timvp
04-28-2009, 06:17 AM
Heading into Game 5, there are no longer any secrets for either the Spurs or the Mavericks. The battle lines have been drawn. The important indicators for each team have been located. It now comes down to a competition of execution, energy and heart.
For the Spurs to get back into this series, they need to successfully do the things that have been obvious since the start of the series:
1) Establish Duncan
Tim Duncan has yet to force the Mavs to double-team him. He played better in Game 4 but he's still not dominating to the point that Dallas is forced to send help. If Duncan can elevate his game to that level, everything else offensively will get much easier.
2) Let Parker Shine
The Spurs simply don't have enough options at this point to survive without an aggressive Parker. The Spurs need their point guard to keep pouring in at least 30 points a night for the team to have a fighting chance. After the frustrating Game 4 loss, Parker needs to bounce back and be ready with his hardhat once again.
3) Get Production from Role Players
The Mavs have the better role players - that's obvious. But the Spurs need at least a couple of their role players to step up to the challenge. If Duncan and Parker can play like they did in Game 4, it'd only take one or two role players playing up to the capabilities to get a win.
4) Keep the Mavs out of the Lane
When San Antonio's defense is at its best, they are able to turn the Mavs into a jumpshooting team. But whenever the Mavs get into the paint, the Spurs simply can't hang. Not only do the Mavs get shots near the basket, they also are able to rebound on the offensive glass against a scrambling defense.
5) Rebound
In this series, whichever team grabs more boards has a massive advantage. When the Mavs are corralling rebounds by the dozens, that means the Spurs are missing shots and not taking care of the defensive glass. When the Spurs are running smoothly, they should be able to handily out-rebound the Mavs - as was seen in Game 2.
Here's what the Spurs need from each player:
Tim Duncan
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3173.jpg
As mentioned above, Tim Duncan has to command a double-team if the Spurs want a significant chance to win this series. Take Duncan's typical superstar presence out of this team's offensive attack and it'd take a Jordian effort from Parker to claim three straight victories. On the other end, Duncan has to do a much better job on the defensive glass than he did in Game 4. The Spurs can't afford for him to lose battles to Erick Dampier and Ryan Hollins.
-------------------------------
Tony Parker
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3527.jpg
Tony Parker just needs to stay confident and determined. He can't take his foot off the gas or start deferring too much. Parker in attack mode creating for himself and others is the only way the Spurs can score enough points to win. Each game, he'll need to be generate at least 45 points of offense and hope the others can pick up the slack. In Game 5, he needs to get right back to what he was doing in Game 4.
-------------------------------
Bruce Bowen
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3167.jpg
Back in the starting lineup, Bruce Bowen's primary job to start the contest will be to keep J.J. Barea from getting into the paint. With Barea, you want to force him to shoot contested jumpers. Once he gets momentum heading to the rim, he's a threat to finish or dish to an open player. Additionally, even if Barea misses a layup, that has usually resulted in an offensive rebound due to the bigmen going for the blocked shot. Bowen could be asked to switch onto anyone from Dirk Nowitzki to Jason Terry depending on who's hot.
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Michael Finley
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3023.jpg
After furthering his Mavericks legacy in the last two games in Dallas, Michael Finley really needs to help out the hometeam on Tuesday. At the very least, he needs to knock down a few three-pointers and stop Josh Howard from playing like LeBron James. As the most experienced offensive role player on the team, Finley should be the first in line to step up. We'll see if he's up for the challenge.
-------------------------------
Matt Bonner
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3748.jpg
Let's start off with the good news. Defensively, Matt Bonner has been solid. He's getting a lot of assistance but he's doing a good job of making Nowitzki work. On the other end, it's been a disaster for Bonner. He's passing up shots and bricking the ones he actually releases. A hot shooting game would be great to see, however that seems highly unlikely at this point.
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Roger Mason, Jr.
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3628.jpg
The Spurs needed Roger Mason, Jr. to be the team's third dependable option on the offensive end during these playoffs. In Game 4, Mason responded with a goose egg in the scoring column. If he's coming off the bench as the backup point guard again, he can't play as horribly as he did in Dallas. No matter what position he's playing, Mason needs to fire early and fire often. Given his lack of playmaking skills, I'd be fine with Mason coming down the court and shooting it every time. At least the offense wouldn't stagnate to the point of embarrassment.
-------------------------------
Kurt Thomas
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3012.jpg
Kurt Thomas continues to be the first bigman off the bench but he's hardly done anything to earn minutes. He needs to rebound better, help out a little bit on the offense end and overall just play like a more experienced player. He's fouling and finding himself of position too much. A breakout performance would be very much appreciated.
-------------------------------
Drew Gooden
http://spurstalk.com/drew-gooden-spurs.jpg
In the two games in Dallas, Drew Gooden played very bad basketball. He got repeatedly outplayed by Brandon Bass when the two players were matched up. Gooden wasn't just making mental mistakes, he wasn't doing anything physically of note, either. Back in front of the home crowd, hopefully we'll see more of that play that we saw out of him in the first two games. The Spurs could really use Gooden creating shots for himself, especially when the bench unit is on the court.
-------------------------------
Ime Udoka
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3501.jpg
Ime Udoka has had some decent moments. He defended Nowitzki pretty well and his rebounding has been solid. The problem is his 4-for-16 shooting on the offensive end, which includes 0-for-6 shooting from three-point territory. Udoka shoots too often for him to be able to make up poor shooting on the defensive end.
-------------------------------
George Hill
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/4488.jpg
In the fourth quarter of Game 4, George Hill illustrated what he's capable of doing. He helps the Spurs become a more flexible team on both ends of the court. Hill might have earned more playing time, however it wouldn't surprise me if he gets a DNP-CD in Game 5. Pop seems extremely reluctant to put Hill on the court.
-------------------------------
Fabricio Oberto
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3988.jpg
Fabricio Oberto probably won't be a part of the rotation but there's a chance due to the second unit's struggles. He's a good passer who could help keep the team afloat until Parker or Duncan is ready to regain control of the reins.
-------------------------------
Gregg Popovich
http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/topstory/sports/popovich_gregg030428.jpg
Hopefully Pop adjusts to what has worked so far in this series. Less Finley, Udoka, Thomas and Bonner to go with more Bowen, Mason, Gooden and Hill makes a lot of sense. Pop also needs to make sure he keeps enough rebounders on the court at all times.
-------------------------------
Offense
Parker has to remain the top option. Duncan needs to be aggressive when he gets his touches. A handful of scores on the low block and then the Mavs would have to start sending double-teams, which could then open the floodgates. Beyond those two players, hopefully someone like Mason, Finley or Gooden decides to show up this game.
Defense
As much as Nowitzki and Terry have been held in check, you have to think that they are due for a breakout game. With that in mind, it's even more important to get a handle on the other players. At the beginning of each half, Howard has to be keyed on. Barea and Bass also can't go off. And perhaps most importantly, the Spurs have to keep the Mavs off the offensive glass.
Drive to Five
It's now or never. I'm not ready for Cancun. Hopefully I'm not the only one and the Spurs will send this thing back to Dallas.
1.
Believe.
For the Spurs to get back into this series, they need to successfully do the things that have been obvious since the start of the series:
1) Establish Duncan
Tim Duncan has yet to force the Mavs to double-team him. He played better in Game 4 but he's still not dominating to the point that Dallas is forced to send help. If Duncan can elevate his game to that level, everything else offensively will get much easier.
2) Let Parker Shine
The Spurs simply don't have enough options at this point to survive without an aggressive Parker. The Spurs need their point guard to keep pouring in at least 30 points a night for the team to have a fighting chance. After the frustrating Game 4 loss, Parker needs to bounce back and be ready with his hardhat once again.
3) Get Production from Role Players
The Mavs have the better role players - that's obvious. But the Spurs need at least a couple of their role players to step up to the challenge. If Duncan and Parker can play like they did in Game 4, it'd only take one or two role players playing up to the capabilities to get a win.
4) Keep the Mavs out of the Lane
When San Antonio's defense is at its best, they are able to turn the Mavs into a jumpshooting team. But whenever the Mavs get into the paint, the Spurs simply can't hang. Not only do the Mavs get shots near the basket, they also are able to rebound on the offensive glass against a scrambling defense.
5) Rebound
In this series, whichever team grabs more boards has a massive advantage. When the Mavs are corralling rebounds by the dozens, that means the Spurs are missing shots and not taking care of the defensive glass. When the Spurs are running smoothly, they should be able to handily out-rebound the Mavs - as was seen in Game 2.
Here's what the Spurs need from each player:
Tim Duncan
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3173.jpg
As mentioned above, Tim Duncan has to command a double-team if the Spurs want a significant chance to win this series. Take Duncan's typical superstar presence out of this team's offensive attack and it'd take a Jordian effort from Parker to claim three straight victories. On the other end, Duncan has to do a much better job on the defensive glass than he did in Game 4. The Spurs can't afford for him to lose battles to Erick Dampier and Ryan Hollins.
-------------------------------
Tony Parker
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3527.jpg
Tony Parker just needs to stay confident and determined. He can't take his foot off the gas or start deferring too much. Parker in attack mode creating for himself and others is the only way the Spurs can score enough points to win. Each game, he'll need to be generate at least 45 points of offense and hope the others can pick up the slack. In Game 5, he needs to get right back to what he was doing in Game 4.
-------------------------------
Bruce Bowen
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3167.jpg
Back in the starting lineup, Bruce Bowen's primary job to start the contest will be to keep J.J. Barea from getting into the paint. With Barea, you want to force him to shoot contested jumpers. Once he gets momentum heading to the rim, he's a threat to finish or dish to an open player. Additionally, even if Barea misses a layup, that has usually resulted in an offensive rebound due to the bigmen going for the blocked shot. Bowen could be asked to switch onto anyone from Dirk Nowitzki to Jason Terry depending on who's hot.
-------------------------------
Michael Finley
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3023.jpg
After furthering his Mavericks legacy in the last two games in Dallas, Michael Finley really needs to help out the hometeam on Tuesday. At the very least, he needs to knock down a few three-pointers and stop Josh Howard from playing like LeBron James. As the most experienced offensive role player on the team, Finley should be the first in line to step up. We'll see if he's up for the challenge.
-------------------------------
Matt Bonner
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3748.jpg
Let's start off with the good news. Defensively, Matt Bonner has been solid. He's getting a lot of assistance but he's doing a good job of making Nowitzki work. On the other end, it's been a disaster for Bonner. He's passing up shots and bricking the ones he actually releases. A hot shooting game would be great to see, however that seems highly unlikely at this point.
-------------------------------
Roger Mason, Jr.
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3628.jpg
The Spurs needed Roger Mason, Jr. to be the team's third dependable option on the offensive end during these playoffs. In Game 4, Mason responded with a goose egg in the scoring column. If he's coming off the bench as the backup point guard again, he can't play as horribly as he did in Dallas. No matter what position he's playing, Mason needs to fire early and fire often. Given his lack of playmaking skills, I'd be fine with Mason coming down the court and shooting it every time. At least the offense wouldn't stagnate to the point of embarrassment.
-------------------------------
Kurt Thomas
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3012.jpg
Kurt Thomas continues to be the first bigman off the bench but he's hardly done anything to earn minutes. He needs to rebound better, help out a little bit on the offense end and overall just play like a more experienced player. He's fouling and finding himself of position too much. A breakout performance would be very much appreciated.
-------------------------------
Drew Gooden
http://spurstalk.com/drew-gooden-spurs.jpg
In the two games in Dallas, Drew Gooden played very bad basketball. He got repeatedly outplayed by Brandon Bass when the two players were matched up. Gooden wasn't just making mental mistakes, he wasn't doing anything physically of note, either. Back in front of the home crowd, hopefully we'll see more of that play that we saw out of him in the first two games. The Spurs could really use Gooden creating shots for himself, especially when the bench unit is on the court.
-------------------------------
Ime Udoka
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3501.jpg
Ime Udoka has had some decent moments. He defended Nowitzki pretty well and his rebounding has been solid. The problem is his 4-for-16 shooting on the offensive end, which includes 0-for-6 shooting from three-point territory. Udoka shoots too often for him to be able to make up poor shooting on the defensive end.
-------------------------------
George Hill
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/4488.jpg
In the fourth quarter of Game 4, George Hill illustrated what he's capable of doing. He helps the Spurs become a more flexible team on both ends of the court. Hill might have earned more playing time, however it wouldn't surprise me if he gets a DNP-CD in Game 5. Pop seems extremely reluctant to put Hill on the court.
-------------------------------
Fabricio Oberto
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3988.jpg
Fabricio Oberto probably won't be a part of the rotation but there's a chance due to the second unit's struggles. He's a good passer who could help keep the team afloat until Parker or Duncan is ready to regain control of the reins.
-------------------------------
Gregg Popovich
http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/topstory/sports/popovich_gregg030428.jpg
Hopefully Pop adjusts to what has worked so far in this series. Less Finley, Udoka, Thomas and Bonner to go with more Bowen, Mason, Gooden and Hill makes a lot of sense. Pop also needs to make sure he keeps enough rebounders on the court at all times.
-------------------------------
Offense
Parker has to remain the top option. Duncan needs to be aggressive when he gets his touches. A handful of scores on the low block and then the Mavs would have to start sending double-teams, which could then open the floodgates. Beyond those two players, hopefully someone like Mason, Finley or Gooden decides to show up this game.
Defense
As much as Nowitzki and Terry have been held in check, you have to think that they are due for a breakout game. With that in mind, it's even more important to get a handle on the other players. At the beginning of each half, Howard has to be keyed on. Barea and Bass also can't go off. And perhaps most importantly, the Spurs have to keep the Mavs off the offensive glass.
Drive to Five
It's now or never. I'm not ready for Cancun. Hopefully I'm not the only one and the Spurs will send this thing back to Dallas.
1.
Believe.