Lakers lose another one!

[Juggity]

They just lost by one point to the Jazz, which puts them 3.5 games behind the spurs.

Both Dallas and LA are moving back while the spurs are seemingly regrouping, although there were painful moments in this game against the Hawks.

The Spurs-Lakers game coming up seems to be becoming exponentially less important. At this point I seriously doubt we will need to win it in order to maintain HCA.

[tmtcsc]

I think the playoff teams at the top have mentally checked out. The Lakers loss to the Nuggets may have convinced them that the 1 seed may be out of reach. The playoff seedings for 1-4 are pretty much set now.

I think the Spurs will face the Hornets in the first round. Nice break, but we'll have to face the winner of Nuggets and Thunder in Round 2. Thunder will be tough. I expect them to beat the Nuggets in 5.

Lakers will take Memphis pretty easily and then should face a decent match up with Dallas. That should go 6 in favor of the Lakers.

Its almost time for the real season !

[jmanu20]

Beating Sacto back home tomorrow should seal the #1 seed and buy our big 3 some extra rest next week. Meanwhile LA has GSW tomorrow and still also has to play POR and OKC!

[Dex]

The funny thing is Lakers still have games left vs POR, @ OKC, and vs SAS. Most people pegged those as their toughest games down the stretch. Even SAC in their final game in Sacramento shouldn't be a pushover.

Hopefully with the gap this wide, Lakers will give up in the chase.

Still, Spurs have already gotten their luck break. They need to take care of business these next two games at home, and make it so that Lakers game is meaningless.

[jmanu20]

[QUOTE=tmtcsc;5112990]I think the playoff teams at the top have mentally checked out. The Lakers loss to the Nuggets may have convinced them that the 1 seed may be out of reach.

Those two late 3's that Kobe hit to keep things interesting suggested otherwise.

[tdunk21]

posted in other thread....thought i should post in this one too...

http://twitter.com/#!/jmcdonald_saen

Kobe turnover, Lakers lose. Spurs' magic number down to 2. Meaning they can clinch No. 1 seed on homestand that begins Wed vs. SAC.

[DesignatedT]

Best case scenario: Spurs beat Sacramento tomorrow and then Lakers lose to POR on Friday clinching the 1 for us before we even play Utah.

Even if we have to clinch with the Utah game that still gives us 8 full days off before the playoffs start if Pop selects to sit his guys. I especially think Manu should take as much time off as possible.

[jmanu20]

[QUOTE=DesignatedT;5113005]Best case scenario: Spurs beat Sacramento tomorrow and then Lakers lose to POR on Friday clinching the 1 for us before we even play Utah.

They play GSW tomorrow night, who just beat POR. A 3rd straight Laker loss is not impossible.

[DesignatedT]

3rd straight Laker loss is not impossible.

Yeah I guess that would be the best case scenario. Maybe Phil will start resting tbh.

[elbamba]

It would be great to seal this up asap.

[rmt]

So you don't think that Pop will keep playing the starters to get HCA throughout (against CHI) - only in the West?

[Budkin]

Don't chance it... win the two last games at home. We've just been handed a gift. Don't give it back.

[Budkin]

So you don't think that Pop will keep playing the starters to get HCA throughout (against CHI) - only in the West?

I think if we clinch the West he shuts it down.

[DMC]

Pop's not a greedy person as far as I can tell, but does anyone think that COY might be a deciding factor why Pop wants the best record in the league, seeing that Tibbs is the rival both ways? I don't think so, but it's a point of contention if one wanted to make it so.

[Capt Bringdown]

What a pity LA won't have to face OKC in the early rounds. They have the best shot at derailing LA's script.

[wontstartdumbthreads]

Best case scenario: Spurs beat Sacramento tomorrow and then Lakers lose to POR on Friday clinching the 1 for us before we even play Utah.

Brilliant.

[FoxPerez]

I agree with what Buck Harvey wrote earlier this week and what I've written and told people before. The Spurs need wins, not rest.

A couple of weeks ago, in a blowout loss (I forget against who), Pop left his starters in to run set plays and work on the offense. San Antonio needs to show some improvement as a cohesive unit on both sides of the floor.

It's great that they're getting some breaks in helping them clinch the #1 seed, but I'd like to see them playing better basketball and working on developing some momentum going into the playoffs. Resting everyone won't do any good if they can't even get to the conference finals.

[Dex]

Pop's not a greedy person as far as I can tell, but does anyone think that COY might be a deciding factor why Pop wants the best record in the league, seeing that Tibbs is the rival both ways? I don't think so, but it's a point of contention if one wanted to make it so.

I'm no psychic, but I'd say no way in . Doesn't fit Pop's demeanor or personality that he has shown through the years whatsoever.

Pop wants the best record so the Spurs have the best possible chances in the playoffs.

Pop would still take health over getting the best record.

[DesignatedT]

Ah I keep forgetting about Chicago. I think Pop will play the next 2 games as normal and then shut it down the last 2 games of the regular season regardless of where we stand vs Chicago.

[baseline bum]

Beating Sacto back home tomorrow should seal the #1 seed and buy our big 3 some extra rest next week. Meanwhile LA has GSW tomorrow and still also has to play POR and OKC!

If the Spurs beat Sac but drop the remaining three games and LA wins out, both teams would finish with 22 losses but the Lakers would get the tiebreaker with a 39-13 conference record vs the Spurs hypothetical 37-16. They need to either beat LA on the 12th or win 2 out of the 3 games vs Sac, Utah, and Phoenix to lock the #1 seed up in the West.

Those 2 LA losses really have opened up some breathing room for the Spurs that looked unthinkable just a few days ago.

[DesignatedT]

I agree with what Buck Harvey wrote earlier this week and what I've written and told people before. The Spurs need wins, not rest.

A couple of weeks ago, in a blowout loss (I forget against who), Pop left his starters in to run set plays and work on the offense. San Antonio needs to show some improvement as a cohesive unit on both sides of the floor.

It's great that they're getting some breaks in helping them clinch the #1 seed, but I'd like to see them playing better basketball and working on developing some momentum going into the playoffs. Resting everyone won't do any good if they can't even get to the conference finals.

I understand what you are saying and I feel the same way but Duncan and Manu NEED rest.

Duncan has been seen limping on that ankle for 2 games in a row now and even though he looks great, if that ankle causes problems then the whole thing is over for us.

Manu has looked worse as the season has progressed, especially in the last few weeks of the season. It is pretty clear he needs to rest as well.

Pop should tell the guys to play these next 2 games balls to the walls and use them as tune ups for the playoffs then shut it down for good with 2 games left in the season giving the guys a full week off before the playoffs start.

[Obstructed_View]

Pop's not a greedy person as far as I can tell, but does anyone think that COY might be a deciding factor why Pop wants the best record in the league, seeing that Tibbs is the rival both ways? I don't think so, but it's a point of contention if one wanted to make it so.

No way. Pop has a gigantic ego, but it doesn't extend to wanting individual accolades for himself.

[Mel_13]

Ah I keep forgetting about Chicago. I think Pop will play the next 2 games as normal and then shut it down the last 2 games of the regular season regardless of where we stand vs Chicago.

Yep, he'll push until the West is clinched. They'll have HCA over Boston, Miami, and Orlando. No need to chase it with regard to Chicago.

[Dex]

If anything, getting the COY (or MVP or whatever award) just puts more pressure on the player/coach and acts as a distraction in the middle of the playoffs. Save that for the prima donnas.

[FoxPerez]

Is there a law that says that the rest has to come at the end of games?

I remember Bill Simmons advocating this for the Colts when they'd rest their starters. Rest them AT THE BEGINNING OF GAMES. If you only want Tim and Manu playing limited minutes, let them come in at the end and play a majority of their minutes in the 2nd half.

As we've seen, you can't replace their on-court ability to coach and strategize at the end of games. So if they're going to get rest, rest them at the beginning. Manu has plenty of experience coming off the bench and Tim has come off the bench when working his way back form injury before.