http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2015/0...iors-out-west/
> The defending champs are red-hot and can lock up the No. 2 seed in the West with a victory tonight at New Orleans. So who’s a better bet to win the West: the Spurs or the Warriors?
Steve Aschburner, NBA.com: I vowed not to count out San Antonio a couple of years ago (or was it back in 2007?). The Spurs know what they’re facing at this time of year, they’ve been there/done this and coach Gregg Popovich has his team rested, prepared and peaking. Two months is a long time to maintain a peak but — aside from the level of compe ion now — the schedule becomes more geezer-friendly. Golden State has been great fun and I’d welcome watching them for four rounds, but if I have to “bet,” give me the Spurs.
Fran Blinebury, NBA.com: It’s certainly hard to pick against the team that’s been the best in the league since opening night. But the one thing the Spurs have never done during that long run is win back-to-back. Now that they are healthy, in rhythm and playing at the top of their game, I’m sticking with the defending champs in what should be a very tasty Western Conference finals.
Scott Howard-Cooper, NBA.com: The Warriors. Spurs fans shouldn’t whine the choice into “We’re being overlooked again.” San Antonio was my pick at the start of the season to win the West (and lose to Chicago in The Finals.) No one should be surprised that San Antonio is peaking for the playoffs. I just think Golden State has proven it is the best team in the conference. The Dubs win win offense, win with defense, have chemistry and a great home court.
Shaun Powell, NBA.com: Right now, I like everything about the defending-champion Spurs. They’re surging at the right time, they’re healthy, their role players are dripping confidence and Kawhi Leonard is reborn. Did I leave anything out? Oh, yeah: Tim Duncan and Pop, both championship-tested and approved, are anxious to go back-to-back. The Warriors must navigate through places they’ve never been in the post-season, and I need to see them make it through San Antonio without sprouting a nervous tic.
John Schuhmann, NBA.com: Golden State. What the Spurs did in last year’s Finals was an incredible display, and they’re heading back toward that level with how they’ve played over the last month. But it’s impossible to ignore that the Warriors have been, by far, the best team in the league all season. They rank No. 1 on defense, No. 2 on offense, and have a point differential (plus-11.4 per 100 possessions) that’s only been topped by three teams — the ’96 Bulls, the ’97 Bulls and the ’08 Celtics – over the last 38 years. No team played the Warriors better than the Spurs in the regular season, but I like the way that Golden State matches up, especially with the ability to shorten their rotation and get Andrew Bogut on the floor more than they did in the regular season.
Sekou Smith, NBA.com: The Spurs have the championship components and experience, so they are the safest best in this scenario, even with all that the Warriors have done this season. Golden State has everything you would ever want from a championship team expect the experience that usually comes with repeated forays deep into the postseason before a breakthrough. They are not a Big 3-era team in that they were created basically overnight. Teams that are grown the way the Warriors have been usually require at least a stumble in the conference finals or The Finals before they learn how to get over the mental and emotional hurdle that leads to a le. There are no other teams, as of this moment, that inspire championship visions for me.
Ian Thomsen, NBA.com: Everyone in the West should view the Spurs as favorites. Golden State has been superior overall this regular season, but the Spurs have been hotter down the stretch and are one missed free throw away from pursuing a third straight championship. The best hope for the Warriors is to view themselves as underdogs in a potential conference final against San Antonio – instead of protecting the No. 1 seed, they should attack as if they have nothing to lose. Because the champs have everything that the Warriors want.
Lang Whitaker, NBA.com’s All Ball blog: I would love to pick the Warriors, because I feel like everyone has sort of overlooked the Warriors and Hawks because of the way they’ve been able to cost for the last month or so. For instance, now Cleveland seems to be the consensus choice to win the Eastern Conference, even though the Hawks have handled the Cavs pretty well this season. In the West, the zombie Spurs have emerged from the grave and appear to be marching forth, unabated. Normally, I’d side with the Warriors here, with the logic being that they’ve earned the respect over the last 80-odd games. But then, these are the Spurs, the team that reached basketball nirvana in The Finals last year. And just like in the movies, until the zombie is completely snuffed out, I’m not turning my back on them.
yeah spurs are favourites right now.
Still think GS is favored over SA...especially since they have HCA. I'm fairly confident we can beat them in the series, but they should be the favorites.
No way. I'll stop posting if the Warriors beat SA in the playoffs.
Yeah, Warriors have been great no doubt, but they've yet to prove they can get through the Spurs.
Ppl fail to see they have serious mismatch problems vs spurs.
If all cylinders on Spurs are clicking the mismatch could resemble Warriors vs Mavs in 2007 imo
Coincidentally that 2007 Mavs team had 67 wins
The Spurs won the WCF when they were the favorite in the conference and when they not.
We're going to have a tough series, the Warriors are a better team than last years, but the Spurs can contain their offensive power...Spurs in 6.
I think Spurs-Warriors is the most likely WCF matchup at this point, and that will be the real championship series, too. Either the Spurs or the Warriors would smash the East champ in the Finals.
Win/win situation.
Win/win situation.
I'd be more worried with a team like OKC if they had all they're players healthy for the PO's. I just think the Spurs have a harder time matching up with a team like that than a team that features a stephanie curry and klay thomspon.
Headshot.Win/win situation.
Scott Howard-Cooper, NBA.com: The Warriors. Spurs fans shouldn’t whine the choice into “We’re being overlooked again.” San Antonio was my pick at the start of the season to win the West (and lose to Chicago in The Finals.)
People that compare the Warriors to the 2007 Mavs are ing stupid, tbh
Anyways, the Warriors should be favored, history is on their side, and more importantly, they will have an extremely easy bracket, while the Spurs will have a tough series vs. the Clippers in the 2nd round, or even worse, could be the 6 seed..
Spurs also have the huge question mark of Splitter's injury, of course..
A lot of Spurs fans seem to be burying their heads in the sand and in denial about the Warriors' achievements. What the Warriors have accomplished is nothing short of remarkable.
- They have a +/- margin of over 10 points (which many Spurs fans love to point out in the past seasons and indications of Spurs still being a great team), someone already pointed out 6 out of the 7 teams who have achieved this went on to win the NBA finals
- Won 66 or 67 games, 14 out of 17 teams who have won 65 or more games went on to win the NBA finals
- Have a 10 game lead over the next closest WC rival in the most compe ive WC in recent memory
- Rank in the top 3 in offensive and defensive efficiency
- Have 2 players that can start dropping 40 points in 30 minutes, one of whom will be crowned MVP, and have another player who will be DPOY
- Are 38-2 at home
To pretend the Warriors (have HCA throughout the playoffs) won't be the favorites against any team, including the Spurs, is ridiculous.
Agree. Doesn't seem all that insane to pick the team that has been consistently healthy and consistently great on both sides of the ball all year long. The only real downside for the Warriors is that they might have been coasting for a while. They'll certainly have everything clicking by the conference finals.People that compare the Warriors to the 2007 Mavs are ing stupid, tbh
Anyways, the Warriors should be favored, history is on their side, and more importantly, they will have an extremely easy bracket, while the Spurs will have a tough series vs. the Clippers in the 2nd round, or even worse, could be the 6 seed..
Spurs also have the huge question mark of Splitter's injury, of course..
The 2007 Mavs really had one weakness, and that was the Warriors. If they'd had any other first-round matchup, they'd have probably won the le.
GSW should be the favorites, they put together an historical RS in a tough west... and will have easy path to WCF
BUT...
my head says GSW my guts say Spurs in 6
On paper, the starting matchups favor the Warriors, but It depends on how we are playing Spurs ball--and the health of our players---if we get to the WCF. Then, if we go there and steal a game on their home court, the inexperience of the Warriors under pressure should begin to show.
If you put a hand in Curry's face every time he is ultimately just a guy shooting contested 3's. But they have a lot of talent all over and a good home court.
People that compare the Warriors to the 2007 Mavs are ing stupid, tbh
Anyways, the Warriors should be favored, history is on their side, and more importantly, they will have an extremely easy bracket, while the Spurs will have a tough series vs. the Clippers in the 2nd round, or even worse, could be the 6 seed..
Spurs also have the huge question mark of Splitter's injury, of course..
No way the Spurs should be considered favorites over Golden State without homecourt and with what Splitter will be able to give being an enormous question mark. I'd be shocked to see the Spurs win a le starting Aron Baynes.
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