Dallas can't beat the Suns

[mavs>spurs2]

The mavs are gonna have to come up with a better way of dealing with that Nash/Stoudemire pick and role if we want to beat them in a 7 game series. I don't see us winning if Amare continues to average 40ppg against us. Not saying we have to shut him down or anything, but we definately can't let him do whatever he wants.

[mavsfan1000]

I think Harris can still be a big factor. I just don't like him starting as he can get in early foul trouble. If you put him in at the 4 minute mark of the 1st quarter than I think he will not have to worry as much about fouling as he will have 3 fouls to give instead of 2 and Nash will be spent a little after the first 8 minutes of Buckner guarding him. I think when Howard gets his lateral movement back than he can also be thrown at Nash. I would play Harris 20-25 minutes per game against Phoenix as a spark off the bench. Also Stackhouse is not a better rebounder than Harris. They are about the same.

[JMarkJohns]

...he'll be nothing more than role player though (aka buckner) in that series.

It's hard to say that a 12-15 minute player is more than a role player. In other games, sure. In this series, I'm sorry, but he's just not going to get a lot of minutes.

I disagree that the series "will be determined by rebounding and isolation mismatches on Dallas' end." only. Our defense will be a huge part too. Though we won't hold you to 90 points on 30% shooting, we also can't allow so many players to get off for that many points.

Don't kid yourself with the defensive claim. It'll play as big a part as the Suns. Your advantage is with the rebounding, mainly offensive, and with the mismatches your isolation players create. You'll stay in games with the latter and have a great chance of dominating with the prior. The Suns will score and be in every game. The impact of the Mavs defense doesn't match the impact of their rebounding and isolation mismatches which is why I said the series will be won by Dallas on the back of those two aspects.

Both the Suns defense and Mavs defense is a wash. Don't argue with me, because the Mavericks have shot around 40% on first possessions vs. Phoenix this year. Like I said, their biggest offensive advantage (and series advantage) stems from their offensive rebounding. They KILL Phoenix on the boards. A big reason why they tally so many is all their initial misses.