Playoff Seeding

[Plum Island]

The West is extremely overrated every year, tbh, but especially this year in particular..

Realistically, there are 2 contenders(Golden State, Memphis) and 2 wildcard teams(Spurs, Thunder)..everybody else doesn't have the personnel to win an NBA championship..with the Matthews injury, Portland loses all their depth and their best perimeter defender(Afflalo is a mediocre defender, he hasn't been good since his Pistons days), they are the weakest team of the bunch..

As I've been saying all year, even prior to the Rondo trade, the Mavs are the most overrated team in the NBA and they simply don't have the makeup of a contender..the majority of their roster doesn't have defined roles, they're relying on Chandler Parsons, Rondo is one of the 5 worst starting PGs in the NBA, and Dirk is no longer the same player(and as we saw towards the end of last year's series vs. the Spurs, they severely exploited his mobility on defense)..

Memphis is a contender by name, but the Spurs match up extremely well with them, and while their perimeter offense has improved, they are no longer the same physical team of the past, as Chinook said..Randolph has been completely neutralized since Splitter became a key player for the Spurs, as well..

Staying out of the Warriors/Thunder bracket is imperative, as the other bracket will be levels easier..while I don't think the Rockets are a legit contender, they would be the #3 team I would fear, tbh, they just seem to play with immense confidence vs. the Spurs, not to mention I'd rather avoid a frustrating series full of Harden officiating..

I think this is still the Spur's game to lose.
Anything can happen from now to then, but I firmly believe it.

The Thunder is the largest threat to me- mostly because of Westbrook's ability to take over a game and that's all it takes when you have another talent like Durant to support him.
I do think the Spurs have the players to disrupt the Warriors in a series.

Then it's on to whoever the East sacrifices.

[dabom]

And although last year's Spurs showed that an unconventional team can win a championship, regardless of past trends, it's difficult not to be at least a little scared of the Warriors, despite the Spurs matching up very well with them on paper..

Looking at the Warriors' rankings in most facets, most teams of their caliber go on to win championships, unfortunately..

If history has shown me is that their 2 best players are injury prone. Steph and bogut. We will see it again this year.

[Malik Hairston]

Splitter would have to be on his A-game to beat the Warriors, too..

Duncan was completely exposed in the 2013 series against them IIRC..it wouldn't be any different this time, Curry at the top is a matchup nightmare against any team with slow bigs, especially a big that can't exploit them on the offensive end(which Duncan can't do vs. Bogut)..

Doesn't really matter, though, both OKC and Golden State would be tough..the other teams aren't scary, at all, tbh, including Memphis..

[DesignatedT]

Spurs more physical? Did you see what the Bulls big men did to the Spurs? Spurs would love to get Golden Taint in a playoff matchup but may have to wait until the second round for that.

It's virtually the same Memphis and Spurs team from 2 years ago. Were they too physical for the Spurs then?

[dabom]

Splitter would have to be on his A-game to beat the Warriors, too..

Duncan was completely exposed in the 2013 series against them IIRC..it wouldn't be any different this time, Curry at the top is a matchup nightmare against any team with slow bigs, especially a big that can't exploit them on the offensive end(which Duncan can't do vs. Bogut)..

Our team without the big three still beats the warriors periodically. The spurs also post huge problems for the warriors. Their backcourt usually gets worked by kawhi and green.
Pop in the playoffs is going to work circles around kerr.
The warriors are also the ones under huge pressure from the media fans and themselves. They're going to crack.

[Plum Island]

Splitter would have to be on his A-game to beat the Warriors, too..

Duncan was completely exposed in the 2013 series against them IIRC..it wouldn't be any different this time, Curry at the top is a matchup nightmare against any team with slow bigs, especially a big that can't exploit them on the offensive end(which Duncan can't do vs. Bogut)..

Doesn't really matter, though, both OKC and Golden State would be tough..the other teams aren't scary, at all, tbh, including Memphis..

You're right on that.
Splitter is going to be a very important piece if they are going to win against them
Duncan has lost too much speed to affect the PnR.

The good thing is that it looks like Splitter is getting back to being what he can be, at least on defense.

[daslicer]

Here's to the Spurs pulling a '95 Rockets.

[Plum Island]

Our team without the big three still beats the warriors periodically. The spurs also post huge problems for the warriors. Their backcourt usually gets worked by kawhi and green.
Pop in the playoffs is going to work circles around kerr.
The warriors are also the ones under huge pressure from the media fans and themselves. They're going to crack.

Yeah- that's what I'm hoping anyway.
Pop is actually pretty good during a series and maybe can take advantage of Kerr in that respect and Kawhi and Green can definitely be a disruption to their offense.

I honestly believe this series, if it were to happen- will literally come down to who makes the most mistakes down the stretch.

I am very much looking forward to what may be the final playoffs that Duncan, Ginobili and Parker play together in.
Our pissing on each other not withstanding, Dabom...

[BillMc]

I think Houston would be a good first round matchup. Can't see McHale out coaching Pop for a whole series.

[Plum Island]

Here's to the Spurs pulling a '95 Rockets.

Never
Underestimate
The Heart
Of a Champion

[Plum Island]

I think Houston would be a good first round matchup. Can't see McHale out coaching Pop for a whole series.

That series will really depend on what refs are on the rag from game to game.
Harden is the ultimate draw-contact-on-purpose player right now and it's on the refs to call the game not only right, but more importantly:
Consistently.

If the refs are tough for 3/4's of a game and then go soft towards the end- that looks like a Spurs lead dwindling to me.
That series, to me will be about as frustrating as watching a Spurs/Clippers series with all their dirty tactics and shameless ing.

[Poolboy5623]

Only east team (finals matchup), that would have the hca edge, is Atl?

[FireMicoHalili]

you deserve your own meltdown thread srs.

no it's true you really are horrible

[dabom]

no it's true you really are horrible

Lot of butthurt people on here. Just give me the MVP already.

[Keepin' it real]

I'm fine with whoever the Spurs play in round 1. My only hope is that the Spurs don't play OKC in the playoffs. It's not that I fear them, it's just that I hate them so much. It's bad for my health to watch games against OKC.

The funny thing is a lot of people want OKC to stay at 8th so they can play GS in round 1. I'd rather they finish 7th so they can match up against Memphis. I think Memphis can and would beat OKC.

[heyheymymy]

Lot of butthurt people on here.

Maybe you just ing suck? Sorry, just been noticing lately. Lotta divisive from you and a load of rofl emoticons.

I'm not dropping advanced stats in every post myself or anything but you need a hiatus badly.

[dabom]

Maybe you just ing suck? Sorry, just been noticing lately. Lotta divisive from you and a load of rofl emoticons.

I'm not dropping advanced stats in every post myself or anything but you need a hiatus badly.

you got. How about you disappear. Couldn't careless about peons tbh.

[heyheymymy]

you got. How about you disappear. Couldn't careless about peons tbh.

pffft, that's it? where is the rofl emoticon?

[dabom]

pffft, that's it? where is the rofl emoticon?

You don't deserve one got.

[dabom]

I see heyhey wants to get slayed too.

[heyheymymy]

[dabom]

lol kids will be kids I guess. Thinking you can step up to your old man and then get whupped like a and get kicked out the house.
I see you're in that rebellious stage right now.

[Seventyniner]

You don't think the defending champs will make it out of the first round?

Not if they play as poorly as they have in slipping to #7. The remaining schedule is pretty light so the Spurs would actually have to regress to not finish with a top 5 seed.

Though I'll have to backtrack a bit. Harlem points out that matchups are often more important than seeding and I can agree with that. If the Spurs finish #6 and catch Portland or the Clippers in the first round, the Spurs could still advance even given the uneven play this season.

[daslicer]

That series will really depend on what refs are on the rag from game to game.
Harden is the ultimate draw-contact-on-purpose player right now and it's on the refs to call the game not only right, but more importantly:
Consistently.

If the refs are tough for 3/4's of a game and then go soft towards the end- that looks like a Spurs lead dwindling to me.
That series, to me will be about as frustrating as watching a Spurs/Clippers series with all their dirty tactics and shameless ing.

I agree with what you are saying about Harden and its the reason why I prefer for the Spurs not to play the Rockets in the first round. Historically the Spurs have always have had difficulty against star players that get touch fouls. Playing against the Rockets due to the way Harden gets special treatment will be a series that can go 50/50 which is a pretty risky proposition. On top that I hate watching the Rockets considering their games last 3 hours due to all the bs fouls Harden racks up in the course of the game.

[Plum Island]

I agree with what you are saying about Harden and its the reason why I prefer for the Spurs not to play the Rockets in the first round. Historically the Spurs have always have had difficulty against star players that get touch fouls. Playing against the Rockets due to the way Harden gets special treatment will be a series that can go 50/50 which is a pretty risky proposition. On top that I hate watching the Rockets considering their games last 3 hours due to all the bs fouls Harden racks up in the course of the game.

Torture porn.
Hate watching them.