Suns or Spurs in the West Finals

[left texas]

This is a great read from hoopsworld.com.
Though it is no guarantee that we will face either the Suns or the Spurs, odds makers would say there is a good chance it will happen. Do you like the match up better between the Suns or the Spurs for the Mavs in the finals of the West?

Last Updated: Apr 6th, 2007 - 14:26:17

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mavericks: The Real Test is Coming
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Bill Ingram
for HOOPSWORLD.com
Apr 6, 2007, 14:23


The Phoenix Suns lost to the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night in a game that had serious repercussions for the Dallas Mavericks. First, it dropped the Mavs' magic number to three. Second, it showed the Mavericks that with the appropriate amount of attention paid to defense - the amount they usually play would be fine - the Phoenix Suns' run-and-gun offense can certainly be stopped.

There is no question that last Sunday's debacle in Phoenix was an anomaly. The Mavericks simply don't allow teams to shoot 65% from the field. The sign above the wipe boards and TV in their locker room reads:

"Contested shots will hurt us; uncontested shots and lay-ups will kill us. - Avery Johnson"

The Mavericks gave up plenty of uncontested shots and lay-ups in Phoenix, and you could certainly describe the game as a beating.

Last night a national TV audience was shown what it means to take the league's top-scoring team out of their game. The Spurs beat the Suns at every turn, forcing Steve Nash into the middle of their devastating defense and forcing him to throw the ball away or shoot over the imposing figure of Tim Duncan. Not only did Nash have nearly as many turnovers (6) as assists (7), he also got into foul trouble as he tried to keep up with the evasive Tony Parker, who scored a game-high 35 points in leading San Antonio to a 92-85 win.

The Phoenix loss means the Mavericks are now just three games away from clinching the best record in the NBA - and homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs. It also gives Avery Johnson some tape to show his current team that demonstrates how his former team took away the Suns' strengths and choked off their offense. The DVD of last night's Spurs game will most certainly be the topic of discussion in an Avery Johnson practice in the near future.

Probably not for the reason you think.

The reason the Mavericks were caught so flat-footed in Phoenix last weekend is because they don't feel that the primary obstacle between them and the 2007 NBA championship is the Phoenix Suns.

The only big game remaining on the Mavericks' schedule is the showdown with the San Antonio Spurs on April 15th. Between now and then they will clinch the best record in the league, they'll get Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard some rest, and they'll be ready for the real preview of the Western Conference Finals.

If Thursday night's game between the Spurs and the Suns is any indication, they had better be ready to put their A-game on the court.

Bill Ingram is Executive Editor for Basketball News Services, powering HOOPSWORLD.COM, SWISH Magazine, and The Five Star Basketball Report. He is a member of the Professional Basketball Writers Association and primarily covers the Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, and San Antonio Spurs. He can be heard on Monday nights on KRLD 1080AM in Dallas.
Gotta Response? E-mail It Here

[alexamenos]

tho this may be the lamest and dumbest answer to a question in the history of ever, i figure the winner of the Suns-Spurs semi is objectively the stronger of the two teams, hence I'd really like to see the mavs play whichever team loses.

the odds of that happening are admittedly slim.

[Dirkadirkastan]

Originally Posted by alexamenos

tho this may be the lamest and dumbest answer to a question in the history of ever, i figure the winner of the Suns-Spurs semi is objectively the stronger of the two teams, hence I'd really like to see the mavs play whichever team loses.

the odds of that happening are admittedly slim.

Actually, I agree with your entire assessment, both in desire and probability. I'll join you on Planet Dumb.

[left texas]

"Amare, Marion, Leandro, Boris and Raja sounds more like the roster of a Broadway musical than a championship calibre team. God is a Texan and he won't permit such a line-up to win a championship."

-alexamenos
Since you are both here. I need an answer. When did God move? As lrecall he lived in Florida as of April last year.

[alexamenos]

Originally Posted by left texas

"Amare, Marion, Leandro, Boris and Raja sounds more like the roster of a Broadway musical than a championship calibre team. God is a Texan and he won't permit such a line-up to win a championship."

-alexamenos
Since you are both here. I need an answer. When did God move? As lrecall he lived in Florida as of April last year.

blaspheme.....perhaps a good preacher can explain the whys, but Satan sometimes prevails on earth. i think it has something to do with Eve biting the apple.

cheers

[MavsX]

wow

[Janett_Reno]

Phx will never get by the Spurs. Tim Duncan will always look like Shaq against the Suns. Who can guard him? Nash will have 40 point games against the Spurs and Phx will lose. The Spurs will not let the Suns shoot over 50%. The Spurs will kill Phx with paint points. The Spurs can run or play half court. Phx plays all run and can't play half court. Phx and the Spurs have to play each other before they meet Dallas. The Spurs will not lose their first round match up and Phx could.

Dallas is much deeper than the Spurs or Phx. Phx does have a chance against Dallas. It is because we sometimes fall into Don Nelson play with them and Nash will beat us alot of times if we run with him and say the heck with defense and we take Dampier and Diop out of the series. Pop makes sure his big men kill Phx and that they play half court in a series. Avery must go back and take lessons from Pop against Phx and slow it down and play our Spurs basketball against Phx. We have a chance at beating Phx running and no defense but why take this chance when we have two centers and they have zero centers. Kurt Thomas but he is old, slow and hurt and he is also under sized. If we play right we will beat Phx in a playoff series. We must attack with Harris some and make Nash defend Harris and we do need to get Dampier more involved and make Amare guard him. Terry and Dirk are fine and so is Howard. We won't face Phx because the Spurs will beat them and we will face the Spurs in the playoffs.

Since last year we match up very good to the Spurs. We now can play half court grind with them and defense. Finley, Horry and or Barry must have a big series. Gino and Parker will be fine along with Duncan. Duncan usually has huge games and series against us but hey he is one of the best in basketball and is a superstar. Duncan had a big series last year but he gripped because Dampier and Diop made him work and it was physical and he was dead tired after the series. Oberto hurt us and Dirk allowed it but Dirk had the final say so and beat them on offense. Diop had huge block and a huge rebound to also give us the victory.

Horry, Finley and Barry are older and they did not improve their bench much. Finley had a great game last night and 10 rebounds but it was against Phx. Phx will let Spud Webb get 10 rebounds. Nobody out quicks and beats Parker but one man in the nba can and his name is Harris. Harris played Parker great in last years series. We are just two deep plus we have George and Croshere comparred to a weak Van Horn last year. Van Horn could shoot but he is afraid of physical and Croshere loves physical and George does also and he can shoot as well, most of the time. Buckner and Griffin(last year) is a trade off. Ager is suppose to be able to play out front defense with size but as a rookie he hasn't showed me much so i doubt he plays. Stackhouse can hurt the Spurs and Bowen has been great but he slowed last year. Again, Terry, Dirk and Terry will be fine.

I am picking the Mavs to win this year but if they do not i will go with the Spurs but against the Pistons and or Bulls it will be a great finals. All four of these teams are very solid. Miami, it would be a miracle but i will never count Shaq out. Phx is as excitting as they get but i see no way they can get out of the west. I forgot, if Willis has anything left this will also hurt the Spurs because they love grind it out, physical in the paint and besides Dampier, Diop, and Howard and even Dirk will mix it up some now, we have Croshere and Willis and even George with height and physical.

We need to beat the Spurs in 6 and not let it go to a 7th game and i think we can. The Spurs are very good but they just do not have the deep bench like us.

[Popeye Jones]

Give me the Spurs.We know we can beat them full strength.