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NBA 2013-14 - A Clash of Kings


Jabronius Maximus

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This is crunch time for Jeremy Lin. I get the feeling if the Rockets don't make it past the second round, they are going to aggressively pursue Carmelo Anthony in free agency with Lin on the block in a sign-and-trade deal along with some other key players on their roster.

That's crazy talk.

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Just saw the Spurs were up three games on OKC. Who was it that argued with me at the start of the season about the Spurs being too old to make the finals this year?

We're still a couple months away from the finals...

But seriously, I'm speechless. Pop is not of this world. He's morphed his team from a defensive superpower into an savvy, offensive unit with razor sharp execution - and they've been contenders through the entire change. Ridiculous.

As for the Raps, they played a pretty shitty game against Miami (I know it was Miami, but they can do better). The silver lining is that the Pacers are now in 2nd place, and if that holds, and the Raps take care of business in round 1, I think they have an outside shot of winning a series v Indiana. Even if it's a miniscule shot, it's there so let me believe damn it.

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What the hell is going on with the Pacers? Really suspect second half of the season for a team that I thought was the best in the league over the first half. The Spurs just absolutely embarrassed them tonight.

Paul George's game went south after that pregnant stripper thing, and somehow got worse after he sent a dick pic to a dude. I guess the Pacers followed suit (in that they went south).

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Oh for sure. However, would you bet against them coming out of the West if the playoffs started tomorrow?

If you read my next paragraph, I wasn't entirely serious when I said that :p. They're almost assuredly heading to the finals. I just have a sneaking suspicion they won't be able to beat a (fully healthy) OKC team 4 times out of 7 games.

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Oh for sure. However, would you bet against them coming out of the West if the playoffs started tomorrow?

Yes. OKC and Houston both match up well against them, and they'll probably have to play both. Lest ye forget, two years ago the Spurs had won 20 in a row before being dumped out by OKC, and last year the Heat were 42-3 before being taken to 7 games by the Pacers. Good teams often go on win-streaks late in the year because so many teams end up in 'don't-really-care-because-we're-out-of-playoff-contention-and-our-front-office-would-really-like-it-if-we-lost-a-few-games' mode. For sure there are some impressive wins in the Spurs' streak, but I don't take it as a particularly strong indicator that they're going to the Finals and if forced to bet on the outcome I would take the field over the Spurs.

ST

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Just saw the Spurs were up three games on OKC. Who was it that argued with me at the start of the season about the Spurs being too old to make the finals this year?

That was me. Although it was actually "I don't pick the Spurs to make the Finals because they are too old, although I'm sure they will win plenty of regular season games". Thus far my prediction is still going just fine.

The Spurs have a good shot to come out of the West, but they could easily fall flat too, we shall see. Plenty of dangerous teams in the West, and the playoffs are a different animal altogether.

I am really surprised at the Pacers swoon. I thought that the win over the Heat last week was what they needed to shake out of this funk, and they looked pretty good in that game. But then, back to the same old lackluster execution and a string of losses. If they play a Game 7 against the Heat in Miami, they are really going to be wondering how they let home court slip away. I wouldn't say they peaked too early, because they really aren't doing the things they were doing in the first half of the season. The defense is less intense, and the offense is almost incoherent. It is hard to watch.

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if forced to bet on the outcome I would take the field over the Spurs.

ST

The only team that could give the Spurs issues in the West, in my opinion, is OKC and... maaaaaaybe the Clips. I wish we could make that bet.

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The only team that could give the Spurs issues in the West, in my opinion, is OKC and... maaaaaaybe the Clips. I wish we could make that bet.

Uhh, you can. I don't know the exact odds, but I'm sure that in Vegas (and online somewhere) you can do sports betting and that the Spurs will get you more than even money back. This site has the Spurs as 3/2 to win the West, so assuming ~ 8% cut, a $20 bet on the Spurs would win you $46.

I know we've covered this before, but I want to join the chorus to applaud Popovich and the work he's done for the Spurs. San Antonio was a great, perennial contender when the Big 3 were in their prime, and that made sense. Duncan was one of the best in the league, while Parker and Ginobli were both lethal on offense (and Bowen provided great 3 and D).

But now, what are the Spurs? Ginobli is a shadow of himself. Parker is a very good point guard at a time when it seems like half the league has a very good point guard. Is Duncan even a top 3 Power Forward anymore? If we're just talking about winning a championship this year, how many PFs would you take ahead of him? Griffin, Love, Aldritch, and Davis are all probably better choices at this point. Who does that leave? Leonard is good, and moving towards being an all-star, but come on, he's not anything like an elite player. How is this team not just hanging around, but dominating a very talented Western Conference?

Coaching seems to me to be the only answer. Great job Pop.

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Was talking about with people in this thread. But thanks for letting me know Vegas does sports betting. :)

I was merely providing updated odds, which are still better than 50/50 for a bet on the Spurs, considering you seem to be convinced that nothing will stand in their way of another Finals appearance.

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I don't know how it would work or if it would work but I've been hearing that Houston is very interested in acquiring Melo to assemble a superteam like Miami.

So far he seems like he's staying in New York.

Look, don't take away the one thing I have going for me as a knick fan. The thing that says we'll surround Melo with defenders and three point shooters next year. Melo being key to this entire story. Unless Houston gives us Harden in return. In which case...

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The only team that could give the Spurs issues in the West, in my opinion, is OKC and... maaaaaaybe the Clips. I wish we could make that bet.

Well I'm happy to make that bet, although I don't know what we'd wager apart from bragging rights...

ST

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