Spurs game 1 loss.

[WayOutWest]

But then I suppose you never believed that your team would win when starting out 0-2 on the road have you? 

Hmmm....2004 seems to come to mind........but then again that's the Lakers, the Spurs have never done it so it doesn't look good.

[Randy]

Obviously, the Spurs have to find a way to win on the road and they really don't want to face the Lakers after a seven game series. 

So you think the Spurs will join the Lakers in the fishing tournament. 

Well, it looks as if the Spurs will have a real jump on the Lakers in that fishing tournament -- perhaps by several weeks if the Spurs can't get their act together.

I am sure glad that one ROAD loss in the playoffs has you already writing the eulogies.  I hope you are just as "optimistic" when the Lakers lose their road games.

What about TWO road game blowouts, I mean, losses?   

NO held home court.  Now Spurs have to hold home court.  A series doesn't start until the road team wins.

But then I suppose you never believed that your team would win when starting out 0-2 on the road have you?  Sounds like a bandwagon sort of fan...maybe Jazzmal will open up a spot for you on the Utah bandwagon.

I never stop believing in my team -- but it's different when you believe in the Lakers -- they are always making history happen -- like when they were down 0-2 vs. somebody -- hey, I think it was the Spurs.  So I guess the Spurs helped make history in that case too!

A series doesn't start until the road team wins.

So, just to clarify, if neither NO or SA wins a road game than they series doesn't ever start?  I do think it ends though, at least for one of those teams. 

[westkoast]

Obviously, the Spurs have to find a way to win on the road and they really don't want to face the Lakers after a seven game series. 

So you think the Spurs will join the Lakers in the fishing tournament. 

Well, it looks as if the Spurs will have a real jump on the Lakers in that fishing tournament -- perhaps by several weeks if the Spurs can't get their act together.

I am sure glad that one ROAD loss in the playoffs has you already writing the eulogies.  I hope you are just as "optimistic" when the Lakers lose their road games.

What about TWO road game blowouts, I mean, losses?   

NO held home court.  Now Spurs have to hold home court.  A series doesn't start until the road team wins.

But then I suppose you never believed that your team would win when starting out 0-2 on the road have you?  Sounds like a bandwagon sort of fan...maybe Jazzmal will open up a spot for you on the Utah bandwagon.

Lurker I would agree that it wouldn't be a big deal, NO did what they are suppose to do, but this isn't a playoff tested team.  They are also not just playing say the Jazz, Lakers, Rockets, or Suns.  They are playing the defending champs.  Holding home court against those teams mentioned before would not be a big deal.  Having 0 playoff experience up until this year and blowing out a team that is not only the defending champs but ran one of the best teams in the league the past 4 years off the court in the first round....I'd say the Spurs are in bad shape.

I also don't subscribe to all these 'history' type comments you see.  "Oh the Spurs never won a series being down 0-2" "The Lakers are 51-7 when they win the first game of a series"  Those don't mean much to me. 

[Lurker]

Lurker I would agree that it wouldn't be a big deal, NO did what they are suppose to do, but this isn't a playoff tested team.  They are also not just playing say the Jazz, Lakers, Rockets, or Suns.  They are playing the defending champs.  Holding home court against those teams mentioned before would not be a big deal.  Having 0 playoff experience up until this year and blowing out a team that is not only the defending champs but ran one of the best teams in the league the past 4 years off the court in the first round....I'd say the Spurs are in bad shape.

I also don't subscribe to all these 'history' type comments you see.  "Oh the Spurs never won a series being down 0-2" "The Lakers are 51-7 when they win the first game of a series"  Those don't mean much to me. 

Thanks for an intelligent post, koast.

I agree that the Spurs have not looked at the top of their game.  It could be the Hornets hustling "D" that is scaring off the 3 point shooters because they started to look hesitant last night.  Also the Spurs have been sloppy with their ball handling...again this copuld be partly due to the Hornets defense.  Part of it could be that NO is on a roll right now and have great confidence.  But now the series shifts back to SA and if the Spurs hold home court then it becomes a best of 3 series.

And if history was the only predictor of the future then there would only be one franchise with titles because after the first championship series no other team "would have ever done it".

[westkoast]

Lurker I would agree that it wouldn't be a big deal, NO did what they are suppose to do, but this isn't a playoff tested team.  They are also not just playing say the Jazz, Lakers, Rockets, or Suns.  They are playing the defending champs.  Holding home court against those teams mentioned before would not be a big deal.  Having 0 playoff experience up until this year and blowing out a team that is not only the defending champs but ran one of the best teams in the league the past 4 years off the court in the first round....I'd say the Spurs are in bad shape.

I also don't subscribe to all these 'history' type comments you see.  "Oh the Spurs never won a series being down 0-2" "The Lakers are 51-7 when they win the first game of a series"  Those don't mean much to me. 

Thanks for an intelligent post, koast.

I agree that the Spurs have not looked at the top of their game.  It could be the Hornets hustling "D" that is scaring off the 3 point shooters because they started to look hesitant last night.  Also the Spurs have been sloppy with their ball handling...again this copuld be partly due to the Hornets defense.  Part of it could be that NO is on a roll right now and have great confidence.  But now the series shifts back to SA and if the Spurs hold home court then it becomes a best of 3 series.

And if history was the only predictor of the future then there would only be one franchise with titles because after the first championship series no other team "would have ever done it".

I don't even know what to make of the first two games.  It's almost hard to put a finger on it.  A little bit of quality double teaming, a pinch of luck by having Tim Duncan play well below his level in the first game, some Denver Nuggets type shot selection by the Spurs, and Chris Paul letting SA know that "Hay Nash was old guys.  I am fresh!"   No way is SA out of this.  However they are getting beat at the game they've played better then anyone since 1999....defense.  That is what I think is the most concerning as someone who watches the Spurs.

The only history prediction I go with is when a team is down 3-0.  That one holds true 99% of the time.   SA being down 0-2 heading home is not the end of the world regardless if they've never came back from 0-2.  NO did what they were suppose to do.  SA needs to take care of business.    I still feel they are in bad shape because they gave NO the confidence that they can compete instead of stepping on their throat like they did with PHX.

[WayOutWest]

I don't even know what to make of the first two games.  It's almost hard to put a finger on it.  A little bit of quality double teaming, a pinch of luck by having Tim Duncan play well below his level in the first game, some Denver Nuggets type shot selection by the Spurs, and Chris Paul letting SA know that "Hay Nash was old guys.  I am fresh!"   No way is SA out of this.  However they are getting beat at the game they've played better then anyone since 1999....defense.  That is what I think is the most concerning as someone who watches the Spurs.

The only history prediction I go with is when a team is down 3-0.  That one holds true 99% of the time.   SA being down 0-2 heading home is not the end of the world regardless if they've never came back from 0-2.  NO did what they were suppose to do.  SA needs to take care of business.    I still feel they are in bad shape because they gave NO the confidence that they can compete instead of stepping on their throat like they did with PHX.

I wonder how not winning the MVP will affect CP3.  Will it turn him into a baby or beast?  IMO, BEAST!

[westkoast]

I don't even know what to make of the first two games.  It's almost hard to put a finger on it.  A little bit of quality double teaming, a pinch of luck by having Tim Duncan play well below his level in the first game, some Denver Nuggets type shot selection by the Spurs, and Chris Paul letting SA know that "Hay Nash was old guys.  I am fresh!"   No way is SA out of this.  However they are getting beat at the game they've played better then anyone since 1999....defense.  That is what I think is the most concerning as someone who watches the Spurs.

The only history prediction I go with is when a team is down 3-0.  That one holds true 99% of the time.   SA being down 0-2 heading home is not the end of the world regardless if they've never came back from 0-2.  NO did what they were suppose to do.  SA needs to take care of business.    I still feel they are in bad shape because they gave NO the confidence that they can compete instead of stepping on their throat like they did with PHX.

I wonder how not winning the MVP will affect CP3.  Will it turn him into a baby or beast?  IMO, BEAST!

For some reason he doesn't strike me as a guy who has an ego like that.  I think he will just shrug his shoulders and do what he has been doing for the last season...TORCHING defenses.  There really is no reason for CP3 to be upset because he will win an MVP in his career.  It's only a matter of time.  Heck it could be next year.  He is just that good.

[Randy]

Lurker, I have made several "serious" posts about what I think that the Spurs need to do against NO -- however, you would rather make mention of the others.

My history comments are ALL trash talking -- if I hurt your feelings, I apologize.  I would say that if you don't want to play that game, you shouldn't indulge when the Spurs are on top.

I don't think that CP3 is concerned at all about MVP -- I don't think his ego is that huge.  I think he is trying to help his team win and I think he truly meant it last night when he said that he was honored to even be considered at the same level as Kobe (i.e. considered for MVP).  He hasn't been in the league that long -- perhaps his ego will grow -- I hope not.  I wish Kobe's would diminish but I don't see that happening.  Kobe has become a better leader and is leading and trusting his teammates but his ego hasn't diminished.  He NEEDS to see himself as the best ever -- it's one of the reasons he clashed so much with Shaq -- because there wasn't room in the Forum for both of their egos -- they tried to build the Staples Center but by the time they got it done, it was already too late.

I think CP3 will just keep trying to do what he has done -- I don't think CP3 will fare worse on the road but it will be interesting to see if Peterson, Wright, Ely and Pargo will make the shots they have been hitting on the road.  Their role play was a big part of these two wins.  Can they do it on the road?

[WayOutWest]

He NEEDS to see himself as the best ever --

I hope that NEVER changes.  That drive is what sets him apart from guys like T-Mac, VC and LeBron.

[Randy]

There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance -- sometimes it's hard to tell which it is.  Perfect example is Lurker thinking I am a haughty know-it-all when I am just confident in my knowledge! 

[Lurker]

There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance -- sometimes it's hard to tell which it is.  Perfect example is Lurker thinking I am a haughty know-it-all when I am just confident in my knowledge! 

We need a smilie with a shovel.

[westkoast]

He NEEDS to see himself as the best ever --

I hope that NEVER changes.  That drive is what sets him apart from guys like T-Mac, VC and LeBron.

Lebron is slowly getting there.  He is starting to get that swagger and confidence about him.

[Randy]

There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance -- sometimes it's hard to tell which it is.  Perfect example is Lurker thinking I am a haughty know-it-all when I am just confident in my knowledge! 

We need a smilie with a shovel.

It's a little soon to be digging the Spurs grave -- you need to believe in your team more than that.  Have some faith!

[Lurker]

There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance -- sometimes it's hard to tell which it is.  Perfect example is Lurker thinking I am a haughty know-it-all when I am just confident in my knowledge! 

We need a smilie with a shovel.

It's a little soon to be digging the Spurs grave -- you need to believe in your team more than that.  Have some faith!

I was hoping to use the shovel to remove the dirt you have tossed on the empty grave and use it to cover up the fertilizer that you are spreading around today.

[Laker Fan]

I don't believe I have ever seen the Spurs so out of sync in the postseason, sloppy ball handling as someone already posted. Manu's turnovers and then crying like a girl about it just killed them for a stretch. That crisp, brilliant passing they are capable of is on display only in flashes so far this series and that all by itself is taking them out of their rhythm, they better get it back quick or they are done.

To me, for all his skills, Paul is a loose cannon out there and his ball handling becomes quite suspect in traffic, the Spurs should exploit that playground mentality and suffocate him and only him, let West try to beat them but make Paul pay every time down the court, zone defense won't work with this teams speed and I think double teaming and trapping would be more effective.

I am a little shocked at how easy New Orleans is making it look, given the steady discipline and experience of SA. And while I feel for you Lurker and X3, the SILENCE from your little wannabe snot-nosed fan has been a breath of fresh air, bandwagonning at its best I must say.