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05-06-2006, 12:30 PM
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Quote:
Dirk article: http://msnbc.msn.com/id/12652828// I wonder if Dirk learned anything from Bonzi schooling Bowen.
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Welcome to the Dirk era of 50+ wins. |
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05-06-2006, 12:55 PM
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#42 |
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Location: New Mexico Mountains
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First off, TVI, I'm glad you're on our board. Welcome. We'll try not to be too rude And I promise to be sympatheic after every Mavs win.
But I have to take issue with this quote' "You guys say you want to show the world that you're the best, but (some of) you seem pretty giddy that you get to face the Spurs 36 hours after their last game. If you really want to prove that you're the best, then I would think you guys would also be dissapointed by the scheduling. Isn't it more satisfying to defeat a team when they're at their best? " Theres stuff you can control, and stuff you can't. The Mavs have the 3rd best record in the NBA, and we had to start out against a 50 win team with the 6th best record, that went 8-2 coming into the playoffs. You guys got an 8th seed, and the bad luck that it wasnt the same team that lost so many at the beginning of the season. Them's the breaks. If we hadn't had so many injuries, we might have had the 1st seed, and you'd be playing game 1 on the road. If Timmy wasn't gimpy, you might have won 70 games. Like I said, there's stuff you can't control, and stuff you can. Gotta love the good luck when you get it, and overcome when you don't. In '03, the Mavs couldn't control or overcome Dirk's injury. But last time I looked in the record book, there is no Asterick next the Spurs' championship, saying, "they only got this cos Dirk went down." This is Texas, boys, you dance with the one that brung you, and play the cards you are dealt. We both know our teams can stomp the snot out of Detroit, playing in that weak assed East, thinking they are so hot. This series IS the championship. Glad you could make it. I personally am glad its the Spurs instead of Sac for exactly the reason you say. To be the best, you gotta beat the best. I know the best team lives on I-35. Lets get it on and see who it really is. And 2 words of warning. Last time Dirk faced Bowen, in SA, he went for 30-10. Last time against Artest, he hit 10 out of 17 and scored 29. If you start old man Horry on him every night, he might be too tired to lift his arms for a 3 in the 4th. So good luck. This is not your father's Mavs team, anymore.
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"He got dimes." Harrison Barnes on Luca Doncic during his 1st NBA training camp. |
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05-06-2006, 01:37 PM
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#43 |
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Diamond Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: now, here
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TVI,
I'm not marginalizing the advantage. It is what it is because of a myriad of factors from the Mavericks' quick work of the Grizz to Brent Barry's 3 to Kevin Martin's buzzer-beating lay-up. Just like home court advantage is an advantage to the Spurs for a myriad of reasons (and I'll bet factors including scheduling). What I'm twigged about is the fact that Adelman is saying, if Game 1 is a loss, you might as well put the one in the win column for New York. It's as if the team San Antonio is playing against is irrelevant. To the Spurs' credit, they haven't said anything like that. In fact, the Mavs will probably still be the underdogs in Game 1 but we will see. And all this nonsense about it being LIKE a back to back? Whatever. It's not a back to back. It's only 12 hours away from being a back to back but it's not a back to back. Let's play basketball.
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05-06-2006, 01:46 PM
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#44 |
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What I don't get about Adelman's comments is the fact that the Spurs would have been playing the Kings on Sunday had the Kings won. So would the advantage then have been to the Kings (even though the Spurs would have home court) because of the short turn around and Adelman wouldn't have complained? It just doesn't compute.
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________________________________  my boy cheering on the Mavs with his Mavs maraca and wearing his Jason Terry headband. 
Last edited by raefformvp; 05-06-2006 at 01:48 PM. |
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05-06-2006, 01:55 PM
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#45 |
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Platinum Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: New Mexico Mountains
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There is a thread on http://www.spursreport.com/forums/sh...0&page=1&pp=20 titles Is anyone sickof hearing about the Dallas Mavericks. It was started back in March with this post, then goes on for 7 pages.
Whio is sick of hearing about the Dallas Mavericks? I'm serious. Over the last few weeks it seems more and more Mavs trolls have showed up here and more and more articles are being posted about Dallas and their rise in the West and their supposed threat to another Spurs Western Conference title, blah, blah, blah - you get my drift right? I look at all this stuff and laugh because I keep thinking: wasn't it this time last year that the Phoenix Suns were supposed to give the Spurs so much trouble and how we couldn't catch them in the standings, and if they had home court they could beat us, blah, blah, blah - you get THAT picture right? What happened? The Spurs b!tchslapped the Suns in 5 games. In fact, if it wasn't for a Suns 5 point win in Game 4 - THEY GET SWEPT. Does anyone here think that this Mavs team is even more of a threat than that Suns team? I don't. Does Dallas have an All Star, All NBA Player, MVP Candidate running the point dishing out 12 assists per game? Does Dallas have a post player with the freakish ability of Amare Stoudamire? No. On both counts. Those two are the ONLY reasons Phoenix was even remotely competative in that series. I'm not going to take anything away from Dirk Nowitski , he's a talented player having a great season. Unfortunately for Dallas, he isn't the monster inside that Stoudamire is. If Dirk can singlehandidly beat us shooting jumpshots and averaging 35 a game - more power to him. But I don't think that's going to happen. I like the young kids Harris and Daniels. But are we supposed to think we can't handle them, after essentially making an All Star like Shawn Marion a non-factor in the Phoenix series? Nevermind making Quentin Richardson as vital as the waterboy. Are we supposed to think that because DeSagana Diop suddenly registered a pulse - we should be worried? 2.1 points per game. Yeah, that'll put the fear of God into you won't it? At this point, I'll spare Erick Dampier any further insults. 'But what about Jerry Stackhouse or Keith Van Horn and Jason Terry' says Mavs troll. I just don't see it folks. I don't get it. Why is it that the media has to create these quasi-contenders in Phoenix and Dallas, only to find out in May that it was all just a mirage? I really don't get it. Haven't they figured this stuff out by now? I like Dallas, sort of. I think Cuban has allowed the coaches to finally get this team going in a positive direction. I just don't see them winning an NBA Title anytime soon. I love Avery Johnson (I posted a recent article about him, didn't I?) and I love that he's having so much success with Dallas and I'm proud to see him coaching the All Star team. He makes us all very proud. I just don't think they're 'ready for prime time' as they say. Unfortunately for AJ - I just don't think he has a real honest to goodness, bonafide NBA championship team on his hands. Sue me. It's just that I continue to see Mavs news and updates dominate this board at times and it's just one giant head scratcher to me. I just don't understand why anyone would think the NBA postseason is going to have much drama at all. Detroit beats(Insert Name Here) and then goes on to beat Miami in an underwhelming Eastern Conference Finals. San Antonio beats Dallas, then goes on to beat Phoenix in an equaly undramatic Western Conference Finals. San Antonio vs Detroit in a 7 game cage match for the NBA World Title. Ho hum. I mean, this NBA season has as many twists and turns as an episode of 'Golden Girls'. Someone wake me up in June, will ya?
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"He got dimes." Harrison Barnes on Luca Doncic during his 1st NBA training camp. |
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05-06-2006, 02:14 PM
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#46 |
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moderately impressed
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Home of the thirteenth colony
Posts: 17,705
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They really think this is a cakewalk.
I, on the other hand, have my doubts. I'll be wide awake on Sunday.
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05-06-2006, 02:46 PM
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#47 |
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^^^^Co-sign. I don't think this is a cakewalk for any team. I honestly feel it will go 6-7 games. Maybe the Mavs sweep. Maybe the Spurs sweep. No one knows but as of right onw i'm ready for some championship basketball and we're getting it in the 2nd round. A worry of mine right now is how we will guard Tony Parker. If there has been a flaw this season with this team it has been the opposing teams point guard being able to penetrate with ease and there's no better guy at doing that in the NBA than Tony Parker.
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05-06-2006, 02:57 PM
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#48 | |
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Diamond Member
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Posts: 7,938
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Quote:
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"He's coming off the bench aggressive right away, looking for his shot. If he has any daylight, we need him to shoot the ball. We know it's going in." -Dirk Nowitzki on Jason Terry, after JET's 16 point 4th quarter against the Pacers. |
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05-06-2006, 03:21 PM
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#49 | |
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Member
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win or lose...that guy is in for a big surprise. |
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05-06-2006, 05:09 PM
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#50 | |
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Member
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Location: San Antonio
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Quote:
The Mavs have far and away been one of the top three teams this season. I'm hoping that the Spurs have found their playoff form with the decisive close-out game last night, but the Kings are not in the same league as Dallas, and the Mavs have a much deeper bench. This could be an Lakers/Celtics type series: One for the ages.
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05-06-2006, 05:23 PM
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Boom goes the Dynamite!
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05-06-2006, 05:30 PM
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#52 | |
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Golden Member
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Posts: 1,763
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I found this post in that thread on spursreport.com:
Quote:
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________________________________ my boy cheering on the Mavs with his Mavs maraca and wearing his Jason Terry headband.
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05-06-2006, 05:36 PM
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#53 | |
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Boom goes the Dynamite!
Join Date: Mar 2001
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05-06-2006, 07:15 PM
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#54 | |
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Guru
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Location: Cowboys Country
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Quote:
Those guys? |
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05-06-2006, 07:17 PM
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#55 | |
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Diamond Member
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Location: Miami, FL
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Quote:
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Let's go Mavs! |
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05-06-2006, 07:22 PM
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#56 |
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Guru
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Location: Cowboys Country
Posts: 23,336
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I can't read this thread title without hearing the great Perry Farrell screaming out "Here we go!" at the beginning of "Stop."
Save the complaints For a party conversation. The world is loaded, It's lit to pop and nobody is gonna stop... No one... No one! No way Gonna stop, Now, go! |
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05-06-2006, 07:40 PM
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#57 |
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Eh. Even though ST has their moments with the same type of fans.
Spurstalk>SpursReport |
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05-06-2006, 08:21 PM
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#58 | |
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Platinum Member
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Quote:
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05-06-2006, 08:41 PM
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#59 | |
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Platinum Member
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05-06-2006, 08:50 PM
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#60 |
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Golden Member
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Is it just Mark Jackson and us mavs fans that think the mavs will win this series?
Every analyst and his grandmother is picking the Spurs in 6 or 7. |
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05-06-2006, 08:55 PM
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#61 | |
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Golden Member
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,763
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Quote:
F the other grandmothers.
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________________________________ my boy cheering on the Mavs with his Mavs maraca and wearing his Jason Terry headband.
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05-06-2006, 09:09 PM
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#62 |
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Guru
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Location: Cowboys Country
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Gotta love that spirit, Raef!
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05-06-2006, 09:39 PM
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#63 |
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Diamond Member
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Like you'd care
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The time for redemption is here my Maverick brothers and sisters. The will be a tough series but I'm confident the Mavs will win it in 6.
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05-06-2006, 09:47 PM
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#64 | |
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Golden Member
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,763
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Quote:
I believe. Mavs WILL win in 6.
__________________
________________________________ my boy cheering on the Mavs with his Mavs maraca and wearing his Jason Terry headband.
Last edited by raefformvp; 05-06-2006 at 09:48 PM. |
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05-06-2006, 09:50 PM
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#65 |
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Guru
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Location: Cowboys Country
Posts: 23,336
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If the Mavs take Game One (as they probably should), then Mavs in five is a distinct possibility.
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05-06-2006, 11:23 PM
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#66 |
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Guru
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Arlington, TX
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edit
Last edited by MFFL; 05-07-2006 at 01:13 PM. |
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05-06-2006, 11:44 PM
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#67 |
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Diamond Member
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Posts: 3,110
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I have an 8 am final on Monday!! So f-em all! I am so pumped right now!!! Fuck Kobe and his childish behavior tonight!! Screw spurs excuses!!! Beat the living shit out them and they will be to tired to complain.. Goodnight!
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05-07-2006, 12:41 AM
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#68 |
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Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 40,410
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Dirk will be doing a whole lotta' this.
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"Yankees fans who say “flags fly forever’’ are right, you never lose that. It reinforces all the good things about being a fan. ... It’s black and white. You (the Mavs) won a title. That’s it and no one can say s--- about it.’’ |
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05-07-2006, 01:50 AM
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#69 |
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Diamond Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 9,189
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I'm so tired of Spurs fans, and everyone else not taking the Mavs seriously at all.
They still think we are a joke, and no challenge. It's time to prove our doubters very very wrong, MAVS take it in 6!!!
__________________
 "He's as valuable as anyone. The most unusual thing is that they lose last year's MVP and still get better. It's unheard of." "For a team as good as the Mavs, the regular season is just 82 practice games until the real season begins." -G-Man "We wanted this for Dirk because of his heart, his class, his work ethic, his humility, his sense of humor, his respect for the game, and his respect for people." |
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05-07-2006, 03:01 AM
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#70 |
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Platinum Member
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Germany
Posts: 2,039
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Dampier believes Mavs have 2-game advantage
By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News SAN ANTONIO – Erick Dampier isn't sure how much he'll see of Tim Duncan when the Western Conference semifinals open today. But he's certain of one thing. The Spurs will be fighting from a disadvantage in Game 1. "They played two more games than us and had to travel," Dampier said. "So I think they'll be a little tired. And we're rested." And it's not just Game 1, he said, when the Mavericks hope to take advantage of a good situation. "Game 1 and Game 2," he said. "They have to play within 36 hours [of finishing the first round]. You got to fly all the way back home, three hours or so from Sacramento. That takes a toll on your body. And then we play two games in three days. Then we go back to our homecourt. And we've been rested. So we're going to come out and run them up and down the floor." The flip side of this argument is that the Spurs got exactly the sort of pre-Mavericks warm-up that they needed from the Kings. But that doesn't make the quick turnaround any easier. "It's a travesty they're making that team play Sunday afternoon," Sacramento coach Rick Adelman said. "If they lose that game, it ought to be put on someone in New York [at the league office]." San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich, meanwhile, was trying to downplay the 36-hour respite between Game 6 and Game 1. "We're going to play them in about 20 minutes," he joked after the win in Sacramento. He minimized the impact of the turnaround Saturday afternoon after he gave his team a cram session on the Mavericks. "They've been resting too long," he said, "and we've been playing too long." Stackhouse not convinced: Jerry Stackhouse doesn't mind stirring things up, and he was quick to point out that the Spurs have no reason to feel like a dynasty going into the second round of the playoffs, even if they have won three of the last seven NBA titles. "I look around, and I don't see a team that's been dominant before," Stackhouse said. "The Spurs won one last year. Detroit won the year before. The Spurs were a few minutes from it being back-to-back Detroit [championships]. And we'd all be talking about them instead of San Antonio." Johnson back in town: Avery Johnson spent nine years with the Spurs, mostly under Popovich. He knows their system. And vice versa. One system Johnson remains baffled by, however, is the one used for NBA playoff seedings. "There are a lot of underlying stories in this series, and I think it's great," Johnson said. "We were here in this situation a couple years ago when both of us won 60 games. The system was better, so we met in the conference finals instead of the semifinals. I guess somebody got smarter, and they changed the system." |
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05-07-2006, 03:02 AM
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#71 |
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Platinum Member
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Germany
Posts: 2,039
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For Mavs, now's the time
In this season's series to see, Dallas has its best shot at the Spurs By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News SAN ANTONIO – The slug-out that everybody wants to see in the NBA playoffs comes with plenty of bonus intrigue. It brings a favored son of San Antonio back, as Avery Johnson hopes to play the villain in the town to which he delivered its first championship trophy. It features a presumably drained Spurs team that needed six games to dispatch Sacramento in the first round, a series that ended less than 36 hours before this one will start. And, more than anything, it has a Mavericks team ready to find out if it can finally overcome its longtime nemesis. The Spurs have always been the pit bulls, the Mavericks the little yip-yap dogs nipping at their heels. The Mavericks are not the first to have to answer this question. For decades, NBA "kid-brothers" have been trying to prove they can handle the bigger sibling. The most memorable such situation was Michael Jordan, whose Bulls were sent on vacation by the Detroit Pistons in three playoff series before they finally got past the beasts of the east. After that, Jordan and the Bulls went on to six NBA titles. Nobody knows for sure if the Mavericks are on a course that will get them past the Spurs this time. "In sports, there's always ups and downs, and if you're a real competitor, you got to learn from the downs in your life and in sports," Dirk Nowitzki said. "Ultimately, those guys are the winners that learn the most from downs and come back and compete even harder the next time." If that's the case, Nowitzki has paid his dues twice. The first time the Mavericks and Spurs met in the playoffs was 2001. The Mavericks had just picked themselves up from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Utah in five games in the first round. "We partied like we'd just won the championship," Nowitzki remembered. "We knew the Spurs were a hurdle we couldn't climb back then." The Mavs lost that best-of-7 series, 4-1, to the Spurs. Then came the memorable Western Conference finals in 2003, when the Mavericks won Game 1 in San Antonio by making 49 of 50 free throws, then lost four of the next five, including all three at home, to drop the series, 4-2. Nowitzki suffered a knee injury and missed the final three games. "We haven't been successful against them in the playoffs," said Johnson, who was on the 2003 Dallas team, four years after making the championship-winning shot for the Spurs against New York in 1999. "And we're hoping that can change this year." And while the rivalry resumes and the Mavericks feel they are the up-and-comers against a team that is not as dominant as in past seasons, there are no guarantees that rising teams eventually will surpass falling teams. "Obviously, the more times you play somebody, the more your percentages increase that you're going to get them," assistant coach Del Harris said. "Then again, I kept saying that in the '80s [when he coached Milwaukee] against the Celtics, and it never happened. I played four seven-game series against the Celtics and lost them all. They had [Larry] Bird in every one of them." And the Spurs will have Tim Duncan again. They have been one of the best teams in the league since Duncan's arrival in 1996. They have won three titles, although they have never repeated and have never gotten past the second round in the season after they won it all. "It's a matchup the league has been looking forward to, and probably both teams as well," said Michael Finley, who chased the Spurs with the Mavericks for all those years but now is on the San Antonio side. The Mavericks have been sitting and waiting for the Spurs since Monday, when they swept Memphis out of the first round. The Spurs have to fight the fatigue that comes with a one-day turnaround after eliminating Sacramento. It's a scenario that would seem to give the Mavericks the advantage in Game 1. But Adrian Griffin looked up to the rafters at AT&T Center after Saturday's practice and pointed to the hanging banners. "You don't get three of those for nothing," Griffin said. "That team is going to come out ready to play hard. We have to do the same." |
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05-07-2006, 03:30 AM
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#72 |
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Platinum Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Irving
Posts: 2,728
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FOUR-PACK
Fixing Four Myths For Mavs To Top SA By David Lord -- DallasBasketball.com There are myths. There are misperceptions. But I say there are four keys to beating the Spurs. Let's play with some of the myths and misperceptions that we've been reading about, and the wisdom pouring forth on how to beat the Spurs. Unfortunately, I think a lot of it is off target. On the eve of Round 2's tipoff, here's another look at some of these things being said, and a Four-Pack of what I believe are the keys: 1. "Don't overplay Duncan. Keep the other Spurs honest by mostly playing Duncan one-on-one, and you will have a much better chance." Even colleague Mike Fisher buys into this folly, writing: "Sacto did double-team Duncan early in the series, but wisely got away from it. Doing so allows too much operating room for skilled teammates, so the Kings often played him straight up. As Bonzi Wells pointed out, 'We don't need to double team him anymore -- just let our bigs handle him.' " Close the curtain on the quotes. And then open the curtain again and look at what happened once the Kings employed this supposed enlightened strategy. After splitting the first 4 games, in Games 5-6 Duncan scored 39 on 15-20 shooting (75%), led the Spurs in rebounding (15), while sitting out much of both games because he and the Spurs had both games so well in control (only playing 70 minutes total). The Spurs won both games easily (by 11 and 22). Think Bonzi and the Kings might be rethinking that strategy now? It's true that we saw all the Mavs centers this year providing effective stints guarding Duncan without help. But don't lose sight of the fact that, mixed with those one-on-ones, the Mavs mixed things up with a 2nd defender with great regularity. Not knowing when (or if) the extra defender is coming is a key factor in maximizing the ability of the single defender - from time to time surprisingly without help - to limit Duncan's dominance. To beat the Spurs, you have to stop Duncan first and foremost. If you take that for granted by playing him straight up, I believe you will be making a fatal mistake - one that the Kings now realize. 2. "The Spurs are tired and old, and playing Sunday after a West Coast game on Friday puts them at a huge disadvantage. The Mavs' best chance to get a win in San Antonio will come Sunday." The Spurs and coach Gregg Popovich have already laid the groundwork for spin control if they lose Game 1. Popovich, commenting on the interval for the Spurs, took the Nellie approach of low expectations for his team: "I think it's awful for anybody. How could you think anything else? From our perspective, it's awful." The poor Spurs are going to be forced to play a game in 2 days - they can't be expected to win, if they do it will be a gallant effort and the magnificent triumph of an indomitable champion, and so on. Yada yada yada. I'm not buying it. The NBA schedules back-to-back games during the season, and a team on the road playing a back-to-back always has a disadvantage. But this is not even a back-to-back. It's not on the road for the Spurs. It's a pretty normal game, despite all the whining you hear. In addition, the Spurs adrenaline will be sky high Sunday, as they open a new series in front of the home crowd against their biggest Western Conference competition this season. After the adrenaline wears off on Sunday, the Spurs may be even more vulnerable on Tuesday - if they are banged and pushed and taken to the limit on Sunday. The danger to the Mavs - in either game - will be in taking the Spurs too lightly in Game 1, and in over valuing their ability going into Game 2. There is no inherent advantage for the Mavs in SA in Game 1, so they have to go play their best game twice - and hope to find a way to at least get a split. And regardless of what happens in game 1, the Mavs need to realize that the Spurs in Game 2 may not be any more formidable of a challenge - so they can have a new opportunity to get a key road win. 3. "The best way to win is for the Mavs to run-run-run and take advantage of the old tired legs that the Spurs bring into this game." There are two primary keys for the Mavs in playing the Spurs, and each key impacts both ends of the floor. Although we'd like to see the Mavs push the ball up the floor early when they can, neither key at the top of our list is the running game. The first key is rebounding, especially on the defensive boards. These games will be classic NBA battles, with the two teams hammering at the interior. The Mavs' ability to clear their defensive glass and limit the Spurs to only one shot will be crucial. The Spurs success formula has always been about winning in the middle - and the Mavs must always keep that in mind, by hammering away to neutralize that strength. There will be a pair of Mavs to focus on here. The weakside big man for the Mavs (that is, the C or PF away from defending the ball) must go hard to the boards and keep the Spurs on the weakside from easy tipins. In addition, the perimeter defenders (particularly Josh Howard, who often can be a superior 3rd rebounder) must work to the defensive boards FIRST before trying to leak out to key a push up the floor. In both cases, it takes discipline, but the Mavs are quite capable of controlling the boards effectively, even against this San Antonio squad. The second key - one that greatly impacts both ends of the floor - is turnovers. The Spurs have developed the ability to fuel runs in games by turnovers that frustrate the opponent offensively and simultaneously offer a few easy baskets for them. Therefore, one of the biggest keys to stopping the Spurs offense is to limit your own turnovers! By doing so, you thereby are limiting their opportunity to supplement a sometimes stodgy offense with easy points. For that reason, even the Mavs running game is better served by keeping things under control, as a bigger priority than trying to force the tempo at any cost. If the easy score isn't there, back it up and grind the Spurs offensively - don't give it up and let them have it back without making them work hard to do so. Keep the turnovers down, make the Spurs work hard to get the ball back, and their effectiveness on both ends of the floor becomes lessened. (And don't forget the effect that forcing them to play defense over and over will have on all those 30+ year old legs on the Spurs roster.) 4. "Bowen, Horry, and Duncan are all superior defenders who will bother and slow Dirk. So the Mavs need to have other players ready to use in the forefront instead from time to time, if they want to get things done offensively." No no no. It's all about Dirk on this team. As Dirk goes, so goes the Mavs. The Mavs have worked hard all year to develop a style that no one has found a way to stop consistently. The style: Dirk kills the big man guarding him by dragging him to the perimeter, and punishes the little man by catching the ball in the paint for layups and dunks. Pick your poison. For the Mavs, the game offensively will be all about smartly and efficiently making the Spurs pay for their inability to guard Dirk one-on-one. That means that, rather than find an alternative player to ride, the Mavs must force the Spurs into actual double and triple teams by putting Dirk in the places where the defender on him has no chance. Don't post up Dirk against Duncan and then see him disappear - instead, make Duncan follow Dirk to the perimeter. Dont give Dirk the ball on the perimeter against Bowen where he can pester his jumper - instead, have Dirk work off of screens to get the ball in the paint, where Bowen is helpless against the 7-footer. The answers will be there, but it takes discipline to take advantage of them as the Spurs change personnel and defenses throughout the game. Eventually, if the Mavs keep at it, the Spurs will raise the white flag and decide to double Dirk. Then -and only then - other players will have a wide open floor to do what they do. By establishing Dirk as a nightmare for the Spurs in this series, the Mavs' chances of getting through to the next round will be greatest. Make the Spurs have to find a way to stop Dirk by giving them a dose of his talent early, middle, and late. If they don't stop him, don't let them off the hook by looking elsewhere - make them keep paying. In the now immortal words, "You always wanna dance with the one that brung ya" - especially when they are the best one in the building. 10:16 pm May 6 06 Last edited by jleefilled; 05-07-2006 at 03:32 AM. |
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05-07-2006, 07:25 AM
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#73 |
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Platinum Member
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Germany
Posts: 2,039
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MIRROR, MIRROR
Though the Mavs and Spurs are similar, who is the fairest of all? By Art Garcia; Mercedes Mayer Star-Telegram Staff Writer SAN ANTONIO -- The Mavericks weren't built to beat the Spurs, even if it seems that way. No, the Mavs were constructed with winning a championship in mind. It just so happens that San Antonio owns that championship. If the Mavs want it, they'll have to go through the champs. And now, they'll finally get their chance. The Lone Star showdown, hyped long before the league took its All-Star break in Houston, finally begins today in the Alamo City. The best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal -- final? -- opens with two games at the AT&T Center before moving to American Airlines Center on Saturday. The Mavs have waited nearly a week for San Antonio to dispatch scrappy Sacramento in six games, the series ending late Friday night. Though they had to play other teams in the first round, the Mavs and Spurs knew this was inevitable. "We knew at some point if we're going to have a good playoff run ... we're going to meet," Dirk Nowitzki said. "Ultimately, if you want to be a champion you have to beat the best, and they have been the best in the West and they won the championship last year. "It's a great second-round matchup for us. We'll see if we're ready to beat them." The two Southwest Division heavyweights split the season series, with each winning once on the other's court. The Mavs and Spurs spent most of the season jockeying for position atop the conference and joined Detroit as the only teams in the league to crack 60 wins. San Antonio edged Dallas for the No. 1 seed, much as the Spurs have done for the past six years. The I-35 rivals are the only teams in the league to win at least 50 games each year during that stretch. The Spurs always seem to nip the Mavs in the standings. They've met twice in the playoffs (2001 and '03), and San Antonio prevailed both times. San Antonio remains the measuring stick for everyone, Mavs included, in the West. So, it doesn't hurt to borrow from the best. It's no secret where Johnson enjoyed his greatest success as a player, winning the 1999 NBA title with the Spurs, and where the coach he's most often compared to resides. "It's great for San Antonio and Dallas, great for both organizations," Johnson said. "We have a lot of respect for what they've done here, and obviously I spent [multiple] years in this system with the mad scientist [Spurs coach Gregg Popovich]. "There's a lot of underlying stories in this series, so I think it's great." Several of the Mavs' core pieces, including Dirk Nowitzki, the biggest, were acquired before Johnson returned to the Mavs before last season. Others, however, have Johnson stamped all over them. It's not exactly by design that the Mavs are in many ways a reflection of the Spurs. It's just not a happy coincidence, either. The teams have plenty in common, on and off the hardwood. Both teams are built around MVP-caliber power forwards in Nowitzki and Tim Duncan. Looking for dynamic swingmen? Try Josh Howard and Manu Ginobili. Quick point guards with a shoot-first mentality? Jason Terry and Tony Parker. Adrian Griffin and Bruce Bowen want nothing more than to rough you up and knock down a jumper along the way. Veteran sixth men Jerry Stackhouse and Michael Finley are willing to take -- and make -- big shots. The Spurs normally go into games knowing they're deeper and more talented. That's not the case against the Mavs. "They're deep," Parker said. "Dirk Nowitzki is another tough cover. We're going to try to find some solution to slow him down. Jason Terry is a very good point guard, good shooter. They've got a lot of guys who can do a lot of stuff. "It's going to be a good series." If the Mavs looked into one of those carnival funhouse mirrors, the reflection staring back would be wearing silver and black. "It's an interesting way to look at it," Mavs assistant coach Joe Prunty said. "I don't know if people would break it down to that level, but it's pretty accurate." Prunty spent nine years on Popovich's staff before joining Johnson this season. His intimate knowledge of the Spurs would seem to be a plus in this series, though how many secrets really exist between these teams? Plus, inside knowledge goes both ways. Finley played with all of the current Mavs except center DeSagana Diop and rookie Josh Powell. Nick Van Exel also knows his way through the Mavs' locker room. While the Mavs have a healthy sense of respect for the Spurs, they don't fear them. "They ain't the pioneers of basketball," Stackhouse said. "Winning basketball didn't start with Popovich." To be fair, Stackhouse added: "Or with Avery Johnson." Let the series begin. A reflection of styles Avery Johnson v. Gregg Popovich Similarities: The pair of former Don Nelson assistants shares a philosophy grounded in defense and discipline. Intense on the sideline, they turn over every stone in preparation and run detail-oriented practices that they may enjoy more than the actual game. Both believe in their "system." Differences: Skins on the wall. Pop owns three titles and has overcome a rocky start to be considered one of the finest coaching minds in league history. He's also mellowed over the years. Championships tend to do that. Johnson's start has been record-breaking, but he's still a coaching neophyte on many levels. Dirk Nowitzki v. Tim Duncan Similarities: Two 7-footers who present matchup nightmares on the offensive end and lead the team in rebounding. Regardless of who steps up around each of these guys, the Mavs and Spurs are only going as far as Nowitzki and Duncan take them. Differences: Nowitzki remains the unquestioned first option, while Duncan shares the load with Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. When healthy, Duncan's post-up game is without equal. Nowitzki's daggers come from beyond the arc, though his repertoire in the paint is growing. Nowitzki is a 90.1-percent foul shooter; Duncan struggles at 62.9 percent. Josh Howard v. Manu Ginobili Similarities: Long, agile and quick, these two are all about controlled chaos. They're the third options offensively, each averaging 15 points and owning a decent spot-up 3-pointer. On any given night they can go for 25-plus and change the dynamic of the game. Differences: Ginobili's offensive creativity and craftiness is at another level. The left-hander seemingly gets to the basket at will, knifing through the lane for layup after layup. Howard is a cutter with an improving mid-range jumper, but causes more havoc on the defensive end. Adrian Griffin v. Bruce Bowen Similarities: It's not about the stats. They know their roles and function as the glue holding the starting lineup together. They thrive on rugged defense, opportunistic baskets and possession-saving offensive rebounds. Differences: Bowen's defensive reputation was forged by blanketing everyone from point guards to certain blond 7-footers. He's an annual favorite for Defensive Player of the Year despite not being high on the rebounds, steals or blocks list. He's borderline dirty, and that's a good thing. Griffin is equally hard-nosed, but isn't seen as a game-changer. Jason Terry v. Tony Parker Similarities: Both of these guys are the spark plugs who control the tempo. They are both the second scoring options on their teams behind the big men, Dirk Nowitzki and Tim Duncan, and both can fill it up as streaky shooters. Differences: Howard is an unconventional point guard, asked to shoot first. He's one of the best clutch shooters in the game and can be lethal from the 3-point line when he gets in a groove. Parker has greatly improved his outside shot, but his game is penetration. He's one of the game's best at breaking down the defense, and he has terrific body control once he's in the lane. Jerry Stackhouse v. Michael Finley Similarities: Both players are used to being starters but have accepted their roles as crucial instant-offense reserves. Both had very similar season, averaging around 27 minutes a game. Stackhouse averaged 13.0 points a game and Finley averaged 10.1. Differences: Finley is more likely to hit some big 3s; he hit 110 compared with Stackhouse's 36. However, Stackhouse is more likely to go strong to the basket. He made 195 of 221 free throws, while Finley made 98 of 115. Keith Van Horn v. Robert Horry Similarities: These guys can shoot lights out. Horry's nickname, "Big Shot Rob" comes from his numerous 3-point daggers during six NBA title runs. Van Horn is the only Mav to have played in the NBA Finals. Differences: First off, Van Horn is still nursing a broken hand, but could be back as early as Game 3. Horry, usually instant offense off the bench, has recently been inserted in the starting lineup. SEASON RECAP Mavs 103, Spurs 84 Nov. 5 at American Airlines Center HIGHLIGHT Devin Harris. He single-handedly matched the Spurs in scoring in the fourth quarter, scoring 20 of his career-high 22 points in the final period. Harris, below, was successful in slashing to the basket, hitting 8 of 8 shots in that period. LOWLIGHT Michael Finley, in his return trip to Dallas and playing against his former team, scored only two points, off a layup. He was 1 of 6 from the field. The Spurs also had 18 turnovers. NOTABLE This was the Mavs' home opener. Dirk Nowitzki scored a game-high 34 points which included 4 of 5 3-pointers. Doug Christie started at shooting guard, and Jerry Stackhouse (sore right knee) didn't play. Spurs 92, Mavs 90 December 1 at American Airlines Center HIGHLIGHT Without Manu Ginobili (ankle sprain) the Spurs' guards were still successful. Tony Parker continuously took it inside, scoring a season-high 30 points. LOWLIGHT Bruce Bowen got a piece of Dirk Nowitzki's baseline jumper with 3.5 seconds left to seal the win for San Antonio. The missed shot was an example of Nowitzki's struggles -- he scored 14 points on only 3-of-13 shooting. NOTABLE The loss was the third in the Mavs' past four games and second in a row, marking the first consecutive regular-season losses for coach Avery Johnson. The Mavs also missed 8 of 19 free-throw attempts in fourth quarter. Josh Howard and Jerry Stackhouse were both inactive. Spurs 98, Mavs 89 March 2 at AT&T Center HIGHLIGHT Tony Parker, above left, was at it again, scoring a team-high 23 points on 8-of-14 shooting. Four of Parker's eight shots were layups. San Antonio shot 61.8 percent in the second half. LOWLIGHT Josh Howard played for the first time in three games, scoring 15 points, but the Mavs needed more than him. Dallas shot 3-of-16 from 3-point range, missing its first nine from beyond the arc. NOTABLE The Spurs scored 36 first-half points then went off for 32 in the third quarter alone. Devin Harris didn't play because of a strained left quadriceps. Mavs 92, Spurs 86 April 7 at AT&T Center HIGHLIGHT Josh Howard and Dirk Nowitzki. The two took turns dominating. Howard scored 20 of his 22 points in the first half, and Nowitzki netted 19 of his 30 in the second half. LOWLIGHT Howard and Nowitzki combined for 20 field goals, while all of San Antonio's starters had only 19 field goals combined. Tim Duncan missed 10 of 15 shots for 13 points, but the Spurs hit 10 of 20 3s, including a combined seven by former Mavs Nick Van Exel and Michael Finley. NOTABLE Devin Harris and Keith Van Horn were both inactive for the game, and Adrian Griffin did not dress because of a strained right hamstring. Last edited by kriD; 05-07-2006 at 07:34 AM. |
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05-07-2006, 07:34 AM
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#74 |
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Platinum Member
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Germany
Posts: 2,039
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Mavericks' depth their bench mark
By Mercedes Mayer Star-Telegram Staff Writer SAN ANTONIO - The Spurs, like most teams, have yet to see the Mavericks at "full throttle." Three Mavs starters and four key reserves combined to miss 138 games during the regular season, which, in turn, helped to test and strengthen Dallas' depth. The Mavs are finally coming close to having a full complement of players as they start their best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series with the Spurs at noon today at AT&T Center. "We always were missing some key guys, and we're finally able to get back everybody except [Keith] Van Horn," coach Avery Johnson said. Jerry Stackhouse, Devin Harris and Adrian Griffin each missed two of the four regular-season games against the Spurs, and Van Horn and Josh Howard each missed one. Yet the Mavs still went 2-2 against San Antonio. "We have one of the best benches in the league," Dirk Nowitzki said. "We have a great mix coming off the bench. We have slashers, scorers, we have shooters. "They gave us a big lift this season. They stepped up and made big plays for us." While San Antonio's depth is more specialized, the Mavs count on their bench players as a part of the whole package. The Spurs' reserves are veteran players (all five of their key reserves have seven or more years' experience) who are clutch playoff performers and play fewer minutes. The Mavs feel they have a well-rounded group that isn't used merely to give the starters a rest. Their reserves are a mix of young and older players with varying skills and strengths. "It's good to have the mix," said Stackhouse, a 10-year veteran who finished third in the Sixth Man of the Year voting. "We have veteran guys who have been there, but we have the young guys that can provide a spark or do something special because they don't know any better." That's why Stackhouse looks at the Mavs bench as an "X-factor." "We don't know exactly who it's going to be," Stackhouse said. One night it could be Marquis Daniels' turn, like in Game 1 against Memphis (6-of-9 shooting, 13 points). Or center Erick Dampier, who, as a starter-turned-reserve, has been solid with 6.5 points and 8.8 rebounds in the playoffs. Stackhouse brings the grittiness and instant energy off the bench every night, and Harris has made strides since suffering a quadriceps injury late in the season. Harris was impressive in Game 4 against Memphis and could be key in matching up against San Antonio's quick guards. "When you can mix it up like that it's tougher for the other team to defend," Stackhouse said. |
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05-07-2006, 07:36 AM
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#75 |
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Platinum Member
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Germany
Posts: 2,039
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SPURS NOTES
Popovich won't allow excuses By Dwain Price Star-Telegram Staff Writer SAN ANTONIO - Coach Gregg Popovich won't allow the San Antonio Spurs to complain about the lack of rest they've received after eliminating the Sacramento Kings in the first round of the playoffs and starting their second-round series against the well-rested Mavericks. The Spurs knocked off the Kings 105-83 in Sacramento in a game that didn't end until 12:15 Saturday morning. The Spurs spent the night in Sacramento, departed at 10 Saturday morning and didn't arrive in San Antonio until after 3 p.m. Next up is hosting the Mavericks in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals at noon today at the AT&T Center. Although his team was only able to get in what amounted to a mini-shootaround Saturday afternoon -- a 20-minute film session and 20 minutes worth of shooting -- Popovich described the 36-hour turnaround as irrelevant. "You've got to play the game," Popovich said. "I think everybody gets excited if you don't get enough rest or if you get too much. "I think we're probably at the point of diminishing returns for both teams. They've been resting too long [the Mavs closed out their first-round series Monday], and we've been playing too long. So who knows who has it worst?" Johnson with the CIA? Mavs coach Avery Johnson played five seasons under Gregg Popovich and was the Spurs' starting point guard when they won the 1999 NBA title. Even then, Popovich knew Johnson had the necessary ingredients to become a coach. "He took notes, he watched film, he got files," Popovich said. "He would be a great CIA guy. "People probably make too much of the fact that he played here and we were very close and we learned a lot from each other and really enjoyed talking basketball and discussing what would be done on the court. [But] he's been cut from more teams than Wonder Bread has been sliced." A little one-on-one? In response to Avery Johnson saying he would like to go one-on-one with Gregg Popovich, the Spurs coach said: "That's because he knows how he used to humiliate me when I was an assistant coach. He'd call me out on the court, because he wanted to build his confidence. "He'd get me out there, and then Terry Cummings would set picks on me and he'd go by me." A quiet leader In his first year with the Spurs, former Mavs All-Star guard Michael Finley is displaying some behind-the-scenes leadership. "He's obviously done well as a player," Gregg Popovich said. "But his quiet leadership, his examples, his work ethic, his class in the locker room have all been great additions. He's been fantastic." Parker banged up Spurs point guard Tony Parker suffered a mild right hip sprain in Game 6 after sustaining a right thigh contusion in Game 5. But Gregg Popovich said Parker and all of his other players are fine and are ready to play today. |
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05-07-2006, 01:13 PM
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#76 | |
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Guru
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Arlington, TX
Posts: 13,123
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Quote:
After all, if the Spurs had played as many back to backs as the Mavs then the Mavs would have been the number one seed (considering the Spurs horrible record in the 2nd games of BtB this year). It sounds like the Spurs fans are finding their excuses early this year. |
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