Settle into 2nd seed or go after GSW and #1 seed?

[lmbebo]

we are 3 games behind GSW as of today (2 games back in the loss column and 4 more losses). I believe we have 2 more games against them remaining this season. i think our strength of schedule from here on out is also the toughest in the league. We have a 10.5 game lead on IOKC who are #3.

Thoughts?

[$pursDynasty]

I would prefer to win the home games, I like being undefeated at home but besides that, if Pop chooses to basically choose a loss by resting players for particular games on the road, like say when we go back to Oracle, I have no problem with it. I enjoy the Spurs playing the stalking horse further encouraging the Dubs to go all out during the regular season while enabling the Spurs to rest players experiment with lineups and set up our playoff rotations while further integrating LMA, Simmons, Andre Miller and eventually Martin. If the Dubs go on a losing streak then take the #1 seed if it is there but otherwise pull up and save our energy for the playoffs. Being undefeated at home or pretty darn near it, is an intimidation advantage come playoff time especially in the first two rounds.

[BillMc]

Concentrate on getting better and keeping healthy and let the chips fall where they may which is probably the 2 seed,

[EmantheSpursFan]

The clippers are currently 6-4 in their last 10 while okc is 4-6, lets see how the chips fall and hope okc falls to 4th.

[NameLess Scrub]

Concentrate on getting better and keeping healthy and let the chips fall where they may which is probably the 2 seed,

This.

[gameFACE]

Issues of health and chemistry aside go for the 1st seed. You want the best chance possible. OKC will not catch the Spurs but the Spurs can catch the Dubs. Give it another couple of weeks.

[Blake]

Now that Manu is back, I say the Spurs should go balls out for the top seed

[SPURt]

If the Spurs win the next game against Golden State and how the Warriors perform over the next few weeks. The last two games against the Warriors come too late in the season to really anticipate those games being meaningful as of today.

[RD2191]

Tbh I don't think SA can beat the Dubs without home court. I say they should gun for 1st if possible.

[mookie2001]

Win the next 4 games v Bulls thunder clippers and Blazers while resting some vets and lowering the starters minutes. and we could have a shot at the #1 seed. But if we don't get rest right now it's gonna be too late and nothing else will matter.

[soxxx]

Tbh I don't think SA can beat the Dubs without home court. I say they should gun for 1st if possible.

Its easy to say now but once you get into the playoffs it does not look as impossibly hard. Last year GS lost two games at home all season but managed to lose two at home in the playoffs, they were also down 2-1 in two series. Houston could have snagged a game to but couldn't.

[MultiTroll]

2011 #1 seed.
How'd that work out?

Health and intelligent strategy involving coaching is what is going to make the difference.
Plus, we don't even know for a fact it will be the Golden s in the WCF. I mean it seems 99.99 they will make it but they are beatable. Durant and Westbrooks chokejob notwithstanding they had them beat -at Oracle.

[FromWayDowntown]

I don't think you consciously fixate on trying to pass GST. That certainly shouldn't be the objective at this point. I think right now, the focus should remain on just playing as well as they can while trying to give rest where needed and look to be going into the playoffs in the best way possible.

These things have to be incremental and the next goal to be met is getting HCA in Round 1; the magic number for that is 4 -- Spurs clinch HCA in Round 1 with any combination of 4 SA wins and 4 Memphis losses.

After that, the goal is ensuring a top-2 seed at worst. The magic number for that is 9.

Then, ensure that if you get through the West, you'll have HCA in the Finals.

Achieving those goals basically requires continued winning (though the Top 4 seed is practically a lock at this point), which will keep alive any chance of trying to push GST if and when that is the only remaining goal to achieve.

[Kidd K]

we are 3 games behind GSW as of today (2 games back in the loss column and 4 more losses). I believe we have 2 more games against them remaining this season. i think our strength of schedule from here on out is also the toughest in the league. We have a 10.5 game lead on IOKC who are #3.

Thoughts?

You mean we're four games back in the loss column. When you're talking about one column (loss column especially), each game counts for full, not a half.

So we're pretty far back considering GSW loses so infrequently. We'd only hit top seed if GSW goes on a random losing streak at this point. The loss to Indiana kinda ruined it imo. We'd have to hope GSW goes on a losing streak, and I just kinda don't see that happening tbh. #2 seed is good.

[FromWayDowntown]

You mean we're four games back in the loss column. When you're talking about one column (loss column especially), each game counts for full, not a half.

So we're pretty far back considering GSW loses so infrequently. We'd only hit top seed if GSW goes on a random losing streak at this point. The loss to Indiana kinda ruined it imo. We'd have to hope GSW goes on a losing streak, and I just kinda don't see that happening tbh. #2 seed is good.

Before the IND loss, the Spurs could have (in theory) caught the Warriors by winning the 3 remaining games with them and basically playing even with them in all other games. Even that was a far-fetched scenario absent something catastrophic happening to the Warriors. 4 back in the loss column with 20 to go relative to a team that has only lost 6 of its first 62 might as well be 10 back with 11 to go. The Spurs would have to be almost perfect and the Warriors would have to pretty much crap the bed for the Spurs to catch them for the #1 seed.

[Spurs9]

2011 #1 seed.
How'd that work out?

Health and intelligent strategy involving coaching is what is going to make the difference.
Plus, we don't even know for a fact it will be the Golden s in the WCF. I mean it seems 99.99 they will make it but they are beatable. Durant and Westbrooks chokejob notwithstanding they had them beat -at Oracle.

[lefty]

it doesn't matter
Spurms are gonna get destroyed by GSW anyway

[wildbill2u]

Pop is going to try to get some serious minutes for Miller and Martin IMHO in order to get them familiar with our players and system. That means we probably won't be as good on the rest of our games with really tough teams. We may lose quite a few of those games and probably could lose a few playing our starters.

Not to mention that Pop may try to do some trick lineups against GSW to see what works and test their reactions. I just don't see any way to get the first seed, looking at the situation now, but if GSW or OKC gets some unexpected injuries, who knows.

[Spurtacular]

Spurs can get the one seed without going balls to the wall if GSW starts losing these close games. Anyhow, this question is especially pertinent with 10-12 games left when rest and rotations are in the works.

[Budkin]

Settle in and let them burn out.

[TheDoctor]

I would prefer to win the home games, I like being undefeated at home but besides that, if Pop chooses to basically choose a loss by resting players for particular games on the road, like say when we go back to Oracle, I have no problem with it. I enjoy the Spurs playing the stalking horse further encouraging the Dubs to go all out during the regular season while enabling the Spurs to rest players experiment with lineups and set up our playoff rotations while further integrating LMA, Simmons, Andre Miller and eventually Martin. If the Dubs go on a losing streak then take the #1 seed if it is there but otherwise pull up and save our energy for the playoffs. Being undefeated at home or pretty darn near it, is an intimidation advantage come playoff time especially in the first two rounds.

[Old School 44]

I think Pop's already settled into the second seed. Like others have mentioned, if the Warriors start losing and the opportunity presents itself go for it. The interesting thing is the Spurs may face another bubble team (Mavs) on the last game of the season. If winning that game determines the #1 seed, it will be interesting how Pop plays it. Sure a loss won't be the drop in seeding like the loss to the Pelicans last year (went from 2nd to 6th), but it would be nice to have home court throughout. On the flip side, I'd hate for the Spurs to have to play a desperate Mavs team with a win-at-all-cost Zaza Pachulia.

[HarlemHeat37]

I doubt they catch them, but if they go 5-0 or 4-1(with a W vs. GS) on this home stand, then I would chase it IMO..

Continue resting Parker/Duncan/Ginobili against average/poor teams, we have seen that it barely affects the team, on the court..

[Spurs 4 The Win]

We arent getting the 1 seed, period, end of story

[Kidd K]

Before the IND loss, the Spurs could have (in theory) caught the Warriors by winning the 3 remaining games with them and basically playing even with them in all other games. Even that was a far-fetched scenario absent something catastrophic happening to the Warriors. 4 back in the loss column with 20 to go relative to a team that has only lost 6 of its first 62 might as well be 10 back with 11 to go. The Spurs would have to be almost perfect and the Warriors would have to pretty much crap the bed for the Spurs to catch them for the #1 seed.

Yeah, it's just super unlikely at this point. Even if we win 2/3 vs GSW, that would be fortunate. At this point especially there's no reason to go all out and risk injury and expose the game plan vs them to let them better prepare for a postseason series either when we can bring out that stuff suddenly and maybe steal a game because of it.

I'm happy with the two seed though tbh.