Dallas is the only team I really fear

[SenorSpur]

Isn't January a little bit too early for you bandwagon folk to be starting panic threads? For all you "worried" little es, maybe you guys should just be Mav fans an than have nothing to worry about. Its pathetic how some of you guys are quick to give up on our season, and then call out our players for being soft. Maybe we should start some threads about how soft some of our fans are.

Meanwhile, I'll hold judgment on our team and its season come March/April. Until then some of you head cases should take some paxil and put this season in to prospective. There's still a whole lot of basketball to be played from now through the playoffs. Many things can happen from now and then. And can some one please tell me when have the Spurs ever made any noise pre-rodeo road trip? Besides not to take away from the mavs, but they only have a one game difference in their record from this year compared to last year.

I don't think anyone here is "jumping off the Spurs bandwagon". However, you'd have to be crazy to not be concerned about the Mavs. Weren't you watching the WCSF? Did you see how the Mavs exploited the Spurs - especially out on the perimeter?

It's not just enough to look at the Mavs record, you must look at how they're playing. How they're carving teams up. They are not having the periods of complacency, the lack of focus and the defensive breakdowns the Spurs are seeming to have.

Of course, there is a lot of basketball left and no one is here to "suck up" to the Mavs. We're basically giving way to realistic concerns on where the Spurs are vulnerable and confirming the fact that the Mavs are indeed a dangerous team. They will be the primary obstacle for the Spurs. It will take a flawless performance from the Spurs to beat them this Friday and in the playoffs.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

My thoughts exactly! Any thing can happen. I don't look at this mav team the same way I looked at the Shaq/Kobe laker teams. When we played the lakers we flat out got our asses handed to us. Last year we put up a great fight with out even playing our style of basketball. And this year the season series is split at one a piece. During both games both teams didn't really do anything to separate them selves from another IMO. It will be interesting to see how the game on Friday will play out.

Oh I know some of us are still doom and gloom as though we have 0 chance of winning the championship, plus its only January, but Friday will be a nice test to see where we're at but there' still a good amount of work to be done.

I think some of us are just antsy that the rebounding problems haven't been addressed, plus Pop's subs ution patterns are the worst they've ever been.

But a long time between now and April, so let's hope everything works out for us

[SenorSpur]

Oh I know some of us are still doom and gloom as though we have 0 chance of winning the championship, plus its only January, but Friday will be a nice test to see where we're at but there' still a good amount of work to be done.

I think some of us are just antsy that the rebounding problems haven't been addressed, plus Pop's subs ution patterns are the worst they've ever been.

But a long time between now and April, so let's hope everything works out for us

I'd feel a lot better if Elson were healthy and playing in THIS game.

[RonMexico]

Until the refs start calling over the back, no one will ever out-rebound the Mavs

[T Park]

plus Pop's subs ution patterns are the worst they've ever been.

You people are such goobers.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

You people are such goobers.

oh come on T Park

Despite my ing I almost never pick on Pop, but some of his lineups to begin the 4th quarter have been atrocious


Also dumb things like keeping Duncan in at the last minute of games where it comes down to free throws (a la' the Phoenix game) was foolish

[Solid D]

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.

1. You clarified in your follow-up post that you meant the officials. You may be correct, since they didn't exactly get any help from the officials last year either.

2. I agree that the Spurs lack the athleticism of the Mavs. The Spurs have two players who can penetrate and break defenses down to create scoring chances. If Tony or Manu sits, the Spurs are more predictable and defensible. I disagree with your premise that the Spurs have given up their position as the best team in the west in part because of their lack of consistent three point shooting. Others seemed to have read your comments shown above and seen them for what they were, also. I wouldn't have disagreed with you if you had listed their lack of rebounding or poor shot-blocking and interior defense as reasons.

3. Dallas is hot right now and they lead the Spurs by one game. If the Spurs win on Friday, I doubt many NBA people will be calling it an "upset". If the Spurs win, it will be because they are more consistent with their defensive intensity and execution.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

I'd feel a lot better if Elson were healthy and playing in THIS game.

oh damn I forgot about that


I wanted to see if his D on Nowitzki was for real or if it was just a one time thing

Although, out of all the Mavs players, the one I'm most concerned with is actually Josh Howard

[T Park]

but some of his lineups to begin the 4th quarter have been atrocious

Yeah, cause thats what loses games, bad lineups.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

Yeah, cause thats what loses games, bad lineups.

A lineup of Oberto, Finley, Udrih, Horry, and Barry will not win you many games or help you keep up the momentum or dig the hole you are out of


That Phoenix game we easily could've lost thanks to Pop's decision to keep TD on the floor during FT time, had Bell not missed the FT.


Lineups are the difference between going on a 18-2 run or letting a team down 20 back into the game

[THE SIXTH MAN]

I don't think anyone here is "jumping off the Spurs bandwagon".

I didn't say everyone I said some people.

However, you'd have to be crazy to not be concerned about the Mavs. Weren't you watching the WCSF? Did you see how the Mavs exploited the Spurs - especially out on the perimeter?

There's a difference between discussing issues with our team, and just flat out anointing another team champions before the end of the regular season. The trading deadline is in February, and if this FO doesn't make any moves to address those needs, then it will be even more interesting to see how that series would play out this time around.

It's not just enough to look at the Mavs record, you must look at how they're playing. How they're carving teams up. They are not having the periods of complacency, the lack of focus and the defensive breakdowns the Spurs are seeming to have.

I saw a tenacious Detroit team just straight up annihilate teams last year. By no means am I saying that Dallas is this years Detroit though. My point is we play 82 games a season for a reason. And we also play a play off format for the same reasons as well. Anything can happen my friend during a playoff series.

Of course, there is a lot of basketball left and no one is here to "suck up" to the Mavs. We're basically giving way to realistic concerns on where the Spurs are vulnerable and confirming the fact that the Mavs are indeed a dangerous team. They will be the primary obstacle for the Spurs. It will take a flawless performance from the Spurs to beat them this Friday and in the playoffs.

Like I said there's a difference between discussing weaknesses(which I'm all for) and anointing a team champs. Who's to say that well even play the mavs this year? I mean we spent this off season trying to assemble a "small ball line up", and now were struggling against teams with young bigs like the rockets.

[Ronaldo McDonald]

Isn't January a little bit too early for you bandwagon folk to be starting panic threads? For all you "worried" little es, maybe you guys should just be Mav fans an than have nothing to worry about. Its pathetic how some of you guys are quick to give up on our season, and then call out our players for being soft. Maybe we should start some threads about how soft some of our fans are.

Meanwhile, I'll hold judgment on our team and its season come March/April. Until then some of you head cases should take some paxil and put this season in to prospective. There's still a whole lot of basketball to be played from now through the playoffs. Many things can happen from now and then. And can some one please tell me when have the Spurs ever made any noise pre-rodeo road trip? Besides not to take away from the mavs, but they only have a one game difference in their record from this year compared to last year.

I don't think anyone is "worried", but rather, skeptic, at least I am. Skeptic as a result of practically no proven scorer playing alongside Duncan, inconsistent play by Finley, Udrih, and Horry, Elson, Oberto, that, after really 2 years 3 three of them--Finley, Udrih, and Horry--can't seem to find a way to score, or play in front of their man esp. the backcourt players of the Mavs. Third, Who the is playing back up point? Udrih, at this point would better suited for that position on the Silver Stars. Their isn't any untapped potential on the Spurs; Finley and Horry? They need to go on a season and playoff long tear for the Spurs to have any chance at going deep, but at their age, they are more likely to tear one of their tendons or muscles. And Oberto? He def. isn't the answer to fill the void at the PF position.

Spurs need young, fresh legs; they need athleticism, esp. in the backcourt.

[THE SIXTH MAN]

I don't think anyone is "worried", but rather, skeptic, at least I am. Skeptic as a result of practically no proven scorer playing alongside Duncan, inconsistent play by Finley, Udrih, and Horry, Elson, Oberto, that, after really 2 years 3 three of them--Finley, Udrih, and Horry--can't seem to find a way to score, or play in front of their man esp. the backcourt players of the Mavs. Third, Who the is playing back up point? Udrih, at this point would better suited for that position on the Silver Stars. Their isn't any untapped potential on the Spurs; Finley and Horry? They need to go on a season and playoff long tear for the Spurs to have any chance at going deep, but at their age, they are more likely to tear one of their tendons or muscles. And Oberto? He def. isn't the answer to fill the void at the PF position.

Spurs need young, fresh legs; they need athleticism, esp. in the backcourt.

Now this is what I like a good discussion about our team and where it stands, not about what another teams doing. Like I posted earlier, I didn't say every one in this thread was worried and making premature assessments of our season. I just said some.

Any ways, you do bring up valid points on Finley and Beno. I don't think we need to wast any more time and roster space for these guys. I dont think finley should be getting as much pt as hes getting. As for Beno, well hes out of the main rotations. Bonner should be getting Horrys minutes and I hope he does soon. I hope the spurs are really trying to get Maggette. Because This team is only as good as are star players can take us. Come playoff time the rotations should go down to 7 or 8 guys. If we get Magette, then we should be better suited for a series against the mavs. Although I don't agree that we have a need for our back court, the need we have is for a younger longer wing man.

[Ronaldo McDonald]

1. You clarified in your follow-up post that you meant the officials. You may be correct, since they didn't exactly get any help from the officials last year either.

2. I agree that the Spurs lack the athleticism of the Mavs. The Spurs have two players who can penetrate and break defenses down to create scoring chances. If Tony or Manu sits, the Spurs are more predictable and defensible. I disagree with your premise that the Spurs have given up their position as the best team in the west in part because of their lack of consistent three point shooting. Others seemed to have read your comments shown above and seen them for what they were, also. I wouldn't have disagreed with you if you had listed their lack of rebounding or poor shot-blocking and interior defense as reasons.

3. Dallas is hot right now and they lead the Spurs by one game. If the Spurs win on Friday, I doubt many NBA people will be calling it an "upset". If the Spurs win, it will be because they are more consistent with their defensive intensity and execution.

When I said athleticism, I took into account rebounding, shotblocking, and defensive intensity. Ther lack of athleticism is why they aren't good at those things. You just can't benefit from athleticism, you benifit from what athleticism allows--like those things mentioned; although I should have specified as to what exactly I was taking into account when I said "athleticism" I figured you would understand it as a way of just saying " improvement in all areas of the game that would benefit from it, primarily defense--which includes shot blocking, and though you might not consider it a part of defense: rebounding".

Just wanted to make that clear; needless to say are views now don't seem as dissimilar to eachother as in ially perceived.

[Ronaldo McDonald]

Now this is what I like a good discussion about our team and where it stands, not about what another teams doing. Like I posted earlier, I didn't say every one in this thread was worried and making premature assessments of our season. I just said some.

Any ways, you do bring up valid points on Finley and Beno. I don't think we need to wast any more time and roster space for these guys. I dont think finley should be getting as much pt as hes getting. As for Beno, well hes out of the main rotations. Bonner should be getting Horrys minutes and I hope he does soon. I hope the spurs are really trying to get Maggette. Because This team is only as good as are star players can take us. Come playoff time the rotations should go down to 7 or 8 guys. If we get Magette, then we should be better suited for a series against the mavs. Although I don't agree that we have a need for our back court, the need we have is for a younger longer wing man.

Sorry, I thought a wing man was a part of the backcourt; if not, yes, I meant front court.

[himat]

Last year, Flip Saunders coached the entire Pistons season, Larry was already out. Pistons simply choked last year, bottom line. Internal issues between Ben Wallace and Flip Saunders probably had some part in it, but they were still good enough to beat the Heat and take out the Cavs without using 7 games.

It was a combination of things.

Game 1 loss at home. Could of easily got the win, but somehow lost the game when Miami went on a run with Wade, and Shaq on the bench.

Flip losing control and being outcoached

Sheed's injury. He was playing on one leg, and his advantage over Haslem was neutralized.

Wade being hot, but also getting to the line many times made him close to unstoppable.

All this was just too much for the Pistons. Not only did they play bad, but all these other things made it extremely hard for them to reach the Finals. Game 6 was horrible. Not only was the team out of control and panicking, but Sheed and Chauncey looked like they were worse than Udonis and Williams.

[dg7md]

We have faults, but some of you Spurs fans are so pessimistic it's shameful. How do you think fans of the Kings, Warriors, Sixers, etc. feel like? They'd love to have a team like ours to cheer for.

I'm happy if they can pull out one more ring in the Duncan era, I'm a realistic fan and I am fully aware the NBA is changing and there's now about 5 legit teams as opposed to 2-3 that it's been the last few years.

[exstatic]

SA >>>>>>>>>>>> Phoenix

Our spotty defense and rebounding this year still outdoes theirs. They are strictly a one trick pony: RUN.

[George Gervin's Afro]

I can't believe what I am reading ... Let's wait until March or so before we start 'fearing' anybody. Dork and mavs are playing well right now with 2 double digit winning streaks. I saw that they were 22-3 since starting 0-4 but in the end they have a whopping 1 game lead..everyone needs to relax

[Mark in Austin]

Elson/Oberto will defend Dirk better than our long 3/4s did last year, which will help the D since Bowen can focus on Howard. Let Dirk get his, much like the Spurs let Amare do in the '05 WCFs.

I don't think Dirk was the source of what caused the biggest problems last year. It was Harris and Terry in the backcourt. Unless Vaughn can stay in front of Harris, the Spurs will have the same defensive difficulties they had last year - with Parker the only player on the Spurs with the speed to defend those guys, it forced the Spurs to scramble on D when they were both in the game at the same time. It was this scrambling of the Spurs defensive schemes that allowed Dirk to become really dangerous as a scorer but also as the final twist of the knife each time down the court for the Mavs: by the time Dirk had it later in the possession, the Spurs were so scrambled defensively he was able to do what he wanted way too often: score or set up a teammate. That was the difference between the Mavs in '06 and the Suns in '05 - the Spurs were able to keep their composure defensively, even with Amare going off. Against the Mavs, you had Dirk going off PLUS a lack of defensive composure on too many possessions.

I don't see that the Spurs have solved this problem yet; so in that regard, I think the Mavs will be the hardest team for the Spurs to beat in a playoff series. But fear them? No. Even with as many things going wrong defensively as they did last year, the Spurs almost pulled it out anyway.

[Solid D]

Next time, Ronaldo, I will know that when you say "athleticism", it could mean any number of good things which may include chemistry, warm fuzzies, and community outreach.

[manufor3]

We don't really know the rosters until the trade deadline.

[greensborohill]

Until the refs start calling over the back, no one will ever out-rebound the Mavs

LOL, this coming from a Suns fan. . . a team that gets outrebounded by aprox. 4 rebounds a game!! Obviously you'd cry about rebounding because you have none!!

[Jimcs50]

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.

Valid points, but right now, I feel that Dallas has our number. Pop gets out coached by AJ each time they match up with each other, and Josh Howard is playing even better than he did in last year's playoff series with us. I think SA needs more than what they have to beat them in a series. Now, that being said, if Manu can stay healthy, and get back to the level that he was when he played in the Finals against Detroit, then I will feel a lot better about our chances.

[tlongII]

Phoenix is better than Dallas or San Antonio. Anybody that doesn't recognize this is clueless.