Spurs 2007 Western Conference Champions

[luvhoops34]

Spurs 109 Utah 84

GO SPURS GO!!!:D :D :D

[kepdawg]

Congrats to the Spurs! Good luck in the finals!

Props to Deron Williams for an outstanding sophomore season!

[luvhoops34]

Williams is an exciting player to watch. Utah will be tough next year.

[BreckTxLonghorn]

I think I dislike the spurs more than I actually like any other team.

That being said, I respect them extremely for their play. The best team in the playoffs hands down (and it kills me to say that). Here's hoping Detroit wins the East so that the Finals will be watchable. SA will mop the floor with Cleveland by all the matchup problems they create.

[maestro]

WAY TO GO SPURS!!

that was fun to watch..

[Phil C]

It was a good game to watch. But we have to remember that Utah was short one player till halftime and Deron Williams was not playing full speed. Without those factors the game might have been a close one indeed.

We have to remember that whoever we play in the finals will be extremely damaged. We will be well rested but may be a little rusty the first half of the first game. If we can stay fairly close we will have a chance to win the first game in the finals.

If we play Detroit that will be tough. Remember they were NBA champions just a few years ago and we barely beat them in the best of 7 series.

If we play Cleveland they will be dangerous. Lebron James and Daniel Gibson (a former UT player) have played well and bring youth and enthusiasm to that team and will be tough to beat. The rest of the team is tough too. This will be a tough team to face. We also have to remember that they beat the Spurs twice during the regularly season.

We have to be cautious and careful and stay focused.

[maestro]

detroit IS a dangerous team..

they COULD HAVE everything they need to win it all.

it will be another classic battle..

was watching espn classic .....

the laker/celtics.....

celtics/sixers....


this is WHAT the nba wants....

classic battles..

buls/pistens......bulls/lakers....

[Maroon87]

GO SPURS GO!!!:clap:

[44INAROW]

GO SPURS GO :) GO SPURS GO:)

[Fotbol]

Originally posted by 44INAROW
GO SPURS GO :) GO SPURS GO:)
I'm a Rocket Fan, but when it comes to Texas against another State, then you know it's San Antonio!

[crzyjournalist03]

Originally posted by maestro
detroit IS a dangerous team..

they COULD HAVE everything they need to win it all.

it will be another classic battle..

was watching espn classic .....

the laker/celtics.....

celtics/sixers....


this is WHAT the nba wants....

classic battles..

buls/pistens......bulls/lakers....

If you're rooting for a classic battle, then root for Cleveland-San Antonio. Lebron James' coming out party versus a much deeper and more talented Spurs team. THAT would be must-see TV.

[Fal44]

lets go CAVS!

[Old Tiger]

go spurs go!

[Gobbla2001]

SA went 2-0 against 'Troit in the regular season... 0-2 against Lebron and the Cavs... I know it was the regular season, and this is the playoffs, but maybe SA matches up better with Detroit?

what do you think, Russ?

[crzyjournalist03]

Originally posted by Gobbla2001
SA went 2-0 against 'Troit in the regular season... 0-2 against Lebron and the Cavs... I know it was the regular season, and this is the playoffs, but maybe SA matches up better with Detroit?

what do you think, Russ?

I know you weren't asking me, but I'd completely agree with that assessment. Detroit is completely comfortable playing San Antonio's style and tempo. When San Antonio plays their game, they're the best in the league. Cleveland wants to run a little more and Lebron creates a matchup problem for any team. I'm not saying that San Antonio couldn't beat Cleveland, (they probably would), but I think that Detroit would be an easier path to a championship for the Spurs.

[Gobbla2001]

not bad not bad...

here are my thoughts

the Spurs are playing so much better basketball than they were during the regular season...

They averaged 90 ppg against Detroit and 79 ppg against Cleveland during the regular season... but I honestly think SA can beat the Cavs NOW better than they could Detroit...

Reasons? Whether he was playing for the Blazers or the Pistons, Wallace has ALWAYS come up big on both sides of the ball against the Spurs... Then you have the rest of the great experienced players on the Pistons that will NOT have two consecutive bad rounds, esspecially in the finals... And McDyse (sp?) coming off of the bench for them is not good either, when in Denver he always gave the Spurs problems, and in the '05 finals he came off the bench and was HUGE for Detroit against the Spurs...

The Cavs have a great scorer and assists man in Lebron James... just great, and they love to have fun... but I'd compare his impact on the Spurs (what I expect his impact to be) to be equal to that of Steve Nash's on most teams... he'll pass the ball and put it to the bottom of the net via great shooting and aggressive moves to the basket... he will put a few Spurs in foul trouble also... but unlike Nash, he hasn't the supporting cast... the Spurs' offense is clicking a lot better in the playoffs since Ginobili has stepped it up, and I don't think the Cavs saw SA in the form they are now...

But the Cavs gotta get it done at the Palace or whatever first...

[Gobbla2001]

interesting question, though...

The Spurs have allowed players in the past two rounds to pretty much get away with what they want with little defense...

against the Suns it was Amare, they didn't defend him very hard purposely and let him get away with stuff so their guys could stay out of foul trouble and focus on the main weapon, Nash... they did a great job on Nash and the rest (And in game 5 they let Marion get away)...

last round they pretty much let Williams and Boozer get their shots, but kept the other guys on the team, esspecially the perimemter shooters in check...

who will they let go in the finals whether it's Detroit or the Cavs...

[big daddy russ]

Originally posted by Gobbla2001
SA went 2-0 against 'Troit in the regular season... 0-2 against Lebron and the Cavs... I know it was the regular season, and this is the playoffs, but maybe SA matches up better with Detroit?

what do you think, Russ?
I think LeBron would get beat like mail-order wife if he made it to the Finals.

Don't get me wrong, I think the Cavs have made an impressive stand this postseason and that LBJ has been the most dominant player in the playoffs this side of a certain San Antone power forward, but the Pistons regressed from the Conference Semis to the Conference Finals. They're late on their rotations against the Cavs, seem sluggish picking up assignments, haven't been very crisp on offense (especially Chauncey Billups), and have just been playing down to the level of their opponents.

I know everyone will say, "just look at the scores... Detroit's playing great defense."

No they're not, we're just watching two teams that play half court, slow-it-down basketball. That's why the scores wind up resembling those from the seventh-grade B team. Not as many shots are being taken and that's why only once has either team broke 90 points. When a shooter like Sasha Pavlovic is getting clean breaks straight to the rim against one of the "two best defensive teams in the league," there's definitely something wrong... and it doesn't have to do with the extra attention being paid to Cleveland's superstar.

This series is the Pistons' to lose, plain and simple. With all apologies to the Cavs, Detroit's the ONLY Eastern Conference team who would've made it out of the first round in the Western Conference brackets. If LBJ and company manage to take advantage of this golden opportunity, they won't get lucky twice.

Now it's not like SA sill sweep either team. Not by a longshot. That's not the way they play. Charles Barkley summed it up best when he commented earlier in these playoffs that the Spurs play at 80% all the time. Most teams have peaks and valleys, but SA doesn't.

That's why the Spurs have only swept one series this millenium. LBJ and company may find one game where they play at 90% the whole time, but it won't happen four times against the Spurs. Besides that, it's just an absolute matchup nightmare for the Cavs. They may have one of the two or three best frontcourts in the East, but they won't have much of an inside prescence against the Spurs unless James decides to post up Bowen... and that takes away from LBJ's overall game and limits his effectiveness on pull-ups and trips through the lane.

San Antone has someone who can slow down LBJ, but Cleveland doesn't have an answer for Timmy. Detroit does.

Bruce Bowen "held" LeBron to under 20 points their first matchup, and if you got to see the game, you'd see how much he struggled getting his shot off. I want to say he shot something like 35%, and as much of that can be attributed to Bowen as anything.

There are only two players in the league who can effectively "defend" (if you want to call it that) LeBron, and one of them plays for the Spurs. Shane Battier's too slow, Trenton Hassell's too small, Tayshaun Prince is too weak, and the Lakers would never put Kobe on LBJ consistently because they need him fresh on offense.

Aside from Bowen and Ron Artest, those are your other premier perimeter defenders in the NBA (and if I hear anyone say that Shawn Marion is just as good, I'll slap them-- Marion has the hoops IQ of Corky from "Life Goes On"... Also, I know I left off Josh Howard and Raja Bell. Get over it.). You have to be quick, big, strong, have a high hoops IQ, and also be committed solely to defense to make LBJ work for his shots, and only Ron Artest and Bruce Bowen have all the above.

Meanwhile, Detroit has Tony Parker's kryptonite, six effective scorers, the ability to function as a single unit (and not as a patchwork piece of players loosely resembling a group from a local pickup game), and one of only two guys in the league who can get Timmy out of his game. The kryptonite is Chauncey Billups, a PG big, quick, and physical enough to play Parker man-to-man and limit his drives to the basket, the single thing that has killed every team SA's played so far. Their six effective scorers can score anywhere from 25' out to down on the block, and Rasheed Wallace is the most effective Duncan stopper the league's ever seen. He's long, athletic, and has moves around the rim, and he can step out and pop the three with consistency. He's also long enough, quick enough, and has enough body control to change Duncan's shots.

The Pistons showed some signs of life on Tuesday night, and if they can carry that over to game 5, they'll be alright. If not, Cleveland will make it a series.

The one major difference you can tell between Detroit and the Cavs is that Detroit as a whole is (just like the Spurs) greater than the sum of their parts, while the Cavs are not.

If the Cavs go to the Finals, I'll say Spurs in 5, maybe 6, but it'll be just as ugly as the Utah series. If the Pistons go, I'll say SA in 6 or 7.

[big daddy russ]

Oh I forgot to address one other thing. Gobbla, you should know better than anyone to never compare regular season records to the playoffs when it comes to the Spurs. They're one of those teams (remind me a LOT of the Celtics in the late-60's) where the regular season records don't matter for a hill of beans when they get to the postseason.

They use the regular season for a tune-up. Every year. That's why they have the best second-half record of all NBA teams combined over the last five years and the best playoff record during that same span.

I've said it before and I'll say it again... after watching the Spurs at the end of the season, I wouldn't have marked down anyone as favorites against them, not even the 67-win Mavs. As good as the Mavs are, as much of a nightmare it is to guard Nowitzki, and as efficient as they are, they cared more about that last game against SA than the Spurs did. BUT, them and the Pistons were the only two teams that I felt could make it a series against SA, and only because of their play at the four.

The Suns made it a series too, but it would've been over in five if SA wouldn't have lapsed on Nash and allowed him to become a playmaker. They should have kept him in scoring mode the whole series.

[Macarthur]

The East is weak. Either team would be lucky to send it to 6 games.

Detroit is not the same team they were several years ago. They have been very ordinary. I believe there are no less than 4 teams in the West that could beat Detroit or Cleveland.

[District303aPastPlayer]

Originally posted by Fotbol
I'm a Rocket Fan, but when it comes to Texas against another State, then you know it's San Antonio!

I just can't....

[SintonFan]

Originally posted by big daddy russ
I think LeBron would get beat like mail-order wife if he made it to the Finals.

Don't get me wrong, I think the Cavs have made an impressive stand this postseason and that LBJ has been the most dominant player in the playoffs this side of a certain San Antone power forward, but the Pistons regressed from the Conference Semis to the Conference Finals. They're late on their rotations against the Cavs, seem sluggish picking up assignments, haven't been very crisp on offense (especially Chauncey Billups), and have just been playing down to the level of their opponents.

I know everyone will say, "just look at the scores... Detroit's playing great defense."

No they're not, we're just watching two teams that play half court, slow-it-down basketball. That's why the scores wind up resembling those from the seventh-grade B team. Not as many shots are being taken and that's why only once has either team broke 90 points. When a shooter like Sasha Pavlovic is getting clean breaks straight to the rim against one of the "two best defensive teams in the league," there's definitely something wrong... and it doesn't have to do with the extra attention being paid to Cleveland's superstar.

This series is the Pistons' to lose, plain and simple. With all apologies to the Cavs, Detroit's the ONLY Eastern Conference team who would've made it out of the first round in the Western Conference brackets. If LBJ and company manage to take advantage of this golden opportunity, they won't get lucky twice.

Now it's not like SA sill sweep either team. Not by a longshot. That's not the way they play. Charles Barkley summed it up best when he commented earlier in these playoffs that the Spurs play at 80% all the time. Most teams have peaks and valleys, but SA doesn't.

That's why the Spurs have only swept one series this millenium. LBJ and company may find one game where they play at 90% the whole time, but it won't happen four times against the Spurs. Besides that, it's just an absolute matchup nightmare for the Cavs. They may have one of the two or three best frontcourts in the East, but they won't have much of an inside prescence against the Spurs unless James decides to post up Bowen... and that takes away from LBJ's overall game and limits his effectiveness on pull-ups and trips through the lane.

San Antone has someone who can slow down LBJ, but Cleveland doesn't have an answer for Timmy. Detroit does.

Bruce Bowen "held" LeBron to under 20 points their first matchup, and if you got to see the game, you'd see how much he struggled getting his shot off. I want to say he shot something like 35%, and as much of that can be attributed to Bowen as anything.

There are only two players in the league who can effectively "defend" (if you want to call it that) LeBron, and one of them plays for the Spurs. Shane Battier's too slow, Trenton Hassell's too small, Tayshaun Prince is too weak, and the Lakers would never put Kobe on LBJ consistently because they need him fresh on offense.

Aside from Bowen and Ron Artest, those are your other premier perimeter defenders in the NBA (and if I hear anyone say that Shawn Marion is just as good, I'll slap them-- Marion has the hoops IQ of Corky from "Life Goes On"... Also, I know I left off Josh Howard and Raja Bell. Get over it.). You have to be quick, big, strong, have a high hoops IQ, and also be committed solely to defense to make LBJ work for his shots, and only Ron Artest and Bruce Bowen have all the above.

Meanwhile, Detroit has Tony Parker's kryptonite, six effective scorers, the ability to function as a single unit (and not as a patchwork piece of players loosely resembling a group from a local pickup game), and one of only two guys in the league who can get Timmy out of his game. The kryptonite is Chauncey Billups, a PG big, quick, and physical enough to play Parker man-to-man and limit his drives to the basket, the single thing that has killed every team SA's played so far. Their six effective scorers can score anywhere from 25' out to down on the block, and Rasheed Wallace is the most effective Duncan stopper the league's ever seen. He's long, athletic, and has moves around the rim, and he can step out and pop the three with consistency. He's also long enough, quick enough, and has enough body control to change Duncan's shots.

The Pistons showed some signs of life on Tuesday night, and if they can carry that over to game 5, they'll be alright. If not, Cleveland will make it a series.

The one major difference you can tell between Detroit and the Cavs is that Detroit as a whole is (just like the Spurs) greater than the sum of their parts, while the Cavs are not.

If the Cavs go to the Finals, I'll say Spurs in 5, maybe 6, but it'll be just as ugly as the Utah series. If the Pistons go, I'll say SA in 6 or 7.
.
That's some good stuff. Can I use some of it for talk at the "water cooler" tomorrow?:nerd: :D

[big daddy russ]

Originally posted by SintonFan
.
That's some good stuff. Can I use some of it for talk at the "water cooler" tomorrow?:nerd: :D
You can take anything I type and use it anywhere you want, Danny. I could care less, it's just one man's opinion. Nothing more, nothing less.

File it under the Freedom of Information Act and take it.

[Snydertigersrul]

GO SPURS