where's the effort?..

[HarlemHeat37]

when Parker and Ginobili were out, our D stepped up..everybody stepped up in their absence, and we were playing with urgency and heart..

when they returned, we stopped playing D and playing with heart/effort..

when Duncan went out for 2 games, our entire team stepped up on D, and stepped up the heart/effort..

when Duncan comes back, we get blown out against Portland, and lose an embarrassing game to a bad Mavs team..horrible effort in both games..

what's with this horrible trend?..do we need injuries to key players to play with heart and effort?..it doesn't make any sense, and this should never happen..

[EricB]

I'd say Duncan going 7 of 21 is more of the problem.

Dallas hit alot of jump shots tonight.

As Larry Brown once said "If they beat you with jump shots, then you tip your cap. You never let them beat you with layups"

[Kori Ellis]

I'd say Duncan going 7 of 21 is more of the problem.

Dallas hit alot of jump shots tonight.

As Larry Brown once said "If they beat you with jump shots, then you tip your cap. You never let them beat you with layups"

They also got to the rim like 10 positions in a row in 2nd half. Spurs interior D was atrocious.

[timvp]

Don't agree tonight was about effort. For whatever reason, the Mavs always shoot lights out against the Spurs at home.

[EricB]

They also got to the rim like 10 positions in a row in 2nd half. Spurs interior D was atrocious.

They beat the perimiter D way too easy.

Bowen, Mason, and others were horrible out there.

[EricB]

Don't agree tonight was about effort. For whatever reason, the Mavs always shoot lights out against the Spurs at home.


Terry was hitting some crazy ass screen shots.

Jason Kidd shooting lights out was another freak thing.


Duncan bad game, Kidd shooting over his head, were the BIG reasons this was a loss IMO.

[Kori Ellis]

They beat the perimiter D way too easy.

Bowen, Mason, and others were horrible out there.

It wasn't just the perimeter D. Bonner and Duncan's rotations were a step (or two) late and slow. This was a bad TD game on both ends. Good thing they don't come often.

[Mugen]

our closeout D was nonexistant and Timmy kept looking for the bailout calls instead of finishing strong.

effort wasn't the problem but it doesnt help that #20 is on the bench in street clothes.

[xtremesteven33]

Perfect Storm for a Spurs loss:

-INSPIRED Mavericks team
-No Manu

[HarlemHeat37]

Don't agree tonight was about effort. For whatever reason, the Mavs always shoot lights out against the Spurs at home.

that might be true, but it's not really a coincidence that some of our best defensive stretches this season have been with 2/3 of our big 3 out..the 7-game stretch without Tony/Manu and the 2 games without Duncan were arguably our best defensive games of the season..

I don't see the same effort in these games..horrible rotations, our bigs not showing on the pick and rolls..

what I mean by effort IS lack of rotations and poor D..there's no reason that a team that has shown flashes of great D, and has a great defensive system, should be playing D like we did in these past few games..

[MarHill]

It wasn't just the perimeter D. Bonner and Duncan's rotations were a step (or two) late and slow. This was a bad TD game on both ends. Good thing they don't come often.

Yep, Kori!!


But the game still came down to the last 2 possessions and the Spurs were playing w/o Manu.

His energy was needed in a game like tonight....especially when Dallas stretched the lead late in the 3rd and early 4th.

The Mavs played with some effort after their owner called them out.

[bigdog]

The Mavs obviously played with more intensity and passion tonight. The rotations on defense, whether on the perimeter or in the paint, were absolutely horrible. TD played a bad game, and there was too much doubling being attempted by the Spurs, too many open shots.

[EricB]

It wasn't just the perimeter D. Bonner and Duncan's rotations were a step (or two) late and slow. This was a bad TD game on both ends. Good thing they don't come often.

Very true.

Unfortunately Duncan had the "Wheres the foul" look wayyyyy too much tonight.

Should've just put the head down and kicked ass.

[024]

i blame the defense. offensively, the spurs were find. they weren't going to score a lot without ginobili anyways. defense was horrible though.

[crc21209]

Timmy seems to be getting back into from little by little, because his shot has been somewhat off, and so have his rotations.

[crc21209]

The Mavs obviously played with more intensity and passion tonight. The rotations on defense, whether on the perimeter or in the paint, were absolutely horrible. TD played a bad game, and there was too much doubling being attempted by the Spurs, too many open shots.

I agree Adam :toast, some of those 3's were off of doubling Dirk, we shouldve just forced him to shoot his midrange shot seeing as its not money anymore, he's been somewhat off this yr.

[crc21209]

Very true.

Unfortunately Duncan had the "Wheres the foul" look wayyyyy too much tonight.

Should've just put the head down and kicked ass.


I agree, but at the same time it seems that Tim does get hacked here and there and never gets as many calls anymore, and then the Mavs were cutting touch fouls called for and-1's on the other end.

[Duncan2177]

The spurs defense was horrible tonight.

[Allanon]

Spurs interior defense was pretty bad tonight. It was like a layup line for JHo and Terry.

But even more disturbing was that it didn't seem like the Spurs could stop that Terry/Dirk pick and roll.

[ducks]

duncan blocked 4-5 times by diamper
wtf

[ducks]

our closeout D was nonexistant and Timmy kept looking for the bailout calls instead of finishing strong.

effort wasn't the problem but it doesnt help that #20 is on the bench in street clothes.

spurs can win without number 20
they should have won tonight
they gave it away

[ducks]

spurs can give effort with manu
manu is not the only one that plays with effort

[EricB]

Spurs interior defense was pretty bad tonight. It was like a layup line for JHo and Terry.

But even more disturbing was that it didn't seem like the Spurs could stop that Terry/Dirk pick and roll.


You haven't watched many Spurs Mavericks games the past, ohhhhhh 6 years have you.

[loveforthegame]

We won't win with Bonner and Oberto (notice the short stint) as our last line of defense. Duncan was a step slow on rotations which doesn't happen often and Bowen was not his effective self.

[bdictjames]

Duncan, Manu and Parker still need to adjust to the new guys. Simple as that.

[ducks]

duncans d was the problem
simple quit blaming booner and mike

[Allanon]

You haven't watched many Spurs Mavericks games the past, ohhhhhh 6 years have you.

Never paid much attention to the Terry/Dirk pick 'n roll. But it really stood out tonight. Spurs tried to change it up by trying to trap both Terry and Dirk but that left Kidd/Jho/Dampier open.

It seems this is where Kurt Thomas' slower speed is really an issue and Mavs were exploiting it. The Spurs lack of a really mobile big may be a problem.

[MarHill]

spurs can give effort with manu
manu is not the only one that plays with effort

That's silly!

The Spurs played with effort! If they didn't...they would have gotten blown out.

The game was in the range of a 9 pt. lead from the Spurs to a 10 point lead by the Mavs. So it was a close game and the Mavs made their shots tonight and the game came down to the last 2 possessions.

Also, Manu's energy usually jump starts the Spurs and he's the playmaker down the stretch of ball games and that would have made a difference tonight.

[mVp]

Perfect Storm for a Spurs loss:

-INSPIRED Mavericks team
-No Manu

-Joey Crawford

[MarHill]

Never paid much attention to the Terry/Dirk pick 'n roll. But it really stood out tonight. Spurs tried to change it up by trying to trap both Terry and Dirk but that left Kidd/Jho/Dampier open.

It seems this is where Kurt Thomas' slower speed is really an issue and Mavs were exploiting it. The Spurs lack of a really mobile big may be a problem.

Naw...I don't think so! Bonner's foul trouble hurt the rotation tonight.

Also, Drew Gooden will help with the rotation as well.

Plus, the Mavs made shots tonight and the game came down to the last 2 possessions and the Spurs were missing Manu.

A good win for the Mavs!!

[lefty]

when Parker and Ginobili were out, our D stepped up..everybody stepped up in their absence, and we were playing with urgency and heart..

when they returned, we stopped playing D and playing with heart/effort..

when Duncan went out for 2 games, our entire team stepped up on D, and stepped up the heart/effort..

when Duncan comes back, we get blown out against Portland, and lose an embarrassing game to a bad Mavs team..horrible effort in both games..

what's with this horrible trend?..do we need injuries to key players to play with heart and effort?..it doesn't make any sense, and this should never happen..

Manu missing+ Joey + a bad regular season here and there....

Don't worry :toast

[Allanon]

Naw...I don't think so! Bonner's foul trouble hurt the rotation tonight.

Also, Drew Gooden will help with the rotation as well.

Plus, the Mavs made shots tonight and the game came down to the last 2 possessions and the Spurs were missing Manu.

A good win for the Mavs!!

I don't think Bonner has the quickness to guard Dirk, he'll always be in foul trouble trying to guard him.

Y'know, you might be right about Drew Gooden though. I don't know how his knees are holding up, but I'd guess he's quicker than all the other bigs when healthy. He'd be much quicker on the help defense and pick 'n rolls if he can learn the Spurs defense quick enough.

[Kori Ellis]

I can't imagine Drew Gooden will help on D a bit, unless he changes into a different player over night.

[loveforthegame]

I don't expect Gooden to turn into Duncan defensively but I'm hoping he can be more of a presence at the basket over what Bonner, Thomas, and Oberto provide. I don't mean to knock those guys because they've (at least Bonner and Thomas) given their best this season but it's just not enough.

It's my hope that if Gooden can't get blocks he'll at least alter shots. Or better yet give hard fouls instead of watching guys just shoot over the top of them.

[Allanon]

Even though he's no defensive stopper, I'd think Drew Gooden is a defensive upgrade over Bonner/Oberto.

KT is pretty good defensively, but gets beat often if he has to guard a player in the high post. I don't think he has the speed these days to keep up with the quick PFs like Dirk...and if teams run the big/small pick 'n roll, it really hurts.

[CP48107]

I am so angry right now. Everytime the Spurs blow out these sub-500 teams, I raise my expectation and thinking this is the year for a 5th championship. But then they start losing games to teams like the Cleveland, Portland, and Mav. They are just not as dominant and consistent as the lakers, which really makes me mad.

[Mugen]

Gooden will help with the rebounding but expecting him to be a factor on defense will only lead to dissapointment.

[Kori Ellis]

I think Drew Gooden is one of the worst defensive bigs in the league. So hopefully he makes the effort and is smart enough to catch on to the system. I am happy the Spurs picked him up .. cheap plus he can rebound and score. But I'm expecting nothing defensively. I can't be disappointed :lol

[EricB]

Is it just me or are we saying this after every loss? Every team shoots the lights out against us, that the FUCKING PROBLEM!


Can't do much when guys like Jason Kidd are unconcious.

That simple.

Take a pill.

[G-Nob]

The D was terrible but the turning point in this game was amplified by Pop inserting his WTF lineup about 6 mins left in the 3rd quarter. He wheels out parker, thomas, bowen, oberto and finley and one min later, pulls finley for Hill. Meanwhile, all five mavs scorers are out there and they never look back. Spurs weren't killin them but they had the mo until that point.

[timaios]

The Mavs played out of their mind.
They have a lot of great players in their team.
They were on their court searching for redemption after a terrible loss against the Thunder.
They have only 4 more loss than the Spurs.

And it was a 1 possession game when Kidd hit that 3-pointer in the last seconds.

The Spurs (without Manu !) faced a great team today, they have no reason to be ashamed of the result.

:flag::flag::flag:

[m33p0]

good thing the trade deadline ended almost a month ago otherwise there would be half a dozen trade X threads by now. aren't you glad?

[MarHill]

I am so angry right now. Everytime the Spurs blow out these sub-500 teams, I raise my expectation and thinking this is the year for a 5th championship. But then they start losing games to teams like the Cleveland, Portland, and Mav. They are just not as dominant and consistent as the lakers, which really makes me mad.

40-20 after 60 games!

Hmmm....that's been very close to their record for the past several years.

Also, the Spurs have already beaten Dallas in their gym this season.

Plus, the Spurs were w/o Manu, their playmaker and X-Factor.

Moreover, Dallas barely won the game and it came down to the last two possessions. Hmmmmm....

I don't like when they lose....but sometimes you have to give the other team credit.

Lastly, the Cavs are one of the four best teams in the league and the Spurs were not going to win that game w/o Tim and Manu.

Just a little perspective!!!!

:bang

[Mugen]

ill live with a jkidd three over a terry/nowitzki jumper, howard drive, or a dampier dunk.

ill also live with Duncan going 7-21 in a regular season game.

but i will not stand for being forced to watch jason terry act like a 10 year old retard.

[MarHill]

The Mavs played out of their mind.
They have a lot of great players in their team.
They were on their court searching for redemption after a terrible loss against the Thunder.
They have only 4 more loss than the Spurs.

And it was a 1 possession game when Kidd hit that 3-pointer in the last seconds.

The Spurs (without Manu !) faced a great team today, they have no reason to be ashamed of the result.

:flag::flag::flag:


A Spurs fan with perspective!! Yeah!!!!

:toast

[weebo]

Piss poor defensive execution by the Spurs (late on rotations, late on traps, etc.). However, the mavs shot well and hit them with they most needed them. It appeared like they needed this game to salvage their season and it showed.