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Based on your criterias ....
The Spurs
with 2 of the 3 legit ball handlers for the spurs (manu and tj) out for at least 4-6 weeks, my attention has been diverted to see how the other teams are doing (more than the usual) so that the spurs would make the playoffs this year. with that in mind and with 1/6 of the season almost in the books for some teams, i have already decided the order of the teams to root for (after the spurs).
implicitly known rules:
1. root for the spurs vs. any opponent
2. root for eastern conference vs. any non-spurs western conference team
my rules:
3. root for okc, portland, denver and the one team that will not be mentioned - as these will make the playoffs from high seeding - versus any other western conference team playoff caliber team
4. from the rest of the teams, dallas, memphis and the clippers were tipped to make the POs this year, before the season started. however, utah has played above expectations and seems to have replaced memphis in the running so far. (to be fair, memphis has had a pretty rough schedule and suffered the loss of their best/2nd best player - i'm not going to argue which one it is)
still, utah plays in a very difficult division - so i imagine their record will suffer as they play more games vs okc, por, den and even min (who does not own a pick in the draft this year - aka no incentive for tanking).
thus, i would go clippers > utah > dallas > memphis.
5. finally, i would take all western conference non-playoff contenders vs any contenders - tough to separate with precision at this point in the season, but this is who i believe would not make the playoffs:
minnesota, new orleans, houston, sacramento, golden state. undecided about pheonix - mostly b/c i have not seen them play this year, so i do not know how good they are.
imo, the sooner the haves and separated from the have-nots, the better the spurs are. most teams with sub .500 records and without veterans start playing for their own stats and get distracted from playing team basketball (example a: the wizards). the shorter season will not help with this separation, as teams will be in the running for a playoff spot for a longer percentage of the season than the usual.
still, i would like to inquire fellow spurstalkers what is their rooting order - and if you guys have one to begin with.
cheers
Based on your criterias ....
The Spurs
I just like watching NBA basketball and I really only root for the Spurs, but I got a soft spot for rooting for the underdogs. I do pay more attention to teams that ex-Spurs are on like George Hill with the Pacers. It kinda sucks for Hill since its a contract year and the Pacers can only give so many opportunities to their guard spot. Would love to see Hill matched up with Rose in the playoffs though, just to see how he'd handle it.
Quality OP
Personally, I'm basically just rooting against the teams that will finish near the bottom of the Western Conference playoff picture. OKC, Portland, Denver, Dallas, LAC and LAL look pretty solidly in the playoffs. So that leaves Memphis, Utah, Houston and Phoenix as legit compe ors for the seventh and eighth spots in the West -- and, thus, the four teams I want to see lose.
If three of those four teams struggle to stay around .500, the Spurs should be able to get in without a heroic effort late in the season.
bobcats
thinking along the same lines. i was hoping utah would struggle more to begin the season. regardless, i'm happy with the other 3 teams' records. the spurs may have been given a break with memphis losing randolph (after the manu injury).Quality OP
Personally, I'm basically just rooting against the teams that will finish near the bottom of the Western Conference playoff picture. OKC, Portland, Denver, Dallas, LAC and LAL look pretty solidly in the playoffs. So that leaves Memphis, Utah, Houston and Phoenix as legit compe ors for the seventh and eighth spots in the West -- and, thus, the four teams I want to see lose.
If three of those four teams struggle to stay around .500, the Spurs should be able to get in without a heroic effort late in the season.
we'll have to wait it out and see what happens. i also hope we don't have to put a heroic finish to get to the playoffs, so that we don't look gassed and barely put up a fight.
With Manu being out till mid next month and Tim and Tony playing these minutes they did the last few nights, they will be gassed. I hate to say it but Manu getting hurt will press them more to win games, no blessing in disguise at all with Manu out as some tried to make it.
used to follow the clipps only because they were awful for soo long.I remeber when larry brown took them to the playoffs but now i could care less.I dont root for other teams though
I am not sold on George Hill's upside.
1. Spurs
2. Rockets (i like Goran Dragič and Scola)
3. Mavericks - Dirk was always a legend but his performance last year and the fact that Lebron looks even a bigger looser now makes me like them (the only guy I really can't stand on this Dallas team is Terry)
So all in all it looks I am a texas fan from Europe! :P
I think it will be a fight between Houston, Utah, and S.A. for that eighth playoff spot and injuries will most likely determine the winner. If the Spurs don't make it, then the flip side is I hope they get lucky again and get a high pick in this coming loaded lottery because that will mean a really good big to pair with TD as he winds down his career.
And should they manage to get the eighth seed, then at least they will get a higher draft pick than all those above them, plus hopefully they will be the surprise team in the playoffs and go all the the way. Go Spurs Go!
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