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I don't really love any of the scenarios for the Spurs in the 1st Rd win or lose this game.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/preview?...041624&prov=ap
Utah (54-27) at San Antonio (55-26)
By MIKE VOTTA, STATS Senior Writer
Edit: For those that missed it, the game time was changed to accomodate ESPN. It starts at 9:30 EST, 8:30 in SA, 6:30 PST.
TV: ESPN, FSSW
Utah only needs a win to clinch home-court advantage for at least the first round of the playoffs - but getting it in San Antonio won’t be easy.
The Jazz will be trying to win a road game against the Spurs for the first time in nearly a decade on Wednesday in the regular-season finale for both teams.
Utah (54-27) has already clinched the Northwest Division le, but is tied with Houston and Phoenix for the fourth-best record in the West. The Jazz beat the Rockets 105-96 in their home finale on Monday, clinching the season series and ensuring they will get home-court advantage in at least the first round of the playoffs with a win over the Spurs (55-26).
“It changes every day, so we’ll see what happens,” said Carlos Boozer, who had 21 points and 11 rebounds in his 51st double-double of the season Monday. “The compe ion is phenomenal in the Western Conference.”
Home-court advantage would mean a lot to the Jazz, who own the best home record in the NBA at 37-4. Utah, whose home record is its best since going 38-3 in 1996-97, is just 17-23 on the road.
Of course, the Jazz will have to end a 20-game losing streak in San Antonio, including three defeats in last year’s conference finals, if they hope to play their first two playoff games at home. Utah hasn’t won there since a 101-87 victory on Feb, 28, 1999.
“It’s good to be in a predicament where you hold your own destiny,” Utah’s Ronnie Brewer said. “That’s what I like. I don’t like depending on other people.”
The Jazz have won the last two meetings with San Antonio, most recently a 90-64 victory on March 4 as the Spurs matched the lowest point total in franchise history.
“We remember what they did to us a few weeks ago,” San Antonio’s Ime Udoka said.
If Utah wins this matchup, it would tie the Spurs for the third-best record in the West and clinch the season series.
The Spurs can wrap up the third seed with a win, but have dropped three of their last six games, including the defeat against Utah, a 21-point loss to the Los Angeles Lakers and a 17-point home loss to the Suns.
The defending NBA champions are coming off a 101-98 win at Sacramento on Monday.
“It’s been the way we have lost lately, games have been getting away from us,” Udoka said. “We’ve gone through some scoring droughts, so it was good to get over 100 points tonight.”
Tony Parker tied his season high with 32 points and added 11 assists for the Spurs, who have won 50 or more games the past nine years and own the current longest playoff streak with 11 straight appearances. They will be trying to win their fifth NBA championship in 10 seasons.
“Utah is the last game of the season and may be a team we meet in the first round of the playoffs,” San Antonio’s Michael Finley said. “We need to go out and play well and not take steps backward.”
Last edited by duncan228; 04-16-2008 at 10:37 AM.
I don't really love any of the scenarios for the Spurs in the 1st Rd win or lose this game.
Honeslty if we play the Sun's, i have a bad feeling that it might be a first round exit for us...TD is really intimidated by shaq, simple as that...
Bull that is nonsense. Why would even say that?? Was he afraid of Shaq in 2003 when he dropped like 30 a game on the Lakers?? Timmy will own him in a 7 game series.
Duncan has looked like a little girl against Shaq the last two times the Spurs have played the Suns
Keyword, 2003, Timmy was 26 years of age....
Shaq is 36, he is about 3 steps slower than he once was, enough with this nonsense please?? How the could you be a Spurs fan and have this little faith in Timmy for god's sake, that is just not right.
Oh you too, no faith at all huh, come on give Timmy some respect.Duncan has looked like a little girl against Shaq the last two times the Spurs have played the Suns
Look at his size, help me a little td4mvp21....
Now this is what I like to hear! Go Spurs Go!“We remember what they did to us a few weeks ago,” San Antonio’s Ime Udoka said.
Yeah you need help because in a 7 game series, Shaq will not even be on Timmy all that much and when he is on him Timmy will have to make him pay and he will do just that. Like i said have a little faith, when has Timmy let us down when it counted, he's led us to 4 rings lets give him some respect here.
I know Timmy is you favorite player, In 2003, we had David Robinson, if you recall, offcourse timmy is the man, they also have Amare...
And we have Tony and we have Manu and we have the edge mentally over these guys as well. They can win as many reg season games as they want, they have never beat the Spurs when it mattered in the playoffs. They have a lot to prove here.
We dont have enough big bodies....without horry....but come one man, they have given us real tough time, they do have more playmakers then we do...i dont want to start naming ....
Well if we play them they are going to have to prove it. I am not ready to hand the Suns the series before it even starts when they have not got it done against the Spurs in the past. Nor am i going to say Timmy can't own a 36 year old shaq in a 7 game series, because i believe he can and will step up.
Timmy is the best, he is the great he is awsome, he is not humnan, you win.....
As opposed to "Pack your up guys we are playing the Suns, they beat us in the Reg season we got no shot at all here"
Duncan looked bothered by and scared of Shaq the last two Suns meetings. Am I the only one that noticed that?You think it's coincidence Duncan had off nights both of those games? Do you think it's coincidence that Duncan started missing shots both games as soon as Shaq started guarding him? I don't think Tim should be scared of Shaq but obviously Duncan's play tells me something different.
As opposed to "Pack your up guys we are playing the Suns, they beat us in the Reg season we got no shot at all here"
usually we would beat them during regular season most of the times....but i do think that they are the best team in the westren confrence....
Yeah, i agree....but no give him some respect, like we are bashing the guy....Duncan looked bothered by and scared of Shaq the last two Suns meetings. Am I the only one that noticed that?
The body of work of Tim against Shaq should tell you a of a lot more than 2 games does. Who is closer to their prime here?? Tim or Shaq?? IF Duncan was great against Shaq in a 7 game series when Shaq was in his prime, he sure as will be now, wouldn't you think?? And Tim scared of Shaq. How does that make sense?? Would you be scared of a schoolyard bully you KTFO when he tried to take your lunch money?? Tim has a couple of bad possessions against Shaq and he is suddenly scared of him, uh no not hardly.Duncan looked bothered by and scared of Shaq the last two Suns meetings. Am I the only one that noticed that?
Tim had David Robinson when Shaq was in his prime, how many time did we get beat, finally in 2003 we got over the hump....
Obviously we see two different things. I hope you're right and I'm wrong.
What did Robinson do in 2003 against Shaq?? D-Rob was barely hanging on in 2003. In 2004 we did not lose because of Tim not playing well or being scared of Shaq. The team played poorly along with Fisher's .4 bull shot.Those Laker Teams in 01 and 02 were much better teams.
What did Robinson do in 2003 against Shaq?? D-Rob was barely hanging on in 2003. In 2004 we did not lose because of Tim not playing well or being scared of Shaq. The team played poorly along with Fisher's .4 bull shot.
You will be saying the same thing when duncan is close to retirement....David Robison guarded shaq most of the time.....a great example, David Robinson left and we loss to the Lakers again, despite what you say...
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