mabber
05-03-2007, 03:27 PM
Scouts Inc. update: Mavericks vs. Warriors, Game 6By Jeff Weltman
Scouts Inc.
Archive
• Mavericks-Warriors series scouting report | Series page
Game 5 was the most entertaining game of the most entertaining series in the playoffs. Dallas blew a 21-point lead and found themselves trailing by nine with a little over three minutes remaining before staging a 15-0 run to finish the game.
For the first time, the pressure now falls on Golden State -- despite its 3-2 lead -- as Game 6 is its last shot to win a game it is supposed to win. Though Dallas lost a big lead by allowing Golden State to resuscitate its running game, the Mavericks controlled most of the game and proved to themselves their game plan will work if properly executed.
Dallas got better looks in this game than it had previously. The Mavs ran a lot of high pick and rolls and pinched the high corners of the Golden State zone with dribble penetration. They were once again aggressive off the dribble, and Diop did an excellent job in crashing the offensive glass and occupying interior defenders off the ball.
With Golden State continuing to front Dirk Nowitzki and put an additional defender on the blocks, Dallas will once again have to basket-cut, move the ball side to side and get aggressive play from Josh Howard, Jason Terry and Devin Harris, the last of whom was exceptional down the stretch in Game 5.
Dallas did an excellent job getting the ball out of Baron Davis' hands in the final quarter of Game 5, and I would look for them to do much the same in Game 6, which means that the other Warriors will have to deliver offensively.
We have talked a lot about matchups this series, but the fact is Golden State entered the playoffs one of the league's hottest teams primarily because of its 3-point shooting. The Warriors live or die by the long ball. All the strategizing and psychological warfare aside, Game 6 will go as Golden State's 3-ball goes. With the pressure on, will the Warriors continue to make shots at a high rate?
For its part, Dallas' defensive transition was excellent for the better part of Game 5. But Dallas did suffer a costly lapse when it fell victim to the temptation of Golden State's pace. With Terry and Harris, Dallas has the fastest backcourt in the league, and it is an excellent running team in its own right. But it's a fine line between playing uptempo basketball and playing Warrior basketball.
One of the hardest things to do against a team like Golden State is to maintain discipline in the face of what appears to be tempting open-court opportunities. The Warriors' long-ball effectiveness is fed by their open-court rhythm, and when the game moves into a breakneck-style, they make you pay by racking up 3-pointers. Dallas must continue to be aggressive in pressing for open-court scoring opportunities but they must be more vigilant in monitoring tempo -- easier said than done.
Golden State probably will seek to shorten its rotation next game, and second-year guard Monta Ellis would figure to be the primary casualty if this is the case. Ellis had sat the final 16 minutes of Game 5 until Davis fouled out, and I would look for Nellie to roll with his more experienced players in this game. Matt Barnes -- who has played very well in this series -- injured himself late last game and his movement will be monitored in Game 6.
History instructs us the home team wins these games, but I believe that of all the psychological obstacles in the path of a low seed on the way to an upset, none is greater than the sense of inevitability that the favorite will find a way to pull it out. The final three minutes of Game 5 demonstrate that.
This is a reach on a very hostile court, but we're betting the Mavericks will once again find a way.
PREDICTION: Dallas wins Game 6
ESPN.com's Scouts Inc. will provide detailed scouting reports for each NBA playoff series and each NBA playoff game. Scouts Inc. NBA analyst Jeff Weltman was assistant general manager of the Denver Nuggets from 2001 to 2006. From 1988 to 2001, he served the Los Angeles Clippers in various personnel, scouting and administrative roles.
Scouts Inc.
Archive
• Mavericks-Warriors series scouting report | Series page
Game 5 was the most entertaining game of the most entertaining series in the playoffs. Dallas blew a 21-point lead and found themselves trailing by nine with a little over three minutes remaining before staging a 15-0 run to finish the game.
For the first time, the pressure now falls on Golden State -- despite its 3-2 lead -- as Game 6 is its last shot to win a game it is supposed to win. Though Dallas lost a big lead by allowing Golden State to resuscitate its running game, the Mavericks controlled most of the game and proved to themselves their game plan will work if properly executed.
Dallas got better looks in this game than it had previously. The Mavs ran a lot of high pick and rolls and pinched the high corners of the Golden State zone with dribble penetration. They were once again aggressive off the dribble, and Diop did an excellent job in crashing the offensive glass and occupying interior defenders off the ball.
With Golden State continuing to front Dirk Nowitzki and put an additional defender on the blocks, Dallas will once again have to basket-cut, move the ball side to side and get aggressive play from Josh Howard, Jason Terry and Devin Harris, the last of whom was exceptional down the stretch in Game 5.
Dallas did an excellent job getting the ball out of Baron Davis' hands in the final quarter of Game 5, and I would look for them to do much the same in Game 6, which means that the other Warriors will have to deliver offensively.
We have talked a lot about matchups this series, but the fact is Golden State entered the playoffs one of the league's hottest teams primarily because of its 3-point shooting. The Warriors live or die by the long ball. All the strategizing and psychological warfare aside, Game 6 will go as Golden State's 3-ball goes. With the pressure on, will the Warriors continue to make shots at a high rate?
For its part, Dallas' defensive transition was excellent for the better part of Game 5. But Dallas did suffer a costly lapse when it fell victim to the temptation of Golden State's pace. With Terry and Harris, Dallas has the fastest backcourt in the league, and it is an excellent running team in its own right. But it's a fine line between playing uptempo basketball and playing Warrior basketball.
One of the hardest things to do against a team like Golden State is to maintain discipline in the face of what appears to be tempting open-court opportunities. The Warriors' long-ball effectiveness is fed by their open-court rhythm, and when the game moves into a breakneck-style, they make you pay by racking up 3-pointers. Dallas must continue to be aggressive in pressing for open-court scoring opportunities but they must be more vigilant in monitoring tempo -- easier said than done.
Golden State probably will seek to shorten its rotation next game, and second-year guard Monta Ellis would figure to be the primary casualty if this is the case. Ellis had sat the final 16 minutes of Game 5 until Davis fouled out, and I would look for Nellie to roll with his more experienced players in this game. Matt Barnes -- who has played very well in this series -- injured himself late last game and his movement will be monitored in Game 6.
History instructs us the home team wins these games, but I believe that of all the psychological obstacles in the path of a low seed on the way to an upset, none is greater than the sense of inevitability that the favorite will find a way to pull it out. The final three minutes of Game 5 demonstrate that.
This is a reach on a very hostile court, but we're betting the Mavericks will once again find a way.
PREDICTION: Dallas wins Game 6
ESPN.com's Scouts Inc. will provide detailed scouting reports for each NBA playoff series and each NBA playoff game. Scouts Inc. NBA analyst Jeff Weltman was assistant general manager of the Denver Nuggets from 2001 to 2006. From 1988 to 2001, he served the Los Angeles Clippers in various personnel, scouting and administrative roles.