After a week or so, our long (Spurs) national nightmare will soon be over: Sunday afternoon will crown a victor in the first round series between Memphis and the other LA team, and the Spurs will finally have a second round opponent.
It would seem now that the more likely of opponents is Memphis. Having survived Game 5 and 6, they now get the clinching game at home, with health and momentum on their side. The Clippers, by virtue of being banged up, now become the more ideal opponent for the second round, and the least likely. That’s the way the playoffs go, I suppose: you’re always going to end up playing the better team.
After watching good chunks of the last few games, the Clippers would most likely be the easier opponent. But there’s more poetic justice in facing the Grizzlies. We have a score to settle with them, a monkey to remove from a back, shadows of doubt to banish. We’re a different and a better team, and I want so badly to beat them 4 more times (to add to the 4 from the regular season).
It’s been interesting watching the games. The energy and effort level is so high, that it can be easy to mistake for high-level basketball as well. But I wonder if it really is? I wonder what either of these teams will look like against the buzz saw of the Spurs. What is going to happen when execution must catch up to effort and energy?
Game 7 tips off Sunday at noon Central time; by 3 or so we should know our next opponent.
Game 1 tips off Tuesday night at 7:30 Central time.
What say you guys? Who would you rather face in the second round?
