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Honestly Manu is not a good enough player to do that through a series anymore. He has always been just a role player.
avery is an amazing coach. I hope he's coaching the spurs some time in the near future.
are the spurs really going to try to play small ball against dallas come playoffs time (like they did in game 2 vs. dallas this year) or will the spurs play their bigs (like they did in game 1 vs. dallas this year)? i hope its the latter because the spurs are still horrible at playing small ball (blame pop).
Honestly Manu is not a good enough player to do that through a series anymore. He has always been just a role player.
Nuggets have AI and Melo...we have Dirk and JHO but as great as JHO has been playing I wouldn't say anybody on our team could be paired up with Dirk to balance the Melo/AI duo so if Dirk's out our best player is out but if Melo is out I wouldn't necessarily say their best player is out...I'd say one of their two best players is out. Also, JR Smith was out but so was Stackhouse, evens out.
Camby played last night and had a pretty good game and lately, the AI/Boykins (yes Boykins!) combo has been fairly impressive and annoying because they're both so quick...and I wish we had Najera back, he's stepped up big for the Nuggets, his defense is solid. As for Nene, he's overweight and useless right now, why would he play? K-Mart is another issue, too bad he's just being utilized as a bench warmer right now.
Basically, it's stupid to compare the Nuggets to the 76ers unless you haven't watched any of their games.
Anyway, I don't fear the Spurs because that seems like I'm saying they'll win but I get damn jumpy on gamedays when the two teams play to the point of getting almost sick from adrenaline...however, I wouldn't have it any other way, it's too much fun watching the teams play each other, even if my team loses.
I really don't think so at all
Last year was his best shot but we know what happend there.
And yes, Dallas is the best team int he league right now and with the way SA is playing, there's a much bigger gap between the two than just a game as the standings would show.
There's a long way before the playoffs, but I don't even think Dallas themselves are peaking right now, they are simply playing very well. With the rest of the team not needing to rely on Dirk so much as they've made some nice strides, it only makes them that more dangeorus and well balanced.
As a Spurs fan, I hate to admit it, but after seeing the Spurs lose last year in the playoffs, their most recent loss to Dallas this season, and Dallas awesome play this season, the Spurs, unless Dirk gets injured,will not have the benefit of the doubt in the playoffs aginst the Mavs. If the Spurs win it WILL be an upset. Period. The Spurs have given up their position as the best team in the west on account of their lack of athleticism and consistent three point shooting (Barry, Manu are great but Michael "Wont-Go-Inly" is not providing us with any consitency, neither is Udrih.
Right, because a banged and bruised and exhausted Manu only averaged 21p/4r/2a against them last year in the series...in only 35 minutes, per game.
The 20/5/5 is not a stretch for Manu. He's put up numbers close to that maybe 4 or 5 times in playoff series. Don't underestimate a pissed off individual.
Spurs are leading the league in 3 point shooting (.413) and it's not really close, and why is it that if anyone briings up good play by SA, "It's only the regular season", but Dallas is anointed champs with the same regular season play?
Me too, but I still believe that Spurs are better.
1. Benefit of the doubt? With who, the refs? They didn't have it last year either...if that's what you are saying.
2. Three point shooting with the Spurs is better than any other team so that point falls by the wayside also.
3. "Period." Why not just use "." and economize?
Think through what you are going to say first. Your argument will carry more validity.
And what "role" is that?
Tony Parker is playing much, much better this year than Terry. Last year he led the NBA in points in the paint for much of the year... a point guard! How can you possibly say they're =?
Parker is averaging more points (19.6 vs. 16.3), MORE assists (6.1 vs. 4.8, despite the notion that Parker is not a passer), and more rebounds than Terry (3.2 vs. 2.7). That's right. Tony Parker is averaging more points, boards, and assists than Terry. But he plays more, right? Wrong. Parker is averaging 33 mpg, while Terry averages 34.8. Should I mention that Parker is shooting 53% while Terry is at 45.6%? Or that Parker is getting to the line far more frequently WHILE getting more assists? On a team that usually gets the point a low # of assists because we're notorious for making 3-4 passes per possession?
Sorry, but when I saw your post I immediately signed up for the boards. Making vast general statements like Terry = Parker discounts not only Parker's incredible improvement as a point guard overall, but the complete differences in the game they play. Parker can collapse a defense at will, and with a paint presence like Duncan that is irreplacable, not to mention the 3 point shooting the Spurs have this year.
Also, Dirk and Duncan do NOT cancel out. Tim Duncan is perhaps the best crunch-time defender in the NBA. Make no mistake, he WILL show up in the playoffs. Dirk is slightly superior on offense during the regular season, but when Duncan sets his mind to it, he is unguardable. Period (since apparently we're into typing out punctuation on these boards). I wouldn't ever trade Timmy for Dirk. The defense is just too valuable to give up. Watch down the stretch of the season, when games really make a difference. Duncan will be swatting balls all over the court to get the Spurs a #1 seed.
Howard is a great player. Yet the Mavs have two great players. Dirk and Howard. The Spurs have three. Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili. I'll take that against the Mavs starters anyday, especially if Bowen and Barry are knocking down shots.
How can it possibly be said that the Mavs are "clearly" the better team when we're not even halfway into the season and a sole game is the difference between the two? The Spurs are averaging an almost double-digit point difference, while the Mavs are around 6.5. That to me is an equally valid comparison as a record that is so similiar.
If the Spurs stay healthy and the 3 point shooting answers the call this post-season, I don't fear the Mavs. I'm eagerly awaiting the matchup, because I know it will be a great one.
some of you guys are just...stupid.
1. dallas beat the Spurs last time without Manu playing
2. dallas has a one game better record
3. the teams play each other in a few days
1. He played for over half the game.
2. Only because the Mavs started 0-4 when they were essentially a completely different team with a different starting lineup
3. Yes.
Mavs have a more balanced offense, 5 players with 10+ PPG, and then Dampier at 9 PPG.
Spurs have only 3 players with 10+ PPG, and the dropoff from there is steep.
It was the Spurs' invisible bench in WCF Game7 that killed the Spurs.
The Spurs' only hope vs Mavs is find their defense and play it 48 minutes, not dig themselves into huge holes like they did 3 or 4 games in the WCF.
OH NO YOU DIDNT SAY THAT YOU LITTLE .
Seriously, if you say that you have no ing clue.
lol
WTF are you talking about? That was 2 years ago, not last year.
Really? Barry averages 9 PPG. That's a steep drop from 10? Perhaps you should do your research....
Finley is checking in at 7.6 and Bowen gets 7.0. So that's three more players that average 7 PPG or more for the Spurs, meaning 6 players on the team can easily reach double figures on any given night. Meanwhile, the Spurs bench is much deeper, and it's odd... for having a more balanced offense, the Mavs are scoring less PPG and giving up more. I guess that cons utes as "better" in the eyes of some people.
Mavs can look forward to Friday, but the Spurs have a couple games on the road to concern themselves with first.
When Friday does come, it will be nice to see Manu play in the 4th quarter when these games are normally decided. Manu does have some extra incentive, as exstatic mentioned.
the mavs have the best starting lineup in the nba other than detriot. and i think we have the best bench too. its alot better than SA's bench...who ever that guy who said the spurs bench is deeper is smoking some really stong .
Jerry Stackhouse
Greg Buckner
Deavan George
Anthony Johnson
Austin Croshere
Desagana Diop
vs.
Brent Barry
Michael Finely
Matt Bonner
Fabricio Oberto
Beno Udrih
Eric Williams
werent we saying things like this about Detroit last year around this time? Midseason effectiveness and mid-playoff effectiveness are two different animals. Needless to say, it will be an awesome series to watch and we will probably get a sense as to who is the better coach after this one, if it happens (in terms of adjustments).
Another negative for the Spurs that is crucial to this matchup is REBOUNDING - or the lack thereof. The Spurs weren't a good rebounding team last year - getting outrebounded in 11-13 playoff games.
They are worse this year. Tim is our best rebounder and even HIS rebound numbers are down.
The Mavs crash the glass and thrive on second shot opportunities. This is a major concern.
Bet you weren't saying that in January of 2006...Dallas is the only team I really fear
I just did moron
Manu is not that good. He is a good player who can score but is really only on jason terry's level. which isn't bad but he is no star player who you should depend on that much. He's there to fill a role and be the 3rd scorer.
if any team fears another, they shouldn't be playing basketball.
the spurs should have no fear of dallas, they only lost by a slim margin in last years playoffs. if anything, the mavs need to make sure that the hangover from losing 4 straight in the finals doesn't carry over into the playoffs when the stakes are a lot higher. in fact, i'm curious to see how they will respond to adversity in the playoffs this year. will they stand tall or become the buffalo bills of the nba?
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