Spurs hosting Phx game 3 predictions

[Reality]

Lets hear your predictions now.

I'm finding some eerie similarities to 2006.  Won game 1 in a mistake prone game but still enough great plays by the Spurs to prevail.  Game 2 Popacement inexplicably goes to Fabbs and 4 smalls to evaporate a lead and deflate any and all momentum.  Along with an overdoze of 4 Dumb dump it to Tim and Stand the entire 3rd qtr.  So....

2006 Nazr hit about 50% of his dunks from 6 inches out.  2007 Elson has taken lessons from Nazr.

2006 that brought us to the Dick Bavetta inspired Gm 3 104-103 heartbreaker to the Mavs.
Which brings us now to Gm 3 2007.

I look for Manu to bust out of his shooting slump.  I think Bob Horry is gonna have another one of his key play games -steals-rebound dunks at key times.  Spurs will build up a lead and Popacement will order them to stop ball movement.   Phx comes roaring back, Spurs have just enough to hold on in the end.
96-94 2-1 Spurs. 

[Joe Vancil]

I think Phoenix is going to take one of the next two, and in convincing fashion.  I'm not sure it's this game, though.

Actually, I think it might be this game.  Let's say Phoenix, 107-92.

[Reality]

Some in Spursdom think the Spurs have to go to 3-1 with these two home games.
I do not.  I'll wish for 3-1 but do not consider 2-2 a disaster at all.  Well, depending on how they play.

7 games is entirely possible.

[westkoast]

SA 97
PHX 92

I expect Pop to make an adjustment on both ends. On the offensive end  I felt like there wasn't enough players cutting or trying to get open once Duncan touched the ball.  He would throw up a weird shot, a long rebound would come off the rim, and then PHX would be out to the races.

On the defensive end I thought they didn't do a good enough job slowing down PHX when they would run.  Either they were not closing on shooters quick enough or help was not coming over at the right time (like when they isolate Diaw on the block when he gets a mismatch)

I don't think they need to take both games at home.  If they went 2-2 after these games at home it would be fine.  This team knows what it takes to win and I believe the coaching staff for the Spurs is 20x superior to PHX.  I don't think all that highly of D'Antoni and Alan Gentry isn't all that himself.

[Reality]

[Reality]

Breaking news Friday night:
Barbosa out 2-3 weeks.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2231863

Also wonder how Tony Parkers elbow is after Marion whacked him at the buzzer.

[WayOutWest]

Breaking news Friday night:
Barbosa out 2-3 weeks.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2231863

Also wonder how Tony Parkers elbow is after Marion whacked him at the buzzer.

I guess drama queen Manualla'a antics finally paid off.

Too bad, it's going to really take away from the series.

[rickortreat]

I'm going with the Suns by virtue of their last victory.  They really blew out the Spurs in Phoenix, and now think they can win the series.

This is not a critical game for the Spurs, but if they want to win the series, they have to win this game for psych reasons.

The Suns confidence can only go up with a win, and they know that a win will give them back home-court advantage.  They will come out ready for a war, and so will SA.

Pop's has a lot of adjusting to do from game 2.  The Suns were able to get out and run, and execute at a very high level, and it wasn't as though the Spurs weren't trying.  IMO, the pressure is on the Spurs today, and they're not a team that will crack.  But the Suns won't back down either.

Big game for both teams.

[SPURSX3]

I love this pic!!   

[Reality]

Great.  I'm hoping Laker Fan Dan or W.O.W. can put a little shiner over Gm 3 co-MVP star Manus left eye to complete this pic.

[WayOutWest]

Great.  I'm hoping Laker Fan Dan or W.O.W. can put a little shiner over Gm 3 co-MVP star Manus left eye to complete this pic.

I guess flopping can be dangerous.......he must have hit someone's shoe as he was flopping, can't think of another way he would get that shinner.

[Reality]

I guess flopping can be dangerous.......he must have hit someone's shoe as he was flopping, can't think of another way he would get that shinner. 

W.O.W. if you can't get Dan to watch a game with you could you at least get him to read you the boxscore and writeups?

lurker in spite of Findogs 2-10 and Barrys 1-3 they both hit extremely timely treys.

[SPURSX3]

flop or not, I like what Buck Harvey wrote about Manu in the Sunday edition of the Express-News.  He wrote that Manu doesn't talk about the fouls he takes (unlike Amare) he goes out and gets back at the other team.  I hope that this woke him up for game four.  If the big three can all get it going then the Suns really don't have a chance of winning this series.

[Laker Fan]

This all matters very little anyway X3, as I have stated before, Phoenix WILL NOT win theis series, anymore than GS will take out Utah, the WCF will go 5-6 games with the Spurs taking out the Jazz to go on to beat Detroit in the Finals in 5, MAYBE 6.

[WayOutWest]

Since Barbosa is out I figure the Spurs will roll quite easily.  The Jazz will be over-matched in the WC finals.  Detroit is looking rock solid, I'm not making any predictions about the finals but I'm still sticking to me pre-playoff pick of the Spurs shocking the West, although the shocking part was them taking out the Mavs but now it's pretty academic.