Who does ST want 1st round of the playoffs?

[TJastal]

Lakers.

Might as well get it over with while the Spurs are fresh. If they lose, so be it. It doesn't make a difference to me whether they lose in the first round or the WCF.

Might matter to the guy signing the paychecks

[DesignatedT]

k-mart will be back for denver. karl out could hurt that team though. they could still be a scary matchup if they get back to how they were playing in the beginning of the year.

[Blackjack]

1. Denver
2. Utah
3. Phoenix
4. Dallas
5. LA

This is how I've been leaning.

The Spurs' ownership over Phoenix has me tempted to put them atop the rankings, but these ain't the same Spurs. I always got the impression I was watching someone diffuse a bomb when the Spurs played the Suns in the past, and their steady hands and intelligence always seemed to get the job done (with minimal causalities).

But this team just isn't as heady or steady. They foul at inopportune times, lose focus and miss key rotations; when you've got RJ, Bogans and Mason, it's bound to happen (but they haven't been the only guilty parties).

So give me Denver. The Spurs still seem to have a little bit of a mental edge against them, they've come back to earth a bit and they've got some health issues; I like the Spurs' chances.

[TJastal]

k-mart will be back for denver. karl out could hurt that team though. they could still be a scary matchup if they get back to how they were playing in the beginning of the year.

I have heard the opposite, that Kmart will not be back this year, his knee is shot.

[Kori Ellis]

Might matter to the guy signing the paychecks

I was answering for myself. Holt and the other owners can chime in with their own preferences

[DesignatedT]

I have heard the opposite, that Kmart will not be back this year, his knee is shot.

I thought i read somewhere where he was supposed to return to practice this week. But, If that's not the case then no Karl or K-Mart, I think Denver would be the easy choice.

[wildbill2u]

Lakers.

Might as well get it over with while the Spurs are fresh. If they lose, so be it. It doesn't make a difference to me whether they lose in the first round or the WCF.

I take your point and would add this, the Lakers aren't playing very good right now. Don't know exactly why, but one could hope this would carry through the first round. Forlorn hope I'm afraid.

Against that argument however is our own injury situation with Hill and reintegrating Parker into the chemistry.

Realistically, we'd probably be better off with Denver since they're not playing well either and Martin is out. No creampuffs in the Western Conference.

[Muser]

Denver, don't want any part of Dallas/Utah.

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

1.Denver / Suns

3. Utah




4.Mavs
5.Lakers

[easjer]

I opted for Denver, because I think that provides the best shot at advancement, but the arguments for LA are convincing. But as wildbill pointed out, I'm not sure LA (or the Suns) would be great with the pg situation being as it is. Given that, I stand by Denver as my first choice, but move LA into second place.

[stéphane]

1.Denver / Suns

3. Utah




4.Mavs
5.Lakers

Absolutely Sir.
We have a good recent history with the Nugz and Suns.

[DesignatedT]

I opted for Denver, because I think that provides the best shot at advancement, but the arguments for LA are convincing. But as wildbill pointed out, I'm not sure LA (or the Suns) would be great with the pg situation being as it is. Given that, I stand by Denver as my first choice, but move LA into second place.

Yeah i would still be hesitant about L.A. I know their not playing very well right now but there bound to turn it up. Plus out of all 4 games the Spurs and Lakers have played this year both teams have been healthy a total of 0 games. Its hard to take to much from those.

[ohmwrecker]

I picked the Suns because I think they would be the easiest out, but it looks like the season will play out for a Spurs/Nuggets first round series. If KMart is out, that would be huge for the Spurs, but Jefferson will have to play big and our PGs will have to be healthy to give us a real shot at winning that series.

[Old School 44]

Lakers, Mavs or Suns. Teams we'll have absolutely no problem getting up for. I think Utah or Denver will be boring, not as intense.

[TampaDude]

I want the Lakers in the 1st round. We're gonna have to face them eventually, so we might as well get it over with. Plus, right now, we're hot and the Lakers are struggling, so the sooner we face them, the better, IMHO.

[HarlemHeat37]

I understand the logic of the people wanting to play LA, but I'd rather have a series for Parker and Hill to get back into things..

Portland can potentially give the Lakers w/o Bynum some trouble, I'd rather take my chances with them going at LA as opposed to the Spurs..I'm hoping for that at least..

Either way, the Lakers w/o Bynum are a vulnerable team, they have glaring issues that they didn't have last season..we're all gonna have to hope Bynum struggles to come back either way, they're on the same level as the other West teams when he isn't there..

[Sisk]

I understand the logic of the people wanting to play LA, but I'd rather have a series for Parker and Hill to get back into things..

Portland can potentially give the Lakers w/o Bynum some trouble, I'd rather take my chances with them going at LA as opposed to the Spurs..I'm hoping for that at least..

Either way, the Lakers w/o Bynum are a vulnerable team, they have glaring issues that they didn't have last season..we're all gonna have to hope Bynum struggles to come back either way, they're on the same level as the other West teams when he isn't there..

I'd rather another team take a first shot at LA, even though they have been struggling as of late. Everyone keeps saying "we'll have to face them anyway" which in all likelihood is true, but even a pretty crappy Houston team last year took them to 7.