timvp
01-10-2010, 07:02 AM
When the San Antonio Spurs take on the Dallas Mavericks, the result is almost always a memorable game. Friday night's affair was no different. In the hotly contested game that featured numerous runs, the Spurs took a ten-point lead into the fourth quarter -- only to watch their advantage disappear in devastating fashion. When the dust settled after the Mavs dominated the final stanza, Dallas had a 112-103 victory.
To begin the fourth, the Mavs quickly scored the first six points to trim the lead to four. With six minutes to go and the Spurs up by one point, Jason Kidd hit a three -- and the Mavs never trailed again. While the Spurs put up a fight, a trio of contested three-pointers (two by Dirk Nowitzki and one by Jason Terry) fueled the red hot Mavs.
Even with the offseason additions, I still don't like how the Spurs matchup against Dallas. There isn't an answer for Nowitzki and the Mavs are extremely comfortable playing in San Antonio. Nowitzki's sidekicks also tend to all play well against the Spurs. Come the playoffs, avoiding the Mavs would be ideal.
Overall, there's no denying this was a tough loss. The Spurs really needed a win against a quality opponent but they came up short once again. On top of the disappointment, the loss against the Mavs made it more difficult to win the division.
Tim Duncan
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3173.jpg
39:19 minutes, 31 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks, 3 turnovers
12-for-19 from the field, 7-for-9 at the line
Tim Duncan left it all out on the court. He played inspired basketball and did well in just about every phase of the game. He punished the Mavs when they tried to play him straight up. When they sent help, Duncan passed the ball well. He gave good effort defensively and on the glass. As has been the case most of the games this season, Duncan was leading the way and playing well -- even when his supporting cast is struggling.
-------------------------------
Manu Ginobili
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3380.jpg
33:57 minutes, 12 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, 3 turnovers
5-for-12 from the field, 1-for-4 on three-pointers
In his first few minutes on the court, Manu Ginobili helped the offensive by making plays and authoring great passes. In the second quarter, Ginobili scored ten points while looking very lively. However, as the game progressed, the Argentine star played worse and worse. In the fourth, Ginobili fired a pair of airballs and looked totally gassed. He finished the game with a plus/minus of -21, which was more than double as bad as anyone else on the team.
-------------------------------
Tony Parker
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3527.jpg
38:08 minutes, 21 points, 6 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 turnovers
8-for-18 from the field, 5-for-6 at the line
In the first half, Tony Parker was playing at a high level. He hit 7-of-11 field goal attempts and was playing with a lot of energy. Like Ginobili, Parker faded in the second half. He hit only 1-of-7 shots and was deferring to others much more than usual. He got to the line in the final few minutes to help give the Spurs a chance, though it was too little too late by that point.
-------------------------------
Richard Jefferson
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3523.jpg
35:43 minutes, 15 points, 3 rebounds
6-for-12 from the field, 1-for-4 on three-pointers, 2-for-2 at the line
Offensively, Richard Jefferson did a quality job. He moved well without the ball, picked his spots wisely and attacked when given the opportunity. Personally, I thought the Spurs should have given him more touches when he was matched up against an opposing bigman. On the defensive end, Jefferson did very good work through three quarters. In the fourth, he tried to do way too much and ended up helping Nowitzki get going. Playing smarter defense in the fourth should be a goal for Jefferson going forward. He has tended to make mistakes in pressure situations on the defensive end.
-------------------------------
Keith Bogans
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3746.jpg
23:03 minutes, 5 points, 4 rebounds
2-for-2 at the line, 1-for-1 on three-pointers
Keith Bogans played pretty good defense but he negated his work on the defensive end by fouling way too much. Most of his five fouls were due to playing with too much aggression and not enough smarts. Bogans hit both of his shots but the Mavs weren't paying too much attention to him. That said, his ballhandling continues to be quite impressive.
-------------------------------
DeJuan Blair
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/4642.jpg
7:31 minutes, 2 points, 1 rebound
1-for-3 from the field
DeJuan Blair started but was back on the bench about a minute later due to foul trouble. Nowitzki drew a loose ball foul when Blair was going for a offensive rebound and then got a second whistle on Blair on the other end on the low block. Blair didn't get back into the game until late in the third quarter. Although he had a strong dunk to energize his teammates and the crowd, his overall play in his second stint was sub par.
-------------------------------
Roger Mason, Jr.
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3628.jpg
23:48 minutes, 8 points, 2 assists
3-for-5 from the field, 2-for-3 on three-pointers
For most of his minutes on the court, Roger Mason, Jr. didn't do much. He had a burst of offense in the third quarter but this was definitely a below average game for Mason. His defense was shaky and his playmaking wasn't crisp. Mason also could have been more aggressive in the fourth when the Spurs were losing their edge.
-------------------------------
George Hill
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/4488.jpg
22:32 minutes, 9 points, 2 rebounds
3-for-3 from the field, 2-for-2 on three-pointers
George Hill played a very solid all around game. Defensively, he fought through screens well and didn't back down when switched off onto bigger players. On the offensive end, he shot confidently and ran the court extremely well. He could have made more plays and been more aggressive in the halfcourt, but all in all Hill was impressive.
-------------------------------
Antonio McDyess
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3004.jpg
12:24 minutes, 2 rebounds
0-for-2 from the field
Coming into the game, it was obvious that Antonio McDyess would play an important role. He was needed to defend Nowitzki and he was the team's only hope of being able to play a big lineup. With a combination of foul trouble and poor play, McDyess was a major disappointment. He didn't defend well, didn't rebound and didn't offer assistance on the offensive end. For the Spurs to be a championship caliber team, they need McDyess to play much better. If he's not eventually a reliable bigman the Spurs can count on for production each night, the Spurs will be in trouble -- and they will also likely regret signing him.
-------------------------------
Gregg Popovich
http://dailyelements.com/pop-stoic.jpg
Pop got thrown out of the game after picking up two technicals in the second quarter while arguing calls during a timeout. He selected a bad time to get the ol' heave-ho. His decision making was needed to push the right button against the Mavs. Without him, Coach Bud ended up running the team into the ground. The Big 3 played too many minutes and the team as a whole looked tired by the fourth quarter. Having said that, it's difficult to blame Coach Bud too much considering that the Hall of Fame head coach of the Spurs usually struggles to figure out what to do against the Mavs.
-------------------------------
Offense
The Spurs did enough on the offensive end to win the game. They shot 52.6% from the field, hit 7-of-15 three-pointers and got to the line 21 times. They also handed out 22 assists and turned the ball over just 12 times. For the Spurs, scoring 103 points should be enough to bring home the W.
Defense
The defensive end is where the Spurs lost the game. The Mavs shot 49.4% from the floor, 7-of-15 on three-pointers and 17-for-21 at the line. Dallas also had 24 assists while turning the ball over just seven times. The Mavs had a 39-32 rebounding advantage -- including 12-5 on the offensive glass. By dominating the boards and limiting their turnovers, the Mavs were able to attempt 13 more shots from the field. Basically, the Spurs couldn't have done a much worse job on defense. Sure, the Mavs hit a ton of difficult shots but the Spurs fueled the fire by allowing extra possessions.
Drive to Five
Next up is the Nets on Sunday. A loss would be unacceptable, especially with a game against the Lakers next on the scheudle. The Spurs need to bounce back, focus and avoid any disasters against New Jersey.
Believe.
To begin the fourth, the Mavs quickly scored the first six points to trim the lead to four. With six minutes to go and the Spurs up by one point, Jason Kidd hit a three -- and the Mavs never trailed again. While the Spurs put up a fight, a trio of contested three-pointers (two by Dirk Nowitzki and one by Jason Terry) fueled the red hot Mavs.
Even with the offseason additions, I still don't like how the Spurs matchup against Dallas. There isn't an answer for Nowitzki and the Mavs are extremely comfortable playing in San Antonio. Nowitzki's sidekicks also tend to all play well against the Spurs. Come the playoffs, avoiding the Mavs would be ideal.
Overall, there's no denying this was a tough loss. The Spurs really needed a win against a quality opponent but they came up short once again. On top of the disappointment, the loss against the Mavs made it more difficult to win the division.
Tim Duncan
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3173.jpg
39:19 minutes, 31 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks, 3 turnovers
12-for-19 from the field, 7-for-9 at the line
Tim Duncan left it all out on the court. He played inspired basketball and did well in just about every phase of the game. He punished the Mavs when they tried to play him straight up. When they sent help, Duncan passed the ball well. He gave good effort defensively and on the glass. As has been the case most of the games this season, Duncan was leading the way and playing well -- even when his supporting cast is struggling.
-------------------------------
Manu Ginobili
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3380.jpg
33:57 minutes, 12 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, 3 turnovers
5-for-12 from the field, 1-for-4 on three-pointers
In his first few minutes on the court, Manu Ginobili helped the offensive by making plays and authoring great passes. In the second quarter, Ginobili scored ten points while looking very lively. However, as the game progressed, the Argentine star played worse and worse. In the fourth, Ginobili fired a pair of airballs and looked totally gassed. He finished the game with a plus/minus of -21, which was more than double as bad as anyone else on the team.
-------------------------------
Tony Parker
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3527.jpg
38:08 minutes, 21 points, 6 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 turnovers
8-for-18 from the field, 5-for-6 at the line
In the first half, Tony Parker was playing at a high level. He hit 7-of-11 field goal attempts and was playing with a lot of energy. Like Ginobili, Parker faded in the second half. He hit only 1-of-7 shots and was deferring to others much more than usual. He got to the line in the final few minutes to help give the Spurs a chance, though it was too little too late by that point.
-------------------------------
Richard Jefferson
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3523.jpg
35:43 minutes, 15 points, 3 rebounds
6-for-12 from the field, 1-for-4 on three-pointers, 2-for-2 at the line
Offensively, Richard Jefferson did a quality job. He moved well without the ball, picked his spots wisely and attacked when given the opportunity. Personally, I thought the Spurs should have given him more touches when he was matched up against an opposing bigman. On the defensive end, Jefferson did very good work through three quarters. In the fourth, he tried to do way too much and ended up helping Nowitzki get going. Playing smarter defense in the fourth should be a goal for Jefferson going forward. He has tended to make mistakes in pressure situations on the defensive end.
-------------------------------
Keith Bogans
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3746.jpg
23:03 minutes, 5 points, 4 rebounds
2-for-2 at the line, 1-for-1 on three-pointers
Keith Bogans played pretty good defense but he negated his work on the defensive end by fouling way too much. Most of his five fouls were due to playing with too much aggression and not enough smarts. Bogans hit both of his shots but the Mavs weren't paying too much attention to him. That said, his ballhandling continues to be quite impressive.
-------------------------------
DeJuan Blair
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/4642.jpg
7:31 minutes, 2 points, 1 rebound
1-for-3 from the field
DeJuan Blair started but was back on the bench about a minute later due to foul trouble. Nowitzki drew a loose ball foul when Blair was going for a offensive rebound and then got a second whistle on Blair on the other end on the low block. Blair didn't get back into the game until late in the third quarter. Although he had a strong dunk to energize his teammates and the crowd, his overall play in his second stint was sub par.
-------------------------------
Roger Mason, Jr.
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/3628.jpg
23:48 minutes, 8 points, 2 assists
3-for-5 from the field, 2-for-3 on three-pointers
For most of his minutes on the court, Roger Mason, Jr. didn't do much. He had a burst of offense in the third quarter but this was definitely a below average game for Mason. His defense was shaky and his playmaking wasn't crisp. Mason also could have been more aggressive in the fourth when the Spurs were losing their edge.
-------------------------------
George Hill
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/images/basketball/nba/players/4488.jpg
22:32 minutes, 9 points, 2 rebounds
3-for-3 from the field, 2-for-2 on three-pointers
George Hill played a very solid all around game. Defensively, he fought through screens well and didn't back down when switched off onto bigger players. On the offensive end, he shot confidently and ran the court extremely well. He could have made more plays and been more aggressive in the halfcourt, but all in all Hill was impressive.
-------------------------------
Antonio McDyess
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.e1d/img/4.0/global/basketball/nba/players/3004.jpg
12:24 minutes, 2 rebounds
0-for-2 from the field
Coming into the game, it was obvious that Antonio McDyess would play an important role. He was needed to defend Nowitzki and he was the team's only hope of being able to play a big lineup. With a combination of foul trouble and poor play, McDyess was a major disappointment. He didn't defend well, didn't rebound and didn't offer assistance on the offensive end. For the Spurs to be a championship caliber team, they need McDyess to play much better. If he's not eventually a reliable bigman the Spurs can count on for production each night, the Spurs will be in trouble -- and they will also likely regret signing him.
-------------------------------
Gregg Popovich
http://dailyelements.com/pop-stoic.jpg
Pop got thrown out of the game after picking up two technicals in the second quarter while arguing calls during a timeout. He selected a bad time to get the ol' heave-ho. His decision making was needed to push the right button against the Mavs. Without him, Coach Bud ended up running the team into the ground. The Big 3 played too many minutes and the team as a whole looked tired by the fourth quarter. Having said that, it's difficult to blame Coach Bud too much considering that the Hall of Fame head coach of the Spurs usually struggles to figure out what to do against the Mavs.
-------------------------------
Offense
The Spurs did enough on the offensive end to win the game. They shot 52.6% from the field, hit 7-of-15 three-pointers and got to the line 21 times. They also handed out 22 assists and turned the ball over just 12 times. For the Spurs, scoring 103 points should be enough to bring home the W.
Defense
The defensive end is where the Spurs lost the game. The Mavs shot 49.4% from the floor, 7-of-15 on three-pointers and 17-for-21 at the line. Dallas also had 24 assists while turning the ball over just seven times. The Mavs had a 39-32 rebounding advantage -- including 12-5 on the offensive glass. By dominating the boards and limiting their turnovers, the Mavs were able to attempt 13 more shots from the field. Basically, the Spurs couldn't have done a much worse job on defense. Sure, the Mavs hit a ton of difficult shots but the Spurs fueled the fire by allowing extra possessions.
Drive to Five
Next up is the Nets on Sunday. A loss would be unacceptable, especially with a game against the Lakers next on the scheudle. The Spurs need to bounce back, focus and avoid any disasters against New Jersey.
Believe.