duncan228
04-17-2009, 10:46 PM
Spurs’ three keys to victory (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Spurs_three_keys_to_victory.html)
Express-News
1. Who’s got Dirk?
No player in the Western Conference — not even that Kobe guy — has been as red-hot as Dirk Nowitzki during the final month of the regular season. Which Spurs player will draw the black bean defensive assignment? Tim Duncan, Kurt Thomas, Drew Gooden, Bruce Bowen, Ime Udoka and, yes, even Matt Bonner will probably all get a turn. Look for the Spurs to throw the kitchen sink at Nowitzki to try and keep him off his rhythm.
2. Tame the transition
Dallas doesn’t run quite the way, say, the “Seven Seconds or Less” Suns used to, but with Jason Kidd running the show, the Mavs still get quite a bit of their offense in transition. The bulk of Dallas’ transition points don’t come at the rim but on jump shots — and often by finding a certain 7-foot German trailing the play. It will be important for each Spurs player to quickly identify who he is supposed to pick up on the break, and do it — quickly.
3. Let Duncan be Duncan
When these two teams met in the 2006 playoffs, Duncan averaged 32.3 points and 11.7 rebounds in the seven-game epic. The Mavericks’ frontline has actually gotten lighter since then, with the departure of shot-blocker DeSagana Diop. Duncan is three years older and has been battling knee pain for the past two months, but if he can muster something close to his season average (19.3 points, 10.7 rebounds), the Spurs will be in good shape.
- Jeff McDonald
Express-News
1. Who’s got Dirk?
No player in the Western Conference — not even that Kobe guy — has been as red-hot as Dirk Nowitzki during the final month of the regular season. Which Spurs player will draw the black bean defensive assignment? Tim Duncan, Kurt Thomas, Drew Gooden, Bruce Bowen, Ime Udoka and, yes, even Matt Bonner will probably all get a turn. Look for the Spurs to throw the kitchen sink at Nowitzki to try and keep him off his rhythm.
2. Tame the transition
Dallas doesn’t run quite the way, say, the “Seven Seconds or Less” Suns used to, but with Jason Kidd running the show, the Mavs still get quite a bit of their offense in transition. The bulk of Dallas’ transition points don’t come at the rim but on jump shots — and often by finding a certain 7-foot German trailing the play. It will be important for each Spurs player to quickly identify who he is supposed to pick up on the break, and do it — quickly.
3. Let Duncan be Duncan
When these two teams met in the 2006 playoffs, Duncan averaged 32.3 points and 11.7 rebounds in the seven-game epic. The Mavericks’ frontline has actually gotten lighter since then, with the departure of shot-blocker DeSagana Diop. Duncan is three years older and has been battling knee pain for the past two months, but if he can muster something close to his season average (19.3 points, 10.7 rebounds), the Spurs will be in good shape.
- Jeff McDonald