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Did you honestly just suggest that Pop purposefully (or even semi-purposefully) lost a game in the midst of one of the tightest conference races ever so that a random East team would not feel the sting of having the worst record in NBA history?
Holding the Celtics to a season low at home yesterday, dropping a game that prevents a team from going down as the worst team in history today.
Pop loves this. His team showed what they can do if they play well yesterday and just how bad they can be if they don't today.
He's totally got their attention now.
I don't have a doubt Pop did not try his hardest to win this game. And I also don't think it would be beyond Pop to lose this game just so the Nets won't have to worry about being the worst team in history...it gives the media something less to talk about and that is always a bonus for Pop.
And let's not forget the Spurs were without their two best guards anyway.
In any case, the Nets are not a better team than the Spurs, and this game is in no way indicative of their ability so it is foolish to get upset about this game.
And I hate to break it to you guys...but the Spurs more than likely won't be winning a le this year, whether they win this game or not, so you might as well stop melting down after every loss and expecting big things.
Did you honestly just suggest that Pop purposefully (or even semi-purposefully) lost a game in the midst of one of the tightest conference races ever so that a random East team would not feel the sting of having the worst record in NBA history?
Pop will be the happiest man in the world when he loses to Phil Jackson yet again and shakes his hand after a 4-0 first round exit.
With the way Pop has been coaching this season it feels like he has yet to try this season to win a game based on his rotations.
Pop's plan is falling into place.
Exactly. He's made everything much harder than it needs to be so that when it really matters all he has to do is make the right decisions and the team can execute without a problem.
Apparently they held the Nets to less than 40% shooting, so that's not a total loss. It's just without Manu or TP, it's hard for this team to score because we're mainly full of role players not play makers. I ain't scurrred, it'll be okay.
This is one of the worst teams in NBA history. I don't know if their poor shooting has to do with Spurs defense or simply because the Nets suck.
Probably the latter.
Oh well, I just want the 6th seed or whatever lands us Utah or hopefully Denver at this points. Getting 7th or 8th will be a first round exit.
Easily we can't bet LA or Dallas, yet we are right no with 9 games left pitted against either! Good way to lose three in a row to either team, good shyt this year SPURS!!!!!!! 7th or 8th seed is ours with all our talent, yep great seeding!!!!!!!!
Look at Pop's quotes from the post game. I don't know how familiar you are with Pop, but I have followed the team long enough to know when he got what he wanted out of a game.
And the race is not that tight....whoever wants a le is going to have to go through LA to get it. What's wrong with getting them in the first round?
So yes, I do think Pop would do it, because that game yesterday was a laugher that left the team feeling supremely confident and relaxed, and Pop doesn't want them relaxed right now. He wants them to keep focusing on improving and losing to a team in contention for the worst record in history will do that.
Pop does stupid crap and a lot of stuff gets attributed to him as being CIA or whatever, and that is just Pop making a stupid move. This is however was not one of those...Pop usually lets them hangthemselves a couple of times to get their attention, and he hasn't had the chance yet because the team hasn't ever gelled.
I know when Pop is pissed or disappointed...he doesn't hide it well. He wasn't disappointed in the slightest with this loss IMO. He would have taken a win, but he wanted it to be a close game, even if it meant losing.
So you're saying, the guys stopped playing with the level of "appropriate fear"?
Yeap, and Pop let em. They played d and it was a close game and the fact they lost the game was just gravy. Pretty much a perfect night for Pop as far as getting what he wanted.
If it's true who cares? If we want to win we will have to defeat the Lakers or the Mavs.First round is as good as other round.
We aren't the Mavs or the Nuggets.To be in the WCF or the second round isn't a success for us.
Clearly, they are going to make the playoffs. The question becomes how much trouble and energy do you expend improving seeding. You ask "what's wrong with getting LA in the 1st round?" Nothing really, and unless the plan is someone else knocking them out, I would say playing them in the 1st round provides the best opportunity for the Spurs to win.
It's always the longest round possible of the playoff schedule...not just days off between games, but typically a huge break between games two and three, sometimes four or five days. If Tim Duncan-and it's a big if at this point-has anything left, this type of rest is critical to his chances of success. For a team that measures itself with championships, WGAF is they go out in one round or two or three?
If Duncan continues to play at the level he has for the last month, the Spurs have zero shot. To improve that shot to say five or ten percent, Duncan needs to start getting some rest now. Play well and keep improving as a team? Yes. Go all out to avoid possible playoff matchup? Absolutely not. the seeding.
Rest Duncan and play Ian now, I don't see Ian doing a worst job than what Duncan is doing right now. The difference is that Duncan will get better with rest and Ian will just rot on the bench.
Yup, and the Popsuckers will tell us all what a great run it was, and if it wasn't for Pop we wouldn't have even been in the playoffs, yada yada yada...
Maybe next year we can rest Duncan the whole year and just play him after Pop locks down that 8th seed again.
Happy because Pop knows his summer will start before 1 May.
I hate to say it, but I agree with the OP. I really think Pop will allow a team to keep it close as long as the defensive rotations are being done. We all know that Pop played whoever he wanted, except Ian, to see how they performed in the rotations. It stayed close, and then the Nets won at the end. Now Pop has something to get the teams attention with.
There is another factor that I suspect from CIA Pop at times. It's what I like to call the 'Ping Pong' ball effect. The Spurs are a team that every other team measures themselves against. Cry all you want about the Spurs being done, but everyone knows the teams history and respects the team. Winning against them always seems to boost the opponent, and sometimes inspires a run by that team. Those teams go on to win a few games that they may not have had the confidence to do otherwise. Those wins by the underdog team translate into losses by other teams that the Spurs match up against later. You get more damage to other teams standings that a single win by letting certain teams get some confidence. Ping Pong Ball Effect. Let the other teams do the damage while you work on your team. Its a long season and the post season playing is all that matters, assuming you get in.
I suspected one of the Houston game losses as an example of this. I haven't really done the leg work to determine if slumping teams have, on average, go on to win a few games after beating the Spurs, but it seems that way from watching 82 games.
My theory may be nuts, but from reading the quotes, I do agree with the OP. This one was not a priority and damn the seedings.
I really am starting to think 8th seed may not be the scariest place for the team. Win against the best when Manu is cooking, Tony is fresh and ravenous, and Tim has less games played. If it happens, then the rest of the playoffs will be inspired play. If not, then get the rest and tweak that final squad for the final run at it next year.
I DO NOT believe this team is out of it. Tim is coasting a bit, but when the play offs start, this team is going for the throat of whatever team they are matched up with.
Wow the is getting deep in here! This is great stuff.
You must not have paid attention to the way Pop coaches. This has his fingerprints all over it. RJ went off the first half could not even get a touch in the second half.
Yeah, a loss, and to the Nets, should make everyone in the Spurs camp happy.
I think that is the point. Pop does seem to like the Spurs camp to be happy. I think he believes that it leads to complacency so he quite often will coach a game that leads the team to a level of embarrassment.
I thought the happiest guy in the USA was this guy?
Spurs goal should be to reach the playoffs, it don't matter what seed be it 1 through 8, if it's the Lakers in the 1st round, so be it. The playoffs are always about win or go home, it's that simple no matter who you play, what, when, where. Try and finish the season strong and get ready to face the Lakers in the 1st round and come out with killer instinct and try and beat them, again it's the playoffs and it's win or go home.
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