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well said chopper
The bottom line fact from the game last night is that the Spurs lost a regular season game that they didn't show up for. They played a team that is desperate to make a statement on national television. Should the Spurs have played up to their potential? Yes, but if you really expected them to do so you haven't paid much attention to their regular season trends the last few years. It's almost like the Spurs employ a "no hard feelings" rule after beating a good team, where they almost try to give one back. I think the Laker loss a couple of weeks ago was comparable to the Heat loss. I think Pop really doesn't care about the regular season enough to give any of the elite teams motivation for the post season. Lulling them into a sense of complacency seems to be the m.o.
The big problem, I believe, is that the Spurs are safely sitting on the number 1 seed and so they feel they don't have to push things right now. As it is, the Spurs are still 6 1/2 games up in the standings (6 over the east) with only 15 games to go. Let's say Dallas wins out their remaining schedule, that would force the Spurs to go 10-5 down the home stretch to secure the top spot in the West. If LA wins out, the Spurs will need a 9-6 stretch run to beat their record.
The concerning part is that the Spurs remaining schedule is definitely the toughest of the 3 remaining teams. Dallas' schedule is the easiest.
Spurs remaining opponents:
3/18 At Dallas
3/19 Charlotte
3/21 Golden State
3/23 At Denver
3/25 At Portland
3/27 At Memphis
3/28 Portland
3/31 Boston
4/1 At Houston
4/3 Phoenix
4/5 At Atlanta
4/6 Sacramento
4/9 Utah
4/12 At LAL
4/13 Phoenix
I think the Spurs will win the games bolded. I think they probably won't lock up HCA until the 4/9 game against Utah and will then rest their team in the final B2B.
In the meantime, Dallas and LA will close the gap in frightening fashion and many folks in here will take their own lives. Once the playoffs start, however, we'll see once and for all if this Spurs team is worth their mettle. As it is, I don't think we've seen the best of this team since they pull safely out in front of the pack a couple of months ago.
I'm still confident in my team, however, and I'm confident this is how you'll see the remainder of the regular season play out.
So let it be written, so let it be done.
well said chopper
In denial much? lol
We'll most likely finish the season only up a game or two, but that's obviously enough.
I'm sorry, I can't hear you behind the Lakers.
@Denver is definately winnable game.
Amen brother, altough I think after last night we'll beat dallas, and I'm going from mississippi to SA for the bobcat game they better win that one.
yup. Going down to the wire. And if we lose to Dallas this Friday. We are really, really going down to the wire. Maybe last game of season will be the decider.
I agree with Chopper's predictions, but not his opening statement. To say that the Spurs didn't show up or didn't care is hard to justify. In the first half, they were trying hard - Manu crashing to the floor on a tough layup, Parker trying hard to penetrate and score, winning the offensive rebounding battle early in the game, Duncan looking active on both ends - they certainly started off wanting to compete.
Pop's subs utions, some cold shooting, and the inability to defend Miami when Duncan was out killed that energy completely. In the second half they were basically sleepwalking and chucking low percentage shots. But they did start the game with intent, and were totally outplayed.
At this point, the Spurs need to prove that they can win tough games on the road. They haven't beaten a playoff-bound team on the road in 6 weeks! Look at their road record against the good teams after January 1st:
Losses at NY, Boston, NO, Portland, Philly, Chicago, Memphis, Miami
Win at LA (the Dice tip-in)
Sure, they've beaten a slew of non-playoff teams on the road (Indiana, Minny, Milwaukee, GS, Utah, Sacto, Detroit, Toronto, Washington, NJ, Cleveland, Houston).
To summarize, since Jan 1st, the Spurs are:
1-8 on the road against playoff teams
12-0 on the road against non-playoff teams
[Note: I'm including Indy as a non-playoff team as they're 10 games below .500, although they are in a tie with the Bobcats for the 8th seed]
In previous years I would buy the complacency argument...but this year it's different. The Spurs have yet to show that they can be a consistent enough defensive team to be considered a contender. In years past, the Spurs would coast a bit but at the end of the day you still knew that Bowen was there on the perimeter and Duncan would be locking down the paint...with the rest of the role players following suit and playing good team D. Those days are long gone now. The perimeter is extremely shaky defensively and past his prime Duncan can't do it all anymore...and he only really has one other front line player to help him.
Things are just not the same. They have managed to post a fine record(and will likely have the first seed) thanks to the new offensive philosophy of allowing the guards to run the show. But the things that have been ignored are terminal...an aging anchor has no one to lean on and lock down perimeter has left with no one even doing a passable job of replacing him.
Spurs are in trouble. They have no energy on defense and are too reliant on the three point shot. We have beat the cupcakes all year and that's why we have the best record. We've had varying success against playoff teams, but largely the best teams we have beat have been missing key players (Dallas/Dirk for example).
Spurs need to get the mojo working on defense by the end of the season or we'll be an early out.
By the way, I hope Duncan is holding back because it looks like he won't be a 20/10 guy in the playoffs or even a 10/10, which will be a major problem.
While I agree with you that Spurs should keep their fist seed and some loses could be put on Spurs costing, I disagree on the bottom line.
Bottom line is that Spurs, despite an amazing record, haven't been that impressing and have some glaring weaknesses. This great record is due of Spurs being 7-1 in games decided by 3pts or less and 26-1 against below .500 teams. On top of that, Lakers have looked damn great since the all star break.
At the end, the likely outcome of the season is Spurs reaching the WCF and being destroyed by Lakers. Nothing is set in stone (cf the 2007 le), but I don't like Spurs chances at all to win ti all. And that's the bottom line.
Nah we've pretty much got it locked up, but like Chopper said the gap will close fast.yup. Going down to the wire. And if we lose to Dallas this Friday. We are really, really going down to the wire. Maybe last game of season will be the decider.
Gotta ask - why didn't you guys see this coming? The record covered the weakness?
SA will end up with the top seed but they aren't built to get out of the West.
Agreed. Unless the Spurs can find some magic combination and/or get Splitter back into the rotation (which is not going to happen), our chances to win it all this year are slim.
Pretty much yeah. Plus we were playing with so much heart and determination earlier in the season that is just not there any more. I haven't given up on them by any means, but every team is a bad matchup for us now mainly because of size. I honestly will be very surprised if we get to the Finals.
its just poor effort on the defensive end of the court....
The bottom line is unless they can find some defense, the Spurs are ed.
we are still in better shape to get out of the west than in 08 or 09. I'll take that given that ppl said we were not gonna make the playoffs this year.
What makes you think that we didn't? Guys like benefactor or Bruno have been singing the same tune since the season started...
HCA or not, I'm growing concerned with the lack of effort and intensity the Spurs are playing with right now. The team is slowly reverting to last season's play and its horrifying to watch. Certain players seem to be regressing instead of progressing.
Even with HCA, we are going to get our asses kicked if there's no change. In my book, two 30 point blowouts by elite teams in a span of 7 days is a huge red flag.
True, there has been a few. I've been lurking all season, and what I saw was most singing SA's praises and expecting ring even though SA wasn't winning games like they did as champions.
Typically, more than a couple here are objective so I thought the light would have shined brighter on the issue.
again. Noone outside San Antonio expected the Spurs to make the playoffs.
we are #1 seed. Spursfans need to be busting nuts right now. We'll see what happens in the playoffs.
true, but they've looked bad, really bad, in the more recent losses.
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