4 straight losses after tonight and only 3 ahead of L.A. in the loss column. Both Duncan and Manu are out. With a somewhat tough remaining schedule the Spurs could lose 4 more. There is a chance they can be caught by the Lakers. Spurs' remaining schedule: Thu 31 vs Boston Loss Fri 01 @ Houston Loss Sun 03 vs Phoenix Win Tue 05 @ Atlanta Loss Wed 06 vs Sacramento Win Sat 09 vs Utah Win Tue 12 @ LA Lakers Loss Wed 13 @ Phoenix Win And with Duncan's rapid decline this year I would not be surprised if the Spurs' window is now closed. The team they have this year is a great regular season team but is probably only the 4th best team in the playoffs in the western conference. That team is toast IMO.
their incredible depth carried them through the reg season. but depth doesn't matter much b/c your best players will play the majority of the minutes. and we all know tim duncan and manu right now aren't capable of playing 38-39 minutes at a high level for a prolonged period time due to their age and injuries. like i said before, i put the thunder as the 2nd best team in the west right now. but it appears the lakers are going to win the west pretty easily once again (unless kevin durant learns how to score vs artest if those 2 teams ever meet up)
A few weeks ago this was unfathomable, but it sure looks like there will be a dogfight down the stretch, maybe culminating in the game @LAL. Looks like the Spurs hit the injury bug at the wrong time. I have to believe the Lakers will lose a few more games this season, though. Winning 25/26 going into the playoffs is pretty much unheard of.
I wouldn't pen that one in just yet. If there's one team playing worse than the Spurs, it's the Celtics.
They do this every season, so people underestimate them. I wouldn't worry about their losses as of late and possible future losses. Pop is probably intentionally doing this (the injuries are probably not serious at all) to play his bench or rest his starters. In one of their championship seasons, Duncan went down during the end of that regular season too.
While I believe this to some degree, there's no way Pop is just going to throw away HCA since that's really their only chance at beating the Lakers.
I would still put the Mavs ahead of the Thunder due to their front court strength. Also OKC has proven multiple times this season that they don't fare well in close games. I agree that the Lakers would win the West easily this year.
I never bought into the Spurs coming out of the West in the playoffs even when healthy. Now I really don't. I wouldn't be shocked if they didn't make the West Conference Finals.
IMO they will win the West, but it won't be easy. They are peaking kinda early. A potential first round with Memphis or Portland will be tough (although somewhat mitigated by the league's r****ded three week first round schedule). A second round with Dallas (or possibly OKC) is no cakewalk either, and whoever they meet in the WCF will be tough. Both conferences are pretty strong this year-- no cupcakes like Utah.
i would love to see that matchup though. dirk vs durant kidd vs westbrook chandler vs perkins/ibaka it will be a very exciting, close series decided by defense and clutch plays.
Wtf, no Duncan, Parker, Ginobli, or McDyess tonight? Lol. Don't worry, they'll all be back for the Rockets' game, playing like they never missed a beat.
I'm talking about the Lakers (assuming they end up #2, which is no longer set in stone at this point). I think the Lakers would prevail in Lakers/Mavs, especially with HCA, but it won't be a cakewalk.
i am thinking the same thing, what a good time to rest your starters. maybe grizzlies fans and hornets fans are more pissed at the tanking than us....
I don't care about the Spurs, but these dumbasses definitely hurt our playoff chances by losing all those games!
