I can never fell sorry for the Mavs as long as Cuban is the owner and Jason Terry is in a Mavs uniform.
As much losers are these guys are, they actually really want to win. Especially Cuban. And as far as I can tell, he did everything is his power to get the Mavs the pieces to succeed. He's a whiny , I agree, but even he deserves a little pity for his efforts.
Final post-Game 4 words from Jason Terry
Brad Townsend/Reporter
I'm told that the Mavericks' plane has landed back in Dallas. I'm still in San Antonio, but thought I would share the parting Game 4 thoughts of Jason Terry as he limped out of the locker room Sunday night.
"It's frustrating, but it's good, man. Because when your back's against the wall, you really find out who you are. Not only as an individual, but as a team. I know what we have on this team and I know what it's going to take for us to get the job done. It's not going to be easy, but I know we can do it."
Perhaps the Mavericks should have known this trip to San Antonio would turn out badly when, on Friday morning, they were awakened in their team hotel by a high school band playing "Louie, Louie."
The band was warming up for that afternoon's Battle of Flowers parade. On the way to their morning shootaround before Game 3 on Friday, the Mavericks' bus had to take a longer route because of blocked off streets for the parade. Consequently, the bus had to stop for 15 minutes at a track as a train passed, making the team late for shootaround.
And Saturday night's Fiesta Flambeau parade wreaked havoc on downtown traffic, making Fiesta festivities unavoidable for an NBA team on its way to two losses in three days here.
Asked how it will feel to get back home, Terry said, "If we don't see another Fiesta . . . . We've got to get the up out of here."
Uh, excuse me Cecil Turtle. Your team no longer has homecourt advantage."Yeah, they [the Spurs] just won three, didn't they?" said guard Jason Terry, when asked if the Mavericks can win the last three. "That's our job. That's why we got home-court advantage."
The more this punk talks, the more stupid he sounds.
Interesting that the articles focus on our experience, but it was the young dudes who came through for us tonite.
I don't blame Terry for those comments.
He is obviously s -shocked.
FIFY. I know Blair did some work in his 12 minutes, but Hill straight ballsed up and won us a playoff game tonight, fair and simple. Obviously it was a team effort, but if Hill doesn't have the game he has, we lose. Hill is the ing man of the hour tonight, most definitely. His play on both ends is a big, big part of the reason we are up 3-1 and looking like le contenders again.
Is there something seriously wrong with Jason Terry? Almost everything that comes out of his mouth is so very wrong, that I wonder if he isn't a few sandwiches short of a picnic.
Brilliant as always.
Maybe JT should of went to Fiesta, at least he would of had a good story to tell about SA, instead of the ty one I'm sure he has now.
louie louie from modern talking?
I love this.The Mavs didn't give the game away, the Spurs punched them in the jaw and took it.
There are some, myself included, who thought Hill would be one of the keys to this series. As always, the superb play of the Big Three is a MUST and usually given. However, I figured if Hill could sustain good health and had a productive series, the Spurs stood a good shot to prevail.
We saw the difference of his impact the past couple of games. Hill was just outstanding tonight. His dominant performance even helped overcome one of Duncan't poorest playoff outings.
Really it was the entire big 3. All of them played below average and this game well could have ended in the same 15 point blowout we saw at halftime.
Which team as a last turned from 1-3 to 4-3? And when?
2006 until Manu's foul.
Bob's Blog - Live from Lewisville
"Hope is not a strategy" - Billy Beane
Daily Commentary on the Dallas Sports Scene - By Bob Sturm - Sportsradio 1310, The Ticket
Game 4: Spurs 92, Mavs 89 (Spurs 3-1)
Well, this is bad. If you had plans of seeing the Mavericks navigate this battleship into the waters of May, you better hope for something special to happen really quick. Because otherwise, we are about to be left with a pile of rubble yet again in the 1st round as the Spurs take a commanding 3-1 lead in this series on Sunday night with another gutty victory at the AT&T Center.
It is getting to the point where you are almost ready to wash your hands with this squad. Perhaps to a point where we start to wonder if 2006 was just a fluke-ish aberration in a sea of many other playoff disappointments. Many of the faces have changed on the Mavericks, but many of the key attributes remain the same. Very little movement on offense. Too much dependence on perimeter basketball. And no ability whatsoever in the 4th Quarter of both games in San Antonio for the Mavs to keep the Spurs guards from getting to the basket. When Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili (and heck, even George Hill) want to dribble into the paint and either score or dump it off to someone who will, the Jason Terry school of defense is just not getting it done.
Meanwhile, your key acquisitions over the summer - you know, the ones that were to change the personality of this team in crunch time of playoff games - sit and watch the key moments of the game yet again. Shawn Marion, who seems like your best option to cover Ginobili is sitting on the bench.
But, let's not lose focus again. The focus must be on the players who are on the court. Dirk Nowitzki, who has played well enough in this series to be above criticism, was not active enough through most of the game, and then down the stretch, it was tough for him to get back involved. Also, Jason Kidd has had a very difficult time putting his stamp all over the Spurs like he has many Mavericks opponents. Jason Terry got hot last night in the 4th Quarter with his shooting, but otherwise is such a liability at crunch time defensively that it is often times a wash.
We have seen this time and time again. When the Mavericks are on the road since the 2006 Western Conference Finals, they are a stunning 2-15 in the playoffs. Did you know that? 2-15. And do you know why? Because in the 4th Quarter, they do not have the necessary attributes on either end of the court to consistently compete at a top level. And if you win about 13% of your road games, then you will find it very difficult to win a series. And that might explain why since the 2006 Western Finals, the Mavs are 1-4 in series, and about to be 1-5 unless something magical occurs very quickly.
The high pick and roll with Terry and Dirk has not been money often enough. Oh sure, it may be the best option the Mavericks have, but it cannot out-execute what the opponent is trying to do (in this case, the Spurs at crunch time are intent to have their guards attack the paint off the dribble). You must be able to employ your strategy and be better at it than your opponent in those same crucial moments of the 4th Quarter - which is even more impossible and unlikely when the Spurs are up 13 (84-71) with 5 minutes to play.
And why were the Spurs so far in front? Because in the 3rd Quarter, the Spurs scored on 9 of their first 12 possessions. Apparently, the Mavs were pretty sure that up 14 at the Half, the Spurs were going to pack it in. But, with George Hill, Antonio McDyess, and Richard Jefferson hitting shots - the Mavs let that entire lead slip away in merely 9 minutes. Then, DeJuan Blair entered the game and things really went south.
The Spurs are the Spurs. And shame on any of us for underestimating them. The Mavs, and their precious #2 seed, are now up against the wall. This is bad, and the whole thing looks like a mess. The coach looks clueless, the players look lost, and honestly, this whole thing looks like a new version of the same frustrating spring tradition around here - save 2006, which might have been a simple aberration.
Notes on Game 4 and beyond:
* I think the Mavs are a meaner team than they used to be, but still, you can see when the temperature is turned up that it does not always suit the team. For instance, I thought there were numerous examples on both ends of the court that they were "letting them play" last night. Both teams had cause to suggest that their man had been assaulted on his way to the basket. But, in a street fight, you need everyone up for the battle. I think the 2010 Mavs team is more physical and up for it than most of its predecessors, but still, against some of the harder teams in the league, I still don't think it is enough. It looked like Blair and McDyess were up for a battle and the Mavs were still not quite sure if they enjoyed that at all. Then came Eddie Najera's famous 47 seconds of playing time. I loved how he at least acted shocked that he was being ejected.
* If you read my blog, you know how passionate I am about certain truths in the game of basketball. Such as, closer shots are easier shots; and, if you are taking 20 footers and your opponent is taking 2 footers, you will usually lose. These theories are not based on 1 game or 1 quarter. They are based on NBA basketball for my entire life. But, boy, do the Mavs demonstrate why they exist. During the Mavs 3 game losing streak, they have shot 36%, 44%, and 41%. The Spurs, during the same stretch have shot: 48%, 49%, and 45% - or basically, substantially better in each game. Don't misunderstand what I am saying: The Spurs shoot tons of jumpers, too. Every team in the league uses outside shooting and 3-pointers as PART of their arsenal. But, it isn't the whole thing. The Mavs, specifically in the half-court offense in the key moments of the game, rely on the outside shot more than their opponents do in the playoffs. Time and time again. Until that changes - and maybe it never will in the Dirk era - the Mavs will always have a shooter's chance, but consistent, dominant basketball can never happen on the hopes that 21 footers fall all of the time. Even at the highest level of basketball, outside shooters get cold.
* George Hill really proved something in these last 2 games. He has been a killer in the corner for the 3, but he has also played a solid point and not allowed much to beat him on defense. It looks like they have a suitable PG situation with Parker still in his prime and Hill just a pup. I wonder if they deal one to address their age elsewhere at some point.
* I do not like small ball. I do not like 3 guys who are short and are not able to handle their defense well. Kidd is fine on d, but Barea and Terry are not capable of guarding very well. So, this forces the Mavs into a zone, which seems to be fine in small doses but over the long-term it is not worthy of consistent display. Meanwhile, on offense, it just doesn't seem to result in enough easy shots to be worth it. It seems to me that when Marion is playing well, the idea of taking him off the court is silly. He can defend Manu, and yet he sits and watches late. Meanwhile, Kidd is trying to block out DeJaun Blair. Nice idea.
* On Tim Duncan's 34th birthday, he chips in 1 basket and 4 points. Manu shoots 4-16. Parker just 4-9. And they win with some level of comfort although it got hairy late. I must think these realities are very frustrating to the Mavs and their coaching staff. The idea that they are running out of answers seems very reasonable.
* 8 of 189 teams have come back from 3-1 down. It starts with belief. Anybody know where you can find any?
Posted by Sturminator at 7:52 AM
Labels: Mavericks 2010, Mavericks Playoffs
http://sturminator.blogspot.com/2010...spurs-3-1.html
To be fair, there were two melt-downs in last night's game. One in the 2nd quarter (Spurs) and one in the 3rd (Mavs).
Yeah, there's no way I can feel sorry for the Mavs with an owner like Cuban who still can't buy his way or find a way to a le.
Man, Cuban is so jealous of the SPURS it's not even funny.
The one thing he can't buy is a championship.
I don't feel sorry for him.
Jason Terry and Marion are pathetic.
Heavens to Murgatroyd! Exit, stage left!
The thing that jumps off the page in these pieces is the first line in McMahon's:
For so long, that le (whether correct or not) was affixed to the Spurs with the pervasive belief that they were simply too old to truly compete in the West. In 2006, I recall a perception that the Mavs win over the Spurs was all about youth having its day against age (and given who the Mavs had at that point, it was probably true, to an extent). It's funny now that the league's oldest team is still in Texas, but is no longer in South Texas.
the first thing Cuban needs to do for Mavs to improve is to shut up, get off the spotlight and leave the team alone.
Cuban is as much to blame for Mavs failures as anyone.
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