duncan228
04-25-2009, 10:41 PM
Dallas Mavericks are in control of series (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/basketball/mavs/stories/042609dnspocowlishaw.3564194.html)
Tim Cowlishaw
Dallas Morning News
It's hard to think that the craziest of all the NBA's first-round series is anything but over.
The San Antonio Spurs get 68 points from Tim Duncan and Tony Parker Saturday in Game 4.
Not enough.
The Dallas Mavericks get 22 points on 7-of-26 shooting from Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry.
More than plenty.
The Mavericks gained firm control of the series with a 99-90 victory to take a 3-1 lead heading back to San Antonio on Tuesday.
Maybe the Spurs win that game because it's their home floor and a team with a championship pedigree still has some pride. Or maybe they win because Duncan goes off on Ryan Hollins after Hollins got a technical Saturday for taunting Duncan after a dunk.
Taunting Tim Duncan, Ryan? Really?
Regardless, the Spurs aren't going to suddenly find the weapons they need to complement their big two, forced to play without Manu Ginobili. And the Mavericks? They can find points all over the place.
"We're missing Manu, and that's a big part of what we do offensively," Parker said, after pouring in 43 points in 41 minutes. "They have a lot more weapons than us. Our focus is limiting Dirk and Jason Terry, and overall we're doing good.
"But it's the other guys that are killing us."
On Saturday, those other guys were led by Josh Howard, who had a great explosive game with 28 points. Eleven of those points came at the foul line, which tells you that Howard was slashing his way to the rim, the thing he does best.
"What he brings to our team is not replaceable," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said.
J.J. Barea continues to hit key shots. He and Antoine Wright each had nine points. Even Erick Dampier had 10. And Jason Kidd hit three 3s to total 17 points to go with seven rebounds and seven assists.
"Other guys have picked up for Dirk as much as we leaned on him all season," Kidd said. "People can say Dirk isn't scoring enough, but I think he's playing the game the right way. I don't think he has to score 30 for us to win, and you see that in this series."
Thirty? Heck, his high game is 20. Double-teamed almost constantly, Nowitzki is averaging 16.2 points. If that happens in any playoff series in recent memory, the Mavericks lose.
But the Mavericks' defense in the last two games was very good, even if they let Parker go a little crazy in the first half Saturday with 31 points. The Spurs are getting no contributions from others.
Roger Mason, a starter much of the season who had a 23-point game against Dallas during the regular season, was a total liability Saturday. In 17 minutes, Mason got no points, one rebound, one assist, two turnovers and three fouls.
The Spurs not named Duncan or Parker shot 6-for-28. Under no circumstances is that going to give San Antonio a chance to win.
"We did a lot of things we wanted to do," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "They made 3s, and we didn't. They made free throws, and we didn't. That's the game."
And this is the end for San Antonio maybe Tuesday but for sure by Friday.
To paraphrase Rick Pitino when he was Celtics coach, Manu Ginobili's not walking through that door. Parker may be at the peak of his career, but we can see Duncan is beyond it.
And some of their teammates who need to be stepping up the way the Mavericks' supporting cast has gotten it done in this series just aren't capable of making it happen.
Tim Cowlishaw
Dallas Morning News
It's hard to think that the craziest of all the NBA's first-round series is anything but over.
The San Antonio Spurs get 68 points from Tim Duncan and Tony Parker Saturday in Game 4.
Not enough.
The Dallas Mavericks get 22 points on 7-of-26 shooting from Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry.
More than plenty.
The Mavericks gained firm control of the series with a 99-90 victory to take a 3-1 lead heading back to San Antonio on Tuesday.
Maybe the Spurs win that game because it's their home floor and a team with a championship pedigree still has some pride. Or maybe they win because Duncan goes off on Ryan Hollins after Hollins got a technical Saturday for taunting Duncan after a dunk.
Taunting Tim Duncan, Ryan? Really?
Regardless, the Spurs aren't going to suddenly find the weapons they need to complement their big two, forced to play without Manu Ginobili. And the Mavericks? They can find points all over the place.
"We're missing Manu, and that's a big part of what we do offensively," Parker said, after pouring in 43 points in 41 minutes. "They have a lot more weapons than us. Our focus is limiting Dirk and Jason Terry, and overall we're doing good.
"But it's the other guys that are killing us."
On Saturday, those other guys were led by Josh Howard, who had a great explosive game with 28 points. Eleven of those points came at the foul line, which tells you that Howard was slashing his way to the rim, the thing he does best.
"What he brings to our team is not replaceable," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said.
J.J. Barea continues to hit key shots. He and Antoine Wright each had nine points. Even Erick Dampier had 10. And Jason Kidd hit three 3s to total 17 points to go with seven rebounds and seven assists.
"Other guys have picked up for Dirk as much as we leaned on him all season," Kidd said. "People can say Dirk isn't scoring enough, but I think he's playing the game the right way. I don't think he has to score 30 for us to win, and you see that in this series."
Thirty? Heck, his high game is 20. Double-teamed almost constantly, Nowitzki is averaging 16.2 points. If that happens in any playoff series in recent memory, the Mavericks lose.
But the Mavericks' defense in the last two games was very good, even if they let Parker go a little crazy in the first half Saturday with 31 points. The Spurs are getting no contributions from others.
Roger Mason, a starter much of the season who had a 23-point game against Dallas during the regular season, was a total liability Saturday. In 17 minutes, Mason got no points, one rebound, one assist, two turnovers and three fouls.
The Spurs not named Duncan or Parker shot 6-for-28. Under no circumstances is that going to give San Antonio a chance to win.
"We did a lot of things we wanted to do," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "They made 3s, and we didn't. They made free throws, and we didn't. That's the game."
And this is the end for San Antonio maybe Tuesday but for sure by Friday.
To paraphrase Rick Pitino when he was Celtics coach, Manu Ginobili's not walking through that door. Parker may be at the peak of his career, but we can see Duncan is beyond it.
And some of their teammates who need to be stepping up the way the Mavericks' supporting cast has gotten it done in this series just aren't capable of making it happen.