Maybe Pops is thinking HCA?

[ClipperRevival]

They are 3 games back right now and if they win both games, they would be down only 1 game. And by virtue of holding the series advantage, they would have the HCA if GSW loses 1 more game and SAS wins out. Do you think this is Pop's thinking right now? HCA is huge and Pop knows this.

[Collie]

I think he'll try for the first game. If he loses, he'll rest his players for the 2nd game. If he wins, he'll try to go for it.

[wordsRweapons]

I think he'll try for the first game. If he loses, he'll rest his players for the 2nd game. If he wins, he'll try to go for it.

lol no shit if he loses the first game it's over

[Spurs5Rings2014]

Shit is over. Everything's coming to fruition. We will get #1 seed and win the chip this season. Then Jeff will finally activate my 6Rings2016 account in a kind gesture while Jabbar and warriorfan's heads occupy my mantle.

:pimp:

[ClipperRevival]

I think he'll try for the first game. If he loses, he'll rest his players for the 2nd game. If he wins, he'll try to go for it.

That makes sense. But I'll be pissed if he rests his guys in the 1st game. At least go for HCA. But knowing Pop, who knows what he's thinking.

[Mike smith]

Pop ain't stupid he's not gunna overplay his guys in hope to get the 1st seed he's going to rest guys so they are fresh for playoffs

[Young X]

Popovich absolutely should be thinking HCA and play his starters. I think he'll do it. He knows how important homecourt is in the playoffs.

I swear, the Spurs would've been battling the Warriors in the WCF last year had they simply won the game against the Pelicans and gotten homecourt in the first 2 rounds. That loss f*cked everything up for them.

[SpaceJam]

This is the thing that is overshadowed by the Warriors...the fact the Spurs are on some pretty historic sh^t right now as well

[Collie]

lol no shit if he loses the first game it's over

Well, he could also rest them in both games, which is probably what he was planning until this happened.

[Midnite89]

What's crazy is that ever since the 24-0 start by GSW, Spurs were 19-5.

The Spurs actually have a better record than GSW since. They were never able to shake them.

[ClipperRevival]

Pop ain't stupid he's not gunna overplay his guys in hope to get the 1st seed he's going to rest guys so they are fresh for playoffs

That's what scares me. His thinking can be unconventional. If he rests his guys, that will absolutely cheapen the record if they break it.

[Kawhi]

He will rest players at Oracle.
Everybody will play in AT&T (41-0).

[wordsRweapons]

Well, he could also rest them in both games, which is probably what he was planning until this happened.

oh right, but I think even if spurs had no chance to get hca he woulda still played everyone on the first game

[livingby3's]

I say feed the Warriors the distractions. The Spurs players might not match up physically (athletically), but they're seasoned as hell mentally.

[Mike smith]

That's what scares me. His thinking can be unconventional. If he rests his guys, that will absolutely cheapen the record if they break it.
Who cares if they break it, they deserve it they have been amazing all season. Smart move would be to give his guys rest before re start of the playoffs.

[Spurs5Rings2014]

Popovich absolutely should be thinking HCA and play his starters. I think he'll do it. He knows how important homecourt is in the playoffs.

I swear, the Spurs would've been battling the Warriors in the WCF last year had they simply won the game against the Pelicans and gotten homecourt in the first 2 rounds. That loss f*cked everything up for them.

Yes, yes. We lost the chip with that Pelicans loss. Not the first time Pop has screwed us out of a title (benching Duncan in Game 6 of 2013 finals).

:coleman:

[ClipperRevival]

He will rest players at Oracle.
Everybody will play in AT&T (41-0).

But they still have a shot at the crucial HCA and it isn't a back to back. You really think Pop will just throw in the towel like that without even trying?

[ClipperRevival]

Who cares if they break it, they deserve it they have been amazing all season. Smart move would be to give his guys rest before re start of the playoffs.

Please. No one "deserves" anything in the NBA. You earn it. Getting the record off the other best team in the league because they rested their starters would without a doubt cheapen the record.

[fragokota]

The thing is GSW at this point can't even afford to rest their star players no matter if they break the record or not. Think about it, if they win against SAS the next game, they have to keep on chasing the record.

If they lose to SAS, Pop will try to steal the HCA so GSW again has to play their starters no matter what to secure the HCA.

[Kawhi]

But they still have a shot at the crucial HCA and it isn't a back to back. You really think Pop will just throw in the towel like that without even trying?
I do, but it's hard to look in Pop's mind. He always does the opposite of what people are thinking. When A is expected, he does B. But I truly believe Pop is 100% certain we can win one (or more) at Oracle in a possible playoff match up.

[ClipperRevival]

I do, but it's hard to look in Pop's mind. He always does the opposite of what people are thinking. When A is expected, he does B. But I truly believe Pop is 100% certain we can win one (or more) at Oracle in a possible playoff match up.

HCA isn't about games 1-6 because in a lot of series, you lose a game at home. It's all about game 7. Playing game 7 at home is such a huge advantage. Pop knows this. If game 7 is in SA last year against LAC, do you think they lose? I think the winning pct for home teams in game 7 is like a ridiculous 85% or something, much higher than any other games from 1-6.

[Mike smith]

Please. No one "deserves" anything in the NBA. You earn it. Getting the record off the other best team in the league because they rested their starters would without a doubt cheapen the record.
They aren't the one who are choosing who the other coach puts out in the floor. If pop decides to rest players in both games and warriors win you still can't take anything away from the other 70 games they won. People aren't going to look back on the record "if they get it" and say oh they don't deserve it because the other coach rested some of his key players in there matchup.

[Hamtaro CP3KDKG]

Nah Spurs remaining schedule is too tough

Late night game @ GS, the b2b @ Denver in the evening

2 days later got GS visiting SA, then got OKC coming in 2 days after, then immediately fly out to Dallas to close the season

no way SA winning all those games

[ClipperRevival]

They aren't the one who are choosing who the other coach puts out in the floor. If pop decides to rest players in both games and warriors win you still can't take anything away from the other 70 games they won. People aren't going to look back on the record "if they get it" and say oh they don't deserve it because the other coach rested some of his key players in there matchup.

The casual fans won't care but the die hards like us who follow everything will know. I would absolutely put an asterisk on this record if Pop sits his players for both games and feel like the 1996 Bulls got cheated.

[Lebron23]

I do, but it's hard to look in Pop's mind. He always does the opposite of what people are thinking. When A is expected, he does B. But I truly believe Pop is 100% certain we can win one (or more) at Oracle in a possible playoff match up.

http://redsarmy.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Kevin-Love.jpg

[Spurs5Rings2014]

They aren't the one who are choosing who the other coach puts out in the floor. If pop decides to rest players in both games and warriors win you still can't take anything away from the other 70 games they won. People aren't going to look back on the record "if they get it" and say oh they don't deserve it because the other coach rested some of his key players in there matchup.

Why do you think Pop is going to rest starters for both games? We're suiting up for at least the home game. Stop this.

:oldlol:

[Mike smith]

Why do you think Pop is going to rest starters for both games? We're suiting up for at least the home game. Stop this.

:oldlol:
Might as well it will be last time they play the warriors this season

[Fire Colangelo]

The casual fans won't care but the die hards like us who follow everything will know. I would absolutely put an asterisk on this record if Pop sits his players for both games and feel like the 1996 Bulls got cheated.

The Pistons rested Grant Hill at the end of the season against the Bulls in 96 did they not? (or was that another year)

point is... teams do this ALL the time. Might as well put an asterisk on the Bulls 96 season too then

[ClipperRevival]

Nah Spurs remaining schedule is too tough

Late night game @ GS, the b2b @ Denver in the evening

2 days later got GS visiting SA, then got OKC coming in 2 days after, then immediately fly out to Dallas to close the season

no way SA winning all those games

Definitely a tough schedule but If they lose only 1 more game and go 69-13, that would tie them for the 3rd best record EVER, tying the old record established by the 1971-72 Lakers and that record stood for 25 years until 1996. So they would be on a historical pace also. So I wouldn't discount a team that good not having a chance of winnng out.

[ClipperRevival]

The Pistons rested Grant Hill at the end of the season against the Bulls in 96 did they not? (or was that another year)

point is... teams do this ALL the time. Might as well put an asterisk on the Bulls 96 season too then

:biggums: A borderline playoff team resting one guy compared to two historical teams vying for legendary status is the same? Let's put it this way. It's like the Sonics resting all their starters with a few games remaining in 1996. Now something like THAT would cheapen the record. But resting players like they do today didn't really exist back then. Players played 82 games if they could.

[Hamtaro CP3KDKG]

Definitely a tough schedule but If they lose only 1 more game and go 69-13, that would tie them for the 3rd best record EVER, tying the old record established by the 1971-72 Lakers and that record stood for 25 years until 1996. So they would be on a historical pace also. So I wouldn't discount a team that good not having a chance of winnng out.

Diaw is missing this upcoming road trip as well. Hes the Spurs most wellrounded big man and besides Kawhi, LMA and Manu, hes prolly the next best Spurs player this season. And gives so much versatility to their lineups with his scoring, passing, ball movement and defense. Hes especially crucial against GS and their small ball which Timmy struggles against and who they play thursday.

Its nice to imagine Spurs steal HCA but close to a 0 chance it actually happens.

[AirBonner]

Diaw is missing this upcoming road trip as well. Hes the Spurs most wellrounded big man and besides Kawhi, LMA and Manu, hes prolly the next best Spurs player this season. And gives so much versatility to their lineups with his scoring, passing, ball movement and defense. Hes especially crucial against GS and their small ball which Timmy struggles against and who they play thursday.

Its nice to imagine Spurs steal HCA but close to a 0 chance it actually happens.
pretty much the same chance that the Celtics and wolves had of beating the warriors :lol

[Hamtaro CP3KDKG]

pretty much the same chance that the Celtics and wolves had of beating the warriors :lol

Not really. Boston always plays GS tough. having the best coach and perimeter D in the league

Wolves tho alot of things went right for em. But still too many things have to go right for Spurs.

Diaw injury, GS has to go at least 1-3 in their next 4, Spurs cannot lose more than 1 game while they have a tough @zz schedule, plus the seeding on bottom, Spurs might strategize and rest players anyway depending on who they matchin up with

its too many variables

[Fire Colangelo]

:biggums: A borderline playoff team resting one guy compared to two historical teams vying for legendary status is the same? Let's put it this way. It's like the Sonics resting all their starters with a few games remaining in 1996. Now something like THAT would cheapen the record. But resting players like they do today didn't really exist back then. Players played 82 games if they could.

So we're gonna penalize the Warriors for making history (if they tie the record) for doing it in a year where the Spurs are also having a legendary season?

We're gonna penalize the Warriors for being in a conference where they have to play another team capable of reaching 70 wins 4 times a year?

Yeah, lets put an asterisk on the Warriors season if they get one or two easy wins against the Spurs, when MJ's best competition came from a young ass Orlando team with their best player battling injuries for almost half of the season. Would I put an asterisk on the Bulls 72 season... because Shaq didn't play in one or two games against the Bulls in 1996? Of course not... so why should we put an asterisk for the Warriors season if the Spurs decide to rest their guys for a game?

The Warriors and the Spurs didn't even play yet... and here you are doing damage control just in case the Warriors manage to tie the Bull's record...

[ClipperRevival]

So we're gonna penalize the Warriors for making history (if they tie the record) for doing it in a year where the Spurs are also having a legendary season?

We're gonna penalize the Warriors for being in a conference where they have to play another team capable of reaching 70 wins 4 times a year?

Yeah, lets put an asterisk on the Warriors season if they get one or two easy wins against the Spurs, when MJ's best competition came from a young ass Orlando team with their best player battling injuries for almost half of the season. Would I put an asterisk on the Bulls 72 season... because Shaq didn't play in one or two games against the Bulls in 1996? Of course not... so why should we put an asterisk for the Warriors season if the Spurs decide to rest their guys for a game?

The Warriors and the Spurs didn't even play yet... and here you are doing damage control just in case the Warriors manage to tie the Bull's record...

The fact is, resting guys like they do today didn't exist back then. And of course, during the course of a season, some stars will miss games. But I am talking about this specific situation. If Pop sits his guys for both games, it cheapens the record and I don't understand how anyone could think otherwise. Trust me, if Pop plays his players and GSW still breaks it, I will have to bow down and give credit where its due. But to simply give those games away would make me sick.

[zbott]

Pop is going to do whatever he thinks will have the team ready for the first round of the playoffs ... If he thought mentally and physically his players would be at a disadvantage because they played max minutes to get HCA, he probably wouldn't do it. Then again, a win tomorrow against G.S. and a realistic shot at HCA could affect what he does. HCA, especially a game 7, could be huge looking down the road to the WCF. But the Spurs always have that road warrior mentality and feel like they can win big playoff games on the road .... There are just too many intangibles and story lines with these two teams this season to figure it all out ... anyway - for bball fans - what a time...

[Proctor]

It's going to be much tougher for the Spurs to beat the Warriors without Diaw. So I really don't see it happening, though I hope it does.