3-on-3 Gameday Preview: Spurs vs. Jazz Game 1
It’s finally here: The NBA Playoffs. After the painfully long lockout, a jam-packed regular season that flew by and still gave us almost an entire season. Here we are, in familiar territory to last season, with the Spurs as the top seed in the Western Conference. This year’s 8 seed isn’t quiet the intimidating force that last year’s was, but a formidable foe nonetheless.
Like we always do with these 3-on-3 previews, we invited an opposing blogger to join us to discuss the matchup. Spencer Hall of TrueHoop Network Jazz blog Salt City Hoops was kind enough to grace us with his presence and give us the enemy’s take on Game 1.
1. Is Utah’s best option to play their big lineup with Paul Millsap at the 3 heavy minutes?
Spencer Hall, Salt City Hoops: Millsap at the 3 would seem to be the lineup the Jazz should always use, due to Favors/Harris/Hayward/Millsap/Jefferson being the most effective lineup this season. Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons (including Millsap’s own insistence on playing the 4) the Jazz will likely only use it as a change up later in games.
Timothy Varner, 48 Minutes of Hell: Unfortunately for Utah, it’s not. The Spurs’ relentless side-to-side action and post man/stretch man front court pairings will run the Millsap-Favors-Jefferson team unit ragged.
Andrew McNeill, 48 Minutes of Hell: That lineup can be effective if they successfully punish the Spurs on the boards. The Jazz are one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the league, while the Spurs are tops in preventing offensive boards. If the Jazz can’t take advantage, the Spurs could roast that lineup with a lot of pick-and-rolls and movement.
2. Does a well-rested Duncan, Parker and Ginobili give Utah any shot in Game 1?
Spencer Hall, Salt City Hoops: Any team in the NBA can beat another on a given night-or in this case, early afternoon. The Jazz will have their hands full, but the odd start time and the time off actually offer an opportunity for the Jazz to steal a game. It isn’t likely, but the Jazz definitely have a shot.
Timothy Varner, 48MoH: No. I respect Utah, but the Spurs are simply playing too well and are too close to a significant slice of history to let Utah sneak away with a victory in either of the first two games of this series.
Andrew McNeill, 48MoH: The Spurs are too good of a home team for the Jazz to beat them in San Antonio in the first round of the playoffs. Like Varner said, the Spurs are swashbuckling right now and confidence is riding high from Tim Duncan on down the lineup to Patty Mills. I could see Utah taking both Games 3 and 4 in Salt Lake City, though.
3. Will the Jazz steal one of the two games in San Antonio?
Spencer Hall, Salt City Hoops: I’m predicting the Jazz steal one of these first two games. I’ve gone on the record predicting a six-game series, so the Jazz need to do me a favor and shock the world between now and next Wednesday night. I was impressed with the lack of intimidation I heard from from the Jazz players at practice on Saturday. They don’t feel like it’s an impossible task and seem determined to push the Spurs to the limit. They may not win the series, but the up-and-coming Jazz will leave their mark.
Timothy Varner, 48MoH: Absolutely not. The better question is will Utah steal a game this series. And there too, the answer is no.
Andrew McNeill, 48MoH: I’m not as bullish as Varner is at this point, call it a nasty side effect from last season’s first round loss, but I also don’t think that the Jazz will win in San Antonio. Like I said above, I can easily see Utah taking a game or two in SLC, but they’re going to be hard-pressed to find a victory at the AT&T Center. Having said all that, the Jazz will probably win Game 1 now.
