Now it's official! Spurs clinch #1 seed in the west

[GrandeDavid]

Rest or go for HCA in the finals?

Spurs beat the Lakers ain't nobody in the East who will stop them in the Finals, homecourt or not....

[Bruno]

Bulls remaining schedule is @Cle, @Orl, @NY and vs NJ. Dwight Howard will be suspended against them. If Bulls want to go after the first overall seed, it's realistic to think they can win all these games quite easily.

It's looking more and more than chasing HCA against Bulls isn't worth the investment. Rest should be the priority.

[JustinJDW]

No way the Bulls win the east so the Spurs really have HCA throughout. Rest the old men and give the young guys more time.

Getting HCA over Chicago is borderline useless. Boston and Miami seems better suited to win the east and Spurs already have clinched HCA over them. The only way Spurs should try to get HCA over Bulls is if it takes a minimal effort to get it.

This.

I'll be shocked if Pop keeps his foot on the gas, just to stay in front of the overhyped Bulls. Time to shut her down Pop.

[1Parker1]

After watching the Bulls vs. the Celtics last night, gotta say I am liking their chances of coming out of the East. Yes, they are young and unproven, but I think the Perkins trade will ultimately come back and bite the Celtics in the behind. They still are having a hard time incorporating Jeff Green into that group...and the two O'Neal's still aren't completely healthy. HCA advantage for a young team in the playoffs can do wonders.

[guzmangm]

After watching the Bulls vs. the Celtics last night, gotta say I am liking their chances of coming out of the East. Yes, they are young and unproven, but I think the Perkins trade will ultimately come back and bite the Celtics in the behind. They still are having a hard time incorporating Jeff Green into that group...and the two O'Neal's still aren't completely healthy. HCA advantage for a young team in the playoffs can do wonders.

This. I think it would be a mistake to piss away HCA throughout the playoffs. Home court is really one of the only advantages the Spurs have in the playoffs besides experiences. If the Spurs were as good defensively as they were in the past then I'd say home court wouldn't matter as much. Chicago's home court record matches ours and they are much better defensively then us.

[duncan228]

Just Manu's quote, hit the link for the whole piece.

Spurs won’t strain for NBA’s top mark
Mike Monroe

...“The most important thing was clinching No. 1 in the West,” Ginobili said. “You never know, first, if you are going to make it to the Finals and then if the other (No. 1 Eastern seed) will make it to the Finals. We usually don’t care what happens in the East.

“Now that we are so close, of course we want to get it. The best way to do it is just to concentrate on the next opponent. Just concentrate on Utah. Then we’ll see.”

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursna...%99s-top-mark/

[Dex]

I just think it helps, especially if you have a Game 7. We went through that in 2005. It’s better to have that game at home, not on the road. You saw what happened last year with the Lakers. It helps when you’re at home.”

Parker's got a point. Spurs probably don't get #3 if Game 7 is in Detroit.

And after watching Chicago shut down Boston last night, I'm not entirely sure they won't go all the way.

[jimo2305]

I'd like to see that. Did coin flip ever happened before for HCA?

When coin flip occurs? At beginning of PO or at the beginning of NBA finals - if SA wins West and Chichago East?

as long as david stern doesn't provide the coin..

but yea hope they go for it.. especially against utah this saturday cuz i'll be there