Pop to the fans who want the lakeshow in round 1

[in2deep]

"The ones that say 'We don't care who we play,' they're full of baloney too, because we're all trying to hide from the Lakers," Popovich said. "I mean, really. 'Who do you want to play in the first round?' 'Oh, the Lakers'. What an idiot."

[silverblk mystix]

I really hope that Pop is using REVERSE psychology to keep the lakers PRIMED for an upset---

but if not---

I know i stand the same way---- the lakers---I STILL think that the lakers are MORE vulnerable in the EARLY rounds.

After a round or two---usually PJ and Kobe will probably be MORE focused and have ironed out all the idiot plays/mistakes by the rest of the scrubs...

but despite all this---and I respect Pop's honesty (sometimes)---

I think he is making a big mistake with this stance---hope the rest of the team secretly believes in themselves a little more---because otherwise---they are just taking a losing at ude against the lakers...

[afireinside20]

It is reverse psychology, trust me! Pop knows that a. it'll jinx the Lakers in a way cuz it'll boost they're overconfidence and b. some of the Spurs will take it as fuel to they're motivation to beat L.A. Year after year you can say whatever you want about a team that can beat the Lakers, like the Nuggets,Cleveland etc. But when it all comes down to it the Spurs are always the team that can threaten them the most. It don't matter what rank the Spurs are in, the Spurs know and especially the Lakers know that, it'll all mostly come down to they're battles against each other. These two teams are linked together through they're history, although not as much as LA and Boston. Good move by Pop to say that!!!

[TJastal]

It's more than Pop just using reverse psychology, there is actual truth to what he is saying.

Last thing the spurs want is to face the lakers in the opening round of the playoffs, and especially an angry laker team with a chip on its shoulder., so its def good that Pop was humble and respectful.

[jimo2305]

It's more than Pop just using reverse psychology, there is actual truth to what he is saying.

Last thing the spurs want is to face the lakers in the opening round of the playoffs, and especially an angry laker team with a chip on its shoulder., so its def good that Pop was humble and respectful.

agreed

[nkdlunch]

It's more than Pop just using reverse psychology, there is actual truth to what he is saying.

Last thing the spurs want is to face the lakers in the opening round of the playoffs, and especially an angry laker team with a chip on its shoulder., so its def good that Pop was humble and respectful.

thank you. You don't use reverse psychology vs. the champions.

[SAGambler]

It's more than Pop just using reverse psychology, there is actual truth to what he is saying.

Last thing the spurs want is to face the lakers in the opening round of the playoffs, and especially an angry laker team with a chip on its shoulder., so its def good that Pop was humble and respectful.

I think the last thing the Lakers want is to face the Spurs. See you just got your ass kicked by them on your home court. This after a couple of weeks ago PJ said the team he always fears is the Spurs.

[JR3]

I don't take pop seriously on this one. I still want them in the first round. They are not playing well right now. That could change in a month.

[Dex]

I don't think a first-round meeting with the Lakers would necessarily be a death knell, but I was having with this discussion with my Dad recently. He was trying to play the "Well you have to beat the Lakers at some point" card.

While I agree with this, I think you want to take the best chances that you can get. If you can force the Lakers through one or two series before playing them, who knows how that plays out. Maybe a team goes hot and pulls off the upset (ala the Warriors). Maybe a player twists an ankle or breaks a hand. Maybe the Lakers exhaust themselves getting up the ladder.

Sure, these things may not happen, but I'd much rather give them a chance to than not.

[EmptyMan]

Pop pusses out every time he faces Phil,

Of course he doesn't want the Lakers.

[Russ]

"The ones that say 'We don't care who we play,' they're full of baloney too, because we're all trying to hide from the Lakers," Popovich said. "I mean, really. 'Who do you want to play in the first round?' 'Oh, the Lakers'. What an idiot."

The Spurs need to get healthy before they see the Lakers.

[TJastal]

I don't think a first-round meeting with the Lakers would necessarily be a death knell, but I was having with this discussion with my Dad recently. He was trying to play the "Well you have to beat the Lakers at some point" card.

While I agree with this, I think you want to take the best chances that you can get. If you can force the Lakers through one or two series before playing them, who knows how that plays out. Maybe a team goes hot and pulls off the upset (ala the Warriors). Maybe a player twists an ankle or breaks a hand. Maybe the Lakers exhaust themselves getting up the ladder.

Sure, these things may not happen, but I'd much rather give them a chance to than not.

Exactly my thinking too.

Actually if the spurs can finish the season strong the lakers will end up with either the thunder or blazers as the 8th seed, who both play extremely well against them, and there is a decent enough chance they will pull an upset or at the very least push them to a long drawn out series. Add another series after that and if both teams are still alive the spurs will face a tired, possibly depleted laker team in the WCF.

[Whisky Dog]

From the thought process of Holt - a lot more money to be made if you get past round one than if you don't, and facing the best team means a harder road out of the first round.

[Whisky Dog]

Exactly my thinking too.

Actually if the spurs can finish the season strong the lakers will end up with either the thunder or blazers as the 8th seed, who both play extremely well against them, and there is a decent enough chance they will pull an upset or at the very least push them to a long drawn out series. Add another series after that and if both teams are still alive the spurs will face a tired, possibly depleted laker team in the WCF.

If the Spurs get there, and who's to say that team won't be tired and worn out if they do just like in '08.

[NFGIII]

I don't think a first-round meeting with the Lakers would necessarily be a death knell, but I was having with this discussion with my Dad recently. He was trying to play the "Well you have to beat the Lakers at some point" card.

While I agree with this, I think you want to take the best chances that you can get. If you can force the Lakers through one or two series before playing them, who knows how that plays out. Maybe a team goes hot and pulls off the upset (ala the Warriors). Maybe a player twists an ankle or breaks a hand. Maybe the Lakers exhaust themselves getting up the ladder.

Sure, these things may not happen, but I'd much rather give them a chance to than not.

There are pros and cons to both sides. I believed prior to HIll's injury that maybe it would be a good thing to get them in the 1st round for several reasons:
1) at this time they aren't playing that well so might as well get them now.
2) Bynum would be just coming back and rusty - he's length and being 7' is something that the Lakers don't have as of now. Pau, Bynum and Odom make for a pretty tall frontline at the end of the game.
3) the Spurs are playing very well - finally they are living up to expectations
4) TP would be coming back - Laker's weakness are their PGs. TP's speed exposes them and casues all sorts of problems - but of course he would be rusty, too.

Though the Lakers are the champs this team hasn't shown me that it can just flip the switch and bam!! they're playing like then did last season. Even though Kobe isn't playing all that well he is the type of player that when he gets it together he could win a series by himself.

The Spurs need to get healthy before they see the Lakers.

Which is a reason for maybe not getting them in the 1st round. Damn that injury to HIll just sucks! They were playing so well and then that had to happen and it had to be Fisher!

Now the Spurs will have to see what they can do without both TP and Hill. This is going to be interesting to say the least.

[Mixability]

bring em on!

[bus driver]

we get who we get on the 15th....if its the lakers than so be it.
in the words of mixability...."bring em on!"

[weebo]

It's more than Pop just using reverse psychology, there is actual truth to what he is saying.

Last thing the spurs want is to face the lakers in the opening round of the playoffs, and especially an angry laker team with a chip on its shoulder., so its def good that Pop was humble and respectful.

like the lakers would be any less motivated in later rounds

[Man In Black]

You take them out when they're at their weakest. And that time is now. Bynum hasn't been talked about other than to say he's getting an MRI. But again, 7-1 275 on an achilles strain on a guy whose had a history of leg issues isn't exactly playing to their favor. Kobe Bryant has decided to go 1 against 5 again and his FG% is in the toilet in these losses. Artest isn't still as good a fit in the Tri as Ariza was, and the LAL truthfully...has no bench, so again, they are going to be over reliant on their starters. Fisher is still a turnstile, Farmar is still a dunce, and Shannon Brown has a girl's name and is inconsistent as , I'm sure that tape job he wears on his shooting hand doesn't help either.
You take a team down when their weak. You make them question if they have enough and then you show them, with your higher intensity level like yesterday, that they do not.

It's a different season. For 09, they had to listen to how they carried Boston's jockstrap the entire season, how the biggest finals loss in history was on Kobe & Phil's watch, and how Gasol did his best impression of the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man. That burns a whole of a lot hotter than, we're the defending champs and the 4-Letter is telling you and us that we're going to win by just showing up.

This is classic Pop playing the "under the radar" card. NO DOUBT and NO D-aw-nuts!

[TJastal]

You take them out when they're at their weakest. And that time is now. Bynum hasn't been talked about other than to say he's getting an MRI. But again, 7-1 275 on an achilles strain on a guy whose had a history of leg issues isn't exactly playing to their favor. Kobe Bryant has decided to go 1 against 5 again and his FG% is in the toilet in these losses. Artest isn't still as good a fit in the Tri as Ariza was, and the LAL truthfully...has no bench, so again, they are going to be over reliant on their starters. Fisher is still a turnstile, Farmar is still a dunce, and Shannon Brown has a girl's name and is inconsistent as , I'm sure that tape job he wears on his shooting hand doesn't help either.
You take a team down when their weak. You make them question if they have enough and then you show them, with your higher intensity level like yesterday, that they do not.

It's a different season. For 09, they had to listen to how they carried Boston's jockstrap the entire season, how the biggest finals loss in history was on Kobe & Phil's watch, and how Gasol did his best impression of the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man. That burns a whole of a lot hotter than, we're the defending champs and the 4-Letter is telling you and us that we're going to win by just showing up.

This is classic Pop playing the "under the radar" card. NO DOUBT and NO D-aw-nuts!

That's a lot of chest thumping but again.... why go through all that if you don't have to? Just take Denver out instead (who will be missing a key player -- Kmart) and wait and see if Oklahoma City or Portland or a 2nd round team can do the dirty work of eliminating the lakers.

[vander]

the person who thinks his team can hide from the lakers, What An Idiot

the only way to hide from the Lakers is to not get the 8 seed, and then lose in the first round, then you wont have to play the Lakers.

Pop is an Idiot, (if he meant that as stated) a le run goes through LA, better to play them now while they are in a slump and without Bynum, than later after they have tuned up against teams like Portland and Phoenix (who don't have a chance against LA)

[silverblk mystix]

the person who thinks his team can hide from the lakers, What An Idiot

the only way to hide from the Lakers is to not get the 8 seed, and then lose in the first round, then you wont have to play the Lakers.

Pop is an Idiot, (if he meant that as stated) a le run goes through LA, better to play them now while they are in a slump and without Bynum, than later after they have tuned up against teams like Portland and Phoenix (who don't have a chance against LA)

THIS.

Couldn't have said it better.

FTL

[TJastal]

the person who thinks his team can hide from the lakers, What An Idiot

the only way to hide from the Lakers is to not get the 8 seed, and then lose in the first round, then you wont have to play the Lakers.

Pop is an Idiot, (if he meant that as stated) a le run goes through LA, better to play them now while they are in a slump and without Bynum, than later after they have tuned up against teams like Portland and Phoenix (who don't have a chance against LA)

Don't count the blazers or thunder out, they are not going to be easy outs and their athleticism and point guard play has given the lakers fits this year. They could easily take the lakers to a full 7 games and with one hot game from Roy or Durant beat them too.

[vander]

the person who thinks his team can hide from the lakers, What An Idiot

the only way to hide from the Lakers is to not get the 8 seed, and then lose in the first round, then you wont have to play the Lakers.

Pop is an Idiot, (if he meant that as stated) a le run goes through LA, better to play them now while they are in a slump and without Bynum, than later after they have tuned up against teams like Portland and Phoenix (who don't have a chance against LA)

although, if we were able to beat the Lakers in the first round, then other teams would have successfully hidden from them, so...

[in2deep]

the person who thinks his team can hide from the lakers, What An Idiot

Pop was referring to hiding from the Lakers for the 1st round, genius