***Western Conference Semifinals Start Time/Possible Opponent Watch Thread***

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Obstructed_View

And to the topic: The sooner the better. Nothing in the east is going to go quickly. The Spurs are going to end up with way too much rest.

---

If Miami wraps tonight, there is nothing stopping their series with Indy from starting any time Friday or later.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by sa_butta

Before the playoffs started I thought Stern mentioned that there would be back 2 backs in the 2nd round. I have not heard anything recently, but is this still true??

---

I think if you're first round series goes seven games, or you second round opponents does, it will happen. If you both finish early, then no.

Wow sunday at noon? That fucking sucks. I kinda want it to go seven games now.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Quiet Strength

Wow sunday at noon? That fucking sucks. I kinda want it to go seven games now.

---

Nope. Seven games invokes the second round b2b.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Wild Cobra Kai

I think if you're first round series goes seven games, or you second round opponents does, it will happen. If you both finish early, then no.

---

That's been my assumption, too. If you can get your series into the "move-up" window -- starting this weekend instead of next Monday or Tuesday -- the odds against a back-to-back seem good.

If the Spurs start on Sunday, they can play Game 2 on Tuesday, Game 3 on Thursday/Friday, and Game 4 on Saturday/Sunday.

If the Spurs started on Tuesday, then you get Game 2 on Thursday and I think you end up with Games 3 & 4 being played on Saturday and Sunday. I think the basic point is that the league wants all of the 2nd round series to be through Game 4 by May 20. If you get all series to Game 4 by Sunday, May 20, then you can have Game 5's on May 21-22, Game 6's on May 23-24, and Game 7's on May 26-27. That ensures that all of the 2nd round series will end sometime between May 20 and May 27 and allows the Conference Finals to start on May 28-29 at the latest.

I'm going to be out of the country May 24-28. Whatever helps me avoid missing home games is all I want.

I've been watching the Clips v Grizz series trying to work out who we want to see, and it has to be the Clips - they have no offense to speak of, only one true closer in Paul, their bench is much weaker than ours and they don't overwhelm us with size.

OTOH, currently watching game 6 and the Grizzlies from last year have finally awoken - Gasol and Z-Bo are dominant, Conley and Allen are super-tough perimeter defenders, the whole team looks fired up, and they have the confidence from their performance last year that they can beat us.

That being said, I think we are better than both of them as long as we stick to what's been working (Diaw starting, TP and TD leading the team, Manu, Tiago and Jax ripping up opposition benches, uncompromising 4th Q defence) and we avoid major injuries.

Thoughts?

Grizz crushing Clips by 16 early in 2nd Q. Looks like we'll have a 7-game series here unless something strange happens.

Yeah, if Randolph and Gasol get their 2011 form back, it'll be a 1-3 comeback for the Griz, unless Rudy Gay gets jealous and tries to pull a Kobe.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Wild Cobra Kai

If Miami wraps tonight, there is nothing stopping their series with Indy from starting any time Friday or later.

---

Sunday at 3:30 PM, Indy at Miami.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by justinandimcool

Clips/Grizz better go 7 now. Fuck noon games. Not that they're bad for the Spurs per se, but Sunday's the only day i get to sleep in :lol

---

I sleep in on Sunday too, sometimes as late as 7:30 a.m. :p:

I didnt see the Clippers winning Game 5 in Memphis tonight anyway, so hopefully the Clippers win in 6....

Can't believe it's still a debate on who the easier opponent is.

It's clearly the Clippers. The Grizz have two legit post scorers in Gasol/Zbo. The Clippers have one in Griffin who really isn't a guy who can even dominate in the post yet. Spurs' weaknesses are physical play and post scoring, both are Memphis strengths.

The Grizzlies are a better defensive team, more physical, more experienced and better coached.

I get the revenge factor but the Grizz probably think they can beat the Spurs again. I still think the Spurs win in 6 hard fought games but they probably take the Clippers out in 5.

Would rather see the Clippers and it's not even close, IMO.

That first quarter was scary. If the Grizzlies remember that Gasol and Randolph should be their go-to players, watch out.

A key question for us is can Diaw slow Z-Bo down? I think he can. Over the past few months he's proven that, when motivated, he's a very good post defender, and he also has long arms to challenge Z-Bo's fadeaways. We can also throw an attack dog like Jax at him for short periods to change things up.

As for the bench, Splitter/Blair/Bonner will give massive headaches to Speights, who is also prone to do stupid things under pressure. I think you attack and pressure Speights any time he's on the court.

The big question this series is can TP exorcise his Conley demons? The way he is playing I think the answer is unequivocally YES! Harris used to give him fits, but clearly no longer does. I think TP will prove the same thing with Conley. This has (arguably) been the best season of ball TP has ever played, not only individually, but as a leader, and I think he's keen to prove last season's playoffs an aberration.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mugen

Can't believe it's still a debate on who the easier opponent is.

It's clearly the Clippers. The Grizz have two legit post scorers in Gasol/Zbo. The Clippers have one in Griffin who really isn't a guy who can even dominate in the post yet. Spurs' weaknesses are physical play and post scoring, both are Memphis strengths.

The Grizzlies are a better defensive team, more physical, more experienced and better coached.

I get the revenge factor but the Grizz probably think they can beat the Spurs again. I still think the Spurs win in 6 hard fought games but they probably take the Clippers out in 5.

Would rather see the Clippers and it's not even close, IMO.

---

The only thing that made it a question was that the Grizz have played pretty poorly in this series and their two bigs had been relatively quiet... until tonight that is. But yeah, you're spot on, we want the Clips no question.

I made a stupid error - thought this was game 6, not game 5. Hope the Clips wrap it up in game 6, because they sure aren't going to win tonight!

Clippers are atrocious tonight. Let's hope the Grizz can't win 3 straight... *gulp*

Then again, whoever we meet, if we're not good enough to beat them we don't deserve the trophy. Simple as that. But I think we are good enough to beat any team this year. We're going all the way. ;)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by timvp

That first quarter was scary. If the Grizzlies remember that Gasol and Randolph should be their go-to players, watch out.

---

Rudy Gay may have a hard time remembering.

LMAO Gasol body-blocking CP3.

Clippers remind me of the 2008 Phoenix Suns. Except Griffin is nowhere near the offensive player that Amare is.

You let CP3 get his and stick to their shooters. Granted, this Spurs team is not as good defensively and Tim Duncan isn't quite 08 Duncan but the Spurs are better in other areas.

Tony and Tim were huge in that series and I think they could have the same type of success against a Del Negro coached defense.

Memphis has the potential to be better than that '11 version if Rudy decides to become the ultimate role player and plays off their bigs.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by timvp

That first quarter was scary. If the Grizzlies remember that Gasol and Randolph should be their go-to players, watch out.

---

That's exactly whats been happening this game. A steady diet of ugly ass Randolph and smelly ass Gasol. And why I feel the Clippers would be the easier matchup. Hopefully the Clippers close this out at home in Game 6...

The Clippers literally have no offensive game plan. Astounding. I can imagine the Clips would be pretty good if they had a real coach.

Clips could easily have it back in single figures, but they've turned it over repeatedly. So bad.

I can see the Clips losing the next two games. Their simply have no structure through which to score the ball - Grizz have finally worked this out, but why did it take them 5 games? :lol

Grizzlie fans have no class...classles fans
-Chris Webber

How can you boo an injured player?

Wow that's really classless by their part.