What do you think about pop's decision making on game 5?

[100%duncan]

I did not watch the game but I know that the spurs made a run early and mid on the 3 quarter. But in 2 minutes the mavs have blown the lead up again to 15 points. Late on the 3rd Pop "gave up" by putting mahinmi and getting duncan out of the floor. And I also read that blair, mason, bonner played together at some point of the game which might have caused the mavs to raise the lead. What do you think about pop's desicion making to give up 3 minutes left on the 3rd quarter? It was too early right? Feel free to give your opinions.

[sammy]

Yeah, pretty disappointed in giving up the game that early! Anyway, after that travesty, he should've played Hairston. Dallass Donkeys kept their starters in and kept jacking up the score! That should fire the Spurs up and take care of these bitches at home!

[100%duncan]

Yeah, pretty disappointed in giving up the game that early! Anyway, after that travesty, he should've played Hairston. Dallass Donkeys kept their starters in and kept jacking up the score! That should fire the Spurs up and take care of these bitches at home!

So carislise still played dirk? Wow. I hope dallas starters get tired on game 6.

[John Terry]

Yeah, pretty disappointed in giving up the game that early! Anyway, after that travesty, he should've played Hairston. Dallass Donkeys kept their starters in and kept jacking up the score! That should fire the Spurs up and take care of these bitches at home!
we didn't give it up in the 1st half, and i don't think the 3rd quarter was too late. Our players just made the stretches they needed to keep their match forms, then they were substituted out before they started to pick any fatigue or friction that might affect game 6.

[TDMVPDPOY]

i swear the clowns who have no business playin in the playoffs shouldnt even be gettin minutes, wtf did pop went away from something that has worked for us in this series so far...

he did the same shit like last season throwing away a game by playin the bench

[timvp]

Good move. TD and Manu need as much rest as possible. Their production in this series is in a potentially serious decline.

[100%duncan]

Good move. TD and Manu need as much rest as possible. Their production in this series is in a potentially serious decline.

Well, but isn't it worth it to risk manu and tim and go all out earlier than make go into 6? But you have a great point manu and tim are full of energy come game 6

[Ice009]

How can anyone criticize Dallas for leaving their starters out there? Their season was on the line. This is not the regular season, they had to leave their starters in because they had to win.

[jermaine]

i swear the clowns who have no business playin in the playoffs shouldnt even be gettin minutes, wtf did pop went away from something that has worked for us in this series so far...

he did the same shit like last season throwing away a game by playin the bench

If you watched the game you know this game was over after the 1st qtr. The body language told the story 4 both teams! Tim looks he scared out there, Nobi is 2 passive, Jefferson, Hill & Parker is the only others tryin 2 play! I seen a play right b4 the half we got a steal & Jefferson out ran every1 an the bitchmade ass Mason didn't pass him the ball. He pulled up & lucky he got a score! Matt is the key for the next game the way they are defending the P&R!

[Rebounds]

It was hard to take, waving the white flag so early. And how about the Mav's 3 pt. attempt with the clock winding down at the end of the game? The Mav scrub that shoved Temple between plays and macho walked around afterwards. Blair took Temple's place on the next play and no hits from same scrub, wonder why?!!!

[silverblk mystix]

it all depends on winning the series---if the spurs win the series---then it was a good move...

if they lose the series---then I guess we can armchair quarterback this thing to death...

but I would like to say----

we should all be giving props to the spurs for winning THREE games already---

and they will finish this....just have faith

[100%duncan]

How can anyone criticize Dallas for leaving their starters out there? Their season was on the line. This is not the regular season, they had to leave their starters in because they had to win.

for one thing the game was over that time spurs put shitty players and they have their starters

[Sense]

How can anyone criticize Dallas for leaving their starters out there? Their season was on the line. This is not the regular season, they had to leave their starters in because they had to win.

8 minutes to go... 22 point lead and you got Blair, Mahinmi, Bogans, and Temple on the floor....

Why on earth would you have your starters in the game? Pop gave up on the game by the 3rd... there was absolutely no reason for them to be in there, the bench could've finished it.

[lebomb]

Pop knows what he is doing. He didnt want to gas the starters realizing this game wasnt going to be won by the Spurs. Rest the starters........and give Dallas that ass whoopin they deserve Thursday. I bet the Spurs win by 10pts or more in game 6. :hat

[John Terry]

I hope the Dallas feeble Mavs didn't regain anything like confidence from the win last night. It's unfair to say Pop decided to concede the game before the it was played, in fact the Spurs tried pretty hard in the 1st and early 2nd quarter, and I believe it'd have been another close game if they continued playing like this. However, doing our best couldn't guarantee a win and it was quite clear that Mavs had yet to succumb. Instead the Mavs seemed more engaged than ever. I guess after winning this game the Mavs will probably start to rest their asses like they usually do, which hopefully will turn out to be some toxin for them in game 6 and make them lose the game.

[SenorSpur]

Absolutely the right thing to do. It was clear that the starters were NEVER into this game. With the Spurs having another home game in their back pocket, it appeared to me that human nature set in. Pop's decision to pull the starters early allowed them to get a lot of rest.

The other net benefit of his decision is that it allowed the starters to "stew" for 1 & 1/2 quarters. There should be no lapse in concentration or motivation heading into Game #6.

[carina_gino20]

It felt too early at that time, but it probably wouldn't have made a difference. TD and Manu didn't come to play today so playing them more probably wouldn't have mattered.

[carina_gino20]

The other net benefit of his decision is that it allowed the starters to "stew" for 1 & 1/2 quarters. There should be no lapse in concentration or motivation heading into Game #6.

Manu looked really pissed at himself during his postgame interview. :lol

[100%duncan]

For people saying pop knew spurs was going to lose then why the heck did they still fought back early on the 3rd quarter? That is just stupid saying a coach knows his team is gonna lose. but either way pop made his decision and I hope it pays out on game 6

[sa_butta]

I felt like we gave in a bit early. The lineup we had in there for most of the 3rd was doomed for failure...But at the same time we were not getting production for the starters to get us back into it. He definitely sent a message I just hope they respond well.

[Bruno]

Pop really gave up in the 4th quarter when Parker and Hill went to the bench.

The reason why Ian entered in the third quarter was because Blair was awful in the first half. With so much players sucking, Pop was just trying something new.

[Dex]

Resting the Big Three was one of the first sound decisions Pop made all night. I hate waving the flag early as much as anybody, but the Spurs were not going to close a 20-point gap in one quarter with the way the Mavs were playing.

If you want to start questioning things, I would question the Mason-Bonner-Blair lineup that ended the first. Or letting Blair pick up four fouls in the same quarter. Or not using Bogans who, like it or not, actually managed to fill some gap minutes in Game 4. Or running Mason at the SF and RJ at the 4. Or....

[SpurCharger]

I Have No problem with the decision He made.... The Starters Played half ass Last night, And Pop Doing that Will hopefully Send a Message to them and light a fire Under there ass for game 6.... Parker, and hill Played decent, but jefferson, duncan, dyess, and Ginobili Looked like shit in my opinion.

[coyotes_geek]

When the team as a whole is going to play with the level of apathy that they showed last night whatever coaching decisions Pop made are pretty much irrelevant.

[Spurminator]

Last night is on the players. But in general I'm against giving up early in a Playoff game. I don't think a few more minutes in the 4th would have exhausted the starters for Thursday's game. We gave up any chance to create any kind of momentum for tomorrow.

It's just a bad mindset, and it's stubborn, especially for the series underdog. If (God forbid) we go on to lose this series, I think we're all going to want those 12 minutes we handed the Mavericks back.

[peskypesky]

Pop knows what he is doing. He didnt want to gas the starters realizing this game wasnt going to be won by the Spurs. Rest the starters........and give Dallas that ass whoopin they deserve Thursday. I bet the Spurs win by 10pts or more in game 6. :hat

:toast:toast:toast

:lobt::lobt::flag::lobt::lobt:

[DarrinS]

Roger Mason sighting == Pop has given up.


IMO, the fact that Pop waved the white flag early in the 2nd half shows that he is very confident in his team and that he would rather rest the big three.