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Sacramento was going to be a cakewalk in round 1.
Those guys add maybe one more player and they'll be one of the best in the West next year.
Obviously any of us that were predicting the Spurs-Pistons rematch were a little off base, but what else. Their were no shortage of psychics in October and November making all sorts of predictions, and now it's time to swallow your pride and some crow and come clean.
My goofs:
1. Nick Van Exel. Any syllable I ever spoke in defense of him was massive screw up. It seemed so simple at the time. The Spurs glaring weakness in the '05 playoffs? Backup PG. Spurs signed this guy and I (and I know I'm not the only one) had Steve Kerr flashbacks. Man was I wrong.
2. The Jazz, Rockets, and Nuggets. I had the Jazz and Rockets going somewhere in the 4-6 seed range. I still maintain that they could have if they'd been healthy all year, but that was not to be. I also figured that the Nuggets were not going to get another division le because the team was going to turn on George Karl. Turns out they just waited for the playoffs for that.
There may have been more that I got wrong but those are the ones I remember most. Let's hear yours, Spurstalk.
Sacramento was going to be a cakewalk in round 1.
Those guys add maybe one more player and they'll be one of the best in the West next year.
I was wrong about the Spurs.
I thought with everybody back, plus ANY help from Nick/Michael, that they would have a very special, dominating season.
But Tim got hurt, the Spurs lost most of their big season games, including getting blown out, and didn't SPAM. The Spurs just didn't want to dominate in the season, and didn't want to repeat bad enough, weren't tough enough and weren't smart enough to repeat. ie, the Spurs sat on their laurels and couldn't stand up when the chips were down.
Was 05/06 a learning experience that will teach the Spurs that they have to be extremely tough to repeat? Or will the Duncan Spurs never be tough enough to repeat?
I had Golden State at a number 7 or 8 seed, based on the way they finished the previous year.
Houston was my big team, as were the Sixers and Hornets.
The Spurs were less than 30 seconds away from advancing to the WCF. It didn't help that we had no depth at PG (which was exasperated by TP fading away) and we didn't have much off the bench.
1) That the Spurs would have the deepest bench in the league
2) That NVE would be a decent backup PG
3) That this would be the year SPARKY didn't post 100 complaints about the Spurs trading Malik.
I thought Oberto was going to really help us this year.
I never thought this Spurs team had the "Team of Destiny" look, but I never, ever imagined that the Mavs would have our number this year.
I was also sure that when the going got tough, Dirk would play with both hands around his neck like he used to.
Well, at least you are right about next year.
I didn't think the Lakers would make the playoffs this year. I was wrong. I still won money on a bet I'd made saying the Clippers would finish with a better record.
"The Spurs were less than 30 seconds away from advancing to the WCF."
Exactly. Heroically fighting back to go up 3 pts in Game7 with seconds remaining, the Spurs weren't smart/tough enough to PRESERVE the W.
"smart enough" was simply doing what Pop said, "don't foul", but we dumbly fouled, and lost. Little stupidities have BIG consequences.
In the playoffs, the word used would be experience not age.
I agree about Nick Van Exel. I thought he was gonna be a whole lot better than he was - what a misfit. I never felt Houston was a threat, though...I always, even from training camp and the pre-season, though Dallas was gonna be our nightmare.
And, I was wrong about the Spurs...I never saw them playing the "don't-they-know-who-we-are" card, because I've never seen it before with them. But, I saw the "they-can't-do-this-to-us" look creeping in during the Dallas series. I don't like that. To the Spurs: Quit your crying, put your head down, and play the frickin' game. You've always had to overcome the doubters and the adversity. Not a damned soul has ever come to help you. Avery Johnson and Dirk Nowitzki are just ordinary men, not monsters. Get your hungry spirit back over the summer, please!
* That the Spurs would win it all.
* That rookie posters wouldn't be showing up in record numbers to toe the company line about small ball.
That the Suns would meet the Spurs in the WCF's
Saved this to compare when this season was done. Interesting from the paid talking heads.
2005-06 predictions
By Yahoo! Sports
31-Oct-05
Our NBA experts weigh in with their picks for the playoffs and individual award winners.
Steve Kerr
Western Conference finals San Antonio Spurs over Denver Nuggets
Eastern Conference finals Indiana Pacers over Miami Heat
NBA finals San Antonio Spurs over Indiana Pacers
Worst record New Orleans Hornets
Most Valuable Player LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
Rookie of the Year Danny Granger, Indiana Pacers
Coach of the Year Rick Carlisle, Indiana Pacers
Defensive Player of the Year Ron Artest, Indiana Pacers
Sixth Man Award Earl Boykins, Denver Nuggets
Most Improved Player James Jones, Phoenix Suns
Executive of the Year Danny Ferry, Cleveland Cavaliers
Larry Beil
Western Conference finals San Antonio Spurs over Phoenix Suns
Eastern Conference finals Indiana Pacers over Miami Heat
NBA finals San Antonio Spurs over Indiana Pacers
Worst record Charlotte Bobcats
Most Valuable Player LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
Rookie of the Year Nate Robinson, New York Knicks
Coach of the Year Jeff Van Gundy, Houston Rockets
Defensive Player of the Year Ron Artest, Indiana Pacers
Sixth Man Award Antoine Walker, Miami Heat
Most Improved Player Darko Milicic, Detroit Pistons
Executive of the Year R.C. Buford, San Antonio Spurs
Matt Buser
Western Conference finals San Antonio Spurs over Sacramento Kings
Eastern Conference finals Indiana Pacers over Detroit Pistons
NBA finals San Antonio Spurs over Indiana Pacers
Worst record Atlanta Hawks
Most Valuable Player LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
Rookie of the Year Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets
Coach of the Year Rick Carlisle, Indiana Pacers
Defensive Player of the Year Andrei Kirilenko, Utah Jazz
Sixth Man Award Donyell Marshall, Cleveland Cavaliers
Most Improved Player James Jones, Phoenix Suns
Executive of the Year Danny Ferry, Cleveland Cavaliers
Brandon Funston
Western Conference finals Dallas Mavericks over San Antonio Spurs
Eastern Conference finals Indiana Pacers over Detroit Pistons
NBA finals Indiana Pacers over Dallas Mavericks
Worst record New Orleans Hornets
Most Valuable Player Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks
Rookie of the Year Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets
Coach of the Year Rick Carlisle, Indiana Pacers
Defensive Player of the Year Andrei Kirilenko, Utah Jazz
Sixth Man Award Caron Butler, Washington Wizards
Most Improved Player James Jones, Phoenix Suns
Executive of the Year Jerry West, Memphis Grizzlies
Joe Lago
Western Conference finals San Antonio Spurs over Sacramento Kings
Eastern Conference finals Indiana Pacers over Miami Heat
NBA finals San Antonio Spurs over Indiana Pacers
Worst record New Orleans Hornets
Most Valuable Player LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
Rookie of the Year Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets
Coach of the Year Phil Jackson, Los Angeles Lakers
Defensive Player of the Year Ron Artest, Indiana Pacers
Sixth Man Award Sarunas Jasikevicius, Indiana Pacers
Most Improved Player James Jones, Phoenix Suns
Executive of the Year Carroll Dawson, Houston Rockets
Dan Wetzel
Western Conference finals San Antonio Spurs over Denver Nuggets
Eastern Conference finals Miami Heat over Detroit Pistons
NBA finals San Antonio Spurs over Miami Heat
Worst record Charlotte Bobcats
Most Valuable Player Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
Rookie of the Year Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets
Coach of the Year Rick Carlisle, Indiana Pacers
Defensive Player of the Year Ron Artest, Indiana Pacers
Sixth Man Award Brent Barry, San Antonio Spurs
Most Improved Player Darko Milicic, Detroit Pistons
Executive of the Year Pat Riley, Miami Heat
I was wrong about:
Spurs/Pistons re-match
manu making a January comeback
Sac keeping Adelman
Wiz going to the ECF
Dirk getting MVP
I thought that Bruce would finally get DPoY
1) Oberto would be played a lot more
2) Manu would continue where he left off last postseason
3) Horry would hit big shots in the playoffs again for us\
4) GS Warriors would be this year's surprise team in the league, like the Suns last yearI laugh at this one. I expected them to nab the 7th or 8th seed and seriously contend
5) I thought the Rockets would give us the kind of trouble the Mavs gave us instead
6) I thought my Sixers would at least make the damn playoffs
7) Never even gave a second thought to the Clipps even making the playoffs
8) Kobe would be MVP
9) Bruce would finally win DPOY, I was very confident on this one
10) My biggest mistake of the year: I underestimated the talent of the Mavs and AJ
1. Spurs versus Pistons in a rematch (with Spurs winning 2nd le in a row)
2. Spurs would dethrone the Mavs on their way to their 2nd straight championship
3. Spurs would have the deepest bench in the league
4. Nazr would have significant contributions to the Spurs success this season
5. Bowen would win DPOY
6. Suns and Fakers would not make the playoffs
7. Rockets would be a factor in the Southwest Division
8. Nuggest would build on their previous success and be a factor in the West Conf.
9. Miami would fail again in the ECF
10.The Spurs brass had built the right team to beat the Pistons. They forgot about the Mavs.
Darko would be MIP (Most Improved player)
Pistons could coach themselves in a way
Spurs would cruise to the Finals
Warriors would make playoffs
NJ would beat the Heat
I thought the Spurs would dominate in the regular season and would finally repeat.
That Oberto would be quicker to learn the ways of the NBA and contribute on a regular basis in the post. (But I still believe he'll improve next year with more playing time.)
That Manu would kick off his injuries sometime around April and become 2005 Playoffs Manu again.
That the Pistons would get to the Finals without breaking a sweat.
That Robert Horry would pull a few big 3s out of his hat during the playoffs.
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