were mavs the better team or were spurs victims of bad officiating

[windboy226]

Similar records. Close games. Seven games.

The two teams were close in terms of talent and skill, even though they have different styles. Dallas was not clearly better than the Spurs, but they ultimately are the better team because they won the series.

Officiating plays a role in all games, all playoff series. If your team wins, they win despite the bad officiating. If your team loses, they lost because of bad officiating. No win situation for the officials.

It was just a great playoff series between two great teams. One team had to lose. And, the officials sure had an imprint on the series. But, that's part of playoff basketball. Gotta persevere despite it.

In total agreement...and how can ANYONE argue that the officiating in game 2 was the difference? I sympathize with Spurs fans who feel like they were robbed in games 3 and 4 but game 2? That just makes absolutely no sense to harp on and on about it when the team lost by 20.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

I posted the following in another thread but its exactly what I'd like to say in this thread as well........


as a spurs fan the fact that a lot of other fans are still ing about the refs is downright sickening. Were there some atrocious calls in the series? absolutely, especially the cheap phantom foul on dirk in game 4 (or maybe 3??) where bowen had a touch foul on dirk that gave him 2 freebies when the refs should just let them play. But at the end of the day when your starting PF gets more FT's than the ENTIRE VISITING TEAM COMBINED, there should be no reaosns for us to blame the refs thinking their against us. The mavs were the BETTER team in the 7 game series. they hit a load of clutch shots while duncan was getting a series of "return to sender" from diop in OT of game 7. The mavs had one of a gutsy win in game 7, and when the devin harris's of the world are massively outplaying our seasonal (but defnitely not playoff) all star tony parker, well..........you've got problems. I give full credit to the mavs, they were the hungrier more athletic team that got it done. They hit the big shots when it mattered and it was us, the supposedly more experienced team, making the ridicuously middle school dumbass plays, like fouling the shooter when you're up 3 with less than 30 seconds to go. This entire board needs to stop blaming the refs and either face facts that the mavs were the better team, or change the direction of their fingers to the spurs who allowed themselves to lose twice at home, and go down by NINETEEN points on their homefloor in game 7 after winning 2 solid games in a row and coming back from a 1-3 hole. The refs didn't beat us, the Mavs did. And if we don't get some more athleticism for next year as well as 145% better rebounding they'll beat us next year as well

[wildbill2u]

The Spurs were the victims of two things equally:

1. Bad officiating;
2. Choking in the clutch.

Let's not forget that the Mavs, whether through skill or incredible happenstance, shot 83% in 1st quarter and over 70% for the 1st half.

I don't know how many teams could come back from that 20 points down but our guys did. We simply ran out of good luck and good judgement this time.

[temujin]

Game 2 Dallas-Suns.

Fouls, Suns 24, Dallas 12 (TWELVE).
FTs, Suns 11, Dallas 34 (THIRTYFOUR).

It is time for Dallas to go to the Finals.

It's now or never.

So who's turn is going to be next year?

[temujin]

Don't ask yourselves how the Spurs got eliminated.

Ask how so much superior they were in 05 and 03.

[SenorSpur]

It was a combination of both. Also throw in the fact that the Spurs killed themselves during the crucial moments of each close loss with either costly turnovers, failed execution out of timeouts and/or missed shots that could have won the game.

From Horry's missed shot at the end of Game #3, Duncan's half-hearted, fadeaway 12 ft hook shot at the end of Game #4 to Ginobili's awkward, driving layup attempt and Duncan's failed followup attempt at the end of Game #7.

There's no doubt the Spurs had their share of chances and simply couldn't convert.

Yes the officiating came into play, but that is exactly why the Spurs did themselves no favors by "pissing away" precious opportunities to win those tight ball games. The Mavs flat out performed better than the Spurs, especially during the closing moments of tight ball games.

Champions do not make careless mistakes to beat themselves. Champions execute with "flawless precision" down the stretch of close games. Champions also force the opposition into making costly mistakes that THEY themselves take advantage of. Champions do not allow the opposition to build a 20 pt lead on their home floor in a Game #7 situation.

Much props to our boys for fighting their way back into the series. I hate to admit it and I hate not being able to see them defend their le against the rest of the compe ion. Simply put, the Spurs are at home for the summer because they did not perform as champions.

[smeagol]

The Mavs were better.

Lose with dignity.

[spurschick]

I don't think we lost because of bad officiating, but I think it's a shame that the refs have become such a huge part of the game today.

[LEONARD]

It's good to see that most of the whining around here has stopped and most are giving the Mavs a LITTLE credit.

Coming back from down 3-1 and coming back from down 20 pts in the 1st half of game 7 show what kind of heart the Spurs have. As b-ball fans, we couldn't have asked for much more out of the series, regardless of who won it. TX b-ball put on a show for the rest of the country

Now hopefully the Mavs can keep moving on and win the le, then at least Spurs fans know they lost to the '05-'06 champs and the 2 best teams are in TX

[DampierAmGod]

I don't think the refs made Ginoflop blow a layup at the end of game 7 or made the Spurs come out and play like a WNBA team in overtime.

[coachtf]

The Spurs fought like champs to the very end. I felt from the very start of the season that this team lacked some toughness. They answered some questions in the playoffs this year and they looked very fatigued in the end. I don't know what the answers are but I think it's obvious that Pop and RC will try to add some more youth and some fresh legs. This team may just need some time to get healed but they have got to find a way to limit Manu and Timmys minutes even more in the next few years.

Dallas was the better team in the end. They have done a fantastic job and they have that look of something very special. I would not be at all surprised to see them make it to the finals against a strong Pistons squad and push it to seven and win it all. Both Detroit and Dallas are the two best teams left IMO and I would love to see that matchup.

I give Dallas mad props and glad to see them playing with heart and hunger for Avery. The Spurs showed major balls in the final game and they fought their asses off. All the talk of the silver and black being done is crazy they will be back stronger and rested and with a chip on their shoulders and the Suns and Mavs will be their primary threats in the west again next year.

Good luck to Dallas and Detroit they should have a chance to finish the season to see who is the best team.

[temujin]

I sympathize with Spurs fans who feel like they were robbed in games 3 and 4.

So which game(s) will the Suns fans be robbed?

3, 4 or both?

[Winnipeg_Spur]

At the end of the day, the Spurs just couldn't get any separation from the Mavs, and it's hard to win a series like that. 6 close games, split 3-3, so you might say all the breaks, all the bounces, etc. evened out. The difference was game 2, which the Spurs lost by 20+, and could never answer back with a similarly lopsided win of their own.

[GoSpurs21]

SA pissed away games 3 4 7. They didnt deserve to advance to the next round. Sure the refs sucked, they always do, but Spurs lost the series all by themselves.

[dbestpro]

This was a great manufactured series. The Spurs, under normal playoff basketball standards wins game 3 and 4 by twenty points. The game changed. It became to be a game where big men were not allowed to play. It became a game where fouls were called as if by the slight of hand.

Now look close or you may not see the card up the sleeve. The top Spur players were called for fouls while the slug Mav players were called for fouls. This was the key component that conjured the appearance of a great series. It was truly manufactured. Those who cannot see this probably believe that taxes are fair and rising gas prices are actually a good thing.

However, it is what it is. A game. So the Mav's win. The Spurs got jobbed, but that's the way life is. As long as San Antonio remains viewed as a small market team we will always have to overcome the desires of big city media and the slight of hand that makes it so.

[spurster]

The Mavs were better.

Lose with dignity.

[J.T.]

My thoughts:

There was bad officiating both ways in that series. What pissed me off the most was the lack of consistency. The 2nd quarter of Game 2 was like the Mavs would do something on not get called, and the Spurs could to the same thing and the whistles are going off. Handchecking foul on Bowen at with 18 seconds left in Game 4? Pure bull .

Did the inconsistent officiating cost Spurs the series? No, it didn't. But if the calls were more consistent, most of the games wouldn't have been won by such a slim margin. The series was really anyone's ballgame.

It was an evenly matched series. I'd say both teams are winners, only one gets to move on and that's the Mavs. Took 7 games with the last one being decided in overtime. That's how it should be with two good teams like this, but...doesn't change my opinion that the Spurs should've won Game 7 by Duncan splitting or nailing both freethrows with under a second left and X Mavs Player trying to become Derek Fisher 2.0. This is the kind of that happens when Bavetta works a game. But WGAF. Spurs will sweep the Mavs next year and let them know they got some lucky breaks this time and we don't let you get away with the same twice. It was a great series, props to the Mavs for playing hard when it counted, but they have not gained any respect from me after the whole Cuban/Finley/Terry thing. Show some ing class, Mark.

[windboy226]

Game 2 Dallas-Suns.

Fouls, Suns 24, Dallas 12 (TWELVE).
FTs, Suns 11, Dallas 34 (THIRTYFOUR).

It is time for Dallas to go to the Finals.

It's now or never.

So who's turn is going to be next year?

Did you even watch this game? If you did you would know why there was such a difference...Suns gave away at least 8 free throws at the end of the game and Dallas got all its free throws from driving inside. The Suns took 23 three point shots(where there will almost never be any fouls) and most of its points were from outside shots or easy transition buckets. Phoenix gets to the line the least amount of any team in the NBA. Why is there any surprise that there would be a disparity?

[DubMcDub]

Anybody who thinks the officiating favored the Spurs must have been in a coma during game 5 in which the Spurs shot 12 more FT's, game 6 in which the Spurs shot 14 more FT's on the Mavs court, and game 7 in which Tim Duncan had shot more FT's than the entire Mavericks team at the start of the 4th quarter.

I find it hilarious how any Spurs fans can make the case that Games 3 and 4 were "given" to the Mavs by the officials as they simultaneously ignore the lopsided officiating in the final 3 games.

Bottom line, the officiating evens out over the course of a 7 game series. Mavs were the better team. They won in OT on the champions home floor in Game 7. I'd say that eliminates any need for debate as to what team was better.

[DirkAB]

I can't believe how dilusional some of you are, have some ing dignity! The Spurs have been getting calls from the officials for how many years? And now for once that all the calls didn't go their way, you think that they were screwed? Talk about spoiled fans! Seriously, you have no idea how good you have it as far as getting calls from the officials.

Some of this blame shouldn't fall on you I guess, because when you are used to your team getting all the calls all the time, you probably feel pretty frustrated when that stops. Welcome back to earth! This is the NBA where the officials clearly have favorites, and the Spurs apparently have complained their way right off the refs favorite list. I mean look at this .










I realize that every team has players that complain too much in the NBA, it is a real problem that is getting out of control, but as a huge NBA fan I can assure you that the Spurs are the worst offender of all. My team at times has been one of the worst in the league at this, and it just kills me to see it. Does it bother any of you Spurs fans to see your Spurs complain to the officials so much?

They act as if they are en led to the calls, maybe it is because they have gotten the calls for so long. I went from respecting the Spurs and halfway liking them, to hating them and lossing some respect for them because of the way they act when the calls don't go their way.

Seriously do you think that the Spurs may have complained their way right onto the officials list? Complaining and lobbying can only be effective for so long until there is some sort of backlash. I believe it is a problem that starts with the coach, coaches that complain a lot tend to have players that complain a lot. Popavich is the master of working the officials and unfortunately his players have followed his lead.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

I Mean Lets Not Kid Ourselfs Here First And Foremost Mavs Played Outstanding Basketball. But I Know I Wasnt The Only One Who Saw Dirk Clearly Hammer Duncan In The Back To Cause The Game To Go Into Overtime, It Almost Looked Like An Intentional Foul. Call Me A Poor Sport But That Was By For The Worst Officiating Ive Seen In My Life! Alot Of Those Bad Calls Defeated The Spurs. Just Knocked The Fight Out Of My Boyz. Being Down Twenty And Rallying Back At The End To Snatch It All Away From Dallas, Only To Have Dirk In The Final Seconds Of His Season Get Away With Murder. Oh And I Cant Forget The Time When The Officials Literally Saved The Mavs In Game Five When They Called A Bull Foul On Bowen With Seconds Left Only To Send Dirk To The Line And Tie The Game, Those Are Some Of The Calls Thats Made A Huge Impact On That Series. But I See The Mavs Tend To Pull Off Some Stunts In Numerous Occasions, For Instance I Know Alot Of You Saw That Game One Against The Suns, Was That Not A Flagarant Foul Against Damp? Or Am I Just Losing My Mind Here? So Hold On Stackhouse Blantly Commits A Foul And Its Ok For Him To Raise On The Court? Could It Be Possible That Mark Cuban Is Trying To Buy A Championship? And With That Being Said That Sad Part Is Dallas Still Lost Game One.

wow, you capitalize every word in this paragraph. that's funny.

[BigBinBigD]

I can't believe how dilusional some of you are, have some ing dignity! The Spurs have been getting calls from the officials for how many years? And now for once that all the calls didn't go their way, you think that they were screwed? Talk about spoiled fans! Seriously, you have no idea how good you have it as far as getting calls from the officials.

Some of this blame shouldn't fall on you I guess, because when you are used to your team getting all the calls all the time, you probably feel pretty frustrated when that stops. Welcome back to earth! This is the NBA where the officials clearly have favorites, and the Spurs apparently have complained their way right off the refs favorite list. I mean look at this .










I realize that every team has players that complain too much in the NBA, it is a real problem that is getting out of control, but as a huge NBA fan I can assure you that the Spurs are the worst offender of all. My team at times has been one of the worst in the league at this, and it just kills me to see it. Does it bother any of you Spurs fans to see your Spurs complain to the officials so much?

They act as if they are en led to the calls, maybe it is because they have gotten the calls for so long. I went from respecting the Spurs and halfway liking them, to hating them and lossing some respect for them because of the way they act when the calls don't go their way.

Seriously do you think that the Spurs may have complained their way right onto the officials list? Complaining and lobbying can only be effective for so long until there is some sort of backlash. I believe it is a problem that starts with the coach, coaches that complain a lot tend to have players that complain a lot. Popavich is the master of working the officials and unfortunately his players have followed his lead.

Best post I've ever seen on here. I used to have major respect for the Spurs but every person I've talked to around the country echoes these same sentiments. The constant complaining from Pop and every player got really old. Cuban is the only one who complains like this on the whole Mavs side. If you can't see this, it's time for Lasik.

[Winnipeg_Spur]

I used to have respect for the Mavs, but then their fans booed a guy for being punched in the groin...

[I H8 Mavs Fans]

Best post I've ever seen on here. I used to have major respect for the Spurs but every person I've talked to around the country echoes these same sentiments. The constant complaining from Pop and every player got really old. Cuban is the only one who complains like this on the whole Mavs side. If you can't see this, it's time for Lasik.

It is the best post you've seen? Cause unless, I'm psychic, I believe I've seen those pictures before.
Spurs lost, how they lost will not be remembered in 20 years, just that they lost, so there's no point in ing about it.

Bottom line, Cuban's a , AJ's a pussy, Mavs fans are assholes.

[DubMcDub]

Bottom line, Cuban's a , AJ's a pussy, Mavs fans are assholes.