Buck Harvey: It's not over, and neither is the West title

[Jimcs50]

Buck Harvey: It's not over, and neither is the West title

Web Posted: 05/03/2006 01:00 AM CDT

San Antonio Express-News

The Dallas Mavericks watched, with feet up, and they had one pressing concern. Who has the bag of Cheetos?




Dirk Nowitzki licked the yellow-orange off his fingers, which is about how he treated the Grizzlies. The Mavericks swept Memphis with only one tight game, so they could sit back Tuesday night for some late-night enjoyment.

Another pressing concern developed as they watched. The Spurs are the ones Dallas has targeted — but do the Mavericks want these Kings, either?

Mostly the Mavericks rested, which is why everyone thinks they are clearly in the best position in the West. As the Spurs and Kings beat up each other, the Mavericks get to wait.

Something else happened Tuesday, however, as Bonzi Wells earned a few more million on his next contract. The Spurs, pressed as if these were the conference finals, had to jam all their pieces together to survive.

How bad is this?

Bruce Bowen had his own question. "Remember when we swept Memphis?"

Before this discussion begins, something should be noted: No Spur is looking ahead to the next round.

Not after the previous week in Sacramento, not after Tuesday. The Kings proved yet again they are closer to a first seed than an eighth. Don't be surprised if the Spurs have to play a Game 7 in consecutive playoff series.

But that's also what Bowen is talking about. This isn't easy. This is, well, the way a Dallas series would be.

Gregg Popovich concurs. He joked Tuesday night that, if he'd had any smarts, he would have dumped games and secured the No. 4 seed in the West. At least he appeared to be joking.

But there's another side to these tests, and that is Bowen's point. Two years ago the Spurs swept Memphis, looking efficient and powerful in doing so. Then they won the first two games against the Lakers in the next round before running into a few things that didn't go their way.

"We didn't react well then," Bowen said, "because we weren't ready. This is making us dig deep. And these dig-down games can help you."


They can help you realize how crazy any one night can be, and Tuesday was another. The Spurs' strategy was to keep Mike Bibby and Brad Miller off the 3-point line, then back off of Wells and Ron Artest.

The numbers said they should. Wells shot 22 percent from the 3-point line this season, and Artest 30 percent. Then Wells threw in all three of his on the way to 38 points, and Artest made four.

The Spurs responded as they did a year ago. Manu Ginobili recovered his Manu-ness, crossing over past Artest, dunking. Tony Parker found his jumper. Bowen countered Wells by putting up 16 points of his own. And Tim Duncan played as he has to play for the Spurs to win another championship.

That said, it was still tied at 93 with three minutes left. One burp here, and the defending champs would face elimination in Sacramento.

That's when Duncan backed in Miller for a score, and Artest missed a baseline jumper. Bowen followed with a lefty runner, but Wells kept matching the Spurs. Only when Ginobili made a Ginobilian drive — hard with his left — did the Spurs stretch their lead to five.

By doing so, the Spurs earned something. And this means more than sweeping a bad team, doesn't it?

"I think so," Brent Barry said. "These kinds of games are preparatory. You can learn from losses, and how you react means a lot."

The Spurs might get the chance to learn from another loss in this series. But going to a Game 7 has other advantages for the Spurs. Close out Friday, and the Spurs have to travel halfway across the country to host Dallas as early as Sunday. Win at home against Sacramento on Sunday, and they will wait for the Mavericks.

The disadvantage, naturally, is that the Kings could eliminate them. But if the Spurs play as they did Tuesday — if Wells can't find yet another level — then there's reason to see this first round as scary and tough and beneficial.

What the Spurs won't get?

Only Cheetos.

[Jimcs50]

This is what I have been saying. I said it last year when the Spurs struggled to beat Detroit. The Spurs had toughened up in the previous series against Denver and Seattle, and learned how to win close games, and close out a tough series.

The Mavs have not had any pressure on them yet. If SA does meet Dallas, then, the first time Dallas is pushed, they might fold down the stretch, and SA might excel, as they did last night.

[Supergirl]

Good article. SPurs always play better when their backs are against the wall, or when they're the underdogs. This team doesn't like anything to come too easy. In that way, they're like Detroit.

[DDS4]

That's also why Detroit is so tough to beat. They went through more game 7's than we have.

Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

[Mavtek]

The Mavs have not had any pressure on them yet.

FUNNY SHIT!!!

This exact team was down 0-2 last year in the 1st round yet came back and won it in 7. No pressure, that's laughable.........

[ShoogarBear]

This is what I have been saying.

Me, too. Not only are the Kings tough, but they're killing the Spurs at what have been their weakest points all year. If the Spurs can win this series, they should be better prepared for what other teams are going to throw at them.

Dirk is a great player, probably the MVP, but we have a lot better options for dealing with him than we do for dealing with Bonzi and Artest.

[ShoogarBear]

FUNNY SHIT!!!

This exact team was down 0-2 last year in the 1st round yet came back and won it in 7. No pressure, that's laughable.........

Mavs definition of pressure = down 0-2 in the first round

Spurs definition of pressure = down 2 with 5.8 sec left in Game 5 of the Finals

[Josh810]

Mavs definition of pressure = down 0-2 in the first round

Spurs definition of pressure = down 2 with 5.8 sec left in Game 5 of the Finals
No other word to describe this but owned.

[Mavtek]

Mavs definition of pressure = down 0-2 in the first round

Spurs definition of pressure = down 2 with 5.8 sec left in Game 5 of the Finals

Is that a lot of pressure? I don't see it either way you cut it you have another game coming. The Mavs had to go on the road down 2, in the 1st round. Last second shots are a lot less pressure than being down in a series, it's short term, you either make the shot or you don't. Being down in a series weighs on you far more than a being down 2 points with a few seconds left regardless of the game.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Mavs definition of pressure = down 0-2 in the first round

Spurs definition of pressure = down 2 with 5.8 sec left in Game 5 of the Finals


Mavtek was so OWNED he's now busily writing his own version of ROOTS.

[ShoogarBear]

Is that a lot of pressure? I don't see it either way you cut it you have another game coming. The Mavs had to go on the road down 2, in the 1st round. Last second shots are a lot less pressure than being down in a series, it's short term, you either make the shot or you don't. Being down in a series weighs on you far more than a being down 2 points with a few seconds left regardless of the game.

Spoken like someone's who's a fan of a team that's never been to the Finals.

20 years from now, how many people are going to remember that the Mavs came back from 0-2 in the first round?

And how many are going to remember Horry's shot?

:fro

[Spurminator]

Is that a lot of pressure? I don't see it either way you cut it you have another game coming.

Which is also the case if you're down 0-2...

[Mavtek]

Spoken like someone's who's a fan of a team that's never been to the Finals.

20 years from now, how many people are going to remember that the Mavs came back from 0-2 in the first round?

And how many are going to remember Horry's shot?

:fro

Every Mavs fan and every Houston fan will remember that, but I couldn't have told you it was Horry that took that shot. Thanks for reminding me.

[timvp]

Hey the Mavs have been under pressure. Like when Steve Nash lit them up for 40 and 15 throughout a series. That was pressure.

[ShoogarBear]

Every Mavs fan and every Houston fan will remember that, but I couldn't have told you it was Horry that took that shot. Thanks for reminding me.

Shows how much of a basketball fan you are. Come back next year and we'll tell you what happened in the 2006 Finals.

[timvp]

Every Mavs fan and every Houston fan will remember that, but I couldn't have told you it was Horry that took that shot. Thanks for reminding me.

Single digit.

Case closed.

[timvp]

Show how much of a basketball fan you are. Come back next year and we'll tell you what happened in the 2006 Finals.

Yeah but do you have league pass?

[ShoogarBear]

I think even mavsfan1000 must be embarrassed.

[ShoogarBear]

Yeah but do you have league pass?

Yeah, but not the Horry-free version.

[sprrs]

Every Mavs fan and every Houston fan will remember that, but I couldn't have told you it was Horry that took that shot. Thanks for reminding me.

You're either lying, seriously out of touch with basketball, or you didn't watch the series.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Yeah, but not the Horry-free version.

Must be for Sacramento residents.

[ShoogarBear]

No more? Geez, and I was saving the good stuff.

[Mavtek]

You're either lying, seriously out of touch with basketball, or you didn't watch the series.

I half heartedly watched the series, again not a Detroit or Spurs fans. I watched the shot, but I didn't remember it.

God damn you Spurs fans act as if the earth revolves around your team or some shit.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

I half heartedly watched the series, again not a Detroit or Spurs fans. I watched the shot, but I didn't remember it.

God damn you Spurs fans act as if the earth revolves around your team or some shit.

You're confusing us with Phoenix. . .or one of them.

[ShoogarBear]

You're confusing us with Phoenix. . .or one of them.

:lmao

[SpursWoman]

I half heartedly watched the series, again not a Detroit or Spurs fans. I watched the shot, but I didn't remember it.

God damn you Spurs fans act as if the earth revolves around your team or some shit.


But, you come into this forum and tell people they need to watch other teams besides just the Spurs because they don't seem to know shit about anything...and so far in this thread you've revealed that you don't watch the games of teams you're not a fan of.


WTF are you paying for League Pass for, then? Just to say that you have it? I mean, you watch all the games, but you don't really watch them. :wtf :lmao

[DDS4]

I half heartedly watched the series, again not a Detroit or Spurs fans. I watched the shot, but I didn't remember it.

God damn you Spurs fans act as if the earth revolves around your team or some shit.

Umm..maybe because you're in "Spurstalk.com" ???

[Sspursin06]

God damn you Spurs fans act as if the earth revolves around your team or some shit.

it does revolve around us cause we the bad boys of da NBA with not one? is it two? oh god I'm messing up so much... how many..... oh yeah THREE BLING BLINGS in our trophy case. And since you don't remember Rob's shot...

I know you remember not one... but FOUR shots STEVIE KERR made on yalls asses, hows that for a refresher of basketball memory?

Enough mav-bashing I think Buck is a great columnist ready to be up there with the Cowlishaws, Blackistones, Pasqueralli, and Kornheisers. Maybe not Kornheiser he's amazing. But Buck is great at what he does.

And the Grizzlies are the worst team in the West, and the Mavs didn't play that spectacular...sure number 41... uhh the master race Nazi guy he did alright, but the Grizz is not a tune up for the Champs.

The Kings wouldve been the two seed and Phoenix would be the five with Artest in Sac all year. So this is a great tuneup for the Little Generals Cuban Blowing Nazi Lovers.

Oh and mavtek expect some more Kerr like shots this year... who will they come from? Only the book in Back to the future 2 knows

[sprrs]

I half heartedly watched the series, again not a Detroit or Spurs fans. I watched the shot, but I didn't remember it.

God damn you Spurs fans act as if the earth revolves around your team or some shit.

If you're a basketball fan, it's not hard to remember a game-winning shot in the finals regardless of whether they're made for your team or not. That's a lame excuse.

[Mavtek]

If you're a basketball fan, it's not hard to remember a game-winning shot in the finals regardless of whether they're made for your team or not. That's a lame excuse.

Sorry didn't remember, not sure what to tell you. Do you remember which game it was that the Lakers won in the finals against Detroit? I remember the .4 Fisher shot, I remember the Horry shot in game 7 against the Kings, I remember a whole lot of crap like that, but I didn't particularly remember that shot. I guess I was completely disinterested in the entire series.

[sprrs]

Sorry didn't remember, not sure what to tell you. Do you remember which game it was that the Lakers won in the finals against Detroit? I remember the .4 Fisher shot, I remember the Horry shot in game 7 against the Kings, I remember a whole lot of crap like that, but I didn't particularly remember that shot. I guess I was completely disinterested in the entire series.

That would be game two of the 2004 finals, which, by the way, required a miracle shot by Kobe to win.

The point is you're using that as an excuse for the Spurs not to be able to handle pressure, at least not as well as the Mavs. While I admit it's a different year and these Mavs are different than last years Mavs, saying that Horry's shot wasn't hit in anything less than extreme pressure is ridiculous.

[Mavtek]

That would be game two of the 2004 finals, which, by the way, required a miracle shot by Kobe to win.

The point is you're using that as an excuse for the Spurs not to be able to handle pressure, at least not as well as the Mavs. While I admit it's a different year and these Mavs are different than last years Mavs, saying that Horry's shot wasn't hit in anything less than extreme pressure is ridiculous.

WHAT THE FUCK?????

When did I say the Spurs can't handle pressure??? The only thing I ever said is I laugh at someone who has said that Dallas can't handle pressure!!!!!!!

Being down 0-2 and coming back and winning in 7 is a pretty good way to handle pressure. That's not to say they have handled more or less pressure than the Spurs, but to say they have'nt had to deal with pressure situations is ridiculous.

[FromWayDowntown]

The Mavs handled the pressure well in the Phoenix series last year, too. Dirk really kept his head when the chips were down and made a ton of great decisions.

[timvp]

I remember the Horry shot in game 7 against the Kings

:rollin

Mr. League Pass is owning himself.

[Mavtek]

The Mavs handled the pressure well in the Phoenix series last year, too. Dirk really kept his head when the chips were down and made a ton of great decisions.

Yes and The Spurs handled the pressure well after Fisher hit the .4, we can go round and round with this.

[SpursWoman]

:rollin

Mr. League Pass is owning himself.



Man, I don't even watch many other teams besides the Spurs play on any kind of regular basis ... and I don't subscribe to League Pass, and even I caught that.

Dayum. :lol

[ShoogarBear]

Yes and The Spurs handled the pressure well after Fisher hit the .4, we can go round and round with this.

Another excellent teaching point here.

Spurs version of things that go round and round:

http://www.nba.com/media/spurs/ring_views.jpg

Mavs version of things that go round and round:

http://apavlik0.tripod.com/sunsetblog/BIGZERO.jpg

[T Park]

Do you remember which game it was that the Lakers won in the finals against Detroit?

Game 2.

Took Kobe to bail them out of that, and some bad reffing.

Whats your point mr second round and out?

[A-Train]

Mavs fans are like Cowboys fans...wait, they are Cowboys fans. Sometimes they forget their team doesn't have any hardware. Oh well...

[Josh810]

WHAT THE FUCK?????

When did I say the Spurs can't handle pressure??? The only thing I ever said is I laugh at someone who has said that Dallas can't handle pressure!!!!!!!

Being down 0-2 and coming back and winning in 7 is a pretty good way to handle pressure. That's not to say they have handled more or less pressure than the Spurs, but to say they have'nt had to deal with pressure situations is ridiculous.

Actually someone said they haven't faced real pressure in the playoffs. And if you consider a first round real pressure, then there's no point in arguing with you. The furthest Dallas has been is game 6 of the WCF in '03, when they were up, what, 14 pts in the final quarter? We all saw how they handled that pressure.

[T Park]

God,

coming back from 0-2 in the first round is now equivelant to winning a Finals game with 5.8 seconds left?

WTF!??!?

[T Park]

Mavs fans are like Cowboys fans...wait, they are Cowboys fans. Sometimes they forget their team doesn't have any hardware

arent the Cowboys tied in the NFL for most superbowls?

seems like hardware to me.

[Mavtek]

Actually being a Cowboys fan I might as well forget we have hardware, what's it do for us now?

6-10 and then 9 and 7 whoopy shit, bringing up what you've done in the past is about as relevant as Britney Spears naked is to this conversation.

[Mavtek]

God,

coming back from 0-2 in the first round is now equivelant to winning a Finals game with 5.8 seconds left?

WTF!??!?

Didn't say that Tpark, read it again.

[T Park]

The furthest Dallas has been is game 6 of the WCF in '03, when they were up, what, 14 pts in the final quarter? We all saw how they handled that pressure

Yeah but we can keep going around and around.......

[Mixability]

I remember the Horry shot in game 7 against the Kings

Just like I remember us sweeping the Pistons in the Finals last year.

:lmao :lmao :lmao :lmao :lmao

[FromWayDowntown]

The furthest Dallas has been is game 6 of the WCF in '03, when they were up, what, 14 pts in the final quarter? We all saw how they handled that pressure.

That's not fair -- that was an entirely different Mavs team.

It's also unfair to say that the pressure of avoiding embarassment is somehow not comparable to the pressure of trying to win championships.

[T Park]

Didn't say that Tpark, read it again.

oh yeah, coming back from 0-2 is more important.

My bad.

[Mavtek]

Actually someone said they haven't faced real pressure in the playoffs. And if you consider a first round real pressure, then there's no point in arguing with you. The furthest Dallas has been is game 6 of the WCF in '03, when they were up, what, 14 pts in the final quarter? We all saw how they handled that pressure.

WRONG!

The Furthest Dallas has been is game 7 of the WCF in 87' agains the Lakers. How relevant is that? It's not, not at all kinda like what this whole pressure converstation is anyway.

[ShoogarBear]

It's also unfair to say that the pressure of avoiding embarassment is somehow not comparable to the pressure of trying to win championships.

I think that the pressure of avoiding embarassment is certainly germaine here.

[T Park]

Well if those are irrelevant, than the Mavericks coming back from 0-2 is just as worthless.

So your arguement, is how you say? Moot.

[Mavtek]

That's not fair -- that was an entirely different Mavs team.

It's also unfair to say that the pressure of avoiding embarassment is somehow not comparable to the pressure of trying to win championships.


EXACTLY! I'd say that pressure is fairly comparable. Then again I've only competed for one championship and it had nothing do with the NBA, but my team was clearly almost embarassed early on, and there was quite a bit of pressure during that game.

[Josh810]

That's not fair -- that was an entirely different Mavs team.

It's also unfair to say that the pressure of avoiding embarassment is somehow not comparable to the pressure of trying to win championships.
Well the original statement was that the Dallas Mavericks have never faced any real playoff pressure ever, so yeah I think it applies. It's a comment on the franchise, not a knock on this year's team.

[sprrs]

WHAT THE FUCK?????

When did I say the Spurs can't handle pressure??? The only thing I ever said is I laugh at someone who has said that Dallas can't handle pressure!!!!!!!

Being down 0-2 and coming back and winning in 7 is a pretty good way to handle pressure. That's not to say they have handled more or less pressure than the Spurs, but to say they have'nt had to deal with pressure situations is ridiculous.


Is that a lot of pressure? I don't see it either way you cut it you have another game coming. The Mavs had to go on the road down 2, in the 1st round. Last second shots are a lot less pressure than being down in a series, it's short term, you either make the shot or you don't. Being down in a series weighs on you far more than a being down 2 points with a few seconds left regardless of the game.

[FromWayDowntown]

WRONG!

The Furthest Dallas has been is game 7 of the WCF in 87' agains the Lakers. How relevant is that? It's not, not at all kinda like what this whole pressure converstation is anyway.

And, at last, we've come full circle.

The point of Buck's column was to say that it's not always a disadvantage to be pressed in an early series. He's saying that if the Spurs manage to advance -- which is not a foregone conclusion -- that the pressure they will have dealt with in getting that done will give them something else to rely upon in subsequent series because this year's Spurs will have been significantly tested in a way that this year's Mavericks have not.

It's Buck's opinion that such tests are useful to teams that win titles; he may be proven wrong. But the point he's trying to make is valid -- the 2005-06 Dallas Mavericks have yet to be tested in the same fashion that the 2005-06 San Antonio Spurs or the 2005-06 Sacramento Kings have.

[Joepa]

WHAT THE FUCK?????

When did I say the Spurs can't handle pressure??? The only thing I ever said is I laugh at someone who has said that Dallas can't handle pressure!!!!!!!

Being down 0-2 and coming back and winning in 7 is a pretty good way to handle pressure. That's not to say they have handled more or less pressure than the Spurs, but to say they have'nt had to deal with pressure situations is ridiculous.

I think he's starting lose his cool, gents.

That was a good Harvey article and a point that's worth thinking about. Now, the Spurs, who have all the battle-tested playoff experience and hardware in the world, get a tough series for a little tune-up. Now, we have to play the vaunted playoff juggernaut that is the Mavericks, and they *GASP* have a few extra days of rest to prepare to play us at home, where we lost 7 times?!?!?! We might as well just hand the WC championship to the mavs.

Look, rest would be great, but if we can't have it, at least we can look forward to the next series with some optimism based on Buck's legitimate argument.

[Jimcs50]

FUNNY SHIT!!!

This exact team was down 0-2 last year in the 1st round yet came back and won it in 7. No pressure, that's laughable.........


Yet, as in 4-0 sweep this year. can you not read English?

[Jimcs50]

Being down 2-0 to the Houston Rockets who had zero playoff experience and zero championships in their players' experience, is hardly anything to brag about. Houston choked ona regular basis the last few yrs.

Dallas let Steve Nash waltz up the court and hit the game tieing 3 in game 7 of the playoffs last year with 5 secs left, when all they had to do was stop the ball, or foul to win the game...yeah, they handle pressure well.

:rolleyes

[leemajors]

I think that the pressure of avoiding embarassment is certainly germaine here.

as in jermaine stewart, author of this remarkabkle tune?

Not a word, from your lips
You just took for granted that I want to skinny dip.
A quick hit, that's your game.
But I'm not a piece of meat, still you like my brain.
Night is young, so are we.
Let's get to know each other better, slow & easily.
Take my hand, let's hit the floor.
Shake our bodies to the music.
Maybe then you'll score.

[Chorus:]
So come on baby, won't you show some class
Why you want to move so fast.
We don't have to take our clothes off
To have a good time
Oh no
We could dance & party all night
And drink some cherry wine
Uh huh
We don't have to take our clothes off
To have a good time
Oh no
We could dance & party all night (all night)
And drink some cherry wine
Uh huh
Na na na na na na na...

Just slow down if you want me
A man wants to be approached cool & romantically
I've got needs
Just like you
If the conversation's good
Vibrations through & through

So come on baby, won't you show some class
Why you want to move so fast
We don't have to take outr clothes off
To have a good time
Oh no
We could dance & party all night (all night)
And drink some cherry wine
Uh huh
Na na na na na na...
{repeat until fade}

(it's germane, but you were the first to point out my wonderful pacific islander atlantic ocean blunder yesterday)

[leemajors]

Being down 2-0 to the Houston Rockets who had zero playoff experience and zero championships in their players' experience, is hardly anything to brag about. Houston choked ona regular basis the last few yrs.

Dallas let Steve Nash waltz up the court and hit the game winning 3 in the playoffs last year with no time left, when all they had to do was stop the ball to win the game...yeah, they handle pressure well.

:rolleyes

tracy mcgrady may well have forever jinxed himself with the great to be in the 2nd round comment in orlando... mavs didn't have too much to worry about besides dirk crawling in a hole and hiding.

[Mavtek]

Being down 2-0 to the Houston Rockets who had zero playoff experience and zero championships in their players' experience, is hardly anything to brag about. Houston choked ona regular basis the last few yrs.

Dallas let Steve Nash waltz up the court and hit the game tieing 3 in game 7 of the playoffs last year with 5 secs left, when all they had to do was stop the ball, or foul to win the game...yeah, they handle pressure well.

:rolleyes

That was game 6........

I just wish you guys would hurry up and get out of the 1st round so all this bullshit speculation would stop.

[ShoogarBear]

http://www.essential-eighties.net/jermainestewart.jpg

Dude looked like a Gremlin.

Dayum, I didn't know he died in 97. :oops

[tlongII]

This will toughen up the Spurs IF they beat the Kings. The series ain't over yet.

[Jimcs50]

That was game 6........

I just wish you guys would hurry up and get out of the 1st round so all this bullshit speculation would stop.

Sorry, I knew it was the series clincher, and it really pissed me off, because I wanted Dallas to win that game.

[BigD1]

Forget who has had more pressure to deal with in the past. Plain and Simple, Dallas is a bit banged up and really needs the xtra rest. In the 2nd round last yr, PHX really gave it to a fatigue and lethargic Dallas team that went to war with Houston in 7 games. You guys can't discredit what the Mavs have done in the 1st round...they swept a team that would have beaten Denver, maybe the Clippers and pretty much the bottom 5 or 6 of the Eastern Conference. Sure the Spurs are being battle tested early, and maybe it will be beneficial to them. But I do know one thing, an early series victory is beneficial to the Mavs.
oh yeah...didn't u guys win the Championship in 99' after sweeping the 1st series. Go figure?

[FromWayDowntown]

oh yeah...didn't u guys win the Championship in 99' after sweeping the 1st series. Go figure?

Actually, in 1999, the Spurs vanquished the T'Wolves 3-1.

[FromWayDowntown]

Forget who has had more pressure to deal with in the past. Plain and Simple, Dallas is a bit banged up and really needs the xtra rest. In the 2nd round last yr, PHX really gave it to a fatigue and lethargic Dallas team that went to war with Houston in 7 games. You guys can't discredit what the Mavs have done in the 1st round...they swept a team that would have beaten Denver, maybe the Clippers and pretty much the bottom 5 or 6 of the Eastern Conference. Sure the Spurs are being battle tested early, and maybe it will be beneficial to them. But I do know one thing, an early series victory is beneficial to the Mavs.

Assuming that the Spurs win this series -- still a leap, as far as I'm concerned -- I think that most Spurs fans would have been satisfied to have the result switched; to have the Spurs sitting at home waiting for the Mavs. Just as the Mavs have been banged up, so too have the Spurs. And, generally, rest is a great playoff equalizer.

With that said, whoever wins this series will undoubtedly have had to dig deep and find some strength that needed to rear its head in order to accomplish that. In finding that strength, the winner of the series will have a confidence and belief that a week's rest does not often instill. It's ultimately a silver lining in a dark cloud, but the silver lining has made the difference for many teams in the past.

[weebo]

Sacto would pound the Mavs in a seven game series.

[SequSpur]

Buck Harvey is a waste of newspaper.

[Mavtek]

Sacto would pound the Mavs in a seven game series.

PUH LEEEZ, ok lose and lets find out! :lol

[toosmallshoes]

Mavs definition of pressure = down 0-2 in the first round

Spurs definition of pressure = down 2 with 5.8 sec left in Game 5 of the Finals

Beautiful.

[Jimcs50]

Buck Harvey is a waste of newspaper.


Sour grapes forum


This is a very good article.

[cherylsteele]

WRONG!

The Furthest Dallas has been is game 7 of the WCF in 87' agains the Lakers. How relevant is that? It's not, not at all kinda like what this whole pressure converstation is anyway.
And the Mavs still lost the series and couldn't handle the pressure.
If memory serves didn't Rolondo Blackman mismanage the game clock down the stretch and cost them a trip to finals?

[texlawman]

The fact is the Grizzlies had a better record the last two months of the season and that's with Artest. If Dallas played the Kings they would win in five. Could it be the real reason that your struggling with the Kings is that your team lacks the strength and athleticism to guard either Artest and Wells effectively and that you have no one to back up Bowens or Horry's defensive lapses when they penetrate the lane.

The reality is -past history aside- your team is old and your best player is hobbled. Your offensive revolves around guard penetration and old men making three pointers. I don't think you have the talent to win this year. I'm not sure you have the talent to win this round. Home court is irrelevent. I think you go down this series or in six next round. I look forward to your demise if you last that long :smokin.

[FromWayDowntown]

In part, I find myself hoping the Spurs will win this series just so that I can get the benefit of two weeks of basketball knowledge offered up by the know-it-alls who've jumped on the Mavericks bandwagon.

That would be just swell.

[BigD1]

Actually, in 1999, the Spurs vanquished the T'Wolves 3-1.Same thing. I believe the playoff system was a bit different that year and the Spurs had a good 5 or 6 days off before the next round.

[FromWayDowntown]

Same thing. I believe the playoff system was a bit different that year and the Spurs had a good 5 or 6 days off before the next round.

Believe what you want, but the facts are different. The Spurs closed out Minnesota in Minneapolis on May 15, 1999. They took a 1-0 lead on the Lakers in the West Semis with a win at the Alamodome on May 17, 1999.

The playoffs in 1999 were different, because they were seriously compressed as a result of the lockout. The Spurs/Lakers series ran from May 17, 1999 to May 23, 1999.

[whottt]

Another excellent teaching point here.

Spurs version of things that go round and round:

http://www.nba.com/media/spurs/ring_views.jpg

Mavs version of things that go round and round:

http://apavlik0.tripod.com/sunsetblog/BIGZERO.jpg




:elephant

[Extra Stout]

Mavs fans are right.

Coming back from 2-0 in the first round is just as tough as winning on the road in OT in the Finals.

Just like being guarded by Ryan Bowen is every bit as tough as being guarded by Bruce Bowen.

[cherylsteele]

The fact is the Grizzlies had a better record the last two months of the season and that's with Artest.

Hmmmm.....I seem to recall Artest being on the Kings not the Grizzlies. The first line in your first post and you can't get a simple fact like that correct. :rolleyes

[texas84]

You're either lying, seriously out of touch with basketball, or you didn't watch the series.

Honestly, there are a lot of people across the country who didn't watch that Finals last year. I believe it had terrible ratings (I may be wrong tho). Unless the two teams meant something to you, everyone thought it would be the most boring Finals in history. I only watched maybe 2 games (not even whole games). I do remember Horry making a big shot, but I couldn't tell you what game and the significance.

I'll admit, I'm a Mavs fan first, basketball fan second. If the Mavs aren't playing, I begin to lose interest.

[texas84]

And the Grizzlies are the worst team in the West, and the Mavs didn't play that spectacular...sure number 41... uhh the master race Nazi guy he did alright, but the Grizz is not a tune up for the Champs.

The Kings wouldve been the two seed and Phoenix would be the five with Artest in Sac all year. So this is a great tuneup for the Little Generals Cuban Blowing Nazi Lovers.

Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed!

Whew, I hope there aren't any Jewish Spurs fans on this board.