pounding and the thunder came back and won 4. You guys are expecting us to sweep through the first 2 rounds like butter just because it happened last year. Last season the heat were losing 2-1 to Indiana, 3-2 to Boston, fell behind 1-0 to Chicago this year. Shit happens in the playoffs. That's why it's a 7 game series and not a 1 or 3 game series. Chill

Fucking THIS.

[Brunodf]

Yes, Pop outcoached by a noob coach again

[spurraider21]

Yes, Pop outcoached by a noob coach again
Timmys pick and roll D :hat

[Legacy]

We were up 2-0 on OKC last year with game 2 being a pounding and the thunder came back and won 4. You guys are expecting us to sweep through the first 2 rounds like butter just because it happened last year. Last season the heat were losing 2-1 to Indiana, 3-2 to Boston, fell behind 1-0 to Chicago this year. Shit happens in the playoffs. That's why it's a 7 game series and not a 1 or 3 game series. Chill

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-snROjOyurtI/TmeBmIe5H2I/AAAAAAAADlI/N-hlyrwhC-c/s1600/Wrestling.gif (http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=8kmr4xfOP0dwIM&tbnid=_O9ziU-m-sY7BM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhowtodosteps.blogspot.com%2F2011% 2F09%2Fhow-to-make-animated-gif-images-from.html&ei=3_KLUefsB4Sm9AT_7YGICw&bvm=bv.46340616,d.dmQ&psig=AFQjCNFGmCn7pVgi24R4FRhTLoqjml_mnw&ust=1368212543110414)

[Brunodf]

Timmys pick and roll D :hat
...

[spurraider21]

...

oh cmon. you were giving me SO much crap for that back then, and now you're all silent about it?

[Brunodf]

oh cmon. you were giving me SO much crap for that back then, and now you're all silent about it?
1-Never said Timmy PnR was good
2- Still don't change the fact that Gasol isn't good enough to win the DPOY, he is just average at nearly anything.

[spurraider21]

1-Never said Timmy PnR was good
2- Still don't change the fact that Gasol isn't good enough to win the DPOY, he is just average at nearly anything.

i know. i even said back then i was playing devil's advocate and was just trying to make a case, but you scoffed at the notion that marc's pick and roll D was better than Tim's

[Sean Cagney]

No, I have the feeling of the 10 Suns after we beat our bitter Rival in the Mavs, this year we beat the Lakers and we meet a team getting all the loose balls and it seems all their shots are falling (Dragic and now Thompson). This feels eerily similar to me.

[Brunodf]

i know. i even said back then i was playing devil's advocate and was just trying to make a case, but you scoffed at the notion that marc's pick and roll D was better than Tim's
I don't think just PnR D is good enough to win the DPOY, and if is, Noah/Sanders are much better than Gasol in PnR D and everything else.

[Blake]

This feels like 08 Spurs vs Hornets series.

Spurs got blown out of the water the first two games before figuring things out.

[Budkin]

This feels like 08 Spurs vs Hornets series.

Spurs got blown out of the water the first two games before figuring things out.

Totally.

[Budkin]

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HvnrtGqYrfY/Ryl9fCN5VnI/AAAAAAAAAtk/JVVwyQxIsp4/s400/Jerome%2BJames.jpg

[Horry Hipcheck]

The Spurs are healthier than in 2011, and they've got Kawhi instead of dead weight in RJ. Memphis posed a size problem that they couldn't overcome. GS's main threat is they've got two shooters who haven't been stopped yet. That's literally it. The rest of the problems are just the Spurs not playing their game. Memphis was a matchup nightmare for a weakened team. GS is not.

1-1 is nothing. Go to Oracle and play focused. Take at least 1 of 2 and you've got a best of 3 with 2 games on your home floor.

[pgardn]

No.

[hater]

No. More like vs 07 Nuggets or 05 Sonics.

this makes no sense. in 07 the nugs had 1 monster game, game 1. then it was a spurs backdoor sweep

and in 05, the sonics lost game 1 and 2 handily

this series is very much like grizz series. Grizz had chance to win both game 1 and 2. we got lucky and went on the road 1-1

only light at the end of the tunnel I see is Warriors are more prone than Grizz to squander a lead and a game, or choke. And we don't have Dick Jefferson, they do.

[therealtruth]

This feels like '06 vs the Mavs. The Spurs could never matchup on defense and they're only hope was trying to score enough points to keep up. I think the only way the Spurs get through this series is by playing their best defense. I don't think they can try to score with Golden State. This series could also end up having an '05 vs the Suns feel if Pop makes the right moves. The Spurs need to stop helping so much and stay on their man. Let Curry get 40 like Stoudemire averaged 37 against us and lock down everyone else. It's just not worth it to put so much effort in stopping Curry and letting everyone else beat us.

[100%duncan]

this makes no sense. in 07 the nugs had 1 monster game, game 1. then it was a spurs backdoor sweep

and in 05, the sonics lost game 1 and 2 handily

this series is very much like grizz series. Grizz had chance to win both game 1 and 2. we got lucky and went on the road 1-1

only light at the end of the tunnel I see is Warriors are more prone than Grizz to squander a lead and a game, or choke. And we don't have Dick Jefferson, they do.

Of course people have their own opinions. I can say the same to you, that makes no sense because the Grizz doesn't even have half of the offensive firepower that Golden State has now. :rolleyes

[Sean Cagney]

This feels like 08 Spurs vs Hornets series.

Spurs got blown out of the water the first two games before figuring things out.

On the road, we won the next two at home, BIGTIME in game 4. We start out this one at home, we never lost a game at home that series. I agree though after two games in that series it looked OVER! Hornets whipped our ass. Tim and them alot younger then though, they had BOWEN as well.

I don't know why people look to the past series all the time for the future games. :nope:wow:lol

[heyheymymy]

This feels like 08 Spurs vs Hornets series.

Spurs got blown out of the water the first two games before figuring things out.

was thinking this all day today. it's the best comparison, duncan even was sick in both series. spurs in 7 then?

[Sean Cagney]

was thinking this all day today. it's the best comparison, duncan even was sick in both series. spurs in 7 then?

Spurs were on that road in that game 7! They were there and won it! This is completely different! They had the first two at home! Tim was sick! I agree he was sick then! That part rings true. Other than that we were down 0-2 coming home! I just don't see it as the same, most were in their prime then as well!

[Spurs and Mavs fan]

I don't know why people look to the past series all the time for the future games. :nope:wow:lol


History often repeats itself.

[FromWayDowntown]

I agree with the comparison to the 2006 Mavericks' series. A close home win followed by a Game 2 that was never really that close against a team with several very potent offensive players who figures out at the right time how to defend and, more importantly, is very aggressive on the boards to end Spurs' possessions and to keep alive its own possessions.

[urunobili]

It's not similar as MEM was pounding us inside. The warriors feel SO much faster and we're getting killed by their backcourt...

[Sean Cagney]

History often repeats itself.

Then again it doesn't at times as well, 011 we were tied 1-1 and won a close game, we go to lose 2 in a row there. Different teams from the earlier days we came back from tied 1-1 or down 0-1, the older Spurs are not nearly the same as this team now, apples and oranges. This is 2013 a new chapter, not 03 or 05 etc.

[hater]

On the road, we won the next two at home, BIGTIME in game 4. We start out this one at home, we never lost a game at home that series. I agree though after two games in that series it looked OVER! Hornets whipped our ass. Tim and them alot younger then though, they had BOWEN as well.

I don't know why people look to the past series all the time for the future games. :nope:wow:lol

we had Robert Horry

[mute]

Except back then, we got killed inside physically. Now, their guards are just better shooters and bigger than us. We are overplaying everything... playing scared. We should just let Curry and Thompson just have those threes because if we run out to them, they are just driving and kicking to a cutter or another wide open player on the three point line anyways.

[Sean Cagney]

we had Robert Horry

And Brent Barry, who is a far better shooter than Gary Neal, he could run the point too.

[Hoops Czar]

No, it feels like 1991 when the Spurs took game 1 against the Warrior then, dropped the next three. The Spurs couldn't stop Richmond, Mullin or Hardaway in that series just like they can't stop Curry or Thompson in this one.

[Mark in Austin]

No. This feels like Dallas 2006 or OKC 2012. Jump shoot teams that get hot totally fry SA's defense. Parker is built to deny penetration. So is Duncan. The Warriors w/o David Lee just don't play the offense the Spurs are designed to defend.
http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/61766/the-new-stephen-curry-how-the-warriors-super-shooter-has-transformed-his-game-in-the-playoffs

[FromWayDowntown]

Maybe this will be similar to Dallas 2003 -- get a pretty disheartening split in Games 1 & 2, then have some French kid go nuclear on the road to get HCA back.