The 6 foot midget starting today

[Phillip]

Watch the ing Bulls/Heat series before opening your mouth next time. Bibby held his own and played smart defense.

First off, if that was the case, why didn't they have Bibby guarding him down the stretch? If Bibby defended him well, why waste Lebron's talents defending Rose instead of letting him roam free off of Ronnie Brewer to cause havoc?

Second, guarding Rose isn't nearly as difficult as some people make it out to be, especially if you are a good defensive team like Miami. Force him to shoot jumpers, knowing that you have plenty of backing if he drives past you. Not to mention that even if he did get into the paint and was triple teamed, he would be ed anyways because the Bulls have no shooters aside from Korver.

Lots of people thought the Bulls would beat Miami. I said they had no chance because of 2 reasons - Rose cant shoot, and Chicago has no shooters for him to dish to. And what happened? Chicago got their asses handed to them for those exact reasons.

[Shank]

Not confirmed.

[Phillip]

It's a marathon. Not a sprint. This isn't a young team. They can't perform at a high level if given maximum minutes. We need the bench to allow the starters to play at their highest level. Their highest level is usually around 32-40 minute mark. Any higher and they will be exhausted. Anyways Stevenson has played better than Barea in this series anyways. Stevenson is by far best suited as a starter. Bench players need to score to keep the offense going when key starters are resting.

Yes, the NBA season and post-season is a marathon. But what is one of the most key things to a marathon? Saving your energy for the finish. That is where the bench came in handy, to keep Dirk and Kidd rested all season.

This is the finish, and the Mavs need to use every last drop of energy they have. They can't afford sitting Dirk for more than 5-6 minutes a night.

[mavsfan1000]

First off, if that was the case, why didn't they have Bibby guarding him down the stretch? If Bibby defended him well, why waste Lebron's talents defending Rose instead of letting him roam free off of Ronnie Brewer to cause havoc?

Second, guarding Rose isn't nearly as difficult as some people make it out to be, especially if you are a good defensive team like Miami. Force him to shoot jumpers, knowing that you have plenty of backing if he drives past you. Not to mention that even if he did get into the paint and was triple teamed, he would be ed anyways because the Bulls have no shooters aside from Korver.

Lots of people thought the Bulls would beat Miami. I said they had no chance because of 2 reasons - Rose cant shoot, and Chicago has no shooters for him to dish to. And what happened? Chicago got their asses handed to them for those exact reasons.

Lebron is the best defensive player on the team. That is why.

[Phillip]

That's stupid. You gotta pace yourself. It's a 48 minute game. Your team will run out of energy similar to OKC if you play max minutes. It never worked for this team to take away their bench advantage. Our depth is what we are.

You seriously get stupider by the second.

[mavsfan1000]

You seriously get stupider by the second.

You are a got piece of that doesn't know how important depth is. Without depth we don't get to the finals.

[Phillip]

Lebron is the best defensive player on the team. That is why.

no sherlock. point is, if a defender is doing such a great job on the opposing teams best player, why waste your best defensive player for a task that can be done by a scrub, when he could be doing other things to be more effective?

[Phillip]

You are a got piece of that doesn't know how important depth is. Without depth we don't get to the finals.

I never disagreed at all. But in the finals, that depth is exponentially less important.

[mavsfan1000]

I never disagreed at all. But in the finals, that depth is exponentially less important.

Why is that?

[mavsfan1000]

no sherlock. point is, if a defender is doing such a great job on the opposing teams best player, why waste your best defensive player for a task that can be done by a scrub, when he could be doing other things to be more effective?

Because Lebron is a better defender. That doesn't make Bibby a terrible defender. Just underrated as he held his own and didn't get owned.

[Giuseppe]

That's stupid. You gotta pace yourself. It's a 48 minute game. Your team will run out of energy similar to OKC if you play max minutes. It never worked for this team to take away their bench advantage. Our depth is what we are.

With the additional TO's in the playoffs and the extended length of the TO's fatigue will not be a factor. To put that Mahinimi guy in last game was an egreious error by Carlisle. If Chandler is not in foul trouble he should play all 48. Same with Dirk & Marion. Kidd should get only a brief respite (only if requested,,,let him call for it).

There is four games left. You'd be pacing them for no reason whatsoever, beside habit &/or, conventional wisdom.

[Phillip]

Why is that?

Because you need your best players more than ever.

[Phillip]

Because Lebron is a better defender. That doesn't make Bibby a terrible defender. Just underrated as he held his own and didn't get owned.

Did he not get owned because he is a good defender, or because the team employed a great defensive strategy that forced Rose to play against his strengths?

I think its the latter.

[Giuseppe]

This is the finish, and the Mavs need to use every last drop of energy they have. They can't afford sitting Dirk for more than 5-6 minutes a night.

This^

I would not sit him (Dirk) for a single second. Use the TO's to rest him, and if necessary offensive possessions. Same with Chandler. Chandler must be on the floor every single second of game time.

[Ghazi]

Devin Harris

[Phillip]

With the additional TO's in the playoffs and the extended length of the TO's fatigue will not be a factor. To put that Mahinimi guy in last game was an egreious error by Carlisle. If Chandler is not in foul trouble he should play all 48. Same with Dirk & Marion. Kidd should get only a brief respite (only if requested,,,let him call for it).

There is four games left. You'd be pacing them for no reason whatsoever, beside habit &/or, conventional wisdom.

I agree.

I might give them a slight one or two minute spell in each half, but not much more than that. They will get bits of rest in the game as is through timeouts, dead balls, and a slower paced game.

[Giuseppe]

I agree.

I might give them a slight one or two minute spell in each half, but not much more than that. They will get bits of rest in the game as is through timeouts, dead balls, and a slower paced game.

You can't set them anymore, Phil. The time for caution is over. 1-3 is not a death knell, but, it's too close for comfort.

Go now. Go now. Now.

Don't end up 3-4, and wonder "If I'd a played them more." Don't do it.

Go, now.

[Findog]

This^

I would not sit him (Dirk) for a single second. Use the TO's to rest him, and if necessary offensive possessions. Same with Chandler. Chandler must be on the floor every single second of game time.

Or take him out with a couple minutes left at the end of the quarters and combine that with the breaks between quarters to get him his rest. Dirk should play at least 44 minutes tonight and have been sleeping in an oxygen chamber since Sunday.

[Naruluva]

Mavfan really think playing barea more minutes will beat LeCrab?

[Giuseppe]

Or take him out with a couple minutes left at the end of the quarters and combine that with the breaks between quarters to get him his rest. Dirk should play at least 44 minutes tonight and have been sleeping in an oxygen chamber since Sunday.

Fin, there is no more need nor opportunity for rest. Leave everything you have on the floor in these next 3-4 games. I implore you:::don't end up second guessing yourself after this is over.

Dirks wants to go.
Chandler wants to go.
Kidd wants to go.
Barea wants to go.
Stevenson wants to go.

Let 'em go. Now. They'll go & take Marion & Terry with them.

[Findog]

Fin, there is no more need nor opportunity for rest. Leave everything you have on the floor in these next 3-4 games. I implore you:::don't end up second guessing yourself after this is over.

Dirks wants to go.
Chandler wants to go.
Kidd wants to go.
Barea wants to go.
Stevenson wants to go.

Let 'em go. Now. They'll go & take Marion & Terry with them.

You have all summer, maybe even longer with the lockout, to rest.

[LkrFan]

What in ? Barea has been awful.

Barea can help speed up the tempo and push the rock. You guys will need early offense because Miami's set defense have you guys on lock. He should impact you guys better than Stevenson anyway.

I don't understand bringing Cardinal in before Peja unless Peja has some undisclosed injury or something.

[DAF86]

+10000000

Barea will be able to blow past Bibby at will. Chalmers can at least somewhat hassle Barea. If Barea can consistently get into the paint, good things can happen when having a chance to dish to a cutting Chandler or Marion, as opposed to being forced to dish out to the perimeter to Terry and Peja when playing in the second unit. Miami can make them pay for those long passes. But I've noticed they are extremely weak when defending dive cuts, because they overplay everything on defense, relying on their athletic ability to make up for it. Won't work on dive cuts though, not enough time to recover.

Miami can still leave Bibby on Kidd and Wade on Barea, maybe the idea is to make Wade work on defense.

[Phillip]

Miami can still leave Bibby on Kidd and Wade on Barea, maybe the idea is to make Wade work on defense.

That works as well. If they do that, whomever has Bibby guarding them needs to run PnR with Chandler non-stop. Either Chandler should get an easy bucket, fouled, or Barea/Kidd will have an open look/lane.

[Phillip]

Barea can help speed up the tempo and push the rock. You guys will need early offense because Miami's set defense have you guys on lock. He should impact you guys better than Stevenson anyway.

I don't understand bringing Cardinal in before Peja unless Peja has some undisclosed injury or something.

Because Peja isn't providing ANYTHING.

Cardinal at least hustles, rebounds, plays hard on defense, and like Peja, is very good at hitting open 3s.