The Memphis Grizzlies hold a two game lead and the tie breaker over Minnesota for the last playoff spot.
For Minnesota to make the playoffs they have to win their last 3 and the Grizz have to lose their last 3...
And there is a very good chance of both of those things happening...
The Grizz finish with a home & home against us and a home game against the Mavs.
The TWolves finish with a home game against Seattle, a road game at NO, and a home game against us.
If the Spurs want to end Minny's season the solution is simple...
First of all, we no longer have to try and win all of our games to get the 2 seed throughout the playoffs...all we have to do is win one of our last 3 games to lock up the second best record in the NBA and gurantee ourselves HCA against anyone but Phoenix.
So to put Garnett out of the playoffs...all we have to do is tank 1 of the last 2 games VS the Grizz and Minny is done.
If we want to try and put the Grizz out of the playoffs we have to try and win both of the next two games against them and then tank the last game against Minnesota...
We have huge amount of influence in who the Suns play in the first round...albeit Minny still has to beat Seattle and we may not be able to beat the Grizz two times in a row...
But basically we can choose to put them in a first round match up with the Grizz, who have have a 2-2 record VS the Suns this season...or..
We can try and help Minny make the playoffs, and make the Suns 1st round matchup against last years Conference Finalists and a core of experienced and dangerous playoff veterans like Cassell, Spreewell, and Garnett.
The Suns are also 3-1 against the TWolves this season.
Remember we just might end up facing the team that makes it...
We have not beaten the Grizz this season...we are 2-0 against the Wolves.
What would you like the Spurs to do? Eliminate Minny(and rest our players), or try and help them make the playoffs? Or just try and win out and let the chips fall where they may(which also helps the Grizzlies)?
Last edited by whottt; 04-16-2005 at 09:24 AM.
whottt, while it's interesting speculating that the Spurs could technically "tank" a game on purpose, it will never happen.
Sure, the last game could mean nothing to the Spurs (if we are out of 1st place contention), and we could rest players and lose against Minn. But it's not like the Spurs would give it away.
Besides, with the injuries we've had, we need to get back in the groove of playing with Duncan. I expect a "real" game against Minn, whether it actually "means" anything or not!
It's not that simple MadDog...
It's not like the Spurs have never tanked before...they tanked the last game of the season the year they won the le.
Tanking has benefits...it rests our players.
And while it's true that we need to get back into a groove after all the injuries...we can do that without actually winning the game.
We can also win tonight to get back on track and then rest...
We need to win tonight to lock up the 2 seed no matter what...we'll still have a stron say in who Phoenix faces even after we win tonight.
The thing is...those games are meaningless as you mentioned, do you really want to see someone get reinjured in a meaningless game?
If we knock off the Grizz two games in a row...what happens if Pop decides to rest everyone against the TWolves and we end up giving the Suns a cakewalk in the first round?
The more you think about it the more complicated it gets.
I wish I could edit the poll...I'd add a choice that says win tonight and then rest the last two games....
like we tanked at Golden State?
The Grizz seem to have lost something since they beat the Suns @MEM without Pau, Bonzi, and Stromile, so I think no advantage for the Spurs to be involved in promoting/demoting WC 8th seed.
Suns have earned WC 1 seed with their consistent play and injury good fortune, and will be rewarded with an easy series vs Grizz or TWolves.
Last edited by boutons; 04-16-2005 at 09:06 AM.
No Jim, like we tanked the final game of the 2003 season against the Mavs once it was a meaningless game for us.
Like we also tanked the final game of the 01 season....
If we try to win our next 2 and then tank the final one, like we have done in past years...we basically hand a playoff berth to Garnett...
Right, but you're advocating the possibility of the Spurs tanking games JUST to effect the seeding of others.
And THAT will not happen.
Basically, we'll just to see how things stand after Monday. If there's still a chance to grab the Number 1 seed, do the Spurs go all out againt Minny?
The Suns don't have anything locked up yet...but once we tank a game they do...if we keep playing hard they have to keep playing hard, for at least 1 more game.
And what happened to the Grizz was injuries...they are getting healthy again now and I think they could give Phoenix a challenge...they have the depth to wear Phoenix down....they like to run too...the difference is that they play defense.
And I think the most dangerous team in the playoffs will be Minnesota if they make it...dangerous to the Suns, dangerous to the Mavs, dangerous to us...
Don't forget last year the Pups had the best record in the conference...
And good lord don't forget they've got Cassell and Sprewell, being on low seeded teams didn't stop them from being a tremendous pain in our butts in the playoffs...Cassell basically eliminated us from the WCF 10 years ago...
Last edited by whottt; 04-16-2005 at 09:20 AM.
I am not advocating anything...I haven't decided which I prefer to do...I am just making note of the influence the Spurs have. I haven't cast a vote yet...
But whatever we discuss here has no impact on what the Spurs will do...I just think it's fun to discuss it.
It sounds good to give the Vince Lombardi speil...but if we could eliminate the Heat, Suns, or Mavs by tanking a game, I gurantee you the Spurs would do it, no matter what they say publicly.And THAT will not happen.
The Grizz VS TWolves is a much tougher choice...
Of course.Basically, we'll just to see how things stand after Monday. If there's still a chance to grab the Number 1 seed, do the Spurs go all out againt Minny?
if we lose every non-spurs fan will come out and say the SPURS tank the game to disgrace the t-pups from making the playoffs.
Whottt, just because we rest starters, that does not mean they will "tank". That is why I mentioned the GS game.
Depends on how many we rest...and when we rest them.
Easy call. I want us to win and send mean old Kevin Garnett packing. Also, I like Memphis and would like to see them do well as long as it isn't better than us.
Don't forget that Dallas can rest for that last game against the Grizz.
you must play the starters atleast half the game
the bench has played alot already withthe injuries
then their is the fellow called manu
YOU MUST SIT HIM OUT BECAUSE HE IS SO TIRED
In the other examples where the Spurs "tanked", it had no effect on anyone's playoff standings.
I suspect Pop & Co. have too much integrity to not put forth a serious effort if it has playoff implications. Not to mention that Stern et al. wouldn't be very happy about it if they didn't.
The T'Wolves will be a harder challenge for the Suns than the Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies are a playoff joke. The T'Wolves can make it tough, especially if all their players are worrying about basketball and their upcoming contracts.
good point Shoog.
I want Minn to make it over Memphis, because they would give Phoenix a better series.
Maybe so but teams do it all the time...Sacremento tanked their final game(or one of them) of the regular season in 02, and because of that we had to play the Lakers...on the road.
I suspect Pop & Co. have too much integrity to not put forth a serious effort if it has playoff implications.
I suspect that Pop tanked an entire season to get Tim Duncan...I also suspect he tanked the All Star Game rather than risk injury to his star...the All Star Game had more meaning than any game for us will after tonight, should we win.
I have a feeling if us tanking would put Minnesota and Garnett, one of the leagues top draws, into the postseason, over a non-descript Grizzlie team...Not to mention that Stern et al. wouldn't be very happy about it if they didn't.
Call it a hunch but I have a feeling $tern would be all in favor of that...I think he'd rather have the Wolves and Garnett in the playoffs than 75% of the other teams that will be in the playoffs...
Including us.
Yeah because he had a guarantee the ping-pong balls would go his way.I suspect that Pop tanekd an entire season to get Tim Duncan
KG is worth at least 5 ratings points to the playoffs.
KG vs Phoenix would be oh so much better than Memphis vs Suns.
Suns and Grizz are 2-2, splitting each home series. Differentials were a handful of points. One Grizz win was without Pau, Bonzi, Stromile.
I don't trust the TWolves to step up to a level of bothersome consequence in the playoffs. They'd be gone in 4 or 5.
Having been swept/embarrassed last year in the playoffs, when their turnaround and making the playoffs was its own reward, the Grizz have more to play for, more to prove this year.
Last edited by boutons; 04-16-2005 at 12:38 PM.
Yeah because he had a guarantee the ping-pong balls would go his way.
Yes, that 20% chance was a too tempting to pass up..so he had to tank the season.
I am surprised you picked option 3 then...
If you truly want to help the Grizz and eliminate KG then option 1 is the best one to pick.
Option 3 does help them...but we may not be able to beat the Wolves in the final game of the season anyway...and if we take the Grizz out twice and lose that game we have helped the Wolves.
I think the TWolves would play great in playoffs.
They would all but forget their contracts for that time and would play like last year.
Go Wolves!!!
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