McDonald: Spurs-Mavs Game 2 Keys To Victory

[duncan228]

Spurs-Mavs Game 2 keys to victory
Express-News

Break out the Windex

A lot went right for the Spurs on defense in Game 1. They kept Dirk Nowitzki from going nuts. They kept Jet Terry from taking flight. They were solid in transition, which is always a priority against the Mavs.

All that good work, however, was wiped out by the Spurs’ inability to clean the glass.

Dallas had 10 offensive rebounds in Game 1 — two fewer than the Spurs — and cashed them in for 21 second-chance points. Erick Dampier made his living cleaning up his teammates’ misses, getting four of his five field goals on putbacks.

If the Spurs are going to even the series in Game 2, they can’t allow the Mavs to get multiple shots per possession.

Something in reserve

The Spurs’ bench was basically non-existent in Game 1, combining for 14 points — the same number Brandon Bass gave the Mavericks.

Drew Gooden had eight points off the bench for the Spurs, and no other reserve scored more than six.

Along with Bass, J.J. Barea and Jason Terry — the league’s presumptive Sixth Man of the Year — combined for 39 bench points for Dallas.

That’s 39-14. The Spurs will be hard-pressed to win with that kind of bench-scoring differential.

Stay the course

The Spurs don’t see a crying need to change their defensive strategy for Game 2.

Sounds odd, after giving up 53.8 percent shooting and 60 points in the second half of Game 1. But the Spurs believe limiting Nowitzki and Terry, and forcing other players to make shots, gives them the best chance to win.

If guys like Barea and Bass can continue to beat the Spurs, Dallas deserves to win the series.

- Jeff McDonald

[Amuseddaysleeper]

Spurs-Mavs Game 2 keys to victory
Express-News
If guys like Barea and Bass can continue to beat the Spurs, Dallas deserves to win the series.

- Jeff McDonald

McDonald literally took that exact quote from a poster in the NBA forum. I think it was KillaKobe81

[Amuseddaysleeper]

Okay, not exact, but pretty damn close:

I agree that this series is FAR from over ...
Duncan played one of his best games all year like many of the smarter fans (Timvp, Duncan228 and Kori called)
Finley played lights out and Mason shot real well ...
Parker was up and down but he has been that way in many playoff series in his career ...
Bowen looked good on D ...Gooden can score ...

Adjustments needed:
1. Limit small ball ...the advantages you get with scores is MORE than offset by making Dampier look like a dominant big man.
2. Work Duncan when he is in ...(feed him non-stop run offense through him) through Tony when he is on the bench ...(they should bnever be out at the same time)
3. Play hill WITH duncan and Mason ...that way You have Tim's leadership and mason's scoring when hill is on the floor (and Parker is not)
4. DOn't let up on dirk keep the multiple defenders on him , get Damp and/or Hollins in foul trouble so they HAVE to put dirk on TIm and DESTROY him down low ...
5. stay on the Jet dont let him get hot ...if you go down with JJ and Bass beating you then so be it ..you were not going to win anyway.
6.Trust in Pop ...Im not saying that the Mavs win was a fluke but if you can hold down 2 of a team' top 3 scorers you are SUPPOSED to win ...problem was the MAVS bench KILLED the Spurs ...Udoka, hill, Gooden Bowen whomever they bring in has to limit the Mavs bench and give the starters SOME help ...if they do the Spurs will win in 7 they have won series before after losing Game 1 ... just ride timmy and the rest will fall in to place

[Buddy Holly]

Maybe Killakobe is Old McDonald?

[Amuseddaysleeper]

[Thompson]

Get Bonner out of the lineup, play bowen and hill more......problem solved. But I hope we go down so we can rest and get ready for next year. We have no shot at a le so save the wear and tear on our guys, make adjustments in the Off season and go from there.

I agree with putting Bowen and Hill in, but I hope we make it past the Mavs at least. Otherwise they'll think they've accomplished something and will conveniently forget we don't have Ginobili.

[DPG21920]

Maybe because it is evident that making role players beat you is the best strategy. McDonald is not very good, but come on, this is a normal thing to say and many athletes/coaches/analyst/fans say it.

I guess you are going to get mad at him because I said this and so did he:

Okay, not exact, but pretty damn close:

If the Spurs can continue to do the job on Dirk/Terry for the better chunk of the game, I like the Spurs chances. Bass/Barea had great games, but if they are going to rely on them you have to take your chances.

Slow Dirk. Continue Bruce on Terry.

There were definitely good things from both teams, and like I said, nothing anyone who knows the Spurs/Mavs saw was "surprising". The Spurs were able to do things that everyone knew they could do against the Mavs and the Mavs showed the match-up problems that everyone knew they would present.

It will be about adjustments and rebounding.

[Findog]

I don't see the Spurs abandoning the tactic of blanketing Dirk and JET and forcing the role players to beat us. Of course, maybe part of why they produced is because the coverage was resulting in them getting good looks?

[DPG21920]

You have to continue to limit what Dirk/Terry do. You have to make role players beat you. You need to apply some more pressure to them and hopefully they do not play above their capabilities.

[peskypesky]

More Gooden, more Bowen. No Bonner. If Pop doesn't do that, it's ovah.

[kace]

Drew Gooden had eight points off the bench for the Spurs, and no other reserve scored more than six.

no other reserve scored more than three.

[Dex]

no other reserve scored more than three.

Counting has never been one of McDonald's strong suits.

Apparently, neither has writing.