Dallas @ Suns Round 2 - Game 1

[FilthyFinMavs]

Originally posted by: LRB

The flip side of this coin, if we go with Dirk and 4 smalls, is that either Amare has to take Dirk or Amare has to take a swingman or PG. Either way, I think it gives us an advantageous matchup.

That's what I want to see. I want us to force the Suns into a mismatch. If we do go small which I Expect who does Marion guard? Josh or Dirk? Then that leaves the question of who does Amare guard. There's going to be a mismatch somewhere.

[sike]

Originally posted by: LRB

I'd be estatic if we could force Amare to take 16 footers for the whole game. That's easier said than done though. Still that should be our strategy.

Nash does not let that happen.

[Julius]

Mavs win with DEFENSE!!!!!

[mavs413]

Originally posted by: Zack
I heard they are going to do the same thing they did for Houston..
Let Amare score at will but guard everyone else to death..
Sounds good to me..

I really hope thats not the case because its not the same as with McGrady and Houston, especially on the road. I say this because Amare's dunks really get that Suns team and fans going. Also because almost all of Amare's points will come in the paint at a good FG%, Dallas was letting McGrady get his, but mostly on the perimeter.
The keys on defense is keeping Nash out of the lane allowing him to kick out for an open three, and pick and roll defense.
We defend the pick and roll pretty well, we practice against it every day because we run it with Dirk. We also got a little more practice guarding one of the better ones in the league last series against Tmac and Yao.

[Zack]

Would you like to see SS on Nash to start or Terry...?

Crazy?

[kingrex]

The Suns will pick and roll so that everything that Amare gets is going towards the basket. So, Dampier must be quick in returning to Amare after he jumps the pick. That will be key.

[kyptonite]

I'm so nervous.. how long until the game?

[FrontRowSun]

I'd be estatic if we could force Amare to take 16 footers for the whole game. That's easier said than done though. Still that should be our strategy.

Since Amare shot 50% on his jumpers this year I think I will be fine with this strategy too. But we all know that won't happen.

Damp has always had trouble with Amare. But I don't think I can recall a one on one matchup that made him stand out over Damp. Either way. Damp will get some fouls early and sit.

[sike]

Since Amare shot 50% on his jumpers this year I think I will be fine with this strategy too. But we all know that won't happen.

I'd let Amare shoot all night....50% you say? I wonder how you define "jumper"...I have no fear at all of Amare jacking it up from 15 and out.

Damp has always had trouble with Amare. Either way. Damp will get some fouls early and sit.

good analysis *sigh*

[LRB]

Damp has always had trouble with Amare.

Exactly when has Damp guarded Amare over the course of a full game? It certainly hasn't happened while Damp was in a Mavs uni.

[kg_veteran]

Since Amare shot 50% on his jumpers this year I think I will be fine with this strategy too. But we all know that won't happen.

This is incorrect. According to 82games.com, his eFG% on jumpshots is right at 43% for the regular season, and around .333 during the playoffs.

If Amare settles for jumpers, it's a big win for the Mavs.

[FrontRowSun]

Originally posted by: LRB

Exactly when has Damp guarded Amare over the course of a full game? It certainly hasn't happened while Damp was in a Mavs uni.

And of course Damp wasn't in the league when he was a Warrior. <eye roll>

[sike]

Originally posted by: FrontRowSun

And of course Damp wasn't in the league when he was a Warrior. <eye roll>

find the stats or stop talking crap. and I tend to think that Troy Murphy would have guarded Amare...so prove me wrong.

[LRB]

Originally posted by: FrontRowSun

And of course Damp wasn't in the league when he was a Warrior. <eye roll>

Yes Damp was in the league, but Amare was playing his preferred postion of PF for most of the game up until this year. Damp has always played the majority of his time at center. Try and at least get a few facts right before spewing your Suns homerism all over the place.

[rabbitproof]

I am prepared for some DEFENSIVE NASTYNESS.

Mavs 72
Suns 68

[FrontRowSun]

Originally posted by: LRB

Yes Damp was in the league, but Amare was playing his preferred postion of PF for most of the game up until this year. Damp has always played the majority of his time at center. Try and at least get a few facts right before spewing your Suns homerism all over the place.

Oh... I forgot that this is your board for a minute.......

Mavs in 5!!!!! Damp is the man!!!!!

If you can't remember then I will tell you.... Dantoni has been coaching this team since early last year. Amare wasn't listed as a center but he played it quite often. Last year Jake Voskhul was our C and he seems to have a problem with foul trouble. After Jake, Amare was our Center.

[sike]

Mavs in 5!!!!! Damp is the man!!!!!

don't start or you won't have long.

If you can't remember then I will tell you.... Dantoni has been coaching this team since early last year. Amare wasn't listed as a center but he played it quite often. Last year Jake Voskhul was our C and he seems to have a problem with foul trouble. After Jake, Amare was our Center.

yet the point stands...Damp probably spent most of his time guarding big Jake...not Amare...unless you can prove otherwise. Making your original point on Damp's history against Amare invalid.

[kingrex]

Look Amare is a tough match-up for Dampier. He is quicker than Damp and can drive around him.

However, do you not think that Damp might cause problems for Amare too?

I'm not saying that he'll outscore Amare (that would be ridiculous), but Damp can battle Amare for offensive/defensive boards which will cause both players to foul each other. I don't underestimate Amare. He will probably lead everyone in scoring, but you're kidding yourself if you are overlooking some of the problems Damp's bigger body can present too.

[EricaLubarsky]

find the stats or stop talking crap. and I tend to think that Troy Murphy would have guarded Amare...so prove me wrong.

sorry to prove you wrong but it was Clifford Robinson

Murphy was a DNP in all 4 games against Phoenix in 03-04, and Robinson averaged 34mpg against Phoenix

[V2M]

Amare getting 30+ could hurt us but won't necessarily kill us. What could potentially kill us are the uncontested, wide-open 3s that the Suns may get to jack up 30 times/game. If we pressure Nash with JET, DH & DA taking turns AND our swingers stay close to those 3pt shooters, we can live with whatever damage Amare could do single-handedly.

But on the flip-side, how's Amare gonna' guard the basket when our take-it-to-the-rack specialists (JET, Josh, Jerry, Dirk, Daniels) keep relentlessly attacking the basket. His choice would be either show 'em the way or get in foul-trouble.

All-in-all, should make for one helluva' series which I expect the Mavs to win in 6. (Wanted to say 7 but it's hard to win a game 7 on the road!) [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

For game 1: Mavs by 4

[SeriousSummer]

I am prepared for some DEFENSIVE NASTYNESS.

Mavs 72
Suns 68

Good prediction for half time. And what'll be the score in the second half?

[SirChaz]

Originally posted by: SeriousSummer

Good prediction for half time. And what'll be the score in the second half?

[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]


Nice.

Should be a good game.

Suns 112
Mavs 108

[#1MavsFan]

The Jet goes off for 43, and Mr. MVP is left puzzled. Dirk continues to struggle offensively but has a couple blocks and about 10 boards. Fin hits some key 3 pointers and holds JJ to 12. Amare gets 33 but struggles at the line and defensively is lost. JHO and Marquis both have big games getting about 17 and playing some tough D on the Matrix.

Mavs- 97
Suns- 91

[orangedays]

Sup ya'll...just landed in Shanghai and it's f-in' good to be home. I was a little saddened to learn that the Rockets lost (being the huge Yao fan that I am), but that was waaay outweighed by my happiness that the Mavs have moved one step closer towards claiming what is rightfully theirs. Our next victim? The Phoenix Suns.

This is going to be a tough series because the Suns are going to run the crap out of the floor but I am 100% confident that not only will we be able to keep up (which the Memphis Teddy Bears obviously couldn't), but we'll be able to shift the flow of the game to match who we have on the floor. Q and J. Johnson? Please meet 'Quis and J. Howard. The Suns team is pretty much a PG and 4 swingmen (one of them just so happens to be a big kid). If we can contain their penetration (pointing directly at Nash), that will go a long ways towards shutting down their perimeter game. We have to pound the boards and keep them out of the fast break. Expect Devin Harris to get more significant minutes this series to help spot Jason Terry in guarding Nash...I really hope that JT breaks out for some 25+ pt. games against Nash because our PG spot is probably our largest advantage in terms of the Suns' defensive weaknesses.

The one thing I want to see the most is for Dirk to wake the hell up, what are you doing buddy...seriously...everyone on this board knows you're good and it's not a problem (since we managed to douse the Rockets) but we need you man. Start dropping those 30-10 games and establish yourself as a legitimate MVP candidate. What I want to be reading when the dust settles is "...despite starting slowly in the first round, Dirk firmly established himself as a dominant force throughout the playoffs as the Mavs rolled...(I digress to avoid the jinx)"

I want to see Damp push Amare around down low, he might have a speed disadvantage but let's have some creative double teaming that will help slow him down, Amare's not a great passer out of the post so let's take advantage of that. Dirk is going to have to take a serious role in establishing the defensive tone and none of our guys can slack.

That's all for now, still recovering from jetlag...it's certainly a relief not having to be torn over who to root for in the series...now it's sweet again to say "Man...I hope the other team gets the crap kicked outta them. When they go home to cry to their mommas, they find her wearing a MFFL hat and a "I Heart Dirk" T-Shirt." Hollaaa

[LRB]

Originally posted by: FrontRowSun



Oh... I forgot that this is your board for a minute.......

Mavs in 5!!!!! Damp is the man!!!!!

If you can't remember then I will tell you.... Dantoni has been coaching this team since early last year. Amare wasn't listed as a center but he played it quite often. Last year Jake Voskhul was our C and he seems to have a problem with foul trouble. After Jake, Amare was our Center.

1st of all it's not my board. 2nd of all you haven't show where Damp spent the majority of a game guarding Amare. Since you've been caught in several mistatements of truth I just don't have blind faith in your word.

[birdsanctuary]

Orange, nice post, I concur with pretty much all that you stated. JHo has to continue to come into his own. I also agree that Devin must have a slightly expanded role in this series. DA deserves the time given his efforts in g7. But Devin's speed could serve to wear Nash down and force some possible changes especially if the Mavs force the press. I like the new Defensive minded Mavs over the Suns in 6 and I believe they take either game 1 or 2, especially now that they know how Houston got it done against them.

[Zack]

Hey who is faster DH or Armstrong?

I consulted a psychic and she said Mavs 118-103

[mavsman]

I think it's really cute how their fans keep emphasizing that they had the league's best regular season record, when their best 3 players in MVPboy, Amare and Marion missed a combined 10 games as to the Heat's Shaq, Wade and Jones missing 16, the Spurs' Duncan, Parker and Ginobili missing 26 or the Mavs' Dirk, Fin and Damp missing 45. Way to go, but nobody's missing now. Well, except for Killer, who's gonna be back right on time to finish 'em off. Mavs in 6.

[rabbitproof]

Originally posted by: V2M
Amare getting 30+ could hurt us but won't necessarily kill us. What could potentially kill us are the uncontested, wide-open 3s that the Suns may get to jack up 30 times/game. If we pressure Nash with JET, DH & DA taking turns AND our swingers stay close to those 3pt shooters, we can live with whatever damage Amare could do single-handedly.

Agreed. Amare is the TMac of this series. If we key in on him, the other Suns will go wild and Amare likely will still do damage. Let Amare get his but control the rest of the guys. Like we ran Howard, Finley, Stack and Daniels at T-Mac, let Damp, Hendu, Dirk and KVH (when he returns) get turns on the Amare Roller Coaster - just don't commit your whole defense to containing the leading scorer cause Amare's gonna score no matter what.

[rabbitproof]

Originally posted by: SeriousSummer

Good prediction for half time. And what'll be the score in the second half?

Actually that's a bulletproof needle-in-the-eye forecast for series average final scores.

[Zack]

Ok who just saw Hamiltons dunk..

HE Dunks, ball goes thru' the net, bounces off his head..
Goes back out of the basket and doesnt get the point.. ha ha ha!!

MAVS FIRE IT UP FIRE IT UP!!!

[twelli]

I think Q-Rich will be hot from 3-point land. Don't know why, just a gut feeling.

[twelli]

... and I don't like the word DIE in your sig, Zack. ('zigzag' [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif[/img] )

[DirkGoesNuclear]

Is the game going to be on upn 21?

[Bookit]

No local coverage tonight? Crap, that means we won't see the game start on time locally.

[DirkGoesNuclear]

I'm going to miss the homeboys

[Bookit]

Originally posted by: DirkGoesNuclear
I'm going to miss the homeboys

I wonder why they aren't broadcasting on 21? Maybe they couldn't get set up on time for the first game and all the rest will be broadcast. Lets hope anyway.

[Bookit]

Also, at least the early game is a blowout and there isn't any chance of an overtime.

[DirkGoesNuclear]

i thougt they said we're going to see every playoff game as long as the mavs are in it

[ocelot_ark]

Guess no local coverage. DMN only lists TNT. That sucks. We'll miss the tip so we can watch the end of a 20 point blowout.