Very Early Playoffs Glance

[Guajalote]

Yes, I know it's not even the All Star break, but after watching the Suns/Lakers game, I started thinking about matchups. The top 10 WC teams as of now are...

1. Spurs
2. Suns
3. Dallas
4. Denver
5. New Orleans
6. Lakers
7. Golden State
8. Portland
9. Utah
10. Houston

As we all know, teams can go on very nice runs ( :clap tlongII congrats) and places can shift here and there, but for the most part, I think most people agree that the Spurs, Suns and Mavs are going to be in the top three.

If the Lakers and Golden State switched places (1.5 games), we're looking at first round matchups for the Lakers/Suns (see Christmas day), and Mavs/Golden State (nuff said).

Anything can happen, but are you encouraged about how things are shaping up so far?

[Mr. Body]

I expect Houston and Utah to be there in the end, but damn is the West stacked.

[yeahone]

I expect Houston and Utah to be there in the end, but damn is the West stacked.
there will be no easy matchup in the post season playing the 8 seed is like playing a th or 6th or even 4th seed the west is really stack that amkes the spurs run even more beautiful

[ArgSpursFan.]

Utah will make the playoffs,that's for sure
As far as Portland and Houston,it's a long shot,but it's still too early to tell.

[timmy21_4rings]

I would swap the positions of Suns and Mavs or Lakers and GS. That would give the match ups between Mavs Vs GS and Suns Vs Lakers. It would be interesting. First round exits to both of them.

With the current rankings, Suns is going to be ousted in the first round.

[sribb43]

Suns/Warriors would be the most entertaining playoff series ever

[lefty]

Suns/Warriors would be the most entertaining playoff series ever

True to that.

The Suns-Warriors 1st round series from 1994 were great too :elephant

[FirebatMIV]

So what was Hollinger talking about when he claimed there was no depth to the Western conference? Does that qualify as one of the stupidest comments of the year yet?

[timmy21_4rings]

Suns/Warriors would be the most entertaining playoff series ever

u being a mav fan, u do not want to see Mavs getting killed by Warriors....don't u?

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Can Dallas be the three seed being in the Spurs division? I'm confused by how the playoff format works now. I think they can...or does best record kick in after round 1? I can't remember...:pctoss

[timmy21_4rings]

Division leaders and the team with the best record among the rest compete for first 4 places. They will be ranked based on their records.


Can Dallas be the three seed being in the Spurs division? I'm confused by how the playoff format works now. I think they can...or does best record kick in after round 1? I can't remember...:pctoss

[T Park]

If the playoffs started today

the Spurs would play Portland then play the winner of Denver New Orleans.

God, that wouldbe the easiest trip to the western finals in the Spurs history.

More than likely Spurs vs Mavs/Suns for the West.

The NBA's dream. Hopefully it would be Golden state :lol

[m33p0]

I would swap the positions of Suns and Mavs or Lakers and GS. That would give the match ups between Mavs Vs GS and Suns Vs Lakers. It would be interesting. First round exits to both of them.

With the current rankings, Suns is going to be ousted in the first round.

you're evil. :lmao

[BonnerDynasty]

I would love to see Lakers/Suns Dallas/GS first round matchups.

[Dirk's_Butt_Hurts]

This is how it is going to look at the end of the season:

1. Dallas
2. LA Lakers
...
14. San Antonio

[SpursDynasty]

I think the Spurs' record is deceiving. We're 20-7. We're probably about 23-4 if the Big Three plays all 27 games together. We are much more ahead of the rest of the West than the 1 1/2 games that separates us and Phoenix.

I see the Lakers surpassing Dallas in the standings by the end of the season or possibly very soon if Dallas continues playing uninspired ball like they are now.

Golden State will have a top 5 West record. Look at the pace they win at. If not for the league knuckleheads who robbed GS of early success by suspending Jackson 7 games, these guys would be in the top 4 West right now. To start 1-6 and stand at 17-12 is very impressive.

Givens: SA, Phoenix, Dallas, GS playing solid
Surprises: Lakers and Portland
Disappointments: Utah and Houston

[m33p0]

This is how it is going to look at the end of the season:

1. Dallas
2. LA Lakers
...
14. San Antonio

come up with something more convincing. :td

[Guajalote]

If we can just get through this injury bug in one piece by the playoffs (SHEESH!!!), I really think the first round is going to be an eye opener for a lot of the teams in the league.

I think the Suns really hurt themselves by not getting bigger. Unless they trade Marion or Amare, I don't see them picking anybody up that can make a difference. If they do make a trade, do they kill the chemistry that they have? And as the Lakers and Bynum found out on Christmas, attacking the Suns' lack of size how you kill them.

Dallas, the one team that I can see causing us the most grief in the playoffs, is the team I'm trying to figure out. There are three possibilities as far as I can see. 1. They are resting as much as possible, not overdoing it like last year. 2. They are still trying to put the pieces together and haven't found themselves yet. 3. They really are that bad.

Unless a team gets red hot (a la Golden State last year) going into the playoffs, I don't really see anybody other than the Mavs beating us in a 7 game series.

[spurs1990]

Lets just analyze our last two playoff defeats for comparison.

2004 - HC against LA - up 2 games to nothing. Lost a swing game 5 due to a miracle shot (following another lucky Duncan shot as Shaq put it), then caved in game 6. I frankly believe the Lakers were the better team that season anyway with their big 4.

2006 - HC against Dal - shouldn't even had to play them due to flawed seeding (which was subsequently changed for 07). Some of the most blatant biased officiating I've seen watching the NBA goes in favor of Dallas. Fumbled play loses game 3 by a point. Game 4 lost in OT. Spurs come back to force game 7, which is lost in OT. Spurs probably the better team that year, dealing with the stacked deck.

2008 should play out similar to 2006, as the Spurs will get the 1 seed, but avoid the two heavy hitters (Dal, Phx, LA? whoever they may be) until the WCF, meaning the Spurs should break the even year trend and get to the Finals again.

Think about it, the Spurs had to face the other best Western team in the 2nd round in both 04 and 06, as well as 98 and 02. Every team that beat the Duncan led Spurs in the playoffs since '98 has won the conference, going 2-3 against the EC in the process. Its all about getting out of the 2nd round....

[T Park]

Yeah, IMO, if Ime turns into another Bowen like, not EQUAL, but bowen like, can be left alone on a guy, defender. The Spurs go to the Finals and repeat for the first time ever.

I think that what the whole season hinges on honestly.

[slayermin]

Lets just analyze our last two playoff defeats for comparison.

2004 - HC against LA - up 2 games to nothing. Lost a swing game 5 due to a miracle shot (following another lucky Duncan shot as Shaq put it), then caved in game 6. I frankly believe the Lakers were the better team that season anyway with their big 4.

2006 - HC against Dal - shouldn't even had to play them due to flawed seeding (which was subsequently changed for 07). Some of the most blatant biased officiating I've seen watching the NBA goes in favor of Dallas. Fumbled play loses game 3 by a point. Game 4 lost in OT. Spurs come back to force game 7, which is lost in OT. Spurs probably the better team that year, dealing with the stacked deck.

2008 should play out similar to 2006, as the Spurs will get the 1 seed, but avoid the two heavy hitters (Dal, Phx, LA? whoever they may be) until the WCF, meaning the Spurs should break the even year trend and get to the Finals again.

Think about it, the Spurs had to face the other best Western team in the 2nd round in both 04 and 06, as well as 98 and 02. Every team that beat the Duncan led Spurs in the playoffs since '98 has won the conference, going 2-3 against the EC in the process. Its all about getting out of the 2nd round....

:tu Nice post.

[violentkitten]

this year it comes down to the spurs and mavs. the suns really hurt their chances with the lux tax motivated dump of thomas. about the only scenario for the suns that makes sense is that the mavs take care of the spurs and then they have only to go through the mavs, but i dont think the suns can pull that off. of course, the spurs would probably prefer to see the suns face the mavs first. i'm not sold on boston, they are racking up early season wins with their offense and that feels too much like plenty of other early season high fliers (in a weaker conference) who come down to earth come playoff time.

i think the spurs will be in as good of shape as they've ever been during a potential repeat season, provided their big 3 stay healthy.

[m33p0]

Lets just analyze our last two playoff defeats for comparison.

2004 - HC against LA - up 2 games to nothing. Lost a swing game 5 due to a miracle shot (following another lucky Duncan shot as Shaq put it), then caved in game 6. I frankly believe the Lakers were the better team that season anyway with their big 4.

2006 - HC against Dal - shouldn't even had to play them due to flawed seeding (which was subsequently changed for 07). Some of the most blatant biased officiating I've seen watching the NBA goes in favor of Dallas. Fumbled play loses game 3 by a point. Game 4 lost in OT. Spurs come back to force game 7, which is lost in OT. Spurs probably the better team that year, dealing with the stacked deck.

2008 should play out similar to 2006, as the Spurs will get the 1 seed, but avoid the two heavy hitters (Dal, Phx, LA? whoever they may be) until the WCF, meaning the Spurs should break the even year trend and get to the Finals again.

Think about it, the Spurs had to face the other best Western team in the 2nd round in both 04 and 06, as well as 98 and 02. Every team that beat the Duncan led Spurs in the playoffs since '98 has won the conference, going 2-3 against the EC in the process. Its all about getting out of the 2nd round....

duncan played with plantar fasciitis and manu with a deep thigh bruise. manu missed the last layup attempt which i thought was sure to go in.