Dice

[Tuddy]

No one will even be talking about the size mismatch in the paint when Dice stays out of foul trouble in the second game, limits Z-Bo's effectiveness around the basket and Bonner will play the fewer minutes.

[Xevious]

Cool thread.

[rmt]

No one will even be talking about the size mismatch in the paint when Dice stays out of foul trouble in the second game, limits Z-Bo's effectiveness around the basket and Bonner will play the fewer minutes.

Dice is better suited to guard Dirk than Randolph/Gasols/Bynum. The reason he's in foul trouble is because he can't handle Randolph so he fouls instead of falling backwards with his arms up like Bonner does. I can imagine how sore Dice (at his advanced age) feels the next day after going up against that 260 lb. beast. What's going to change in the second game when Zach is bigger, younger, faster and stronger with an array of post moves?

[ElNono]

I agree that Dice can and will play better... heck, he makes half of the jumpers he missed (and that he normally makes) and we win the game.

[Splits]

Splitter.

FIRST!

[Holden_Caulfield]

Tiago!

first!!

[spurs50_]

i like dice, but i hope he retires. As long as he's on the roster he will get big minutes or starting.

[Capt Bringdown]

Dream on. He can play better, but his days of limiting the effectiveness of his matchup are long gone, unless he's pitted against another aging stiff.

[hater]

Dice + Splitter need to see time vs. Gasol. That is the guy who was killing us. As long as we neutralize 1 of their big 2 we have a chance.

[SpurOutofTownFan]

To me unless Splitter plays and does something about their bigs the only chance the Spurs have of winning the series is shutting down their guards and small forwards. Things like don't allowing stupid easy 3s, etc. On the defensive end that should be enough because I don't expect their 2 bigs to go for 80 combined pts a game.

On the offensive end, they can't stop Timmy and the ball has to rotate better - the guards have to penetrate and look for perimeter passes. More of what we saw during the 3rd quarter of game 1.

[DesignatedT]

Dice playing 13 minutes definitely didn't help. That's for sure.

[honestfool84]

Dice having 5 fouls early in the 4th didn't help much, either.

[Dex]

The problem is that Dice isn't the quickest guy on his feet anymore. He's pretty strong and solid, but it's going to be hard for him to contain the quickness of Gasol or the physical play of Randolph without picking up fouls. Should he happen to pick up a cheapie or two on a driver or cutter, and well...we know what happens. Bonner/Blair time. :pctoss