mavs/spurs game 4

[vladetomiller]

Spurs' fans are quite convinced that the NBA wants them to lose this round. I find it hilarious that Spurs' fans are upset that their team is getting out Manu'd, or at least did in this last game, with players drawing fouls for exaggerating arm movements, etc., or jumping into a player.

.

Exactly they are getting manu'd, spurs are getting a taste of their own medicine. Refs bailing out the mavs everytime down the floor and its a layup and 1 every time down the floor. When the mavs needed a stop they have the refs giving them offensive fouls, no foul calls etc etc. They have also stopped calling Duncan as a permiter player on the post by not calling touch fouls and that takes away a lot of their game plan.

On the other end, when they start calling those fouls on duncan he doesnt look like a defensive monster who can block all shots

 

[tyrant]

out mau'd. lol

 

[striker]

Both teams played well. Both teams played well. Goodnight and God bless.

 

[Sirius]

Spurs were touted as the best defense in the league by many people and they've allowed 100 points and have been outrebounded every game in this series. Their touted "experience" is failing in crucial plays. Are they too old? Lacking motivation because of their 3 rings? Do the Mavs simply want it more?

If Bowen can't get away with his trademark "defense" on Dirk anymore, then the only way he's able to stop Dirk's jumpers is fouling because he's too small, and Dirk rarely misses at the line anyway. Would it be possible for the Spurs to just do what they did to Bonzi Wells and Amare Stoudemire? They had no answer for either, so they just shut down everyone else and let those two guys do their thing. Dallas is a better and deeper team than the Kings and Suns though...

 

[mavsman]

Another great game - I swear I'm about to have heart attack at any moments notice now. Officials were pretty bad last night but it didn't really favor either side soooo I guess it is what it is.

Seriously - I know a lot of you hate Mark Cuban but he's right. We need to get the best damn officials out there for the playoffs. You hate to see the officiating THIS BAD in every series...

 

[striker]

Another great game - Officials were pretty bad last night but it didn't really favor either side soooo I guess it is what it is.

We both played hard. We both played hard. Goodnight and God bless

 

[hoopsfan]

Arghhh...the quote is "Both teams played hard"

 

[coolhandluke]

You know, if Dallas closes this series out, it might be the THIRD time we have done that -- been the team which exposed an aging elite team as being on the downside (Utah in '99, Lakers in '02, and perhaps the Spurs in '06?).

Spurs are hardly a team on the downside. All three of their core are young -- Duncan is in his prime (he is stepping up after a tough regular season battling plantar fasciitis), Parker is on the rise and Manu is close to his prime. They can pretty much swap out any of their old, creaky veteran roleplayers with an upcoming young roleplayer/borderline star and stay in the hunt for the title for the next few years. This series shows how far the Mavs have risen rather than how much the Spurs have fallen. Pistons, Spurs and the newcomers Mavs are the elite teams at this time.

 

[striker]

Both teams played hard. Both teams played hard. Goodnight and God bless.

 

[coolhandluke]

^^ Good. You got the quote right finally.

 

[hoopsfan]

Both teams played hard. Both teams played hard. Goodnight and God bless.

Thank you!

 

[striker]

The Spurs are a flawed team. They fell into the trap, if it is a trap, that the Lakers fell into of going with seasoned vets to milk the years they had Duncan in his prime. They passed on developing young talent. They got caught in a money bind of needing to resign Ginobili and Parker so they had to let go of players like Jackson, Hedo. They had a faisco in the attempt to sign Kidd where they could have kept Claxton solving for the long term their backup PG issue. They also were interested in Howard that year and drafted just before Dallas but because they were trying to save cap space for Kidd and a center they basically traded away the pick selecting Barbosa for the Suns in exchange for a future pick instead of picking Howard. Boy was that dumb. Spurs had to dump a couple of picks to get rid of Rose. Last year they had a trade worked out with Denver to pick Jameer Nelson but Orlando grabbed them just before that. They also had Krstic targeted but signaled their nterest and Thorn grabbed him just because they knew SA wanted him. They overpaid for Rasho who has very limited flexibility in matchups. So basically bad planning, bad luck.

But don't write the Spurs off yet. In a way it's good the Spurs get bounced if they do. They'll be forced to address their shortcomings. They showed they know what they need to do by trying to trade Barry for JR Smith which almost worked but the Atlanta GM was at a funeral and the three way fell through at the deadline. Spurs do have some pieces in place, Ducan who is showing in this series he is stil MVP Duncan, a young and improving PG and Manu who has been hobbled all year by injuries.

Spurs also have some other pieces coming. Scola who many consider the best big man in Europe, certainly the most skilled post player to add or use in a trade, Javtokas who some consider the best defensive big man in Europe, last year's pick Mahinmi who may be the long term big man solution and a kid Sanikidze who some considered the sleeper of the '04 draft who ahd some leg injuries, has been rehabbing and will play on the Spurs summer league team. So all is not bleak in SA.

In terms of this series I think Pop has shown his genius keeping the Spurs in a series where they have deep flaws and don't match up well with Dallas. In fact my bias is that given equally good or bad reffing in this series SA would be up 3-1 but I don't expect everyone would agree with that for various reasons.

In term of Sac beating the Spurs, there were some matchup problems for the Spurs but not enough for the Kings to overcome the problems that SA posed for them.

But it ain't over yet in SA (whistling in the dark)

 

[KingsPride]

If the Mavs can win 3 three straight, I don't see the Spurs can't in a best of 3, with 2 games on their home floor.

 

[Savo]

You know what? I hate the Spurs and I hate the Mavs. But since I hate Horry sooooooooo much, I want Cuban to progress. Wow, I can't believe what I'm saying. Why aren't the Kings still playing.
Gotta get another beer...

Go Mavs

 

[atxrocker]

You know what? I hate the Spurs and I hate the Mavs. But since I hate Horry sooooooooo much, I want Cuban to progress. Wow, I can't believe what I'm saying. Why aren't the Kings still playing.
Gotta get another beer...

Go Mavs

my thoughts exactly.

kingspride- spurs could make a huge run but have not proven they can win at home in this series. game one coulda went either way. game two was a blowout. it would be interesting if they find a way to get back into this series.

 

[Kings113]

Yeah, I definitely want the Clips to go to the finals if Spurs do indeed get eliminated. Even if the Spurs don't, a Spurs/Clips WCF would be great, and would take either in the final. Clips/Pistons (or Heat? Maybe Cavs? Not sure on that yet though) would be a kick *** final.

 

[mavsman]

"In fact my bias is that given equally good or bad reffing in this series SA would be up 3-1 but I don't expect everyone would agree with that for various reasons"

Would it blow your mind if I told you that the Spurs have only been called for 5 more fouls in the series than the Mavs? I know a lot of Spurs and Mavs fans (like myself) complain about the officiating but - good teams find ways to overcome that.

The more important thing to notice, Striker, is not the officiating costing the Spurs a possible 3-1 lead...how about the 2 critical turnovers in both games 3 and 4 in Dallas with a 1 point lead. A few simple inbounds and you're up 3-1.

 

[striker]

"In fact my bias is that given equally good or bad reffing in this series SA would be up 3-1 but I don't expect everyone would agree with that for various reasons"

Would it blow your mind if I told you that the Spurs have only been called for 5 more fouls in the series than the Mavs? I know a lot of Spurs and Mavs fans (like myself) complain about the officiating but - good teams find ways to overcome that.

The more important thing to notice, Striker, is not the officiating costing the Spurs a possible 3-1 lead...how about the 2 critical turnovers in both games 3 and 4 in Dallas with a 1 point lead. A few simple inbounds and you're up 3-1.

Both teams played hard. Both teams played hard. Goodnight and God bless.

 

[Evenstar]

You know what? I hate the Spurs and I hate the Mavs. But since I hate Horry sooooooooo much, I want Cuban to progress. Wow, I can't believe what I'm saying. Why aren't the Kings still playing.
Gotta get another beer...

Go Mavs

oh my.....

* runs to throw up*

 

[bibbinator]

Had the seeding system not been so idiotic this would likely be the WCF.

Poor Spurs had 2nd round level matchup with sac for their first round, and now a WCF level at the second round.

I think the WCF will be Phx-Mavs.

Poor spurs, poor spurs, if they had lost a couple more and let the Mavs have the first seed they'd prolly be on top right now.

 

[4cwebb]

Had the seeding system not been so idiotic this would likely be the WCF.

Poor Spurs had 2nd round level matchup with sac for their first round, and now a WCF level at the second round.

I think the WCF will be Phx-Mavs.

Poor spurs, poor spurs, if they had lost a couple more and let the Mavs have the first seed they'd prolly be on top right now.

This year the Spurs would have had to lose a lot more than a few games to avoid the Mavs until the WCF --- would've needed a Clipper-esque record.

 

[bibbinator]

This year the Spurs would have had to lose a lot more than a few games to avoid the Mavs until the WCF --- would've needed a Clipper-esque record.

Yes. Since the Mavs had the second best record in the Southwest they got the 4th seed. Had the Mavs had a better record than the Spurs they would have gotten Memphis, an easier match than Sac, all else remaining the same.

Had the league assigned seeds based on record alone, the 1-2-3 this year would have been Spurs-Mavs-Suns. Spurs-Mavs would not have likely played until the WCF-that's what i'm saying.