Spurs vs Mavs Game 1 Rant

[Kori Ellis]

First of all, I want to thank the dozens of you for starting the same thread over and over and trashing the forum. It's good to see you (not!) in obnoxious playoff forum already. Mavs fans need to simmer down. And Spurs fans ... we don't need 13 Bench Bonner and 17 Pop Sucks threads. Also calling Barea a "greasy spic" is about the stupidest trash you should post, considering the Hispanic population in San Antonio.

As for the game, all of you who thought the Spurs were going to blow by the Mavs are crazy. This is going to be a long series. I honestly thought the Spurs wouldn't have a chance if Pop didn't play Bowen, but he did. So that's a good sign. (Even though it took Udoka f'ing up within a minute of getting on the floor in order to get Bowen subbed in.)

The Spurs need to re-think a lot of things.

Starting Lineup should be Duncan/Gooden/Bowen/Finley/Parker. I don't really care if it's Finley or Mason, but Mason can't really guard anyone and Finley isn't a good bench guy. So Finley it is.

Bonner is doing nothing offensively or defensively. He hasn't earned a minute on the floor. Gooden is starting to play well with Tony, and the Spurs need as much O as they can get. And though he's not a good defender, he's actually getting to the right spots and can hold his ground.

Parker's slow start (he went 0-4 to start the game) can't happen again. He was really inconsistent in this game, though 9-22 isn't as bad as people are making it out to be. He also needs to pull out his playoff defense. Also more and more pick and rolls for Duncan/Parker combination.

Fluke shots vs Lights Out. Though the Mavs played really well, they also had their share of fluke shots (Bass off the top of the backboard, etc.) But hey, don't rationalize it by saying that "those shots won't happen again." Spurs aren't going to shoot lights out from 3 again either. So put away the "fluke card."

Bowen's D. I cannot express the importance of Bowen logging big minutes in this series. I know... the majority of you thought he was done. He's not. And even if he's slower than before, he's the best thing the Spurs have. He does a fantastic job fronting Dirk, plus he can play the quickness of Terry. Bowen has to see 30+ minutes a game. Don't worry about his legs giving out. He's been resting all year, he is retiring soon, so it's time for him to lay it all out in a blaze of glory.

The Backup Point Guard. Got damn. Tony Parker has been in the league for almost a decade now :lol and had a backup point guard for like 20 games in the form of Speedy Claxton. I do not care how bad George Hill can possibly be... I want to see him try. Mason doesn't cut it as a backup point and I don't even want to see Pop glancing toward Vaughn. Hill's length will be able to do something against the Mavs. I know it will.

Thaw Out Oberto. Crazy, right? Not so much. Oberto is a playoff performer. Thaw him out and play him a few minutes a game and give Bonner a seat on the bench guarding the gatorade. I'm not saying that Oberto should get major minutes, just put him in the rotation for spot minutes. The main big man rotation should be Duncan/Gooden/Thomas.

Rick Carlisle vs Gregg Popovich. I haven't been a fan of Rick Carlisle since he called me out on the radio, but he coached a smart game. Though many of you think Pop sucks, he doesn't. But he can be stubborn. He has to be willing to adjust and not adjust by going small.

In conclusion...

More Gooden on the floor with Duncan.
More Duncan/Parker pick and rolls.
Less Bonner.
Lots of Bowen.

The series will still be long and I don't know who will win, but it will be fun to watch.

:toast

[poop]

heres a description of game 2:

1.despite criticism, despite all, pop starts bonner.

2.spurs come out agressive, end 1st up 7-10.

3.pop puts mason as PG. offnese dies. mavs come out in 2nd and cut lead to nothing by the half.

4.bonner starts 3rd, gooden,thomas,bowen do not. mavs go on run and take the lead after spurs go 3-4 minutes without a FG.

5. in response to the mav's run, pop changes nothing. despite barea scoring run, Hill remains on the bench.

6. 3 minutes left in 3rd, bowen, gooden, thomas come in. spurs fight back and tie it up, capped off with gooden dunk. gooden comes out and is sat.

7. 4th quarter pop again starts bonner. no bowen, thomas. dirk, mavs go on run and go up 6.

8. 7 min left in game, spurs down. finally parker is put in. still no hill. no bowen. barea contiunes to score.

9. spurs lose by 8-10.

10. bonner = 33 min, 3pts,3rb,5 fouls. meanwhile bowen+thomas+gooden = 25 min.
geaorge hill = 0 min. barea = 20pts, 15 in 2nd half.
http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/images/Style_Templates/Flashskin/statusicon/user_online.gif

[leemajors]

:tu

[HarlemHeat37]

I agree with every one of these points, and I've been asking for all of them for weeks now, even before the playoffs..

Carlisle honestly isn't even a good coach IMO, so Pop shouldn't be getting outcoached..thankfully, the playoffs is chess not checkers, so Pop will have the chance to adjust..

sitting Bonner is just common sense at this point..it's just pointless to have him out there..

the Mavs are a jump shooting team strictly made up of perimeter players..so you would think having George Hill out there would make sense..

I guess we'll see..

[completely deck]

Good stuff. I'd also like to see Pop use the rest of his bench (Oberto, Hill)

[ducks]

mike finley -20 today

[Amuseddaysleeper]

What did Rick say to/about Kori over the radio?

[Rogue]

Our benchoff players in blue just got underestimated by spurs and Pop.

[Spurs Brazil]

Great post Kori.

I agree with starting Bruce and Gooden. Bruce was FANTASTIC tonight. He did a great job on Terry.

I think less Bonner should be no Bonner.

[honestfool84]

heres a description of game 2:

1.despite criticism, despite all, pop starts bonner.

2.spurs come out agressive, end 1st up 7-10.

3.pop puts mason as PG. offnese dies. mavs come out in 2nd and cut lead to nothing by the half.

4.bonner starts 3rd, gooden,thomas,bowen do not. mavs go on run and take the lead after spurs go 3-4 minutes without a FG.

5. in response to the mav's run, pop changes nothing. despite barea scoring run, Hill remains on the bench.

6. 3 minutes left in 3rd, bowen, gooden, thomas come in. spurs fight back and tie it up, capped off with gooden dunk. gooden comes out and is sat.

7. 4th quarter pop again starts bonner. no bowen, thomas. dirk, mavs go on run and go up 6.

8. 7 min left in game, spurs down. finally parker is put in. still no hill. no bowen. barea contiunes to score.

9. spurs lose by 8-10.

10. bonner = 33 min, 3pts,3rb,5 fouls. meanwhile bowen+thomas+gooden = 25 min.
geaorge hill = 0 min. barea = 20pts, 15 in 2nd half.
http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/images/Style_Templates/Flashskin/statusicon/user_online.gif

are you going to post this in every thread on this board?

shut it already.

[loveforthegame]

I like your starting lineup. I think Mason would have a better time scoring off the bench than Finley but whatever it takes is fine with me.

We need more Hill for sure.

I stated in another thread that I would like to see Oberto be given a chance. He might get abused by Dirk too but at least he'll grab a freakin' rebound.

[baseline bum]

Bruce needs 35 minutes a night
Finley? 20
Bonner? zero
Hill? 20

Bonner should be written off as a total loss. He's a first half of the season player, and he'll never be anything more.

[lurker]

Yeah, I'm curious what he said about Kori as well. I didn't see him being the trash talking type.

[benefactor]

lol pink poop.

I was thinking the same thing in regards to the lineup. It gives us size, shooting and plenty of post scoring. There was one point where Duncan and Gooden were standing on either side of the lane and Parker just walked in for a layup because both defenders had to stay home. I have no idea why we never went back to it, because it's basically indefensible.

[loveforthegame]

mike finley -20 today

He was actually one of the few bright spots tonight so that's why I hate that stat. He did a decent job defensively on Howard, nearly matched his scoring output, and even grabbed 4 rebounds. Not great but he was aggressive.

[ploto]

I was calling for Oberto before because I really think he can deal with Dirk, but Pop did not use him 3 years ago, so I feel certain it will not happen now.

[Mugen]

honestly, kori i havent seen one intelligent post from a mav fan post game.

i dont know anybody that would blame you if you accidentally banned them and a lot of these so called spurs fans too.

haha a guy can dream!

[SpursDynasty]

Fluke shots vs Lights Out. Though the Mavs played really well, they also had their share of fluke shots (Bass off the top of the backboard, etc.) But hey, don't rationalize it by saying that "those shots won't happen again." Spurs aren't going to shoot lights out from 3 again either. So put away the "fluke card."

That's what the game came down to. Dallas just hit some fluke shots. It's like 2006...fluke shots.

[Borosai]

Honest question: Has Pop ever been known for in-game adjustments? It seems as if he has a game plan, and he sticks with it (small ball, old ball, etc.). It's pretty bad when you are a championship team that is constantly trying to match up with other teams instead of forcing them to match up to you. This year isn't a great example since Manu is out, but he definitely seems stubborn to a fault.

Before, he fell in love with small ball, and now he's fallen out of love with defense.

[Ghazi]

What happened on radio w/ Kori and Carlisle?

[Warlord23]

Here's the thing. Adjustments are not Pop's strong suit. It may be because he feels he needs to give every strategy a fair run before switching tactics, even if the tactic is as stupid as asking Bonner to defend Nowitzki for 20 minutes a game.

You'd think that giving more minutes to Bowen/Hill/Gooden, nailing Bonner to the bench, not playing both Finley and Mason together (and watching Howard light them up), would be worth a shot. I guarantee you Pop will do all this only after the series is already out of reach and his original strategy is blown to bits.

[peskypesky]

I love you, Kori, but you're out of your mind. Pop is completely fucked in the head and this will NOT be a long series. We will be lucky to win one game.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

I also loved seeing Mason on Nowitzki.

:tu

[dirk4mvp]

Rick Carlisle vs Gregg Popovich. I haven't been a fan of Rick Carlisle since he called me out on the radio,

:wow When was this?

[Silverheart80]

Kori --

Agreed with pretty much everything you said, but especially the Backup Point Guard comment. So painfully obvious, even before the game tipped off.

That said, anyone who thinks Popovich sucks doesn't know basketball. We'll never have a better coach than him, and he'll figure it out.

Believe.
:lobt:

[Shank]

Having heard Carlisle a number of times on the radio, I know that he knows more about basketball than anyone else in the world and he's not afraid to talk down to anyone to prove it.

[wisnub]

Sometimes I think back in those days when D Rob was hurt and Spurs nailed DUncan for no 1 pick...I dont mind Spurs losing and not going to playoffs..rest Duncan whole season since Manu is out anyway..and nailed a solid fundamental lottery pick.come back strong a season after and get another championship (just like Boston did last year.but Boston did make hefty trade for Allen and KG in order to pull it). Its better than losing Mavs in 1st round...its embarassing, i prefer getting a solid lottery pick

[Borosai]

I also loved seeing Mason on Nowitzki.

:tu

:lol Exactly. I was like WTF MUFFUKA?! No sense.

[Spursmania]

Fluke shots or not their bench kicked our bench's ass. Props to the MAVs for playing a good game.
Pop is the one who sucked the most tonight. His rotations were horrible and it is inexcusable to allow Bonner all those playoff minutes when he is contributing absolutely nothing. I am more mad at Pop than Bonner. Bonner sucks but Pop is the one who plays him.

[poop]

are you going to post this in every thread on this board?

shut it already.

read it and get it through your head, it is an exact prophecy of how game 2 will play out :)

[baseline bum]

I also loved seeing Mason on Nowitzki.

:tu

A lot of that was off switches, though there were a couple of possessions Mason lined up on him from the beginning that made we want to put a bullet through my TV.

[barbacoataco]

Agree with all of the original post. Question is, will Pop do it? I remember when Mason was signed he was hyped as a good defender, a guy who stayed in the league primarily for his defense. But as the season has gone on, and tonight, he looked terrible. What is up?

[Mugen]

this is the 2006 WCF champions that we are playing folks.

anybody who thought this was going to be an easy series for the spurs is crazy.

this team had the best record in 2007 people.

in 7. Believe.

[Libri]

In conclusion...

More Gooden on the floor with Duncan.
More Duncan/Parker pick and rolls.
Less Bonner.
Lots of Bowen.

[honestfool84]

read it and get it through your head, it is an exact prophecy of how game 2 will play out :)

IDGAF about what you, poop, have to say because it usually is just that - POOP.


it's getting annoying.

[peskypesky]

read it and get it through your head, it is an exact prophecy of how game 2 will play out :)

:toast

[peskypesky]

Agree with all of the original post. Question is, will Pop do it? I remember when Mason was signed he was hyped as a good defender, a guy who stayed in the league primarily for his defense. But as the season has gone on, and tonight, he looked terrible. What is up?

hmmm...i don't ever remember anyone calling Mason a good defender.

[Kori Ellis]

:wow When was this?

I was just joking about not liking him. He's a good coach. I always thought he would make an excellent assistant. I'm still not that sure about him being a great head coach, but he's better than a lot of them.

I think it was in 2003-04 season.

It's kind of a long story. Pop was doing the Pop Show and said a quote about Carlisle in reference to Carlisle actively campaigning for Artest to win DPOY. At the time, Carlisle had his staff spend countless hours breaking down Artest's possessions and was distributing all this paper work to the voters with information like, 'When player x is guarded by Artest, he only averages 37% from the field, etc.."

So I wrote an article about Bowen at the time, and I included Pop's quote about Carlisle caring more about Artest's DPOY award than he should (not in those exact words). So then Carlisle came on the radio like the next day here in San Antonio to try to defend it, and then he ended up calling me out for writing the article. :lol

Then that summer, Carlisle and Bird were in Salt Lake City when LJ and I went to cover summer league. And then somehow Carlisle recognized me and they came and said Hi.

[Obstructed_View]

I completely agree with Kori's post, except that I'm not sure how she has any faith in Popovich by this point. The dude doesn't know what the fuck he's doing. He's gotten to the point where he thinks he can use psychology to do everything, and he ends up not just doing the basic thing that would work the best.

BTW, you can't...CAN'T...mention the Carlisle story in passing without sharing it. EDIT: One post too late. :)

[Libri]

I was just joking about not liking him. He's a good coach. I always thought he would make an excellent assistant. I'm still not that sure about him being a great head coach, but he's better than a lot of them.

I think it was in 2003-04 season.

It's kind of a long story. Pop was doing the Pop Show and said a quote about Carlisle in reference to Carlisle actively campaigning for Artest to win DPOY. At the time, Carlisle had his staff spend countless hours breaking down Artest's possessions and was distributing all this paper work to the voters with information like, 'When player x is guarded by Artest, he only averages 37% from the field, etc.."

So I wrote an article about Bowen at the time, and I included Pop's quote about Carlisle caring more about Artest's DPOY award than he should (not in those exact words). So then Carlisle came on the radio like the next day here in San Antonio to try to defend it, and then he ended up calling me out for writing the article. :lol

Then that summer, Carlisle and Bird were in Salt Lake City when LJ and I went to cover summer league. And then somehow Carlisle recognized me and they came and said Hi.

Kori,

I actually remember that Pop show. I think Don Harris was still doing the show. But I didn't know that Carlisle had called you out.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

Carlisle using all those bogus unsubstantiated stats is the main reason I see him as a giant piece of shit. And Ron Artest being a big giant piece of shit is the second reason I see Rick Carlisle as a BGPOS.

First Bowen gets screwed over by nutless Ben Wallaces overrated ass, twice, then he gets fucked by the first ever active DPOY campaign. Sucks. He could have won one of those three years, and had his best chance the year Carlisle had to be a giant doucher.

[SenorSpur]

First of all, I want to thank the dozens of you for starting the same thread over and over and trashing the forum. It's good to see you (not!) in obnoxious playoff forum already. Mavs fans need to simmer down. And Spurs fans ... we don't need 13 Bench Bonner and 17 Pop Sucks threads. Also calling Barea a "greasy spic" is about the stupidest trash you should post, considering the Hispanic population in San Antonio.

As for the game, all of you who thought the Spurs were going to blow by the Mavs are crazy. This is going to be a long series. I honestly thought the Spurs wouldn't have a chance if Pop didn't play Bowen, but he did. So that's a good sign. (Even though it took Udoka f'ing up within a minute of getting on the floor in order to get Bowen subbed in.)

The Spurs need to re-think a lot of things.

Starting Lineup should be Duncan/Gooden/Bowen/Finley/Parker. I don't really care if it's Finley or Mason, but Mason can't really guard anyone and Finley isn't a good bench guy. So Finley it is.

Bonner is doing nothing offensively or defensively. He hasn't earned a minute on the floor. Gooden is starting to play well with Tony, and the Spurs need as much O as they can get. And though he's not a good defender, he's actually getting to the right spots and can hold his ground.

Parker's slow start (he went 0-4 to start the game) can't happen again. He was really inconsistent in this game, though 9-22 isn't as bad as people are making it out to be. He also needs to pull out his playoff defense. Also more and more pick and rolls for Duncan/Parker combination.

Fluke shots vs Lights Out. Though the Mavs played really well, they also had their share of fluke shots (Bass off the top of the backboard, etc.) But hey, don't rationalize it by saying that "those shots won't happen again." Spurs aren't going to shoot lights out from 3 again either. So put away the "fluke card."

Bowen's D. I cannot express the importance of Bowen logging big minutes in this series. I know... the majority of you thought he was done. He's not. And even if he's slower than before, he's the best thing the Spurs have. He does a fantastic job fronting Dirk, plus he can play the quickness of Terry. Bowen has to see 30+ minutes a game. Don't worry about his legs giving out. He's been resting all year, he is retiring soon, so it's time for him to lay it all out in a blaze of glory.

The Backup Point Guard. Got damn. Tony Parker has been in the league for almost a decade now :lol and had a backup point guard for like 20 games in the form of Speedy Claxton. I do not care how bad George Hill can possibly be... I want to see him try. Mason doesn't cut it as a backup point and I don't even want to see Pop glancing toward Vaughn. Hill's length will be able to do something against the Mavs. I know it will.

Thaw Out Oberto. Crazy, right? Not so much. Oberto is a playoff performer. Thaw him out and play him a few minutes a game and give Bonner a seat on the bench guarding the gatorade. I'm not saying that Oberto should get major minutes, just put him in the rotation for spot minutes. The main big man rotation should be Duncan/Gooden/Thomas.

Rick Carlisle vs Gregg Popovich. I haven't been a fan of Rick Carlisle since he called me out on the radio, but he coached a smart game. Though many of you think Pop sucks, he doesn't. But he can be stubborn. He has to be willing to adjust and not adjust by going small.

In conclusion...

More Gooden on the floor with Duncan.
More Duncan/Parker pick and rolls.
Less Bonner.
Lots of Bowen.

The series will still be long and I don't know who will win, but it will be fun to watch.

:toast

Nuff said. This saves me a rant - except for one thing. I don't think there is another coach in the NBA (pick one) that would start Matt Bonner over Drew Gooden. The absolute worst coach in the NBA wouldn't make that decision. That should tell you everything you need to know about the faith Pop places in HIS system and those that have been in it for a while. Right now, it looks like the dumbest move in Spur history. Just sayin'.

[SA210]

First of all, I want to thank the dozens of you for starting the same thread over and over and trashing the forum. It's good to see you (not!) in obnoxious playoff forum already. Mavs fans need to simmer down. And Spurs fans ... we don't need 13 Bench Bonner and 17 Pop Sucks threads. Also calling Barea a "greasy spic" is about the stupidest trash you should post, considering the Hispanic population in San Antonio.

As for the game, all of you who thought the Spurs were going to blow by the Mavs are crazy. This is going to be a long series. I honestly thought the Spurs wouldn't have a chance if Pop didn't play Bowen, but he did. So that's a good sign. (Even though it took Udoka f'ing up within a minute of getting on the floor in order to get Bowen subbed in.)

The Spurs need to re-think a lot of things.

Starting Lineup should be Duncan/Gooden/Bowen/Finley/Parker. I don't really care if it's Finley or Mason, but Mason can't really guard anyone and Finley isn't a good bench guy. So Finley it is.

Bonner is doing nothing offensively or defensively. He hasn't earned a minute on the floor. Gooden is starting to play well with Tony, and the Spurs need as much O as they can get. And though he's not a good defender, he's actually getting to the right spots and can hold his ground.

Parker's slow start (he went 0-4 to start the game) can't happen again. He was really inconsistent in this game, though 9-22 isn't as bad as people are making it out to be. He also needs to pull out his playoff defense. Also more and more pick and rolls for Duncan/Parker combination.

Fluke shots vs Lights Out. Though the Mavs played really well, they also had their share of fluke shots (Bass off the top of the backboard, etc.) But hey, don't rationalize it by saying that "those shots won't happen again." Spurs aren't going to shoot lights out from 3 again either. So put away the "fluke card."

Bowen's D. I cannot express the importance of Bowen logging big minutes in this series. I know... the majority of you thought he was done. He's not. And even if he's slower than before, he's the best thing the Spurs have. He does a fantastic job fronting Dirk, plus he can play the quickness of Terry. Bowen has to see 30+ minutes a game. Don't worry about his legs giving out. He's been resting all year, he is retiring soon, so it's time for him to lay it all out in a blaze of glory.

The Backup Point Guard. Got damn. Tony Parker has been in the league for almost a decade now :lol and had a backup point guard for like 20 games in the form of Speedy Claxton. I do not care how bad George Hill can possibly be... I want to see him try. Mason doesn't cut it as a backup point and I don't even want to see Pop glancing toward Vaughn. Hill's length will be able to do something against the Mavs. I know it will.

Thaw Out Oberto. Crazy, right? Not so much. Oberto is a playoff performer. Thaw him out and play him a few minutes a game and give Bonner a seat on the bench guarding the gatorade. I'm not saying that Oberto should get major minutes, just put him in the rotation for spot minutes. The main big man rotation should be Duncan/Gooden/Thomas.

Rick Carlisle vs Gregg Popovich. I haven't been a fan of Rick Carlisle since he called me out on the radio, but he coached a smart game. Though many of you think Pop sucks, he doesn't. But he can be stubborn. He has to be willing to adjust and not adjust by going small.

In conclusion...

More Gooden on the floor with Duncan.
More Duncan/Parker pick and rolls.
Less Bonner.
Lots of Bowen.

The series will still be long and I don't know who will win, but it will be fun to watch.

:toast

My sig says it all

:toast

[dirk4mvp]

I was just joking about not liking him. He's a good coach. I always thought he would make an excellent assistant. I'm still not that sure about him being a great head coach, but he's better than a lot of them.

I think it was in 2003-04 season.

It's kind of a long story. Pop was doing the Pop Show and said a quote about Carlisle in reference to Carlisle actively campaigning for Artest to win DPOY. At the time, Carlisle had his staff spend countless hours breaking down Artest's possessions and was distributing all this paper work to the voters with information like, 'When player x is guarded by Artest, he only averages 37% from the field, etc.."

So I wrote an article about Bowen at the time, and I included Pop's quote about Carlisle caring more about Artest's DPOY award than he should (not in those exact words). So then Carlisle came on the radio like the next day here in San Antonio to try to defend it, and then he ended up calling me out for writing the article. :lol

Then that summer, Carlisle and Bird were in Salt Lake City when LJ and I went to cover summer league. And then somehow Carlisle recognized me and they came and said Hi.


:lol thanks

[timvp]

IIRC correctly, Carlisle said something like "no one thought it'd be a big deal if that woman hadn't written that article." The whole scenario made it all the way to ESPN.com. I'm surprised more old schoolers don't remember.

[Kori Ellis]

IIRC correctly, Carlisle said something like "no one thought it'd be a big deal if that woman hadn't written that article." The whole scenario made it all the way to ESPN.com. I'm surprised more old schoolers don't remember.

:lol yeah that's true. He called me "that woman." I forgot that part.

[MANGINA]

If the players would just do half of what Pop asks of them he wouldn't get bashed so much.

[ratm1221]

Good game tonight. Spurs/Mavs series are always the most enjoyable for me. I was praying for this match up. Good times.

Some of you need to stop being whinny bitches and just enjoy the games.

[SenorSpur]

Kori --

Agreed with pretty much everything you said, but especially the Backup Point Guard comment. So painfully obvious, even before the game tipped off.

That said, anyone who thinks Popovich sucks doesn't know basketball. We'll never have a better coach than him, and he'll figure it out.
Believe.
:lobt:

Maybe. Yet his stubborn decision to force feed minutes to Matt Bonner, when he has a better, more skilled option on the bench (Gooden) is just dumb. His decision to force fit Roger Mason into the backup PG role, when that is clearly NOT his strong suit is also dumb. His decision to sit George Hill, when his defensive ability and competitive tenacity are needed to slow down the pesky Mavs backcourt is again dumb.

There's no question that Pop is a great coach. He's also been a very fortunate coach to have inherited 3 HOF players. All that said, it doesn't mean that he's flawless or that he's above criticism.

[HarlemHeat37]

Senor hit it..Pop is a great coach, and I believe he's the best..but his arrogance and ego has taken over him this year, there's no question..all the praise he gets around the NBA must have gone to his head..

he clearly feels like ANY player can fit his great system, which is the only logic for having Bonner as the starting PF on a team with a defensive-oriented system..

[itzsoweezee]

That should tell you everything you need to know about the faith Pop places in HIS system and those that have been in it for a while.

couldn't agree more. he believes more in his 'system' than his players. That's arrogance, in my opinion.

[Budkin]

Hell yeah Kori!

[ploto]

:lol yeah that's true. He called me "that woman." I forgot that part.

That is the part I seem to recall.

[Man Mountain]

Amen! Is Manu using a hyperberic chamber?!!!?!?

[timvp]

Speaking of Carlisle, I thought the most genius thing he did was keeping Howard off the court in the fourth. When Howard was going off I wasn't too worried because he typically sucks in the fourth quarter. But then he never re-entered the game :depressed

[Creation88]

all you did was reiterate everything's that's already on the board. the same things you criticized in your 1st paragraph.

[Kori Ellis]

all you did was reiterate everything's that's already on the board. the same things you criticized in your 1st paragraph.

What I criticized in the first paragraph was 22 threads in a row that said, LOL SPURS SUCK! and 26 threads that said things like, "I hope Pop has a heart attack like Ainge." "Barea is a dirty spic" and "Fuck Ginobili and fuck his mother."

[Brutalis]

Well here are my thoughts:

When Manu went down and with what's going on now Pop needs to understand the pressure is on him to provide the players with minutes and strategy to succeed. Game 1 was way short of a good coaching effort on Pops' behalf. He needs to simply redirect some of those minutes to other players and stop putting so much damn pressure on TP with the lineups out there.

Pop has always been a great coach but now we get to see what he's going to do now with the situation at hand. I trust he will bring it together in Game 2. You know the Mavericks are thinking about going 2-0 and home and props to them for the win. If Pop can turn in a better plan this will be 1-1.

[Spursmania]

Maybe. Yet his stubborn decision to force feed minutes to Matt Bonner, when he has a better, more skilled option on the bench (Gooden) is just dumb. His decision to force fit Roger Mason into the backup PG role, when that is clearly NOT his strong suit is also dumb. His decision to sit George Hill, when his defensive ability and competitive tenacity are needed to slow down the pesky Mavs backcourt is again dumb.

There's no question that Pop is a great coach. He's also been a very fortunate coach to have inherited 3 HOF players. All that said, it doesn't mean that he's flawless or that he's above criticism.

:tu

[LEONARD]

That's what the game came down to. Dallas just hit some fluke shots. It's like 2006...fluke shots.

Find a new sport to follow...you fail at being a B-ball fan...

oh, and life...

[SenorSpur]

couldn't agree more. he believes more in his 'system' than his players. That's arrogance, in my opinion.

Funny because Avery was the EXACT same way during his tenure here in Dallas. He constantly preached to his team, "trust the system. Run the system." This worked for while, until the players started tuning him out.

There's no doubt where Avery inherited that way of thinking and coaching.

[duncan228]

What I criticized in the first paragraph was 22 threads in a row that said, LOL SPURS SUCK! and 26 threads that said things like, "I hope Pop has a heart attack like Ainge." "Barea is a dirty spic" and "Fuck Ginobili and fuck his mother."

It got ugly for a bit. Props to Yogi (and anyone else that was on duty) for the quick and effective work at cleaning it up until you were back.

[LEONARD]

I thought the game went rather well myself... :downspin:

[Obstructed_View]

Except AJ stuck to the system. He also inherited the habit of putting players in the doghouse, and it backfired on him because the Dallas media wasn't too afraid to call him out.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

First of all, I want to thank the dozens of you for starting the same thread over and over and trashing the forum. It's good to see you (not!) in obnoxious playoff forum already. Mavs fans need to simmer down. And Spurs fans ... we don't need 13 Bench Bonner and 17 Pop Sucks threads. Also calling Barea a "greasy spic" is about the stupidest trash you should post, considering the Hispanic population in San Antonio.

As for the game, all of you who thought the Spurs were going to blow by the Mavs are crazy. This is going to be a long series. I honestly thought the Spurs wouldn't have a chance if Pop didn't play Bowen, but he did. So that's a good sign. (Even though it took Udoka f'ing up within a minute of getting on the floor in order to get Bowen subbed in.)

The Spurs need to re-think a lot of things.

Starting Lineup should be Duncan/Gooden/Bowen/Finley/Parker. I don't really care if it's Finley or Mason, but Mason can't really guard anyone and Finley isn't a good bench guy. So Finley it is.

Bonner is doing nothing offensively or defensively. He hasn't earned a minute on the floor. Gooden is starting to play well with Tony, and the Spurs need as much O as they can get. And though he's not a good defender, he's actually getting to the right spots and can hold his ground.

Parker's slow start (he went 0-4 to start the game) can't happen again. He was really inconsistent in this game, though 9-22 isn't as bad as people are making it out to be. He also needs to pull out his playoff defense. Also more and more pick and rolls for Duncan/Parker combination.

Fluke shots vs Lights Out. Though the Mavs played really well, they also had their share of fluke shots (Bass off the top of the backboard, etc.) But hey, don't rationalize it by saying that "those shots won't happen again." Spurs aren't going to shoot lights out from 3 again either. So put away the "fluke card."

Bowen's D. I cannot express the importance of Bowen logging big minutes in this series. I know... the majority of you thought he was done. He's not. And even if he's slower than before, he's the best thing the Spurs have. He does a fantastic job fronting Dirk, plus he can play the quickness of Terry. Bowen has to see 30+ minutes a game. Don't worry about his legs giving out. He's been resting all year, he is retiring soon, so it's time for him to lay it all out in a blaze of glory.

The Backup Point Guard. Got damn. Tony Parker has been in the league for almost a decade now :lol and had a backup point guard for like 20 games in the form of Speedy Claxton. I do not care how bad George Hill can possibly be... I want to see him try. Mason doesn't cut it as a backup point and I don't even want to see Pop glancing toward Vaughn. Hill's length will be able to do something against the Mavs. I know it will.

Thaw Out Oberto. Crazy, right? Not so much. Oberto is a playoff performer. Thaw him out and play him a few minutes a game and give Bonner a seat on the bench guarding the gatorade. I'm not saying that Oberto should get major minutes, just put him in the rotation for spot minutes. The main big man rotation should be Duncan/Gooden/Thomas.

Rick Carlisle vs Gregg Popovich. I haven't been a fan of Rick Carlisle since he called me out on the radio, but he coached a smart game. Though many of you think Pop sucks, he doesn't. But he can be stubborn. He has to be willing to adjust and not adjust by going small.

In conclusion...

More Gooden on the floor with Duncan.
More Duncan/Parker pick and rolls.
Less Bonner.
Lots of Bowen.
PLAY GEORGE HILL!

The series will still be long and I don't know who will win, but it will be fun to watch.

:toast

Fixed.

Nice rant, Kori, and I agree with all your points.

Carlisle called you out on the radio? What was that about??? :lmao

[Obstructed_View]

Carlisle called you out on the radio? What was that about??? :lmao

It's a page or two back. You'll find it.

[td4mvp21]

I just hope Pop realizes that Bonner ruined his big lineup and doesn't decide to go small the rest of the series.

[jack0fspeed]

I don't think changing the personnel would have changed much tonight. The Spurs basically tried to take away Dirk and Terry and force someone else to beat them. Tonight, someone else did.

So the question now is do the Spurs stick with that strategy? And can the Mavs other players continue to come through? Or do the Spurs switch to a more conventional defense?

To be honest, I don't know what I'd do if I were Pop.

[lefty]

Speaking of Carlisle, I thought the most genius thing he did was keeping Howard off the court in the fourth. When Howard was going off I wasn't too worried because he typically sucks in the fourth quarter. But then he never re-entered the game :depressed

Good point.

Howard never plays well for 4 quarters

[LakerLanny]

Good post Kori, that is no surprise coming from you as you know your hoops.

Certainly a disappointing loss for SA, but nothing that can't be overcome as long as you win Game 2.

It was strange to see Dampier looking more spry than Duncan....Tim does not look himself to this observer at all, granted I have only watched a handful of Spurs games this season.

I agree that Bowen and Oberto need to play more and Bonner clearly less. Not sure what Pop is doing with the Bonner fixation, it reminds me of Phil Jackson's Man Love of the hopelessly inept Luke Walton.

Dallas has a lot of choke in them, but the Spurs need to put them in the position to choke. Can't let a scrub like Barea get off like that, nor let Dampier look like the second coming of Moses Malone.

The defense certainly didn't look like the defense one would expect from a SA playoff game...did they really allow 60 in the 2nd half at home? Not good.

But one game is one game....that's why it is a 7-game series. Lose Game 2 and it is officially time to panic.

[nikegirl]

Cmon Kori! Maybe there's some way we can make Manu read this and share it with Pop. OK, that's crazy talk but who knows.

[HarlemHeat37]

LOL one of you Facebookers that are friends with Manu should send him a private msg.."GET HILL TO PLAY!"..

the worst part about Pop's moves is that we're playing against the Mavs..I'd understand to an extent if it was against the Lakers, since we wouldn't have a chance, but the Mavs? one of the worst franchises in sports, they've never won anything..the Mavs? really? I don't know if I'd be able to stomach that..

[sabar]

I believe the key is getting enough defense out of our non-defensive team.

Duncan and Bowen form the basis.
Parker is generally a consistent defender.

This leaves two large holes at SG/C though. None of our bigs are good against the Mavs. While I would love to see Oberto out there, I have a feeling he will stay benched all the way in fear of his heart problems. KT needs to get back to form somehow. Gooden is not a good defender and his lack of experience in the system means he can't be relied on at all. Bonner is a better defender, but Gooden can bring the points, which will be needed if Bowen is on the floor too.

The biggest worry in this series is our SG spot, which is practically undefended when they get put on Josh Howard. Finely assigned to Howard lead to open shots that looked like a pregame warm-up. Mason is no better of a defender.

Of course, the Spurs have been able to let a player have his points while still winning before. But with no one to defend Dirk, this leaves us in the horrible situation of Dirk and Howard getting all the points they want.

I have no idea how the Spurs can defend this series, but Pop better figure it out. This is the weakest defensive Spurs team in a long long time and the first game really showed it.

[dickface]

Carlisle has made it a habit to be a jackass to everyone in the Dallas media too

http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/sportatorium/2009/03/prick_carlisle.php

[samikeyp]

Kori...that should be the next title under your name "that woman" :lol

[SpursFanFirst]

give Bonner a seat on the bench guarding the gatorade.
:lol I am definitely not a Bonner hater, but I agree with you and the countless others saying he should be benched.

Last night was tough to watch. Something needs to be done.

More Bowen is just what we need...and I am with you on Hill.
I know he's a rookie and all, but for crying out loud, he should be given a shot.
If he stinks it up, THEN sit him.

Pop is a very stubborn man. I hope he puts that aside though, or this will be a very short postseason.

:flag:

[VaSpursFan]

Speaking of Carlisle, I thought the most genius thing he did was keeping Howard off the court in the fourth. When Howard was going off I wasn't too worried because he typically sucks in the fourth quarter. But then he never re-entered the game :depressed

supposedly they are limiting his minutes for his bad ankle. the mavs were also fortunate that bass, damp and jjb stepped up and filled the void. j.ho is like an assassin now because of his limited minutes so he comes in gunning. and, he just lights up when Fin is on him because he know that Fin can't guard him. that matchup killed up when j.ho went nuts in the 3rd. it was all downhill from that point onward.

[Laker Lanny]

Not to toss a wrench in this Kori love fest you all have going, but even if the Spurs had Manu and was able to get past the Mavs they would never win a game against the Lakers.

So you all need to stop dreaming and leave Kori's salad alone its been tossed more than a midget at a Charles Barkley house party.

[The Truth #6]

Senor hit it..Pop is a great coach, and I believe he's the best..but his arrogance and ego has taken over him this year, there's no question..all the praise he gets around the NBA must have gone to his head..

he clearly feels like ANY player can fit his great system, which is the only logic for having Bonner as the starting PF on a team with a defensive-oriented system..

All coaches look better with good players. And Pop is probably the best coach possible at getting 3 HOF players to submit to a system so they play as a team.

His stubbornness would have been exposed on another team. It's been a good fit but as the circumstances have changed Pop hasn't changed with them. I guess we have to take the good with the bad. Hopefully Coach Bud has the balls to speak up and inject some reality-based thinking into the conversation but that's just speculation on my part.

[tmtcsc]

People have broken down yesterday's performance by the Spurs down to micro-technicalities but that's not what I'm going to offer here. Let's go with some generalities.

Its painfully obvious that this team is missing so much that we are not destined to go far at all in these playoffs. Anytime # 21 suits up and feels good, you have a chance to win but he can't do it by himself.

Tony Parker has had his best season as a Spur and has been outstanding. If it wasn't for him we wouldn't have even made the playoffs. However, throughout his career, his performance has been peppered by "no shows" or "slow shows" in big games. Yesterday, we got the same thing. This time, there's no Speedy Claxton to turn to or Manu Ginobili to bail us out.

Our defense is the poorest its been since the Duncan era began. Our offense has always been a bit vanilla and labeled boring but it wasn't really an issue because our D was usually outstanding. Now ? Now we have a mediocre, unatheletic, poor rebounding and poor offensive team.

Dallas' victory was not a surprise. They aren't going anywhere in the playoffs either. Its like watching two C teams battling it out. You want impressive ? Houston busting a young, athletic Portland team in the mouth on their floor is impressive. Hell, we can only blow out teams that suit up 7 players.


End of Part 1

[kace]

Tony Parker has had his best season as a Spur and has been outstanding. If it wasn't for him we wouldn't have even made the playoffs. However, throughout his career, his performance has been peppered by "no shows" or "slow shows" in big games. Yesterday, we got the same thing. This time, there's no Speedy Claxton to turn to or Manu Ginobili to bail us out.

you know you're a superstar when a 24-8 game is called a "no shows".


Our defense is the poorest its been since the Duncan era began. Our offense has always been a bit vanilla and labeled boring but it wasn't really an issue because our D was usually outstanding. Now ? Now we have a mediocre, unatheletic, poor rebounding and poor offensive team.


why did we lost a step on defense ?

manu is out but he's not a defensive force. Bowen was here and was almost as efficient as in the past. Pop, the gameplan and the roster have not changed so much.

i see only a reason there: Tim has lost a huge step in anchoring our defense, and even in one on one (even if that won't be too obvious in this serie considering who tim is defending). People won't admit it since it's Tim, but it's a fact.

the solution: give Tim, who has been doing the work inside by himself for too long, some help inside. KT on defense and Gooden on offense are supposed to help, but in G1, they both played poorly so....

[Summers]

Kori...that should be the next title under your name "that woman" :lol

I was thinking the same, but I rather like the current one. :)

[Killakobe81]

I agree that this series is FAR from over ...
Duncan played one of his best games all year like many of the smarter fans (Timvp, Duncan228 and Kori called)
Finley played lights out and Mason shot real well ...
Parker was up and down but he has been that way in many playoff series in his career ...
Bowen looked good on D ...Gooden can score ...

Adjustments needed:
1. Limit small ball ...the advantages you get with scores is MORE than offset by making Dampier look like a dominant big man.
2. Work Duncan when he is in ...(feed him non-stop run offense through him) through Tony when he is on the bench ...(they should bnever be out at the same time)
3. Play hill WITH duncan and Mason ...that way You have Tim's leadership and mason's scoring when hill is on the floor (and Parker is not)
4. DOn't let up on dirk keep the multiple defenders on him , get Damp and/or Hollins in foul trouble so they HAVE to put dirk on TIm and DESTROY him down low ...
5. stay on the Jet dont let him get hot ...if you go down with JJ and Bass beating you then so be it ..you were not going to win anyway.
6.Trust in Pop ...Im not saying that the Mavs win was a fluke but if you can hold down 2 of a team' top 3 scorers you are SUPPOSED to win ...problem was the MAVS bench KILLED the Spurs ...Udoka, hill, Gooden Bowen whomever they bring in has to limit the Mavs bench and give the starters SOME help ...if they do the Spurs will win in 7 they have won series before after losing Game 1 ... just ride timmy and the rest will fall in to place

[ElNono]

you know you're a superstar when a 24-8 game is called a "no shows".

He was ready to put up 40 last night. Until Barea came in and he couldn't shake him off the dribble. That got into his head. Tony was forcing the issue when all he needed to do is play his game. Tony is the #1 reason we're playing this series, but sometimes he can't just read and adjust to certain situations in the game.



why did we lost a step on defense ?

manu is out but he's not a defensive force. Bowen was here and was almost as efficient as in the past. Pop, the gameplan and the roster have not changed so much.

i see only a reason there: Tim has lost a huge step in anchoring our defense, and even in one on one (even if that won't be too obvious in this serie considering who tim is defending). People won't admit it since it's Tim, but it's a fact.

the solution: give Tim, who has been doing the work inside by himself for too long, some help inside. KT on defense and Gooden on offense are supposed to help, but in G1, they both played poorly so....

I disagree. I think our perimeter defense has been a lot worse, especially since Bowen has not seen that many minutes. That allows penetration too easily and exposes our bigs. And the reality is that with the exception of Kurt in the latter part of the season, nobody has helped Duncan man the middle. Bonner is soft, and they go at him because you know he's a liability. There's so much Duncan can do to counter that.

[kace]

He was ready to put up 40 last night. Until Barea came in and he couldn't shake him off the dribble. That got into his head. Tony was forcing the issue when all he needed to do is play his game. Tony is the #1 reason we're playing this series, but sometimes he can't just read and adjust to certain situations in the game.

i agree that Barea staying in front of him, with a lot of annoying things such as flopping, seemed to bother tony. and that's not the first game we see that.


I disagree. I think our perimeter defense has been a lot worse, especially since Bowen has not seen that many minutes. That allows penetration too easily and exposes our bigs. And the reality is that with the exception of Kurt in the latter part of the season, nobody has helped Duncan man the middle. Bonner is soft, and they go at him because you know he's a liability. There's so much Duncan can do to counter that.

Bruce was in. he played 23 minutes, not as much as in the past but still a decent PT. and he was pretty good. Tim has lost a step on defense. i won't blame him for that but that's my opinion. he still find ways to be damn clutch on defense but he can't be as consistent as in the past.

[mytespurs]

Go Kori!!!! Great analysis!:toast

My thoughts.....with all the ranting that pop sucks/bonner sucks/trade duncan, etc., etc., don't forget....it's only 1 game!!!!!

I do think that Game 2 is important. The Spurs need to win that one to regain homecourt advantage and go into Dallas w/some momentum. If not, then I don't know if they'll make it. I believe in Pop so one should never say never but it wouldn't look good.

Go Spurs!!

[Fabbs]

Though many of you think Pop sucks, he doesn't. But he can be stubborn. He has to be willing to adjust and not adjust by going small.
At what point is failure to adjust = sucking?

poop
heres a description of game 2:

1.despite criticism, despite all, pop starts bonner.

2.spurs come out agressive, end 1st up 7-10.

3.pop puts mason as PG. offnese dies. mavs come out in 2nd and cut lead to nothing by the half.

4.bonner starts 3rd, gooden,thomas,bowen do not. mavs go on run and take the lead after spurs go 3-4 minutes without a FG.

5. in response to the mav's run, pop changes nothing. despite barea scoring run, Hill remains on the bench.

6. 3 minutes left in 3rd, bowen, gooden, thomas come in. spurs fight back and tie it up, capped off with gooden dunk. gooden comes out and is sat.

7. 4th quarter pop again starts bonner. no bowen, thomas. dirk, mavs go on run and go up 6.

8. 7 min left in game, spurs down. finally parker is put in. still no hill. no bowen. barea contiunes to score.

9. spurs lose by 8-10.

10. bonner = 33 min, 3pts,3rb,5 fouls. meanwhile bowen+thomas+gooden = 25 min.
geaorge hill = 0 min. barea = 20pts, 15 in 2nd half.

[tmtcsc]

you know you're a superstar when a 24-8 game is called a "no shows".

I guess you didn't see the "slow show" part. That means he gets off to a slow start but at the end of the day his numbers look decent. At his position, he dictates pace and aggressiveness. He was a "slow show" in the second home game against the Lakers this year. That helped us get into an 18 pt hole.





why did we lost a step on defense ?

manu is out but he's not a defensive force. Bowen was here and was almost as efficient as in the past. Pop, the gameplan and the roster have not changed so much.

Why ?

Several reasons.

1. Tim is slowed by his injury
2. Bruce has lost a step. He's still a good defender but it is tougher for him to stay in front of his opponent and it leads to him fouling and/or holding. He still needs more playing time though.
3. New players: Gooden and Mason - The just aren't that good on Defense.
4. Old PLayers: Just don't have the legs to chase and cover and switch on D.
5. No Manu. -- He offers chaos and forces turnovers.
6. Matt Bonner - Poor defensive player. Lacks technique and athleticism to cover. If he isn't scoring, he is worthless. He tries but he just can't cut it. He's a terrible rebounder too.

[Kori Ellis]

Tony Parker has had his best season as a Spur and has been outstanding. If it wasn't for him we wouldn't have even made the playoffs. However, throughout his career, his performance has been peppered by "no shows" or "slow shows" in big games. Yesterday, we got the same thing. This time, there's no Speedy Claxton to turn to or Manu Ginobili to bail us out.

:lol It's like you haven't watched any playoff games since 2005.

[ElNono]

i agree that Barea staying in front of him, with a lot of annoying things such as flopping, seemed to bother tony. and that's not the first game we see that.

That's correct. And in years past, when Tony struggled with his jumper, it was excusable. But nowadays, he's perfectly capable of mixing it up, and he didn't. Like other people said, he should be able to adjust after watching some tape.


Bruce was in. he played 23 minutes, not as much as in the past but still a decent PT. and he was pretty good. Tim has lost a step on defense. i won't blame him for that but that's my opinion. he still find ways to be damn clutch on defense but he can't be as consistent as in the past.

I disagree with your opinion.

[tmtcsc]

Part 2: Birdseye Analysis

As a fan, I've been hoping that this team would come together and show signs of playing better and finding another level. The truth is, they haven't. Besides Tim and Tony, Mason has been solid, but that's it. Bonner had a nice 5 game streak but Manu's injury issues kept this team trying to cope and find an identity in his absence.

Of this year's playoff teams, there is one A team and that's the Lakers. They are healthy, they have been playing cohesively all season and seem determined to win it all.
IMO, they will. -- Trust me, I hate to admit that because this is not the best Laker team we have seen and I just can't get used to hearing them regarded as the best in the west. I still think that if we were 100% healthy, we could beat them. But we aren't and that's that.

The Spurs, Jazz, Hornets and Mavs are all C teams. The Blazers and Rockets are B teams and the Nuggets are B-.

I don't think the series with Dallas is over and I wouldn't be shocked either way (winning it or losing it) with the outcome. I'm just tired of kidding myself that this team might find another level and make a run at this. They can't and they won't.

This is no fun. Our unlikely win over the Hornets was telling. It showed that we have experience and character but it also showed that we need to rely on other teams making mistakes in order for us to win.

We cannot dictate anything anymore. We are at the mercy of the other team playing worse than us. -- That sucks.

[bulletedge]

The Mavs are going nowhere this year- just like the past two...but I sure did enjoy last night

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

I don't think changing the personnel would have changed much tonight. The Spurs basically tried to take away Dirk and Terry and force someone else to beat them. Tonight, someone else did.

So the question now is do the Spurs stick with that strategy? And can the Mavs other players continue to come through? Or do the Spurs switch to a more conventional defense?

To be honest, I don't know what I'd do if I were Pop.

The difference is, we had to double both Dirk and Terry to do it. Hill's got enough defensive skills to check Terry without help, and Gooden looked good against Dirk straight up in the limited stretch where he was in that matchup.

Oh, and it's not like Dirk had to expend any energy to play any defense at all covering Bonner :lol

[tmtcsc]

:lol It's like you haven't watched any playoff games since 2005.

I've seen them all. Granted, he played great against the Cavs in 2007 but the team we have now needs much more from him. The competition we faced in the 2007 playoffs was weak, all the way up to the Cavs.

He's been carrying the offensive load most of the year but I'm not shocked when he plays lackluster. Why is that ? Are you surprised when he isn't aggressive on offense ? When ever he had one of those games, we always had someone to pick up the slack. We don't have that anymore.

[Kori Ellis]

I've seen them all. Granted, he played great against the Cavs in 2007 but the team we have now needs much more from him. The competition we faced in the 2007 playoffs was weak, all the way up to the Cavs.

He's been carrying the offensive load most of the year but I'm not shocked when he plays lackluster. Why is that ? Are you surprised when he isn't aggressive on offense ? When ever he had one of those games, we always had someone to pick up the slack. We don't have that anymore.

He was actually very aggressive in the first half yesterday. Even in the first quarter when he went 0-for-4 to start, he was pretty much getting to the rim. So that doesn't really qualify as a "slow show". He just got tired in the second half.

The reason I said haven't you watched since 2005, is because no one has "bailed him out" in a long long time.

[MaNu4Tres]

As for the game, all of you who thought the Spurs were going to blow by the Mavs are crazy. This is going to be a long series. I honestly thought the Spurs wouldn't have a chance if Pop didn't play Bowen, but he did. So that's a good sign. (Even though it took Udoka f'ing up within a minute of getting on the floor in order to get Bowen subbed in.)

The Spurs need to re-think a lot of things.

Starting Lineup should be Duncan/Gooden/Bowen/Finley/Parker. I don't really care if it's Finley or Mason, but Mason can't really guard anyone and Finley isn't a good bench guy. So Finley it is.

Bonner is doing nothing offensively or defensively. He hasn't earned a minute on the floor. Gooden is starting to play well with Tony, and the Spurs need as much O as they can get. And though he's not a good defender, he's actually getting to the right spots and can hold his ground.

Parker's slow start (he went 0-4 to start the game) can't happen again. He was really inconsistent in this game, though 9-22 isn't as bad as people are making it out to be. He also needs to pull out his playoff defense. Also more and more pick and rolls for Duncan/Parker combination.

Fluke shots vs Lights Out. Though the Mavs played really well, they also had their share of fluke shots (Bass off the top of the backboard, etc.) But hey, don't rationalize it by saying that "those shots won't happen again." Spurs aren't going to shoot lights out from 3 again either. So put away the "fluke card."

Bowen's D. I cannot express the importance of Bowen logging big minutes in this series. I know... the majority of you thought he was done. He's not. And even if he's slower than before, he's the best thing the Spurs have. He does a fantastic job fronting Dirk, plus he can play the quickness of Terry. Bowen has to see 30+ minutes a game. Don't worry about his legs giving out. He's been resting all year, he is retiring soon, so it's time for him to lay it all out in a blaze of glory.

The Backup Point Guard. Got damn. Tony Parker has been in the league for almost a decade now :lol and had a backup point guard for like 20 games in the form of Speedy Claxton. I do not care how bad George Hill can possibly be... I want to see him try. Mason doesn't cut it as a backup point and I don't even want to see Pop glancing toward Vaughn. Hill's length will be able to do something against the Mavs. I know it will.

Thaw Out Oberto. Crazy, right? Not so much. Oberto is a playoff performer. Thaw him out and play him a few minutes a game and give Bonner a seat on the bench guarding the gatorade. I'm not saying that Oberto should get major minutes, just put him in the rotation for spot minutes. The main big man rotation should be Duncan/Gooden/Thomas.

Rick Carlisle vs Gregg Popovich. I haven't been a fan of Rick Carlisle since he called me out on the radio, but he coached a smart game. Though many of you think Pop sucks, he doesn't. But he can be stubborn. He has to be willing to adjust and not adjust by going small.

In conclusion...

More Gooden on the floor with Duncan.
More Duncan/Parker pick and rolls.
Less Bonner.
Lots of Bowen.

The series will still be long and I don't know who will win, but it will be fun to watch.

:toast

Agreed 100 percent

[Das Texan]

Kori

I dont know if its been said...


But do we really want Bonner guarding the gatorade? He might not have much success at that neither with the way he is playing right now.

[Obstructed_View]

Kori

I dont know if its been said...


But do we really want Bonner guarding the gatorade? He might not have much success at that neither with the way he is playing right now.

I believe the point is, with Bonner guarding the Gatorade, everybody gets a drink.

[Kamnik]

Stoping Barea to play like the second coming of John Stockton/Might Mouse would be also good to add to Kori's list....

[Das Texan]

I believe the point is, with Bonner guarding the Gatorade, everybody gets a drink.



true but you never know, some fan might take the gatorade leaving none for timmy, tony et al

[rayray2k8]

Good stuff.
I wouldn't mind seeing Oberto in the lineup if it meant less Bonner.
It's pretty obvious that we need to insert Hill in the rotation somehow.
Mason can not create for others and he's really a SG. Let's keep it that way.
So basicly, More Gooden/Bowen, insert Hill, playoff timmy, Parker to carry the team.
and BURY that piece of shit Bonner!!

[Borosai]

Stoping Barea to play like the second coming of John Stockton/Might Mouse would be also good to add to Kori's list....

It seems everyone around here (minus the Pop apologists) realizes what's going on out there, but Pop is sticking to his guns. Parker is great and young and all, but you can't expect him to attack the way he does for 40 mins, and then defend Frodo as well: that's ridiculous. Parker needs a break too, and Hill is perfect for that.

[DPG21920]

Gooden will make Dirk work on the defensive end. He also rebounds better than Bonner and gets to the FT line. That is why I like the idea of Gooden, Duncan, Bowen, Mason/Fin, TP.

[ploto]

Dallas' victory was not a surprise. They aren't going anywhere in the playoffs either.
I told people earlier in the season when they got all exicted about a last minute defeat of Dallas that it meant nothing- that is, comparing oneself to Dallas as if it had any merit.

[tp2021]

I had all the same thoughts as Kori, with a few others.

Ball movement was almost non-existant. Fin and Mase were shooting great from 3, but nobody was looking for them. When this team moves the ball well, good things happen. It's that simple. There was too much Tony 1-on-1 and Tim 1-on-1.

Tony was Barea's bitch, essentially.

At times, it seemed the Spurs weren't giving 100%. The Spurs should never have their effort questioned in the playoffs if they want to win.

To quote an angry ST enthusiast, butt-fucking Spurs!!!! [/rant]

[Laker-fan-in-SanAnto]

Well I found the Mavs 2006 championship ring!!!!
http://i735.photobucket.com/albums/ww359/carlos12806/mavsring.jpg?t=1240191442