NBA: San Antonio Spurs (#1) vs. Dallas Mavericks (#8) Playoff Series Thread

[Mugen]

Game 5 had all the makings of a Spurs blowout but Dallas was TP 3 pointer away from winning that game or at least going to overtime tbh. A Game 7 wouldn't surprise me in the least as Dallas is playing out of their minds.

[Phillip]

14 out of 16? Spurs won every quarter in game 5 and if it weren't for Vince's lucky ass shots the game would have been a blowout and the series should have been over by now.

They have a better coach? We have the CoTY. Good talent? A chucking point-guard, an ancient carter and a tired Dirk? No they could not beat the Spurs let alone beat them in 5 games.

You are one delusional fan who doesn't appreciate what Mavs has done, make the Spurs work.

First 4 games does not include game 5. The majority of the first 4 games had the Mavs even with or considerably outplaying the Spurs, outside of the 4th quarter of game 1, and the 2nd quarter of game 4.

Who said the Mavs have a better coach? I simply said they have a great coach.

The Mavs have plenty of solid players. Obviously that is evident by the fact that they are hanging around in this series. If they so severely lacked talent as you suggest, then they would have been swept, or lost in 5.

No fan should be happy with mediocrity when they are capable of more. This entire season has been nothing but massive underachieving by the Mavs due to lazy play and lack of heart. So no, I don't think I should be happy with this season if it ends with less than 50 wins, an 8th seed, and a first round exit when they clearly were talented and built well enough to be 2+ seeds higher, have over 50 wins, and get to the second round or higher.

[Findog]

I would also go so far as to say that if OKC falls to Memphis, then the Spurs will not get a tougher test than Dallas before their Finals rematch with Miami. Assuming Portland hangs on to beat Bible Kemp and Chiclet Teeth, I think they will be a tougher test than any of LAC/GS/Memphis. I think the Sterling scandal is going to take its toll on the Clippers.

[Mugen]

If the Spurs advance, they are gonna have loads of trouble against either HOU/POR tbh.

[Findog]

If the Spurs advance, they are gonna have loads of trouble against either HOU/POR tbh.

Sorry, but no team with "leaders" like Dwight Howard, James Harden and Kevin McHale stands a chance against Pop, Duncan, Parker and Manu. Houston is talented enough to win two games but no ing way in do they have any chance against the Spurs.

Terry Stotts has turned into a good coach, LMA is playing like a Top Ten guy and the Blazers have lots of youth and athleticism. I think they'll give San Antonio fits.

[Phillip]

I wouldn't say anybody is playing with a lack of heart. Dirk is just too old to go God mode every night and Popovich is mercilessly attacking him on defense on all game.

until late last night, Dirk has not shown much heart or focus all series. we know he isn't much of a defender, but his defense has been beyond abysmal this series, costing the Mavs dearly in game 4 leaving Diaw wide open, when the focus of their defense clearly has been to not allow shooters to kill them. Either way, we are supposed to be able to live with his lack of defense due to his offensive contributions, but unfortunately that's pretty much been nonexistent most of the series.

And Wright? he isn't giving any effort whatsoever on defense unless its a massive weakside block. I don't expect him to push Timmy around, but I also don't expect him to give such a lack of effort to at least TRY to push Duncan off his spots either.

Ellis has been flat out garbage, not looking to pass when he drives. They are swarming him at the rim, and instead of either using a floater or passing to the open man, he tries to force some ridiculous acrobatic layup and misses terribly. And of course missing clutch FTs as usual. I couldn't believe he hit both FTs last night late in the game... may have been the first time all season he hit 2 consecutive clutch FTs.

[100%duncan]

First 4 games does not include game 5. The majority of the first 4 games had the Mavs even with or considerably outplaying the Spurs, outside of the 4th quarter of game 1, and the 2nd quarter of game 4.

Who said the Mavs have a better coach? I simply said they have a great coach.

The Mavs have plenty of solid players. Obviously that is evident by the fact that they are hanging around in this series. If they so severely lacked talent as you suggest, then they would have been swept, or lost in 5.

No fan should be happy with mediocrity when they are capable of more. This entire season has been nothing but massive underachieving by the Mavs due to lazy play and lack of heart. So no, I don't think I should be happy with this season if it ends with less than 50 wins, an 8th seed, and a first round exit when they clearly were talented and built well enough to be 2+ seeds higher, have over 50 wins, and get to the second round or higher.

Sure lucky 3's=talent nowadays. Read my post in reply to 14 out of 16. You said you had a great coach so I pointed out that Spurs have a BETTER coach, all of which point to you being unappreciative of your team's play considering the things they lack.

[Phillip]

I know that. The point of my post was he was being so delusional thinking Mavs is the better team, his claims were of a fanboy.

Didn't say the Mavs were a better team. Just a team that had opportunities to be either up 3-2 or have won the series 4-1, and didn't take advantage of those opportunities due to lack of heart or completely silly mistakes.

Is that any different than you spurfans being upset that the Spurs choked away the opportunity to win the Finals 4-2, but instead lost 3-4?

[Findog]

How have the Mavs won two games in this series when everybody is playing like garbage?

Dirk has never been confused with being a rim protector. The Spurs know how to exploit this and make him a turnstile off the P'n'R. Also if you're Dirk and you know your team needs your offense or at least the attention you draw on offense to open up the floor for your teammates when your shot isn't falling, then you can't get into foul trouble sending guys to the FT line when they attack you in the paint. Wright, Blair and Sammy are all decent bigs, but you cannot count on them night after night on a consistent basis. It is not a secret that the Mavs won their only le when he was paired with an elite defensive big.

[Phillip]

Sure lucky 3's=talent nowadays.

So then the Spurs bench must be incredibly talented by that statement. Is that what you are implying?

You said you had a great coach so I pointed out that Spurs have a BETTER coach

Oh, so in other words you got butthurt over a simple compliment to Carlisle, that you had to point out the superiority of your own coach, which had absolutely nothing to do with the original statement at hand. Gotcha

[monosylab1k]

The Mavs are who we thought they were - not that great. While you can spin it that they were a Game 1 meltdown from being up 3-2 in this series, you can also spin that they're one Vince Carter miracle shot from this series already being over in 5.

Getting 2 wins and giving the Spurs & their fans a of a scare is about the best you could hope for. Rick has coached his ass off this series to get them this far, but unfortunately this team just isn't very good.

[Findog]

The Mavs are who we thought they were - not that great. While you can spin it that they were a Game 1 meltdown from being up 3-2 in this series, you can also spin that they're one Vince Carter miracle shot from this series already being over in 5.

Getting 2 wins and giving the Spurs & their fans a of a scare is about the best you could hope for. Rick has coached his ass off this series to get them this far, but unfortunately this team just isn't very good.

They're a good team, just not an elite team. They're a rung below San Antonio, Miami and OKC.

[Mugen]

Sorry, but no team with "leaders" like Dwight Howard, James Harden and Kevin McHale stands a chance against Pop, Duncan, Parker and Manu. Houston is talented enough to win two games but no ing way in do they have any chance against the Spurs.

Terry Stotts has turned into a good coach, LMA is playing like a Top Ten guy and the Blazers have lots of youth and athleticism. I think they'll give San Antonio fits.

I'm not saying the Spurs will lose but they'll definitely have a lot of trouble with the Rockets. Dwight has actually played very well against POR and his paint protection will be huge against SA who have had an open invitation to the rim all series long outside of some Dalembert challenges. I can't see Harden playing that bad should they advance and Pop has lost to ty coaches before tbh (See 2012).

I'd actually be more confident in playing POR even though I'm scared to think what Lillard would do considering Calderon has been lighting the Spurs up.

[monosylab1k]

This series tells me more about the Spurs than the Mavs. Mostly that the Spurs aren't winning this year.

[100%duncan]

So then the Spurs bench must be incredibly talented by that statement. Is that what you are implying?

Sure those are your own words.

Oh, so in other words you got butthurt over a simple compliment to Carlisle, that you had to point out the superiority of your own coach, which had absolutely nothing to do with the original statement at hand. Gotcha
Why would I be butthurt? We are up 3-2 for 's sake . Having a great coach go against the CoTY and making lucky shots =/= "could've easily beaten the spurs in 5."

[monosylab1k]

They're a good team, just not an elite team. They're a rung below San Antonio, Miami and OKC.

If Scott Brooks coached this team they'd have gone 38-44.

Really, this team isn't any better than last year's team. Give last year's team a healthy Dirk all year and they get pretty close to 49 wins. Dirk & Carlisle are all thats keeping this team relevant, everybody else on this team is mediocre to bad

[Phillip]

How have the Mavs won two games in this series when everybody is playing like garbage?

Who said everyone has been playing like garbage? I only referenced Dirk, Wright, and Ellis, all of whom have been generally garbage outside of a few moments here and there. The series has been mostly saved by Marion, Calderon, Carter, and Dalembert.

Dirk has never been confused with being a rim protector. The Spurs know how to exploit this and make him a turnstile off the P'n'R. Also if you're Dirk and you know your team needs your offense or at least the attention you draw on offense to open up the floor for your teammates when your shot isn't falling, then you can't get into foul trouble sending guys to the FT line when they attack you in the paint. Wright, Blair and Sammy are all decent bigs, but you cannot count on them night after night on a consistent basis. It is not a secret that the Mavs won their only le when he was paired with an elite defensive big.

No one said we want Dirk to be a rim protector. I simply said that normally, we can live with his awful defense because he is providing deadly offense. But until late last night, he hasn't provided much offense at all, and has been mostly unaggressive.

[Findog]

This Mavs team offensively is better than the 2011 team. They also give up nearly 4 more ppg than the 2011 team did. They need to figure out a way to upgrade the D in the offseason. They're not that far off from rejoining the Elite level but they don't have much of a window left. Dirk is about 75 percent of what he was in the le year. I think he has two more years of All-Star caliber production left. I think they have done a great job of resurrecting Ellis's year. Not high on the Calderon signing. Honestly, they need a better, more consistent rim protector. PG and C continue to be the weaknesses of this team since 2011.

[Mugen]

This series tells me more about the Spurs than the Mavs. Mostly that the Spurs aren't winning this year.

There really hasn't been a dominant performance from any one team outside of Miami and their first round bye against a Bobcats team without Big Al tbh.

But I agree that Rick and the Mavs have exposed a lot of the Spurs' flaws so far this series. Just not sure that there are many coaches outside of Carlisle that can thoroughly outcoach Pop like he has so far, should the Spurs advance.

[Findog]

No one said we want Dirk to be a rim protector. I simply said that normally, we can live with his awful defense because he is providing deadly offense. But until late last night, he hasn't provided much offense at all, and has been mostly unaggressive.

I think you have to give San Antonio credit. At this stage of his career, Dirk just can't finish at the basket like he used to, and that makes it easier for a guy like Splitter to guard him. Not every team has a Splitter, but the Spurs are basically forcing the secondary Mavs to beat them instead of Dirk - at various times Vince, Devin, Calderon have done that in this series.

[Phillip]

Sure those are your own words.

Never said that at all, nor anything remotely close to that.

Why would I be butthurt? We are up 3-2 for 's sake .

You tell me. You are the one who took offense to me stating that the Mavs have a great coach.

Having a great coach go against the CoTY and making lucky shots =/= "could've easily beaten the spurs in 5."

Yeah, that was pretty much exactly my point. The Mavs had opportunities to make this series theirs, and blew their opportunities. I never said the Mavs are better, or should have been predicted to win the series. All I've said is that they had opportunities that presented themselves to pull off the upset, and they massively blew those chances.

[Phillip]

I think you have to give San Antonio credit. At this stage of his career, Dirk just can't finish at the basket like he used to, and that makes it easier for a guy like Splitter to guard him. Not every team has a Splitter, but the Spurs are basically forcing the secondary Mavs to beat them instead of Dirk - at various times Vince, Devin, Calderon have done that in this series.

It's not just about scoring. Dirk is still consistently drawing double teams (because 1-on-1 he has shown even in this series that he can still score easily on Duncan, Diaw, and Splitter) and heavy defensive attention. He should be aggressive and still use that attention to create for his teammates. But he isn't doing that at all.

[monosylab1k]

This Mavs team offensively is better than the 2011 team. They also give up nearly 4 more ppg than the 2011 team did. They need to figure out a way to upgrade the D in the offseason. They're not that far off from rejoining the Elite level but they don't have much of a window left. Dirk is about 75 percent of what he was in the le year. I think he has two more years of All-Star caliber production left. I think they have done a great job of resurrecting Ellis's year. Not high on the Calderon signing. Honestly, they need a better, more consistent rim protector. PG and C continue to be the weaknesses of this team since 2011.

The numbers may say offensively they're "better", but there's no ing way i trust Calderon/Ellis/Carter/Dalembert to get a needed bucket more than Kidd/Terry/Barea/Chandler

[Ricky Davis]

yeah I forgot about Marion, he's the one guy who's been sort of consistent this series. Outside of 1-2 goofy shots a game, he's been pretty solid

[Findog]

The numbers may say offensively they're "better", but there's no ing way i trust Calderon/Ellis/Carter/Dalembert to get a needed bucket more than Kidd/Terry/Barea/Chandler

Well getting to the playoffs requires winning enough games over the course of 82 to qualify. Those wins against Sacramento and Utah count.