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The demise of Tim Duncan has been greatly exagerated...
Mavs let one get away
As fish stories go, will this be Mavs' whale or guppy?
Kevin B. Blackistone
SAN ANTONIO – Someday, when they sit down to look back at it all and tell the tale of the 2006 NBA playoffs, the Mavericks will talk about the catch they let slip off the line at the start of their expedition down Interstate 35.
The odd thing is that if they're lucky, they won't have much of a fish story to tell. They will have advanced to the Western Conference finals anyway. It will have turned out that it was nothing but a guppy they'd failed to reel in during the Western Conference semifinals' opener.
But right now, in the immediate aftermath of Sunday's 87-85 loss in the Spurs' gym to tip-off the most anticipated series of the league's postseason, it looks like that was a whale they let get away – Shamu in these parts, of course.
"It is [a missed opportunity]," admitted Dirk Nowitzki, who once again struggled against the half-a-foot shorter but pesky Bruce Bowen, missing eight of 11 shots in the second half and being unable to get off a game-tying attempt on the last possession. (And Dirk had led us to believe that this season, he had finally mastered the art of rendering smaller defenders defenseless.)
Unfortunately for the Mavericks, it was more of the same cooking against the Spurs, especially in the Spurs' house. It was their seventh loss in the teams' last 10 meetings. It was their fifth loss in San Antonio in their last six visits.
"We ain't the only ones," said Jason Terry, who made just a third of his 18 shots and suffered a critical unforced turnover midway through the fourth quarter.
But there are few teams for whom having the door slammed in their faces by the Spurs may be so painful at this time of year.
After all, the Mavericks arrived here Saturday well rested after sweeping the Grizzlies in four games that didn't appear taxing. And the Spurs were just returning to town from California after a surprisingly grueling series with Ron Artest's Kings, who battled San Antonio for six games.
It made for a perfect chance for the Mavericks to get a jump on the defending champions, to put the pressure squarely on their opponent's shoulders rather than have to bear the weight of expectations again themselves.
No, it didn't get any better than this.
"We had some advantages coming in where rest was concerned," admitted Jerry Stackhouse, who paced the Mavericks all game with 10-of-21 shooting for 24 points off the bench. "But this is playoff basketball, and they are a championship team."
And the Spurs almost always play like one against the Mavericks – even when the Mavericks match them in just about every category, as was the case Sunday. The difference again was how the Spurs played down the stretch. They made the big shot, Bowen's 3-pointer, and the defensive stop.
It must be noted that three years ago this month, the Mavericks opened the Western Conference finals here, too – with a win of all things. The Spurs, however, responded with three consecutive victories before putting the Mavericks away for good in Dallas in Game 6.
In short, all is not lost in just the first game of a best-of-7 set.
But the Spurs and Mavericks were not three years ago what they are right now. The Spurs, despite 60 wins and David Robinson's bad back and reliance on unproven youngsters Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, didn't appear as vulnerable that postseason as they do this one. Tim Duncan was more than enough for everyone that season as he was putting together the league's first back-to-back MVP seasons since Michael Jordan.
This go-round, Duncan was thought to be hobbled by a bad wheel coming into this series, Ginobili hasn't been healthy all season and these Spurs have an aged and less-productive bench than three seasons ago.
All is true save, apparently, for the Duncan rumor. He was, as the Mavericks have come to expect, the best player on the floor Sunday, scoring 31 points, grabbing 13 rebounds and drawing 10 fouls on the Mavericks' three-headed center, including five on starter DeSagana Diop.
The Mavericks who tipped off Sunday in the Spurs' gym are more formidable than the group that showed up here in the playoffs three years ago. That team's 60 wins was more fool's gold. Avery Johnson's Mavericks are as potent offensively, deeper and, of course, defensive-minded, too.
"We know we can play a lot better in Game 2," Terry said. "We were right there."
It was that big.
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http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...e.ccabf57.html
The demise of Tim Duncan has been greatly exagerated...
I'm not sure it's accurate to say that this bench is less productive than the bench the Spurs had in 2003. The 2003 bench was mostly Manu, Malik Rose, and Speedy Claxton, and those guys averaged around 23 ppg on 41% shooting for those playoffs. This bench has given at least that much in the 7 games they've played and has a much more explosive scorer in Finley.
....at least until he has an off game.
Yeah, I cant agree with that bench claim.
I call BS on this. The 2003 Spurs team had no business winning a championship. It was basically Tim Duncan, a health challenged David Robinson and a bunch of unproven role-players. The 2006 Spurs are supposed to be this good. To go along with Duncan, they have an All-Star backcourt, one of the best perimeter defenders ever, one of the best clutch shooters ever and a more potent bench.
On paper, 2006 > 2003.
That's not even mentioning the Mavs, who had Dirk, Fin, Nash, Van Exel, Raef and a bunch of hard ass role players like Raja Bell and Najera. This Mavs squad doesn't have anywhere near that amount of talent. Luckily, Nellie was the coach in 2003 and not AJ.
Whatever gets the Metroplex media through their day.
True..
License as a knowledgable basketball writer hereby revoked.
What a freaking tool...Mike Finley was a starter for them last year and he's coming off our bench...Nick(reason the Mavs won 60) Van Ex is too...these are additions to the championship bench we returned from last season...that one featuring Robert Freaking Horry. We have two Centers that were starters the last times they played for different teams.
Sorry but Blakistone knows not what the he is talking about...not knowledgable. This Spurs bench is definitely the best in Spurs history and one of the best in NBA history.
Even if he's going by stats...our bench shoots insane and for the last few weeks of the season they were putting up about 45-65 points per game.
Please no more posting of Basketball atricles by Kevin Blackistone...they lower the boards collective basketball IQ by about 50 points.
Are the Spurs going to be the favorite who isn't really the favorite in every series this postseason?
I also find it amusing that the 'vulnerable' line continues to get some play in the media, especially after the Spurs just won two playoff games against different teams within 36 hours with one of those being a road closeout game on the left coast.
Then again, Van Horn's on the mend. Look out.
It's going to be sweet when the Spurs bench hangs 50-60 points on the Mavs...as they will do at some point in this series.
LMFAO. This is by far the deepest team the Spurs have ever had. 5 years ago I could have never dreamed of having all the quality guards we have starting and off the bench, especially now that Brent Barry is playing like he did in Seattle. This was a beautiful win though... the team executed horribly offensively, but still grinded out a win because they played defense. This win showed me a lot today.
The Mavericks who tipped off Sunday in the Spurs' gym are more formidable than the group that showed up here in the playoffs three years ago
Bull .
That team didn't have close to the mental toughness this team does.
The 03 team wouldve, AND DID lose a game like this.
The Spurs bench this year is twice what it was in 03.
I thought Blackistone was smarter than this.
Damn.,
If we're going to ban every Dallas media member that is a dip ignoramus about basketball, that basically requires an total embargo of Dallas media.
If we're only going to allow intelligent Dallas fans to post, well, adrienne would get pretty lonely.
Is there even such a thing as "San Antonio media", though?
I have yet to hear a breaking news story or hear the national opinion of anyone that writes for the San Antonio Light (yes, I know).
I await your smartass response.
I can't listen to my newspaper.
(smart-assey enough for you?)
Your smartass post doesn't deserve a smartass response.
It's hard to hear when you have your head shoved so far up your ass. That's not Mike Monroe's fault.
This Shank talks a lot of crap but can't back it up!
The 03 team was the best defensive team in the NBA by a wide margin.
They shut down the opponent, especially in 4th quarters and in claose out games. This team is just now showing signs of being able to do the same things defensively.
Uhh...
What?
That was the team that had the bad habit of carving out a 25-point lead, then going to sleep.
Are you thinking of the '99 team?
Next he'll call San Antonio's entire population "illegals" again. Why is it that fans of Dallas area pro teams tend to lack any semblance of intellect?
You know, it's funny. I asked for proof of the greatness that is the San Antonio media. I received no responses. Instead, it's personal attacks and profanity. Nothing supporting the almighty San Antonio media. But why would I expect a reasonable response when it's easier for you to just namecall and avoid the question? It's what you do best.
Reading around other messageboards in a number of sports, it's always the same thing. No one else's fans are as "smart" or "intelligent" as their own. I've seen it on all the Mavs boards, too. You're not breaking new ground.
Someone asked about 'talking crap and not backing it up'. To which 'crap' are you referring?
I have found that when you sow disrespect and negativity, that's what you reap. Maybe you should work on your approach.
What are you, Mother Teresa?
Um, I saw Mike Monroe mentioned above, genius. You might also learn a little about Buck Harvey, for starters.
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