Who goes home early?

[elindholm]

Will the Suns' path get any easier after the first round?

 

[HooverDam]

I doubt it. I'd be ecstatic if one of these teams were bumped, but I just think that have too much talent, and in the case of SA too good of a coach (I don't think Avery is anything special as a coach) to lose in the first round. My hope is that they can both be pushed to 6 or 7.

 

[hafey]

No one respects the Warriors, but they own the Mavs. 67 wins againist every other team in the league doesn't matter. The Warriors are in the Mavs head. They have a very good chance of upsetting the Mavs.

 

[Ballamania]

the spurs i think will be done if the nuggets dont get away from what they did in the first game. rebound and defend the interior. oh yeah, and carmelo not taking bad shots.

 

[TucsonDevil]

Of the two, the Nuggets' style has the most potential to hurt the Spurs' chances of continuation.

Dallas will figure out the Warriors, but not until the Warriors get another game (probably the 3rd game).

I would be SHOCKED if both were eliminated... absolutely SHOCKED.

 

[Mulli]

Can I go home early?

 

[elindholm]

I voted "neither," but I think the Warriors have a chance. The pressure on Dallas is immense, and if they don't win Game 2, they are in real trouble. San Antonio, on the other hand, is steady and experienced enough to come back even from 0-2 if they have to.

 

[fordronken]

The most realistic of the long shot hopes is for the Suns to win in 4 or 5 and the Spurs to get pushed to seven. That would give the Suns close to a whole week off to get recharged for when the real playoffs start.

 

[Mulli]

The most realistic of the long shot hopes is for the Suns to win in 4 or 5 and the Spurs to get pushed to seven. That would give the Suns close to a whole week off to get recharged for when the real playoffs start.

Rest is a bad thing.


/Donald

 

[Louis]

Neither.

The Warriors and the Nuggets may give the Mavs and Spurs fits, but I don't see either team being good enough in a 7 game series to eliminate the higher ranked team.

I see the Mavs closing out in 5, 6 games max.

Spurs/Nuggz will go 7.

 

[elindholm]

I see the Mavs closing out in 5, 6 games max.

You think the Mavericks will suddenly win four straight after losing six in a row to this team? That's quite a leap of faith.

 

[Diamondback Jay]

If Dallas or San Antonio loses, and the other goes to 7 games, I'd be happy.

 

[hafey]

I agree, Eric.

For someone reason, people simply don't understand the fact that the Mavs are good againist the rest of league has very little to do with a 7 game series againist this ONE team. The Mavs simply aren't good when playing the Warriors. It's not a good match-up.

 

[Louis]

You think the Mavericks will suddenly win four straight after losing six in a row to this team? That's quite a leap of faith.

I do.

Not much of a leap of faith, IMO.

The Mavs outplayed the Warriors in nearly every facet of the game last night. Yet they looked terrible and the Warriors scraped by. Take a look at the box score. There is no way the Mavs shoot that poorly again.

I just see the Mavs as being coached too well to make this a 7 game series.

4/17 Loss to the Warriors: No Stack, No Dirk, No Damp, No J-Ho, Devin Harris (16 minutes), Jet (17 minutes)

3/13 Loss to the Warriors: Ends a 17 game winning streak, odds were against them. Mavs lose the next game to the Suns, making it the only time (save for the 0-4 start) they lost consecutive games this season.

11/6 Loss to the Warriors: 3rd loss of season when Dallas began 0-4. Next game begins a 12 game win streak.

Plus Baron Davis will not play like that every game in this series.

 

[hafey]

Coached well? Nelson absolutely schooled his pupil last night.

 

[abomb]

The Suns.

But seriously, prolly the Mavs.

 

[Louis]

Coached well? Nelson absolutely schooled his pupil last night.

Is it considered a "schooling" if...

The other guy outrebounds you, has less fouls, less TOs, more steals, more assists, more free throws, and a better 3PT%?

Or is it just one of those games where the other team couldn't buy a bucket and shot 11% points worse then their season average?

 

[hafey]

Its schooling if you deviate from a two-year strategy before the game even starts. Its schooling if you put your best player in a position he has never succeeded in. Its schooling if you don't exploit your opponents single biggest weakness and instead play to their strength.

You're splitting hairs on most of those stats, but whatever.

 

[Louis]

Its schooling if you deviate from a two-year strategy before the game even starts. Its schooling if you put your best player in a position he has never succeeded in. Its schooling if you don't exploit your opponents single biggest weakness and instead play to their strength.

You're splitting hairs on most of those stats, but whatever.

You gotta cut me some slack, I'm trying to argue why a team that is down 0-1 to a team they haven't beaten in the past 6 meetings is going to win this series in 5 games.

 

[FArting]

I voted for both. This is our year to win to win it all

GO SUNS

 

[Gaddabout]

I think the Spurs have some equally troublesome matchups with Denver because Nene is healthy. He made Timmah miserable. Duncan only got to the line once, I think.

I expect the Spurs to go small a bit more and run early offense against the Nugs, maybe use Finley at the 4 to spread the floor more when Camby and Nene are on the floor. Spurs go small to win. Ironic, isn't it?

 

[elindholm]

The weakness of the Spurs is that their roster is so thin, they don't have a lot of options for how to play. After the big three and Finley, who's their next best player? Oberto? Bowen, I guess, but he isn't going to make a difference in their offense.

The Spurs are like the Suns in that they have one very powerful offensive concept and not much of a contingency plan. In San Antonio's case, it's use Duncan's presence down low to set up penetration opportunities for Parker and Floppy. If that's not working, what do they do next? They just don't have the personnel to present multiple challenges for the defense.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

The weakness of the Spurs is that their roster is so thin, they don't have a lot of options for how to play. After the big three and Finley, who's their next best player? Oberto? Bowen, I guess, but he isn't going to make a difference in their offense.

The Spurs are like the Suns in that they have one very powerful offensive concept and not much of a contingency plan. In San Antonio's case, it's use Duncan's presence down low to set up penetration opportunities for Parker and Floppy. If that's not working, what do they do next? They just don't have the personnel to present multiple challenges for the defense.

I agree. I think the Spurs are ultra vulnerable.

 

[az1965]

Mavs are more vulnerable. They are the chokers. Spurs would bounce back.

 

[Nasser22]

Neither, they are too good to lose early. I think Dallas will have the toughest series of any of the top seeds and then going against a good Rockets team after a very tiring first round, that could be an upset right there.