In order for SA to win a le this year....

[BUMP.]

Dallas will have to knock off LA. The Mavs with Haywood, Chandler, and Dirk are the only team equipped to handle the frontcourt that LA posesses. I think SA can beat Dallas head to head but I think the Spurs have no shot against LA with the decline of Duncan.

This isn't a troll thread since I still think the Spurs can win it all, but the only way I can see it happening is in this format.

Spurs get the 1, Dal/LA gets the 2/3, then Dallas knocks off LA, Spurs knock off Dal, Spurs play a of a series against Boston or Miami

Feel free to disagree, but I think that's SA's only shot

[Trainwreck2100]

so getting the number one seed would be a good idea then

[hater]

LMFAO Haywood is garbage. 20% FT shooting LOL in the playoffs he won't even get over 10 mpg.

And when has Dirk ever stood up to the Lakers? Odom will go exercise bike on his ass.

try again.

[DesignatedT]

Don't know if that's the case but I definitely wouldn't object to a Dallas/LA series in the semis.

[edmon]

LA is a playoff tested, championship team. If they are healthy come playoff time, I don't think their greatest concern will be facing a team (Dallas) that's never figured out how to win .

They know what it takes to win and they also know the Spurs have what it takes. I'm sure the truth hurts, but you're losers until you win. The Mavs are losers.

[BUMP.]

the Spurs have what it takes.

Like getting swept by the Suns

[ohmwrecker]

Jesus, I hope The Spurs aren't hoping they get to dodge somebody to win a championship.

[SpursDynasty85]

Jesus, I hope The Spurs aren't hoping they get to dodge somebody to win a championship.

This. But why take the chance and just get the 1st seed. LA choking and being 4-5 seed will be tough on the spurs still. I would still say Spurs should be favored if this happened.

[Sean Cagney]

Don't know if that's the case but I definitely wouldn't object to a Dallas/LA series in the semis.

..........

[edmon]

Like getting swept by the Suns

Every team loses - few teams win. Where do the Mavs fit?

[BUMP.]

Jesus, I hope The Spurs aren't hoping they get to dodge somebody to win a championship.

I'm not talking , but there's just absolutely no way the Spurs can match up with LA's frontcourt. Who guards Odom? Who guards Gasol? Who guards Bynum?

GNSF can throw around all the Mavs choking references they want to, but it still won't change the fact that they'll need Dallas to beat LA for them since they are better equipped

[jjktkk]

Definitely would make a le run easier for the Spurs if those 2 butted heads in the playoffs.

[sa_butta]

Like getting swept by the Suns

4 Finals appearances = 4 les.

[BUMP.]

Every team loses - few teams win. Where do the Mavs fit?

I'm not denying the fact that the Mavs have choked over the years and still could this year. That's not what this thread is about.

If Dallas doesn't knock off LA, and SA is forced to play the Lakers, they will get eliminated due to LA's frontcourt posing great mismatches. Do you agree or disagree and why? Or do you just want to go the 5th grade route and post more funny Mav choking references?

[tdunk21]

I'm not talking , but there's just absolutely no way the Spurs can match up with LA's frontcourt. Who guards Odom? Who guards Gasol? Who guards Bynum?

GNSF can throw around all the Mavs choking references they want to, but it still won't change the fact that they'll need Dallas to beat LA for them since they are better equipped

thanx.....am sure pop has it figured out what to do and how to do.......

[sa_butta]

Jesus, I hope The Spurs aren't hoping they get to dodge somebody to win a championship.

You would have to be crazy to WANT to play the Lakers in the WCF, anyone would take the easiest road to the Finals if they could.

[ohmwrecker]

I'm not talking , but there's just absolutely no way the Spurs can match up with LA's frontcourt. Who guards Odom? Who guards Gasol? Who guards Bynum?

Uh . . . Duncan, Blair, McDyess, Bonner and Splitter . . . that's who they have. It will obviously have be "by committee". The Spurs can beat LA. They did it last year in reg. season. It can be done. Guard play and team defense will obviously have to be at the Spurs advantage to even the Lakers post advantage. No disrespect, but it's a little overblown imo tbh . . .

[Mel_13]

I'm not talking

Yeah, you are, but that's really not the point.

You've just stated the incredibly obvious.

In a conference where the top 3 teams have separated themselves from the rest of the group, the #1 seed has a huge advantage over the other two top teams. The #2 and the #3 have to beat both of the other two top teams, with #3 team having to win two series without HCA.

So, thanks for sharing.

[ohmwrecker]

You would have to be crazy to WANT to play the Lakers in the WCF, anyone would take the easiest road to the Finals if they could.

I guess I am crazy, but I feel like that is a pretty horrible at ude for a team that wants to win a championship to carry into the post season.

[BUMP.]

Odom - that's one guy Matt Bonner could probably defend since he has both the quickness and height.

...................

Gasol - Tim Duncan, Antonio McDyess...'nuff said. Each of them can shut any one of them down, except for perhaps the super-quick Odom.

Neither one of them will "shut him down", have you even watched Tim Duncan this year? McDyess might be able to slow him down but the bottom line is that Gasol is too tall and will get his eventually

Bynum - If LA uses their big lineup we should most definitely use McDyess and Tim on the court at the same time. In addition we'll most likely have to give Tiago 10-15 minutes to defend that position. Blair shouldn't see the court at all except in garbage time if there's any garbage time at all.

Bynum won't score a lot but it's gonna be hard as for them to keep him off the boards. Not to mention the defense he brings on the other end in guarding Duncan

[TimmehC]

So far, the Mavs look like more of a threat than LA, tbh. That will probably change later in the season, when the Lakers go on their inevitable run, but right now, it's all about getting that #1 seed and making DAL/LAL play each other first before they get to us.

[Capt Bringdown]

Nobody matches up with LA's frontline, and nobody matches up with Kobe - that's why I'd be shocked if they don't cruise to another le this year.

[jjktkk]

Odom - that's one guy Matt Bonner could probably defend since he has both the quickness and height. If LA uses their big lineup we MIGHT see him at SF a lot since we can't have 3 non-shooter bigs on the floor. It just scares me to think what Odom would do to RJ, Anderson or Neal.

Please tell me your kidding. Odom is the worst nighmare of a matchup for Bonner. Odom runs circles around Bonner.

Gasol - Tim Duncan, Antonio McDyess...'nuff said. Each of them can shut any one of them down, except for perhaps the super-quick Odom.

Disagree. The best we could hope for is that Gasol and Duncan cancel each other out.

Bynum - If LA uses their big lineup we should most definitely use McDyess and Tim on the court at the same time. In addition we'll most likely have to give Tiago 10-15 minutes to defend that position. Blair shouldn't see the court at all except in garbage time if there's any garbage time at all.

Agree on Splitter needing to be effective in this series. As far as Blair, either he and/or Bonner have to at the very least, be able to spell the Spurs bigs for at least a couple minutes here and there in the series and not be a liability when they are out there. That might be asking alot, but IMO Blair and/or Bonner have to contribute in this proposed playoff series with the Lakers.

[TE]

Sounds like a good idea, hope CIA pop is reading this.

[weebo]

As it stands right now, only 3 teams have a shot to come out of the west and that's San Antonio, Dallas, and LA. LA has the best chance to come out because of their size with San Antonio and Dallas right behind them, imho.