Race to #1 Seed, San Antonio or Oklahoma City?

[SpursIndonesia]

Their schedule in terms of home/road splits and number of b2bs will get tougher, while the Spurs get 17 of their last 24 at the AT&T.

Yeah correct, though our season ending home heavy schedule will feature a lot of games against le contenders & playoff aspirants, especially the last 8-10 games. IIRC.

[cd021]

These next 13 days will be the deciding factor in who gets the #1 seed in the west & NBA

@ Denver-Denver has been red hot as of late and almost unbeatable at home this season. Lawson has quietly put together a ridiculous last 2 weeks of February averaging more than 24pts per game. Denver has the 2nd best home winning percentage ,after Miami, and is 24-3 in Denver.

@ LAC -After getting blown out at home against our Spurs they've won 4 straight and have the 2nd best record in their last 10 games. They are 23-6 at home and are 27-10 vs other west teams. They could get back into the race for the #1 seed by beating the Thunder, who is 1 game ahead of them entering the Denver game tonight. They could leapfrog OKC with a Denver win and by beating them in L.A.

LAL-The Lakers have been playing much better as of late 12-5 in their last 17 games (70%, compared to their overall win percentage of 49%) They need to play well against winning teams heading to the stretch run where they are 2 1/2 back of the Rockets & Jazz for the 8th seed. Believe it or not they are still a legit threat for the Warriors 6th spot they are only 4 games back with the Warriors in the midst of a massive slide.

@Knicks-

@ Charlotte-Play them tought Charlotte...please?

Boston

@ SAS-Almost certainly without Parker. Anyone want to bet Neal starts and takes 20 shots?

Jazz-

[cd021]

Parker's injury definitely affects the #1 seed, with Neal hampered and Jackson injured ankle. The Spurs need to win out heading into the March 11th game against the Thunder and hope that Denver goes no better than 4-2 while we go 4-0 heading to the head to head match up which could significantly effect our chances in the post season.

[Budkin]

Ty Lawson just gave us a little more breathing room.

[cd021]

Spurs loss to the Suns not as costly as it could have been, back up by 3 games with the next 3 games very winnable without T.P.

[cd021]

Anyone notice GSW's free fall they are dangerously close to missing the playoffs all together.

[chapnis]

Anyone notice GSW's free fall they are dangerously close to missing the playoffs all together.

Yeah, only one of the Jazz, Rocket and Warriors need to fail and the Lakers sneak in

[Sean Cagney]

Spurs loss to the Suns not as costly as it could have been, back up by 3 games with the next 3 games very winnable without T.P.

That loss was just stupid, no reason in to miss that FT at the end, and if you miss it with no TO why not cover down court? Good lord what a stupid ass loss and one that could hurt us in the end.

[DesignatedT]

Some help from the Clips would be nice today.

[cd021]

Some help from the Clips would be nice today.

They should take this game even more seriously considering what happened the last time they played an elite team at home.

[cd021]

That loss was just stupid, no reason in to miss that FT at the end, and if you miss it with no TO why not cover down court? Good lord what a stupid ass loss and one that could hurt us in the end.

I didn't say it wasn't a bad loss. It just didn't cost us in the short term with OKC getting beat by Ty Lawson. We are still up 3 games with 22 games to go. It could be a of a lot worse. I can't tell you how many "experts" picked us to finish 4th or even 5th in the west.

[cd021]

Yeah, only one of the Jazz, Rocket and Warriors need to fail and the Lakers sneak in

I think GSW has lost something like 11 of their last 14 games. They really are gonna screw up the advance scouting with the Spurs having to watch out for 4 teams. Best case scenario, they fall to 7th or stay at 6th and face the Clippers in the 1st round. They have a real shot of being them IMO.

[BatManu20]

Some help from the Clips would be nice today.

I wouldn't hold my breath.

[BatManu20]

We play OKC, Denver, LAC, and Miami all while Parker's out. I don't see those games going very well for us tbh.

[Sean Cagney]

I didn't say it wasn't a bad loss. It just didn't cost us in the short term with OKC getting beat by Ty Lawson. We are still up 3 games with 22 games to go. It could be a of a lot worse. I can't tell you how many "experts" picked us to finish 4th or even 5th in the west.

I agree.

[cd021]

We play OKC, Denver, LAC, and Miami all while Parker's out. I don't see those games going very well for us tbh.

2-2 would be nice but...

Maybe me start moving the ball like the C's, we have much better passers than they've got.

[cd021]

I starting to think that the Clippers are just another playoff team. Punked by GSW 3 times. Lost to OKC twice, Spurs pound them at home on national TV.

Then again any coach can tell you that having only a couple of slashers two bigs who couldn't hit the side of a barn (when shooting Freethrows) their X factor being a player who in two seasons removed from being an productive NBA player. A coach with simplistic play calling. And a point guard who seems to have trouble containing the PG's supposedly ranked behind him.

[cd021]

Bill Simmons comments after the Thunder game-

"And Parkers' out for the spurs, OKCs gonna win the 1 seed and will meet Miami again in the Finals unless they get upset"


OKC still is remains unlikely to win the 1 seed. 3 game lead with 21 left to go and a home heavy schedule with the deepest roster in the NBA. OKC tough road heavy (11 Away/8 Home)

Splitter, Leonard, & Green drastic improvements should help make any series against them a pretty even going in.

[DesignatedT]

Lakers @ OKC on Tuesday.

[spurs10]

Bill Simmons comments after the Thunder game-

"And Parkers' out for the spurs, OKCs gonna win the 1 seed and will meet Miami again in the Finals unless they get upset"


OKC still is remains unlikely to win the 1 seed. 3 game lead with 21 left to go and a home heavy schedule with the deepest roster in the NBA. OKC tough road heavy (11 Away/8 Home)

Splitter, Leonard, & Green drastic improvements should help make any series against them a pretty even going in.

Simmons is over reacting in my opinion to OKC closing out the Clips readily. Clippers were in it until the last minute. Ibaka should have been tossed and that was the difference probably.

[cd021]

Simmons is over reacting in my opinion to OKC closing out the Clips readily. Clippers were in it until the last minute. Ibaka should have been tossed and that was the difference probably.

Simmons in general seems like he doesn't know what he is talking about. Clippers could still take the 2 seed but that loss is a bad one. Ibaka proved that he really isn't about this life . Hitting another man in the man zone in just wrong. He really should be suspended for it.

[racm]

OKC has a tougher schedule and more road games this month IIRC.

[Seventyniner]

It's going to be a very tight race. The Spurs have two fewer losses and the easier schedule but are missing their best player, so it kind of evens out. Winning one of the two remaining games vs OC is crucial for the Spurs.

[therealtruth]

The Spurs may experience the Ewing or Rondo effect. Basically when you take a ball dominant player of the team the team becomes more dangerous because everyone becomes more of a threat. The danger with Parker being the head of the snake is that when you stop him you stop the whole team.

[cd021]

It's going to be a very tight race. The Spurs have two fewer losses and the easier schedule but are missing their best player, so it kind of evens out. Winning one of the two remaining games vs OC is crucial for the Spurs.

I think that winning 2 of the four vs Miami, OKC, Memphis & Clippers would go along way to securing the 1 seed. I think we play 13 games if we win 2 of those four games we could conceivably go something like 11-2 or 10-3. Unless OKC rips off 12 straight (unlikely) we should still have the #1 seed if we win at least 2 of those four games.