Sean Elliott Does His Part

[romsho]

Best bench, I guess.

Deep bench, no.

Even the Cavs have a much deeper bench than San Antonio. The Cavs bench has quality 4 1/2 deep. The Spurs bench has quality 1 1/2 deep.

Varejao, Gibson, Marshall and Snow-w/ an occasional Damon Jones sighting-that's their rotation. I think I will take the Ginobili, Horry, Barry, Vaughn combo with a small dose of Elson and Bonner if neccesary.

[Marcus Bryant]

It's all the drama of the finals. The Cavs are a good team and have size, but it's not quality size. If we were playing Shaq of 2000 then I'd be worried. Z's bionic feet are so bad the guy's a light post. He can't move for .

I tend to go with Pippens analysis of the so called "coaches" knowing the system. At this level, every head coach knows every team's system. D'Antoni, Karl, and Sloan know the Spurs inside and out. They know what plays the Spurs run, everything about the personnel, and what the Spurs are going to bring out, and yet that didn't help them one bit because you still have to have the players to beat it.

I like the drama in the series and all, but you can't sell me on the Cavs being some great monster on defense or especially offense that can even rival the Suns, Nuggets, or Jazz much less the Spurs. This one's simple: if the Spurs show up and play the way they have all PO, the way they have since the All Star break, and the Cavs play the way they have all PO the Spurs win in 4, 5 tops. Only the Spurs can beat the Spurs in this series because the Cavs don't have the horses to do it alone.

[FromWayDowntown]

I think Sean makes a whole bunch of valid points in his column, particularly about Spurs fans' assumptions about this opponent. They are three regular season games, but the last three times the Spurs have seen the Cavs, Lebron James has been absolutely unstoppable.

As good as he was in November at the AT&T Center, he was even better in the game in Cleveland in 2005-06. That night he put up 44 points on 33 shots, while dishing out 5 dimes and collecting 4 steals, as the Cavs won going away.

The differences in that game were the very things that the Spurs must protect against in this series: Lebron James and the Cavs' offensive rebounding. That night, both Gooden and Ilgauskas each had more offensive rebounds than the total rebounds pulled down by any Spur not named Duncan or Ginobili (Gooden and Ilgauskas each had as many offensive boards as the entire Spurs team). The Spurs shot 51% from the floor, 54% from three, and got to the line almost twice as often as the Cavs and still lost by 14.

To be sure, that was a regular season game and one against a Spurs team that gave 38 minutes to the Rasho Nesterovic/Nazr Mohammed combination at center (and a Cleveland team that gave 26 minutes to Stephen Graham). But it still, I think, points to the very issues that could be decisive in this series. If the Spurs aren't attentive to their defensive glass -- if they're outhustled for those rebounds or don't box out -- they're going to have to play exceedingly well to win; they're going to have to shoot the ball like they did in Games 1, 2, and 5 against Utah, I'd think.

Lebron's game should go up a level at this point. I think that's a safe assumption. Dude seems to live for moments like this and I don't anticipate that he will disappoint his fawning admirers. He might not get 44 on 33 shots (and only 8 FTA) throughout the series, but the fact that he CAN do that against the Spurs should be frightening to Spurs fans. I know it ensures that I'll maintain a level of appropriate fear throughout this series.

It's there for the Spurs to win, but it's certainly not going to be given to them. I think this series will be a really tough one, even if it ends in 5 or 6 games.

1.

[Marcus Bryant]

That game was the 2nd of a back to back after the Spurs took a close one at Conseco with the Cavs scoring 30 in the 4th on a tired Spurs team with a different rotation.

[Marcus Bryant]

In addition, 2 of the last 3 regular season games the Spurs have had against the Cavs were the 2nd game of back to backs. Both times the Spurs played in a game down to the wire the night before. In the other Beno was the backup point and Matt Bonner saw 20+ minutes.

[FromWayDowntown]

That game was the 2nd of a back to back after the Spurs took a close one at Conseco with the Cavs scoring 30 in the 4th on a tired Spurs team with a different rotation.

I understand that the cir stances were different -- I understand that it was just a regular season game, too. And I'm not going to put all of my analytical focus on a single game that happened 16 months ago.

My point, though, is to demonstrate the sort of perfect storm that can undermine the bravado blustering from so many Spurs fans right now. If the Cavs rebound like that and if Lebron is that kind of spectacular again, the Spurs could face some serious adversity in this series.

1.

[Marcus Bryant]

The beauty of a 7 game series is that all that can be cast aside. When the Spurs have time to focus on a single opponent instead of being ambushed a couple times in the regular season they usually prevail in the postseason. The only time they didn't in the last 3 playoffs they faced a team with a far superior offense to their current Finals opponent who also forced them to make a major change to their rotation.

[FromWayDowntown]

The beauty of a 7 game series is that all that can be cast aside. When the Spurs have time to focus on a single opponent instead of being ambushed a couple times in the regular season they usually prevail in the postseason. The only time they didn't in the last 3 playoffs they faced a team with a far superior offense to their current Finals opponent who also forced them to make a major change to their rotation.

Yes, I agree with all of that. I'm just also agreeing with Elliott that there are reasons to think that this series won't be easy and that the Cavs are a worthy opponent who might prove themselves to be rather formidable before the Finals are over.

[Marcus Bryant]

The Spurs were 2-2 against the Jazz in the regular season and took them out in 5 when it was winning time. That was also a great rebounding team with a solid defense and a much better offense than the one the Spurs will be facing in the Finals.

Sure, anything can happen. But the probability is rather low.

[steppy]

I don't quite get what fans being y has to do with anything. The Spurs are ultimately responsible for their own fate. Last time I checked, Pop didn't invite me to suit up tonight.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

I think the Spurs should win, but I agree that the games will likely be very close.

I wouldn't put the Cavs in the same class as the '06 Mavs. The Mavs not only knew our plays but also have a team hand-picked to beat us.

The Cavs don't have quite the same manpower as the Mavs, but perhaps better overall coaching and front office. It should be fun.

Spurs in 6.

[2centsworth]

We will find out the outcome of the Series tonight. If the Spurs blowout the Cavs it's over IMO. If it's close or Cavs win then it gets much tougher.

Spurs need to crush any glimmer of hope the cavs have. OF course it's going go have to wait until the second half, because the Spurs haven't played in nearly a month and should be rusty.

[Jimcs50]

Manu, Speedy Claxson, Malik Rose, Steve Kerr, Kevin Willis, and Danny Ferry in 2003.

Best bench by far.

Had Speedy and Kerr not stepped up, the Spurs would not have won the le, of that I am sure

[Obstructed_View]

I understand that the cir stances were different -- I understand that it was just a regular season game, too. And I'm not going to put all of my analytical focus on a single game that happened 16 months ago.

My point, though, is to demonstrate the sort of perfect storm that can undermine the bravado blustering from so many Spurs fans right now. If the Cavs rebound like that and if Lebron is that kind of spectacular again, the Spurs could face some serious adversity in this series.

1.

If the Spurs decide that they are too damn good to go out and compete, they deserve to get beat and it certainly isn't the fault of the posters on this board. There is no basketball related reason that the Cavs should sniff a single game in this series. None. This is the Spurs' series to lose. There's pressure that goes along with that. If the Spurs don't deal with it properly, then congrats to the Cavs for being the better team.

[Obstructed_View]

Best bench by far.

Had Speedy and Kerr not stepped up, the Spurs would not have won the le, of that I am sure

Kerr was good for more than just the playoffs, too. He had to step in as the backup point guard when Speedy was hurt during the season. He was great in that role, and knew when to push the tempo and when to slow it down. That helped him in the playoffs.