Who do you want in the 1st round?

[Nolan]

Whether we finish first or second its looks like we'll be matching up with one of Golden, State, Dallas, Phoenix or Memphis.

So who do you want and why?

[Donald Kaufman]

Dallas or GS. The Mavs for the rivalry factor, and also because I think they're the easiest matchup out of all the contenders for the 8th seed. That said, GS don't bother me but there's always the Splash Bros and if they get hot they could make it tough for us. And after seeing how we dismantled Memphis the other night, I'm not too bothered about them either.

Honestly, only Phoenix concerns me at this point. They're a bad matchup for us. Their inexperience would ultimately be their achille's heel in a series with us, but they're uber-athletic and Dragic is a notorious Spur killer. Plus they've got nothing to lose. They kind of remind me (in spirit) of the 2007 We Believe Warriors.

[imagump1313]

No one worries me except OKC who we obviously wont see unless its the WCF. Phoenix is trouble but could never beat us in a seven game series.

[co_laper]

Dallas or GS. The Mavs for the rivalry factor, and also because I think they're the easiest matchup out of all the contenders for the 8th seed. That said, GS don't bother me but there's always the Splash Bros and if they get hot they could make it tough for us. And after seeing how we dismantled Memphis the other night, I'm not too bothered about them either.

Honestly, only Phoenix concerns me at this point. They're a bad matchup for us. Their inexperience would ultimately be their achille's heel in a series with us, but they're uber-athletic and Dragic is a notorious Spur killer. Plus they've got nothing to lose. They kind of remind me (in spirit) of the 2007 We Believe Warriors.

Goran Dragic's 2010 Playoffs
Game 1. 11 minutes, 2-7 FG, 4 points
Game 2. 13 minutes, 0-5 FG, 0 points
Game 3. 17 minutes, 10-13 FG, 26 points
Game 4. 11 minutes, 2-6 FG, 6 points

Really DK, that's not what I call a notorious Spurs killer.

I just find it hard to see how Phoenix concerns us at all compared to Memphis, Dallas, or Golden State.

They're not an uptempo team that will need to play halfcourt in the playoffs.

They're athletic, I'll give them that.

They got Dragic. You're saying this as if Dragic really has killed us over and over again over the years. Guys like Zbo and Marc, Dirk, The Warriors starting lineup, they present more of a problem than one Goran Dragic. Dragic has improved a lot. He's clearly an allstar caliber player. But he's not Michael Jordan. He's not even the best player in all of those teams mentioned.

[SPURt]

Dallas, it's always fun to watch playoff ball against the Mavs. Matchup wise, I think we are built to play Memphis. At the end of the day, Spurs are not going out in the first round and should fear no team.

[marcusaurelius]

The west is very strong this year. I don't see any easy matchups. Right now Dallas seems like maybe they would be the easiest. As long as Dirk doesn't go nuts. If Dirk isn't at a real high level I just don't think they can beat anybody (in the playoffs).

Phoenix is young, so they are probably the next easiest matchup. But if Bledsoe and Dragic both play well, they will be difficult. I give GS a slight chance to upset the Spurs.

Memphis is really dangerous if Randolph and Gasol both show up. My memory is that Randolph really had an off year last year, and just wasn't that good in the playoffs. But if he plays well, there are very few teams that can handle two good inside players, and even the Spurs could go down. I don't see Memphis winning several series in a row, but for one series I think that they can possibly upset anyone, even the Spurs.

The real question is going to be whether Splitter is going to show up and earn that big contract he got, even though he basically went MIA in the finals. If Splitter earns his paycheck, I think the Spurs easily get to the conference finals, and then play a tough opponent in OKC or LAC. If he disappears again, I think that the Spurs could be in several dogfights.

[Donald Kaufman]

Goran Dragic's 2010 Playoffs
Game 1. 11 minutes, 2-7 FG, 4 points
Game 2. 13 minutes, 0-5 FG, 0 points
Game 3. 17 minutes, 10-13 FG, 26 points
Game 4. 11 minutes, 2-6 FG, 6 points

Really DK, that's not what I call a notorious Spurs killer.

I just find it hard to see how Phoenix concerns us at all compared to Memphis, Dallas, or Golden State.

They're not an uptempo team that will need to play halfcourt in the playoffs.

They're athletic, I'll give them that.

They got Dragic. You're saying this as if Dragic really has killed us over and over again over the years. Guys like Zbo and Marc, Dirk, The Warriors starting lineup, they present more of a problem than one Goran Dragic. Dragic has improved a lot. He's clearly an allstar caliber player. But he's not Michael Jordan. He's not even the best player in all of those teams mentioned.

So you're using a 4 game series from 4 years ago as a basis for your argument? Good job.

How about this:

Dragic vs SA this season: 24.9ppg (against a regular season average of 20.5ppg)
Dragic vs SA last season: 20.5ppg (against a regular season average of 14.7ppg)
Dragic vs SA 2011-12: 17.9ppg (against a regular season average of 11.7ppg)

Never said he was Jordan. Just said he plays well against us. Which he does.

[co_laper]

Goran Dragic's 2010 Playoffs
Game 1. 11 minutes, 2-7 FG, 4 points
Game 2. 13 minutes, 0-5 FG, 0 points
Game 3. 17 minutes, 10-13 FG, 26 points
Game 4. 11 minutes, 2-6 FG, 6 points

Really DK, that's not what I call a notorious Spurs killer.

I just find it hard to see how Phoenix concerns us at all compared to Memphis, Dallas, or Golden State.

They're not an uptempo team that will need to play halfcourt in the playoffs.

They're athletic, I'll give them that.

They got Dragic. You're saying this as if Dragic really has killed us over and over again over the years. Guys like Zbo and Marc, Dirk, The Warriors starting lineup, they present more of a problem than one Goran Dragic. Dragic has improved a lot. He's clearly an allstar caliber player. But he's not Michael Jordan. He's not even the best player in all of those teams mentioned.

So you're using a 4 game series from 4 years ago as a basis for your argument? Good job.

How about this:

Dragic vs SA this season: 24.9ppg (against a regular season average of 20.5ppg)
Dragic vs SA last season: 20.5ppg (against a regular season average of 14.7ppg)
Dragic vs SA 2011-12: 17.9ppg (against a regular season average of 11.7ppg)

Never said he was Jordan. Just said he plays well against us. Which he does.

Sorry, I figured by "Notorious Spurs Killer", you were referring to the Phoenix vs Spurs playoff game from 2010.

Anyways, my argument was that Dragic is far from being a Spurs killer. I just don't see that at all. Yes he plays better than his season averages, that doesn't mean he's a Spurs killer.

We've gone 5-2 againts Dragic's Suns in the last 2 years. In those 2 wins, he put up 13 points in 40 minutes. 8 points in 29 minutes in the other.

I don't get how he deserve the nickname "Notorious Spurs Killer", especially since you mention teams like Dallas (Dirk), Memphis (Zach, Conley, Marc), etc as if they never hurt us before and then you talk about Dragic as if he ever did anything againts us other than that one playoff game.

[law_1990]

i'd prefer GSW, we match up well against them even at full strength. Phoenix, not so much.

Wouldn't be too keen on Dallas too come to think of it. Dirk's had a good year.

[imagump1313]

Memphis, Phoenix and Dallas have all raped us at one point in the playoffs in the past so I doubt we look past any of them. If we are healthy we beat whoever we play this year. If we are healthy......

[Donald Kaufman]

The win against Dallas (without TP) just reinforces my feeling that I have no issue facing them in the first round. I think it's a 4 or 5 game series if we face them.

[Nolan]

So its going to be either Memphis or Dallas. We'll find out for sure Wednesday night.

[Donald Kaufman]

How strange is it that PHX, Dallas and Memphis all played each in the last few days, in kind of a round-robin tournament for a playoff spot.

I hope Memphis wins. I want Dallas first up. Easy series for us, plus OKC-Grizz series would be fun.

[co_laper]

It's down to Memphis or Dallas in the first round for us. Who do you want?

Judging by this season, it feels like there are one type of team that can really hurt us. It's the team that can bother us defensively. Looking at the personnel, Memphis has the tools to hurt us defensively and make it more of a series than Dallas. Teams that can't bother our offense just gets completely torn apart.

In previous seasons, we still manage to win games because of our defense. Not so for the last two years. We win games because no matter what happens, our ball movement is always really good and we get too many easy baskets.

I'm hoping that Memphis-Dallas showdown ends up with Memphis winning. That way we stay in Texas for first round, and possibly the second round (Houston). And I just like the idea of Memphis beating the **** out of OKC for the first round. A meeting with Memphis is guaranteed to have more physicality than againts Dallas.

[Donald Kaufman]

Yeah I was thinking that too. Stay in Texas until the WCF, all things going to plan. Then just to Oklahoma for the CF.

[spurcase]

Dallas

[marcusaurelius]

It's down to Memphis or Dallas in the first round for us. Who do you want?

Judging by this season, it feels like there are one type of team that can really hurt us. It's the team that can bother us defensively. Looking at the personnel, Memphis has the tools to hurt us defensively and make it more of a series than Dallas. Teams that can't bother our offense just gets completely torn apart.

In previous seasons, we still manage to win games because of our defense. Not so for the last two years. We win games because no matter what happens, our ball movement is always really good and we get too many easy baskets.

I'm hoping that Memphis-Dallas showdown ends up with Memphis winning. That way we stay in Texas for first round, and possibly the second round (Houston). And I just like the idea of Memphis beating the **** out of OKC for the first round. A meeting with Memphis is guaranteed to have more physicality than againts Dallas.

Couldn't of planned it any better. Okc gets a tough and physical Memphis, and then probably another good team in LAC. This should wear them down at least a little. And I don't consider them to be as deep as some people think they are.

Spurs get what should be a relatively easy matchup, and short travel times. There is a good chance they may get the Rockets in the second round and again have short travel times.

I really want to see Duncan get one more before he retires. If everybody on the team shows up they can easily do it. If one, or more, highly paid players decide they are going to go MIA this year, it could be tough.

[Donald Kaufman]

Got the team I wanted in the first round. Awesome.

[Donald Kaufman]

Got the team I wanted in the first round. Awesome.

[law_1990]

Wouldn't be too keen on Dallas too come to think of it. Dirk's had a good year.

i was half right.