Spurs vs. top contenders, and why they have a chance.

[Ace]

Do you just sit around and wait for me to post something thoughtful, and then bash it to try and sound like you have a clue about basketball? How about you prove me wrong with facts or an informed opinion rather than just spewing your basketball-re edness all over my thread.

Wow, you actually put thought in to that?

[chazley]

Gonna bump cause I wanna debate this more and I think my first post is excellent, even though it is slightly outdated.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

This is the portion I found most ridiculous.

4) Lebron, with D-Wade on his team, will not be as big of a factor. Plus, RJ/Hill can do at least a mediocre job guarding him.

Downplaying any factor Lebron will have is absurd. He's Lebron. And I don't see how having a mediocre defensive assignment is any kind of upside. Compared to what? Leaving him open?

First, Lebron will average at least 26-8-8 against us minimum in any series, so I just wanna say that so that what I say has some perspective. Lebron will crush RJ in a game or two in any potential series,

If you admit that he'll average that at the minimum, that further contradicts your previous defensive assignment point. I don't see how with those stats already admitted, any defensive assignment would be positive. And he'll crush RJ in a game or two? RJ hasn't even proved that he's meshing well with the team yet, I don't see how anyone can argue that Lebron won't annihilate him for less than one game of the entire series.

but I think LBJ will be deferring to D-Wade overall,

Based on what?

which makes us capable of sticking RJ on him and not getting slaughtered by him.

26-8-8 is a slaughter.

I also think George has the ability to play LBJ straight up for stretches. Again, Lebron will still get lofty numbers, but I think D-Wade is option #1 on that team, and Manu is capable of matching him on certain nights.

The thought of Hill being James' matchup is sickening. If Lebron will get his numbers, then what does clarifying the first and second option on the team matter? James gets his stats. Manu can possibly match Wade, but Wade will still get his too.

[Muser]

Duncan would on the Heats bigs, but Wade/LeBron would be too much.

[chazley]

This is the portion I found most ridiculous.

Downplaying any factor Lebron will have is absurd. He's Lebron. And I don't see how having a mediocre defensive assignment is any kind of upside. Compared to what? Leaving him open?

If you admit that he'll average that at the minimum, that further contradicts your previous defensive assignment point. I don't see how with those stats already admitted, any defensive assignment would be positive. And he'll crush RJ in a game or two? RJ hasn't even proved that he's meshing well with the team yet, I don't see how anyone can argue that Lebron won't annihilate him for less than one game of the entire series.

Based on what?

26-8-8 is a slaughter.

The thought of Hill being James' matchup is sickening. If Lebron will get his numbers, then what does clarifying the first and second option on the team matter? James gets his stats. Manu can possibly match Wade, but Wade will still get his too.

Lol where do I start...

I said he will have less of an impact. Are you trying to argue that he will do as much for this Heat team as he did for the Cavs? Also, never said anything about 'upside'. I said they could do a mediocre job guarding him. That isn't some kind of glowing endorsement of their lockdown defensive abilities.

I believe if LBJ averaged 26-8-8, we could beat them in a series. He is capable of 35-10-10, which would mean we did a good job as a team guarding him.

Based on the fact LBJ has deferred to teammates for his entire career, none of which were even on the same planet as D-Wade. Wade will be used as a pure scorer on this team in my opinion, with LBJ more of a setup guy playing alot of PG, or point forward.

26-8-8, by LBJ's standards, is not a slaughter.

Can't really respond to last statement cause I'm not sure if you disagree with me or not. I honestly believe RJ and Hill have the ability to at least make LBJ work.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

Lol where do I start...

I said he will have less of an impact. Are you trying to argue that he will do as much for this Heat team as he did for the Cavs?

If he puts up the 26-8-8, then that's already enough of an impact.

Also, never said anything about 'upside'. I said they could do a mediocre job guarding him. That isn't some kind of glowing endorsement of their lockdown defensive abilities.

Then using it as an argument as to why the Spurs can beat them is pointless.

I believe if LBJ averaged 26-8-8, we could beat them in a series. He is capable of 35-10-10, which would mean we did a good job as a team guarding him.

Yes, but fact remains that if he puts up anywhere near those stats, we're in trouble. His stats are obviously going to go down, but the bigger reason why they would is because he has Bosh and Wade to share it with.

Based on the fact LBJ has deferred to teammates for his entire career, none of which were even on the same planet as D-Wade. Wade will be used as a pure scorer on this team in my opinion, with LBJ more of a setup guy playing alot of PG, or point forward.

Even going by that logic, it's unreasonable to believe that James will merely back down when faced with the pressure he has had before. On the Heat, he could play point forward and show his impact somewhere else late in the game. Or he could break free when the focus is on Bosh and Wade. He's becoming more of a team player, and I don't see that as much of a knock on him as you do.

26-8-8, by LBJ's standards, is not a slaughter.

It doesn't matter by who's standards. I don't know about you, but I'm definitely not okay with someone putting up those kinds of stats against the Spurs no matter who it is. Going by stats on paper, the understanding that there was some defensive improvement by whoever is guarding James and also happily accepting those stats that he puts up are two different ideas.

Can't really respond to last statement cause I'm not sure if you disagree with me or not. I honestly believe RJ and Hill have the ability to at least make LBJ work.

I believe Lebron is too big for Hill to compete with, and to me RJ hasn't shown enough improvement to rely on him for defense, especially against Lebron. Agree to disagree, I guess.