Adjustments

[George O'Brien]

The Mavs strategy was to focus on taking away the Suns three point shooting and avoid early switches on the pick and roll. The Suns found a way to score anyway and ended up with more free throw attempts than the Mavs.

It is doubtful that the Mavs had Diaw's name on their chalk board. I think he got their attention, but it may be hard to really stop him without weakening their three point defense.

For the Suns, I would expect them to spread the floor even more than usual if the Mavs are intent on chasing their shooters and take them off the dribble. The Mavs big men cannot recover from the corner on defense, which wil permit drive and kick plays.

On defense, the Suns are going to have to pack the paint and let the Mavs shoot (excpt for Dirk). Also, they have to focus a lot on blocking out - and doing some acting when shoved in the back.

 

[cly2tw]

It's time, due to Bell's injury, that KT is put into the starting lineup instead of TT while LB goes in for Bell. We gotta give KT 10-15 min to give rest to our other starters/shooters. We'll need to play JJ and House a bit more also.

 

[Cheesebeef]

It's time, due to Bell's injury, that KT is put into the starting lineup instead of TT while LB goes in for Bell. We gotta give KT 10-15 min to give rest to our other starters/shooters. We'll need to play JJ and House a bit more also.

no FREAKING WAY. You stay with your game plan - which is SPEED and THREES - neither of which Kurt brings us - what Kurt brings us is an old, out of shape plodder who has no place in this series, but God willing will need to be healthy if by the grace of God we make it the finals and play Miami.

The bench just got shortened to what it was last series - two players - hopefully we can get ONE game from Eddie House and one game from JJ - but you CAN NOT DEVIATE FROM THE PLAN. Doing so is suicide.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

It doesn't matter. The Mavs are still soft. The Spurs series fooled me into thinking the Mavs may just have finally gotten over that hump but looking back SA was an old, tired, banged-up team. Suns will win this series, nobody on Dallas other than Josh Howard has the mental fortitude to win this type of game and he's not a go-to player and is now injured.

 

[elindholm]

Well, the Suns had better do something about Devin Harris. I was hoping they might put Bell on him in Game 2, but apparently that's not going to be possible.

 

[jbeecham]

Well, the Suns had better do something about Devin Harris. I was hoping they might put Bell on him in Game 2, but apparently that's not going to be possible.

Nash backed off of him to try to get him to shoot outside, but it just gave him room to build up speed as he attacked the basket. It also helped Harris to have Dirk setting illegal screens to help him get an extra step on the Suns defenders.

 

[Yuma]

Well, the Suns had better do something about Devin Harris. I was hoping they might put Bell on him in Game 2, but apparently that's not going to be possible.

Anyone said Bell will miss game 2? I am hoping it's just a cramp, and rest and fluids help. Nash said after the game on TNT he didn't think it was serious. That they would see how Bell was after he woke up tomorrow.

 

[Nasser22]

I think that Kurt should get some time. We need his defense. We should mostly go with what we are doing but we need to put him in for a while. Giving him a few minutes, especially in Game 2 would really help. We aren't supposed to win Game 2 anyway. Putting him in could do 2 things: 1. He gives us a good defensive prescense and helps us pull out another upset. 2. He sucks, but it gives him some time to get better and more used to playing with us again for later in the series if Raja is gone for a long time. Our D is so pathetic we need him. He would also help in rebounding too which is the reason why we've lost most of the games.

 

[Chaplin]

I'm wondering why LB didn't spend a majority of his time guarding Harris. My guess is that is what will happen in Game 2.

 

[az1965]

We aren't supposed to win Game 2 anyway.

Then let's call the team back to Phx and give guys some rest...

 

[cly2tw]

I'm wondering why LB didn't spend a majority of his time guarding Harris. My guess is that is what will happen in Game 2.

Both Harris and Terry are hard covers for Nash. I guess whoever Nash guards will try to attack him the whole game long. Besides, Harris burned LB a couple of times too. Anyway, at least we should try to put LB on whoever is currently hot for the Mavs and see what happens.

 

[jibikao]

I don't think LB can guard Devin Harris either. I think we just need better defense in the paint. TT or Diaw needs to move quickly to force Devin to pass it out. Mavs did not shoot that well against us last night. We had to force them to take outside shots rather than doing layup drills on us. He is like the mini-version of Tony Parker.

I like how Nash gave him huge space in the first half. Devin just won't take any jumpshot (except for the last one he took!!).

Now we know Mavs will keep running the same pick&roll with Devin. We need to counter that asap and force Mavs to go to other options.

I don't know what else we can improve offensively. I am sure Mavs will do something to stop Diaw.

I just hope it's not a blowout loss in game 2.

 

[B-Dogg]

They can make an adjustment on Harris, first off he is not going to have that type of game every game, second as soon as the coaching staff watches the tape you will see that he goes right every time so if you force him left he becomes alot less effective and you slow him down quite a bit, there are very few players in the league like Nash that are just as good with both hands, Harris is very dominate with his right... Its an ez adjustment that should be made and make a big difference...

 

[jibikao]

They can make an adjustment on Harris, first off he is not going to have that type of game every game, second as soon as the coaching staff watches the tape you will see that he goes right every time so if you force him left he becomes alot less effective and you slow him down quite a bit, there are very few players in the league like Nash that are just as good with both hands, Harris is very dominate with his right... Its an ez adjustment that should be made and make a big difference...

The commendators were talking about it last night. Harris really only goes to right but we still couldn't stop him (with Dirk setting picks).

 

[nowagimp]

The Mavs strategy was to focus on taking away the Suns three point shooting and avoid early switches on the pick and roll. The Suns found a way to score anyway and ended up with more free throw attempts than the Mavs.

It is doubtful that the Mavs had Diaw's name on their chalk board. I think he got their attention, but it may be hard to really stop him without weakening their three point defense.

For the Suns, I would expect them to spread the floor even more than usual if the Mavs are intent on chasing their shooters and take them off the dribble. The Mavs big men cannot recover from the corner on defense, which wil permit drive and kick plays.

On defense, the Suns are going to have to pack the paint and let the Mavs shoot (excpt for Dirk). Also, they have to focus a lot on blocking out - and doing some acting when shoved in the back.

Nice post, it pretty much covers all the suns adjustments/strategy. The mavs are using the Popovich defensive strategy of taking away the three and forcing the suns playmakers(Nash, Diaw combined for 61pts on 24-41 shooting) to make plays in the lane. If they choose to defend the playmakers with help D, the 3pt shooters will be open. The mavs lack the shot blockers to make the Pop defense really work, but letting the suns shoot 3's is considered a fatal error around the NBA. One problem, our best 3pt shooter in the playoffs, Raja, is now out indefinitely. I agree that George's strategies are appropriate for D'Antoni. My concern is that Avery will say to Marion, Barbs and Jones, "go ahead and shoot the 3", while guarding TT, Nash out there. Avery will be hoping that Barbs and Jones will be tight, and Marion will have an off night. Raja was insurance against that tactic. Making the "playoff rookies" jones and Barbs shoot, and hoping Marion is cold would allow the Mavs more help D in the paint while covering the more deadly shooters, Nash and TT, at the three point line. The good news is that the Mavs best help defender, Howard, appears to be injured.

This team has great heart, but because of the suns current depth and fatigue issues, losing Bell for us is worse than losing Howard is for them. But never count these guys out, the chemistry and heart are among the best I've ever seen in 35 years of watching pro basketball. Charles Barkley said last night on inside the NBA that Steve Nash and Magic Johnson are the only players who ever have/had the ability to make "good players" into "great players". Thats why steve Nash is the 2 time MVP!!!

 

[az1965]

and Marion will have an off night

It seems like the Matrix is back since mid of 2nd round series. Let's hope it continues.

 

[nowagimp]

It seems like the Matrix is back since mid of 2nd round series. Let's hope it continues.

I love shawns game, and he has been playing so well. His D on Dirk was real good last night, better than Bowen. Dunleavy, through Magette, admitted to a strategy of leaving shawn open on the perimeter and using the defender in the lane area. I expect the same from avery as they try to move more help defenders in to the lane area to limit the damage done by Nash, Diaw. Shawn is going to get a chance to burn very brightly. I'm pulling for him all the way.

 

[Nasser22]

Then let's call the team back to Phx and give guys some rest...

I didn't say give up the game. I am totally against ever doing that. I said just give Kurt a chance. We need him in the games sometimes because we get killed on the boards and with Raja injured we'll need all the D we can get. He should play for a while when Damp or Diop are in there.

 

[F-Dog]

Regarding Devin Harris: the Suns try to guard Tony Parker with Barbosa or Marion, because both of them do a decent job matching TP's quickness. It's doubtful the Suns will switch Marion off Dirk, so that leaves Barbosa.

The problem is, who guards Jason Terry? (That was Raja's job.) And, who does Nash guard? If Josh Howard is still hurt, and the Mavs start Buckner, that's someone for Nash, although Buckner beat up Nash pretty bad in the regular season IIRC. But, they still need to match up with Terry, and the only candidates are Marion, Diaw, TT, or bring someone off the bench for TT. My thought is, James Jones has a chance to move back into the starting lineup at some point in this series.

I remember KT shadowing Dampier during one game this year; my guess is, if D'Antoni goes back to KT, he'll be used for that role again. Dampier was somewhat effective in game 1, so there's an opportunity there if Kurt is ready--Damp played 12 minutes of 'reserve' time in game 1 (i.e. not in the first six minutes of the half).

The Mavs are using the Spurs' game plan from last year, trying to cloud the paint and get back to the Suns' shooters rather than fully committing to double-teams or giving help. If they don't change things up, Diaw is going to get a lot of work throughout the series--IMO one of the Suns' problems against the Spurs last year was they didn't go to Amare enough, so it's vital they keep running the ball through Diaw this year, since he's playing the Amare role. If Diaw needs a breather, the Suns can run the same plays (less effectively) through Tim Thomas.

Other than that, Barbosa is going to need to step up like he did in game 6 against the Lakers.


I don't think the Mavs will miss many open shots in the next game, so the Suns will probably have to score 130 to have a chance at it.