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Holy ****.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXgEoQviIBw

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The old man in that video is terrifying!

dp

[This message has been edited by Ulrich (edited 5/11/2014 11:41a).]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQil2uBmQDw
Two things to notice in this video of Leonard highlights from the first half of the season. First, the variety in his offensive game. Hooks, pullup jumpers, turnaround jumpers, a few eurosteps, and of course the set shot. Since then he has added the step back three to his arsenal. Second, how often he gets steals and blocks without giving up defensive position. That's what separates him from some of the steal specialists in the league. Very seldom do you see him give up defensive position for anything but a sure thing.

Thunder/Clips going at least 6. Spurs need to close on Monday night.

Houston Summit certainly doesn't sound like a ***** in this thread at all.

Also, I'm pretty surprised we have been able to win each game so easily. I thought Portlands offense would keep it close but it's pretty clear that their awful defense and non existent bench far outweigh their offensive ability.

It also helps that the Spurs are playing so well on both ends.

Let's end this tomorrow.

I want nothing to do with OKC. They are capable of doing what they did 2 years ago... Exert maximum energy to beat us and then have nothing left for the finals. They also get very physical with us when the refs allow it.

If we face LA I think it is similar to Portland... A series we can win and we don't get beat up and worn out along the way.

The scariest thing about OKC is that they can get really streaky playing hero ball, just like they were on fire today in the first quarter against the Clippers.

I'm not a big believer in what happened one or two years ago having that much impact on the here and now. That said, if anything, the Spurs should have a mental edge over the Thunder because they owe them some payback for stealing away their 2012 ring.

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I want nothing to do with OKC. They are capable of doing what they did 2 years ago... Exert maximum energy to beat us and then have nothing left for the finals. They also get very physical with us when the refs allow it.

If we face LA I think it is similar to Portland... A series we can win and we don't get beat up and worn out along the way.

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Everyone would rather play LAC. Not just the spurs, but every other team as well.

You need to man up though son. Man you sound weak and scared!

It would be incredibly sweet to get a ring through Dallas, OKC, and Miami.

Don't count out Jeremy Lamb.

Jackson is a nightmare. They may not have Harden anymore, but Jackson actually takes quality shots and buries them regularly.

I would rather not play OKC if at all possible. Go LAC.

^ agreed. Don't care if that makes me "chicken". Give me the easiest road to the Finals possible so we can rest up and whip on Miami.

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^ agreed. Don't care if that makes me "chicken". Give me the easiest road to the Finals possible so we can rest up and whip on Miami.

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Exactly. Miami is getting a free pass... I want the easiest road possible.

Lol at internet badasses who want the hardest matchups all the way to the finals. I'll take the easiest all day, every day, cause in two years, no one is going to give a **** who you beat as long as you've got that banner.

And how would it look bad to play the clippers if they beat the team we don't want to play? Doesn't that make the clippers just as impressive of a team to beat on the way to the finals?

[This message has been edited by Obi Wan Ginobili (edited 5/12/2014 8:19a).]

Lol at some of you.

Of course everyone wants to face the Clippers. Doesn't mean I don't have faith that we can beat OKC.

Never seen a fan base so scared of one team though tbqh. Chalk me up as one that would rather avoid OKC but I hope the players don't fear them like some people around here.

The Spurs don't fear them.

The way the Spurs are playing, they can beat anybody, including OKC and Miami.

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cause in two years, no one is going to give a **** who you beat as long as you've got that banner.

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tell that to the Spurs and Mavs fans who whine that the Rockets never had to face Michael Jordan when we won our two titles

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tell that to the Spurs and Mavs fans who whine that the Rockets never had to face Michael Jordan when we won our two titles

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I have never heard any Spurs fan say this in 25 years of fandom.

I think we can beat both teams, so I want to play OKC. These late night games on the west coast are brutal during the week.

Good article from a Portland columnist. http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/john_canzano/index.ssf/2014/05/canzano_spurs_inc_blowing_out.html

Some of my favorite excerpts:

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Popovich shouted at Tim Duncan up by 15 from his bench. He blistered Tony Parker up by 18, and called a timeout in the fourth quarter, game over, just to make clear he wasn't entirely pleased.

Just wait until he figures out the Spurs scored 60 points in the first half, and only 58 in the second. Laps around The Nines hotel, I'm sure.

The temptation today is going to be to declare the season over in Portland and all lost, and by all means you should go with that, because I don't have a single argument against it. But while you're doing so, ask yourself how far away the Blazers are from the sky-high expectations and the sheer excellence being demonstrated in the current exhibition being put on by Spurs, Inc.?

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An NBA executive watched the first half of Game 3 and texted me of the Blazers vs. Spurs, "Like playing chess against the computer..."

I half expected the halftime show at the Moda Center would be the Spurs on unicycles, performing pick-and-rolls. Alas, they were in the locker room up 20 presumably being tongue-lashed by Popovich.

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The Spurs are machine-like. Portland needs to study this franchise like Leonard did Duncan, and find its own culture along the way.

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[This message has been edited by Brian Earl Spilner (edited 5/12/2014 10:28a).]

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I think we can beat both teams, so I want to play OKC. These late night games on the west coast are brutal during the week.

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During the Conference Finals there will only be one game each night, so they will be starting at the best tv times. Games @ Portland are later because they are staggered to start after the eastern conference game finishes.

A game @ the clippers won't always start at 7 central, but it definitely won't be starting at 9:30 central.

Also, I still hate the way we matchup with OKC, and would therefore prefer to play LAC.

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^ agreed. Don't care if that makes me "chicken". Give me the easiest road to the Finals possible so we can rest up and whip on Miami.

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Yup.

Easiest possible path.

Let others carp about while we take Larry for a Riverboat ride.

Yeah most games will probably be starting around 8-830 next round regardless of location.

I think both teams offer their own challenges, and the only reason why I might fear OKC more is KD star power.

The Clippers are very very athletic and bring two potential tough matchups in the post with Jordan and Griffin. This isnt the standard slow moving matchup that Splitter and Diaw have been playing well against in Dirk and Aldridge. These guys are big strong and freak athletes. Their youth and athleticism is tough to match. They are also somewhat sloppy and their defense can easily be beat with the Spurs ball movement. I fear Doc Rivers 100x more than the OKC coach.

OKC has what I think is a terrible coach. Their team lacks a true offensive identity. They really struggle in half court and ball movement, which slows the movement of our older, slower defense. I think we can create plenty of frustration within their team. I do fear playing in their arena... those fans are great!

I do think the Clippers lack a real go-to threat. Who do they go to when they have to have buckets? The only real way they ignite their offense is by lobs and fast break dunks. Whereas OKC has one of the greatest shooters of all time lining up on their side.

I think we finish them off tonight. I have a feeling Portland plays their best first half of the series but the Spurs pull away in the second half.

112-105 Spurs.

I wonder if there is a trend for how the spurs have played to start the next series off following a sweep of the previous series. I worry about a team like this getting too much time off when things are clicking so well. If clippers go 7, thats atleast 8 days off I think.

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tell that to the Spurs and Mavs fans who whine that the Rockets never had to face Michael Jordan when we won our two titles

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We don't whine. We laugh at little brother Houston and their cute Jordan-less titles.

I think Portland comes out flat, knowing it is over and the Spurs complete the sweep.