If Spurs choke this season who will you blame?

[Extra Stout]

Where's the hate comming from??

Well, you definately represent the most ignorant basketball fan that I've seen or heard. Do you care to try and present some actual facts, or do you prefer to just spit out dumbass opinions?

The Pistons didn't fare too well against the Mavs last time they played did they? They are also only two games better in the loss column while playing in a weak Eastern Conference and having suffered virtually no injuries. It's all about matchups and the Mavs match up very well with Detroit this season.

Come with some facts and talk ball man, you're making yourself look like a clown right now.

No, it's not about matchups. Only a Mavericks fan would be stupid enough to think it's about "matchups." Only a Mavericks fan would be stupid enough to compare regular season records against a team that has been in the Finals the last two seasons. Only a Mavericks fan would reference a regular season game from November or December, and think it amounts to a pile of in the playoffs.

I don't care if they beat your team 130-0 in November, they would pop all your cherries in a playoff series because they are EXPERIENCED and unrattleable, meanwhile the Mavericks end up with throbbing little vaginas after finding that their gawdy win total means jack against the two West teams who actually have accomplished something in a playoff series.

Meanwhile, your coach, who undoubtedly is frustrated because he does understand what it takes to win a championship, but can't impart that knowledge to his players until they see another team do it at their expense, has to go ape to the media after watching his team struggle to beat the worst team in the West, so tempted are they to curl into the fetal position after finding out that uh, gee, those Spurs and Suns still seem to have this other gear that we don't.

Well, guess what, jackass. The Spurs have two or three more gears after that. And even with all that in reserve, if they do end up beating the Pistons, it will be by the absolute skin of their teeth. And yet you think you can hang with Motown when it counts? Yeah, your team whipped up on the Spurs in November, too. How's that working out? If only they could play the Finals in November rather than June, tright?

Yet here come all you runny-nosed johnny-come-lately Mav fans, thinking you're all the because your team topped the Power Rankings on whatever website for some-odd weeks. You can't tell any of us the first thing about how your team is going to win a playoff series because you've never seen it. You have no clue. You probably think they can just waltz in with their favorable "matchups" and win without ever having experienced the intensity and pressure of a playoff series against a championship-caliber team. You don't know what it's going to take.

Of course, that doesn't matter, since you have no bearing on the outcome, but unfortunately for you, frankly, the Maverick players don't know either. They don't, and they can't know, until they see somebody do it to them.

So excuse me while I laugh my ass off at you calling me ignorant. Take your rosy-cheeked neophyte ass, tuck your tail between your legs, and go crawl back to that flat, sprawling, treeless, ugly hole in the ground called Dallas.

So you want facts?
How about playoff experience? Every starter on Detroit has seen 2 NBA Finals. They have 9 total players with Finals experience and a total of 10 who at least have been as far as the conference finals.

As for the Mavericks? Well, Keith Van Horn went to the Finals with the Nets in 2002, where he shot under 40% against future Hall of Famer Rick Fox, and probably got moved elsewhere, so impressed with him under pressure were the Nets. Then of course Dirk Nowitzki remains from the Woulda Shoulda Coulda 2003 Western Conference Finals.

Other than that, your team's playoff experience consists of going 7 games with a Rockets team that has proven to be nothing, then learning they couldn't match up with the intensity of a Suns team when then promptly got schooled by the Spurs.

Can you tell me what was the last time a team so inexperienced and with such a scrawny resume turned around and knocked off a defending champion? Clue: They had Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson on their team, and you probably weren't born yet. And, certainly, you can't name more than one player on the Mavericks from that season without using Google.

[FromWayDowntown]

My aegument was mainly about matchups, which you addressed, the game is just a reference point.

1) Nobody to muscle Billups, but they have nobody to match JT or Harris.
2) Diop, Howard, Dirk, Damp, ect,cet... the Mavs will have to use all of their bodies. Don't forget that they are one of the best rebounding teams in the league this season also.
3) Adrian Griffin, Josh Howard, Marquis Daniels can all make him work on both ends of the floor.
4) Rashweed would probably get his. Somebody has to go off.
5) Josh Howard is as good or better in every category.

This is not to say that the Mavs are worlds better than Detroit, but I definately think that they are the better team. This is also not just based on the one game, but at the same time, it's all that anyone has as an example of the two teams competing against each other.

'

Yeah, I'll seriously disagree with your assessments. A playoff series is a different beast than a single regular season game. My point is that in a playoff series, the Mavericks don't seem to have personnel that can deal with the particular problems that the Pistons present and the problems that the Pistons can create with adjustments to take advantage of their personnel. Meanwhile, the Pistons have people who are capable of consistently defending the Mavericks biggest threats and dealing with the Mavs relative defensive strengths.

As for your rebuttals to my particular points:

Billups is perfectly capable of hanging with either Harris or Terry. He's able to hang against pretty much every point in the NBA that he doesn't dominate.

I don't know that Diop or Dampier are athletic enough to get a body on those Detroit bigs on a consistent basis. Detroit kills teams because their bigs are so athletic that they can't be kept off the glass by big-bigs consistently, which allows them to end possessions on the defensive end and get second and third looks on the offensive end. Dirk is not the sort of physical presence that will have much to say about what the Wallace boys want to do on the glass, and Josh Howard is going to have a difficult time dealing with their length and strength.

I think the bigger problem is what to do with Hamilton -- I don't think Griffin is quick enough to run with Hamilton for very long; Daniels might be able to do some of that, but that means you have to play Daniels for long periods of time, which I don't see as advantageous to the Mavericks. If you put Howard on Hamilton, you will waste his energy on the defensive end and make him far less effective on the offensive end. Hamilton isn't a player who gets tired or worn down, so it's not an answer to say that he'll have to work on the defensive end.

Rasheed would, indeed, get his over the course of a long series -- if Dirk tries to defend him, Rasheed will go nuts.

Josh Howard is not as long as Prince (though if Howard tries to check Hamilton, that would be irrelevant) and isn't in Prince's league as a defender, a ball-handler, or a shooter. Howard is a more prolific scorer, probably a better rebounder, and maybe more athletic overall. But if that's the most favorable matchup for the Mavericks, I'd say they've got problems.

[Daddys Girl]

Tony Parker.

It scares me how well he's playing right now. If he chokes in the playoffs it will hurt us more than in the past, because he's a more important part of the offense now.

This person makes a good point, To many times Pop puts the game in Tony's hands, and when he is cold he is cold. I would blame Parker

[Fat boy]

'

Yeah, I'll seriously disagree with your assessments. A playoff series is a different beast than a single regular season game. My point is that in a playoff series, the Mavericks don't seem to have personnel that can deal with the particular problems that the Pistons present and the problems that the Pistons can create with adjustments to take advantage of their personnel. Meanwhile, the Pistons have people who are capable of consistently defending the Mavericks biggest threats and dealing with the Mavs relative defensive strengths.

As for your rebuttals to my particular points:

Billups is perfectly capable of hanging with either Harris or Terry. He's able to hang against pretty much every point in the NBA that he doesn't dominate.

I don't know that Diop or Dampier are athletic enough to get a body on those Detroit bigs on a consistent basis. Detroit kills teams because their bigs are so athletic that they can't be kept off the glass by big-bigs consistently, which allows them to end possessions on the defensive end and get second and third looks on the offensive end. Dirk is not the sort of physical presence that will have much to say about what the Wallace boys want to do on the glass, and Josh Howard is going to have a difficult time dealing with their length and strength.

I think the bigger problem is what to do with Hamilton -- I don't think Griffin is quick enough to run with Hamilton for very long; Daniels might be able to do some of that, but that means you have to play Daniels for long periods of time, which I don't see as advantageous to the Mavericks. If you put Howard on Hamilton, you will waste his energy on the defensive end and make him far less effective on the offensive end. Hamilton isn't a player who gets tired or worn down, so it's not an answer to say that he'll have to work on the defensive end.

Rasheed would, indeed, get his over the course of a long series -- if Dirk tries to defend him, Rasheed will go nuts.

Josh Howard is not as long as Prince (though if Howard tries to check Hamilton, that would be irrelevant) and isn't in Prince's league as a defender, a ball-handler, or a shooter. Howard is a more prolific scorer, probably a better rebounder, and maybe more athletic overall. But if that's the most favorable matchup for the Mavericks, I'd say they've got problems.

That is one of a post are you a writer?

[Hooters Girl]

My argument was mainly about matchups, which you addressed, the game is just a reference point.

1) Nobody to muscle Billups, but they have nobody to match JT or Harris.
2) Diop, Howard, Dirk, Damp, ect,cet... the Mavs will have to use all of their bodies. Don't forget that they are one of the best rebounding teams in the league this season also.
3) Adrian Griffin, Josh Howard, Marquis Daniels can all make him work on both ends of the floor.
4) Rashweed would probably get his. Somebody has to go off.
5) Josh Howard is as good or better in every category.

This is not to say that the Mavs are worlds better than Detroit, but I definately think that they are the better team. This is also not just based on the one game, but at the same time, it's all that anyone has as an example of the two teams competing against each other.

solid post my man

[Rummpd]

Spurs will not choke they may get beat by a very hot team, Dallas, Suns are capable as is certainly Detroit. Or they may get a key injury.

This team is set to win a few more championships with a couple of additions. No worries.

[Looter]

Who is dumber, Mav fan or Laker fan?

Yeah, your team is better than Detroit. Sure. Chauncey Billups would use Adrian Griffin to pick his teeth clean after eating Jason Terry for lunch. And don't even get me started on Ben Wallace. He builds radio-control cars with more mental toughness than the Mavericks.

You people have no ing clue. And it's a shame. Because, in a couple of years, once they get experience, the Mavericks might just win a championship, and you dip s may be even less worthy of the thrill than those chodemonkeys in Southern California.

Chodemonkeys

[big3bigD]

No, it's not about matchups. Only a Mavericks fan would be stupid enough to think it's about "matchups." Only a Mavericks fan would be stupid enough to compare regular season records against a team that has been in the Finals the last two seasons. Only a Mavericks fan would reference a regular season game from November or December, and think it amounts to a pile of in the playoffs.

I don't care if they beat your team 130-0 in November, they would pop all your cherries in a playoff series because they are EXPERIENCED and unrattleable, meanwhile the Mavericks end up with throbbing little vaginas after finding that their gawdy win total means jack against the two West teams who actually have accomplished something in a playoff series.

Meanwhile, your coach, who undoubtedly is frustrated because he does understand what it takes to win a championship, but can't impart that knowledge to his players until they see another team do it at their expense, has to go ape to the media after watching his team struggle to beat the worst team in the West, so tempted are they to curl into the fetal position after finding out that uh, gee, those Spurs and Suns still seem to have this other gear that we don't.

Well, guess what, jackass. The Spurs have two or three more gears after that. And even with all that in reserve, if they do end up beating the Pistons, it will be by the absolute skin of their teeth. And yet you think you can hang with Motown when it counts? Yeah, your team whipped up on the Spurs in November, too. How's that working out? If only they could play the Finals in November rather than June, tright?

Yet here come all you runny-nosed johnny-come-lately Mav fans, thinking you're all the because your team topped the Power Rankings on whatever website for some-odd weeks. You can't tell any of us the first thing about how your team is going to win a playoff series because you've never seen it. You have no clue. You probably think they can just waltz in with their favorable "matchups" and win without ever having experienced the intensity and pressure of a playoff series against a championship-caliber team. You don't know what it's going to take.

Of course, that doesn't matter, since you have no bearing on the outcome, but unfortunately for you, frankly, the Maverick players don't know either. They don't, and they can't know, until they see somebody do it to them.

So excuse me while I laugh my ass off at you calling me ignorant. Take your rosy-cheeked neophyte ass, tuck your tail between your legs, and go crawl back to that flat, sprawling, treeless, ugly hole in the ground called Dallas.

So you want facts?
How about playoff experience? Every starter on Detroit has seen 2 NBA Finals. They have 9 total players with Finals experience and a total of 10 who at least have been as far as the conference finals.

As for the Mavericks? Well, Keith Van Horn went to the Finals with the Nets in 2002, where he shot under 40% against future Hall of Famer Rick Fox, and probably got moved elsewhere, so impressed with him under pressure were the Nets. Then of course Dirk Nowitzki remains from the Woulda Shoulda Coulda 2003 Western Conference Finals.

Other than that, your team's playoff experience consists of going 7 games with a Rockets team that has proven to be nothing, then learning they couldn't match up with the intensity of a Suns team when then promptly got schooled by the Spurs.

Can you tell me what was the last time a team so inexperienced and with such a scrawny resume turned around and knocked off a defending champion? Clue: They had Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson on their team, and you probably weren't born yet. And, certainly, you can't name more than one player on the Mavericks from that season without using Google.

Whatever man. You are still just spitting out that simple, dumbass opinion of yours. The only facts that your challenged mind is able to muster have are references to past seasons. We are talking about different teams now. The pistons made the Finals two years a row in the WEAK EAST??!! SO WHAT?? That's like being the 3rd 4th or 5th best team in the West.

Experience has to come from someplace. It was the Pistons who had no experience the year that they beat the Lakers. Experience,blah, blah, blah... It is[B] all about matchups, or have they stopped playing the games and just decide the champs based on what they did in the playoffs last season??

Once again, you continue to make yourself look like a clown. Keep holding on to yesterday, little man, and I will look to the Mavs' bright future.

Also, Iv'e been a Mavs fan since they were a team in the NBA, so don't try any of that banwagon bull with me. I've followed this team through every rotten season that they have had and through all of the good ones as well.

[FromWayDowntown]

Whatever clown. You are still just s ting out that simple, dumbass opinion of yours. The only facts that your challenged mind is able to muster have are references to past seasons. The pistons made the Finals two years a row in the WEAK EAST??!! SO WHAT?? That's like being the 3rd 4th or 5th best team in the West.

Nice logic . . . . other than the fact that the Pistons won one of those series and had a lead on the road in Game 7 of the other. If the East is weak, the Pistons are clearly the class of that conference and would be successful in either conference.

Experience has to come from someplace. It was the Pistons who had no experience the year that they beat the Lakers. Experience,blah, blah, blah... It is[B] all about matchups, or have they stopped playing the games and just decide the champs based on what they did in the playoffs last season?? Shape up and fly right dumbass.

Uh, except that pretty much the same Pistons team had played in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2003. Their major addition before the 2004 Finals was Rasheed Wallace, who had at least twice played in conference finals and had plenty of playoff experience, particularly against LA. I don't think it's quite as simple as you try to make it appear.

[midgetonadonkey]

I will blame my Uncle Julio.

[Peter]

No, it's not about matchups. Only a Mavericks fan would be stupid enough to think it's about "matchups." Only a Mavericks fan would be stupid enough to compare regular season records against a team that has been in the Finals the last two seasons. Only a Mavericks fan would reference a regular season game from November or December, and think it amounts to a pile of in the playoffs.

I don't care if they beat your team 130-0 in November, they would pop all your cherries in a playoff series because they are EXPERIENCED and unrattleable, meanwhile the Mavericks end up with throbbing little vaginas after finding that their gawdy win total means jack against the two West teams who actually have accomplished something in a playoff series.

Meanwhile, your coach, who undoubtedly is frustrated because he does understand what it takes to win a championship, but can't impart that knowledge to his players until they see another team do it at their expense, has to go ape to the media after watching his team struggle to beat the worst team in the West, so tempted are they to curl into the fetal position after finding out that uh, gee, those Spurs and Suns still seem to have this other gear that we don't.

Well, guess what, jackass. The Spurs have two or three more gears after that. And even with all that in reserve, if they do end up beating the Pistons, it will be by the absolute skin of their teeth. And yet you think you can hang with Motown when it counts? Yeah, your team whipped up on the Spurs in November, too. How's that working out? If only they could play the Finals in November rather than June, tright?

Yet here come all you runny-nosed johnny-come-lately Mav fans, thinking you're all the because your team topped the Power Rankings on whatever website for some-odd weeks. You can't tell any of us the first thing about how your team is going to win a playoff series because you've never seen it. You have no clue. You probably think they can just waltz in with their favorable "matchups" and win without ever having experienced the intensity and pressure of a playoff series against a championship-caliber team. You don't know what it's going to take.

Of course, that doesn't matter, since you have no bearing on the outcome, but unfortunately for you, frankly, the Maverick players don't know either. They don't, and they can't know, until they see somebody do it to them.

So excuse me while I laugh my ass off at you calling me ignorant. Take your rosy-cheeked neophyte ass, tuck your tail between your legs, and go crawl back to that flat, sprawling, treeless, ugly hole in the ground called Dallas.

So you want facts?
How about playoff experience? Every starter on Detroit has seen 2 NBA Finals. They have 9 total players with Finals experience and a total of 10 who at least have been as far as the conference finals.

As for the Mavericks? Well, Keith Van Horn went to the Finals with the Nets in 2002, where he shot under 40% against future Hall of Famer Rick Fox, and probably got moved elsewhere, so impressed with him under pressure were the Nets. Then of course Dirk Nowitzki remains from the Woulda Shoulda Coulda 2003 Western Conference Finals.

Other than that, your team's playoff experience consists of going 7 games with a Rockets team that has proven to be nothing, then learning they couldn't match up with the intensity of a Suns team when then promptly got schooled by the Spurs.

Can you tell me what was the last time a team so inexperienced and with such a scrawny resume turned around and knocked off a defending champion? Clue: They had Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson on their team, and you probably weren't born yet. And, certainly, you can't name more than one player on the Mavericks from that season without using Google.

Post of the Year.

[mavsfan1000]

I could tell you how Harris would change the game for Dallas.
1. Harris is a pure point guard. No longer will Dallas have to rely on 1 on 1 since Harris is able to create for others.
2. Harris is Dallas's best defensive point guard and can keep up with any point guard.
3. Also a lineup of Harris, Terry, Howard, Nowitkzi, and Dampier would force Duncan to guard Josh Howard which is a matchup problem for San Antonio. I know San Antonio is a great defensive team but I think the quickness of Dallas will give San Antonio some major problems.

[FromWayDowntown]

3. Also a lineup of Harris, Terry, Howard, Nowitkzi, and Dampier would force Duncan to guard Josh Howard which is a matchup problem for San Antonio. I know San Antonio is a great defensive team but I think the quickness of Dallas will give San Antonio some major problems.

Only if you assume that Popovich won't adjust his lineup and meet whatever challenges that poses.

[Looter]

Post of the Year.

Of the day? maybe of the week? who knows. but of the year?

nothing beats this one


http://spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18939

[mavsfan1000]

If San Antonio tries to match up with Dallas than I think Dallas has them where they want. Who on the spurs bench can matchup unless they move Duncan to center and put in Finley, Barry, or Horry in?

[FromWayDowntown]

If San Antonio tries to match up with Dallas than I think Dallas has them where they want. Who on the spurs bench can matchup unless they move Duncan to center and put in Finley, Barry, or Horry in?

Yes, well Finley, Barry and Horry all struggled mightily in that last game between the Spurs and Mavericks.

Of course Devin Harris probably could have stopped all of them, so that game really didn't mean anything.

[big3bigD]

'

Yeah, I'll seriously disagree with your assessments. A playoff series is a different beast than a single regular season game. My point is that in a playoff series, the Mavericks don't seem to have personnel that can deal with the particular problems that the Pistons present and the problems that the Pistons can create with adjustments to take advantage of their personnel. Meanwhile, the Pistons have people who are capable of consistently defending the Mavericks biggest threats and dealing with the Mavs relative defensive strengths.

As for your rebuttals to my particular points:

Billups is perfectly capable of hanging with either Harris or Terry. He's able to hang against pretty much every point in the NBA that he doesn't dominate.

I don't know that Diop or Dampier are athletic enough to get a body on those Detroit bigs on a consistent basis. Detroit kills teams because their bigs are so athletic that they can't be kept off the glass by big-bigs consistently, which allows them to end possessions on the defensive end and get second and third looks on the offensive end. Dirk is not the sort of physical presence that will have much to say about what the Wallace boys want to do on the glass, and Josh Howard is going to have a difficult time dealing with their length and strength.

I think the bigger problem is what to do with Hamilton -- I don't think Griffin is quick enough to run with Hamilton for very long; Daniels might be able to do some of that, but that means you have to play Daniels for long periods of time, which I don't see as advantageous to the Mavericks. If you put Howard on Hamilton, you will waste his energy on the defensive end and make him far less effective on the offensive end. Hamilton isn't a player who gets tired or worn down, so it's not an answer to say that he'll have to work on the defensive end.

Rasheed would, indeed, get his over the course of a long series -- if Dirk tries to defend him, Rasheed will go nuts.

Josh Howard is not as long as Prince (though if Howard tries to check Hamilton, that would be irrelevant) and isn't in Prince's league as a defender, a ball-handler, or a shooter. Howard is a more prolific scorer, probably a better rebounder, and maybe more athletic overall. But if that's the most favorable matchup for the Mavericks, I'd say they've got problems.

I disagree. The Pistoins do not have particularly good personell which which to defend the Mavs.

As for your rebuttals to my rebuttals:

Billups isn't nearly quick enough to consistently defend either JT or Harris, nor has he ever dominated either player. His only advantage will be on offense if he can post up either one because of his strength and size. Other than that, he doesn't match up well with Dallas' 1's.

Both Diop and Damp should fare just fine against Detroit's bigs, and Howard's length and athleticsm will allow him to hang as well. As I said before, Dallas is a very good rebounding team this season, and does not allow alot of odffensive rebounds while actually being among the league leaders in getting offensive rebounds. Also, talk all of the mess you want about Dampier, but he is currently the league leader in offensive rebounds. Dirk may not be physical when compared to either of the Wallace boys, but you can still pencil him in for his 10 boards a game. Most of those rebounds will be on the defensive end, further limiting Detroit's second chance opportunities.

Look for Griffin to start out on Hamilton, but he will have to switch on him alot. Griffin may actually spend some time on Billups also. Harris, Daniels and Howard will all probably take stabs at chasing Hamilton down. Daniels is an extremely versitle player, believe me, having him in the game is definately a good thing for Dallas. The same point of high energy applies to Howard. He does not get tired in games.

I've seen the Dirk/Rashweed matchup many times. Even in the Portland days up until now, Dirk wins that matchup. Dirk actually has much better stats when being gaurded by Sheed than does Sheed when being gaurded by Dirk. I'll take that matchup every time for the Mavs.

The most favorable matchup for Dallas is Dirk/Sheed. Howard is actually basically as long as Prince. Prince is 6'9 with a 7'2 wingspan. Howard is 6'7 with a 7'1 wingspan. So, Prince has exactly 1 inch over him, but as you said, Howard is the better athlete.

Any way you look at it the Mavs would have several problems with the Pistons in a 7 game series. They would also win that series.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

If San Antonio tries to match up with Dallas than I think Dallas has them where they want. Who on the spurs bench can matchup unless they move Duncan to center and put in Finley, Barry, or Horry in?

such jaded outlook. can't you realize the hype is just that. HYPE. give it up. save you typing strokes for next year. you lost to us and the suns. the suns ON YOUR COURT. your 24 point comeback from the CHAMPIONSHIP RAPTORS have been deflated by the championship spurs and far from championship suns. what a waste. oh well. earn your respect next year.....IF YOU CAN. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[mavsfan1000]

Well I think I got a good point of bad matchups and good ball movement is the way to beat San Antonio. I guess you don't see it but a bad matchup against Houston almost cost Dallas to lose in first round. We'll see in the last regular season game against San Antonio if that makes the difference or not but I say Harris is our 3rd or 4th best player now.

[ChumpDumper]

If I had a nickel for every Mav matchup paper champion post in this forum, I'd have $7.45.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

"and Somebody Said.....fair Warning......lordd....looooooorrrrrdddd. Strike Those Poor Mavs Down"

[mavsfan1000]

I guess Spurs fans just don't want to hear anything that could possibly knock them off. They just want to hear that Harris is a back up point guard and nobody can guard Duncan. We'll see when the mavs are FULLY healthy how it turns out.

[big3bigD]

I'm not claiming that the Mavs are already champions or are the favorites or anything like that.

It's just ignorant to completely disregard the possibility of this year's squad being able to win based on the performances of past teams.

The Celtics and Bulls both have great histories, but that does not make them contenders this season any more than the Mavs past playoff defeats hurt their chances of winning this season.

[ChumpDumper]

Change your diaper, junior.

The Mavs have a chance.

Whoopie.

[FromWayDowntown]

I disagree. The Pistoins do not have particularly good personell which which to defend the Mavs.

Well, sometimes we see what we want to see and believe what we want to believe.

As for your rebuttals to my rebuttals:

Billups isn't nearly quick enough to consistently defend either JT or Harris, nor has he ever dominated either player. His only advantage will be on offense if he can post up either one because of his strength and size. Other than that, he doesn't match up well with Dallas' 1's.

That's a fairly remarkable statement, given the relative success that Billups had with Parker in last year's Finals. Billups can muscle both Terry and Harris and divert them from where they wish to go, and in the heat of a Finals series, he'll get away with it because officials actually let the teams play. It's remarkable to me that anyone could honestly think that Chauncey Billups is somehow a bad matchup against any NBA point guard.

Both Diop and Damp should fare just fine against Detroit's bigs, and Howard's length and athleticsm will allow him to hang as well. As I said before, Dallas is a very good rebounding team this season, and does not allow alot of odffensive rebounds while actually being among the league leaders in getting offensive rebounds. Also, talk all of the mess you want about Dampier, but he is currently the league leader in offensive rebounds. Dirk may not be physical when compared to either of the Wallace boys, but you can still pencil him in for his 10 boards a game. Most of those rebounds will be on the defensive end, further limiting Detroit's second chance opportunities.

Dallas doesn't play Detroit every night. Rebounding numbers during the regular season are all relative -- they're skewed to some extent because good teams tend to rebound the ball well (Phoenix would be an exception) and that rebounding fuels their success. I don't see that Diop or Dampier have the lateral quickness to stay with Ben Wallace as he roams the lane looking to rebound the ball. Even if they can get a body on him, I'm not sure that either is physically strong enough to deny Ben those boards on a regular basis. I doubt you'd find many who would agree with your suggestion that they could do that.

The notion of penciling Dirk in for 10 rebounds a night is something of a stretch, given that he's not even averaging 9 rebounds per game this season.

I'll address the rest later; it's all academic, though. The Mavericks would seem to have one game left with Detroit this season.