Initial Reaction: Spurs vs. Mavs - Game 1

[TD 21]

You people don't get it. Bonner on Nowitzki isn't working. It's never worked and it's never going to work. Stop trying to sound like geniuses and think of it logically: Bonner can't shoot under pressure, the Spurs need all the help they can get and Blair is one of their five most productive per minute players. If he continues to play limited minutes, the Spurs are limiting themselves. It's time to try something different against this team. Or, the Spurs can continue to do the same thing and hope for different results. You know what that is? The definition of insanity.

Here's my thinking: Nowitzki is going to torch the Spurs and get every call imaginable regardless of who's on him, so let's have someone in the game who's going to make him guard and providing rebounding. With or without Bonner, this team can't shoot threes and he can't make them under pressure, so why play him? The Spurs are giving Nowitzki the best of both worlds: defenders who can't guard him and a break defensively.

[SenorSpur]

i don't agree that Bonner played well defensively. he played him as best he could, but that isn't could enough. you need to have someone that is either long and athletic or wide and physical to guard him. Bonner doesn't fit the either bill. Dirk basically just toys with him.

And there's the rub. Dirk has been playing at an NBA superstar level for about 6 years or so. While there is no such thing as a Dirk stopper, I watched SJax give Dirk fits back in that epic 2007 first round series. My point is, by now, the guy is not invincible. The fact that he lit up the Spurs again is just as much of testimony as to how far the Spurs have fallen defensively, as it is to Dirk's own greatness.

The Spurs should've had someone on the roster that could at least bring some length, quickness and at ude to matchup against him. If Pop would've had the foresight to have continued developing Ian during the season, perhaps he could've been more prepared to spend some time guarding the Mavs superstar forward. I know Ian foul prone, but he's probably the only player on the roster with length, quickness and athleticism needed to even contest some of Dirk's shots.

The fact that Pop continues to entrust this responsibility to lesser-caliber players is inexcusable.

[Man In Black]

Spurs
DeJuan Blair.938
Manu Ginobili .652
Tim Duncan .488
Tony Parker .397
Richard Jefferson .219
Matt Bonner .211
Keith Bogans -.094
George Hill -.111
Roger Mason Jr. -.333

Mavs
Dirk Nowitzki 1.050
Brendan Haywood .833
Jason Kidd .573
Caron Butler .350
Shawn Marion .250
Erick Dampier .200
Jason Terry .043
DeShawn Stevenson .000
JJ Barea -.067


Can't win when your team has 3 guys who contribute negatively and on the other end, have the opponent actually get over 1 positive point for every minute he's on the court.

The turnovers bring down the Big 3's per minute scores. We need to get to the FT line some more.

[Borosai]

- Too many stupid, inexplicable turnovers (Tim, Manu... really?).
- Small ball (a continuation of these past few seasons of failure).
- Role players, for the most part, doing nothing (just like last year).

Pop traded the Spurs' championship-winning defense for more offense, and now they have neither. Pop has refused to play and develop younger players with needed abilities in favor of veterans with none.

Hill should've played last year. Blair should play more now, not next year. Ian should play at least a few minutes too. He'll get some rebounds, maybe block some shots, probably score some points, and definitely foul some people. Why not? Instead, we get small ball and get pounded on the glass. Temple and Hairston are better options than Mason and Bogans, but them, they were born too recently.

The idea of losing to the Mavs... again... should be enough for them to come out and win the next four games. That's what I want to see. Some ing concentration and emotion.

[SenorSpur]

Pop is making the same mistake with Blair this year, that he made with Hill last year. Hill was way better than Vaughn was last year. Blair is probably the most effective frontline player, not named Duncan.

Damn playoff experience. I'd rather side with talent. Talent and effort can win in this league too.

[HankChinaski]

Nice take on the game.

- Turnovers
- lack of aggression taking it to the rim
- key role players/starters not stepping up.

Defensively, I thought the spurs looked good considered the mismatches they have with Dirk. Dice and Bonner did the best job you could do without doubling up on the man. My thoughts for the spurs making it their game would revolve around working on dirk to have them win the game in dallas and to try and contain everyone else. It looked like it was working. Just costly turnovers and a lack of effort with our guys trying to get to the line. Parker still looks rusty and doesn't seem confident with his inside game.

Overall, I don't see this as a failure for the spurs, we kept it relatively close throughout the entire game. I know Pop and the coaching staff are going to look over the game and check off what worked and isn't working and make some changes to it.

Butler was the only real threat I saw in the game, the team did a consistent job in my mind of containing the rest of the dallas line up to a game that we could manage and win.

Unless Hill is feeling healthy, you are going to see Temple in Game 2....as well as Mason but with even less time given to him.

Looking forward to Game 2, not looking forward to all the radio sport talk and espn from everyone else about how they perceived the game.

[Baseline]

If Popovich is as good a coach as peopl say he is, he needs to find a way to beat Dallas.

Dallas has a lot of weaknesses, and none of them were exploited tonight.

By the way, did Dirk buy Pop's dinner after the game? If Pop had Matt Bonner guard me all game, I'd gladly buy him dinner.

That said, winning Game 2 isn't life and death. but winning games 3 and 4 are. I say we sit hill, which we should have done today, and have him more ready for Games 3 and 4.

A healthy George Hill could very well have been the difference in Game 1.

[SenorSpur]

If Popovich is as good a coach as peopl say he is, he needs to find a way to beat Dallas.

Dallas has a lot of weaknesses, and none of them were exploited tonight.

By the way, did Dirk buy Pop's dinner after the game? If Pop had Matt Bonner guard me all game, I'd gladly buy him dinner.

That said, winning Game 2 isn't life and death. but winning games 3 and 4 are. I say we sit hill, which we should have done today, and have him more ready for Games 3 and 4.

A healthy George Hill could very well have been the difference in Game 1.

That's just it. The Spurs do not have the personnel or talent to exploit anything. They are seemingly at a constant matchup and talent disadvantage - again this year too.

I've noticed an odd dichotomy with the Spurs over the past 2-3 postseasons. The Spurs team plays much different in the regular season than during the playoffs. During the regular season, the role players often look like world-beaters, especially against bad teams. The offensive execution is usually precise, the ball moves smartly around the horn and pick-n-roll plays are textbook. Penetrations into the lane are made and spot-up shooters get looks. The offense and scoring usually appear balanced.

In the playoffs, the team morphs into the "Big Three" and nothing else. The offense becomes very stagnant and the role players either look scared to perform, can't perform and seemingy afraid to do whatever they do best during the regular season. Seemingly every pass, every set and almost every shot is earmarked and funneled toward either Duncan, Parker or Ginobili. While the rest stand around and watch. This game was clearly indicative of that. Zero points from Bogans, Hill, and Mason. Limited contributions from Blair, Bonner and Dice.

The role players have seemingly come up short ever since the end of that Fakers series in '08. While the facing and names have changed since the days of Horry, Barry, Finley, Oberto, Bowen, the declining playoff contributions from the new bench players, have not.

I don't see this situation with other upper-echelon teams. It seems the role players from other teams stay involved and make their contributions in the playoffs the same way they did during the regular season.

[Man In Black]

Just looking at it, in terms of effectiveness, Blair should play more than just 8 minutes. It's not like he's playing bad, it's more like they're not giving him a chance to make any mistakes to see if the good outweighs the bad. His per minute scores for the evening were the highest on the team.
FREE BLAIR FORCE ONE!

[kobyz]

Duncan need to guard Nowitzki, Nowitzki is not the quickest player so Duncan could guard him and he will bother him the most because of his length, but than you have to play Blair to help on the boards and also with his physical play he would force Nowitzki to make an effort on the defensive side, he could post up nowitzki. Duncan and Blair needs to play minutes together.

[Waps1980]

Duncan need to guard Nowitzki, Nowitzki is not the quickest player so Duncan could guard him and he will bother him the most because of his length, but than you have to play Blair to help on the boards and also with his physical play he would force Nowitzki to make an effort on the defensive side, he could post up nowitzki. Duncan and Blair needs to play minutes together.

And what get Duncan fouled out before half time.

[biziofromdowntown]

WE need Tim on Haywood, Blair on him is a terrible matchup.

[jcrod]

Dyess only 23 mins, Blair only 8 mins WOW! Pop continues to show his coaching is declining. He quick to blame the players for playing like dogs, but he needs to look in the mirror.

[PublicOption]

34-14 fta

is all you have to say.

[MaNu4Tres]

Spurs need to inject the rotation with more Blair and more Garrett Temple if Hill is going to be favoring his ankle. I rather play Temple at 100 percent than play Hill at 70 percent.

Like Senor said...Games 3 and 4 are must wins for our team. We have to win those games. Give Hill as much rest possible from now until then.

TD 21... I couldn't agree more with what you said. Blair playing just 8 minutes isn't enough. The guy produces and would limit the Mavs second chance opportunities, which killed us. Yes Blair doesn't spread out the floor, but his rebounding and the way he rolls to the basket and finishes inside off the pick and roll and off cuts to the basket make up for that.

As for Pop, I really don't understand what goes on in the brain of his. Mason has been the least productive NBA player in the league the past 10 weeks. Bogans has been having one good game out of every 6 the whole season.

On the other hand, Garrett Temple has been productive as you can ask with the opportunities he's been given. Why can't Pop go with who has been productive?

Things Pop needs to adjust for Game 2:

-If Hill is hurt, sit him til games 3 and 4.

-Start Temple and give the kid 20 plus minutes in game 2, instead of giving Mason and Bogans minutes.

-Find more time for Antonio McDyess, if that means sit Bonner all but 5 minutes so be it. McDyess did a great job on Dirk, regardless of Dirks performance. He highly contested every shot but one I believe and he helped shore up defensive possessions with grabbing highly contested rebounds in traffic (something Bonner can't do).

- Find more time for DeJuan Blair. Having Blair for only 8 minutes is crap. The assets he brings to the table would help the rebounding, which has been our achilles heal against the Mavericks since 2006.

- No small ball

In all: More Temple, More Blair, More McDyess. Less Bonner, and diminish all playing time for Mason, Bogans, and small ball.

[timtonymanu]

Mavs got alot more free throws, so what?

The Spurs had many opportunities to bring themselves back in but they kept making stupid mistakes. The start of the 4th the Mavs were being sloppy with the ball but our guys just gave them back possessions every time.

I had a feeling Pop was gonna coach like a dumbass today with his small ball and his "i dont play people that have less than 4 years NBA experience." Where the was Blair in the 2nd half? I swear Pop. These rookies will never learn if you dont play them.

Roger Mason Jr needs to consider retiring in the offseason. Him and his gay hair can hit the road.

RJ was very discouraging today. I cant say I didnt expect this and I dont expect anything different throughout the series so the Big 3 + Dice need to do some work.

Hopefully Tim and Manu can take care of the ball better next game but i like what i saw.

Parker did great imo.

McDyess was a positive. Bonner's not getting enough credit for his defensive effort but truly no one could have stopped Dirk today. Bonner needs to be more confident in his shot though.

Hill really worries me because of how hobbled he is. A healthy Hill makes this team so much better.

And for s sake Pop play some Garrett Temple. Temple could have played better with one hand tied behind his back than Bogans and Mason did today. Quit being stubborn Pop.

[ManuTastic]

Agree with Timvp's points. I'd start Parker; I mean, with HIll gimpy what else can you do? Plus Parker showed flashes of his former self. I'd also sit Mason for Temple, and play Blair more. Let him play Dirk--he couldn't do worse than Bonner (whom I don't really blame, I mean come on, Dirk is having a great year). Let's clean up the sloppy passes and hold onto the goddam ball and game 2 could turn out all right.

[aequitas090]

well i guess im just a floater then nice to see your tampon applicator made the journey though

lol... come on you know he was right, 8 intentionals with 4 more from Damp dunking = 12 intentionals. No need to be an E-thug because he was right man.....

[kobyz]

And what get Duncan fouled out before half time.

Duncan has experience to avoid fouls and from all our player he will get the most respect from referees

[Muser]

Jefferson needs to stop being a soft pussy and attack the rim, it's not like he can't do it we've seen him do it quite a bit in the second half of the season. He's great at getting to the line and that's what we need from him.

[RamReddy]

I wonder how much Mark Cuban paid the refs this time....


This is what we get for not giving Ian a shot at the rotation during the season... he's gonna NEED some mins during the playoffs

[Ginofan]

My thoughts:

I thought Bonner did a pretty decent job on Dirk. He did as best he could, if he had gotten even the slightest bit physical (aka breathe) he was whistled. Nothing you can do about that.

Manu and Tim were sloppy but I just think that was due to them trying to hard to make something happen.

I would've love to seen Temple get some minutes towards the end....having Mason out there was killing me.

[admiralsnackbar]

Jefferson needs to stop being a soft pussy and attack the rim, it's not like he can't do it we've seen him do it quite a bit in the second half of the season. He's great at getting to the line and that's what we need from him.

Couldn't agree more.

[Lukor]

Couldn't agree more.

I feel sorry for Jefferson in a way. Dude was never that good to begin with and now he's getting buttraped by the Spurs fans(and probably deserves it).

[timvpimp]

I wish I could see the 4th edition after Mavs win the series in 4.