Spurs are now officially the 2 seed

[GSH]

OP, learn math.

It's not over. Warriors can lose against Utah and clippers. Man, as soon as we lose, pinche cliff jumping.

[Chinook]

I actually prefer the Spurs not to have HCA. They just need to take one game against GS in Oakland. And the early games will be the easiest as Pop rolls out his game plan. It's like Miami in 2013. Obviously would have been nice to have a Game Seven in Texas, but I thought the Spurs stealing Game One was a great way to keep Miami on their heels for pretty much the whole series.

The Spurs taking Game One in Oakland would shake the Warriors. And the response game would be at GS, so the Spurs losing that (while seeing Kerr's adjustments) wouldn't really mean anything.

[GSH]

Which brings up an interesting point. The NBA in the Silver era has started backloading key games between powerhouse teams to the very last few weeks of the schedule. I read somewhere this is by design because they can get the best ratings coverage when the NFL is done for the year, and there's no March Madness to compete with. The thinking also is you'll effectively get free "playoff" games as these teams clash late in the year to decide the seeding. The problem is more often than not, the top seeds are already decided, and you'll get meaningless games. As this year's final OKC and two final Dub games with the Spurs will be. I'd like to see marquee matchups spread more evening through the season rather than this deliberate backload.

Disclaimer: Apophenia is the human tendency to see patterns where they don't really exist. I try and watch out for it, but we all go there sometimes.

That being said, I think you're probably right about back-loading marquee matchups. But as hard as it is to put together a schedule matrix - especially with things like the Rodeo Road Trip and March Madness in the way? I think there's only so much room for manipulation at the level we're talking about.

I think they do a pretty good job of giving teams West Coast and East Coast swings, so they don't have to fly from coast to coast between games (at least not often). You notice how often two rival teams play in one arena, and within a few nights in the other team's arena. I think that's pretty cool, actually, and probably makes for better rivalries. So, yeah, I think they manipulate the schedules somewhat. I just don't think they could go too far with that, and still make everything work.

Don't worry - I'll join some other Anti-Silver tirades more enthusiastically, if you bring them up.

[spursistan]

Spurs will need to find themselves at a 3-2 lead going to a closeout game 6 in SA ..i don't think there is any other conceivable scenario i see us winning the series..In this instance, Game 1 and Game 5 are the ones to steal..

W-L-W-W-L-W
OR
W-L-W-L-W-W

No team is going 3-0 on the other..

[GSH]

The Spurs taking Game One in Oakland would shake the Warriors.

That right there is the hope I'm holding onto. If the Spurs come out and take Game 1, it turns the Dubs' whole historic season upside-down. If flips HCA. It sends a message that, "It's the playoffs now, baby."

The Warriors have been playing very loose and confident all season. Honestly, I've been surprised at several points that they didn't seem to feel some pressure like I thought they would. If the Spurs had won last night, and the Warriors lost in back to back games to close the gap to 2, I thought they might have puckered a bit. But that didn't happen. Losing Game 1 to the Spurs would put that to the test.

[will_spurs]

That being said, I think you're probably right about back-loading marquee matchups.

It's more than probably right, just check the remaining schedule of all the contenders. Potential playoffs team play almost only between themselves from now on. However (and I agree with you) I wouldn't call it manipulation as all the top teams basically have a tough schedule to end the season. It just shows that the NBA is pretty good at predicting which teams are going to be in the playoffs. Actually looking at the schedule it's quite clear than in the West they thought Denver and Phoenix would be better than they are.

Re: BillMc point, it's true the top 2 seeds in the West (and in the NBA) are decided, but there's still quite a few important games to be played, including some that actually affect us through seeding to know our 1st round and potentially 2nd round opponent. Also Utah can still get into the playoffs, same for Washington and Detroit in the East. And of course every team in the West wants to avoid the dreaded #7 and #8 seeds, etc.

[GSH]

It's more than probably right, just check the remaining schedule of all the contenders.

Dude... slow down. Take a deep breath.

There's a difference between saying that the best teams play each other at the end of the season, and saying that it is all part of a plot by Adam Silver. Some of it, without question, is just because teams gotta play each other sometime.

Did you take any time to look at the schedules of the ty teams, to see if their games appear to be backloaded? I bet it looks that way. What kind of ratings do you think Sixers vs. Lakers gets?

It's tough to create a schedule for 30 teams, 2,460 games, with conference and division considerations thrown in. Cram it all into a calendar, and there are going to be places where it will look like patterns exist. My point is that, for the most part, I think they have a hard enough times just coming up with something that works. Yeah, they plan some marquee matchups, I'm sure. But too much of that would up the whole thing.

[will_spurs]

Yeah, they plan some marquee matchups, I'm sure. But too much of that would up the whole thing.

I wonder what you're calling a marquee matchup.

The Clippers play 9 games out of their remaining 12 against potential playoff teams. Spurs pretty much the same IIRC. The Warriors last 4 games are: SA, @MEM, @SA, MEM. That kind of stuff doesn't happen by accident.

[Chinook]

Dude... slow down. Take a deep breath.

There's a difference between saying that the best teams play each other at the end of the season, and saying that it is all part of a plot by Adam Silver. Some of it, without question, is just because teams gotta play each other sometime.

Did you take any time to look at the schedules of the ty teams, to see if their games appear to be backloaded? I bet it looks that way. What kind of ratings do you think Sixers vs. Lakers gets?

It's tough to create a schedule for 30 teams, 2,460 games, with conference and division considerations thrown in. Cram it all into a calendar, and there are going to be places where it will look like patterns exist. My point is that, for the most part, I think they have a hard enough times just coming up with something that works. Yeah, they plan some marquee matchups, I'm sure. But too much of that would up the whole thing.

1230 games

[GSH]

1230 games

LOL.. maybe the guy who said I should learn math is right.


Still a lot of ing games and travel.

[coachmac87]

The seeding we should all be looking at is who gets the 3rd and 4th seed between OKC-LAC

[I. Hustle]

Will the Lakers sneak into the 8th spot?

[Spurs9]

It doesn't matter unless the dubs and spurs meet in the WCF. Its not a lock for either team to get there, they still have to play the first few rounds first. OKC/Clippers are still around to upset someone.

[$pursDynasty]

I wonder what you're calling a marquee matchup.

The Clippers play 9 games out of their remaining 12 against potential playoff teams. Spurs pretty much the same IIRC. The Warriors last 4 games are: SA, @MEM, @SA, MEM. That kind of stuff doesn't happen by accident.

You know I am kind of curious, it is obvious the NBA backloaded the schedule until after it was clear of football but how did the Dubs end up with so many scrubs on their tale end, while other peoples schedules look like a murderers row? Philly, the bullets, the TWolves. I know you can't predict how things are going to turn out ahead of time but it is curious. Side note I think next year they will need to have the better games near the end of the year but not at the end because at the end, if seeds are set people will coast. So I am thinking put the best games in March, that last week of the season might be important for some but not for others.

[TD 21]

Spurs will need to find themselves at a 3-2 lead going to a closeout game 6 in SA ..i don't think there is any other conceivable scenario i see us winning the series..In this instance, Game 1 and Game 5 are the ones to steal..

W-L-W-W-L-W
OR
W-L-W-L-W-W

No team is going 3-0 on the other..

Agreed.

Game one will likely decide the series. If the Spurs can't steal it, then to hold serve at home and avoid a game 7, they'd have to win three in a row, at some point in between and that's obviously not happening.

That's the biggest problem with not having home court against an elite team. It's not having to win at least once on the road; it's the fact that you can't afford to lose a home game, which means having to win back to back games and likely win the series up in six.

[will_spurs]

how did the Dubs end up with so many scrubs on their tale end, while other peoples schedules look like a murderers row? Philly, the bullets, the TWolves.

I'm not sure what you're talking about. In the next 12 games the Warriors are playing the Clippers, Dallas, Washington, Utah, Boston, Portland, the Spurs x2 and Memphis x2.

Out of 12 games that's 8 playoff teams and 2 teams fighting to be in the playoffs. The only thing they have for them is that they're playing 9 games out of 12 at home.

[taps]

I actually prefer the Spurs not to have HCA. They just need to take one game against GS in Oakland. And the early games will be the easiest as Pop rolls out his gameplan. It's like Miami in 2013. Obviously would have been nice to have a Game Seven in Texas, but I thought the Spurs stealing Game One was a great way to keep Miami on their heels for pretty much the whole series.

Game 6 in Texas and Timmy's undefeated in The Finals.