Spurs/Cavs...nba finals 2007

[Mavs Man]

wake me when lebron wins something worth talking about.


right now, he's on par with the mavs.

:tongue:

Going into this series I don't think the Spurs have anything to worry about (things can change fast). But it's a little odd to disregard someone who's done so much with so little at his age.

You could say the Cavs "lucked" into a #2 seed. But you would then have to say the Spurs "lucked" into their match-ups with the Suns and the Jazz when the . . . the . . . you know . . . hadn't choked and would have been a much tougher WCF opponent. The Mavs are one of the few teams who really match up well with the Spurs. Who's to say that the Mavs wouldn't have played the same as in the GS series, but most likely it would have been a good series.

Make all the jokes you want, but this has been an unchallenged run for the Spurs. Or do you believe they are really that much better than last year's team and the Mavs and Suns are that much worse?

 

[Biggems]

i guess u missed the passing clinic they put on in game 2 of the WCF....man those were some sweet passes all game long.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

hey man i want the cavs to win. the spurs are so boring

how could anyone say that? when they have one of the best players, at least power forwards, of all-time, the quickest point guard in the league, and one of the most athletically gifted players in the entire league in Manu Ginobili, who when he is on his game is amazing, they could beat you in a half-court set, they could beat you running, they could beat you from the perimeter, inside, the list goes on

I guess it's because they don't have anyone running around screaming and yelling and are so predictable...they just win championships

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Or do you believe they are really that much better than last year's team and the Mavs and Suns are that much worse?

I believe it's the Spurs being that much better because Tim is as healthy as he's ever been now

 

[Mavs Man]

I believe it's the Spurs being that much better because Tim is as healthy as he's ever been now

I agree with you to some extent. Duncan hobbled through last season and never really clicked until the second round of the playoffs. Plus, for the first time in years he had most of the summer off to heal.

But if that's the only difference, why did they finish five games worse than last year's mark?

 

[MC KAos]

You mean how Bron iced two free throws in Game 4 after Rip was trying to pull his little stunt?

no, i mean besides the one time he hit his free throws, botom line is that bron is not a clutch free throw shooter, or a clutch anything shooter.....YET!!...his most clutch plays have all been layups, like the two game winning layups in last years series against the wizards, or the game winning layup in game five vs. the pistons. And ya, that step back three was nice, but he wouldnt have air balled the next one if he was clutch. but again he is only 22 so he can still gain that killer instinct.

I don't want to get into a squabble between Spurs fans here, but I think you're mistaken. Tim is not a clutch free throw shooter... and that's coming from one of his biggest fans.

well, over the years in the playoffs he has increased his FT%, so id say thats pretty clutch there, and dont forget in game seven of the finals in 05 he hit 2 clutch free throws at the end of the game that helped seal it, that and ginobili's CRAZY GOOD PLAY!! and bowens SICK BLOCK of billups...just thought id throw that in there, bowen is sick!

 

[Bob Sacamano]

I agree with you to some extent. Duncan hobbled through last season and never really clicked until the second round of the playoffs. Plus, for the first time in years he had most of the summer off to heal.

But if that's the only difference, why did they finish five games worse than last year's mark?

idk, all that I know is that TD is healthy and the Spurs are in the Finals as opposed to last year

 

[Mavs Man]

idk, all that I know is that TD is healthy and the Spurs are in the Finals as opposed to last year

True, and the seven game improvement by the Mavs helped them not at all.

 

[kTXe]

:tongue:

Going into this series I don't think the Spurs have anything to worry about (things can change fast). But it's a little odd to disregard someone who's done so much with so little at his age.

You could say the Cavs "lucked" into a #2 seed. But you would then have to say the Spurs "lucked" into their match-ups with the Suns and the Jazz when the . . . the . . . you know . . . hadn't choked and would have been a much tougher WCF opponent. The Mavs are one of the few teams who really match up well with the Spurs. Who's to say that the Mavs wouldn't have played the same as in the GS series, but most likely it would have been a good series.

Make all the jokes you want, but this has been an unchallenged run for the Spurs. Or do you believe they are really that much better than last year's team and the Mavs and Suns are that much worse?

The Mavs scared the crap out of me this year. I don't think I have EVER rooted as hard for a team to lose as I did during the GS series...just because I knew the Mavs would give the Spurs fits.

I really think that the 2007 Mavs, Spurs, and Suns are all very similar to the 2006 versions. I don't think that the Spurs are significantly better than they were last year. Yes, Duncan struggled with plantar fasciitis in '06, but he was absolutely INCREDIBLE in the playoffs last year...especially in the Mavs series. His injury had nothing to do with why we lost.

I think that the Mavs were slightly better this year than last, but they just ran into a bad matchup and a complete buzzsaw in round 1 this year. I still can't really explain that series. I think that a rematch of Mavs-Spurs in the playoffs this year would have gone to the absolute brink.

As far as the Suns...the Spurs would have beat the crap out of them in the playoffs last year, too. The way that team is put together, they won't be beating the Spurs in a 7 game series any time soon.

It really just comes down to the Mavs being unlucky and drawing a first round team that was coming together at the perfect time and played a style that just perplexed Dallas. And I, for one, couldn't be happier about it. I lost about three years of my life watching the Mavs-Spurs series last year...I really didn't want to go through that again.

 

[SA_Gunslinger]

:Make all the jokes you want, but this has been an unchallenged run for the Spurs. Or do you believe they are really that much better than last year's team and the Mavs and Suns are that much worse?

i think it could have been a TOUGHER road, but i don't think it's been a total cakewalk. i'll give you utah, but denver was playing great at the end of the year and phoenix could win the title at any moment.

 

[SA_Gunslinger]

by the way...the spurs finally gave in.

all fans on thursday (me included! ) will be given white "go spurs go" shirts.

get ready for the white-out!

 

[MC KAos]

The Mavs scared the crap out of me this year. I don't think I have EVER rooted as hard for a team to lose as I did during the GS series...just because I knew the Mavs would give the Spurs fits.

I really think that the 2007 Mavs, Spurs, and Suns are all very similar to the 2006 versions. I don't think that the Spurs are significantly better than they were last year. Yes, Duncan struggled with plantar fasciitis in '06, but he was absolutely INCREDIBLE in the playoffs last year...especially in the Mavs series. His injury had nothing to do with why we lost.

I think that the Mavs were slightly better this year than last, but they just ran into a bad matchup and a complete buzzsaw in round 1 this year. I still can't really explain that series. I think that a rematch of Mavs-Spurs in the playoffs this year would have gone to the absolute brink.

As far as the Suns...the Spurs would have beat the crap out of them in the playoffs last year, too. The way that team is put together, they won't be beating the Spurs in a 7 game series any time soon.

It really just comes down to the Mavs being unlucky and drawing a first round team that was coming together at the perfect time and played a style that just perplexed Dallas. And I, for one, couldn't be happier about it. I lost about three years of my life watching the Mavs-Spurs series last year...I really didn't want to go through that again.

i think you made a good point about duncan playing great in the playoffs. However, i dont think the rest of the team had gotten acclimated to his more aggresive play after he had finally started to heal at the start of the playoffs. Also dont forget how banged up parker and ginobili were last year. Remember the nasty fall tony had in game 6 vs the kings? and ginobili was just hurt all year. But most importantly ginobili's confidence was shot to hell after the kevin martin steal.

 

[Mavs Man]

The Mavs scared the crap out of me this year. I don't think I have EVER rooted as hard for a team to lose as I did during the GS series...just because I knew the Mavs would give the Spurs fits.

I really think that the 2007 Mavs, Spurs, and Suns are all very similar to the 2006 versions. I don't think that the Spurs are significantly better than they were last year. Yes, Duncan struggled with plantar fasciitis in '06, but he was absolutely INCREDIBLE in the playoffs last year...especially in the Mavs series. His injury had nothing to do with why we lost.

I think that the Mavs were slightly better this year than last, but they just ran into a bad matchup and a complete buzzsaw in round 1 this year. I still can't really explain that series. I think that a rematch of Mavs-Spurs in the playoffs this year would have gone to the absolute brink.

As far as the Suns...the Spurs would have beat the crap out of them in the playoffs last year, too. The way that team is put together, they won't be beating the Spurs in a 7 game series any time soon.

It really just comes down to the Mavs being unlucky and drawing a first round team that was coming together at the perfect time and played a style that just perplexed Dallas. And I, for one, couldn't be happier about it. I lost about three years of my life watching the Mavs-Spurs series last year...I really didn't want to go through that again.

After the shock has worn off a bit, I agree with you that it was more wrong team, wrong time, than anything - but two years in a row is a double stomach punch for Mavs fans. They changed too much of their game to suit the Warriors - HUGE no-no for a 67 win team. No excuse for that.

If it makes you feel any better I lost about a year of my life with the Mavs-Spurs series last year. Every game was so friggin' close I felt like my insides were dissolving from stomach ulcers. I didn't sleep much that week. Up, down, up, down like a rollercoaster. Then the Mavs go down by three with seconds left in game seven. It's over. In my years as a fan I've watched so many games that were SO close and usually my team 90% of the time doesn't pull it out. It just doesn't happen that often. But that was one of those 10% times - the times that hook you and keep you watching.

The 2006 BCS game was another one.

I remember thinking before that series "man we caught a break" with Duncan's injury. But, as it always happens, he was at full health by then. His numbers in that series were WAYYYY up from his "lowly" regular season numbers (it was still like a 19 and 9). But even if the Mavs had lost, I'm glad he was at full health. With teams like that, you don't want to win and have excuses, and as a fan, you want to see them go at full strength. That was a great, great series, and could have gone either way.

 

[kTXe]

After the shock has worn off a bit, I agree with you that it was more wrong team, wrong time, than anything - but two years in a row is a double stomach punch for Mavs fans. They changed too much of their game to suit the Warriors - HUGE no-no for a 67 win team. No excuse for that.

I definitely agree. The small-ball lineup Avery trotted out there for game 1 was just a bad omen for the series. Plus, I forgot to mention how big Don Nelson's role was in that series. I guarantee that he had his team 100% convinced that they could beat the Mavs after game 1. Nelson knowing that Mavs team inside and out could have been the most important factor in the series.

If it makes you feel any better I lost about a year of my life with the Mavs-Spurs series last year. Every game was so friggin' close I felt like my insides were dissolving from stomach ulcers. I didn't sleep much that week. Up, down, up, down like a rollercoaster. Then the Mavs go down by three with seconds left in game seven. It's over. In my years as a fan I've watched so many games that were SO close and usually my team 90% of the time doesn't pull it out. It just doesn't happen that often. But that was one of those 10% times - the times that hook you and keep you watching.

The 2006 BCS game was another one.

I remember thinking before that series "man we caught a break" with Duncan's injury. But, as it always happens, he was at full health by then. His numbers in that series were WAYYYY up from his "lowly" regular season numbers (it was still like a 19 and 9). But even if the Mavs had lost, I'm glad he was at full health. With teams like that, you don't want to win and have excuses, and as a fan, you want to see them go at full strength. That was a great, great series, and could have gone either way.

I will admit that a (small) part of me really wanted to see Mavs-Spurs again this year. That series, while one of the most gut-wrenching things I have ever seen, was absolutely incredible. It was without a doubt one of the most exciting playoff series I have ever seen. And game 7, WOW is all I can say. What a game.

Still, the bigger part of me knew that the Mavs were the main roadblock to the Spurs title run and was glad to see them go.

 

[peplaw06]

no, i mean besides the one time he hit his free throws, botom line is that bron is not a clutch free throw shooter, or a clutch anything shooter.....YET!!...his most clutch plays have all been layups, like the two game winning layups in last years series against the wizards, or the game winning layup in game five vs. the pistons. And ya, that step back three was nice, but he wouldnt have air balled the next one if he was clutch. but again he is only 22 so he can still gain that killer instinct.

I don't care if you shoot 50% on free throws, if you score 29 of your team's last 30 points in the 4th and OT, you're pretty clutch.

 

[MC KAos]

I don't care if you shoot 50% on free throws, if you score 29 of your team's last 30 points in the 4th and OT, you're pretty clutch.

i just dont think you are a clutch player till you do that multiple times, as of right now i consider that an EXTREMELY clutch performance, but he is not a clutch player, yet, in my book. But again, i think he might get there some day. i love his attitude about the game, its very spurs like.

 

[Biggems]

:tongue:

Going into this series I don't think the Spurs have anything to worry about (things can change fast). But it's a little odd to disregard someone who's done so much with so little at his age.

You could say the Cavs "lucked" into a #2 seed. But you would then have to say the Spurs "lucked" into their match-ups with the Suns and the Jazz when the . . . the . . . you know . . . hadn't choked and would have been a much tougher WCF opponent. The Mavs are one of the few teams who really match up well with the Spurs. Who's to say that the Mavs wouldn't have played the same as in the GS series, but most likely it would have been a good series.

Make all the jokes you want, but this has been an unchallenged run for the Spurs. Or do you believe they are really that much better than last year's team and the Mavs and Suns are that much worse?

I can agree with your assessment on lucking into the Jazz, but not the Suns. How can you say the Spurs lucked their way into a matchup with the Suns? Suns were #2 and the Spurs were #3....they were in the same bracket and thus had to meet in the second round if they both won their first round matchups.

Also, I wouldn't say Cleveland lucked into the #2 seed. Here are why two reasons why.... 1. Cleveland and Chicago played one another in the last week or two of the season. The winner of that game had the inside track on the #2 seed. The Cavs rolled the Bulls. 2. All Chicago had to do was win the final game of the season, and they win the #2 seed. New Jersey really had nothing to play for, but Chicago had so much. The Bulls came out and laid a big, fat, smelly egg....lost the game, and thus lost the #2 seed. There was no luck at all for Cleveland. They handled their business accordingly, while the Bulls on two separate occasions, failed to get the job done.

Now to say the Spurs have been unchallenged is insane. The Nuggets were a physical team. They were big on the interior and had the top scoring duo in the league. The Spurs won the series in 5 games, but each game was tough, physical, and intense. The Suns had the second best record in the NBA. They possess the most potent offense in the league. The Spurs took the #1 defense and defeated, once again, the top ranked offense. It was another physical, intense, and tough series. Then came the Jazz. Now I will say that Utah was a much easier opponent than Dallas would have been, but the Spurs couldn't control that.

The Spurs are more battle tested than the Cavs however. Washington was missing Arenas and Butler. They also had their two starting Centers fighting with each other. They were doomed before they started. Cleveland could have beaten them with their cheerleaders. The Nets were really no match either, especially with Vince Carter being hurt. I will say Detroit was a tough opponent. However, Cleveland found a way to beat the Pistons. Once Detroit felt a little pressure, they crumbled. They lost composure (starting with Sheed)...They lost their edge....Instead of showing the heart of a Champion....they turned into the Suns and whined and moaned when any little thing went against them. Cleveland, instead held their composure, stepped up, and put the dagger into the hearts of the Pistons.

Spurs in 5.....

GO SPURS GO

 

[Mavs Man]

I can agree with your assessment on lucking into the Jazz, but not the Suns. How can you say the Spurs lucked their way into a matchup with the Suns? Suns were #2 and the Spurs were #3....they were in the same bracket and thus had to meet in the second round if they both won their first round matchups.

Also, I wouldn't say Cleveland lucked into the #2 seed. Here are why two reasons why.... 1. Cleveland and Chicago played one another in the last week or two of the season. The winner of that game had the inside track on the #2 seed. The Cavs rolled the Bulls. 2. All Chicago had to do was win the final game of the season, and they win the #2 seed. New Jersey really had nothing to play for, but Chicago had so much. The Bulls came out and laid a big, fat, smelly egg....lost the game, and thus lost the #2 seed. There was no luck at all for Cleveland. They handled their business accordingly, while the Bulls on two separate occasions, failed to get the job done.

Now to say the Spurs have been unchallenged is insane. The Nuggets were a physical team. They were big on the interior and had the top scoring duo in the league. The Spurs won the series in 5 games, but each game was tough, physical, and intense. The Suns had the second best record in the NBA. They possess the most potent offense in the league. The Spurs took the #1 defense and defeated, once again, the top ranked offense. It was another physical, intense, and tough series. Then came the Jazz. Now I will say that Utah was a much easier opponent than Dallas would have been, but the Spurs couldn't control that.

The Spurs are more battle tested than the Cavs however. Washington was missing Arenas and Butler. They also had their two starting Centers fighting with each other. They were doomed before they started. Cleveland could have beaten them with their cheerleaders. The Nets were really no match either, especially with Vince Carter being hurt. I will say Detroit was a tough opponent. However, Cleveland found a way to beat the Pistons. Once Detroit felt a little pressure, they crumbled. They lost composure (starting with Sheed)...They lost their edge....Instead of showing the heart of a Champion....they turned into the Suns and whined and moaned when any little thing went against them. Cleveland, instead held their composure, stepped up, and put the dagger into the hearts of the Pistons.

Spurs in 5.....

GO SPURS GO

I didn't say the Spurs were lucky to draw the Suns (or if I did, that was not my intent). That was a response to philly if I remember right, but saying one team or another was "lucky" (why I put quotation marks around it) was a response to MC Kaos saying the Cavs were lucky to draw the number two seed.

I'm not taking anything away from the Spurs, but Suns/Jazz was much easier than Suns/Mavs. If I were a Spurs fan, I would be perfectly happy with that draw. You own the Suns, and the Jazz are a young team. Compare that to the Mavs last year, who played the (record-wise) best first round opponent despite the second-best record in the league, then the Spurs on the road, and then the Suns.

 

[peplaw06]

I can agree with your assessment on lucking into the Jazz, but not the Suns. How can you say the Spurs lucked their way into a matchup with the Suns? Suns were #2 and the Spurs were #3....they were in the same bracket and thus had to meet in the second round if they both won their first round matchups.

They didn't luck into a matchup with the Suns, but you can't deny they got a little lucky in that series.

I know it sucks because it's not in the Spurs control, but there was a terrible taste in everyone's mouths from what went down. That series could have been a great one, instead there was controversy.

 

[Rampage]

cavs will win tonight. eva longoria is a jinx