Key to beating the mavs?

[ArgSpursFan]

BTW,yesterday He went 3/11

[Kent_in_Atlanta]

the biggest thing to focus on when playing against the mavs is easy


REBOUNDING


we got rebounded pretty much every game in the last series


without rebounding we'll be screwed as they'll be pullin down offensive boards and getting 2nd chance points all over the place

That's why I keep saying that Francisco Elson could be the key against the Mavs this year.

Some people misunderstand me when I say that. I'm not comparing Elson to Marcus Camby. No, I'm comparing him to Michael Finley (in terms of rebounding/shot blocking)... cause he was our front-court compliment to Tim Duncan against Dallas last year.

I think Elson will see significant time against Dirk this year should the Mavs and Spurs rematch in the playoffs (and I think they will). He's the only guy on the team with both the size and the quickness to guard him.

Do I think Elson will be able to slow Dirk? Nope. But I suspect he'll do as solid a job against him as anyone we've got (Bowen doesn't have the size to keep Dirk from shooting over him, and we need him on Howard anyway).

The advantage of having Elson on Dirk has nothing to do with slowing Dirk, because that's not likely to happen. The real benefit is that we would actually have another rebounder and shot blocker on the floor with Timmy this year.

We don't need Elson to be any better a rebounder or shot blocker than Rasho or Nazzi were. We just needed another reasonably productive big man quick enough to run with Dirk and the Mavs (as well as the Suns), which Rasho and Nazzi were not.

Having that second rebounder on the floor will definitely help the Spurs in that dept. And having another shot blocking threat out there will help the Spurs do a much better job of guarding the paint than they did last year.

I for one, do believe that we match up better with the Mavs, primarily because of Elson. The fact that Manu and Timmy are playing as well as I've ever seen them doesn't hurt either!

[mavsfan1000]

The key to beating the mavs is shooting lights out and swarming the mavs on defense and forcing a lot of turnovers.

[picnroll]

SA can't beat the Mavs like GS does. GS has great athleticism and good size at every position. Their small ball players like Jackson, Pietrus, Richardson, Barnes (stupid not to pick him up) are longer and quicker than the Spurs small ball players for the most part. GS is quicker and faster on the floor than the Mavs at EVERY SINGLE POISITION. They can swarm and double and get away with it. That is not how SA can beat the Mavs.

[Kent_in_Atlanta]

The key to beating the mavs is shooting lights out and swarming the mavs on defense and forcing a lot of turnovers.

That's the key to beating anyone. Neither team is going to shoot lights out over long stretches though. Both of these teams are too good defensively to let that happen.

[mavsfan1000]

Well if we are talking about what style does best against the mavs than I think Golden State and Phoenix are the ones best suited to bother the mavs. Chicago does as well though and they play a slow pace game so it is a mix of matchups.

[Kent_in_Atlanta]

Someone said it best in an earlier post... the Spurs will have to win by playing SPURS basketball!

That means, in my opinion, running sometimes, playing half-court sets sometimes, and always playing great defense... which means staying "big". We need that second 7-footer next to Timmy to help rebound and protect the rim.

[Kent_in_Atlanta]

Well if we are talking about what style does best against the mavs than I think Golden State and Phoenix are the ones best suited to bother the mavs. Chicago does as well though and they play a slow pace game so it is a mix of matchups.

I think way too much has been made of Golden State's win. It was just a mental letdown. It had to happen sometime. On a normal night, the Mavericks hand the Warriors their nuts in a jar.

Some say that small ball bothers the Mavs. I hear the same said of the Spurs all the time. But the reality is that there's only one style of play that bothers the Spurs of the Mavs... and that's great play. The kind of play the Spurs and Mavs will only see from maybe one or two teams (aside from one another)... Phoenix, and possibly Miami if Wade gets back to 100%.

The Mavs are juggernauts and have been all year. The Spurs finally decided to join them. In my mind, these two teams are the class of the league, with Phoenix only slightly behind them. When the playoffs arrive... San Antonio and Dallas won't give a damn what style these other teams play. They'll just give them the "We're gonna make your our women and you're gonna like it" treatment.

[monosylab1k]

The key to beating the mavs is being the Golden State Warriors.

[LEONARD]

Golden State just went out and beat a team they were supposed to beat.

If SA does the same, they'll beat Dallas too.

Simple as that.

Pure genius...

Easy question. Because they have beaten them twice already this year. The Warriors could get that #8 seed and eliminate Dallas too.

Part 2...

What this really was, is an example of a great team having an off night and an underdog coming to play

Exactly...

[Thrill]

What this really was, is an example of a great team having an off night and an underdog coming to play

As Spurs fans, we should recognize this very easily. Seems like the majority of our losses were because of this very reason.

[ArgSpursFan]

With the kind of D the spurs are playin since the ASG break,they can easily hold Dirk to a low FG % like GS did last night.That + the big three playing the best ball of the last two years is the best combo to beat the mavs.

[sanman53]

Score more points than they do.

[Kent_in_Atlanta]

With the kind of D the spurs are playin since the ASG break,they can easily hold Dirk to a low FG % like GS did last night.That + the big three playing the best ball of the last two years is the best combo to beat the mavs.

Dirk had an off night. There was an overall mental letdown against GS last night by Dallas. That's going to happen from time to time. But there is no such thing as easily holding Dirk to a low FG%. Read nothing into last nights game. It was just one of those nights.

That said, I do favor the Spurs to win the west right now.

[mabber]

SA can't beat the Mavs like GS does. GS has great athleticism and good size at every position. Their small ball players like Jackson, Pietrus, Richardson, Barnes (stupid not to pick him up) are longer and quicker than the Spurs small ball players for the most part. GS is quicker and faster on the floor than the Mavs at EVERY SINGLE POISITION. They can swarm and double and get away with it. That is not how SA can beat the Mavs.

I agree. The Warriors just match up well against the Mav's weaknesses. They've beaten them 5 of the last 6 times. It's not just small ball but it's their athleticism to force turnovers vs. Dallas. The Mavs would beat them in the playoffs as they would adjust to them but they're still not a good matchup for Dallas. The Spurs just don't have the players to beat Dallas the way the Warriors do. They have to go about it their own way.

[ArgSpursFan]

I realize Dirk is having an MVP kind if season.but At the same time I realize that since the ASG brake the spurs are playing the best D of the year and the ¨big three¨ have gotten BIGGER.
So I´ve got no doubts the spurs can beat the mavs in the playoffs

[Shank]

I think you're all reading too much into this.

[LEONARD]

I think you're all reading too much into this.

I don't think they are...I feel a 17 game losing streak coming on...

[ArgSpursFan]

Spurs D before the ASG brake<SPURS D AFTER THE ASG BRAKE
spurs bench production before ASG brake< SPURS BENCH PROD. AFTER ASG BRAKE
Spurs games won/lost average before ASG brake<spurs games won/lost average after ASG brake
Manu´s Numbers before ASG brake<MANU´S NUMBERS AFTER ASG BRAKE
It all seems to be falling in place for the spurs since the ASG brake.
Let the playoffs begin baby!!!

[lurker]

The key to beating the mavs is being the Golden State Warriors.

That about sums it up.

[bdictjames]

GS just matches up pretty well with teams like Suns and Mavs. They do bad against post-up teams like Portland and maybe the Spurs. We just need to play like them if we want to win the series.

[phyzik]

the key to beating the Mavs: Replace their bench with stationary bicycles.

[Clutch20]

Key(s) to beating Mavs?

........................consistency
......................execution
...............agressiveness
..............rebounding
.............defense
.........score score score score

[mardigan]

Line your basketball shorts with sauerkraut, so Dirk gets destracted by the smell, best shot you got. In reality, unless you have a team that matches up well you have to hope for the Mavs to beat themselves, they are too good.

[Clutch20]

SA can't beat the Mavs like GS does. GS has great athleticism and good size at every position. Their small ball players like Jackson, Pietrus, Richardson, Barnes (stupid not to pick him up) are longer and quicker than the Spurs small ball players for the most part. GS is quicker and faster on the floor than the Mavs at EVERY SINGLE POISITION. They can swarm and double and get away with it. That is not how SA can beat the Mavs.

true that, totally.
It will take great efficiency in all depts.
That will do two things:
1. rattle nerves trans to turnovers
2. put a strain on fg% 2nd, 3rd periods and the first 5 min. of 4th
Then Spurs D takes over last minutes; needs to be wise, not foul, and put the clamps on, help-defense, lots of it.