West Finals will be Grizzlies vs. Warriors.

[Matthew Thomas Castleton]

Now, tell me that I'm wrong. Both teams split their first two games on the road against higher seeds (OKC and San Antonio). They both now own home court advantage, and both of them have very intimidating home courts. I expect both Golden State and Memphis to win each series in 6 games (wins in Games 3 and 4 at home, loss in Game 5 on the road, series-clinching wins in Game 6 at home). Who would have picked that to be the West Finals at the start of the season? (Not me.)

 

[Ferguson_Mellochill]

Now, tell me that I'm wrong. Both teams split their first two games on the road against higher seeds (OKC and San Antonio). They both now own home court advantage, and both of them have very intimidating home courts. I expect both Golden State and Memphis to win each series in 6 games (wins in Games 3 and 4 at home, loss in Game 5 on the road, series-clinching wins in Game 6 at home). Who would have picked that to be the West Finals at the start of the season? (Not me.)

I think the Grizzlies would be favored over OKC at this point, but I think the Spurs just had a bad shooting night tonight and are likely to make adjustments against the Warriors.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

That would be a great matchup. I think the Grizzlies would dominate the series. The key player would be Harrison Barnes. Could he really make the Grizzlies pay for playing big? Or would he just get dominated by Randolph and force the Warriors to use two bigs, which they rarely ever do, against them?

Would Allen and Conley be able to check Curry and Thompson off the ball and keep them contained?

Grizz went 3-0 vs them in the regular season, but Curry dominated every game. Thompson struggled though (guess he was Allen's assignment).

 

[Matthew Thomas Castleton]

I think the Grizzlies would be favored over OKC at this point, but I think the Spurs just had a bad shooting night tonight and are likely to make adjustments against the Warriors.

I disagree. I think that Warriors are going to take the Spurs down. If not for an unbelievable 4th quarter run and a game winning shot from Ginobili, the Warriors would be up 2-0. The Spurs simply have no answer for Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. You beat SA with dominant backcourt play (Russell Westbrook and James Harden proved this last year).

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

I think the Grizzlies would be favored over OKC at this point, but I think the Spurs just had a bad shooting night tonight and are likely to make adjustments against the Warriors.

Spurs should be down 2-0. They got exposed in the same way they did Game 1 that they did in Game 2, only the Warrios didn't collapse on themselves. They are going to Oracle Arena, they are ****ed. Only way I see Spurs winning this is in a 7 game series.

 

[Matthew Thomas Castleton]

Spurs should be down 2-0. They got exposed in the same way they did Game 1 that they did in Game 2, only the Warrios didn't collapse on themselves. They are going to Oracle Arena, they are ****ed. Only way I see Spurs winning this is in a 7 game series.

I seriously doubt that this series will go to 7 games. I see the Warriors winning in 5 or 6 games. I have no confidence whatsoever in the Spurs ability to win in Oracle Arena with that crowd and the pretty decent team that they rabidly support. Golden State led virtually the entire time that they were in San Antonio (save the two overtime periods in Game 1). Am I seriously supposed to expect the Spurs to compete at ALL in an extremely hostile environment when they can't even be the more aggressive team when they are AT HOME? I have more confidence in the Warriors beating the Spurs than the Grizzlies beating the Thunder.

 

[carolinajazz]

...well, it seems to me that the only adjustment the Spurs can make is slow the pace down and keep the Warriors in a half court setting.....and that might not even work! The Spurs definitely have to shoot better from the outside if they expect to win.

 

[MoreFeasts]

I hope you are right. This would be unprecedented.
Can we hope for Miami losing to Chicago too?

 

[Stoked]

Go Grizzlies!!!

 

[One Brow]

Now, tell me that I'm wrong. Both teams split their first two games on the road against higher seeds (OKC and San Antonio).

This also applies to Chicago and Indiana. Do you make the same predictions for them?

 

[Stoked]

This also applies to Chicago and Indiana. Do you make the same predictions for them?

I'd say Memphis, Indy and the Tankers have the upperhand now, I do not feel Chicago does. Why you ask? Lebron James.

 

[zbone]

...well, it seems to me that the only adjustment the Spurs can make is slow the pace down and keep the Warriors in a half court setting.....and that might not even work! The Spurs definitely have to shoot better from the outside if they expect to win.

The only thing the Spurs can do to save the series is to ink tattoos all over GSW players' bodies somehow. And maybe over Mark Jackson as well. Only way.
This would weaken their defense tremendously and enable chucking more off the dribble through double team hands.

 

[carolinajazz]

The only thing the Spurs can do to save the series is to ink tattoos all over GSW players' bodies somehow. And maybe over Mark Jackson as well. Only way.
This would weaken their defense tremendously and enable chucking more off the dribble through double team hands.

....don't think that would work. They already have enough ink to start up a prosperous side show at a Circus! What the Spurs need to do is perhaps use the tattoo's they already have as a "distraction" in some form of "trash talking" during the game! Something like "exactly HOW drunk were you when you got THAT one?" or "that one looks BADLY infected....have you had that checked recently?"

 

[bryandunlop]

If stef and Klay stay hot they might get past SA.

 

[Ben10]

SA is just to experienced for this young Warriors team right now. Looking like a Memphis, SA West finals. NBA can't be happy about that. If you were to go from the view of your average fan that isn't a fan of those 2 teams it would be a pretty boring series.

 

[MoreFeasts]

SA is just to experienced for this young Warriors team right now. Looking like a Memphis, SA West finals. NBA can't be happy about that. If you were to go from the view of your average fan that isn't a fan of those 2 teams it would be a pretty boring series.

I am more excited to see the Grizz advance than the despised OKC.
I can only conclude that I am an elite fan.

 

[Matthew Thomas Castleton]

SA is just to experienced for this young Warriors team right now. Looking like a Memphis, SA West finals. NBA can't be happy about that. If you were to go from the view of your average fan that isn't a fan of those 2 teams it would be a pretty boring series.

Again, as I always say, this is not profession boxing or wrestling. Who the crap cares what the NBA or the fans think? If the two best teams in the West playing for the Western Conference Championship is a "boring" series, maybe all the big market teams should just secede from the NBA and start their own little league. Why do the Spurs and the Grizzlies even play basketball if what they do is considered "boring"? Gosh, they shouldn't be able to play if they aren't deemed "exciting" in your eyes. I made the prediction of Golden State vs. Memphis before San Antonio won Game 3 in Oakland to re-take HCA. I must now adjust my prediction and say that the West Finals will be Memphis vs. San Antonio (I think that the Spurs will beat the Warriors in Game 7). I don't trust the Spurs enough to pick them to beat Memphis, even if they have HCA.

 

[carolinajazz]

Again, as I always say, this is not profession boxing or wrestling. Who the crap cares what the NBA or the fans think? If the two best teams in the West playing for the Western Conference Championship is a "boring" series, maybe all the big market teams should just secede from the NBA and start their own little league. Why do the Spurs and the Grizzlies even play basketball if what they do is considered "boring"? Gosh, they shouldn't be able to play if they aren't deemed "exciting" in your eyes.

....they already have one of those leagues! It's called the "AND1 League"! You can palm, travel, walk, talk, double dribble, triple dribble, do the crab crawl and a host of other funky things that they constitute as "basketball!"

 

[Matthew Thomas Castleton]

....they already have one of those leagues! It's called the "AND1 League"! You can palm, travel, walk, talk, double dribble, triple dribble, do the crab crawl and a host of other funky things that they constitute as "basketball!"

Exactly. I couldn't have said it better myself. Winning NBA basketball is defensive basketball. That is what the Spurs and Grizzlies do best. That is why they made it to the conference finals. Who cares if they aren't "exciting"? They earned where they are and they deserve it.

 

[The Thriller]

Grizz pose a threat to the Heat.

I don't think the Spurs do at all.

Grizz have the size and strength inside to maybe win a game or two.