Mavs<Zone D

[GayForManu]

Did you guys see the Mavs game against the Bucks this week? The Bucks are a marginal team at best (even though they have owned SA this year), but they set up in a zone D for basically the whole game. I'm in Dallas and married to a Mavs fan, I swear we'll have some fights during the playoffs, so I get them watch them on TV from time to time. And the one thing that Pop has forgotten from their 2003 run was that the Mavs can not play against the zone D. Sure I know they are a different team now than they were then, but the principle of their offense is the same. That game was extremely close and should not have been, even if Dirk was out for most of it. Don't let them drive the lane and make them rely on their shooting and you will be alright, reference the Finals last year for proof of that. Set up a zone, and play your bigs. A line up of Parker, Gino, Bonner, Duncan and Elson in a 3-2 would be unstoppable

[bdictjames]

Uh, you forgot one problem. Bonner cant guard Howard.

[mabber]

Did you guys see the Mavs game against the Bucks this week? The Bucks are a marginal team at best (even though they have owned SA this year), but they set up in a zone D for basically the whole game. I'm in Dallas and married to a Mavs fan, I swear we'll have some fights during the playoffs, so I get them watch them on TV from time to time. And the one thing that Pop has forgotten from their 2003 run was that the Mavs can not play against the zone D. Sure I know they are a different team now than they were then, but the principle of their offense is the same. That game was extremely close and should not have been, even if Dirk was out for most of it. Don't let them drive the lane and make them rely on their shooting and you will be alright, reference the Finals last year for proof of that. Set up a zone, and play your bigs. A line up of Parker, Gino, Bonner, Duncan and Elson in a 3-2 would be unstoppable

If it was as easy as just playing zone all game vs. the Mavs then I would imagine the Mavs wouldn't have won 60 games already. There have been a few instances where zone has bothered Dallas but nothing they didn't eventually figure out. The Mav's offense wasn't the problem vs. Milwaukee...it was there defense (or lack of it).

[Shank]

I love how people on Internet messageboards think they can figure out things NBA coaches can't.

[LEONARD]

:lol :lol :lol

I emailed this thread to Pop...

[Obstructed_View]

Uh, you forgot one problem. Bonner cant guard Howard.
Does someone need to explain zone defense to you? :)

[sribb43]

Does someone need to explain zone defense to you? :)
:lol. Maybe he was thinking a box and 1, with bonner shadowing howard while the rest of the spurs played the zone :lol

[Solid D]

Dirk played 15 minutes and the Mavs still shot 45% from the field and scored 105 points.

Any defense with Ruben Patterson and Brian Skinner is going to be more difficult to go inside on...however, it doesn't seem like it mattered much.

[Dalhoop]

The mavs do have trouble with Zone defenses, they have for several years and still do this year. It takes the Mavs a few quarters to figure out how to attack it, but they do figure it out.

I have always said that to beat the Mavs, a team will have to play zone. Miami did it last year with great effect for the whole series. The thing with a Zone is that you can't play it all the time or a team will figure it out and start burning it. Its good for a around 4-5 minutes at time, then a team figues it out.

To make it effective you have to spring it on a team, try to make them burn a TO to talk it over, then switch to another zone (Box and 1, 2-3, 1-2-2, Match-up ... whatever) and play it for 4-5 minutes.

[td4mvp21]

He/She whatever it is, is right. Mavs struggle against the zone. They thrive off of inside-out type play (where they either penetrate and dish or simply penetrate and score). When you take away the lane, they play more one on one and that hurts their offense.

[T Park]

Another IMO, of the goofs pop made in that series.

Not playing more zone.

[LaMarcus Bryant]

i will not believe it until timvp confirms.