I'm a bit surprised as well even though Spurs fans shouldn't be by now.
Hopefully the refs will stay out of this series and let the teams decide it.
according to just about every sports writer there is. Ive only heard 1 or 2 pick the Spurs. Most are saying Lakers in 5 or 6. Are the Lakers that much better than the Spurs???
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I'm a bit surprised as well even though Spurs fans shouldn't be by now.
Hopefully the refs will stay out of this series and let the teams decide it.
That's because the Lakers are the "number 1" team in the West and have the "MVP."
again the idiot sports jouranlists pick against the spurs...nothing new
And thats the way we like it.
Sounds about right
You're better off looking at what the bookies are saying, than what a sports writer is predicting.
Sports writers suck man, the so called experts are a joke.
not all:
Who wins? Breaking down Spurs vs. Lakers
By Scott Boeck, USA TODAY
USA TODAY breaks down the Western Conference finals that begin Tuesday night and pit the top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers against third-seeded San Antonio Spurs:
•Season series: The teams split the regular-season series, with each winning twice at home. The Spurs played short-handed in the two road games — they were without Tim Duncan and Tony Parker in their first loss at Los Angeles and without Manu Ginobili on April 13.
•How they got there: The Lakers swept the Denver Nuggets in four games, then defeated the Utah Jazz in six. The Spurs defeated the Phoenix Suns in five games and the New Orleans Hornets in seven.
•Matchup to watch: The Lakers' Kobe Bryant vs. the Spurs' Bruce Bowen. Bryant, the league's MVP and ultimate playmaker, averaged 24.3 points vs. the Spurs this season but also had 17 turnovers in the four regular-season games. Bowen is one of the league's top defenders.
•Lakers will win if: Bryant continues to dominate in the postseason. He is averaging 33.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists in 10 games. Bryant has also been good at incorporating teammates Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom into the game plan down the stretch.
•Spurs will win if: Duncan can dominate the middle. The Lakers don't have a player who can match up with him. He is averaging 16 boards and 16.8 points in the Spurs' last five games. Also, Ginobili can be tough to defend down the stretch. He's known for knocking down threes and driving to the basket.
•X factor: Postseason experience, and that favors the Spurs. They are led by the ring-laden trio of Duncan, Parker and Ginobili. While the Spurs can look sluggish at times, their experience tends to be the deciding factor.
•Injury factor: Bryant's back injury suffered in Game 5 against the Jazz should be a non-factor. He played through it in Game 6, and he has had several days to rest it. The Lakers are still without center Andrew Bynum (injured knee). The Spurs have no injuries to report.
•The numbers game: The two franchises have combined to win seven of the last nine NBA championships. The Lakers have won three (2000-02), and the Spurs have four (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007). The matchup also pairs two of the league best postseason coaches: the Lakers' Phil Jackson and the Spurs' Gregg Popovich. Jackson has won an NBA playoff-record 187 games. Popovich is tied for third with 100.
•And the winner is: The defending champion Spurs in six games.
They don't learn
But thats the way we like it
It's been a good while since we WEREN'T underdogs....
The Spurs are too old.
The Spurs are too soft.
The Spurs are a dirty team.
TP is overrated.
Tim is too soft.
The Spurs don't have enough offensive game.
None of this is new. Next.
Wow........thats one I didnt see.![]()
Well, if you go by what you've seen the last week and a half, you could say yes. I don't know that the Lakers are that much better; they are playing more consistently than the Spurs right now. The Spurs have been up and down the last series.
And I do expect the Lakers to draw first blood tonight; they're rested and they're playing at home.
LA has played an 8 seed and a "4" that had a worse record than the "5," and held HCA throughout. SA has played a 6 and a 2. Makes a difference in how "consistent" you look.
But yeah, LA has tonight.
A bit weird considering the defending champs as the underdogs, but WGAF.
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