Game Thread Spurs (62-19) vs Nuggets (53-28) (Sunday 4/12/26) [7:30PM CDT]

[wEmBoY]

Injuries can happen at any minute. This is not binary, it shouldn't be 0 or 100 minutes. Happy fucking median to find the risk/reward balance. Stop being a binary thinker.
Because the way everything played out, this is literally the most important of 82games this season. This game matters a lot. If you wanted Vic to play against the Mavs, or any time in the past couple of weeks but aren't ok with him playing today, you care more about awards than championships.

The Lakers are a massive 13.5pt favorites, better than 8:1 odds they win. Jazz are sitting their starters, Lakers are playing a G-league team.
Its exceedingly likely what the Spurs do today determines whether their road to the finals is Denver AND OKC or just one of those. That's fucking huge. Do you play the other 2 best teams or only 1?

If you actually care how the Spurs do in the post season, win this fucking game.

Actually i am one of the posters here who are against load management. And i agree with you. Vic better play atleast 30 minutes tonight.

 

[spurs10]

All this focus on individual stats is baloney. The rest will take care of itself.Just play basketball.Barnes is not the kind of guy that you force feed. His points generally come from the flow of the offense.

Yes play the game in the rhythm it suggests. Play to win the game!

 

[tearsofmorningdew]

Based Shaq finally bending the knee for Wemby

 

[scott]

I get being annoyed…but who cares about online content or people’s opinions? It’s usually just to get clicks or views. If they think Jokic is better, so what? It was a different era anyway, it’s so hard to compare as it is. Duncan is top three of his era, one of the all time greats…who won five championships and brought me a lot of joy. I’m good.

Thank you for bringing the only sane argument to the “who’s better” debate, which is “wgaf”

Listening to people argue about Jordan v LeBron or Kobe v whoever is one of the most pointless things one can come across in sports discussion.

 

[Arguendo]

I got Duncan ahead of Bird.. Magic is NOT better either IMO.. To me it is only really Jordan, and Kareem.. Maybe Wilt.. Let the old farts prattle on for content. Tim has 5 rings and 3 finals MVP awards.. And had to beat Shaq, Kobe, Lebron, Dirk etc to get them.. But I doubt Jok wins another ring unless he loads up with a Superteam..

Yeah, I don't think Magic's truly in that tier because of defense. Gotta be elite at both sides to be in the convo imo. Everyone else on the list were either perineal All-D guys or at least top5 DPOY at their peak or in the case of Wilt over 20 rebs and likely over/way over 5 blocks.

Magic was the 1st unicorn, could legit play every position. Huge credit for winning the finals as a rook filling in as Center with Kareem hurt. and putting up 40/15 playing C in an easy win.
That really helped cement his brand, the guy everyone loved who could do anything, the great smile and best nickname ever.

I do think Magic would dominate todays game though, Luka like without the constant bitching. Dude always played at a fast pace, incredible BBIQ + passing and when he started shooting 3s at the end, he was about 36%. If he grew up today I think he'd be a 50/40/90 guy, put up 48/38.4/89 in his 2nd to last full season.

My Dad's from LA, still get Showtime discussions at family reunions. There will never be a team of better nicknames, such great branding. Showtime with Riles as Coach Slick leading Magic, Cap, Ice Man, Iron Man, Lord Byron, Rambo, and Coop!

 

[LeBowen]

This is actually a terrible look for the league, not a single game with both teams trying to win.

 

[Arguendo]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2043393640177820080

17 is doable! Let's go!

 

[Arguendo]

This is actually a terrible look for the league, not a single game with both teams trying to win.

Way worse than shitty teams inevitably being shitty. And the 8th-10th worst teams smartly realizing fighting to climb up to 10th doesn't make sense.
OKC and Denver should get huge fines for benching 17 dudes as the #1 vs #3 matchup in the 2nd to last game.

 

[ace3g]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2043453944312082807

 

[LeBowen]

I want to see CB start on Jokic for the lolz.
He'll probably play just 15 minutes, doesn't need 20 for eligibility.

 

[Dex]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2043453944312082807

 

[ace3g]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2043454600976511349

 

[DTW]

Between 15 minutes of Jokic, Valanciunas and no Wembanyama or Kornet, this is likely a loss in which case why not just sit the entire rotation and not risk injury? I don't get it.

 

[Ariel]

So playing Jokic without Wemby or Kornet... welp, hope he's there the mandatory 20 min to qualify and not one second more.

 

[Correct Crusader]

Our guys got this tbh

 

[LeBowen]

Jokic needs 15 minutes, he's got one under 20 minute game exception left.

 

[ace3g]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2043456628553654483

 

[Dex]

This is actually a terrible look for the league, not a single game with both teams trying to win.

All of this talk about the tanking rules and load management, yet for the past week teams have been literally sitting their entire starting lineups and Silver doesn't bat an eye at that for some reason.

 

[spurraider21]

my guess is they start Plumlee

 

[MannyIG]

All of this talk about the tanking rules and load management, yet for the past week teams have been literally sitting their entire starting lineups and Silver doesn't bat an eye at that for some reason.

because they are fundamentally very different situtaions?

 

[Arguendo]

Great job NBA! Lets make it 82 games and setup a situation where the bottom 14 are rewarded for loses, and the top16 are encouraged to constantly sit guys so that each team only plays 30-50 meaningful games a season. That's definitely better than just scheduling 50 games, helping shit teams actually get better, and putting a better fucking product out there every night.

 

[Arguendo]

my guess is they start Plumlee

Tune-up game for the white boys. Oly and Plumlee about to get season high minutes.

 

[Mugen]

Healthy Wemby going into the playoffs

 

[spursistan]

Unless they get hot from 3 this looks like a loss. Not taking any chances with Wemby is the right call though.

 

[Mugen]

Unless they get hot from 3 this looks like a loss. Not taking any chances with Wemby is the right call though.

Nuggets aren't playing anybody outside of some token minutes for Jokic