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No Supergirl, Kobe is a very OVERRATED defender. Why? He almost never puts in the effort these days. He doesn't have the energy while doing his offensive thing. Without Shaq carrying the load for 3 quarters, he's got to conserve energy.
Nuggets don't play much D they are not going to be that tough for the Spurs to handle. Won't be a cakewalk but i go with Spurs in a compe ive 5 game series.
No Supergirl, Kobe is a very OVERRATED defender. Why? He almost never puts in the effort these days. He doesn't have the energy while doing his offensive thing. Without Shaq carrying the load for 3 quarters, he's got to conserve energy.
the Spurs win the usual 4-1 or 4-2 to the inferior team.
i agree
I like the Spur sin 5, maybe six. We cant run with these guys, but we stopped the suns, and certainly we can stop another running team. unless their's a difference in the two offenses.
From Sports Illustrated...
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...urs/index.html
We got the surging Kings last year and looks like we get the surging McNuggets this year.
afraid of the nuggets?
I'm thinking what team the Lakers or Denver would rather have-the Spurs or the Suns?
from the point of view of CNNSI.com's McCallum:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...urs/index.html
WHICH POWER IS MORE VULNERABLE IN THE FIRST ROUND?
The Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers, holding sixth and seventh place, respectively, in the Western Conference, are looking not only at each other but also behind them (at the L.A. Clippers and Golden State Warriors) and especially above them (at the Phoenix Suns and San Antonio Spurs, their probable playoff rivals). The Nuggets kept the edge on Monday night with a win over the Lakers in Denver. That only added more intensity to the purple-and-gold's intracity battle against the Clippers on Thursday night at the Staples Center.
Whatever the final order, it's a fairly safe bet that both the Nuggets and Lakers will make the playoffs, while Golden State and the Clips are still battling for the eighth and final spot. Whichever team ends up eighth will play Dallas in the first round -- in a world gone mad, thank heaven for the Mavs.
Today's question is: Which powerhouse -- Phoenix or San Antonio -- would the Nuggets and Lakers prefer to meet in the first round? The Suns will probably -- emphasis on probably since their edge on second-place San Antonio is only two games -- finish second and the Spurs third, but that doesn't necessarily mean San Antonio would look like the more appetizing entree.
Let's start with the Nuggets, who are Phoenix Lite. They want to push the ball and feel they're most effective when they score about 110 points. Tellingly, in two losses to the Spurs this season, they've scored 83 and 80 points. Denver twice scored 108 points in losses to the Suns and put up a whopping 131 in beating Phoenix recently.
Kobe Bryant's scoring explosions notwithstanding, the Lakers actually play at a Spurs-like controlled tempo, and twice beat San Antonio, 106-99 and 100-96. (They also lost by a 96-94 margin.) On the other hand, the Lakers are 1-2 against Phoenix this season, including a home loss last Sunday in which they gave up 115 points.
So, one might conclude that the Nugs would want the Suns, and the Lakers would want the Spurs.
Probably not the case. I'm almost certain that Denver would rather play the Suns, try to gun them down in a running game rather than gnash their teeth in a grind-it-out war of attrition against San Antonio. In particular, the thought of Carmelo Anthony trying to extricate himself from the web of the Spurs' ace defender, Bruce Bowen, is particularly unpleasant.()
As for the Lakers, well, they took the Suns to seven games in a memorable first-rounder last season, and my guess is that Bryant will want another shot at them this year. He now has motivation since his Suns' tormentor, Raja Bell, had a big game in Phoenix's win on Sunday.
"Both Phoenix and San Antonio are vastly superior to either of these two teams," said one opposing coach(?) who knows both teams well. "But the prevailing logic is that the Spurs are tougher in a series. They do more things defensively and they can find a way to shut you down. Phoenix can just come out and blow you away early, but, with [Tim] Duncan, [Tony] Parker and [Manu] Ginobili, it's not like the Spurs can't score."
I agree: At this point, the SUNS, by the slightest of margins, look like the more positive prospect. But I don't see a first-round upset in any case.
Im shocked at how many people think the Spurs will just walk over the Nuggets.
Damn't they are damn good up front along with a to guard Anthony and AI.
IMO its going 7.
Spurs will be damn lucky to make it out.
we can never under rate the Nuggets(Anthony/AI->NBA's top scorers +Camby a top DPOY candidate), but bec PhilJackson>Karl + Kobe/Odom, I'll take them over the Lakers.
and it's nice to see the Suns face the Lakers.
uhhh if that's the case then there is no way in we are getting past rd 2 if we're gonna struggle that badly with the nuggets
they always choke in the playoffs, and when the going gets tough, the nuggets crumble
The Suns are alot easier matchup than the Nuggets.
The Suns have squat for rebounding and toughness up front.
The Nuggets have tought good defenders and rebounders in Nene, Camby, Evans, Kleiza.
Im sorry I just think this will be a matchup that will be tougher than the second round but second toughest to the western finals.
Scared??
Scared = honest?
Whatever.
concur healthy fear and respect of opponent is fine.
Healthy Spurs should beat healthy Nuggetts.
Thats probabl the worst part about this series for the Spurs. The Nuggets were very physical with Manu in 05 playoffs and pounded on him.
It's a more physical matchup than the Lakers would be and thus the winner will be a bit more worn down for the next round(s).
Oops my years are running together.
We still beat the Surging nuggets in 05. I still say Spurs in 5-6
personally, im not worried at all about denver
The Nuggets look really good on paper but they are not that good on the court!
go 7? not a chance it goes 7... 5 if karl can cry enough to get some calls against the spurs and get timmy in early foul trouble. why do you get so upset that people don't agree with you?
it's really simple:
if the spurs play good basketball just like they do since the ASG break (which means a consistant TD, a solid bench and great games from TP and Manu one after antoher), it will be a 4-1 4-2 serie for the Spurs.
if they play the way they played early on this season... it will be a 4-2 4-3 serie for the Nuggets.
yes if Spurs keep playing as good as they are playing now. And all healthy. We can win this in 4. no problems. maybe in 5 since spurs are known to lose 1 in the 1st round.
Um, I'd have to disagree. The only Nugget who plays decent defense is Camby, and his defense largely consists of blocking shots in the paint. As someone else pointed out, the high pick and roll exposes him easily.
Suns defense is pretty weak, but Raja Bell is a better defender than anyone else on the Nuggets, and Amare has the POTENTIAL to be a decent defender, with the right coach.
In regards to Kobe--has he never actually won an MVP, FInals MVP, or ASG MVP award? I was pretty sure he had. And if he hasn't, man that's a major oversight.
Its probably a sweep, but mostly 5
If we just play with this mindset we have today, we should have no problem against the Nuggets.
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