Spurs vs. Mavs Matchup

[usckk]

How will the Spurs defend the Mavs this time around?

Oberto guarding Dirk? or will we go bigger with Elson?

[sa_butta]

Why not Bowen??

[usckk]

Because Bowen can guard Howard. Last year in the Conference championship, we had mainly Finley guarding Dirk.

[usckk]

But because we acquired more agile centers, we are able to switch up our defense more.

[RC's Boss]

I say fuck all that! Who's going to guard Tim let them worry about that one!

[ChumpDumper]

Vaughn is our Dirk stopper. The shorter the better. Maybe Beno since his arms are so short.

[BERSERK]

We should just play to our style regardless. No Small Ball. Small Ball is what defeated us in the first place.

[usckk]

Or small ball could of kept us in the game...I've never seen our offense play so well before. It was perfect! It was frustrating watch how well our offense play and lose because we couldn't stop them, which is why i'm starting this thread.

[td4mvp21]

Just play the way we play. Make them adjust. Shut everyone down but Dirk.

[MrChug]

Bruce. Period. Let the bigs just concentrate on the defensive glass and keep pretty boy Howard off the glass like Bonzi did to us and we'll be fine. Dirk going for 50 or not.

[timvp]

Bruce can't guard Dirk. You put him on Dirk and the Spurs will get outrebounded every game the two teams play.

[ChumpDumper]

Apparently this is the whole reason we got Elson, so I'm sure he'll get a shot.

[BERSERK]

Or small ball could of kept us in the game...I've never seen our offense play so well before. It was perfect! It was frustrating watch how well our offense play and lose because we couldn't stop them, which is why i'm starting this thread.

We lost because we played their style of game.

All season long we played our way and all of sudden Pop just wants to play small ball. Of course Nazr was also in the coaches dog house so it put the Spurs in a bind.

If small ball was so great, then how come we didn't go with the small ball scheme when we played against the Phoenix Suns in '05?

[FromWayDowntown]

I'm glad that someone finally saw fit to raise this topic for discussion.

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

We lost because we played their style of game.

All season long we played our way and all of sudden Pop just wants to play small ball. Of course Nazr was also in the coaches dog house so it put the Spurs in a bind.

If small ball was so great, then how come we didn't go with the small ball scheme when we played against the Phoenix Suns in '05?
In the Mavs Spurs series, we were the Suns, and they were the Spurs. Notice how Tim had a great playoff numbers, just like Amare, and we still lost in close games because we just tried to race to the finish line first, like the Suns did.

Pop couldn't make it work with the pieces we had. We were right there and he didn't put us at a vantage point with the Small Ball crap. We never really had the upperhand in that series.

[BUMP]

its gonna be Bruce guarding Dirk with Duncan/Elson inside help. leaving Dampier open for the fumbled pass :rolleyes

[George Gervin's Afro]

Make the Mavs a jump shooting team. I'm ok with Dirk taking jump shots all day..now if Dirk continues to pick up fouls when people look at him wrong on the perimeter then we are going to have problems.

[Texas_Ranger]

Duncan on Dirk
Elson on Dampier
Bowen on Howard
Manu on Stack
Tony on Terry

[Dirk41MVP]

Duncan on Dirk
Elson on Dampier
Bowen on Howard
Manu on Stack
Tony on Terry


Duncan on dirk won't happen, foul trouble for duncan. (same for dirk guarding TD) manu on stack only when stack comes off the bench. FInley will guard devin ? :lol

[Jimcs50]

If Pop could not figure that out in June, what makes you think he can do it now?

:rolleyes

[mavs>spurs2]

I'll go ahead and say this now....if Bowen guards Dirk then its gonna be a 4-0 series sweep. You guys better hope Elson can stay with him and do a decent job. Then we will have ourselves a close game.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

Elson on Bowen's shoulders. Gives you the length to bother his shot with the foot speed to beat him to his spots, and puts the pressure squarely on Dampier to be their scorer.

[George Gervin's Afro]

I'll go ahead and say this now....if Bowen guards Dirk then its gonna be a 4-0 series sweep. You guys better hope Elson can stay with him and do a decent job. Then we will have ourselves a close game.


Let us know when you find someone to guard Duncan then you can come in here and talk sweep..

[Rescueone]

The Spurs were within one Manu foul of winning the whole series against the Mavs. Don't read to much into the Spurs going small. Which ever way they choose to go, they will be successful.

[mavsfan1000]

Let us know when you find someone to guard Duncan then you can come in here and talk sweep..
Diop/Dampier will guard Duncan. They are good defenders but if Duncan gets on a role no one can guard him. Hopefully this year he slows down.

[angryllama]

In the Mavs Spurs series, we were the Suns, and they were the Spurs. Notice how Tim had a great playoff numbers, just like Amare, and we still lost in close games because we just tried to race to the finish line first, like the Suns did.

Pop couldn't make it work with the pieces we had. We were right there and he didn't put us at a vantage point with the Small Ball crap. We never really had the upperhand in that series.

That's the best post that I've seen here. Kudos. You werent too blinded by homerism to see what actually happened.


To beat Dallas, SA must hope to counter the production of Dirk, Terry, and Howard with Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili. And...the Spurs must find a way to use their centers to score against Diop. Dallas is a better defensive team this season, so the Spurs will have to find ways to hurt them with other players than just Duncan.

[spurs_in_7]

I'll go ahead and say this now....if Bowen guards Dirk then its gonna be a 4-0 series sweep. You guys better hope Elson can stay with him and do a decent job. Then we will have ourselves a close game.

elson cant defend a pole, if the spurs put elson on dirk it gonna be 4-0 too and dirk averaging 35pts 15rb per game, the only answer for dirk are, in first place oberto (im sure that he can do a decent job on him) and in second bowen

[phxspurfan]

were gonna trade for jared jeffries around mid season. or s jack.

[td4mvp21]

were gonna trade for jared jeffries around mid season. or s jack.

Do you know Jonathan by any chance?

[phxspurfan]

chow? o yea we tite

[phxspurfan]

he needs a new job tho he dont work in spurs FO anymore.

[z0sa]

it sure wqs a 4-0 series sweep with bowen guarding dirk during last year's playoffs...

[mavsfan1000]

it sure wqs a 4-0 series sweep with bowen guarding dirk during last year's playoffs...
That was last year. lol This year Josh Howard is going to take his game to another level and Bowen will be forced to guard Howard.

[Dirk41MVP]

Let us know when you find someone to guard Duncan then you can come in here and talk sweep..

I'll take Diop, since he already shut him down in the OT of game 7, making him go 1-6 or 1-7 something like that.. oh wait, I forgot. Duncan's PF kicked in at the start of OT in that game... right, my bad

[ambchang]

I'll take Diop, since he already shut him down in the OT of game 7, making him go 1-6 or 1-7 something like that.. oh wait, I forgot. Duncan's PF kicked in at the start of OT in that game... right, my bad

Diop also averaged 12.7 fouls per 48 minutes, or in another way, would have fouled out in about 23 minutes of playing time.

[George Gervin's Afro]

I'll take Diop, since he already shut him down in the OT of game 7, making him go 1-6 or 1-7 something like that.. oh wait, I forgot. Duncan's PF kicked in at the start of OT in that game... right, my bad


Had nothing to do with Dipo playing 10 minutes before that and Duncan playing 40 +.. ..I guess your to stupid to know that someone who plays 10 minutes will have an advantage over someone who has played 4 times as much.. Your right my bad I gave you to much credit

[Dirk41MVP]

Diop also averaged 12.7 fouls per 48 minutes, or in another way, would have fouled out in about 23 minutes of playing time.

I thought Duncan was hurt, how can he play 48 minutes if he was hurt ?.

A guy formerly known as a "bust" by everybody around in the league will never have a advantage over a superstar, 3-time champ, and 3-time finals mvp. He was supposed to come through for your team when their season was in the line and he didnt, end of story.

Dirk had played tons of minutes as well in that game, and he sent the game into overtime and actually played in the OT, unless he is a robot and I don't know it, he was just as tired. He came through though... No excuse for a no-name to shut you down in the last minutes of your season, no excuse.

[ggoose25]

why not have timmy guard him? hes supposed to be in the best shape. tim usually is smart enough to not get into foul trouble

[George Gervin's Afro]

I thought Duncan was hurt, how can he play 48 minutes if he was hurt ?.

A guy formerly known as a "bust" by everybody around in the league will never have a advantage over a superstar, 3-time champ, and 3-time finals mvp. He was supposed to come through for your team when their season was in the line and he didnt, end of story.

Dirk had played tons of minutes as well in that game, and he sent the game into overtime and actually played in the OT, unless he is a robot and I don't know it, he was just as tired. He came through though... No excuse for a no-name to shut you down in the last minutes of your season, no excuse.


Speaking of a superstar player not coming through for a team that cost them a season do you think Dirk feels bad for chocking on the big stage? What about blowing free throws? According to you he didn't come through for the mavs.. end of story right? So I would expect that if you say Tim didn't come through you would also include _irk.


You have no idea how pleased I am that the Mavs choked away their only opportunity to ever win anything.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

Duncan needed an IV after game 7, so I'd say the playing field was evened up a bit for Diop. While the PF was not directly responsible for his poor perfomance, it was noted a number of times throughout the season that in the long term it was taking a toll on his conditioning because so much of his down time was spent resting his foot rather focusing soley on staying in peak shape (as he seems to have spent this offseason doing). And as far as Tim not coming through when the Spurs needed him, I'd say getting your team out of a 20 point hole is coming through for them. A healthy Ginobili was the missing link for the Spurs in that series.

[ponky]

Dang, there are sooooo many tickets still available for the Nov. 24 matchup in SA...just bought four.

[dirk4mvp]

Make the Mavs a jump shooting team. I'm ok with Dirk taking jump shots all day..now if Dirk continues to pick up fouls when people look at him wrong on the perimeter then we are going to have problems.


Congrats. You're the first person in this thread to bitch about the refs. :tu

[dirk4mvp]

_irk.





That was cute about 2 years ago. Got old when Dirk started playing D.

[Dirk41MVP]

Speaking of a superstar player not coming through for a team that cost them a season do you think Dirk feels bad for chocking on the big stage? What about blowing free throws? According to you he didn't come through for the mavs.. end of story right? So I would expect that if you say Tim didn't come through you would also include _irk.


You have no idea how pleased I am that the Mavs choked away their only opportunity to ever win anything.

Lol "blowing free throws", talk to Duncan about that one, not Dirk. Yeah he missed an important free throw, so what ? he didn't miss 6 or 7 in a row like duncan did shots in OT of game 7... I liked your new _irk name, it's VERY creative, specially considering it fits Dirk perfectly fine :lol

Our only opportunity to win anything ? hah, my ass. It's good to lie to yourself, don't worry that wasn't our only chance, trust me. We're still a lot younger than your team, and have a much brighter future than the spurs, if anybody should worry about the future opportunities, it's your ugly ass, whinny team.

[td4mvp21]

That was cute about 2 years ago. Got old when Dirk started playing D.

Really? Dirk started playing D? I don't think so buddy.

[J.T.]

Dang, there are sooooo many tickets still available for the Nov. 24 matchup in SA...just bought four.

Cuz we all know the Mavs are going to get lit up like a Christmas tree that game...I'd rather see the Spurs play a close and exciting game against Phoenix, Detroit, maybe Miami, than rout the Mavs by 30.

[angryllama]

This rivalry is starting to get fun!

Spurs fans are in denial. We hold the cards now. We knocked you out of the playoffs. Our superstar became a hall-of-famer at your expense. Our team is young and an up-and-comer. Your team is the old guard, slowly fading into grey and then black. The players' hair matches the jerseys.

Stay down, Spurs fan. Your time is up. The Mavericks own the West.

[ATX Spur]

That was last year. lol This year Josh Howard is going to take his game to another level and Bowen will be forced to guard Howard.

:lmao Is he going to call two non-existent time-outs to decide a game?

[ATX Spur]

This rivalry is starting to get fun!

Spurs fans are in denial. We hold the cards now. We knocked you out of the playoffs. Our superstar became a hall-of-famer at your expense. Our team is young and an up-and-comer. Your team is the old guard, slowly fading into grey and then black. The players' hair matches the jerseys.

Stay down, Spurs fan. Your time is up. The Mavericks own the West.

Rivalry implies parity, which is certainly not the case. The Mavericks are going to be a great team again. But they haven't won anything. The Spurs won division titles upon division titles, an MVP for DRob, rebounding titles, All-star appearances, etc. for a decade before they won their three titles. Mavs have a long way to go. A win in a 7-game second round series, while a great victory in a great series, doesn't reverse anything.

Dirk's not a hall of famer yet. Manu is further along in that endeavor and even he's not there yet. Try again.

[spurs_in_7]

This rivalry is starting to get fun!

Spurs fans are in denial. We hold the cards now. We knocked you out of the playoffs. Our superstar became a hall-of-famer at your expense. Our team is young and an up-and-comer. Your team is the old guard, slowly fading into grey and then black. The players' hair matches the jerseys.

Stay down, Spurs fan. Your time is up. The Mavericks own the West.

in reality the refs and pops small balls knocked the spurs out

[ATX Spur]

in reality the refs and pops small balls knocked the spurs out

That's not helping any. I think the Mavs had a little something to do with the outcome of that series too.

[angryllama]

Rivalry implies parity, which is certainly not the case.
Dallas and SA have been competitive for years. If not for a Nowitzki injury in 2003, Dallas might have been champs that year. Im not saying that they would have beaten the Spurs, but they were certainly capable.



The Mavericks are going to be a great team again. But they haven't won anything.

They won the West last season. Directly at the Spurs' expense.



The Spurs won division titles upon division titles, an MVP for DRob, rebounding titles, All-star appearances, etc. for a decade before they won their three titles. Mavs have a long way to go. A win in a 7-game second round series, while a great victory in a great series, doesn't reverse anything.

What the Spurs have accomplished over their history doesnt mean a whole lot right now. Some rivalries span eras, and some span decades. This one spans an era, and has heated up considerably. Tony Parker made sure of that by mouthing off before game 7 in a whiny fashion about how little they respected Dallas. Then Dallas rose up and swatted them down. :nope



Dirk's not a hall of famer yet. Manu is further along in that endeavor and even he's not there yet. Try again.

Dirk is there. He's a perrinial All-NBA teamer, and has been in the running for MVP for the last 4 seasons. He has the statistics, the clutch play highlight reel moments, and he has something unique that makes him a stand-out player among his peers. He's the first international player to become a legit threat to lead a team to the NBA finals. He's easily the best international player of all-time.

Ginobili doesnt compare. Not at all. You are kidding yourself if you think otherwise.

[ATX Spur]

Dirk is there. He's a perrinial All-NBA teamer, and has been in the running for MVP for the last 4 seasons. He has the statistics, the clutch play highlight reel moments, and he has something unique that makes him a stand-out player among his peers. He's the first international player to become a legit threat to lead a team to the NBA finals. He's easily the best international player of all-time.

Ginobili doesnt compare. Not at all. You are kidding yourself if you think otherwise.

I'm gonna reply to this part first because it's easily the silliest. Correct, Dirk is a perennial All-NBA, All-star, MVP candidate. Great stats.

He's not the first international player to become "a legit threat to lead a team to the NBA finals." It's a bit confounded what you were trying to say there. If you mean lead a team in the NBA finals, take a look at the 2005 finals.

If you meant anything more broad, take a look at Hakeem's stats for the playoffs in the late 80's to mid 90's, including the two titles. Absolutely staggering, and not comparable to Nowitski's.

Dirk is not easily the greatest international player of all time. See: Hakeem, Sabonis, Petrovic, etc. Those guys could do stuff too.

Lastly, Ginobili may not be the better player, but is way more accomplished than Dirk. Light years past. Manu is the only player in basketball history to have an NBA championship, a Euroleague title, and an Olympic medal. Not only that, he has a gold medal and an Olympics MVP. Dirk has none of those things. Manu has 4 votes as a Finals MVP. More than Dirk got last year's finals. I don't have to kid myself. Those are facts.

[ATX Spur]

Dallas and SA have been competitive for years. If not for a Nowitzki injury in 2003, Dallas might have been champs that year. Im not saying that they would have beaten the Spurs, but they were certainly capable.

True.


They won the West last season. Directly at the Spurs' expense.

I hope that WC banner they unfurl at AAC is satisfying enough for them.


What the Spurs have accomplished over their history doesnt mean a whole lot right now. Some rivalries span eras, and some span decades. This one spans an era, and has heated up considerably. Tony Parker made sure of that by mouthing off before game 7 in a whiny fashion about how little they respected Dallas. Then Dallas rose up and swatted them down. :nope

They still have a ways to go. And I expect it. I expect good things from the Mavs. But it's a little premature to start expounding their greatness. Let's see if Howard grows any better first. Let's see if Diop can be consistent, given consistent minutes. Let's see if the new players mesh well with the roster from last year. There's alot that remains to be seen.

[ambchang]

I thought Duncan was hurt, how can he play 48 minutes if he was hurt ?.

A guy formerly known as a "bust" by everybody around in the league will never have a advantage over a superstar, 3-time champ, and 3-time finals mvp. He was supposed to come through for your team when their season was in the line and he didnt, end of story.

Dirk had played tons of minutes as well in that game, and he sent the game into overtime and actually played in the OT, unless he is a robot and I don't know it, he was just as tired. He came through though... No excuse for a no-name to shut you down in the last minutes of your season, no excuse.

Are you trying to address my post? What does your reply has to do with anything I said? Care to provide more explanation?

BTW, you would think that Duncan would average more than 23 minutes a game, would you not? So you would count on some guy who would, on average, foul out in 23 minutes to take on the best player on the opposing team? What do you do with the other 10 to 15 minutes?