We can make life real difficult for LA!

[Sisk]

OKC has a real shot at taking out LA. This Perkins trade has worked out great for them.

[hater]

I highly doubt Spurs will play their both last game with the A team. At least one will be played with scrubs to have the team fresh for the playoffs.

Depending on today's result, there is a chance Spurs are in a situation tomorrow where a win against LA present the risk to have them slipping to the 4th seed. Do Spurs really want to play Lakers in the second round?

ppl seem to forget even if we do play with our A team, we just as easy could lose the game vs. Lakers. So not only would we have psychologically lost, we would have tired our guys and given up Pop's strategies to beating the lakers.

I am 110% sure Pop is going to go easy on the laker game. He might try to keep the game close and then go for the kill if within striking distance, but he definitely will not overplay our A guys at all. < 30 minutes for all and I would not be surprised for Duncan and Mcdyess to sit this one.

[TXstbobcat]

As much as I would love it if the spurs beat the Lakers again this year in their arena, with the #1 seed in the west locked up I just don't think it would be worth risking injury by playing Tim, Manu, or Tony major minutes.

[rmt]

I think Pop will play Dice vs LA and rest him in the last game. I hope he'll play the starters normal minutes and if it's close, go for it. If not, let the bench play the 4th quarter.

I wish wish wish that he'll play Splitter lots of minutes against Gasol/Bynum. I hope that Gasol/Bynum kill Blair/Bonner so that maybe Pop will reconsider that duo and play Splitter.

LA will definitely want this game - can't risk losing the last game (back to back) and slipping to the 4th seed if OKC and DAL should win out.

[Sean Cagney]

As much as I would love it if the spurs beat the Lakers again this year in their arena, with the #1 seed in the west locked up I just don't think it would be worth risking injury by playing Tim, Manu, or Tony major minutes.

YEP, if this turns into a dogfight game or even OT the Spurs will tire themselves in a meaningless game! No way the Spurs should go all out to try to win this one.

[spursince#99]

The OP must have a low Basketball IQ...

[itsamanuthree]

The OP must have a low Basketball IQ...

Oh, yeah? And how did you measure your basketball IQ? You stick something up your butt right? So tell, us, what was you result, but no pics please...

[Mel_13]

The OP must have a low Basketball IQ...

FROM the mind...he ING sorry. he old, slow and nothing is working for him at this point. no disrespect to you duncan lovers but its about that time to face the facts. its about that time he go work with HAKEEM on rebounding and boxing out against length. oh yeah and making post-up shots and finding new post-up moves besides them old washed up moves. WILT CHAMBERLAIN IS TURNING OVER IN HIS GRAVE RIGHT NOW. no disrespect but

http://spurstalk.com/forums/showpost...18&postcount=1

[itsamanuthree]

http://spurstalk.com/forums/showpost...18&postcount=1

[sribb43]

Funny how mavs and spurs fans want to face each other bc they both think it gives them the best chance to advance

[silverblk mystix]

Question....

if the spurs did beat the lakers and the lakers did drop to 4th...

wouldn't that mean that the lakers would have to open against Denver in the playoffs????

Denver gives the lakers nothing but problems and it wouldn't be too shocking if Denver actually took that series.....

am I wrong here?

[024]

the lakers will take an early 4-0 lead, leaving pop to wave the white flag and bench the big 3.

[ShoogarBear]

Funny how mavs and spurs fans want to face each other bc they both think it gives them the best chance to advance

It's the devil you know vs. the one you don't.

The Western Conference is just sick this year.

[Josepatches_]

I' not worried about Lakers but if they get the 2nd seed there are many posibilities they will have an easy road to the west finals(Hornets and Mavs) so we'll have to face them anyway to win the tle.

2nd round or NBA Finals.....who cares?

But if we tank the game and we lose the HCA with Chicago I hope nobody complain about it if both teams reach the Finals.

We have a chance to end the regular season with the best record so I don't see what's the point to up when there are many posibilities you will have to play Lakers anyway in the playoffs.


PD:And I'm pretty sure OKC will be a tougher team than Lakers in the second round.

[spurtech09]

so pop should rest there big 3 agaisnt the lakers and the suns?How about the spurs go all out and win against LA and than rest the big 3 against the suns.....I do want to see LA get there butt whooped by the spurs

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

The Spurs have every reason to mail in tomorrow night's game, if only because an LA win assures that they will be either 2 or 3 and keep them out of the 4 spot.

Conceivably, if the Spurs win at Staples tomorrow, LA could end up with 27 losses and, if OKC wins out (@SAC, v. MIL), would drop LAL (v. SA, @SAC) to the 4 spot (assuming no similar swoon for Dallas (@HOU, v. NOH)).

No matter how great your belief in the Spurs' ability to beat LA, you'd have to guess that the Spurs would rather see LA in the Conference Finals and (assuming both can make it there) and not in the WCSF (assuming each would make it there).









Sometimes, when I post, my own genius amazes me.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Thanks FWD for making my posting SOOOOO easy.

[slayermin]

Tank vs. LA, beat the Suns, and call heads on the coin flip.

[Kuestmaster]

right now Dallas has a 0,5 game lead over LA. I don't know what would I prefer... rest our starters the next 2 games, or play them RS minutes against LA, and see what happens.

If we beat them tonight, we can send them to the 3rd place (they will beat SAC for sure), and make it difficult for them since the 2nd round playing dallas without HCA (I know it's the choking mavs, but who knows, maybe if they have HCA against LA they will make things harder for the lakers).

If I were Pop, I would play Tim, Manu and Tony normal minutes until the half, and if we are down like 15 or so tank the game

[Bruno]

With yesterday results, Lakers will finish at the 4th seed if they lost their last two games and Thunder win their last game.

Thunder last game is at home against Bucks, it should be an easy win for them.
Lakers last game will be at Sacramento. Lakers are the better team but Kings will be surely extra motivated for their last home game before the move to Anaheim.

If Spurs don't want to face Lakers in the second round, they better lose today's game.

[wontstartdumbthreads]

Funny how mavs and spurs fans want to face each other bc they both think it gives them the best chance to advance

It's funny how Mavs fans continually get fired up for the playoffs thinking that they are somehow different from all those teams in the past that were really good but just weren't going to ever win a le. Continually bumping their head against a firmly shut window.

Spurs fans getting geared up because they can still feel a small breeze blowing through. Knowing from past experience that they are championship material.

[Jimcs50]

I say pound LA tonight, beat Phoenix and lock up HCA throughout playoffs.

If Spurs are going to win it this year, they have to beat the best teams, so don't worry about opponents, just play great bball and beat all comers

[MadDog73]

Risking our players for a possible HCA vs the Bulls seems stupid to me.

1. Not sure HCA even matters in the Finals, as those 3 middle games can change a series.

2. Not convinced the Bulls will make it to the Finals to begin with.


Reasons NOT to beat the Lakers:

We don't want the Lakers to drop to fourth, and face them in the second round.

[FromWayDowntown]

The Spurs have every reason to mail in tomorrow night's game, if only because an LA win assures that they will be either 2 or 3 and keep them out of the 4 spot.

Conceivably, if the Spurs win at Staples tomorrow, LA could end up with 27 losses and, if OKC wins out (@SAC, v. MIL), would drop LAL (v. SA, @SAC) to the 4 spot (assuming no similar swoon for Dallas (@HOU, v. NOH)).

No matter how great your belief in the Spurs' ability to beat LA, you'd have to guess that the Spurs would rather see LA in the Conference Finals and (assuming both can make it there) and not in the WCSF (assuming each would make it there).

[Sportcamper]

No matter how great your belief in the Spurs' ability to beat LA, you'd have to guess that the Spurs would rather see LA in the Conference Finals and (assuming both can make it there) and not in the WCSF (assuming each would make it there).

Say What? That makes no sense…