Re-Rank West Threats to Spurs

[Rummpd]

Before we see Sonics again make the call:


Greatest threat to worst among 7 you see in playoffs besides us = not their playoff order:


1) Sonics - Monday will tell if they are over-rated but they have a lot of talent and more depth than Suns
2) Suns - only if Nash healthy of course
3) Mavs - perhaps, honestly due to Dirk and experience = good arguement can be made for Dallas to be our top threat. Their D has improved slightly and they could make a tough 6-7 game series but still cannot see them winning.
4) Wolves - playing better ball, time will tell, could move up list rapidly. Key change Hudsen starting but Candiman still no answer. Still I put them above Rockets and Kings as they made finals in West last year with basically same team and Garnett still (1B) to Duncan (1A)for value to team after an asterik* rating for Steve Nash whose apparent value to team this year so far is bizarre. (This is about the West, get lost King James "1C" fans - Charles Barkley said he ain't even a superstar yet - "ain't paid dues").
5) Houston - Spurs play down to them, it is critical that in remaining two games this year that Pop turns them lose to play on open floor and Spurs are very motivated. You do not want to play it close with this team when TMac on floor. Still Spurs would win a series easily until they get true point.
6) Kings - Spurs have their number and without Christie softer than charmin. Webber appears to be a shadow of old self. "Plus we have the X factor - a wronged Tony Massensburg". Could move up with Jackson back but this team is going to struggle on road.
7) Who will sneak in as 8th seed. Probably LA > Grizz, no worries there unless they add a piece or change coaches. Rudy taking lot of heat in
Tinseltown despite team treading water without Kobe. Hey it could even be that other LA team, that would be an interesting matchup. Clippers sometimes play Spurs tough.

[fonzy16]

Threats:
1. Spurs
2. Seattle - we haven't beat them yet this season

[whottt]

I see the Suns, Rockets and Sonics as the top threats to our team...

Laugh about the Rockets, and they probably shouldn't be as much of a threat to us as they are...but simply put, we don't have anyone that can match up with TMac and so for that reason they do present somewhat of a threat to us...I don't think it's enough of a threat to beat us in a playoff series...but it's a threat nontheless.

And until we beat Seattle in convincing fashion I will continue to rate them as a high threat.

I think our biggest threats reside in the East though...I think the Pacers and Pistons are the NBA teams that will give the Spurs the most problems. The jury is still out with Miami. I do not like the way we match up with the Pacers and I don't like that they have both Jack and Reggie to punish us from the perimeter.

[td4mvp21]

And let me guess when that DOESNT happen, youll be no where around this forum?????

Definitely:
1. Sonics
2. Suns
3. Ourselves
East:
1. Miami
2. Detroit

[boutons]

Biggest threat to Spurs is the Spurs themselves. The last 4 games are all very encouraging in the toughness area, but there's a ways to go. I say agian, the NBA title is the Spurs' to lose.

In the West, Sonics and Suns because of their ability to score, but both are weakened by mediocre defenses. If the Spurs play their defense, then they can limit these two scoring machies sufficientlly, while the Spurs offense should be able to score fairly easily (which is nothing but The Spurs Way, defennse first/last, and sufficient offense).

In the East, Detroit and Indiana, neither one is worth much on offense, but they both play defense seriously. The Spurs offense, as amazing and powerful as SEA and PHX when running against no defense, has struggled badly, often losing, to teams that even pretend to play defense. ie, the Spurs offense needs to learn how to score when there is just a nominal defense (echoes of offensive collapse vs Lakers).

SEA: major payback time. Except for the Spurs' 2nd qtr collapse @SBC vs Sonics, the Spurs would be 22-0 at home.

[Mr. Body]

I am now resigned to the Wolves finishing as the 8th seed and I actually hope you Spursies finish as the top seed so we can clash in round 1 !!!!!

Yes!!! A scary round 1 for you!!! It will be the most memorable upset in NBA history!!! Watch this space!!

Wow, a more blatant example of moving the goal posts I've never seen. You might be a member of the Bush Administration.

[Spurzilla]

Hmmm... in my humble opinion (very humble)....

Sonics - They've lost to teams we have beaten, but the last 2 games they seemed to be a step ahead of our Spurs. We can beat these guys by playing Spurs ball all 4 quarters.

Suns - A good team. A definite threat with a healthy Nash who isn't too tired to run.

Wolves - They've had their problems, but do play us tough whenever we match up. In a best of 7 series, Spurs win in 5 or 6 games.

Mavs - AJ teaching D, but for a whole team to learn? Won't happen this year. The masters of D win in 5 or 6 games

Kings - Will not want to come over and play in SBC. Miller and Webber go home crying to mommy after 4 games.

Houston - Inconsistency; team doesn't gel most nights. Tmac's unreliable heroics won't win a best of 7 series. Spurs win in 4 games

LALA or Grizz? - A question mark. Grizz played hard last year in the playoffs but came up short. Kobe is nullified by Bruce. Spurs win in 4 games. But at least we will feed them afterward.

[ALVAREZ6]

T'Wolves !!!!

You Spursies are scared of us!!

I am now resigned to the Wolves finishing as the 8th seed and I actually hope you Spursies finish as the top seed so we can clash in round 1 !!!!!

Yes!!! A scary round 1 for you!!! It will be the most memorable upset in NBA history!!! Watch this space!!
Oh please, don't humiliate yourself.

If the Spurs beat Minnesota, don't wait 5 days before you appear again in the forums.

[2centsworth]

Memphis! They have size and their shooters can get hot.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

I think Seattle, Houston and Memphis are probably the biggest threats to beat us because they've shown that they can. Minnesota is a sleeper as well.

I think we can take Phoenix in a seven game series easier than a couple of these others that I mentioned.

[slayermin]

No one in a 7 game series.

Maybe Minnie if they trade Sprewell and/or Cassell for an unselfish star like Kidd.

[Mark in Austin]

T'Wolves !!!!

You Spursies are scared of us!!

I am now resigned to the Wolves finishing as the 8th seed and I actually hope you Spursies finish as the top seed so we can clash in round 1 !!!!!

Yes!!! A scary round 1 for you!!! It will be the most memorable upset in NBA history!!! Watch this space!!

Whatever you say, Bagdad Bob. :blah

[Rummpd]

As do your biased opinions - Wolves are still a threat, but it is looking more and more like last year an abberation for the Wolves to go sort of deep into playoffs.

Another 1 and out is probable for the T Pups and Garnett's winning dislegacy will continue ad infinituum.

MadDoc

[Supergirl]

Threats to the Spurs -
1. Mavs - because they're experience in the playoffs now, and they play better D, and Dirk is having a career year.
2. Rockets - because they play good D, and because they've beaten us twice - although both were in Houston, and both were the 2nd half of a back to back. I think we'll even the series with him, and come out ahead in a 7 game series.
3. Sonics - Because we haven't beaten them yet. But we will. And I think in a 7 game series, their shots will stop falling and they don't play good enough D to hang in there.
4. Memphis - Same reasons as w/Houston.
5. Kings, Timberwolves, Lakers, Trailblazers - any of these teams COULD sneak up on us, because they have the talen - but we're better than all of them, easily.

[Supergirl]

Oh, and I forgot the Suns, who I'd add to #5. Our maybe below. We OWN them. But they're still good.

[The_Game]

biggest west threat? sonics

spurs have yet to beat them and got blowout at the key and were getting killed at HT at the SBC center. They need to beat the sonics on monday otherwise there will be question marks

but the biggest threat is the Pistons, they have the defense and depth to beat S.A. Come playoff time they will be just as strong as they were a year ago, if not stronger. Arroyo was a huge addition.

[2centsworth]

The feeling in Minnesota is that we can take on the Spurs anytime anyday especially when all the pieces are healthy

The wolves say that every time they play the spurs in the playoffs. What funny is that the spurs get absolutely no satisfaction in beating the wolves, it's just expected.

You should be happy now that spurs fans are giving you some time, but really you're beneath us and you should know your place in the world. No more wasted words from me, it's amazing a wolves fan got even one.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

I have to agree with boutons. The championship is ours to lose. I mean, when we first faced the Suns this season we opened a can of whoop-ass on them because we played our defensive game, and lest we forget, Nash was healthy then. I think the Sonics are more of a threat than the Suns (assuming we play at the best of our abilities), but even then, they are no match for our defensively oriented playbook. I say the Spurs can win it all, it just takes a bit of focusing and getting the job done.

[Jimcs50]

The Suns are the only threat.

They are playing some awe inspiring basketball.

Did you see what they did to Toronto today?

They were 40 up on them before they called off the dogs.

Jim Jackson was their missing cog, now they have that bench.....watch out SA, it looks like Phoenix can win it all.

[2centsworth]

Jim Jackson was their missing cog, now they have that bench.....watch out SA, it looks like Phoenix can win it all.

Phoenix is good, but that line is hilarious. Jim Jackson the ultimate weapon, lol!

[Jimcs50]

Phoenix is good, but that line is hilarious. Jim Jackson the ultimate weapon, lol!

Jackson has scored more points since he has been in Phoenix than the rest of the bench combined.That is what I meant by him being that missing bench player that they have needed to spell Nash and Q.

[boutons]

"than the rest of the bench combined"

that says more about the weak bench than it does about Jackson.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

1. Seattle
2. Us
2a. 4Down and all its forms
3. Phoenix

[td4mvp21]

It is still a long way to April. Plenty of time to heal. We relish the fact that in the
play-offs, records mean shit :elephant

Not exactly. Don't you have to have a good record to get there? :lol

[NZHayden]

could be quite funny. we may not even see the lakers make playoffs instead replaced by the clippers. but i havnt looked at the confrence standings lately though. pls dnt prove me wrong.

[boutons]

WC 8th place is probably going to be a battle between MIN, HOU, LAL:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/standings?season=2005&group=conference&column=gamesBehind&order=null&seasontype=2

And season records, on average, DO mean very big shit for the playoffs. Somebody could look it up, but I would say that the NBA champion comes from the Top4 seeds in either conference much more often than not.

It's a Cinderella myth that the players and fans fool themselves with, aided by NBA marketing buzz interested in filling seats and selling ads, that "getting into the playoffs" in 5-8 position means you have as good a chance as seeds 1-4 of winning the title.

"anything can happen" in the playoffs, but it rarely does for seeds 5-8, in the NBA. 4 series of 7 games make it very difficult for Cinderella teams to win the title, compared with the NFL where 1 mistake in one game can take you out.

Does anybody know of a histogram of NBA titles won by 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 seeds?