This is what being the Nba champions is like...

[KL2]

You thought it was gonna be easy? Lol, teams are gonna give it their all each night trying to beat the champions, this is what it's like.

Reinforcements are coming (KY and Mills), Spurs will handle their shit in the playoffs as long as long as they're healthy. Leonard/Verde/Mills aren't gonna go down without a fight, too good. We've got this shit.

#InKawhiWeTrust

#OutwiththeOldInWiththeNew

[TampaDude]

We lost to the refs tonight. Agenda rules forever.

[BatManu20]

Gasol's travel that sent the game into OT not called.

Aldridge out of bounds by a mile in the 2OT not called.

Back to back games, the Refs bent us over, lubed it up, and yelled "Kobe!" right before they rammed it home, tbh.

[TampaDude]

Gasol's travel that sent the game into OT not called.

Aldridge out of bounds by a mile in the 2OT not called.

Back to back games, the Refs bent us over, lubed it up, and yelled "Kobe!" right before they rammed it home, tbh.

Yeah, it's getting to the point where the fix is clearly in. Oh, well.

[spurtech09]

Yeah, it's getting to the point where the fix is clearly in. Oh, well.agree.....the refs have made it harder on he spurs.....seems like the league doesn't want the spurs to repeat

[Harry Callahan]

agree.....the refs have made it harder on he spurs.....seems like the league doesn't want the spurs to repeat

If the fix was truly in, the Spurs would not have five rings, IMO. Still, the referees don't have the stones to call traveling on Gasol, Lillard, or notice that Alridge's big foot was out of bounds. They called Boris Diaw's foot out in the third quarter and it wasn't. That was a lost possession as well.

[hommeaetage]

The refs have been bad, but the Spurs have no excuse losing these last two games IMO. They made poor play down the stretch along with some moronic coaching. I don't wanna hear about the injury card either because they had the games won, and they just choked

[SpurPadre]

The refs have been bad, but the Spurs have no excuse losing these last two games IMO. They made poor play down the stretch along with some moronic coaching. I don't wanna hear about the injury card either because they had the games won, and they just choked

This except for the coaching part.

[Silver&Black]

Gasol's travel that sent the game into OT not called.

Aldridge out of bounds by a mile in the 2OT not called.

Back to back games, the Refs bent us over, lubed it up, and yelled "Kobe!" right before they rammed it home, tbh.

Go back and watch the game tying lay-up by Lillard (don't remember if it was the end of regulation or the end of the 1st OT). Dude clearly traveled. But they'll never call that with 2 seconds to go in a game.

[Harry Callahan]

Go back and watch the game tying lay-up by Lillard (don't remember if it was the end of regulation or the end of the 1st OT). Dude clearly traveled. But they'll never call that with 2 seconds to go in a game.

Vince Carter traveled in the game 3 debacle as well when we played the Dallas Maggots in last years playoffs. No call.

[kobexxx]

excuses , excuses

[Harry Callahan]

excuses , excuses

Who in the hell are you anyway?

[SupremeGuy]

The Spurs have been getting screwed since the 90s, tbh. The fact that we've overcome and won 5 championships is fucking incredible. We'll never get the benefit of a close call, we have to be good enough to never leave it close enough for the refs to beat us.

[hommeaetage]

This except for the coaching part.
Bonner and Belineli (to some extent) getting significant minutes is in no way shape of form good coaching IMO

[KaiRMD1]

I ain't taking the pussy route and blaming it on refs (eventhough that was some bullshit that they didn't call) but the blame falls on the ol' sports themselves. They had the chance to win and bad defense did them in. That and Manu Turnobili

[kobyz]

But if at least we didn't kill Timmy with all those minutes, we all know it's his last season, but after this week he may be broken for good and need to retire...

[ceperez]

Go back and watch the game tying lay-up by Lillard (don't remember if it was the end of regulation or the end of the 1st OT). Dude clearly traveled. But they'll never call that with 2 seconds to go in a game.

What I don't understand is the play where Aldridge tries to save the ball. Clearly he had a foot on the ground. What I don't get is why wasn't it reviewed?

[EVAY]

Rather than start a new thread called "postmortem on the Blazers game", I'm going to add my two cents to this one.

Yes...it means more to teams to beat us this year than it did last year.

Everybody did their best last night (well, with the possible exception of Diaw, whose passivity this year is baffling to me) and came up short.

The other teams in the West are better than they were last year, and the combination of all of them wanting "to beat the Champions", plus being better than they were and us being short-handed and playing odd rotations, means we are going to lose more games than we did last year.

Damien Lillard is why we lost the game last night. He really did go super-nova, and when that happens with a guy, you tip your hat and say "Wow - what a player and what a helluva game".

The only real question I had last night was why Pop didn't put Splitter back in before 4 minutes to go in regulation. I kept looking for him to play with Duncan earlier than that (even at the five minute mark) but I thought it was too late at that point. It takes a minute or so for a player to get back into the flow of the game, and by the time Splitter was doing his thing Portland was marching. I'm sure Pop had a good reason (or at least a reason) but I sure think we could have won that game in regulation with both our big men on the floor for more of the fourth quarter.

By the time you get to the last minute and either team can win it is useless to second guess turnovers or missed shots or blame it on one person. It is human nature to do it, but it is useless. By that time it is just a matter of luck.

[r0drig0lac]

The refs have been bad, but the Spurs have no excuse losing these last two games IMO. They made poor play down the stretch along with some moronic coaching. I don't wanna hear about the injury card either because they had the games won, and they just choked

word

[TampaDude]

What I don't understand is the play where Aldridge tries to save the ball. Clearly he had a foot on the ground. What I don't get is why wasn't it reviewed?

Because the refs ignored it. They took plenty of time to review and take away two potential game-sealing shots for the Spurs, but not that clear turnover by the Blazers. It should've been Spurs ball, but the missed call led to a fastbreak score for Portland.

Refs call that correctly, and the Spurs win.

[Kool Bob Love]

As long as Duncan rings.

[TampaDude]

As long as Duncan rings.

Yup...it's only December, and we were shorthanded, but the refs DID blow that call. I hope we get the Blazers in the playoffs again. It will be another asskicking, Texas style! :hat

[cd98]

Spurs lost a bunch of games against good teams last year while dealing with injuries. Once they got healthy they steamrolled everyone. I expect the Spurs will be tearing it up come February.

[weebo]

I actually don't mind these loses at this point in the season. This team has been showing a lot of heart, despite playing some moronic basketball at times. Every team they face will come at them with everything they have, and it's taking everything they have to beat a team that 1) is beating itself and 2) is short handed due to injuries.
No reason to hit the panic button just yet. Give this team some time to get healthy and get into some type of rhythm and the Spurs will start beating some of these teams with regularity.

[Mr Bones]

These conspiracy theories make no sense. What, the conspiracy only jumps into action the year after Spurs' championships? What are the great conspirators doing in the other years? Why didn't the great conspirators make the finals go seven games, which would've earned the NBA many extra millions of dollars? Also, is Adam Silver now behind them? Does he call the refs and say, "hey, listen guys, here how I want tonight's game thrown....?" You know you're a homer when all of your conspiracy theories just happen to center around loses by your favorite team!

[taps]

I wish Batum was there so he could celebrate in Timmy's face like they just won the Finals. I swear every moment like that gives the ol' King the drive for 6 more months of basketball at least.

[TheGreatYacht]

You thought it was gonna be easy? Lol, teams are gonna give it their all each night trying to beat the champions, this is what it's like.

Reinforcements are coming (KY and Mills), Spurs will handle their shit in the playoffs as long as long as they're healthy. Leonard/Verde/Mills aren't gonna go down without a fight, too good. We've got this shit.

#InKawhiWeTrust

#OutwiththeOldInWiththeNew
Tim Duncan is still the best player on the team, take Kawhi's dick out your face and watch the games

[nevitt_&_smrek]

Nobody plays at the top level for all 82 games. But when you are champ, you get everyone else's best effort, focus, and adrenaline rush each night. They circle your games.