End of season finishes vs Title chances

[Fabbs]

We're stoked with the win over Phx couple nights ago. However, how much should we emphasize the win?

2003
Feb 20 lost to Dallas.
March 4th lost to Phx.
Gm 80 April 13th lost to Phx.
Gm 82 lost* to Dallas (*tied, didn't really matter as Spurs won tiebreaker.)

Spurs lost last two reg season games vs Phx and Dallas (4 total). Final game vs Dallas was on last day of season, Spurs had clinched even tho both finished 60-22. So lets toss that one out.

Playoffs.
4-2 over Phx R1
4-2 over Dallas WCFs.
Championship over Jersey.

2004
April 4th, 2004. The Spurs punked the MOAT Lakers 95-89 for their 6th straight win. They would finish the reg season with 5 more wins for 11 straight.
Playoffs: swept Memphis and beat that same MOAT Laker team by 10 pts two games in a row.
2-0 playoff lead on Lakers. 17 straight wins.

Sun May 9th - May 15th: Lost 4 in a row to the Lakers.
Eliminated.

2005
April Spurs were 6-5 including a 104-68 loss to Dallas. Last reg season game vs Phx was in March, Phx won 107-101.
Playoffs WCF 4-1 over Phx.
Championship Game 7 over Pistons.

2006
Swept last 2 with Phx
Split with Dallas.
Don't ask

[Voice of Truth]

2006: First Round Exit!

[T Park]

2003 the last game against the Mavericks Pop held out Duncan and Stephen Jackson, and played Parker and Ginobili like 12 minutes or something like that.

It was all Speedy Claxton, Kevin Willis, Malik Rose, and Ferry and others.

David Robinson I think sat out too.


That game was just a formality.

The Spurs damn near beat em, and the mavericks played all their studs big minutes.

Typical Nelly ball.

[Extra Stout]

We're stoked with the win over Phx couple nights ago. However, how much should we emphasize the win?

2003
Feb 20 lost to Dallas.
March 4th lost to Phx.
Gm 80 April 13th lost to Phx.
Gm 82 lost* to Dallas (*tied, didn't really matter as Spurs won tiebreaker.)

Spurs lost last two reg season games vs Phx and Dallas (4 total). Final game vs Dallas was on last day of season, Spurs had clinched even tho both finished 60-22. So lets toss that one out.

Playoffs.
4-2 over Phx R1
4-2 over Dallas WCFs.
Championship over Jersey.

2004
April 4th, 2004. The Spurs punked the MOAT Lakers 95-89 for their 6th straight win. They would finish the reg season with 5 more wins for 11 straight.
Playoffs: swept Memphis and beat that same MOAT Laker team by 10 pts two games in a row.
2-0 playoff lead on Lakers. 17 straight wins.

Sun May 9th - May 15th: Lost 4 in a row to the Lakers.
Eliminated.

2005
April Spurs were 6-5 including a 104-68 loss to Dallas. Last reg season game vs Phx was in March, Phx won 107-101.
Playoffs WCF 4-1 over Phx.
Championship Game 7 over Pistons.

2006
Swept last 2 with Phx
Split with Dallas.
Don't ask
While Spurs fans should not get too high about the win over Phoenix, some of your examples lack context. For example, in 2003, Phoenix was a #8 seed with Stephon Marbury, not the current Nash-driven powerhouse. The situation with them is most analogous to Dallas-Golden State this year. And, the Spurs tailed off at the end of the year because they already had clinched the #1 seed.

The 2004 example is germane.

In 2005, the Spurs sputtered in April because Tim Duncan was out with an ankle injury, and struggled at first when he came back.

(The 2004-05 Spurs would have posted a gaudy win total around 65 had Duncan not gotten hurt.)

I think the win over Phoenix is instructive because it demonstrates matchup advantages the Spurs have over the Suns, (despite both teams being comparable in overall strength as shown by record) and have had over them for a couple of years now. They can contain Steve Nash. They can take Shawn Marion out of his game. They can keep the tempo at a pace advantageous to themselves. The Suns have trouble shutting down both Parker and Ginobili at the same time.

In order to beat the Spurs, D'Antoni has to solve some of these riddles. He has to find a way to keep Kurt Thomas on the floor, since he can bother Duncan a little, without hurting his offense. He has to find a way to get Nash untracked. He can't let Parker and Ginobili combine for 40+ points every game.

The regular season matchups tell us more than just the final score.

The same thing applies to the Mavericks. Can the Spurs find a way to keep Nowitzki from blowing up every game, without allowing Josh Howard to go nuts in his stead? Can Francisco Elson play well enough, and consistently enough, to garner minutes guarding Nowitzki, since he is the only Spur all year who really gave him trouble? Is there an answer to the Mavs' one-on-one abilities which so often has thwarted the Spurs' team defensive scheme?

[Extra Stout]

2006: First Round Exit!
Is it a requirement that Miami Heat fans all be stupid?

[Fabbs]

While Spurs fans should not get too high about the win over Phoenix, some of your examples lack context. For example, in 2003, Phoenix was a #8 seed with Stephon Marbury, not the current Nash-driven powerhouse. The situation with them is most analogous to Dallas-Golden State this year. And, the Spurs tailed off at the end of the year because they already had clinched the #1 seed.
2003 good point about Phx being Marbury not Nash and Amare?
However 2003 Dallas WCFs is completely relevant.


The 2004 example is germane.
2004s 17 straight wins and 2-0 lead is akin to 2003?


In 2005, the Spurs sputtered in April because Tim Duncan was out with an ankle injury, and struggled at first when he came back. (The 2004-05 Spurs would have posted a gaudy win total around 65 had Duncan not gotten hurt.)

aha. Historically 65 has been the mark for title 9 of 10 times. But records were made to be broken. Bosox 0-3 to 4-3 over Yankees, Dallas 2-0 and late 3rd qtr dozen point lead over Heat becoming 2-4 loss. So with this years Spurs...


I think the win over Phoenix is instructive because it demonstrates matchup advantages the Spurs have over the Suns, (despite both teams being comparable in overall strength as shown by record) and have had over them for a couple of years now. They can contain Steve Nash. They can take Shawn Marion out of his game. They can keep the tempo at a pace advantageous to themselves. The Suns have trouble shutting down both Parker and Ginobili at the same time.

Exactly. I'm more stoked about how the Spurs won Thurs vs Phx, not just that they won. TallBall with Frankie Elson in with Duncan does nothing but help Duncan and the whole team. Parker wants to prove he can rock more then he ever has in the playoffs. It was a very good win.

[Extra Stout]

2004s 17 straight wins and 2-0 lead is akin to 2003?
Germane=relevant, as in "yes, your point holds for 2004."

[Extra Stout]

aha. Historically 65 has been the mark for title 9 of 10 times. But records were made to be broken. Bosox 0-3 to 4-3 over Yankees, Dallas 2-0 and late 3rd qtr dozen point lead over Heat becoming 2-4 loss. So with this years Spurs....

Possible is not the same thing as likely.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

2006: First Round Exit!



Welcome to 2007.

[LilMissSPURfect]

Welcome to 2007.



:p: :p: :dramaquee :dramaquee

[mabber]

I believe a better indicator is how well a team is playing over the last 30 games or so of the season. I doubt and individual wins in the last part of the season is a very good indicator of playoff success.

[Extra Stout]

I believe a better indicator is how well a team is playing over the last 30 games or so of the season. I doubt and individual wins in the last part of the season is a very good indicator of playoff success.
Spurs = 21-3.

Hmmm...

[mabber]

Spurs = 21-3.

Hmmm...

Yep, they should be good to go.