Legler: West Playoff Forecast: Thunder In, Spurs Out

[LOL@MavsFan]

LOL @ ESPN's NBA "experts"

[Spur|n|Austin]

[easjer]

Wow. An article which talks about the big teams in the West and notes that the Spurs have gotten off to a surprisingly rocky start while the big three have all been injured and they are working to fit in the new pieces is one thing. That's fair. And actually, I'm enjoying the Thunder this year, they do have some nice pieces.

To decide on the basis of 15% of the season that the Spurs won't make the playoffs? Especially given the above?

That's not only foolhardy, it's just plain lazy.

[Galileo]

According to basketball reference, the Spurs are still an above average team, despite how poor they have played:

http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/SAS/2010.html

Points Per Game: 100.8 (12th of 30)

Opponent Points Per Game: 97.5 (14th of 30)

[12 + 14 = 26, better than average, which would be a combined total of 31]

Pythagorean W-L: 7-5 (11th of 30)

SRS: 4.71 (8th of 30)

Pace Factor: 90.2 (27th of 30) [perhaps Legler thinks a slow pace = disinterested?]

Offensive Rating: 110.9 (5th of 30)

Defensive Rating: 107.2 (18th of 30)

[5 + 18 = 23 < 31]

Picking the Spurs out of the playoffs is insane. Legler is even worse an an announcer than he was as a player.

The top 16 teams make the playoffs. The only area the Spurs are not in the top 16 is defensive rating, where they are 18 and likely to improve. But this is more than offset by being the # 5 best offensive rated team.

The Spurs are in the top 16 in both points scored and fewest points allowed per game, I'll bet not that many teams can boast that.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/stats/by...ar=season_2009

The Spurs are also #8 in point differential, way better than what you need to make the playoffs. And the slow pace brings that number down a little.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

What joke?!! Let's do it for real man!!

SPAM = unwanted email

SPAM = Spurs Play After March

I'm a comic genius.

I'm all for it, so does anyone know his email?

We have to wait until March or April so we can really shove it down his throat. It won't be hard to find his email address.

[quentin_compson]

Notably, Jason Kidd has transformed himself into a consistent 3-point shooter, something you couldn't say about him in his last year in New Jersey. That shooting has helped open up the offense and spread the floor.

Uh, Kidd has been hitting the three over 40 % since he joined Dallas two seasons ago. You could argue that it isn't very bright to reduce a Hall of Fame PG to a spot-up shooter, and you could also argue that even Nowitzki won't always be able to bail them out like he did in a lot of their games so far.

And as far as Spurs missing the playoffs goes - . We won 54 games last season without having Manu for the most part of the season. This season's team is much deeper, and it's not like the West has gotten that much tougher.

[timaios]

SPAM = unwanted email

SPAM = Spurs Play After March

I'm a comic genius.



We have to wait until March or April so we can really shove it down his throat. It won't be hard to find his email address.

I think it is : Spurs Peak After March.

[Bartleby]

Not that it really matters since the prediction itself is laughably bad, but the word Legler was looking for is "uninterested." Refs can be disinterested (event though they rarely are), but it seems logically impossible to apply that word to a team or player.

[41times]

Look i don't put much stock in Legler's opinion.

However, this is what i think is important about early season records. You can not get too far behind or you are doomed.

When it comes to playoff time, and yes i think the Spurs make the Playoffs.

However, if you are not in the top 4 seeds you have almost NO hope of making the Finals.

So while the Spurs are fine as far as it comes to still making the playoffs. If they are not in the top 4 seeds they have very little chance of winning a le.

Name the only team in the last 30 years in the WEST to come from the bottom 4 seeds to win a le.......................

[dbreiden83080]

Because playing with passion in November has done wonders for the Mavs in the past. Legler is an idiot.

[EmptyMan]

LOLOLOL Legler jumped that ship in record time.

[EmptyMan]

Hopefully SPDIAM


Spurs Play Defense Inside After March.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

I think it is : Spurs Peak After March.

Yeah probably, but I think of it as Spurs Play After March, as in really get down and play the freakin game to win (rather than screwing around), which is effectively the same thing.

[41times]

Look i don't put much stock in Legler's opinion.

However, this is what i think is important about early season records. You can not get too far behind or you are doomed.

When it comes to playoff time, and yes i think the Spurs make the Playoffs.

However, if you are not in the top 4 seeds you have almost NO hope of making the Finals.

So while the Spurs are fine as far as it comes to still making the playoffs. If they are not in the top 4 seeds they have very little chance of winning a le.

Name the only team in the last 30 years in the WEST to come from the bottom 4 seeds to win a le.......................

You cant win a le from the 5th seed (or worse) unless you are Houston with Hakeem

[aquiet20&10]

relax guys, it's all part of his elaborate plan obviously legs is just trying to light a fire under the spurs so that they can go on a tear under the radar and end up in the Finals, just like he predicted.....right? i mean he cant possibly be serious....can he??

[DesignatedT]

You cant win a le from the 5th seed (or worse) unless you are Houston with Hakeem

The Spurs are only 3 games behind the Mavs for 1st place... this really isnt that big of a deal.... AT ALL. legler is a dumbass period to write ANYONE off this early

[EP Money Man]

1. West Playoff Forecast: Thunder In, Spurs Out
By Tim Legler
ESPN.com
http://espn.go.com/nba/dailydime/_/p...3/seeding-west

Come April, here's how I see the Western Conference playoff seeds playing out 1 to 8:

. . .

ESPN analyst Tim Legler is a regular contributor to the Daily Dime.

Yeah come April I'll win the lotto.

APRIL? So how does it make sense to pick now?

Just call it November champs, that makes more sense.

ESPN analyst Tim Legler is a regular , laker ass licker.

[Sean Cagney]

Look i don't put much stock in Legler's opinion.

However, this is what i think is important about early season records. You can not get too far behind or you are doomed.

When it comes to playoff time, and yes i think the Spurs make the Playoffs.

However, if you are not in the top 4 seeds you have almost NO hope of making the Finals.

So while the Spurs are fine as far as it comes to still making the playoffs. If they are not in the top 4 seeds they have very little chance of winning a le.

Name the only team in the last 30 years in the WEST to come from the bottom 4 seeds to win a le.......................

Rockets 95? Don't know their seeding but they were hurt up all year long and clicked last, they won what 47 games or so then and went on to win the le? Most on the ROAD...... It can happen.

[Budkin]

Really Legler? Really??