http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...n.36fec6b.html
Spurs look to leapfrog Lakers
Jeff McDonald
Express-News staff writer
LOS ANGELES — The silver Aston Martin convertible comes hurtling toward him at 50 mph and gaining.
Kobe Bryant begins to stutter step, briefly channeling a linebacker poised to bring down a charging fullback. At the last instant, just before the forced meeting of bumper and kneecap, Bryant leaps, pogo style, directly up in the air, clearing the car's hood by a matter of inches.
The footage, shot for a new Nike commercial, already is making the rounds on the Internet. It also already has been determined to be fake, a clever product of camera tricks and computer technology.
Still, not everyone is a disbeliever.
"I don't see why it can't be real," Spurs forward Matt Bonner said. "If Jackie Chan could do it, I don't know why Kobe can't."
Or, as Bryant said with mock disdain for those who would doubt him: "If Rambo Part XX can be a one-man militia, I can jump over an Aston Martin."
That is the magic of Bryant, the Los Angeles Lakers' resident superstar. As much as any denizen of Hollywood, he makes the impossible seem possible.
Yet even if Bryant's demonstration of convertible-hurdling skills were genuine, it wouldn't be the most remarkable feat he accomplished this season.
For that, take a peek at the Western Conference standings, where the Lakers — for the first time since Shaquille O'Neal skipped town — have become a player again. They already have claimed a Pacific Division crown, courtesy of a bullet-dodging victory over front-running New Orleans on Friday.
Though he has gotten quite an assist from 7-foot center Pau Gasol, who arrived gift-wrapped from Memphis in a February trade, it is largely Bryant who has carried the Lakers. His defense and his West-leading 28.5 points-per-game scoring average have made him a leader for NBA Most Valuable Player honors.
The upshot: When the Spurs face the Lakers at Staples Center this afternoon, for the first time in a long time, it will be with something meaningful on the line.
"Like most every game in the West, it's another big challenge," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "You don't know what's going to happen in the West. You just have no idea."
By winning today, the Spurs can move into the driver's seat for second place in the conference, with a chance to unseat the Hornets in first. A victory would give them the season-series tiebreaker over the Lakers.
It will be no small task, especially with leading scorer Manu Ginobili expected to miss the game with a groin injury. Still, the Spurs could use the victory, because they could use the clarity.
Typically by this time, the Spurs' staff already has begun to analyze film of one or more potential first-round playoff foes.
Not so this year.
With three games left, the Spurs can finish anywhere from first to sixth. When it comes to projecting a first-round foil, they wouldn't even know where to begin.
"I think you would have to look at it every day," Spurs guard Jacque Vaughn said. "I really think it's going to boil down to the last game of the season. It's that close. Why wrack your brain?"
Popovich has said he isn't concerned so much about seeding, operating under the assumption that the West is so stacked, it doesn't matter who you draw in the first round.
Heading into the final five days of the regular season, he's more interested in coaxing his team, like a speeding Aston Martin, into firing on all cylinders.
In that respect, today's game will be an important one for the Spurs. They haven't defeated a team currently in the playoff picture since March 30, when they thrashed Houston 109-88.
In their last two meetings against playoff-bound foes, the Spurs lost by 26 at Utah and by 17 at home to Phoenix.
"It will be a good appetizer for us," Vaughn said, "to get us in a mind-set and get us in a mode for the playoffs."
If the Lakers have their way, Bryant's car-hopping display would serve as their appetizer.
After all, if he can successfully leap a speeding silver bullet in a single bound, he really can accomplish anything.
Of course, Bryant still has his doubters.
"I heard it was fake," Spurs swingman Ime Udoka said.
But that's the magic of Bryant. With him, you never really know.
WESTERN CONFERENCE TIEBREAKERS
Here's a look at who owns the tiebreaker between the Spurs (54-25) and the other top five teams in the Western Conference:
Spurs-Hornets: They tied season series 2-2, but Hornets (55-24) have edge in second tiebreaker, division record (10-5 to 10-6).
Spurs-Lakers: The Spurs lead the season series 2-1 and can claim the series with a victory today at Los Angeles (55-25).
Spurs-Jazz: The Jazz (52-27) lead season series 2-1 and face the Spurs in the last game of the season on April 16 at the AT&T Center.
Spurs-Suns: The Suns (53-27) won the season series 3-1.
Spurs-Rockets: They tied the season series 2-2, but Rockets (54-25) have 8-8 division record; Spurs are 10-6.
If Dallas beats New Orleans in the finale and the Spurs win out the Spurs will tie the Hornets on the second and third tiebreaker, where they lose the fourth, record against western playoff teams. Anyone that cares that much needs to be rooting for the Clippers to beat the Hornets too.
Actually both Obstructed_View and Jeff McDonald are wrong. There is no possible way the Spurs can win a tiebreak vs. the Hornets, and you don't have to go to the fourth tiebreak. Follow my logic.
If the Spurs and Hornets finish tied in regular season record, they will also tie on the head-to-head tiebreak which is 2-2. The next tiebreak is division record.
Currently the Hornets are 10-5 in the division and the Spurs are 10-6. The only division game left is Hornets vs. Mavs. If the Hornets win that game, they win the tiebreak on division record. If they lose, you go to the next tiebreak, conference record.
Currently, the Hornets are 33-17 and the Spurs are 31-18 in conference, but they are tied in regular season losses at 25. If they end up tied in regular season record, then they will have had to lose the same number of games (of their remaining games). All remaining games are conference games. Therefore, the Hornets would own the conference-record tiebreak if it came to that.
See? There is no scenario where the Spurs would win a tiebreak vs. the Hornets. It's already gone. It's actually been gone for a while now, I called it in my "Spurs Playoff Picture" thread.
Let me complete the amplification of McDonald's incomplete analysis:
as I outlined above, the Hornets will win any possible tiebreak scenario with the Spurs.WESTERN CONFERENCE TIEBREAKERS
Here's a look at who owns the tiebreaker between the Spurs (54-25) and the other top five teams in the Western Conference:
Spurs-Hornets: They tied season series 2-2, but Hornets (55-24) have edge in second tiebreaker, division record (10-5 to 10-6).
If the Lakers win they have clinched a better record than the Spurs, because they will own the tiebreak. If the Spurs win, then the Spurs own the tiebreak.Spurs-Lakers: The Spurs lead the season series 2-1 and can claim the series with a victory today at Los Angeles (55-25).
If the Spurs beat the Jazz there will not be a tiebreak because the Spurs will by necessity have a better regular season record. If the Jazz beat the Spurs, the Jazz will own the tiebreak. So chalk this up as a tiebreak loss.Spurs-Jazz: The Jazz (52-27) lead season series 2-1 and face the Spurs in the last game of the season on April 16 at the AT&T Center.
Well at least he got these right. The Spurs have lost the tiebreak to the Suns and won it vs. the Rockets.Spurs-Suns: The Suns (53-27) won the season series 3-1.
Spurs-Rockets: They tied the season series 2-2, but Rockets (54-25) have 8-8 division record; Spurs are 10-6.
Last edited by YoMamaIsCallin; 04-13-2008 at 10:04 AM.
If the Hornets lose to Dallas and we win out we win by better record. Period.
Well, yes, that was true (before the Spurs loss to the Lakers). But that has nothing to do with tiebreak scenarios.
The Hornets magic number vs. the Spurs is now 1. Any Spurs loss or Hornets win guarantees that the Hornets finish ahead of the Spurs.
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