Now that the Spurs have been #1 for a while, and we have two people in the all-star game. Yea!!!!! Do you think that the Spurs will win the title? Explain.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Bodiddly14:</div><div class="quote_post">NO... They will get beat in the Finals against... YES, you guessed it! the Miami Heat!</div> Yea, i'm hoping that will be the outcome. I think the Spurs and the Heat will square off in the finals. The Spurs will take it in 6 games. The Spurs are just to solid at every position and it seems that their only weakness is their free-throw shooting.
Right now I'd say the Spurs are the most likely team to take out the title. They've got what they will need to win, Tim Duncan is having another MVP season and he has plenty of finals experience. Tony Parker is doing a great job of running the point for the Spurs and Manu Ginobili is now an All-Star. Bruce Bowen is still one of the best defenders in the league, and Rasho is a good role player for the Spurs. They also have a deep bench, Malik Rose is only averaging 17MPG this season, yet the come out and pulled down 15 rebounds vs. the Hornets in the Spurs last game. Brent Barry is a great 3 point shooter off the bench, Robert Horry is a veteran that everyone wants to have on their team in the clutch minutes of any close game. Players like Devin Brown and Beno Udrih aren't bad either. They've got a great coach, the equal best record in the NBA (as of now), they're always consistent and I see no reason as to why this team can't take out the title.
ya i think they'll win it easily. they'll sweep the 1st round, go 4-1 in the next two and then sweep the Heat. They're to good a defencive team that's so deep its almost impossible to shut them down offensively when they're really going. The Heat have to many young inexperienced players to compete i think. But i'd like to see Shaq win.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting 02civic:</div><div class="quote_post">ya i think they'll win it easily. they'll sweep the 1st round, go 4-1 in the next two and then sweep the Heat. They're to good a defencive team that's so deep its almost impossible to shut them down offensively when they're really going. The Heat have to many young inexperienced players to compete i think. But i'd like to see Shaq win.</div> Whoa, sweep the Heat? That's a very bold statement. Look what Happened when they last played. It was a very close game I admit, but the Heat got the win and that's all that matters. To tell the truth the Spurs don't have anyone that can even matchup to Shaq defensivly. Duncan is the best option the Spurs have but they don't want him to get in foul trouble. If the Heat sign Alonzo then they will have someone that can shut Duncan down. Similar to what Karl Malone did last year.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AA13:</div><div class="quote_post">If the Heat sogn Alonzo then they will have someone that can shut Duncan down. Similar to what Karl Malone did last year.</div> You can't be serious? we are in the 2005 not 1996 and even in his prime, Zo wouldn't be able to guard Duncan. He is basically unguardable. Zo is not in the shape that Karl was last year, Karl was just a freak when It came to fitness even at age 40. Zo for obvious reason won't be as active as Malone was in the paint. If these two teams met in the finals It would likely be a tight series purely because of Shaq. However defense and experience nearly always comes through. Bowen would make life tough for Wade and Pop and co would not give the rest of the Heat role players easy open shots in a 7 game series. For Heat to win they would need Eddie Jones to go crazy which in the playoffs hardly ever happens.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AA13:</div><div class="quote_post">To tell the truth the Spurs don't have anyone that can even matchup to Shaq defensivly. </div> Tell me one team that does have someone that can match up with Shaq? I think that the one thing that could hinder the Spurs is Shaq, but they've dealt with that before. They just need to have however he is guarding involved in pick and roll, as they've done in the past. They also have Michael Doleac, which causes some problems too. His ability to shoot will cause the Spurs some problems. The Heat have there share of problems too. They don't have a very deep bench, something the Spurs have. And then there is the pick and roll idea, which Shaq has never been able to guard. I'm not sure how Tony matches up with the Heat PG, but in the last game the Heat did a great job of shutting him down. All in all I think it would make a great series, something that the NBA really wants. I really want to see the Spurs win, but it could be a big dog fight to do it.
The Spurs are so good that this is probably one of the only threads that anyone can think of to create.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AllNet:</div><div class="quote_post"> You can't be serious? we are in the 2005 not 1996 and even in his prime, Zo wouldn't be able to guard Duncan. He is basically unguardable. Zo is not in the shape that Karl was last year, Karl was just a freak when It came to fitness even at age 40. Zo for obvious reason won't be as active as Malone was in the paint. If these two teams met in the finals It would likely be a tight series purely because of Shaq. However defense and experience nearly always comes through. Bowen would make life tough for Wade and Pop and co would not give the rest of the Heat role players easy open shots in a 7 game series. For Heat to win they would need Eddie Jones to go crazy which in the playoffs hardly ever happens.</div> Yea, I am serious. Alonzo can do a very good job on Duncan if he is in good shape. Karl is a freak when it comes to his fitness level at his age. Alonzo won't be able to play defense on Duncan like Malone did because Dincan has gotten better over the last year and Zo isn't in great shape. But offensivly Alonzo will add a lot, hopefully he will be able to come in and play great defense on players like KG and Duncan. Duncan is impossible to guard but Zo should slow him down some.
I dont think anyone has much of a chance to come out of the west over the Spurs after acquiring Nazr.That one itty bitty weakness the spurs had and then they go and get that guy.That trade officialy crushed my hopes of the Kings getting to the finals,and deep down inside it crushed every sonics,suns,and mavs fans hopes too.
After getting Nazr, I really doubt anybody in the league could hang with them in a 7 game series. Phx might be able to steal 2 or 3 in a series, but I doubt they would be able to finish them. Same goes for the Heat...they mind as well order the rings now.
I know I am gonna get flamed for this but I wouldn't count the Houston Rockets out. I think it will come down to which team is healthiest. Houston already has proven that even though they started out the season slow (only Yao left from the starting lineup of last year) they are gelling together. Add that with the addition of Mike James, Bobby Sura, and David Welsey shooting the lights out recently with the double teams on TMac and Yao... it could make an interesting race. Also.. if you think about it.. teams like the Suns which are the top in scoring yet the bottom of the league in defense... are not going to make it very far. Look at what Houston did to them recently with no defense.. they beat them at their own game scoring 127pts and blowing them out by 20pts. Those type of teams can be stopped with good perimeter defense. David Wesly has done a terrific job covering some of the most prolific scorers in the league, probably due to his speed and strength (this guy is all muscle). Houston's going to be a very dangerous team in the playoffs if they can stay healthy. Juwon just got injured and will be out for a few weeks... but hopefully they can stay together before playoffs get here. I always hear the excuse that Houston hasn't had a tough schedule blah blah.. but getting wins in Dallas (I know they were injured), Sacramento, Phoenix, and Seattle on the road is a pretty good testament on how good the team is playing now... compared to the beginning of the year. It's easy to jump into the San Antonio bandwagon like everyone else (esp. ESPN) but remember what Houston did in 94. They were the first team to ever beat 4 60+ win teams to win the Finals... and swept Orlando with Shaq the next year. Never assume the top record has the best team... It's all a clean slate in the playoffs. A lot of people discount the Rockets... Van Gundy has spent the season getting the mixture just right and now he looks like a genious. We will see...
I agree completely, the toughest match-up for the Spurs in western conference for the playoffs would be the Rockets in my mind. They have a very good skilled center and a superstar swingmen who can give you fits and go crazy offensively as we saw in Houston. They have soild guards with now good shooters in Wesley and James. Although Howard is a weak defensive player he can still hit that open jump shot and get some boards to help put Yao. The biggest key to that team is they can play defense and as this season has proved they have given the Spurs problems head to head to far. Houston are one piece away from really competing for a championship.
