For whatever it's worth, there are a couple of developing perceptions of note working from a both the local (Dallas, Texas) and national media perspective.
1) Most of the pundits seem to be "riding" the nutsacks of the Denver "rich & creamy" Nuggets. They go on & on as to how "no one wants to see them" in the playoffs. This includes Suns, Mavs and especially the Spurs.
2) The perception is Duncan's ankle needs about 2 months to heal. As a result, the Spurs will be toast in the 1st round - especially if they play Denver.
IMO, the Nuggets are playing very well and they gave us a handful during the regular season. However, I know the Spurs will turn it up a notch, tighten the screws defensively and provided Duncan is at least 80%, we'll be in a position to win any series.
Frankly, I could care less what the national media thinks. Though Duncan's effectiveness and (re)developing team chemistry are critical to them getting back into a playoff groove.
What are your thoughts?
I think Karl's Nuggets only beat us by 3 points without Duncan and Manu in our first loss...and without Duncan in our second in Denver.
I think we whipped their ass in the first two games.
I think the Big Dogg's got a message he wants to personally deliver to George Karl.
I think Denver better be trying like to grab that 6 seed because that's the only way they can be sure to avoid a first round slapping by the Spurs.
Nice post agree 100%.
Why would any team want to play a team not cringe at facing the Spurs?
They will win 60 or more games and survived with a returning superstar and that the one that due to his style of play can play below the rim very, very effectively.
National media idiots strike again.
Interesting takes. While I believe we would beat the Nuggets, I also believe that we will not need to, as we will avoid them in the Playoffs by being the Number 1 seed and/or by the Nuggets creeping up to the 6th spot.
(unless the Nuggets beat the Suns and we face them in the Finals).
Dare I say Spurs should be able to beat any first round opponent, even with an 80% TD?
I love when we fly low... The media is re ed.. The Spurs pop up(pardon the pun) and everyone is standing around with their dazed look going uhhh didn't see this coming. The team is playing very well and are just getting things fine tuned for round 1
GO SPURS GO
Denver is a bother. They finally got a good coach and are currently in that honeymoon phase, the one that comes before players start souring on George Karl. They have a lot of talent and a balanced roster. Boykins is a gnat, Wesley Person and DerMarr Johnson are actually contributing, Martin and Nene provide toughness, Anthony is playing up to his ability. Most troubling of all, Marcus "Mr. Glass" Camby is patrolling the lane well and blocking shots, which could cause lots of problems for our slashing guards and dinky non-Duncan post players. This was a Denver team that gave Minnesota tons of problems last year in the first round.
That said, Denver is not the same team as San Antonio. A healthy, loaded-for-bear Spurs teams would rock them pretty hard, especially given the ability to prepare to focus only on them.
I think a Spurs team without Duncan could beat Denver. Not that they would, but it would be a good series.
It comes down to how good Duncan can be. The national sports punditry is sleeping on the Spurs once again. They love to do this. They're all banking on a sprained angkle.
i Believe!
Here's more evidence to the point:
http://www.nbabasketballnews.com/Art...urschances.htm
To me it seems like Denver is becoming over-confident in their recent success. Some find it funny that Karl can go out and wear a throwback during a game, which is fine with me, but once you start holding little kids on the bench during the game you have to believe that somebody is getting a little bit y with their new found s om. These type of tactics and such wear thin when things aren't going right and the players will soon see how Karl is once they begin to recieve some adversity.
In a seven game series you will face one team on a regular basis allowing them to figure out your plays and know pretty much what your going to do night in and night out. With that said Denver and their new coach will realize that it will take more than talent and running up and down the court to beat a cohesive unit during this time of year. To be honest its easy to beat teams during the regular season because the time it takes to study another team really isn't there. But in the playoffs its a whole new ball game.
Denver is scary good.
Denver is the flavor of the month. Seattle, Phoenix, and Miami were all former flavors.
Denver is not playoff proven. Regular season and playoffs are very different animals. Actually, the Spurs, Mavs, and Kings are the only playoff proven teams in this year's tournament. That's why I think the Pistons will come out of the East over Miami.
Please don't use Mr. Combs article as proof of anything other than his lack of basketball intelligence.
http://spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13460
Last edited by MadDog73; 04-12-2005 at 02:51 PM.
Point taken. He strikes me as a "blithering idiot"
George Karl wore a throwback?
I remember last year when people were saying memphis is a team no one would want to meet in the playoffs. hmmmm...now the nuggets and the suns. the suns are nothing for me to worry about. they are a young, foolish, inexperienced team. they still are gonna run in the playoffs, dont think their style is gonna change, but when they have to play a series where teams study you, they wont prosper, especially since they play no defense and since they run the same pick and roll play with amare and nash EVERYTIME down the court
Denver has no business playing with the Spurs in a playoff series.
Once the bright lights of the playoffs and the Spurs' suffocating defense hits them, they won't last long.
4-1, Spurs, at best.
Our Spurs are ALWAYS flying low in the big media capitals of our country. Take it from me, who reads Wilbon, Kornheiser, et. al. every day in the Post and tunes in to their other local talk shows. The other day, on PTI, Kornheiser told Wilbon that there is no way the NBA will allow what is happening in the NBA this year, happen again.
What is it you say? That the two biggest markets in our country (NY & LA) are not going to the playoffs. I wonder how they are going to fix that. One way would be to get Phil back coaching one of those teams.
I love this idea that somehow PJ will come and save the Lakers.
Tell me - how can the same Jackson who failed to win a Championship with Shaq, Kobe and Payton win with Kobe?!?
He wore it to build a relationship with his players. He was supposed to get fined for it cause it wasn't proper NBA coaching attire, but i never heard anything else about it.
I find it hard to believe anyone took him seriously enough to fine him!
He wore it to build a relationship with his players. He was supposed to get fined for it cause it wasn't proper NBA coaching attire, but i never heard anything else about it.
Seriously, how do you expect to argue with the refs while wearing that?
The problem with flying below radar is that you could easily crash into the side of a hill.
And TLong is an expert on that after watching his Blazers crash and burn...
"I love this idea that somehow PJ"
PJ? Carlisemo? coaching the Lakers? Pop would absolutely LOVE that!!
Don't all you guys have posts to right about what is going to make you guys better next year, besides adopting scouting strategies from the spurs?
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