At Peace with the Current Situation Heading into Game 5 of the 2013 NBA Finals

[polandprzem]

tbqh, I doubt anyone in here called Spurs in 5, so I'm not really understanding where all the cliff jumping is from (can't be from blow out loss, cuz we did it to the heat game 2)

I did pick spurs in 5

[Keepin' it real]

The only thing I hope to avoid IF the Spurs lose the series is a blowout in the final game. That would be painful to watch, regardless of the cir stances.

It's been a dozen years, but it still stings a little when I remember the 39 and 29 point s ackings the Lakers gave the Spurs in the 2001 WCF. Those were the two most disgusting games I've ever watched.

With that said, I'm still expecting a Game 7. And even though it is now clearly a long shot, maybe SOMEHOW Manu's game comes back from the abyss.

[Nathan89]

Heat had everything going from the start when pop decided to spit in Dwades face by putting Splitter on him.

[TheChillFactor]

This is a good series. They can beat us, we can beat them. If we win Game 5 we are in the driver's seat for our 5th le...

[tmtcsc]

Folks, if Miami lost, they were toast. If they wanted any chance in this series, they HAD to win. What did it take? Wade scoring 32 pts. Great game by him, let's see Miami keep it up. If they do and we don't respond, we lose.

[polandprzem]

This is a good series. They can beat us, we can beat them. If we win Game 5 we are in the driver's seat for our 5th le...

Not true. It will be anybodys game then.
Drivers seat would be 3-1 spurs lead and was 2-1 lead.

[carina_gino20]

He got dis. Stop being a hater.

You know what to do, timvp. I trust you will do the right thing.

[polandprzem]

You know what to do, timvp. I trust you will do the right thing.

heat in 5

[ironman2886]

I feel even better as a Spurs fan if Timvp feels at peace. This was just like game 2. If the Spurs take care of the ball and put in the effort, we win game 5.

[carina_gino20]

heat in 5

well there's that... but Manu needs some serious mojo right now

[soxxx]

Like ive said, most of us said Spurs in 6 or 7.

We will win game 5, then have 2 chances to win it all. Tony was gassed, this 2 full days off will help Parker and Duncan,

[I. Hustle]

[gameFACE]

I was dissappointed at the loss but it's unrealistic to believe you're going to take out a reigning champ in a sweep or in 5. Win Game 5 and the Spurs are up 3-2. That's a pretty damn good place to be for not having home court advantage.

[Spur|n|Austin]

Now is not the time to lose hope; the fun is just beginning.

Believe.

GSG - DF5!

[timtonymanurich]

I was disheartened in the aftermath of the loss. Like Game 2, the Spurs had a chance to really take command -- only to let it slip through their fingers. However, after stepping back and taking a bigger picture look at these Finals, I'm at peace as a Spurs fan.

The Heat had everything going for them in Game 4. They had the emotional/motivation edge after getting blown out in Game 3. They went ahead and made their one series-altering adjustment they could make by starting a small lineup. Their Big 3 all played damn well. The Spurs turned it over 19 times and couldn't get an offensive rebound against their small ball unit -- which is at least partly bad luck. Parker was dealing with a new injury ... and just as important, the rest of the team was on edge not knowing how much Parker could do. You combine all of that and the Spurs shouldn't have been even as close as they were.

Game 5 will be a different story. The extra day of rest is huge (HUGE) for the Spurs. This time, they will have the emotional/motivation advantage. Parker will be healthier and the rest of the team will know better what to expect. Lineup-wise, the Spurs will make their counter-adjustment by starting a smaller lineup (whether that is Diaw, Neal or Ginobili in place of Splitter). I'm confident Duncan will play better. There's no way Ginobili has a worse game. Parker should also be better. Could Miami's Big 3 be better than they were in Game 4? Doubtful.

You add it up and the Spurs will have their chance to go up 3-2. Maybe it doesn't happen but everything is aligning for a much better chance than they had in Game 4.

If the Spurs can get Game 5, then -- IMO -- the pressure shifts to the Heat. The Spurs get two chances to win a game in Miami. All things considered, that'd be a great place to be in.

NBA championships are fvcking hard to win, especially for a team that on paper fits no historical mold. Big picture, there's nothing to be upset about regarding where the Spurs find themselves right now. Sure, getting an early knockout punch in Game 2 or Game 4 would have been fantastic but the Spurs remain right there with a legit opportunity to go up 3-2.

Now is not the time to lose hope; the fun is just beginning.

Believe.

COULD not agree more.

I simply could NOT get on this board last night with every Spurs fan suddenly turning into Chicken Little and waiving the proverbial white flag.

We've likely seen Miami's BEST game. Too bad for them it was just game 4. NO WAY Dwainthebathtub--I'm dwowning has another game like that, Le might, Bosh, -hhmmph he's still circling the drain IMHO.

Spurs STILL got this. Believe, be confident, most of all, Ginobili hasn't even showed up yet. If there ever was a time for him to appear, I'd rather it G5-7 rather than g1-4.

OBI-WAN GINOBILI.

[boutons_deux]

rest the Old Spurs? Heat need it, too

Bonner 33.164
Diaw 31.137
Duncan 37.112
Ginobili 35.844
Green 25.942
Joseph 21.784
Leonard 21.923
Neal 28.663
Parker 31.052
Splitter 28.422

Average 29.5043 Years

===========

Allen 37.866
Anderson 34.896
Battier 34.814
Bosh 29.197
Chalmers 27.047
Cole 24.638
Haslem 32.978
James 28.099
Miller 33.816
Wade 31.381

Average 31.4732

[DarrinS]

These few days of rest are just what the doctor ordered.

Give credit to the Heat -- they were just the better team last night. Their big 3 more than doubled the production of our big 3.

[silverblackfan]

Thanks for the positive thread, Op. I usually avoid ST after a loss just because of the cliff-jumping threads and troll bait. Although, I picked the Spurs in 5, I believe in this team down to the last minute of the final game. Miami played a great game and the Big 3 really showed up. We had like 1.5 of our Big 3 show up. Can't win those games.
Let's just hope Manu can get his crap together or let Pop adjust to Manu not being available to contribute.

Go Spurs and win on Sunday!

[Mugen]

Exactly.

People kinda overlook how great Miami is when they're hitting on all cylinders. When Wade/Bosh/LeBron all play like that then they're one of the best teams of the 21st century tbh. They just have another level that they can reach that the Spurs (or any other NBA team) can't match.

Game 5 is obviously huge but the Spurs have responded well to losses just as well this postseason. They just have to win that game and then it's anybody's series heading back to South Beach.

I would have been thrilled being up 3-1 but I'll take a 2-2 series with Game 5 at home.

[soxxx]

People are panicking because we havent won game 5 yet.

When we win game 5 Sunday this board will be at peace again. We will all be confident we can split in Miami. Lets win game 5.

[Blue Duck]

I'm rather envious of all of you guys that are so "at peace". This whole finals experience has been completely anxiety ridden for me and I'm finding it very difficult waiting between games. A fifth championship would mean everything to me as a fan and i just want it to be over already. The difference is that in every other spurs finals appearance, i never once felt nervous. Even after Detroit wiped the floor with us twice, i had zero anxiety, as i knew there was no way they would beat our guys in S.A. i still believe that the spurs are capable of two games with minimal turnover s and that many will wake up for one very crucial late game stretch. But, that said, i am not even in the vicinity of " at peace"!!!!! Go spurs!!!!!

[Spurish]

Its unrealistic to expect 3-game sweep in NBA Finals against defending champion given the 2-3-2 format. So we were always likely to need to win twice in Miami. We have done it once so far and we need to do it again. First thing first, get game 5 which would be a HUGE step forward

[elec99]

Yeah, when you dare them to shoot and they make it then you have to tip your hat off to them.
We expected lbj to be unstoppable in one game and this was it. And if all 3 play well at the same time, which they havent until yesterday, then they'd win. Can all 3 play well together again? Doubtful.

Game 5:

lbj will regress a little
bosh's game comes down
wade wont have a repeat performance

parker does better
hopefully timmy can play the same but with more rebounds
manu is the big question mark since he has not made an impact in this series.

Hopefully, with all the media scrutiny (not that he's watching) he'll be pissed off enough to make a difference. He cant do worse than last night, but he could still be sub-par.

There are 2 kinds of TOs: the one that leads to fast breaks and the one that doesnt. We had too many of the first last night.

As always, If we can clamp down on TOs, beat them in rebounds which leads to more FGA, we'll win 5. Law of averages says when we let them shoot from the outside there will be a game where they fall, and that was last night. It'd be doubtful they fall at the same rate in the next game.

[SAScrub]

Winning game 1 was nice because you knew the Spurs weren't going to sweep the middle 3 of this series. All along this was going to come down to winning a game 6 or a game 7 in Miami. If they are good enough to be champions, they'll do it.

[ThaBigFundamental21]

I 100% disagree. If the Spurs are at their absolute best, I feel they are better than Miami's best. I think we saw both teams best, in game one. The Spurs won, I don't want to hear so and so only had this amount of points. The same argument can be made that each team held each other to exactly what they got. If that makes sense. The Spurs will just out execute Miami, I fully believe that. That is the difference. Pop is the difference. Say what you want about him. He absolutely does more than other coach with what he has. Talent is not everything. Miami has the best player, San Antonio has the best team.

You can't tell me if Tim plays his best, Bosh is better than him at his best. Parker is better at his best than any of the Heat's PG's and it's not even close. Wade is better than our SG's at each other's best, but if Manu goes off we can bridge the gap, plus we have Green. Lebron is the best on the planet, but we have seen Leonard can more than hold his own against him. Splitter at his best is better than Turdman or Hasleem. Problem is you never know what Splitter brings. But we are speaking of players at their best.

It's a very close series, on the court, and on paper. It comes down to our coaching advantage IMO. I don't care what the wishy washy idiots on this site say, who jump all over Pop during the slightest adversity or bad fortune. His coaching helped get us here, he has brought us trophies in the past. I have absolute faith in him. We will see what happens. I don't want to hear this it's Miami's series to lose bull . We just drubbed them by 36 points, they punched us back. I don't want to in hear it. It's a chess match. Each team gets knocked down, gets up, and knocks the other down. Until Miami actually goes up in the series, it's our series to lose, hence we have been up or tied the whole time. Miami has been trailing, and had to catch up to us. If you want to get on Miami's bandwagon, have fun. No one said this would be easy, it appears you all thought we would have a 3-1 series lead, and Miami would lay down. They are the defending champs and they have some pride too. Believe it or not, they are trying to win as well. Personally, I can't wait for game 5.