NBA Playoffs Rd 1: (2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (7) Los Angeles Lakers

[King Taharqa]

[2] San Antonio Spurs (58-24)

PG-#9 Tony Parker

FRANCE '01

6'2 180 lbs

20.3 PPG 3.0 RPG 7.6 APG 52.2 FG%

SG-#4 Danny Green

UNC '09

6'6 210 lbs

10.5 PPG 3.1 RPG 1.8 APG 42.9 3PT%

SF-#2 Kawhi Leonard

San Diego State '11

6'6 225 lbs

11.9 PPG 6.0 RPG 1.6 APG 37.4 3PT%

PF-#21 Tim Duncan

Wake Forest '97

6'11 260 lbs

17.8 PPG 9.9 RPG 2.7 APG 2.7 BPG 81.7 FT%

C-#22 Tiago Splitter

BRAZIL '07

6'11 235 lbs

10.3 PPG 6.4 RPG 1.6 APG 56.0 FG%

BENCH

PG-#14 Gary Neal

SG-#20 Manu Ginobili

SF-#1 Tracy McGrady

PF-#15 Matt Bonner

C-#45 DeJuan Blair

HEAD COACH

Gregg Poppovich

[King Taharqa]

[7] Los Angeles Lakers (45-37)

PG-#10 Steve Nash

Santa Clara '96

6'3 180 lbs

12.7 PPG 2.8 RPG 6.7 APG 49.7 FG% 43.8 3PT%

SG-#20 Jodie Meeks

Kentucky '09

6'4 210 lbs

7.9 PPG 2.2 RPG 35.7 3PT%

SF-#15 Metta World Peace

St. John's '99

6'7 260 lbs

12.4 PPG 5.0 RPG 1.5 APG

PF-#16 Pau Gasol

SPAIN '01

7'0 250 lbs

13.7 PPG 8.6 RPG 4.1 APG

C-#12 Dwight Howard

Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy '04 (Atlanta, GA)

6'11 265 lbs

17.1 PPG 12.4 RPG 2.4 BPG 57.8 FG%

BENCH

PG-#5 Steve Blake

PG-#21 Chris Duhon

SG-#1 Darius Morris

SF-#4 Antawn Jamison

PF-#6 Earl Clark

C-#50 Robert Sacre

HEAD COACH

Mike D'Antoni

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Mike D'Antoni and the Kobe-less Lakers deserve credit for not quitting at the end of the year and squeeking into the dance as a 7th seed. Ironically, the Spurs are the team Lakers fans wanted. Unfortunately I dont think they can beat San Anton without their star guard. I see Pau Gasol & Dwight Howard leading the Lakers to 2 wins in this series, but they will go down in 6. Tim Duncan continues to defy Father Time, and no one on the Lakers can stay in front of a healthy Tony Parker. It will be a good series, but I still got San Anton in 6 baby!

[h0llywood]

It's all about momentum. The Lakers definitely have it.

[Guest]

This could prove to be a close contest. Sure they don't have Kobe, but the Spurs have their own injury problems. The Lakers will need Dwight and Pau to continue playing to a high level, and if they do, then they'll have a good chance. Overall, though, I think this will be a 4-3 either way. But I'll back the Lakers to take it.

[Sapper]

Ginobli's health (or lack thereof) is key to this series if the Lakers want to have a shot. D'Antoni needs some kind of defensive game plan concocted overnight for a memorable series.

I'll go Spurs in 5.

[Kevin Greene]

The key here is for LA to steal one of the 1st two games.

Lakers in 6.

By the way KT, thanks for the excellent NBA Match up threads as usual!

[ZB1224]

Lakers in 6.

And yeah, great match-up threads.

[C47]

Yeah thanks KT, we have our differences, but you always deliver on the NBA Playoffs series threads!

[Kevin Greene]

Alright, Ginobli ripped us a new @hole in Game 1. Tip your hat.

The Lakers must steal one of these first two games to have a shot.

They have one more chance to make that happen.

[King Taharqa]

GINOBILI!!!

[kman72]

lol at all the Lakers homers.... have you not watched all season? Spurs win this easy in 5 or 6. Even if they had Kobe but without Kobe? haha

[Kevin Greene]

Meeks a game time decision. However, Jordan Hill has been cleared to play.

[h0llywood]

lol at all the Lakers homers.... have you not watched all season? Spurs win this easy in 5 or 6. Even if they had Kobe but without Kobe? haha

lol at all the Lakers haters...

what's your point?

[kman72]

Not a hater but I can see what the Lakers are... They struggled all season, it took them till the last game of the season to clinch a playoff spot and now people think they are gonna just turn it around and beat a very good Spurs team. people act like the Lakers players are all in their prime, maybe Dwight but the rest are all past their glory days (except maybe Kobe) he doesnt seem to worry about age lol