It is irrelevant

Cleva,

What you say is on point but you have to bear in mind that Rascal has done this every year, even the ones ending in titles. :lol

:tu

you spurs fans jumping ship before the playoffs even start are fucking pussies.

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Originally Posted by rascal

Doesn't matter where the spurs are seeded.

The lakers are winning this year no matter where the spurs are seeded.

These regular season games are meaningless in the big picture. They are just screwing up their draft position ( a couple spots in the draft order can make a big difference) by getting the 2nd seed because they won't get past the Lakers.


Lets just get this season over with. Those who believe the Spurs will win the championship are foolish, not happening.

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:flipoff Pussy

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Originally Posted by duncan2177

:flipoff pussy

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+1

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Originally Posted by samikeyp

Cleva,

What you say is on point but you have to bear in mind that Rascal has done this every year, even the ones ending in titles. :lol

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Whoops. Gotcha.

:toast

It may not matter where they are seeded, but it DEFINITELY matters how they're playing and how healthy they are. Right now, the Spurs are neither. If the playoffs start and this is still the case, it will be a short-lived fiesta.

Seems like the Lakers year to win it all. I hope they choke, but I doubt they will. Oh well, the world keeps spinning.

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Originally Posted by 2Cleva

I'll start back in 99.

LA before Phil was a mess. SA had the functional talent edge as well as experience factor that made it a bad draw for LA. I have always said and still believe LA doesn't three-peat nor win a ring that first year with Phil if it wasn't for Duncan's knee injury. LA simply didn't know how to win nor have the confidence to do so against a truely polished talented team. Thats why even Sac pushed them to 5 games (winning 2 elimination games), Portland to 7 (winning 2 elimination games), and Indy to 6 (winning 1 elimination game). A healthy Spurs team would have took LA out - no question in my mind at all.

However, come the next year, the experience of winning a title combined with SA getting old carried them through the next matchup. LA no longer had any fear of the Spurs and that swagger led to an easy series win.

Now, to last year. If fully healthy, SA again probably takes LA out (I'm not as sure as I was of 99-00 but SA would have been the favorites over LA with Ginobil healthy imo). LA's defense wasn't ready for the 4-headed attack of SA without Ariza or Bynum (Duncan, Parker, Ginobili, 3pt shooting). But Ginobili not healthy allowed LA to focus on Duncan more, force SA back into their old habits of OK, and take what on paper was an easy win.

Now, onto this year, SA has some of the same problems as they did back in 00-01. LA is younger, more talented, and most importantly confident they can handle SA while the Spurs are again trying to solidify an identity (while facing injury/age problems too boot). Look at the 3 Lakers/Spurs games this season. Not once has LA, in victory or defeat, ever appeared worried or razzled by anything the Spurs did. No longer can SA dictate the tempo or how the game is played, no longer can Duncan dominate his matchup, LA has a kryptonite for the 2nd half of Parker every time, what's more SA doesn't hit the 3 as well against LA because LA respects SA enough to constantly try to chase them off the line.

Its history repeating itself already.

If SA had firepower they'd have a puncher's chance but they don't even have that. Can SA really count on 40 per from their non-stars nightly against LA? SA no longer has the perimeter D who can slow LA down. When the best defender is a rookie you're asking for playoff trouble when the refs give them no respect.

Honestly, assuming every player plays (I won't say is healthy because no one is 100% healthy by playoff time), SA doesn't have a single matchup advantage except Parker on Fisher but LA knows they can nuetralize that at will by putting Kobe or Ariza on Parker. What's more - SA as a whole doesn't have the playoff experience or savvy to carry it over. There is no Horry or Barry or Ellie that SA can lean on who will bring that touch off the bench.

All fans should support their teams. I'm not saying SA should wave the white flag. If the situation was reversed I wouldn't either. But to say its a tall order is an understatement and I can see why the OP is thinking long-term as opposed to this year. No point in going all-out to win the battle when you know you have to do much more than that to win the war.

Last year was SA's best for a ring. It wouldn't surprise me if they fall off like Phx or Det next year. SA gets props for their run on top - it was longer than the Shaq/Kobe run, but its unlikely Ginobili or Duncan are able to get back to that top level for a full season and there is no one close to taking their role waiting in the wings.

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You gotta be kidding yourself seriously. That 2000-01 Spurs team is nowhere near this Spurs team. Hell, even this year's team is better than last year's team also. You gotta be kidding yourself if you think Vaughn, Udoka, and Horry's corpse from last year's team is better than a combo of Hill, Mason, Bonner, and Gooden from this year's team. The Spurs have waaaaay more options going into the playoffs this year than they did last year. We have some young athletic guys to go along with the vets. We are a better offensive team this year as a whole than last year. And the D of this team is starting to kick it up to Spurs level also. We can throw an Offensive line-up of TP, Mason, Manu, TD, and Gooden. We can throw a Defensive line-up of Hill, Manu, Bowen, TD, and Thomas. Or we can throw a mix out there of the two. Last year the Spurs struggled because they couldnt score enough. They didnt have a Roger Mason, who is a good fourth option and a clutch guy at the end of games. Instead we had unreliable scorers out there like Vaughn and Udoka. Not this year. So if you think the Lakers are going to cakewalk through the Playoffs you're crazy as shit. I believe in this team...and no matter how much you ramble on about Laker this Laker that remember this, the Spurs are the last Western Conference team to win the NBA Championship since 2003. Sure the Lakers made it in 2004 and 2008, but lost. The Mavs also made it in 2006, but lost. Other than that, the Spurs have won in 2003, 2005, and 2007 making them the last Western Conf. team to win it all. I believe in this team, and nothing you can say is going to make me change my mind. Bring it. :flag: :ihit

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Originally Posted by timvp

rascal made almost the exact same thread in 2007. I haven't looked but you could bet he was singing the same song in 2005.

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Originally Posted by rascal, 5-16-2005, after Sonics even up series 2-2 in the second round

I expect the spurs to survive this series but go no further than the next round. The Spurs aren't good enough to just coast to a title or have the necessary desire to work hard to win it all that the other top teams will have against them in the latter rounds.

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:lol Thought so.

Thanks, lurker23.

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Originally Posted by timvp

:lol Thought so.

Thanks, lurker23.

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No problem, it was too easy. :smokin

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Originally Posted by rascal

Doesn't matter where the spurs are seeded.

The lakers are winning this year no matter where the spurs are seeded.

These regular season games are meaningless in the big picture. They are just screwing up their draft position ( a couple spots in the draft order can make a big difference) by getting the 2nd seed because they won't get past the Lakers.


Lets just get this season over with. Those who believe the Spurs will win the championship are foolish, not happening.

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I still believe we can win it all. manu will make all the difference,beside when it comes to playoff this team will play differently from regular season. But I am really concerned about Lakers. I want to say fuck you, you are wrong. But honestly assessing how lakers playing right now and how Kobe's playing...i cant find any logical explanation for that. I gues we will losing,just make sure we lost with honour and this time not because of 0.4 or one second manus foul.

The '05 run was ulcer inducing. Duncan hurt in late March, misses a bunch of games. Then goes down again in Seattle. Then the 2 games in Detroit that tore our hearts out. They never looked worse than on that bench at the end of those 2 games. Then they didn't win game 6 at home. Damn, it was a ride.

That Championship shows what can be done when the heart is in it. The core of this team has Championship blood, and I won't ever under-estimate them. They have injuries, they have new role players. But anything can happen and as a fan I always believe.

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SA no longer has the perimeter D who can slow LA down. When the best defender is a rookie you're asking for playoff trouble when the refs give them no respect.

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They actually do. I think you're smart enough to recognize that all Pop is doing, is giving his players experience. #12 Bruce Bowen is still on the roster, is he not? You know, perennial All-NBA Defender...there is reason his minutes have been cut and it's not due to diminished skills. It's because, as an organization, the Spurs realize which season is most important. That's why regular season results don't define the team other than to show that A) They're defending well enough. B) Their offense is capable enough. C) They are minimizing the mistakes more than their opponent.

That's it.
So just because you saw George Hill defend Kobe late in a regular season game doesn't mean that is the only weapon that Pop has, it's more like that was the only weapon he FELT like using for that particular game. WHEN IT REALLY COUNTS...Pop knows to go for the .357 Mag instead of the 9MM. He's former military and he has a plan. You know he does, the only question is...will the team be healthy and determined enough to follow it through to the letter.
:flag:

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Originally Posted by Man In Black

They actually do. I think you're smart enough to recognize that all Pop is doing, is giving his players experience. #12 Bruce Bowen is still on the roster, is he not? You know, perennial All-NBA Defender...there is reason his minutes have been cut and it's not due to diminished skills. It's because, as an organization, the Spurs realize which season is most important. That's why regular season results don't define the team other than to show that A) They're defending well enough. B) Their offense is capable enough. C) They are minimizing the mistakes more than their opponent.

That's it.
So just because you saw George Hill defend Kobe late in a regular season game doesn't mean that is the only weapon that Pop has, it's more like that was the only weapon he FELT like using for that particular game. WHEN IT REALLY COUNTS...Pop knows to go for the .357 Mag instead of the 9MM. He's former military and he has a plan. You know he does, the only question is...will the team be healthy and determined enough to follow it through to the letter.
:flag:

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Understand the sentiment but I don't believe Bowen can slow down Kobe anymore. The biggest reason is their is no shotblocker having his back because Duncan is forced to honestly defense someone on the block.

Look at what Kobe did last year for proof of that.

11-21/27 pts
10-17/22 pts
13-23/30 pts
14-29/28 pts
16-30/39 pts

And all that was done by only shooting a combined 25 FTs the entire series. Bowen just no longer has the speed to anticipate Kobe any more. That was last year in the playoffs when the games counted.

This year, Bowen has had less time on Kobe but he still hasn't prevented Kobe from getting in the paint or taking whatever shot he wanted.

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Originally Posted by rascal

Doesn't matter where the spurs are seeded.

The lakers are winning this year no matter where the spurs are seeded.

These regular season games are meaningless in the big picture. They are just screwing up their draft position ( a couple spots in the draft order can make a big difference) by getting the 2nd seed because they won't get past the Lakers.


Lets just get this season over with. Those who believe the Spurs will win the championship are foolish, not happening.

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you're irrelevant :rolleyes

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Originally Posted by hornswoggle

+1

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+2

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Originally Posted by rascal

Doesn't matter where the spurs are seeded.

The lakers are winning this year no matter where the spurs are seeded.

These regular season games are meaningless in the big picture. They are just screwing up their draft position ( a couple spots in the draft order can make a big difference) by getting the 2nd seed because they won't get past the Lakers.


Lets just get this season over with. Those who believe the Spurs will win the championship are foolish, not happening.

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I have a question for you: What are you basing this on, that the Lakers will win it all?

Certainly it can't be THEIR regular season record (because you just said the regular season is meaningless)

93.4 and 88.4 ppg, such a daunting differential in the Spurs/Lakers series last year to overcome.

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Originally Posted by 2Cleva

Understand the sentiment but I don't believe Bowen can slow down Kobe anymore. The biggest reason is their is no shotblocker having his back because Duncan is forced to honestly defense someone on the block.

Look at what Kobe did last year for proof of that.

11-21/27 pts
10-17/22 pts
13-23/30 pts
14-29/28 pts
16-30/39 pts

And all that was done by only shooting a combined 25 FTs the entire series. Bowen just no longer has the speed to anticipate Kobe any more. That was last year in the playoffs when the games counted.

This year, Bowen has had less time on Kobe but he still hasn't prevented Kobe from getting in the paint or taking whatever shot he wanted.

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You talk confidently, but didn't everyone say the same thing when it came to Boston last year, and Detroit in 04? The Lakers are too-FILL IN THE BLANK, but when it got down to it...Kobe is still ringless as the defined leader of the Lakers. RINGLESS AS LEADER. That is all.
And for all the vaunted stats, other than the 17 attempts, him taking more than 20 is what Pop wants. Getting him to go 1 point per shot, plays right into the Spurs hands, so much so that if the game is close, and Ginobili has his health, that is the X right there? The unknown factor that could result in a victory Silver and Black.

If indeed the Spurs won't win it all this year, I'd rather see Cleveland winning it rather than the overhyped Lakers. But I'm still not discounting a Spurs championship though. GO SPURS! GO!

Man, I missed threads like these.

Looks like I was right last March when I started this thread.

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Originally Posted by rascal

Looks like I was right last March when I started this thread.

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You picked the champion to win it again last year?

The team with the best record in the west?

Way to go out on a limb there.