to finalize a rotation that minimizes the damage Blair and Bonner do out there on the floor
The number one seed and home court advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs?
OR
To be on the other side of the bracket from teams you don't match up well with, like the Lakers?
Obviously, it would be great if the Spurs could have both.
to finalize a rotation that minimizes the damage Blair and Bonner do out there on the floor
To beat the Lakers convincingly. The seeds matter secondly imo. If we can help bump the Lakeshow to the fourth seed while still maintaining the two seed, the path to the le is ours for the taking!
I know there's no guarantee with wins/losses, but what if the Spurs could somewhat control this by trying to go to the last day of the season tied with OKC.
Since they have what amounts to one of the last games of the season at Golden State (10:30 start) they could in effect determine who they play and what side of the bracket they are on with the outcome of this game.
1) The most important thing for the Spurs is the adjustment of big man minutes. In the playoffs:
Duncan - 33 mins
Splitter - 33 mins
Diaw 15-20 mins depending on matchup
Bonner 10-15 mins depending on matchup
Blair - never set foot on the court
IMO, if they do this one thing, SA has a fair chance in most match ups.
2) Avoid the nightmare match up LAL
3) Win out their remaining games and hold on to #1 in the West and home court over every team except CHI. I don't see them beating CHI or MIA but there's the possibility that Rose/Lebron might choke. Wade won't. But the 2-3-2 Finals format (3 straight games in the middle) might be enough to tip the scales if SA has home court.
No way Pop plays Splitter more than 30 minutes. No freaking way. I'm not sure if he even will play 20. Sad
Prepare to see a lot of Matt Bonner in the PO. Besides Timmy he'll be the big most used
/thread
Winning the last game they play.
seppe venturing away from his usual shtick to actually provide a clever and completely true post
odds he responds to this post with one from his usual repertoire?
I've always aspired to The Spisak Manifesto:::
1. make the playoffs.
2. win the last game you play.
You've already accomplished 1..
Setting up a playoff matchup is for teams whose goal is to just win the first round. The Spurs want to win four rounds. That's four good opponents. You take what you get.
If you get #1, you most likely get #2. Unless you want to drop to 4 or 5, you're not going to avoid the Lakers in round 2 without being #1.
Unless the Lakers get #4, which is very possible now that I look at it.
So... forget what I said.
This. When the goal is the le, the at ude has to be anyone, anywhere. Win, develop chemistry and a good rotation, and let the chips fall where they may.
Now to only work out that good rotation part...
Exactly, if the Lakers are the 4th seed do you want to be the #1 seed?
And if you can control this by giving up the last game, putting OKC and the Lakers in the same side of the bracket, do you do it?
To crush the enemy, see them driven before you and hear the lamentation of their women.
NO
YES. There are no bonus points for going through the hardest opponent (match up). Take the path of least resistance. Let OKC have a shot/wear them down first.
Everyone should do themselves a favor and stop thinking about it/looking at the standings. There's so much that can go in still it's impossible to figure out. Check back in a week and we should be able to get a better idea.
Correct answer is (C) NONE OF THE ABOVE.
The most important thing is to enter the playoffs (1) not injured, (2) not burned out, and (3) playing well.
Other than that, the Spurs will take whatever seeding and matchup they get. Macht nichts.
HCA? Pffft. The Spurs have won lots of series without HCA. They'll obviously take it if it turns out that way, but...
HCA's value is overrated. With HCA, you have to win the first 2 games at home just to hold your HCA. Lose one? Series tied, and the OTHER TEAM now has HCA and gets to close it out at home in Game 6 if they can win games 3-4 at home.
This is correct.
It's a double edged sword. If you're really good home team home court advantage really helps. If you're a good road team it doesn't matter as much. However I think most champs tend to be really good road teams.
Honestly, it's more important for the Spurs to avoid teams that they match up poorly against, than it is to have the No. 1 seed in the West.
For instance, the Spurs were the 7# seed in 2010, yet beat the 2# seeded Mavericks in the playoffs.
But then last year, the Spurs were the West's highest seed, but were upset by Memphis.
I agree, outside of being healthy and playing well, which is all a given; if you don't have those you're toast anyway...seeding/HCA is far less important than matchups. Spurs need to avoid the Lakers as long as possible.
tbh the only reason the Spurs need to avoid Lakers is because Pop's anti Duncan+Splitter lineup.
By far the two most important things are to be playing well and to be healthy.
Who was Dallas going to lose to last year?
And...
Who thought they would win the whole thing?
The rest is BS. Lets just lose 1st round if we are not good enough.
It's not just the Lakers though. Bonner's going to be a problem during the playoffs and I don't think Diaw is enough by himself to upgrade our frontcourt with the redhead still getting significant minutes. We'll need Splitter's easy baskets and quality defense if we want to go all the way.
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