Phoenix @ Dallas Gameday Thread

[akaarod03]

Finally...the return of Steve Nash to Dallas. How will the crowd at the AAC treat Nash? Will there be a chorus of boos similar to what Stackhouse received at the MCI center this past Sunday? Or will Nash receive a standing ovation similar to what Najera received last Monday? I personally believe there will be a mixture of cheers and boos for Nash. But anyways...back to the game. The Suns are one of the most explosive teams in the NBA. Their starting 5 is young, talented, athletic, and just flat-out good. I think the key to the game is defending Nash. We need to stop his penetration...Nash leads the league with 9.7 assists per game. With that said...if Dallas can get off to a good start in tonight's ballgame...I think we can come out of the AAC with a win. Go Mavs!

91-83 Mavs

[Phil Helmuth]

120-106 Mavs. Boo nash.

[The Miles]

112-108 Dallas.

[V2M]

107-98 Mavs

Looking forward to a big game from Terry not unlike the 40+ game he dumped on Nash a season ago.

[digit]

Blow out!!

Everybody in the Mavs organization knows this is a special game. If the team is 100 % motivated on BOTH ends of the floor they are tough to beat.

Mavs 109-91

Dirk going berserk...

[AnMan21]

i think the pgs (terry and harris) are really going to be motivated to put the clamps on nash. it'll be interesting to see if nash can get by the improved perimeter d frequently enough to drive and dish (his specialty). although i think if he does get into the lane he'll be greeted by dampier. nash won't be used to seeing the mavs with a center...

[Murphy3]

Phoenix 115
Dallas 109

[DubOverdose]

Terry sure ain't going to be emotional tonight, unless he sets a PG scoring record. Diggler is too emotional to stab Stevie so he only scores 15pts. 35pts for Terry. Stackhouse 28pts again.
A lot+5 Mavs
A lot Suns
Mavs win

[gogojojo73]

Mavs Win, Dampier earns his money...

Mavs 107
Suns 99

[Eman]

5 steals for terry and harris, 4 turnovers for Nash
Mavs win 118 to 102

[TripleDipping]

Gonna be a fun game to watch. Fast and furious. Close one as well.
Mavs by 8.

[Dirkenstien]

107-101 Mavs

Looking forward to seeing us prevail out of a competitive game.

[sike]

Mavs 115
Suns 109

[samoan-maverick]

Mavs - 115
Suns - 99

Dub, dont you know how competitive these guys are. I remember watching inside stuff when they were talking about them two playing one on one and Nash would win 9 out of 10 times. And the one time Dirk wins he'll rub it in Nash's face like it was Germany v. Canada in the Olympics. Dirk goes for another 30+ on Marion?

[vinnieponte]

Mavs win a very close game!

Mavs 116
Suns 112

I'll be at the game tonight yet I probably be the only one NOT booing. I cant bring myself to boo against a man who brought so many years of wins to us. He was disrespected by cuban and he made the smart move. He proved himself for years and was offered little compared to other teams and damp has proved himself for 1 year and surpassed what nash wanted, it was a slap in the face and nash moved on, dont blame him, blame cuban.

[V2M]

Originally posted by: vinnieponte
Mavs win a very close game!

Mavs 116
Suns 112

I'll be at the game tonight yet I probably be the only one NOT booing. I cant bring myself to boo against a man who brought so many years of wins to us. He was disrespected by cuban and he made the smart move. He proved himself for years and was offered little compared to other teams and damp has proved himself for 1 year and surpassed what nash wanted, it was a slap in the face and nash moved on, dont blame him, blame cuban.

If Cuban's solely responsible for Nash's loss, then... "Thaaaaaank Yooouuuu, Mr. Cuban!!!". [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

[Psychedelic Fuzz]

Dirk will continue to be hot, and the majority of the team is new and won't have any emotional attachment. Nash is already dreading this and will get shut down by terry and harris.

mavs by10

[DubOverdose]

Originally posted by: samoan-maverick
Mavs - 115
Suns - 99

Dub, dont you know how competitive these guys are. I remember watching inside stuff when they were talking about them two playing one on one and Nash would win 9 out of 10 times. And the one time Dirk wins he'll rub it in Nash's face like it was Germany v. Canada in the Olympics. Dirk goes for another 30+ on Marion?

I know they kinda had competitions and all in practice. Saw who shot better and all. But, have their national teams played eachother? Have they been put in a situation where the winning person matters? Where emotions are involved?

[u2sarajevo]

I have a strange feeling this game will be closer than I am thinking... but if our Offense (ie... Dirk and Stack) are still hitting on all cylinders there's not much the Suns will be able to do to come out with a win.

Mavs - 108
Suns - 94

[Stitch Jones]

Originally posted by: u2sarajevo
I have a strange feeling this game will be closer than I am thinking... but if our Offense (ie... Dirk and Stack) are still hitting on all cylinders there's not much the Suns will be able to do to come out with a win.

Mavs - 108
Suns - 94

I would have to agree. I've noticed a subtle but strong chemistry developing between Dirk and Stack as far as finding each other in their sweet spots. Let's hope it continues.

[jayC]

Too much Dirk and our allottment of swingmen over power the Phoenix Suns. Mavs 100 suns 95.

[Drbio]

Nash can suck it.

Mavs win by 8.

[rakesh.s]

mavs let washington score well over 100 last game, which is disappointing...don't know if they were pretending to play D the first few games or what happened

but i think it'll be very high scoring tonight

120-112 mavs

[kg_veteran]

KG's Keys To Beating Phoenix:

1. Keep them off the offensive glass. This seems like a strange one, but Stoudemire, Marion, and Richardson are crashing the glass a lot early this season, and the Mavs have to protect the defensive backboard. One and done, baby, one and done. Can't let a good shooting team keep shooting.

2. Run them off the line. The Suns are shooting a ton of three pointers so far this year, and shooting them at a very respectable clip. We've got the big man in the middle, so our wing and point defenders should be aggressive in challenging perimeter shooters.

3. DON'T GO SMALL! The Suns give the majority of the minutes to the quintet of Stoudemire, Marion, Johnson, Richardson, and Nash. With Marion at PF and Stoudemire at C, the big temptation for Nellie tonight is going to be to run a lineup out there with Dirk at center, Howard at PF, and three guards. He should avoid that temptation at all costs. Stoudemire has been a beast in the paint so far this season, and I don't want Dirk to be assigned the responsibility of guarding him on top of carrying the offense. The Mavs should stick with their CONVENTIONAL, NORMAL starting lineup (something Nellie has done remarkably well so far) and let Dampier cover Stoudemire while Dirk abuses Marion in the post.

4. Attack Steve Nash. Okay, this is just because I want to see the greedy Canadian embarrassed, but the dude can't guard, so I'd like to think that Terry and Harris could get by him whenever they wanted.

5. Feed Dirk. The Suns don't have anyone with a prayer of covering Dirk, and Dallas should take advantage of that, as they have thus far this season. Run the ball through Dirk as often as possible, and good things will happen. Shawn Marion doesn't have a prayer.

6. Let Richardson shoot. This is a slight modification to No. 2 above, as well as a general rule. Richardson can't shoot his way out of a paper bag right now, and I'd like to see if he can beat us.

7. Attack the rim. The Suns have been getting good shotblocking from Stoudemire, Marion and *gasp* Steven Hunter so far, but they have no depth up front. The Mavs can get them all in foul trouble by simply taking it to the rack.

Prediction: Mavs 115, Suns 104.

GO MAVS!

[EricaLubarsky]

8. Damp must throw his weight around. Big Damp can and needs to dominate the skinny American and the miscellaneous Euro players that he'll face. He looked like Shaq against Brad Miller. He should be able to dominate a commitee of 7'0" 235lb Hunter, 6'11" 250 Voskuhl and possibly Lampe and Vroman. If he dominates offensively, he will require a double team which will kill the Suns. If he kills the suns defensively, then they will need to play funky lineups like the Stoudamire at center lineup which will give us the advantage in the long run.

4a. We must wear out their guards. I don't expect to get many steals and traps on Nash. He's a smart player, but if we make him work the entire floor instead of letting the ball bounce all the way to the three point line before picking it up, then he will be tired by the fourth. Leandro Barbosa is good and can get hot offensively, but he certainly isnt Nash. No question.

[vinnieponte]

ok SIKE, what did we talk about, nash vs. terry right? tonights the night

[Rockstar]

106 mavs
98 suns

[mavsman55]

After tonight, Nash will regret being a dickhead. 20+ point blowout, Dirk goes for 30+ and Nash is severely contained by Terry and Harris.

[bartom]

Since akaarod03 started this thread, we win big:

Mavs 113
Suns 95

Been looking forward to this one. Cheer for Stevie then watch him struggle...

[rabbitproof]

A game of back and forths... with Nash not doing so well in his home-coming game.. Mavs preserve though.

Mavs 108
Suns 104

[sike]

so, does Dirk guard Amare or Damp? Damp is one of the few players in the league who is more of physical presense than Amare...Dirk would struggle containning him on the Defensive end. And Marion will guard Dirk on the defensive end, right? Because I can not see Amare standing a chance guarding Dirk.

ok SIKE, what did we talk about, nash vs. terry right? tonights the night

well, I said over the whole season, but I guess we will just make it tonights game if you wish. It the minutes are the same (or very close) the bet is still on. Remember we made this bet when Devin was just a guy who would be getting 15 minutes a game. The factors have changed, thus our bet is only good if the minutes are close.

[EricaLubarsky]

Because I can not see Amare standing a chance guarding Dirk.

Stoudmire played Dirk in that last game last year. Dont know if it was because he was still recovering from injury, but Dirk tore him a new one.

[Steve13]

wouldn't be surprised to see amare drop 33 and 15 tonight with Nash getting over 10 assists

[EricaLubarsky]

wouldnt be surprised if Nash has 5-6 TOs either.

[cheesestar]

if we lose i will cry

[bobatundi1]

Originally posted by: akaarod03
Finally...the return of Steve Nash to Dallas. How will the crowd at the AAC treat Nash? Will there be a chorus of boos similar to what Stackhouse received at the MCI center this past Sunday? Or will Nash receive a standing ovation similar to what Najera received last Monday? ...

Najera was traded to make the team better; Nash took the money and ran. I think that will be a factor in the crowd response. Then again, most people at the games aren't as informed as the folks on this list--last game people were asking where Najera was, who was that big guy with the headband, and why did we trade Nash.

[Steve13]

well you know steve will be motivated to win tonight as will the mavs...going to be fun. I hope Nash plays great but dallas still wins

[cheesestar]

i hope nash doesnt play great so dallas will coast to victory

[Kat]

[Kat]

Nash sometimes is a streaky shooter. After a 2 day party with Dirk, they probably will both be feelin' like crap. But Nash is getting older, Dirk will be fine. Nash will try to hard and end up feeling like he had a 5 day party. It may be a sloopy game with the newbies pulling in out for us.

Mavs 117
Suns - 92