Top 2 seed in the West is going to be curcial

[spursistan]

It has been kind fashionable to dismiss the importance of HC until we go bit in the ass last season..More so this year, it does look like the 7th and 8th seed will be average to mediocre opponents by West standards, low-to-high 40-win teams: Pelicans/Memphis/Jazz or Mavs making a run..We really don't want any part of an OKC/Clippers or even pesky Houston team getting hot down the stretch in R1.. Hope Pop takes notice and go for it....

[peacemaker885]

Yep. No matter how much you slice and dice it, statistics don't lie. Most champions come from top 1-3 seed team overall.

[UNT Eagles 2016]

I agree 110% with the OP. We should aim for the #1 seed and consider it imperative to finish ahead of Cleveland, LAC and OKC specifically.

[TXstbobcat]

I agree which makes it Important for the Spurs to take advantage of the easier part of the schedule to start the season as it gets tougher late in the season.

[Spurtacular]

I think HCA is important if you're heading into the playoffs tired. The alternative is to just rest guys and let the seeding be damned. Pop seems wary of that option though.

[Fireball]

lets go for it ...

[FromWayDowntown]

I don't disagree with the basic point, but I also don't think the Spurs lost to the Clippers because of HCA; they won twice in Staples, after all.

Seeding mattered because of who the opponent was, not because of where the games were played.

Still important to push the more difficult match ups back by a round if possible.

[BillMc]

I don't disagree with the basic point, but I also don't think the Spurs lost to the Clippers because of HCA; they won twice in Staples, after all.

Seeding mattered because of who the opponent was, not because of where the games were played.

Still important to push the more difficult match ups back by a round if possible.

This. In the West a Top 2 seed will have a relatively easier opponent. Seeds 3 and 4 will likely have a dogfight in round 1.

[tmtcsc]

Good Health is the #1 imperative for the playoffs. Had the Spurs played with a healthy Parker and Splitter, we easily advance to Rd. 2 and probably repeat as Champions. Even if the Spurs had found a way to beat the Clippers, I don't think they would have won the title. Parker was trash and Splitter was unreliable. It wasn't meant to be.

[HarlemHeat37]

Agreed, but not only for HCA, the matchups are much different with a top 2 seed, this year..the bottom of the West isn't as tough as it has been in prior years..

There's a huge drop-off in the West following the top 5 teams, and maybe want to avoid Memphis's style of play if they finish as the 6th(which I expect)..

The 7 and 8 seeds are going to be unimpressive and/or inexperienced teams like the Pelicans(although they have been a bad matchup for the Spurs, as of late), Jazz, Suns, etc..much different than getting Houston or the Clippers or even the Grizzlies in round 1..

[Killakobe81]

Agreed, but not only for HCA, the matchups are much different with a top 2 seed, this year..the bottom of the West isn't as tough as it has been in prior years..

There's a huge drop-off in the West following the top 5 teams, and maybe want to avoid Memphis's style of play if they finish as the 6th(which I expect)..

The 7 and 8 seeds are going to be unimpressive and/or inexperienced teams like the Pelicans(although they have been a bad matchup for the Spurs, as of late), Jazz, Suns, etc..much different than getting Houston or the Clippers or even the Grizzlies in round 1..

This. Said the same in one of the game threads.

[kobyz]

One would say that better record that the Cavs also important, but as long as porker is running the point you would not go anywhere no matter what...

[cjw]

1/2 get the easier first round opponents (and 8th could be New Orleans instead of 7th if the team hobbles through the regular season due to injuries - so 2nd being better in that instance).

Ideal situation would be staying away from the GSW/OKC/LAC side of the draw and having to only face one of those. Or none of those if the Spurs get GSW's luck.

[pookenstein]

Agreed, seeding is very important, but it's not worth overplaying the older guys near the end of the RS.It also depends on the potential matchup a third place would be compared to a fourth place.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

It's definitely curcial, although I'd hedge against it being extremely crucial. Well said. :tu

[RD2191]

Tank for 8th and take out the Dubs in the 1st round. Smooth sailing to 6 after that imo.

[Obstructed_View]

It's curcial for the Spurs to have the guest record.

[99 Problems]

You bet it is. Cost us big time last season.

[rasuo214]

Seeding matters, not only for HCA but also because it's a lot better to play a weaker opponent and hopefully win in 5 games than playing a 7 game grinder.

[james evans]

I think HCA is important if you're heading into the playoffs tired. The alternative is to just rest guys and let the seeding be damned. Pop seems wary of that option though.
I still don't believe and have never believed there is a such thing in basketball as home court advantage. Every rim in the nba is 10 feet. Every court is 94 feet. The only team in the leauge with any type of home court advantage is Denver due to the altitude and that's never really worked in their favor even during the Doug Moe/Paul Westhead run'n'gun days. It's not like the Patriots or Packers having' home court advantage due to the weather. Temperatures are controlled and regulated. (let's forget about game 1 of the 2014 finals though :lol). So if you can't hit an open shot in los angeles, oklahoma, why would you be able to hit one in Texas? Last season, we beat the Clippers on their court TWICE in the playoffs and they beat us on ours TWICE!!!.

[Spurs 4 The Win]

I still don't believe and have never believed there is a such thing in basketball as home court advantage. Every rim in the nba is 10 feet. Every court is 94 feet. The only team in the leauge with any type of home court advantage is Denver due to the altitude and that's never really worked in their favor even during the Doug Moe/Paul Westhead run'n'gun days. It's not like the Patriots or Packers having' home court advantage due to the weather. Temperatures are controlled and regulated. (let's forget about game 1 of the 2014 finals though :lol). So if you can't hit an open shot in los angeles, oklahoma, why would you be able to hit one in Texas? Last season, we beat the Clippers on their court TWICE in the playoffs and they beat us on ours TWICE!!!.

Do you care to explain home team game 7 records being wildly in favor of the home team... your take is retarded

[spursistan]

Damn Clippers look like favorite to me to nab the 2nd seed..Not only they are just integrating fringe guys unlike a key cog (LMA) for the Spurs, but Doc ability to play his core players +35 mins each night, run them down into the ground as it is, is a bonus..I think at the end we will be fighing for 3rd seed with OKC/Rockets as losses like yesterday pile up along the process....

[NameLess Scrub]

Right now 2nd seed wouldn't be an option. Warriors are too good and Wes/Durant will force OKC into wins.

Only 4 games though.. can't wait for Saturday.

[HarlemHeat37]

Do you care to explain home team game 7 records being wildly in favor of the home team... your take is retarded

The home team in game 7 had the better record during the RS, which means they were probably the superior team, regardless of HCA..

[MultiTroll]

I don't disagree with the basic point, but I also don't think the Spurs lost to the Clippers because of HCA; they won twice in Staples, after all.

Seeding mattered because of who the opponent was, not because of where the games were played.

Still important to push the more difficult match ups back by a round if possible.
Nicely stated.

As to last night, i don't how Aldridge got faked out. It's like he was guarding the ref, not the shooter.
The shooter did not do his foot shuffle/step back until after Aldridge went sailing by. Weird.

I hope Alfred E. Neumanovitch is not having his What Me Worry schtikk going about giving wins away.
This aint 2005.

[Canyonero]

Too early to say but I think Spurs will finish with the 3rd seed.

[apalisoc_9]

2 or 3 seed is fine.

You just gotta hope LA and Thunder fall into 4th and 5th and be in the GSW bracket.

[TXstbobcat]

Sad that the Spurs pissed away a game last night during the easier part of the schedule. The schedule gets a lot tougher later on in the season.

[apalisoc_9]

It's really important the spurs finish 15-5 in their first 20...games post all-star break are going to be really tough games.

[Fireball]

Which already good team added a superstar over the last years and it worked out well in the first season? I do not know ... Pau Gasol to Lakers? Something like that. East teams can survive by starting to click way after the All-Star break ... but in the West its gonna be tough for the Spurs to get a Top 4 seed if they not improve quickly. I mean they will hurt each other if they continue to run into each other on offense ... yes its so bad. I do not know where you guys get the confidence for your takes ...

[BillMc]

It's curcial for the Spurs to have the guest record.
:lol

[TXstbobcat]

It's really important the spurs finish 15-5 in their first 20...games post all-star break are going to be really tough games.

Frustrating that the Spurs are pissing away the easier part of their schedule.

[Kawhitstorm]

LMA or Kawhi by themselves are good enough for an 8th seed this season. Kawhi is rolling but LMA is probably not going to peak until the ASG break b/c he's playing himself back into shape & learning on the fly. As long as the Clips/OKC doesn't go full throttle before the ASG break the Spurs have a good chance for the 2nd seed. Hopefully, it's the Suns so 2010 could be avenged.

[dweaver99027]

If the warriors and clippers keep up their level of play then it will be difficult.

[Keepin' it real]

Top 2 seed in the west is crucial

A statement like that can only be (somewhat) verified after the fact. If the Spurs get a top 2 seed and end up winning the title, then you could argue the top 2 seed was crucial in their success. But if the Spurs get a top 2 seed and don't win, or if they get a 3 seed or lower and do win, then the "top 2 seed is crucial" argument will have been completely wrong.

So let's bump this thread in mid June to see if you were right. Until then, it's all conjecture.

[Spurs 4 The Win]

The home team in game 7 had the better record during the RS, which means they were probably the superior team, regardless of HCA..

But they just played 6 playoff games and split 3-3... How can one team be considered superior to the other. They both are playing equally well at the time of the 7th game, its anyones game.

[Spurtacular]

I still don't believe and have never believed there is a such thing in basketball as home court advantage. Every rim in the nba is 10 feet. Every court is 94 feet. The only team in the leauge with any type of home court advantage is Denver due to the altitude and that's never really worked in their favor even during the Doug Moe/Paul Westhead run'n'gun days. It's not like the Patriots or Packers having' home court advantage due to the weather. Temperatures are controlled and regulated. (let's forget about game 1 of the 2014 finals though :lol). So if you can't hit an open shot in los angeles, oklahoma, why would you be able to hit one in Texas? Last season, we beat the Clippers on their court TWICE in the playoffs and they beat us on ours TWICE!!!.

Refs call the game different for the home teams, especially if they're the team the league office wants to advance.

[james evans]

Refs call the game different for the home teams, especially if they're the team the league office wants to advance.
well there's a word for that. It's called "cheating". Just say the refs cheat. We never got the benefit of cheating refs at home in the game 7(especially when dirk fouled duncan at the end of regulation in 06). I hate it when people come with this mythical bs about teams shooting better just because they are playing with the fans cheering them on. :lol . Just say the refs cheat for the home team in game 7. I'll respect that more.

[Spurtacular]

well there's a word for that. It's called "cheating". Just say the refs cheat. We never got the benefit of cheating refs at home in the game 7(especially when dirk fouled duncan at the end of regulation in 06). I hate it when people come with this mythical bs about teams shooting better just because they are playing with the fans cheering them on. :lol . Just say the refs cheat for the home team in game 7. I'll respect that more.

Okay, well that's most of it. But I wouldn't completely discount the added adrenaline that comes from cheering fans; not at all.

[spursistan]

This is next month schedule..it is looking absolutely godsend for the Spurs given our early struggles :lol..Getting a slumping Memphis twice and hobbled NO and potentially Cousins-less Kings.the Hawks and maybe Chicago are what one qualify as a toughie..gotta make the most of it, tbh.


https://i.imgur.com/JSvlfdy.jpg

[apalisoc_9]

This is next month schedule..it is looking absolutely godsend for the Spurs given our early struggles :lol..Getting a slumping Memphis twice and hobbled NO and potentially Cousins-less Kings.the Hawks and maybe Chicago are what one qualify as a toughie..gotta make the most of it, tbh.


https://i.imgur.com/JSvlfdy.jpg

Hawks on b2b but its at home so thats a good thing..should aim for 13-4 . That would put them at 16-6

[spursistan]

It is looking good, tbh..We are putting a little nice separation between us and other teams (Clippers/OKC/Rockets?)..just need to keep taking care of business here..

[spursistan]

With Top seed pretty much conceded to the Warriors, gotta love our main competition for 2nd stumbling out of the gate:

OKC: 7-6
Clippers: 6-7
Memphis: 7-7
Houston: 5-9

Hopefully we take care of business at home next vs Phoenix (7-6) and Dallas (9-5) and and we get ourselves at minimum 3 games cushion before the schedule toughens up a bit..

[Cry Havoc]

With Top seed pretty much conceded to the Warriors, gotta love our main competition for 2nd stumbling out of the gate:

OKC: 7-6
Clippers: 6-7
Memphis: 7-7
Houston: 5-9

Hopefully we take care of business at home next vs Phoenix (7-6) and Dallas (9-5) and and we get ourselves at minimum 3 games cushion before the schedule toughens up a bit..

Yup. KD comes back soon but OKC's defense ain't gonna improve. They're probably going to win 52-53 games. If we get 55+ we've got the 2 seed on lock.

[letmk]

#2, #3, or whatever seed, I still want to avoid OKC. Let Dubs take care of them.

[Spurs 4 The Win]

#2, #3, or whatever seed, I still want to avoid OKC. Let Dubs take care of them.

Agreed but we cant have it all our way, OKC and Clippers are likely going to finish #3 and #4 so we will be better off just getting homecourt and letting the chips fall where they may. I also have a feeling that if we can stay close to Golden State record wise, they will start to drop some games, they will slump and they do have to play us 4 times.

[exstatic]

Agreed but we cant have it all our way, OKC and Clippers are likely going to finish #3 and #4 so we will be better off just getting homecourt and letting the chips fall where they may. I also have a feeling that if we can stay close to Golden State record wise, they will start to drop some games, they will slump and they do have to play us 4 times.

Clippers are imploding as we speak. Their defense is worse than OKC's, and the press heard a loud, shouted argument through the locker room walls after their latest loss in a 2-7 stretch. Pierce is done, and the Stephenson experiment is a failure.

[Sean Cagney]

Clippers are imploding as we speak. Their defense is worse than OKC's, and the press heard a loud, shouted argument through the locker room walls after their latest loss in a 2-7 stretch. Pierce is done, and the Stephenson experiment is a failure.

I still have no clue what they were thinking adding Stephenson and Josh Smith to a bench? Were they trying to get head cases to make them implode earlier? Pierce I can get but those two? What a mess chemistry wise.

[spursistan]

Feels good to have a 4 game cushion after 20 games, tbh...

https://i.imgur.com/bV4cIVb.jpg