Lowe/McGrady: Spurs are still the Warriors' biggest threat out West..

@ 2:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lt9vkWKQ96U


Despite the latest demoralizing defeat, I actually still agree..(and probably even in the entire league since the Cavs appear to be in a dire straits rather than a slump)

That's not saying much..All things normal, they probably have something like 15% or less to beat them in 7-game series..But the Spurs have the only path in conference that would muck-up a potential series vs Golden State.

it would look something like the 2015 Memphis series where they would get 2-1 lead after a split in Oracle only to get steamrolled after as their roster flaws and strategic inadequacies get finally shown up unless a miracle happens (injuries, 2013 Parker/2014 Ginobili walk through the door)..

The Spurs are the safest bet because of their consistency and pedigree, but I still have a feeling that the Clippers, if they can avoid the 6 seed and 50/50 series with the Rockets, give them their toughest (and I use this word loosely) series.

A 15% chance?! I'd give them 1% and only because you have to leave open the possibilities of injuries, suspensions, etc.

And the clippers and Grizzlies are spurs biggest threats

man what do we do about that hard double on kawahi?

It's sad how many pussy fans we have on this site tbh. Because if not for a random year where perhaps the greatest collection of talent was assembled spurs would probably be the favorites to win a title but instead everyone is a crying vagina because GS who are far and away the heavy favorites with the last 3 MVP winners joining forces are better than the spurs :lol like no shit man, spurs still have a punchers chance and that is pretty impressive considering Spurs have corpses in the rotation tbh

I agree, spurs 10%, rox 5%, armagedon 5%

Dubs have a corpse named West and a girl named zaza anchoring the paint. Spurs have a damn good shot if they can get to the WCF.

I would say we are their biggest threat period but the Cavs may be in their heads. I think the Spurs are better than the cavs but never underestimate a mental block.

...

but the Spurs won't even get past POR, MEM, OKC, HOU, or LAC :cry

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Originally Posted by Leetonidas

It's sad how many pussy fans we have on this site tbh. Because if not for a random year where perhaps the greatest collection of talent was assembled spurs would probably be the favorites to win a title but instead everyone is a crying vagina because GS who are far and away the heavy favorites with the last 3 MVP winners joining forces are better than the spurs :lol like no shit man, spurs still have a punchers chance and that is pretty impressive considering Spurs have corpses in the rotation tbh

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:tu

Spurs have a 40% chance and a potential playoff series with the Warriors will go at least 6 games.

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Originally Posted by Leetonidas

It's sad how many pussy fans we have on this site tbh. Because if not for a random year where perhaps the greatest collection of talent was assembled spurs would probably be the favorites to win a title but instead everyone is a crying vagina because GS who are far and away the heavy favorites with the last 3 MVP winners joining forces are better than the spurs :lol like no shit man, spurs still have a punchers chance and that is pretty impressive considering Spurs have corpses in the rotation tbh

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I agree these fans are weak minded. Even Spur fans during the early '00s after the Lakers sweep didn't have the type of fear of the Lakers that these new age spur fans have of the Warriors. If spur fans want to suck Warrior dick I advise them to wait until the Warriors actually beat the Spurs in the playoffs.

Warriors under Kerr:

vs. Clippers: 11-1

vs. Rockets: 18-3

vs. SPURS: 5-6

Meh

We lost this game because we stopped playing after building a big lead.

Non issue, we did that a lot during our 2003 title run

Spurs got a 25 percent chance, maybe better. Dubs about 50. Rest of the field 25 combined.

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Originally Posted by Leetonidas

It's sad how many pussy fans we have on this site tbh. Because if not for a random year where perhaps the greatest collection of talent was assembled spurs would probably be the favorites to win a title but instead everyone is a crying vagina because GS who are far and away the heavy favorites with the last 3 MVP winners joining forces are better than the spurs :lol like no shit man, spurs still have a punchers chance and that is pretty impressive considering Spurs have corpses in the rotation tbh

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Originally Posted by daslicer

I agree these fans are weak minded. Even Spur fans during the early '00s after the Lakers sweep didn't have the type of fear of the Lakers that these new age spur fans have of the Warriors. If spur fans want to suck Warrior dick I advise them to wait until the Warriors actually beat the Spurs in the playoffs.

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These.

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Originally Posted by BillMc

Spurs got a 25 percent chance, maybe better. Dubs about 50. Rest of the field 25 combined.

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I don't disagree. The problem is how you get there. If someone else beats the Dubs, the Spurs have a damn good shot at winning it all. And if the Spurs get to the Finals, I would be surprised if they didn't beat whoever from the East. But if the Spurs and Warriors meet in the WCF, I don't like the Spurs chances 25% worth.

The Warriors are a jumpshooting team. If they go cold, they can be beaten. If the shots stop falling, they may fall apart and lose a 3-1 lead.

The last quarter of their last game last season, they looked absolutely helpless.

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Originally Posted by GSH

I don't disagree. The problem is how you get there. If someone else beats the Dubs, the Spurs have a damn good shot at winning it all. And if the Spurs get to the Finals, I would be surprised if they didn't beat whoever from the East. But if the Spurs and Warriors meet in the WCF, I don't like the Spurs chances 25% worth.

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Well, my percentages were overall not in any given series. That said, one should not be too pessimistic against the Dubs. Sure, they'll be heavily favored, but Spurs have beaten them on the road, and it took a pretty stellar (and unlikely repeated) night from their bench especially West and Iggy for them to come back. Spurs can obviously hang with them. If you'd play a series 4 times, Spurs could easily win one. Throw in that re-integrating Durant could actually make them (temporarily) worse, and 25% is hardly pessimistic.

Title is true but only because everyone else sucks, not because the Spurs are truly a threat.

The best part of the Durant deal for the Warriors was not adding him to their roster, it was taking him from OKC's.

It really depends on how effective Parker an Manu can be with the minutes they are given. After that Aldridge needs to show a bit more consistency on offense. He's looked good defensively. Kawhi an coaching staff need to prep for the double more against playoff teams. Green an Mills need to hit those open looks created for them at a better rate. Pau has looked good since post injury return.

Spurs I feel have a mental edge against these teams. All season long they have fought to pull themselves out of slow starts or just uninspired first halves. The teams overall potential to destroy teams is there.

Only thing I think is going on this last couple games of the season is the Spurs being cautious about avoiding injuries. Going in healthy is going to an absolute necessity.

The Spurs playoff bracket is a rough one with Grizzlies followed by Houston or OKC. All three of those teams have caused problems for the Spurs all season. But they can win out a series against all of them still.

I feel Spurs match up better against the warriors with Durant in the lineup. He style of play doesn't work well against the Spurs with the warriors on offense. Defensively he has had a much stronger season with the warriors. Warriors have looked much better after a couple weeks without Durant. They have all gone back into previous roles an the familiarity that comes with them.

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Pretty realistic: San Antonio Spurs

San Antonio’s hopes of sneaking past the Warriors begin with the premise that no other Western Conference team is better set to slow both Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry at the same time. Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green are smart, relentless defenders—the kind capable of putting Golden State’s finest in uncomfortable positions and subtly prompting the remaining Warriors to beat them. That can be a dangerous game when the other Warriors in question include Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, but this is the lot of a Western Conference spoiler. What matters is that the Spurs could plausibly control important dimensions of the game: the three-point line (where San Antonio ranks as one of the best in the league in both containment and percentage allowed) and the passing lanes (where Curry, when under pressure, can get a little sloppy) that enable Golden State’s viciously efficient offense. Apply the clamps there and a winning formula begins to materialize.
Keeping up their own scoring to match won’t be easy, but the Spurs orchestrate well enough to target the Warriors’ switches, exploit mismatches, and clean up the offensive glass against any over-help. A size dynamic that nearly felled Golden State in last year’s Western Conference Finals still applies. Golden State can be bullied a bit—enough, perhaps, to control the margin and dictate terms against the most terrifying lineups in the league.​ — Rob Mahoney

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Originally Posted by spursistan

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Nice find.

I like how the article just comes out and admits that everyone hates the Clippers. :lol

Yeah we will need a Herculean effort from Green and for our bigs to dominate. Will need to throw the kitchen sink at anyone Kawhi and Green aren't guarding. I like Murray's length for a few minutes a game, but he us unlikely to be back in time. Pop will give a lot of pt to Simmons, KA, and Bertans these remaining games to see how much they can help. Simmons didn't play the last game. Again we Pop's playing with the rotations was not playing to win....let others have said.

This season of the 12 quarters (3 games) the Spurs have played the GSW the Spurs have absolutely dominated them in 9 of them. Name any other team that has housed the Dubs 75% of the time they have been on the court with them this year? It is really a no brainer. That plus I still want to see what Pop will come up with against the Dubs in a 7 game series. The Spurs wouldn't and shouldn't be the favorite in that contest but I can't imagine a team that has as good a chance, unless you say the Cavs simply because of an intangible mental block.

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Originally Posted by $pursDynasty

This season of the 12 quarters (3 games) the Spurs have played the GSW the Spurs have absolutely dominated them in 9 of them. Name any other team that has housed the Dubs 75% of the time they have been on the court with them this year? It is really a no brainer. That plus I still want to see what Pop will come up with against the Dubs in a 7 game series. The Spurs wouldn't and shouldn't be the favorite in that contest but I can't imagine a team that has as good a chance, unless you say the Cavs simply because of an intangible mental block.

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:tu:tu

Spurs have a great shot this year. It will all depend on adjustments in playoff series, and I cant wait to watch those progress. We still have the best coach in history.

Difficult to imagine the Spurs winning a 7-game series vs the Warriors. Beyond Leonard, we don't have anyone who can create consistent match-up problems for them. On paper, our bigs should get what they want inside, but LMA and Pau are almost purpose-built to make Draymond Green look good.

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Originally Posted by phxspurfan

Spurs have a great shot this year. It will all depend on adjustments in playoff series, and I cant wait to watch those progress. We still have the best coach in history.

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I think we can win it. I don't think Pop showed all his cards last week. A bit of misdirection.

As a philosopher named Tuco once said:

"There are two kinds of Spurs, my friend. Those that come in by the door, and those that come in by the window."

Spurs will come in by the window and surprise 'em.

Not a bold call or anything: They may not lose more than 3 games the entire playoffs, but the Warriors "toughest" series is going to played in the West playoffs..

Cavs will be destroyed 2014 Heat-style..

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Originally Posted by spursistan

Not a bold call or anything: They may not lose more than 3 games the entire playoffs, but the Warriors "toughest" series is going to played in the West playoffs..

Cavs will be destroyed 2014 Heat-style..

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I'm going to be a Portland/Utah-Utah fan for the first two rounds :lol