Lakers lose another one!

[jmanu20]

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.

I see them beating Sac tomorrow and then Utah. Any scenario to buy the big 3 some extra rest before the "real season" is welcome in my (and I'm sure Pop's) opinion. And I agree, LA has certainly given the Spurs some extra wiggle room unexpectedly.

[Budkin]

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.

Chicago is playing Boston on Thursday, who is going to try and make a statement that they are still the favorites in the East. Good chance they could lose that game. They also play again at Orlando and New York (not like that matters)

[Obstructed_View]

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.

Pop tried that last year, resting Duncan in the first quarter, and it was an unmitigated disaster. The Spurs got behind so bad that Duncan had to put in a lot of work trying to get back and they still lost.

If you want to rest your players, start the best players, get a big lead and let your bench take it home. That's why starting Splitter and Duncan together makes nothing but sense.

[Mel_13]

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.

That makes very little sense for many reasons, I'll mention just one.

The best argument for such a tactic is to have them play in end of game scenarios. Problem is, there's no way to be sure that the game will compe ive at that point or that the opposition will still be playing their first string players.

[Dex]

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.

So you're going to let the other team jump out to a 20-point lead before playing our main guns?

There is a reason our bench is our bench.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

I'll give you a reason.

I went to see the Spurs play the Raptors during the 2010 season. Duncan came off the bench for the only time in his career, and didn't make his first appearance until the start of the 2nd quarter.

He looked lost out there, and the whole team just had no rhythm to set a tone for the game. The Spurs ended up losing.

Also, starting off a game by resting your starters would mean a starting combo of Blair/Bonner for this team.

That would be wonderful.

[15 and counting]

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.

You are correct. The game will be insignificant to the starters but make no mistake, Phil is testing the benches. The Lakeshow is simply ing around with every playoff team. They are experimenting with the rotations. They could easily had taken home court from your team but they are chose not to. Something is up. Conspiracy? Maybe. One thing is for sure, I trust Phil's judgement. The Lakers are only concerned with one team and that is Boston. They simply know that no one other than Boston can take them down regardless of HCA. They screwed around the whole season and the Spurs played like true champions the whole season and we still were in position to win the HCA throughout the playoffs. That is scary. As a true Laker fan, you play hard each and every night. Look at the 80s lakers. They were not only the best but they were greedy and would treat every game as a playoff game. That is what I admire about the Spurs. They truely are the only old school team today. I do not think they have the talent to take down the Lakers but they do have an incredible player in Duncan that plays with a lot heart. I just wish the lakers would have this same at ude.

[GSH]

I'm just enjoying the shortage of Laker trolls, compared to what we had around here during the losing streak. It's like somebody remembered to flush.

[tmtcsc]

The biggest obstacle to the Spurs winning a le is the LA Lakers. Not the Bulls. If we clinch the West, Pop starts resting players.

The Bulls have been great this year and I would love to see a Spurs/Bulls finals but I don't think they make it past the Celtics.

I'll be shocked if Miami makes it to the Finals.

[TD 21]

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

No. I now expect none of the starters to play against the Lakers. Before this loss by the Lakers, I was expecting them to play that game, then sit the Suns game (if they beat the Kings/Jazz).

My sense is the Spurs aren't concerned with the Bulls and that staying ahead of the Lakers was their goal and finishing first overall would just be the icing on top, but they're not going to push for it. Which would be stupid. I don't mind them sitting the Lakers game (again, if they beat the Kings/Jazz), but if home court is hanging in the balance going into the Suns game, he should play everybody. Since the Spurs would have a lot more on the line than the Suns, I've got to think they'd win it and probably convincingly. They get 2-3 days off before beginning the playoff either way. Why risk losing home court at the very end just for an extra day off? What's more valuable: having home court, or having an extra day of rest for the starters?

Imagine if this situation plays out, he rests the starters against the Suns, loses home court, they meet the Bulls in the Finals and lose game seven. That decision would haunt him forever. And if he even considers doing this, I hope the starters talk him out of it. They worked hard all year to accomplish this, there's no need to give it away at the end.

The Bulls, like the Lakers, are due to lose a few. Hopefully they lose to the Celtics and Magic and the Spurs (again, if they beat the Kings/Jazz) can not only sit the starters in the last two, but breathe a sight of relief while doing so.

[tmtcsc]

I'll give you a reason.

I went to see the Spurs play the Raptors during the 2010 season. Duncan came off the bench for the only time in his career, and didn't make his first appearance until the start of the 2nd quarter.

He looked lost out there, and the whole team just had no rhythm to set a tone for the game. The Spurs ended up losing.

Also, starting off a game by resting your starters would mean a starting combo of Blair/Bonner for this team.

That would be wonderful.

Love the sig, that's hilarious.

[FoxPerez]

... Also, starting off a game by resting your starters would mean a starting combo of Blair/Bonner for this team.

That would be wonderful.

Yikes. Yeah... point taken.

[Splits]

Gordon Hayward was on fire tonight in Staples.

[kobyz]

Lakers losing on purpose, they afraid of second round match up with the Thunder, they just prefer the Mavs by much, so they playing to be the second seed.

[Fireball]

Kobe never loses on purpose ... the same as Manu I think. Just watched the Jazz Lakers game in replay and was very amused by the ending. Hopefully Spurs will be able to beat the Jazz ...

[silverblackfan]

Kobe never loses on purpose ... the same as Manu I think. Just watched the Jazz Lakers game in replay and was very amused by the ending. Hopefully Spurs will be able to beat the Jazz ...

Agreed. Kobe and Manu have the same drive to win at any cost. I really doubt either can shut it off. If Phil wanted to rest Kobe, he would sit him during the 2nd half of the game or skip a game. Although I doubt Kobe would allow it.

[boutons_deux]

Spurs only 1L ahead of Bulls.

Bulls are as credible as Heat, Celts, Magic to win EC, so Spurs can't relax, yet. Starting the Finals with 2 games in Chicago where Bulls are 34-5 (same as Spurs) won't be fun.

[TampaDude]

You are correct. The game will be insignificant to the starters but make no mistake, Phil is testing the benches. The Lakeshow is simply ing around with every playoff team. They are experimenting with the rotations. They could easily had taken home court from your team but they are chose not to.

Keep dreaming, dude...

[Fpoonsie]

As a true Laker fan, you play hard each and every night.

...lolwut?

[TXstbobcat]

I'm just enjoying the shortage of Laker trolls, compared to what we had around here during the losing streak. It's like somebody remembered to flush.

The laker fans were out full force on this site during the spurs losing streak and now that the lakers have lost 2 in a row, they all crawled back in their holes.

[silverblk mystix]

You are correct. The game will be insignificant to the starters but make no mistake, Phil is testing the benches. The Lakeshow is simply ing around with every playoff team. They are experimenting with the rotations. They could easily had taken home court from your team but they are chose not to. Something is up. Conspiracy? Maybe. One thing is for sure, I trust Phil's judgement. The Lakers are only concerned with one team and that is Boston. They simply know that no one other than Boston can take them down regardless of HCA. They screwed around the whole season and the Spurs played like true champions the whole season and we still were in position to win the HCA throughout the playoffs. That is scary. As a true Laker fan, you play hard each and every night. Look at the 80s lakers. They were not only the best but they were greedy and would treat every game as a playoff game. That is what I admire about the Spurs. They truely are the only old school team today. I do not think they have the talent to take down the Lakers but they do have an incredible player in Duncan that plays with a lot heart. I just wish the lakers would have this same at ude.

Yeah, Phil was ing around so much that he overplayed Gasoft and Glassnum...both almost suffered serious injury...that is how little PJ cared...ok...uh-huh...

[GrandeDavid]

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 !

I think it'll play out exactly as you stated. I definitely think the Spurs will get past the Thunder...actually any team other than the Lakers. I HOPE they get past the Lakers. I think that if the Spurs can have HCA wrapped up this weekend, man, it'd be great to rest Tim and Manu, especially. Get those guys fresh for the playoffs and anything can happen.

[Strategic]

You are correct. They could easily had taken home court from your team but they are chose not to. That is scary.

you dumbass!!!!! you dumbass!!!!! you dumbass!!!!!

[guzmangm]

Seeing as Chicago has the same home court record as the Spurs do, I think it'd be a mistake to not try and seal HCA throughout the playoffs

[wildbill2u]

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.

Give 'em enough work to keep their edge.

Seems to me that every time we have rested our players they come back with rust on their shots and not sharply focused. I don't want to lose the first game in a playoff series because we got 'rest'.

The playoffs are time to cowboy up.