Initial Reaction: Spurs vs. Mavs - Jan. 8

[timvp]

The San Antonio Spurs looked like they had this one. Up 13 points in the third and ten to begin the fourth period, the Spurs ended up getting annihilated in the fourth quarter. The defense fell apart, the offense got stagnate and the Mavs -- particularly Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry -- got red hot. The Mavs outscored the Spurs 42-23 in the fourth quarter and won the game 112-103.

-Tim Duncan can't be blamed for this loss. He played very well in his 39 minutes. With Duncan on the court, the Spurs outscored the Mavs by five. With him on the bench in nine minutes, the Spurs were outscored by 14.

-Manu Ginobili was very good to begin the game. He was attacking relentlessly and was making smart plays. However, his game fell off a cliff late in the contest. His 34 minutes of action were probably too much and fatigue got the best of him.

-Tony Parker came out aggressive but he definitely peaked early on. His decision making in the second half left a lot to be desired and he wasn't helping the comeback effort in the fourth quarter. To make matters worse, he seemed to lose confidence late in the game.

-Richard Jefferson put up ten points in the first half and played stellar defense through three quarter. But in the fourth, he made a couple of horrible defensive decisions and single-handedly got Nowitzki going by giving him open shots. His lack of rebounding also really hurt the Spurs.

-Keith Bogans hit both of his shots from the field but that was overshadowed by his five fouls in 23 minutes. If he's going to be the perimeter stopper, he can't commit so many dumb fouls on such a consistent basis. He also made a few very poor rotations in the fourth quarter.

-DeJuan Blair got the start at center but predictably was in foul trouble within two minutes thanks to being matched up against Nowitzki. He had a powerful dunk in the third quarter but that was about the extent of his contributions.

-Roger Mason, Jr. only got up five shots in his 24 minutes. To make up for his defensive struggles against the Mavs, he had to due more on the offensive end. He didn't play too poorly but he wasn't helping much, either.

-George Hill played inspired basketball, especially in the third quarter. He hit all three of his shots -- two three-pointers and a three-point play. Despite his quality play, in the guts of the game Hill was on the bench.

-Antonio McDyess was a key factor heading into the game and he failed to deliver. His defense on Nowitzki wasn't good and he too got in foul trouble. He didn't score on the offensive end and wasn't rebounding too well. Bad game.

-Theo Ratliff got minutes due to foul trouble. In his four minutes, Ratliff basically just got in the way and wasn't helping out on either end.

-Pop got ejected in the second quarter for arguing during a timeout. Considering how difficult it is for the Spurs to matchup against the Mavs, he picked a horrible time to hand the baton over to the assistant coaches.

-Coach Bud played the Big 4 too much and without the proper rest, the Spurs looked out of gas by the ten minute mark of the fourth quarter. Overall, his rotation in the second half including a number of head scratchers.

[ducks]

one key was only 7 turnovers for dallas
and 13 more shots then spurs
and made 3 threes in the 4 quarter in a row

[ducks]

one key was only 7 turnovers for dallas
and 13 more shots then spurs
and made 3 threes in the 4 quarter in a row

[Budkin]

Probably the most frustrating loss so far considering that it looked like we had the game and it was against the Mavs... what a kick in the nuts this season has been after the lofty expectations.

[Admidave50]

Very much appreciated after this tough loss. We got to swallow it and get ready for the Lakers. A win against a quality team will be so good for this team, at the same time the Lakers aren't playing that well now but I still hope we will win this game.

[Spurs Brazil]

Too much small ball, rebs killed us. But at the same time I can't blame coach Bud, Dice was terrible and Blair was a foul machine

For me 2 key moments

The tip in to end the 3rd

In the 4th we were up 5, TP drible, drible, shot, without running the O, missed, Dampier 3pt play, 2 pt game and it was downhill since then

[ducks]

one key inside the numbers was manu needed to score 19 he did not
he was minus 19 though

[DPG21920]

Timvp, what was your opinion on the defensive side of the ball overall (including the fourth)? Rebounding seemed to be the bigger issue. Spurs lost the overall rebounding battler, but more importantly the Mavs got a lot of offensive rebounds.

[z0sa]

what a kick in the nuts this season has been after the lofty expectations.

It's only January, but yeah I agree. It sucks. Our schedule has been absolutely easy, one of the easiest in the NBA.. at this point, one must agree the Spurs are underachieving.

[timvp]

I'm really disappointed in Pop. The Mavs are by far the most difficult team for the Spurs to scheme against and Pop picks this game to get ejected? The games against the Mavs are where Pop has to do by far the most coaching -- especially in the regular season.

Weak by Pop, even if Zack Zebra is making horrible calls both ways :td

[tlongII]

Thanks timvp! I always look forward to your "Initial Reaction"! Good stuff! :tu

[L.I.T]

one key inside the numbers was manu needed to score 19 he did not
he was minus 19 though

You really and truly are in love with this strange stat aren't you?

It seems to me that with Pop out of the game there were some in-game playing time management errors (ie, overplaying the Big 4 early and in the middle of the game so they were gassed by the end).

[timvp]

Timvp, what was your opinion on the defensive side of the ball overall (including the fourth)?

Defense was pretty darn good through three quarters. Not great but solid. Can't complain about holding Dirk to 3-for-16 through three.

The fourth though was bad. Jefferson made some stupid decisions early on, followed by bad decisions from Bogans ... and then it all just snowballed from there. McDyess didn't do anything positive either in the fourth quarter, which opened the floodgates.

But props to the Mavs. They played outstanding in the fourth quarter. They put the wood to the Spurs on both ends and definitely deserve the win. Capping the game off with that Dampier three was fitting.

[L.I.T]

I'm really disappointed in Pop. The Mavs are by far the most difficult team for the Spurs to scheme against and Pop picks this game to get ejected? The games against the Mavs are where Pop has to do by far the most coaching -- especially in the regular season.

Weak by Pop, even if Zack Zebra is making horrible calls both ways :td

+1

Agree completely.

[Shastafarian]

How do you feel about Turtle Head and his bitchness?

[DPG21920]

Calling the Damp 3 fitting is a lot nicer than I would put it :lol

[timvp]

How do you feel about Turtle Head and his bitchness?

If you would have gotten a Colt McCoy-esque "pinched nerve" when trying to trip Hill and was forced to miss the rest of the game, I would not have felt bad.

[Crazymaddopeyo]

Did anyone else have a problem with how long it was taking the assistant coach to call a time out?

[Duncan21kid]

Mate whats your opinion on a couple of really bad TP shots (fall away Js ) in the 4th and the fact that Manu and RJ bricked/airballed a few shots ? \What was the main reason for those ?

[Johnny RIngo]

Too much small ball, rebs killed us. But at the same time I can't blame coach Bud, Dice was terrible and Blair was a foul machine

For me 2 key moments

The tip in to end the 3rd

In the 4th we were up 5, TP drible, drible, shot, without running the O, missed, Dampier 3pt play, 2 pt game and it was downhill since then

This team is too dependent on Duncan. It really looks like he's the ONLY big man on the team. That isn't going to cut it against the top teams(like the Lakers).

Doesn't help that our backcourt(Parker/Manu) decide to under-perform against every top team.

[Shastafarian]

If you would have gotten a Colt McCoy-esque "pinched nerve" when trying to trip Hill and was forced to miss the rest of the game, I would not have felt bad.

Whatever I did I'm sorry.

[timvp]

Mate whats your opinion on a couple of really bad TP shots (fall away Js ) in the 4th and the fact that Manu and RJ bricked/airballed a few shots ? \What was the main reason for those ?

To me, it looked like a combination of taking their guards down early after entering the fourth with the double digit lead and fatigue. TP and Manu playing 38 and 34 minutes respectively were just too much. A few more minutes of rest in the third and it might have been a different story in the fourth. Manu specifically went from playing extremely well to a trainwreck after it appeared he lost his legs in the fourth. TP added to any fatigue issues by taking bad shots and dribbling too much.

RJ played above his season average in minutes as well but I don't think fatigue was as much of an issue with him. He just made bad mistakes early on in the fourth and he wasn't able to regain any type of levelheadedness before the final buzzer.

[timvp]

Whatever I did I'm sorry.

:lol Oops. I can't type straight when thinking of Jason Terry.

[Shastafarian]

I wonder if the hare raped the tortoise or something. How else can we explain how quick that turtle is?

[Flux451]

What a great feeling the 3rd quarter was...Spurs looked tired in the fourth. Mike B. expression explained it all though. Perplexed. As his rotations conveyed. Hill not playing late was not a good ideal though. Especially with Jet heating up.

Exactly though, bad timing Pop

[murpjf88]

This wasn't so much pops ejection that cost the spurs the game. It was a collective collaboration of the little things that lost them this game. The fourth quarter defense was atrocious. Their was very poor offensive execution. Allowing the mavs to get two and three shots at the basket. The spurs had a 13 point lead heading into the fourth quarter. This should of been in the win column with or without pop. Blaming pop is just an excuse for poor execution..

[HarlemHeat37]

Mavs had 50 points in the paint tonight and beat us on the glass..killed us with offensive boards..

The Spurs are 23rd in the NBA in points in the paint allowed..this is gonna go down even worse after this game..glaring issue that can't be resolved with the current players on this team..

This team can get to a high level if Tony and Manu ever decide to have a full game vs. +.500 teams, but we aren't winning anything relevant if we don't fix the issue inside..

[EricB]

Zarba tossed pop QUICK. I'd love to know why bud yanked George hill when he did. He was playing Terry well and was playing great rotation d too.

Still waiting for mcdyess to show up.... Very disheartening game from him.

[Flux451]

This wasn't so much pops ejection that cost the spurs the game. It was a collective collaboration of the little things that lost them this game. The fourth quarter defense was atrocious. Their was very poor offensive execution. Allowing the mavs to get two and three shots at the basket. The spurs had a 13 point lead heading into the fourth quarter. This should of been in the win column with or without pop. Blaming pop is just an excuse for poor execution..

Not really, poor substitutions from a deer in headlights played a major part in this lost. Pop can weigh into guys for playing poorly and make subs in meaningful moments.

[AFBlue]

I think you're unfairly putting too much emphasis on RJs fourth-quarter defense. You don't give up 42 points in a quarter and blame it on one or two players. The team defense was horrendous...

Nobody was closing out on three-point shooters, rotations were slow, defenders were getting picked and switching too easily, there was no effort on the boards...I could go on, but the bottom line is that it was just a downright failure by all involved.

It was just unfortunate that the Mavs' two best shooters got hot at the same time.

[Spurs Brazil]

The spurs had a 13 point lead heading into the fourth quarter. This should of been in the win column with or without pop. Blaming pop is just an excuse for poor execution..

It was a 10pt lead because of that stupid tip. I think that was a bad one for coach Bud. He should have put guys with more size to get that board

[Cant_Be_Faded]

Hill on the bench during crunch time was the biggest mistake they made over playing the big 4 all those minutes. He is the perfect foil to Terry, and Terry had a wide open three in the clutch moments of the game.
I've grown tired of Hill's bit lately but he works very well for this team against the Mavs, yall have to admit.

[dav4463]

Mavs hit some incredibly tough 3 pt shots down the stretch to win. I would take my chances in a 7 game series. You can win a couple by getting that hot, but even Mav fans would have to admit....that kind of hot shooting doesn't happen that often. Every single crazy 3 pt shot went in. There was nothing that could be done to stop that.

[EricB]

Hill on the bench during crunch time was the biggest mistake they made over playing the big 4 all those minutes. He is the perfect foil to Terry, and Terry had a wide open three in the clutch moments of the game.
I've grown tired of Hill's bit lately but he works very well for this team against the Mavs, yall have to admit.


What bit is this exactly?

[Cant_Be_Faded]

What bit is this exactly?

I meant by that his play in general. I was sipping on the GHill koolaid more than most on this board but even I will admit he's underperforming relative to expectations this season.
But regardless of that he is a very good matchup with the mavs because he can flat out deny Jason Terry the ball. That's why Terry got so frustrated today, in fact, I would have paid money to see Terry take a swipe at Hill. Hill would have floored that turtle headed fuckwit.

[timvp]

I think you're unfairly putting too much emphasis on RJs fourth-quarter defense. You don't give up 42 points in a quarter and blame it on one or two players. The team defense was horrendous...

Nobody was closing out on three-point shooters, rotations were slow, defenders were getting picked and switching too easily, there was no effort on the boards...I could go on, but the bottom line is that it was just a downright failure by all involved.

It was just unfortunate that the Mavs' two best shooters got hot at the same time.

You could be right but to me it appeared as if RJ was the chief reason why the momentum shifted at the beginning of the fourth. He made some really bad decisions that allowed Dirk to get rolling. Once Dirk got rolling, the Spurs couldn't stop him. Sending help allowed others to get open and the avalanche commenced.

[EricB]

Underperforming? Meh, I think expectations were too high to begin with.

[timvp]

This should of been in the win column with or without pop. Blaming pop is just an excuse for poor execution..

Coach Bud did a great job . . . . . . if the game was a 36 minute affair. He setup the fourth quarter demise by not giving his stars enough rest in the third.

[L.I.T]

Underperforming? Meh, I think expectations were too high to begin with.

His boards and defense have slipped overall compared to last year. So, in that regard I think he is underperforming.

But I do agree with you. He got overrated pretty fast.

[DPG21920]

I thought the Mavs hit some tought shots: Terry over Tim baseline, Dirk last second 3's...There were quite a few tough shots. But I guess when you get rolling the basket looks big.

[EricB]

Coach Bud did a great job . . . . . . if the game was a 36 minute affair. He setup the fourth quarter demise by not giving his stars enough rest in the third.


Yeah not playing hill at all in the fourth was just WTF esque.

[Sean Cagney]

one key inside the numbers was manu needed to score 19 he did not
he was minus 19 though

Yeah and Tony did so good late getting blocked and shooting threes! You always point the finger at Manu, but your Boy Parker has been FAR from perfect at times and does some really stupid things.

Watch you defend him again.

[Sean Cagney]

Mavs had 50 points in the paint tonight and beat us on the glass..killed us with offensive boards..

The Spurs are 23rd in the NBA in points in the paint allowed..this is gonna go down even worse after this game..glaring issue that can't be resolved with the current players on this team..

This team can get to a high level if Tony and Manu ever decide to have a full game vs. +.500 teams, but we aren't winning anything relevant if we don't fix the issue inside..

Thats just IT! People will have to accept and stop hating for now and admit it's not just either Manu or Tony but both that need to step up! Tim is the only great player we have on this team right now, nobody else is playing consistent at all.

[EricB]

Yeah and Tony did so good late getting blocked and shooting threes! You always point the finger at Manu, but your Boy Parker has been FAR from perfect at times and does some really stupid things.

Watch you defend him again.


And you morons keep taking the bait...

[Kori Ellis]

Spurs got gassed in the 4th, but you can't blame that whole atrocity of a collapse on Bud over playing the guys. Though the lineup that got the Spurs rolling in the 3rd had Hill and Tony on the court together.. I thought that Bud should have gone back to that in the 4th.

Dirk is too good to keep down for a whole game. So you had to know going into the 4th that if you gave him any light at the end of the tunnel, he was going to start rolling. After he hit a couple shots in the fourth on defensive lapses, I knew it was over because he starts getting every kind of shot, bounce, call, etc going his way. You can't let him get his rhythm. And then the team starts raining 3's - Kidd, Jet and Dirk all in back-to-back possessions. In the 4th, the Spurs were all discombobulated.. late on switches, getting in each other's way on both sides of the court, etc. I need to re-watch the fourth to watch again how they let this one get away from them so badly.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

The entire fourth quarter was a clusterfuck...the matchups were just flat out bogus

Also, props in a sense for sticking to a plan....but was it just me or were they constantly switching on EVERY PICK AND ROLL regardless of the situation.

Then when we try to turn the tables, Dirk freakin blocks McDyess under the basket. Weak. Mavs have our number right now, I'm gonna get tix to this next game and represent for sure. F those guys.

[timvp]

Usually Dirk kills the Spurs from the line in the fourth. And he hasn't recently hit many threes against the Spurs. In the fourth tonight, dude was just a flat out stud. Gotta tip the cap to that performance in the fourth. That's an example as why he might be most underrated clutch player of all time.

[xellos88330]

-George Hill played inspired basketball, especially in the third quarter. He hit all three of his shots -- two three-pointers and a three-point play. Despite his quality play, in the guts of the game Hill was on the bench.


I noticed this as well. Hill was playing solid the whole game. I kept expecting him to come back into the game but never saw it.

I loved how he shoved Terry (not because I can't stand the ninja turtle bastard), but because he showed that punk ass that he will fuck him up if he does that shit again. After that, Terry came up and apologized to Hill, and Hill accepted. I would have decked that mofo. This is the only thing I didn't like from Hill. He wasn't playing in the guts of the game anyway, might as well have made a statement.

[EricB]

Mason played a strange game. Started bad then started making shots and carving the macs up with great passes then started stinking again. Strange strange game from mason...

[SequSpur]

Nothing new...I'm glad you all finally got to watch a game.

Manu makes terrible decisions, Tony is lost in his new role, Duncan gets lost, Stupid substitutions, no flow, no passion, no heart, poor coaching...friday night game, home against the mavs, sold out, libraryesque crowd...

Welcome to the 2009-2010 Popovich Spurs.

[SequSpur]

BTW, if Tim Duncan had Jason Terry and Dirk Nowitsky next to him instead of the rest of these has beens and wish we coulds, they would win a championship easily.

[AFBlue]

Spurs got gassed in the 4th, but you can't blame that whole atrocity of a collapse on Bud over playing the guys. Though the lineup that got the Spurs rolling in the 3rd had Hill and Tony on the court together.. I thought that Bud should have gone back to that in the 4th.

Dirk is too good to keep down for a whole game. So you had to know going into the 4th that if you gave him any light at the end of the tunnel, he was going to start rolling. After he hit a couple shots in the fourth on defensive lapses, I knew it was over because he starts getting every kind of shot, bounce, call, etc going his way. You can't let him get his rhythm. And then the team starts raining 3's - Kidd, Jet and Dirk all in back-to-back possessions. In the 4th, the Spurs were all discombobulated.. late on switches, getting in each other's way on both sides of the court, etc. I need to re-watch the fourth to watch again how they let this one get away from them so badly.

Couldn't agree more.

I think "discombobulated" is the perfect word to describe the team on both ends of the court in the fourth quarter.

[SequSpur]

Couldn't agree more.

I think "discombobulated" is the perfect word to describe the team on both ends of the court in the fourth quarter.

it's nothing new...it's the new Spurs. they lack organization. the athleticism works against the shitty teams but against top tier talent, it doesn't cut it.

spurs teams don't lose to the mavs at home on a friday night and give up 42 in a qrtr to them...

change must come.

[SequSpur]

Gassed? Jason Terry goes off and Nowitsky go off and they are gassed?

No... Dallas is just better. They have proved it this year and they kicked the shit out of the spurs in the playoffs just months ago..

No excuses.. Spurs got the spanking the deserved.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

Usually Dirk kills the Spurs from the line in the fourth. And he hasn't recently hit many threes against the Spurs. In the fourth tonight, dude was just a flat out stud. Gotta tip the cap to that performance in the fourth. That's an example as why he might be most underrated clutch player of all time.

nahdah he gets his prahps

not on this board but he definitely gets recognition for being clutch.

you wanna know what really pisses me off about this whole thing is how the Spurs-Mavericks rivalry is NEVER on national tv anymore. It's like it doesn't matter and is inconsequential because it's a given the Lakers will win the west no matter what.

[TheChillFactor]

mcdyess has been a huge disappointment to me so far. i wasn't sure he was the guy we needed next to duncan, and now i'm sure he's not the guy. we need a 2nd legit big. the lakers will destroy us with their bigs.

RJ had a really stupid play on dirk in the 4th where dirk had nothing going and RJ overplayed him and let him get an easy shot. i don't think RJ has the brains to be a spurs player.

i'm really disappointed that this was our big makeover - RJ and McDyess. No fucking way we win a championship with this team. we need a trade - just my opinion.

[Blackjack]

Hell of an initial reaction.:tu


-Tim Duncan can't be blamed for this loss. He played very well in his 39 minutes. With Duncan on the court, the Spurs outscored the Mavs by five. With him on the bench in nine minutes, the Spurs were outscored by 14.

Funny thing is, he was only second in the +/-; lies, damn lies, and 'Dyess with a +9..


-Manu Ginobili was very good to begin the game. He was attacking relentlessly and was making smart plays. However, his game fell off a cliff late in the contest. His 34 minutes of action were probably too much and fatigue got the best of him.

-Tony Parker came out aggressive but he definitely peaked early on. His decision making in the second half left a lot to be desired and he wasn't helping the comeback effort in the fourth quarter. To make matters worse, he seemed to lose confidence late in the game.

I thought they both really came out of the gate playing with fire and on the verge of playing their best ball, but just never quite got over the top and on the same page. Manu did look to tire and Tony seemed to take a backseat and get lost in the fray as the game wore.

This game, for all the stats you can point to, was lost on account of guard-play at crucial moments. They had a chance to bury the Mavs early and late in the third, but failed to capitalize. Tony got happy feet, refused to reset and gain his composure to assess the defense and proceed with making the right decision, and both he and Manu took ill-advised, rushed shots when there was no need to; what should have been a 15-20 point lead coming into the fourth quarter became 10 with the Mavs having the ball to open. It's unacceptable for two veterans the caliber of Manu and Tony to be looking like a young, inexperienced tandem that doesn't know how to deal with success.


-Richard Jefferson put up ten points in the first half and played stellar defense through three quarter. But in the fourth, he made a couple of horrible defensive decisions and single-handedly got Nowitzki going by giving him open shots. His lack of rebounding also really hurt the Spurs.

I liked what I saw from RJ; mostly, that is.

Obviously, his opportunities are going to be sporadic and less than ideal to really go off being the fourth option, so 12 shots on 50% shooting is about what you'd hope for; 2-2 on free-throws isn't enough, though. His defense was actually pretty damn solid for the majority of the game. But I thought he got hung out to dry late, after they decided to leave him on an island against Dirk down low and allow Nowitzki to adjust to the coverage; once Dirk started getting that ball below the free-throw line and started taking his time, RJ was defenseless. I put that one on the coaching


-George Hill played inspired basketball, especially in the third quarter. He hit all three of his shots -- two three-pointers and a three-point play. Despite his quality play, in the guts of the game Hill was on the bench.

Inexcusable to have him on the bench late with the way he's been able to play Terry. The Spurs finally have a suitable option to put on Terry, who's also capable of switching on to Kidd, and they leave him on the Bench to watch as the Nutcracker bust the balls of the Spurs late, yet again.

The guy seems to rise to the occasion against the Mavs and others in these playoff-style atmospheres, yet he's nowhere to be found late. Given his play when out there, I'm not sure how the coaching staff can rationalize that one.


-Pop got ejected in the second quarter for arguing during a timeout. Considering how difficult it is for the Spurs to matchup against the Mavs, he picked a horrible time to hand the baton over to the assistant coaches.

-Coach Bud played the Big 4 too much and without the proper rest, the Spurs looked out of gas by the ten minute mark of the fourth quarter. Overall, his rotation in the second half including a number of head scratchers.

I'd like to say that Pop's ejection put the Spurs at a disadvantage, as it pertains to the second half rotation, but he hasn't been consistent or conventional enough when it comes to playing the Mavs; the rest probably would've been better, check that, definitely would've been better, but who's to say we don't see extreme small ball or anything else for that matter. I did think Bud allowed the group that closed the third to stay on the court a bit too long and the inexperience left the door open for the Mavs, though; again, they should've buried the Mavs but poor decision-making, player and coaches alike, kept the Mavs in striking distance and feeling extremely fortunate to be in the game. It bit the Spurs in the ass.

My two-cents.

[EricB]

mcdyess has been a huge disappointment to me so far. i wasn't sure he was the guy we needed next to duncan, and now i'm sure he's not the guy. we need a 2nd legit big. the lakers will destroy us with their bigs.

RJ had a really stupid play on dirk in the 4th where dirk had nothing going and RJ overplayed him and let him get an easy shot. i don't think RJ has the brains to be a spurs player.

i'm really disappointed that this was our big makeover - RJ and McDyess. No fucking way we win a championship with this team. we need a trade - just my opinion.


For who?

So easy to pontificate. Jefferson had a damn good game dint understand the hate on him tonight.

[DPG21920]

Timvp, would you say the Spurs need to eat some spaghetti?

[AFBlue]

For who?

So easy to pontificate. Jefferson had a damn good game dint understand the hate on him tonight.

Agree...I was actually really impressed with his cuts on the offensive end. He seems to be gaining an understanding of where to be on O.

And I'll say it again, I thought his D on Dirk was pretty solid for most of the game. I think Dirk getting rolling was a combination of stupid plays by a number of Spurs (lagging rotations, no effort on closeout, and yes one overplay by RJ) and the fact that he's one of the best players in the league.

All things considered, I liked what I saw from RJ tonight.

[SequSpur]

For who?

So easy to pontificate. Jefferson had a damn good game dint understand the hate on him tonight.

yeah, RJ wasn't the problem...The whole fucking thing fell apart and I think Tony and Manu led the charge.........

in the wrong direction...

I agree the Spurs need to do something in the middle..not sure what or who, but they clearly are soft in the middle.

[AFBlue]

mcdyess has been a huge disappointment to me so far. i wasn't sure he was the guy we needed next to duncan, and now i'm sure he's not the guy. we need a 2nd legit big. the lakers will destroy us with their bigs.

RJ had a really stupid play on dirk in the 4th where dirk had nothing going and RJ overplayed him and let him get an easy shot. i don't think RJ has the brains to be a spurs player.

i'm really disappointed that this was our big makeover - RJ and McDyess. No fucking way we win a championship with this team. we need a trade - just my opinion.

There's no doubt that McDyess is struggling right now, but I think he's making the adjustment just like RJ. His perimeter-oriented game should work well with the guards on pick-n-pop plays and should provide adequate spacing for Tim down low.

His defense suffered tonight when he got called for some ticky-tack fouls early and he was just out of sorts on both ends the rest of the night.

I guess I wish he were coming in and producing well from the outset, but I think it's too early to say "he's not the guy".

[SequSpur]

There's no doubt that McDyess is struggling right now, but I think he's making the adjustment just like RJ. His perimeter-oriented game should work well with the guards on pick-n-pop plays and should provide adequate spacing for Tim down low.

His defense suffered tonight when he got called for some ticky-tack fouls early and he was just out of sorts on both ends the rest of the night.

I guess I wish he were coming in and producing well from the outset, but I think it's too early to say "he's not the guy".

He hasn't been the guy for years...

My question for Popovich is why did you sign him? What can he do? What assets does he have to help any team? He can shoot a 10-15 footer...he doesn't have any athleticism anymore, he doesn't block shots, he doesn't rebound very well... he is slow... what things does he do to make the spurs better than last year? Kurt Thomas was better.

[Obstructed_View]

I'm really disappointed in Pop. The Mavs are by far the most difficult team for the Spurs to scheme against and Pop picks this game to get ejected? The games against the Mavs are where Pop has to do by far the most coaching -- especially in the regular season.

Weak by Pop, even if Zack Zebra is making horrible calls both ways :td

Pop didn't have an excuse to sit out one or more of the big three, as he typically finds a way to do in early season statement games, so getting himself tossed on a meaningless call is just as good. For him at least.

[Obstructed_View]

I agree the Spurs need to do something in the middle..not sure what or who, but they clearly are soft in the middle.

Where's that jesus picture when we need it?

[Ginobilly]

I guess 2k10 was right all along in the rating.....:depressed
Looks like Spurs are going the way of a first round exit again.:depressed

[Obstructed_View]

BTW, why in the fuck did the Spurs suddenly start switching on pick and rolls in the 4th quarter? Is that somewhere in that strategy book that people have been quoting the last few days?

[AFBlue]

I guess 2k10 was right all along in the rating.....:depressed
Looks like Spurs are going the way of a first round exit again.:depressed

Now THAT is the perfect initial reaction to a January loss.

:tu

[AFBlue]

BTW, why in the fuck did the Spurs suddenly start switching on pick and rolls in the 4th quarter? Is that somewhere in that strategy book that people have been quoting the last few days?

I don't know what it is, but it seemed like the guards who were fighting through screens and bigs that were showing out past the three point line through three quarters were just content to concede the switch on every screen.

It has to be fatigue, because it's an awful strategy.

[Obstructed_View]

I don't know what it is, but it seemed like the guards who were fighting through screens and bigs that were showing out past the three point line through three quarters were just content to concede the switch on every screen.

It has to be fatigue, because it's an awful strategy.

Actually, I think you hit on something there, because the bigs that were showing in the first three quarters weren't in the game anymore, were they? How much blame does Duncan get for all the switching?

[Cant_Be_Faded]

BTW, why in the fuck did the Spurs suddenly start switching on pick and rolls in the 4th quarter? Is that somewhere in that strategy book that people have been quoting the last few days?

weird
i was saying earlier how it was weird how they seemed to switch all game

i was pulling hair out watching hill on dirk and mcdyess on howard

[AFBlue]

Actually, I think you hit on something there, because the bigs that were showing in the first three quarters weren't in the game anymore, were they? How much blame does Duncan get for all the switching?

I use the term "big" loosely. At times the second "big" was Bogans...:lol :(

For some reason, it also felt like the Mavs were using screens alot more in the fourth than they did in the previous three quarters. And why not...it worked like a charm. :bang

[EricB]

Agree...I was actually really impressed with his cuts on the offensive end. He seems to be gaining an understanding of where to be on O.

And I'll say it again, I thought his D on Dirk was pretty solid for most of the game. I think Dirk getting rolling was a combination of stupid plays by a number of Spurs (lagging rotations, no effort on closeout, and yes one overplay by RJ) and the fact that he's one of the best players in the league.

All things considered, I liked what I saw from RJ tonight.

IMO his most complete game as a Spur.

Loved what I saw. Could he have been a little more agressive on the offensive end? Sure, but his cuts and drives were solid.

Keep progressing RJ, love what I'm seeing.

[lurker23]

I thought the Mavs hit some tought shots: Terry over Tim baseline, Dirk last second 3's...There were quite a few tough shots. But I guess when you get rolling the basket looks big.

I agree with this. On at least a few of the key possessions in the fourth, I thought the Spurs played very good defense, only to be killed by unconscious shooting. With Dirk's dagger shot to make it 107-100, IIRC, the Spurs had 20 seconds of very solid defense, the ball went to Dirk at the top, and RJ closed out very well with a hand in his face before he drained it. Like timvp said, the damage was probably already done and the basket looked like the Grand freaking Canyon to the Mavs by that time, but that doesn't mean they failed at D for the entire 4th.

[J_Paco]

I think everyone's brought up great points so far. But, my main issue with this game was the long stretches of small-ball played throughout the second half, the inability to grab defensive rebound that created and not throwing taller defenders at Dirk. This is the sort of game where Matt Bonner is really missed, because even though he can't defend Dirk one-on-one, he's still a legitimate 6'10" and allows the team to play a "bigger" line-up. We also missed the spacing that he helps create, especially in the 4th quarter.

[DubMcDub]

you wanna know what really pisses me off about this whole thing is how the Spurs-Mavericks rivalry is NEVER on national tv anymore. It's like it doesn't matter and is inconsequential because it's a given the Lakers will win the west no matter what.

This. It's absolutely embarrassing that the NBA and the networks did such a 180 on what still might be the best rivalry in the league.

[J_Paco]

IMO his most complete game as a Spur.

Loved what I saw. Could he have been a little more agressive on the offensive end? Sure, but his cuts and drives were solid.

Keep progressing RJ, love what I'm seeing.

Yeah, I thought his play on both ends was solid tonight. But, expecting him to match-up with Dirk throughout the 4th is asking too much, IMO. Hopefully, Dice can remove his head from his ass long enough to defend Dirk better or just fuckin' play better.

[Capt Bringdown]

He hasn't been the guy for years...

My question for Popovich is why did you sign him? What can he do? What assets does he have to help any team? He can shoot a 10-15 footer...he doesn't have any athleticism anymore, he doesn't block shots, he doesn't rebound very well... he is slow... what things does he do to make the spurs better than last year? Kurt Thomas was better.

I wouldn't go that far, Kurt Thomas was so very bad, but it's clear that Dice is another very old player who loves to shoot jumpers. I think the Spurs are guilty of magical thinking again.

[AFBlue]

He hasn't been the guy for years...

My question for Popovich is why did you sign him? What can he do? What assets does he have to help any team? He can shoot a 10-15 footer...he doesn't have any athleticism anymore, he doesn't block shots, he doesn't rebound very well... he is slow... what things does he do to make the spurs better than last year? Kurt Thomas was better.

Wow...not sure I buy that. Even if he isn't young, McDyess is still a far better athlete than Kurt Thomas ever was. His J is as automatic, if not moreso than Kurt's, and he is still finding his role on the team.

He's probably not the low-post defender that Thomas was, but I think he can still be effective.

Having said all that, Spurs may be kicking themselves for even partially guaranteeing the third year of that deal.

[AFBlue]

I think everyone's brought up great points so far. But, my main issue with this game was the long stretches of small-ball played throughout the second half, the inability to grab defensive rebound that created and not throwing taller defenders at Dirk. This is the sort of game where Matt Bonner is really missed, because even though he can't defend Dirk one-on-one, he's still a legitimate 6'10" and allows the team to play a "bigger" line-up. We also missed the spacing that he helps create, especially in the 4th quarter.

I've come around to Obstructed's View in that the "small ball" was mostly by choice down the stretch. Spurs had Blair on the bench who brings a big frame and long arms to defend and to grab boards. Even if Bonner were available, I'm pretty sure he'd have been riding the pine like the other bigs were.

That decision is on the staff...along with the one to sit Hill.

[DubMcDub]

Bitching about small ball is such a go-to move for fans of every team (well, at least the ones who potentially have the personnel to play "big ball"). Mavs fans do it, Spurs fan, Lakers fans. It's kind of interesting.

[AFBlue]

Bitching about small ball is such a go-to move for fans of every team (well, at least the ones who potentially have the personnel to play "big ball"). Mavs fans do it, Spurs fan, Lakers fans. It's kind of interesting.

Small ball can be used effectively when you're dictating the pace of the game, have a good compliment of penetrators and shooters, and most importantly...have "smalls" that can crash the boards.

Spurs gave up some O-boards that came back to bite them big-time...none bigger than those down the stretch in the fourth quarter. I understand it's used alot, but in this case it's not a cop-out.

[Brazil]

Look at the rebounds : Tim 12 and then Ginobili 5 Bogans 4 RJ 3 TP Hill Dice 2...

Not gonna win game like that. It reminds me the first round exit of last year when our second best rebounder was TP.

[polandprzem]

i haven't read all the posts.
It happend I was able to watch more then 50% of the game. Streams these days are horrible nvm

Again and again hight p&r are demolish spurs D. we cannot handle two shooters who can also drive to the basket {dirk and terry}. And I think this 4th Q was mostly on dallas play, they just started to execute the plays.
With Bud making a strange subs and not using timeouts properly, Tony seems to be lost and losing the concept of the offense, spurs folded once again.
there is realy no excuse for this loss. spurs at home should take the W.

I haven't seen Pops being ejected but like timvp said. Pop should stay on the bench. There is no time for CIA or anything - we play mavs on the last game of a season. So you can go CIA on that last game.

btw. you play to win the game, youdon't play just to play it

[lennyalderette]

im sorry but these refs are ridiculous!!! i didnt get to watch the 4th, because i was playing a gig, but i am outraged at who they appointed to be the ref on such a critical game, and what do you know! pop gets ejected during a time out????? this makes no sense whatsoever and you are a coward for not speaking the truth, this is horrible officiating, and im freakin sick of it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Chieflion]

im sorry but these refs are ridiculous!!! i didnt get to watch the 4th, because i was playing a gig, but i am outraged at who they appointed to be the ref on such a critical game, and what do you know! pop gets ejected during a time out????? this makes no sense whatsoever and you are a coward for not speaking the truth, this is horrible officiating, and im freakin sick of it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pop got ejected in a timeout cause he had gone crazy and needed people to hold him back. That made a lot of sense.

[silverblackfan]

All I read in your recap is the team created a lot of fouls. I don't normally use the ref argument, but they were calling this game like the Mavs were untouchable. Pop called out the ref making the bad calls, Zach Zarba, and got tossed. Zarba allowed the Mavs to come back and keep it close. Call this game normally and the Spurs walk away with a good win.
Yes, Dirk and Terry got hot at the right time. That is NBA luck, but with a fair game, they would not have had the chance.

[weebo]

I still think this team will get better as the season moves along. People seem to forget how choreographed the Spurs scheme is and somehow expect this team to be able to beat everyone on every single night. Granted, we've struggled against good and bad competition, but if you've noticed, the team has shown progress over the last couple of weeks. I say we give it a little more time and see how this team stands after the halfway mark of the season.

[leemajors]

I still think this team will get better as the season moves along. People seem to forget how choreographed the Spurs scheme is and somehow expect this team to be able to beat everyone on every single night. Granted, we've struggled against good and bad competition, but if you've noticed, the team has shown progress over the last couple of weeks. I say we give it a little more time and see how this team stands after the halfway mark of the season.

Maybe, but the Spurs/Mavs games have been almost scripted since 06. Either Spurs get down big, come back and steal a win or they have a double digit lead and blow it down the stretch. Aside from Mavs blowouts, there are few deviations.

[SenorSpur]

I wouldn't go that far, Kurt Thomas was so very bad, but it's clear that Dice is another very old player who loves to shoot jumpers. I think the Spurs are guilty of magical thinking again.

McDyess' poor play cause many to question whether his signing was a good idea or whether the Spurs would've been better off re-signing Drew Gooden.

Based upon the comparison to date for their respective teams, an old McDyess isn't producing the results of a mid-career Gooden.

I hold out hope that Dice will come around consistently, but this short sample and most recent outing doesn't create much confidence. Meanwhile, it's tough watching Gooden put up double-doubles for your rival.

[elbamba]

I'm really disappointed in Pop. The Mavs are by far the most difficult team for the Spurs to scheme against and Pop picks this game to get ejected? The games against the Mavs are where Pop has to do by far the most coaching -- especially in the regular season.

Weak by Pop, even if Zack Zebra is making horrible calls both ways :td

I will say that everytime I thought "where the hell did that call come from," it was the same young ref that Pop was yelling at. However, Spurs lost this game because of their lack of intensity down the stretch and much of what you have already stated.

Spurs problem over the past 5 years, since out first lost to the Mavs at least, is that they spend too much time worrying about the refs. Let Dirk whine and let Tim whine, the rest need to get back and play ball regardless of any BS call.

[Obstructed_View]

I must admit that it was frustrating watching Manu get hit at least four times on the elbow with no whistle, resulting in badly missed shots, while one of the Spurs (I think Dice) got called for having his foot stepped on by the Mavs player (I think Dirk). Again.

And the Spurs are pussies for refusing to have Duncan defend Dirk. That myth that Dirk would foul him out in ten minutes is as lame as it's always been.

[weebo]

I must admit that it was frustrating watching Manu get hit at least four times on the elbow with no whistle, resulting in badly missed shots, while one of the Spurs (I think Dice) got called for having his foot stepped on by the Mavs player (I think Dirk). Again.

And the Spurs are pussies for refusing to have Duncan defend Dirk. That myth that Dirk would foul him out in ten minutes is as lame as it's always been.

The reasoning for this may very well be because Dirk hangs out on the perimeter way too much. Take out Duncan from the paint and the mavs are running a layup drill to the basket.

[EricB]

I must admit that it was frustrating watching Manu get hit at least four times on the elbow with no whistle, resulting in badly missed shots, while one of the Spurs (I think Dice) got called for having his foot stepped on by the Mavs player (I think Dirk). Again.

And the Spurs are pussies for refusing to have Duncan defend Dirk. That myth that Dirk would foul him out in ten minutes is as lame as it's always been.


I don't think he's fleet enough afoot to guard him. If dice hadn't gotten into early foul trouble it's most likely a different game. Jefferson IN SPOTS does a good jump on Dirk however. Not for full quarters...

[Baseline]

Bottom Line: The most overrated person associated with the NBA is Gregg Popovich.

[dude1394]

Pop got ejected in a timeout cause he had gone crazy and needed people to hold him back. That made a lot of sense.

I was shocked to see pop get thrown out for that call. That call is easy to NOT see, it's a judgement and happens all of the time, the defender gets as close as possible to the shooters arm/elbow.

I would MUCH rather see the refs call what they explicitly see rather than make crap up that they "think" they see.

[elbamba]

I was shocked to see pop get thrown out for that call. That call is easy to NOT see, it's a judgement and happens all of the time, the defender gets as close as possible to the shooters arm/elbow.

I would MUCH rather see the refs call what they explicitly see rather than make crap up that they "think" they see.

Its easy to say when your player gets the benefit of the calls where the refs "think" they see contact. I never understand how Dirk gets officiated from the outside like most centers and pf get officiated on the inside. Most big men draw contact on just about every post play. Tim Duncan has forever, but Dirk gets the contact calls on 15 foot fadaways like no other.

Not that it really matters, Dallas won that game because they outplayed the Spurs, not because of a couple of missed no-calls.

[ploto]

Will the day ever come that Pop just has Tim cover Dirk and lets the chips fall where they may?

[DPG21920]

Doubtful, but he will guard him when it matters in the playoffs if it comes down to it I would imagine.

[pjjrfan]

Size. Dampier and Gooden kept getting to the offensive boards, and we relied on Jefferson and Bogans to gaurd Nowitski and they did well, but you had to know it wouldn't last. IMo the refs took both Blair and McDyess out of the game. It seems strange that niether one of these guys can use their best asset their strength to defend Dirk when a guy like Varejao can come in and literally mug people on the defensive end. I really like Hill's game today and I know Manu lost his legs late in the game but damn he's a prefessional athlete who is supposed to be doing this for a living, he can't put in 40 minutes of hard play, every other night, this is by far Manu's main weakness, his stamina. Stars have a way to kick it up a notch, in my book Manu is up there but his constant battle with fatigue is becoming an issue with me.

[Blackjack]

Will the day ever come that Pop just has Tim cover Dirk and lets the chips fall where they may?

Would 'chips' mean offensive rebounds and 'may' be the month?

[TD 21]

Coach Bud played the Big 4 too much and without the proper rest, the Spurs looked out of gas by the ten minute mark of the fourth quarter. Overall, his rotation in the second half including a number of head scratchers.

Too much? One game where these guys play around what the average quartet of star players play many a night and they get the fatigue excuse? So many Spurs fans have been brainwashed by this rest nonsense. Don't get me wrong, as a general rule, I'm all for it. But this was against one of the Spurs main rivals, at home, the team has struggled all year against quality opposition, so what was wrong with playing the so-called big four extended minutes? If they guys can't handle that the odd game (keep in mind, none of them even played 40 minutes), then this team can forget about competing for a championship for the duration of the Duncan-era.

I'm still baffled as to why Jefferson, for example, can't play even more minutes. For the first time since Duncan was younger, it looked liked the Spurs finally had a quality scorer that could log major minutes at least semi-regularly without a significant drop in his play. Instead, Pop is treating Jefferson like he's Finley. Let the guy play his natural position, call his number more and play him more minutes. After a slow start, his play has been solid. He's generally done a stout job in defense of significantly bigger players, his shooting percentages are up across the board and for all the talk about his lack of rebounding, keep in mind who he's playing with.

The biggest disappointment, now by far, has been McDyess. I knew he was better suited to third big status, but after his performance in the second half of last season it looked like he could still at least do a reasonable job masquerading as a second big. I don't know if he left his heart in Detroit or what, but outside of Pop's obsession with playing small (after he watched his own, more traditional team, repeatedly squash a team that tried to win a championship that way, which makes this decision even more baffling), nothing is killing this team more right now than McDyess's sub-par play.

[Johnny RIngo]

Too much? One game where these guys play around what the average quartet of star players play many a night and they get the fatigue excuse? So many Spurs fans have been brainwashed by this rest nonsense. Don't get me wrong, as a general rule, I'm all for it. But this was against one of the Spurs main rivals, at home, the team has struggled all year against quality opposition, so what was wrong with playing the so-called big four extended minutes? If they guys can't handle that the odd game (keep in mind, none of them even played 40 minutes), then this team can forget about competing for a championship for the duration of the Duncan-era.

I'm still baffled as to why Jefferson, for example, can't play even more minutes. For the first time since Duncan was younger, it looked liked the Spurs finally had a quality scorer that could log major minutes at least semi-regularly without a significant drop in his play. Instead, Pop is treating Jefferson like he's Finley. Let the guy play his natural position, call his number more and play him more minutes. After a slow start, his play has been solid. He's generally done a stout job in defense of significantly bigger players, his shooting percentages are up across the board and for all the talk about his lack of rebounding, keep in mind who he's playing with.

The biggest disappointment, now by far, has been McDyess. I knew he was better suited to third big status, but after his performance in the second half of last season it looked like he could still at least do a reasonable job masquerading as a second big. I don't know if he left his heart in Detroit or what, but outside of Pop's obsession with playing small (after he watched his own, more traditional team, repeatedly squash a team that tried to win a championship that way, which makes this decision even more baffling), nothing is killing this team more right now than McDyess's sub-par play.

Maybe the fatigue is coming from the afternoon practices?

[Solid D]

One thing I've noticed about this year's Mavs is they play a scrambling style of defense in 4th quarters. They pressure the ball and tend to get the opposition out of rhythm, sort of a hurried style. They were getting blown out by Utah earlier in the year and the Mavs started defending like this and Dirk went off for beaucoup points and won going-away.

They used it on the Spurs the last two times they've played.

[hater]

To me the key was the Spurs getting raped on their defensive boards and Spurs played pretty bad defense(that probably cause Pop was out)

Mavs played well, but not great. I think these 2 teams are so evenly matched that I would see another 7 game series.

I still see at their peaks, the Spurs are a little better. If Spurs would have played good D, they would have easily won.

[ducks]

One thing I've noticed about this year's Mavs is they play a scrambling style of defense in 4th quarters. They pressure the ball and tend to get the opposition out of rhythm, sort of a hurried style. They were getting blown out by Utah earlier in the year and the Mavs started defending like this and Dirk went off for beaucoup points and won going-away.

They used it on the Spurs the last two times they've played.

yeah that is smart
because usally your back up is on the bench and you can catch up where they are resting and carry it