Analysis The Race for Home-Court Advantage - 25/26 Playoffs Seed Tracker

[Dbreiden83080]

Funny how noone questions Redick's competence, he's the one responsible for Luka's injury.
Had him at 39mpg over the past weeks, continued playing him while getting blown out by OKC despite a hamstring injury and then it snapped.
All to cover his ass and get the third seed to make people think he's a good coach.

If this was Thibs, the entire media would be on him.

As for Luka, 315/410 games played over the past 5 years. Nico's claims weren't baseless, it's just that the execution was terrible.
Luka is 27 with heavy mileage since he was like 15, no way the Lakers contend with a brand new roster next season, it takes time. If they even get the right role players, which isn't likely to happen with Pelinka.
Won't have another serious playoff run before he's at least 29.

Giannis will likely be a Laker next season. He’s all banged up too as we know. But I can see it happening now.

 

[Dbreiden83080]

Yea a veteran Nuggets team with arguably the best player in the world in Jokic will be really tough in a 7-game series. We may not be able to overcome them with as much experience as they have. But at least we'll have HCA which gives a decent shot. Either way, it'll give our guys the Playoff experience necessary to get over the hump in the coming years.

It will be a dog fight, but I think we will win the series. I could see it in 6 games. Wemby also i’m not worried about him in big ball games

He’s going to be a fucking beast.

 

[BatManu20]

I had us beating Denver if Aaron Gordon's injury continues. He really makes a difference for them when healthy. Healthy Denver would actually be a tougher matchup for us than OKC, tbh.

Would suck getting knocked out in the 2nd Round and not even getting a crack at OKC. We present some matchup problems for them and they'd be lucky as hell to avoid us in a Playoff series. That's why I really hoped we'd win today and the Lakers would hang onto the 3-Seed but things just didn't break our way unfortunately with today's loss and Luka's injury. Is what it is. We still control our own destiny and will have HCA the first 2 Rounds and that's all you can ask for.

 

[wEmBoY]

Maybe. Idk. Today was our first real test in a long time and we melted down pretty hard tbh. Winning a ton of RS games is still awesome and it's been an incredible run this season no matter what happens, but being this young and inexperienced really matters come Playoff time. Playoffs are just a different animal. That's why it's always the veteran teams that win it all. Spurs will likely have to take their lumps like every other young team before they can ring tbh.

Not all the time. Younger teams can beat veteran teams just because they are younger and can out run hustle them.

 

[LeBowen]

Maybe. Idk. Today was our first real test in a long time and we melted down pretty hard tbh. Winning a ton of RS games is still awesome and it's been an incredible run this season no matter what happens, but being this young and inexperienced really matters come Playoff time. Playoffs are just a different animal. That's why it's always the veteran teams that win it all. Spurs will likely have to take their lumps like every other young team before they can ring tbh.

I don't think it was a meltdown. What was our biggest lead, like 12? It's not like we were up 20 and they came back. It was a close game in the 4th and we went to OT, then effectively lost because of one terrible decision by Fox.

I’m going to say something super obvious. The Spurs were never going to be champions if they can’t overcome the Nuggets in a 7 series and if they can’t overcome the Thunder in a 7 game series after that. Fuck the “it’s going to be harder if x, y, and z” noise. If the Spurs are destined to be champs, they’ll be champs no matter who is in front of them.

All that is great, but then you look at who becomes the champ and a lot of the time it's the team that had an easy path while the competition kills each other.
Instead of having to play the Timberwolves and one of Thunder/Nuggets, we'll likely have to play both while the Thunder takes care of the Timberwolves.

I'm not expecting a championship in the first playoff year, but if there's an advantage to be had, it would be dumb not to try and take it.

 

[wEmBoY]

It will be a dog fight, but I think we will win the series. I could see it in 6 games. Wemby also i’m not worried about him in big ball games

He’s going to be a fucking beast.

Im worried about wemby’s stpid mistake can become a difference in the playoffs.

 

[NotRobDiaz21]

I wonder if OKC is going to punt the nuggets game in order to keep them off their side of the bracket? They pretty much have the 1 seed locked up.

 

[spurs10]

I don't think it was a meltdown. What was our biggest lead, like 12? It's not like we were up 20 and they came back. It was a close game in the 4th and we went to OT, then effectively lost because of one terrible decision by Fox.


All that is great, but then you look at who becomes the champ and a lot of the time it's the team that had an easy path while the competition kills each other.
Instead of having to play the Timberwolves and one of Thunder/Nuggets, we'll likely have to play both while the Thunder takes care of the Timberwolves.

I'm not expecting a championship in the first playoff year, but if there's an advantage to be had, it would be dumb not to try and take it.

Yep unless Lakers can win a couple games without Luka, but Wolves will likely beat them in the first round anyway. The idea of us playing Denver and OKC is not pleasant.

 

[spursistan]

Yea a veteran Nuggets team with arguably the best player in the world in Jokic will be really tough in a 7-game series. We may not be able to overcome them with as much experience as they have. But at least we'll have HCA which gives a decent shot. Either way, it'll give our guys the Playoff experience necessary to get over the hump in the coming years.

I think we are slightly more talented and overall better, but it sucks to know we're more likely going to get outexecuted in every close game while we win a couple of blowouts. And the worst part is to see a supposed stabilizer like Fox be the one wetting the bed in most key plays,

 

[Dbreiden83080]

They should put a new rule in the CBA that you can tap out of the playoffs if you want to. What’s the point of the Lakers even showing up?

 

[mudyez]

I wonder if OKC is going to punt the nuggets game in order to keep them off of their side the bracket? They pretty much have the 1 seed locked up.

I'm pretty sure they will. And I can't blame them.

 

[NotRobDiaz21]

I'm pretty sure they will. And I can't blame them.

Tbh

 

[Guru of Nothing]

Save us, Bronny.

 

[spursparker9]

A shame that likely we have to go against a fully healthy Denver in the 2nd round that can stretched into 7 games while OKC cake walk to the WCF.

 

[Dbreiden83080]

I wonder if OKC is going to punt the nuggets game in order to keep them off their side of the bracket? They pretty much have the 1 seed locked up.

Yes, they will. Denver is likely going 4-0

We probably will value rest over, playing them hard in the finale

 

[NotRobDiaz21]

One week left in the regular season. Crazy shit. What a ride!

 

[tearsofmorningdew]

when’s the earliest we can get from under this fox albatross contract? Not optimistic at all with him eating up so much $$ and concordant playing time/responsibility he doesn’t deserve.

Same with barnes. Once the stink from a putrid org infests the player hard to move past that

 

[Dbreiden83080]

when’s the earliest we can get from under this fox albatross contract? Not optimistic at all with him eating up so much $$ and concordant playing time/responsibility he doesn’t deserve.

Same with barnes. Once the stink from a putrid org infests the player hard to move past that

Brother seriously

 

[tearsofmorningdew]

Brother seriously

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Yeah I’m probably crashing out a bit.

That said—it’s one thing to choke and play bad all around. It’s another when it’s one dude who torpedoes our best efforts and snatches defeat from the hands of victory. just want us to get in the PO healthy at this point

 

[Dbreiden83080]

Yeah I’m probably crashing out a bit.

That said—it’s one thing to choke and play bad all around. It’s another when it’s one dude who torpedoes our best efforts and snatches defeat from the hands of victory. just want us to get in the PO healthy at this point

He was bad today. No question he was really fucking bad. The decision-making was bad. The shot selection was bad. He wasn’t clutch. And yes, we can’t have that shit in the playoffs. But that said we have so much talent and have played so great for so long, I’m just looking at the bright side of everything right now. Honestly if KJ had a decent shooting game, we win comfortably today. Denver had to dig so fucking deep to beat us.

 

[tearsofmorningdew]

He was bad today. No question he was really fucking bad. The decision-making was bad. The shot selection was bad. He wasn’t clutch. And yes, we can’t have that shit in the playoffs. But that said we have so much talent and have played so great for so long, I’m just looking at the bright side of everything right now. Honestly if KJ had a decent shooting game, we win comfortably today. Denver had to dig so fucking deep to beat us.

Yeah it was a lot of compounding errors. That’s a good perspective—hopefully our guys have enough failsafes over a 7 game series to not blow it.

Your 60 million dollar man should be able to make up for this but it is what it is. In the grand scheme this game changes nothing (seeding etc). Just have to get back on the wagon

 

[mudyez]

I have a feeling, Denver will be the team, that gives us our scars.

I think we match up well with OKC and I don’t fear LA or Houston...Minny is tricky, but yeah we beat them in 6.

Denver is a different story. Joker is way to nice...that sucks Wembys competitiveness just like Duncan did with his opponents.

 

[Dbreiden83080]

I have a feeling, Denver will be the team, that gives us our scars.

I think we match up well with OKC and I don’t fear LA or Houston...Minny is tricky, but yeah we beat them in 6.

Denver is a different story. Joker is way to nice...that sucks Wembys competitiveness just like Duncan did with his opponents.

Denver can give us scars, but we can still advance. We have the better team. I don’t believe that Wemby is going to have to play like Superman every single night for us to beat these guys. OKC is going to tank their game against Denver because they want us to have to play Denver. OKC wants no part of us in those conference finals.

 

[Mugen]

I have a feeling, Denver will be the team, that gives us our scars.

I think we match up well with OKC and I don’t fear LA or Houston...Minny is tricky, but yeah we beat them in 6.

Denver is a different story. Joker is way to nice...that sucks Wembys competitiveness just like Duncan did with his opponents.

The Spurs have controlled all 3 games against Denver, two without Wemby tbh. They eeked out two of those games because Murray went nuts in one game and Joker in the other.

They're a good team and you have to land haymakers to knock them out. But they're not some kind of matchup nightmare for us tbh.

 

[Dbreiden83080]

The Spurs have controlled all 3 games against Denver, two without Wemby tbh. They eeked out two of those games because Murray went nuts in one game and Joker in the other.

They're a good team and you have to land haymakers to knock them out. But they're not some kind of matchup nightmare for us tbh.

100% agree. We were in control of this entire game until basically 2 minutes and 30 seconds. I thought the whole thing completely turned in the 4th quarter when KJ who couldn’t buy a 3 all game missed another corner 3. Murray immediately went down and hit a 3. A swing that went from putting us up 10 to being up only 4..