WC - Round 1 - San Antonio (1) v. Utah (8)

[VF21]

Who advances to Round 2?

 

[TyFreak Evans]

They may be old, but the Spurs still know how to get it done.

 

[jalfa]

the Spurs do have trouble contending with lengthy frontcourts, which bodes well for Utah. however, Utah has one of the worst pick and roll defenses in the league, which could be kind of a problem against Parker/Ginobili and Duncan. also, the Spurs still remember being bounced out of the playoffs as a first seed last year and are healthy this time. highly unlikely that they will want to repeat that experience. Utah seems bound to do the OKC thing, where they got to the playoffs as a very young team, put up a good fight and come back stronger the year after. great potential as a team.

 

[VF21]

The Spurs seem to have matters well in hand. Pop has them focused and on message. I don't see Utah getting 4 games from this squad.

 

[mac]

Yeah, I would still take Favors over Cousins.

Sorry to hijack the thread but I just need to jump in and commend your Jazz team on how "close" their playoff games have been. That Derrick Favors is sure tearing the Spurs up eh? Since you said that you expected all the games to be hard fought and close.

 

[Npliam]

Sorry to hijack the thread but I just need to jump in and commend your Jazz team on how "close" their playoff games have been. That Derrick Favors is sure tearing the Spurs up eh? Since you said that you expected all the games to be hard fought and close.

The Jazz had been playing better so I expected hard fought losses, I was wrong (so far). The Spurs have really been great. Tony Parker has been killing us and our Al Jefferson has been largely infective. Favors hasn't played too bad and all the local media have been calling for him to play more. Still, with the start to the season that the Jazz had and a really bad stretch in February I am thrilled that we made the playoffs and played a bunch of meaningful games at the end of the season.

 

[Bricklayer]

Prime example there late of why the Manu/Reke comparisons are off in ways other than just shooting -- Manu is not remotely on the same planet as Reke as a ballhandler. He is a SG who can bring it up at times. But there is no way anybody could turn Reke around like that and smother him 40 feet from the basket. Bit of an uinexploited achilles for those Spurs this season. They basically never replaced Hill and didn't bother getting a backup PG -- which is curious since having pure PGs is of course the key to everything according to some.

 

[hrdboild]

Yikes, 0 for 13 from 3 for Utah and that's the series. They need Jimmer-mania now more than ever! Sadly, it also appears that they know what they've got in Favors though.

 

[VF21]

Congratulations to the Spurs for moving on to the second round and to VF21 for being the only one to predict the sweep.

 

[TyFreak Evans]

Congratulations to the Spurs for moving on to the second round and to VF21 for being the only one to predict the sweep.

I almost went for the sweep myself, but I figured that the Jazz have always had one of the best home court advantages in basketball, regardless of who is on the roster at any given time, and I thought that they woulda come out energized in game 3 at least...I stand corrected!!!!

 

[mac]

Prime example there late of why the Manu/Reke comparisons are off in ways other than just shooting -- Manu is not remotely on the same planet as Reke as a ballhandler. He is a SG who can bring it up at times. But there is no way anybody could turn Reke around like that and smother him 40 feet from the basket. Bit of an uinexploited achilles for those Spurs this season. They basically never replaced Hill and didn't bother getting a backup PG -- which is curious since having pure PGs is of course the key to everything according to some.

As a pure ballhandler yes, but as a playmaker Manu is still miles ahead of Tyreke. And naturally so, given who coached him from the time he came into the league and his age.

 

[Fear the Putin]

the Spurs are like those old school guys at the local park who aren't fast, athletic, or particularly strong, but methodically break you down while pissing you off in the sense that you can't accomplish anything against them.