Grades: Spurs @ Mavericks - Mar. 17

[Ice009]

Now, Rasho is a retired, well-respected elder statesman of European basketball, and Bonner is playing in crunch time!

Rasho was very good defensively, but too passive on offense. If he was more decisive on offense he might not have been traded.

What's worse is that Pop is running a throw in player next to an older Tim Duncan. He's not running him with a prime Tim Duncan, but an older Tim Duncan.

Disgraceful stuff from Pop.

I don't want Pop fired, he just needs to change a few things and we'd be a lot better off. I'm OK with a loss if he gives the team the best chance to win with the better lineups and team management, but running Bonner in crunch time is not it.

Do his assistant coaches tell him this or are they scared of him.

I'd tell him straight up if I was an assistant. I simply would not care about my job security, I'd rather be fired and lose my job rather than not voice my opinion on a matter like that after seeing it fail for this long.

Really, what I am basically saying is that Pop has tried the Bonner experiment long enough and it hasn't really worked at all. It's OK that he tried it, but he has to pretty much make a decision and go to something else. If he doesn't think he has the personnel to go big most of the time with Splitter not being able to play big minutes, then he really should look at running a smaller lineup now that we have Sjax and Kawhi.

[Cow Eye]

My biggest gripe with Rasho was that he seemed so meek and timid when it came to rebounding or going for blocks. He was great on defensive rotations, and he always got his hands up to make a nice, tall pylon to shoot over, but I want more than that out of a center.

This is also a gripe I have with Bonner, except I see Bonner as much weaker with defensive rotations.

[TJastal]

Are you serious? This is the old Mavs reincarnated, only now they're elite defensively and sub par offensively. But it's the same old thing, in terms of being a video game roster. Player stacked on top of player, no real role definition and a clear lack of chemistry. The reason they won last season is because, in addition to catching lightning in a bottle and having things break just right (Lakers out of gas, Heat needing more time, Thunder a year away, Spurs out of the way), they had all of those things going for them.

I'll have to see the playoff match-ups and injury situations at the time, but I'd be very surprised if this team made the Conference Finals.

And if Kidd could play like that on a consistent basis, he would. That's a ridiculous statement though, because it can apply to any outlier. But that's why they're called outliers, because they're beyond highly unlikely to be done on anything close to a consistent basis.

You gotta be stupid to not have at least one eye on the mavs.

They got a quality win the other night against our spurs on a night they were short Haywood, Marion, & also Delonte West (all key players).

Oh, and that's with Odom still playing like a dog turd mind you. If he ever decides to start trying, factor that in too. I'm betting he will by playoff time and in a big way.

They stilll have most of their core (Dirk-Kidd-Marion-Terry). All that's changed is the role players. They'll be right in the thick of everything come playoffs.

[therealtruth]

Still no takers on a better coach...

And its very clear why. Its easier to criticize than to find strong points in coaching. Its almost like politics. Smearing is easy. Admiration for good moves absent.

There are numerous times I watch and wonder why that move or this move was made. But I dont know the team as individuals except what I see on the tube. Apparently people have inside info on medical, personal, practices, that I dont have. There is no one that I can name in the NBA or otherwise that I would rather have coaching the Spurs. No one. This does not mean Pop is the best coach. He is the best coach for this team. Its his team. Get over it. Being critical is fine, but when one mentions fire... thats knee jerk no thinking, change without a plan.

Who is ready to start over with this current team? Blow it up? I got some questions.

One thing alot of people can agree about is Pop doesn't emphasize defense as much as he should. The team has good offensive players that should be able to score under any coach/system. That's where getting a new coach that is willing to emphasize defense would help.

[TVI]

You gotta be stupid to not have at least one eye on the mavs.

They got a quality win the other night against our spurs on a night they were short Haywood, Marion, & also Delonte West (all key players).

Oh, and that's with Odom still playing like a dog turd mind you. If he ever decides to start trying, factor that in too. I'm betting he will by playoff time and in a big way.

They stilll have most of their core (Dirk-Kidd-Marion-Terry). All that's changed is the role players. They'll be right in the thick of everything come playoffs.

The Mavericks got a win against a team that was a s of itself. Saturday's loss was as much of a harbinger of things to come as Friday's win, which is to say, it was meaningless. Based on the way the Spurs played, I'd argue that the Spurs were missing a of a lot more than the Mavs were missing.

Tony and Tim were a fraction of themselves, Manu looked completely out of rhythm, Jack hasn't had a single practice, etc.

The Mavs lost the most important piece of their championship team -- Chandler's interior defense -- and they're not getting it back (at least not this season).

To put it another way, how much better can the Mavs play? Now, how much better can the Spurs play?

[TJastal]

The Mavericks got a win against a team that was a s of itself. Saturday's loss was as much of a harbinger of things to come as Friday's win, which is to say, it was meaningless. Based on the way the Spurs played, I'd argue that the Spurs were missing a of a lot more than the Mavs were missing.

Tony and Tim were a fraction of themselves, Manu looked completely out of rhythm, Jack hasn't had a single practice, etc.

The Mavs lost the most important piece of their championship team -- Chandler's interior defense -- and they're not getting it back (at least not this season).

To put it another way, how much better can the Mavs play? Now, how much better can the Spurs play?

I disagree, the loss of Chandler stings, but that's why the mavs were smart to scoop up Mahinmi from the spurs last year. Haywood and Ian are a step down defensively, but are still able to provide solid serviceable interior defense and rebounding at the center position. The pain will be furthur dulled if Odom finally comes around and starts living up to expectations.

Also the addition of West and Carter gives them scoring and size in their backcourt. They've also integrated x-factor type player Roddy Beabois and he is starting to prove every bit as dangerous as Barea was.

Also you have to figure in coaching, which IMO is a big advantage for the mavs. Pop will predictably overuse Bonner and Blair once again and handicap the spurs' chances of making a deep playoff run. Right now I'd say that is the equalizer for the mavs to the loss of Chandler and the current no-show of Odom.

[skin]

Thanks for the writeup!

Finaly my account has been activate and I can be part of the Spurs Talk.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

Thanks for the writeup!

Finaly my account has been activate and I can be part of the Spurs Talk.

I hope you're not the other dumb half of Ben & Skin.

[skin]

I hope you're not the other dumb half of Ben & Skin.

Nope.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

Good.