What do the Spurs do with James?

[Capt Bringdown]

If the Heat play up to their potential, I think there's very little anyone can do.
But I also thought the Grizz would sweep the Spurs

I just don't wanna see f'n Battier draining 3 after 3 ffs

[spurspokesman]

David and Goliath moment coming. Go spurs!!! Well after memphis

[phyzik]

stick Splitter on Bosch all game long, I think he can handle that at least. Have Green and Kawhi rotate between Wade and James with help defense from Duncan and one of our wings cheating off their defender when they close in on 5ft. When that happens, have Splitter cheat off of Bosch and box out Bird Man while someone else picks up Bosch on the outside.

In short, make them a jump shooting team (force Bosch to make jumpers) just like we did with the Warriors.

[Prime Time]

http://youtu.be/6U7rOUSvYM8 Basically how I feel about the Spurs-Heat matchup

[siraulo23]

If ECF game 3 heat/james show up vs the spurs, they gon geet swept. Leonard isnt strong enough to defend james in the post(if those post moves showcase wasnt a fluke) and the heat have too many spur killers... battier, allen, bosh, haslem and even cole. Good news is i dont think the heat can play at such a high level on a consistent basis as good as they are, still spurs have to play out of their minds to win another championship

If the spurs win a game or two in the finals against the heat, i'd be very very happy

[siraulo23]

stick Splitter on Bosch all game long, I think he can handle that at least. Have Green and Kawhi rotate between Wade and James with help defense from Duncan and one of our wings cheating off their defender when they close in on 5ft. When that happens, have Splitter cheat off of Bosch and box out Bird Man while someone else picks up Bosch on the outside.

In short, make them a jump shooting team (force Bosch to make jumpers) just like we did with the Warriors.

the heat have too many guys who can create their own shots, too many players to penetrate the paint and kick to sharpshooters, it'll be a tough task to say the least

[hommeaetage]

Lebron is well past his prime

what?

I just spit my drink reading this

[Richie]

the heat have too many guys who can create their own shots, too many players to penetrate the paint and kick to sharpshooters, it'll be a tough task to say the least

If anyone other than Lebron, Wade or Bosh is creating, I think the Spurs will have to live with that. None of the others have looked especially good this post-season in that role.

[Richie]

If ECF game 3 heat/james show up vs the spurs, they gon geet swept. Leonard isnt strong enough to defend james in the post(if those post moves showcase wasnt a fluke) and the heat have too many spur killers... battier, allen, bosh, haslem and even cole. Good news is i dont think the heat can play at such a high level on a consistent basis as good as they are, still spurs have to play out of their minds to win another championship

If the spurs win a game or two in the finals against the heat, i'd be very very happy

Agreed, there is no chance Kawhi can defend Lebron in the post, but as always it takes a team to defend a superstar, especially an MVP like Lebron. Pacers didn't gameplan for Lebron in the post because he didn't do it in Games 1 and 2, caught Indiana completely off guard and Vogel couldn't adjust.

If nothing else, the Spurs have a big matchup advantage in Pop v Spo

[eyeh8u]

I just can't wait for that inevitable moment when on a switch or something , its bonner guarding lebron 1 on 1

[ezau]

"“This was just the first time you’ve seen it, other times I’ve been able to not show you,” Wade said after the game before revealing a rather gnarly detail about the bandage that certainly helps explain his troubles in the postseason.“I’m taping it. When you have a [bone] bruise, you try to move the kneecap over so it won’t rub. When you get into game sweat you have to re-tape it a bit.”
Moving the kneecap over, even if that’s just athlete/trainer jargon, is not a reassuring revelation."

Source

[Russo21]

knows what we'll do with him. What are they gonna do with Tim and Tony?

[Zzakk's Garage]

knows what we'll do with him. What are they gonna do with Tim and Tony?

Exactly.
Too many people forgetting just how great we are.

[HI-FI]

I'm not suggesting the Spurs should be favorites, but people are nuts if they think they're going to get destroyed. They'll have what the Mavs had going for them in '11: A level of desperation that the Heat can't possibly match, since unlike the Heat, it's now or never for them. Sure, the Heat are a lot better now than they were then, but this Spurs team is better than that Mavs team and from a match-up/strategy standpoint, there is no team better equipped to deal with them. I'm expecting a potential all-time great Finals.

This.

[T Park]

I say just let LeBron get his and try to shut down everyone else.

Of course, let's close out the Grizzlies first, m'kay?

For the billionth time. Fans have no control over the current series.

[cd98]

Our best chance is for Hibbert to do Duncan a solid in the game Indiana is eliminated in by making sure he fouls Lebron so hard he can't walk for three weeks.

Miami is sleepwalking in the East. No one can beat them to four wins in a series. Still, it's a championship the Spurs got there.

[Captivus]

If I'm the coaching staff, I would review every game Miami lost this year and try to find something. In fact, I would even hire people to watch the games and give me feedback, on everything, everything, every play they run, every subs ution, time out, everything.
Miami has lost before, it can be done.
Still, lets win tonight!
PS: I cant believe we are talking about this, wow. Amazing that the Spurs have come this far.

[100%duncan]

Play Kawhi one on one on him. And lock down the rest of their team. Let Lebron get his and it's not like we really have a choice.

[weebo]

Initially, the Spurs will try and do the same thing they did in '07 with Lebron and turn him into a jump shooter. The Spurs need to lock in on everybody else. If you keep the rest of their guys from catching fire and get them on the PnR with Duncan and Splitter, you give yourself a chance.

[Vash StampedE]

I know it's premature and all with the Spurs still needing to win one more game but I know many of us Spurs fans feel ecstatic picturing the Spurs playing in the Finals again and hopefully, win another ring for Tim and Pop. If the two aforementioned teams ever get to face each other in the Finals, it would pretty much be, in my opinion, a tossup as both teams play excellent offense and defense. Who cares if they have Lebron? We have the Big 3 playing great at the right time and we have great defenders in Green and Leonard.

[Leetonidas]

Force LeBron to carry the scoring load and try to take away his playmaking and make him beat you on offense. That is how the Spurs will win. James is too good at getting his teammates involved, he must be forced into the scoring role. Spurs have shown in the past they can let 1 player go bonkers on offense and hold the rest of the team in check and win. That's the formula imo. Wade being a little hobbled will help a lot.

[Darius McCrary]

Seriously, the big issue with Lebron is that he's grown as a basketball player. He now understands he doesn't need to force the issue, and has become an adept passer. Being surrounded by good players helps, obviously.

If you're the Spurs, you keep doing what you're doing and got your this far: stuff the paint and make them beat you from outside. I agree that taking care of the ball is major. But if you do keep your turnovers low (and there's no reason why the Spurs couldn't do that), then defending their halfcourt offense shouldn't be insurmountable. Ultimately, the Spurs might need to pick their poison, and I would suspect Pop would prefer the likes of Cole and Battier to win the game rather than Lebron and Wade.

This is the dumbest post I've ever read. James has always been a player that naturally let's the game come to him and has most certainly always been more then a good passer...

[Amuseddaysleeper]

People are going to be in for a very rude awakening when Norris Cole locks down Parker. He's done it before and is a very tough matchup for TP. TP will get some points but Cole can stay in front of him. Relying on TP's midrange game still makes me nervous, although he has improved a ton over the years.

As for Duncan, he'd need to average 28 and 13 because the Spurs struggle with Bosh.

As much as people worry about LeBron, it's the fact that Allen, Battier, and Miller always do really really well against us. Miami's role players will slaughter ours.

And finally, people can make fun of Birdman all they want but I promise you he will make life in the paint for our slashers.

Heat in 5, maybe even 6 if the Spurs play really well.

I'm just happy we got this far.

[Spursfanfromafar]

People are going to be in for a very rude awakening when Norris Cole locks down Parker. He's done it before and is a very tough matchup for TP. TP will get some points but Cole can stay in front of him. Relying on TP's midrange game still makes me nervous, although he has improved a ton over the years.

But a Parker that has done well against the likes of Mike Conley (much better than Norris Cole) or Klay Thompson (length and chops) can definitely be expected to overcome Norris Cole. Raza, you do need to look into your sample size of the Cole-Parker matchup .

As for Duncan, he'd need to average 28 and 13 because the Spurs struggle with Bosh.

As much as people worry about LeBron, it's the fact that Allen, Battier, and Miller always do really really well against us. Miami's role players will slaughter ours.

And finally, people can make fun of Birdman all they want but I promise you he will make life in the paint for our slashers.

Heat in 5, maybe even 6 if the Spurs play really well.

I'm just happy we got this far.

I am quite happy as well. The thing is the Heat bench is resourceful and useful - better than the Grizzlies role players - but the Spurs are on the verge of "sweeping" a team that many expected to trample them.

I think you should not only be happy but appreciate the reasons for the Spurs' success so far. The difference between a healthy Spurs and a peak Heat is not so much as is made out to be. I am willing to risk "irrational optimism" to say that the Spurs could actually overcome the Heat, as objectively they are not very far from the Heat, as you make it out to be.

[urunobili]

I'd be more concerned about finishing the Grizz before thinking about an opponent that hasn't finished its opponent yet.