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Cliff jumper
Hard to argue with him, tbh:
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/1...w-nba-playoffs
Cliff jumper
While reading it I kinda got the feel he was leaning Spurs, then I got to the end and he picked the Rockets. Not sure what changed his mind between writing that and making his final prediction.
Posted it in the prediction thread..
Spurs are stale and Rockets are the NEW toy. It seems like in the media everybody's mind says Spurs but heart says Rockets..
Lowe did predict Spurs wouldn't win 50 games before the season...so he's been a bit off when it comes to the Spurs this year lol
I think he was waffling between Spurs in 7 and Rockets in 6, the two most likely outcomes imo. He just happened to go the other way.
The part of the column "Can Aldridge get buckets?" says it all. This series should be about SA eventually winning with a "star power" edge..
If your second best player-- a former All Star who, a year ago, was a threat to blowup for 30+ points-- becomes the sort of guy you wouldn't be shocked wit his multiple 12pts/5 rebs statline in 40 minutes during series, then the Spurs essentially have no major advantages that traditionally tilt playoff series unless Leonard completely outshines Harden..
When it comes to the "depth/system" combo, Houston's > Spurs'.. IMO.. ..
Sure, the Memphis series probably helped to shake them out of the late season slumber, but I think it was more reflection of Spurs' vulnerabilities..If you told me Parker was going to have that type of series he's just had, I would have predicted a Spurs sweep..But it nearly went 7, and that's where we are with this team..
Last edited by spursistan; 05-01-2017 at 02:20 PM.
More like since leaving Grantland he needs to click-bait-create-controversy tbh. He can't be that moron.
Last edited by TheDoctor; 05-01-2017 at 03:21 PM.
This is the most skeptical I have been of a Spurs team since 2009-2011 period and only the second time I'm picking against them in a series outside the 2013 Finals in last 6 years (2012-2016)..Hope they prove me wrong..
Rockets looked flawed against OKC tbh..but it gets ignored because this is a Spurs forum...
Lowe has been betting on the Spurs falling off for years now. He was more aggressive this time around, thinking essentially that the Spurs would stealth-tank while the Big Three of GS, CLE and LAC took over. I am pretty disappointed in how dogged his been in the Spurs' demise. The Rockets aren't close on paper.
Not to mention the Spurs play better D.
Lowe... we will enjoy making your prediction look ridiculous
You have a point in that the Spurs became top heavy the past couple of seasons, ditching depth for star power. They also committed to playing big the entire season... and strengthened their frontcourt while standing pat in the backcourt.
So bottom line, if their frontcourt doesn't dominate... seriously... one has to then consider roster construction for the summer...
Reminds me of all the Memphis in 6 picks from 2013
Not impossible. Rockets are a volatile bunch, and the Spurs offense wasn't great against Memphis at times.
I'd venture to guess its 75% chance Spurs advance, 25% Rockets. Could go either way really.
It's a toss-up series, tbh, especially considering the high variance of Houston's game..Zach Lowe is a good analyst, but his predictions have been mostly horrible since 2013
I Have the spurs in 5, but anyone who values offensive explosion more than anything else would tend to lean towards the rockets here.
Lowe has been a bit bearish on the Spurs this year for valid reasons I think. No one expected Kawhi to ball out like he did and given Tony's performance last year it looked clear that he'd end up being a net negative overall, LMA was a bit of a question mark as well. Defense was a concern considering the new personnel and Timmy D's departure.
The fact that Kawhi was the only guy that showed up first round aside from the last 2 games has created some heavy recency bias among alot of NBA Analysts and writers, however no one is really talking about how good of a 7 Seed Memphis is and how their matchup with us was problematic. If Conley and Gasol weren't injured for extended periods of time like they were in the regular season, I believe they would've been a slot or two higher.
I got the Spurs winning in 5 or 6. We went 3-1 with them in the Regular season, winning and losing on basically 1 possession. I think that carries over, like Lowe said, we are the best at running guys off the 3 line and a top five in keeping the 3FG% low. The Pick and Roll will hurt us no doubt, but the Rox shot 28% from 3 in the OKC series. They have a high variance because they can get hot and that 28% could go to 40% any given night, but the lack of consistency will be their downfall. At least when we playing like we remain consistent defensively and if worst comes to worst, let Kawhi cook, the dude is playing unreal right now.
Spurs-doubtery in the postseason is becoming a sort of a cottage industry lately, and I can't blame its prac ioners, tbh...The last two playoffs flamouts weren't a good look.
Kawhi aside, there are just no "givens" for this team on nightly basis: Our starting PG could go from 16 pts/5 assists to 0 pts/1Ast performance and we wouldn't be shocked; our shooters seems to either be 5-7 or 1-9 type of guys, a bunch of regular season gimmick players (Simmons, Anderson, Pau and Manu rtc. etc..) becoming totally unplayable either because of game-planning or general uptick in intensity/physical play in the postseason (Pop, Aldridge and on, on etc..)
Lowe doesn't have any bias towards the Spurs, nor do I think he's necessarily doubting them, he just has a poor track record of predicting anything Spurs-related..he picked the Spurs to beat OKC in last year's playoffs IIRC..he also predicted that the Spurs would take step back in the standings both this year and last year..
And ya, I've been saying that all year, the Spurs don't deserve the benefit of the doubt from anybody..they haven't won a relevant series since 2014..
Or the backdoor sweep predictions from this year.
Spurs in 7, maaaybe 6. But I think it's going to be a long, tough, drawn-out series. Could just as easily lose. Houston's offense is no joke. So much depends on Tony.
I agree Rox in 6. Whatever flaws the Rockets might have will get covered by officiating.
This board will be a collective puke yard once you see the kind of calls Harden will get.
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