CNNSI.com: A #8 seed? These Kings are no joke

[CubanMustGo]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/si_...e-no-joke.html

A No. 8 seed? These Kings are no joke
Posted by Chris Mannix

SAN ANTONIO -- Gregg Popovich is no Pat Riley. That's not to say the Spurs' coach isn't as learned a strategist as Riley is. It's just that Popovich doesn't exactly share the same wardrobe as the Armani'd one. Before Tuesday night's game, Popovich emerged from the coaches' room appropriately (for Pop anyways) decked out in white socks and sandals. He was also wearing cloth-striped shorts -- you know the kind that look like boxers and feel like boxers but aren't exactly boxers? "I dressed for you guys," Popovich deadpanned before the handful of reporters gathered to hear his pregame sermon.

A comedian Popovich is not, but then again there is nothing funny about the way top-seeded San Antonio has been played by the Kings, who despite entering the postseason as the No. 8 seed are staunchly refusing to play the role of Spurs fodder. You won't get any argument from Popovich: He refers to the Kings as a "horrendous matchup" for his team, calling Sacramento "a legit 3 or 4 seed." "It's unbelievable that after winning 63 games," he said, "this is who we get."

Was Popovich setting the table for a Spurs downfall? Doubtful. Though an eighth seed winning a first round series is exceedingly rare (only the 1994 Denver Nuggets has accomplished the feat), no one seems to be surprised that Sacramento has managed to hold its own with the defending champions.

Sacramento has been effective at utilizing its superior size at the wing positions. Bonzi Wells and Ron Artest continued to punish the smaller Manu Ginobili and Bruce Bowen on the inside Tuesday. "We're going to put Bruce and Manu on high-protein diets," Popovich joked. The strategy is most effective on Bowen. An excellent perimeter defender, Bowen's strengths are neutralized when he is forced to body up underneath. What is costing the Kings is their lack of depth. While Wells was unstoppable for the fourth straight game, it wasn't until the final minute of the third quarter that someone other than Wells cracked double figures.

Regardless of the outcome of this series, have the Kings exposed a crack in the Spurs' armor? With Dallas lying in wait, one might think Mavs coach Avery Johnson is ordering swingmen Josh Howard, Adrian Griffin and Jerry Stackhouse into full pads for practice. Not exactly, said Brent Barry. "Unless Dallas finds a secret rule and pulls of a miraculous trade for Ron and Bonzi, it's not going to happen," the San Antonio guard said. "They are a different team than Sacramento; that's just not the way they play."

I guess we'll just have to wait to find out.

A few sidelights:

-- If you caught the Pearl Jam Canadian Tour last summer and thought you recognized the tall, gangly white guy packing up the stage, chances are you were right. Last offseason Barry toured Canada with the band as a roadie, a grunt job that entails packing guitars and picking up equipment. Barry has been friends with Pearl Jam front man Eddie Vedder and bass player Jeff Ament for seven years. It was an enjoyable experience for Barry, though there was one significant drawback. "Those guys are a little past the groupie phase," he said. "So that right there was disappointing." Before the game Barry flashed Pearl Jam's latest self- led album, which was released this week.

-- How happy are Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof with Artest? Joe sported a black T-shirt bearing the enigmatic Artest's face on the front and name on the back. Now that's making a statement.

-- Joey Crawford should officiate as many games as possible. Just before tip-off the perpetually scowling Crawford was chatting with fans behind the scorer's table. When one fan offered him a beer, Crawford joked that he had already had two. "I have a couple of drinks before every game," Crawford said, playfully holding out a shaking hand. "It calms my nerves."

-- Finally, the elevated level of passion is clear whenever I visit a one-team town like San Antonio. Billboards bearing the team's slogan "Go Spurs Go" are everywhere and everyone -- from restaurateurs to street vendors -- wants to talk Spurs basketball. Even my cab driver, after thanking me for the tip, pulled away shouting "Go Spurs Go!"

[Darrin]

Gregg Popovich is no Pat Riley.

2005:
Defeated Nuggets, 4-1.
Defeated Sonics, 4-2.
Defeated Suns, 4-1.
Defeated Pistons, 4-3.
2004:
Defeated Grizzlies, 4-0.
Defeated by LA Lakers, 4-2.
2003:
Defeated Suns, 4-2.
Defeated LA Lakers, 4-2.
Defeated Mavericks, 4-2.
Defeated Nets, 4-2.

Two NBA Championships - 9-1 in previous 10 playoff series - 38-19 (.655) in last 57 playoff games.

2006:
Lead Chicago Bulls, 3-2.
2001:
Defeated by Hornets, 3-0.
2000:
Defeated Pistons, 3-0.
Defeated by Knicks, 4-3.
1999:
Defeated by Knicks, 3-2.
1998:
Defeated by Knicks, 3-2.
1997:
Defeated Magic, 3-2.
Defeated Knicks, 4-3.
Defeated by Bulls, 4-1.
1996:
Defeated by Bulls, 3-0.
1995:
Defeated Cavaliers, 3-1.
Defeated by Pacers, 4-3.

Zero NBA les - 4-7 in last 11 playoff series - 27-32 (.457) in last 59 playoff games.

You're damn right that Pop is no Pat Riley.

[Darrin]

A No. 8 seed? These Kings are no joke

That's because they are a seventh seed.

1. San Antonio Spurs - 63-19.
2. Dallas Mavericks - 60-22.
3. Phoenix Suns - 54-28.
4. Memphis Grizzlies - 49-33
5. LA Clippers - 47-35
6. LA Lakers - 45-37
7. Sacramento Kings - 44-38
8. Denver Nuggets - 44-38

[FromWayDowntown]

That's because they are a sixth seed.

I think it's realistic to believe that a Kings team with this group all year would have had a chance to win the Pacific and end up with the 2 or the 3 seed.

Then again, this group has rarely shown the kind of commitment to team that they've shown in this series, and some teams had no trouble dispatching them even after the Artest deal.

[jman3000]

If you look at it record and potential wise, the Spurs might have to go through the other top 3 teams in the West to reach the finals. Obviously Dallas is #2, but the Kings are playing like a 3-4 seed. Now I don't think the Lakers or Clips are that great but if we face the Lakers (who have been playing like a 4-5 seed late in the season) then this could be one of the toughest playoffs ever for the Spurs... if not the history of the NBA.

[boutons_]

Kings, Mavs, Lakers/Clips is a very, very tough path to the Finals, even with HCA all the way.

If the Spurs get through it, they will be so ready for the Pistons.

I'd like to see the Spurs close out at the totally insane house of @ARCO Friday night, which would be on the same level difficulty as getting a Game1/2 split @Auburn Hills

[Supergirl]

In terms of talent, defense, and depth, the Kings are the 3rd best team in the West, IMO:

1. SA
2. Mavs
3. Kings
4. Phoenix
5. Clippers
6. Lakers
7. Memphis
8. Nuggets - or really, the Jazz, since I think they should have been in the playoffs instead of the Nuggets

[MannyIsGod]

I wish they would do some journalistic fact checking. Miami was the 2nd team to lose to an 8th seed in 99 when the Knicks beat them. So there have been 2 8th seeds that have won.

[ggoose25]

Was Popovich setting the table for a Spurs downfall? Doubtful. Though an eighth seed winning a first round series is exceedingly rare (only the 1994 Denver Nuggets has accomplished the feat), no one seems to be surprised that Sacramento has managed to hold its own with the defending champions.

weren't the '99 knicks an 8 seed that upset miami in the first round?

[ggoose25]

I wish they would do some journalistic fact checking. Miami was the 2nd team to lose to an 8th seed in 99 when the Knicks beat them. So there have been 2 8th seeds that have won.

beat me to it... i thought so too

[ShoogarBear]

I wish they would do some journalistic fact checking. Miami was the 2nd team to lose to an 8th seed in 99 when the Knicks beat them. So there have been 2 8th seeds that have won.

Quite a few sportswriters blow this, for some reason. You'd think they would remember the Knicks, of all teams.

[reydawg]

2003:
Defeated Suns, 4-2.
Defeated LA Lakers, 4-2.
Defeated Mavericks, 4-3.
Defeated Nets, 4-2.

Not to nitpick, but didn't the Mavs go down in 6 that year? The Steve Kerr Game.

I remember 4-2's all the way around that year.

[ShoogarBear]

Not to nitpick, but didn't the Mavs go down in 6 that year? The Steve Kerr Game.

I remember 4-2's all the way around that year.

Correct.

[boutons_]

yes, we split with Mavs @SBC, with the bizarre loss where Mavs hit 49/50 FTs.

Then we swept game3,4 @AAA

Spurs lost the elimination game5 @SBC

Spurs eliminated Mavs in game6 @AAA
(SJax and Steve bombing 3Gs from late 3Q to the end, while Mavs got like 9 pts in the 4th qtr)

http://www.nba.com/spurs/schedule/results_2002.html

[Darrin]

Consider it fixed. I was so afraid, as I was doing that off the top of my head, that I'd screw something up.

[Darrin]

Quite a few sportswriters blow this, for some reason. You'd think they would remember the Knicks, of all teams.

That 1999 season seems to be forgotten a lot. They forget that it was 50 games and not 82. I remember reading a piece in the Detroit News a couple of months back where a columnist described Rasheed Wallace's 49-game season as "injured-plagued" as a reason his numbers were so low. What he failed to realize is that Rasheed Wallace was a Sixth man that season, finishing behind Darrell Armstrong in balloting for the Sixth Man of the Year.

[mike detroit]

i will be pretty dissapointed in you spurs if you don't win this series. you guys are our idelogical blood brothers in basketball. if you don't make the finals, I'll worry a lot more about the piston's chances.

[trueD]

2005:
Defeated Nuggets, 4-1.
Defeated Sonics, 4-2.
Defeated Suns, 4-1.
Defeated Pistons, 4-3.
2004:
Defeated Grizzlies, 4-0.
Defeated by LA Lakers, 4-2.
2003:
Defeated Suns, 4-2.
Defeated LA Lakers, 4-2.
Defeated Mavericks, 4-2.
Defeated Nets, 4-2.

Nice, Spurs went to a Game 7 only once in the last three years, scary.

Consider this: We lost only one other round (besides last year, which most consider an abberation since we lost 3 starters) without taking the series to a 7th (or 5th) game.

2005 (6th seed)
Defeated by Sonics, 4-1

2004 (4th seed)
Defeated Mavs, 4-1 << seriously kicked butt, even with hobbled C-Webb
Defeated by T-Wolves, 4-3

2003 (3rd seed)
Defeated Jazz, 4-1
Defeated by Mavs, 4-3 << series C-Webb went down

2002 (1st seed)
Defeated Jazz, 3-1
Defeated Mavs, 4-1
Defeated by Lakers, 4-3

2001 (3rd seed)
Defeated Suns 4-0
Defeated by Lakers, 4-1

2000 (8th seed)
Defeated by Lakers, 3-2

1999 (7th seed)
Defeated by Jazz, 3-2

My point is, Kings seem to have an affinity for Game 7's. Unless you've already knocked us out one game ago.

Read it and weap!