Dallas or San Antonio?

[Absolute Zero]

I would prefer the Spurs actually, especially after a long drawn out series against the Mavs in which Spurs may get more banged up. The Mavs can put up too many points and can beat us at our own game.

 

[nowagimp]

I would prefer the Spurs actually, especially after a long drawn out series against the Mavs in which Spurs may get more banged up. The Mavs can put up too many points and can beat us at our own game.

I think you must have seen the last Mavs/Spurs game. The spurs appear to be having a very hard time with the quickness of the Harris/Terry backcourt. Avery started and played Harris alot at the point, sliding terry to the 2 and benching Adrian Griffin who started and played '2' alot in game one. I stated this at the beginning of the year, that the OLDER spurs are slow on the bench, theyre susceptible to speed this year more than ever. Van Exel, Finley, Horry, Barry are all too slow defensively off the bench. If Pop doesnt address the matchup issues with some kind of clever plan, its over in 5 or 6 games. For the same reason, I think that the spurs are susceptible to a Nash and Barbosa backcourt.

The Mavs may be the only team, except the pistons, in the NBA who can play uptempo with the suns. The only current matchup advantage the suns would have is with Diaw against their bigs. Nowitski has shown signs of being able to take Marion in the low post this year, that matchup may be less of a suns advantage than in the past. The key against the Mavs will be turnovers of the young guard backcourt.

 

[az1965]

If you use the science of recent experiences, I'd say Mavs.

We have beaten them last year in playoffs, although with Amare in the line up

We have been 2-2 with them this year and I believe the first game went to overtime and was won on a last sec shot by Dirk, otherwise it could have been 3-1.

We have size problem with Spurs, even though we have speed advantage over them. However, that advantage has not translated into wins this season whereas their height advantage did bother us.

Also, we have a mental disadvantage with Spurs, if there is such a thing...

 

[Errntknght]

I predicted the Mavs would take the Spurs this year and I certainly don't have any reason to change that now.

But I'd rather face the Spurs if we get past the Clippers. Beating them wouldn't be an easy task but if TD is worn down from a tough series I think we can do it. We've been pointing at the Spurs for a couple of years and I think we'll be tough enough mentally to stay with them in the fourth quarters. We could catch them thinking they have an easy series to rest up for the Pistons. Every little bit helps.

 

[az1965]

On second thought... I don't care.

Let's play ball with whoever is there...

Gotta get past the Clips first...

 

[HooverDam]

The Mavs can put up too many points and can beat us at our own game.

I disagree. As Barkley keeps saying, no team in the NBA can run w/ the Suns. Thats why I like a match up with the Mavs, theyll try to run with us, theyll think they can do it, but the wheels will fall of late in the game.

We need to focus on LAC though. If the Suns win tonight and go up 2-0. it would be huge. If the Suns somehow made this a quick series, it would be a huge plus so they could rest up for SA or Dallas, wholl probably go to 7 games

 

[F-Dog]

I'd much rather see the Mavs.

The matchups against the Spurs just kill the Suns. I'll wind up saying things like "start Barbosa--Marion needs to be coming off the bench" and "time for Pat Burke".

Dallas, the matchups work the other way--the Suns have two players who can guard Nowitzki and also play PF/C, and they'd be able to bring KT off the bench instead of being forced to throw him into the starting lineup at the first opportunity. Plus, Nash will always, always kill the Mavs. So, in that series, the Suns have a fighting chance IMO.

 

[TucsonDevil]

After watching the game tonight, it strikes me just how early it was to start thinking about WCF...

 

[Nash]

Mavs please. No Spurs. Totally unpredictable bunch if Ginobili gets going and Horry at the buzzer.
Besides I don't want to be put to sleep by Duncan's boring game and presence.

 

[greensborohill]

Hey

I didn't read all the posts in this thread as I'm sure most of you would want to play us and you think (as you should) you can beat us. Which in turn would get me heated and make me say stuff that is just uncalled for as this is your thread and everyone in entitled (or is it intitled?) to their own opinions.

That being said, I (I can't speak for other Mavs fans) don't want to face you guys. I'd much rather face the Clip joint. You guys just have a way of dictating more times than not, and Dallas stands less of a chance to win playing @ the Suns pace. I think we could and should be the Suns, but you never know. With the Clippers I can see it being a 5 game series for the Mavs. With the Suns I can see it going seven.

I've seen great transition defense, offensive rebounding, and control of the pace from the Mavs versus the Spurs. All of these will be even more of a key versus the Suns. The Lakers and Clippers have shown how to beat the Suns, but then again everyone knows how to beat the Suns already, it's just a lot easier said than it is done. . . 52 wins is proof of that. I think the keys from Dallas' stand point are as follows.

1. Transition D, it's been A+ versus SAS, but they are the Spurs not the Suns. Versus SAS you protect the paint in transition, versus the Suns you gotta remind yourself to cover the line.

2. Protecting against penetration and kick outs. Mavs have done a good job against SAS in recovering to the 3 point line off the kickout and forcing the Spurs to drive into Diop and Damp. The task is even bigger when you consider that PHO has better shooters than do SAS.

3. Offensive rebounding, making the Suns take it out of the bottom of the net helps slow down the break. Damp, Josh, Diop, Griff, even Dirk need to crash the boards.

4. Center play, if Damp or Diop can prove useful on the defensive end at all against the perimeter oriented Suns, it will go along way with helping on point #3 above. If they don't get burnned they can do damage on the offensive glass as well as hold down the paint. This is related to. . .

5. Pace, on offense make sure you run clock. Make the Suns play atleast 17 seconds of defense. They want you to take the first shot that comes. This also makes the centers more effective as it allows them to establish position for offensive rebounding.

6. twos versus threes, don't try to outshoot the Suns. Drive the lane, get layups, get to the line, set up offensive rebound opportunities, make them take it out the bottom of the net. All these things are related.

That's my take. It's easier said than done. But then again, all six of the above are things the Mavs already do very well.

I hope not to see you in the WCF, but if we do meet up, it'll be fun.

 

[elindholm]

The Suns will struggle against either team. They won the series last year, but Dallas has improved and the Suns aren't at full strength. If the Suns and Mavericks match up again, I'm particularly worried about Josh Howard -- I don't see anyone on the Suns reigning him in.

 

[nowagimp]

The Mavs are a better team than the suns w/out Amare and KT. The mavs have alot of guys who can create their won shots in the half court, and the sun do not. The mavs are a much improved defensive team that can guard the 3pt line and still keep a shot blocker back. Dirk has improved his low post game this year, making him more difficult for Marion to guard. That said I still think the suns can win, but I just dont know if its possible for this team to maintain consistent performance against every other bigger team. All that is required with injuries TT(knee), Nash(ankle), Raja(groin), that seem to be limiting the players effectiveness some. I also agree with greensborohill that the mavs would take the clips, but in 6 games.

 

[George O'Brien]

The Suns late season win against the Mavs suggests the Suns have a chance gainst them (it was a bigger game to the Mavs than the Suns at that time). None the less, the problems the Suns are having shooting the ball is not encouraging.

How do you beat the Suns? It's easy - hit your shots. The Suns cannot defend against consistent outside shooting because they lack the ability to guard the post one on one. Hit you open shots and the Suns look awful. Miss them and the Suns will run you out of the arena. The Suns won last night because the Clippers shot only 42.2% (they did well for three though) and the Suns were only outrebounded by 1.

On the flip side, it is not clear there is much an opponent can do when the Suns are hitting their shots like in game 1. It spreads the floor and the Suns get a lot of open paths to the basket.

What the Suns are still struggling with is moving without the ball. They get impatient and rush their three pointers rather than continue to look for the open man. If they relax and play their game, they are likely to get out of their shooting funk.

 

[MastersofCombat]

I have a love hate relationship with Dallas and simply a hate relation for SAN ANTONIO so with that statement give me Dallas.

 

[Cheesebeef]

ASSUMING we win this series (and I have to say that just for my own superstitions) that's a good question - on the one hand, I'd love for SA to win just so NO MATTER what, Cuban has to eat crap as once again, Nash gets the Suns further than the Mavs, especially without Amare, on the other hand, to BEAT the Mavs (which i DO think is possible, not probable, but possible) would just be the biggest FU ever to Cuban and be hilarious. On the other hand, losing to the Mavs and seeing Cuban revel in it (and never mention that we didn't have Amare or Kurt) would turn my stomach.

Since I don't think we can win it this year, I guess I'll put the opposite spin on it - if you had to lose, who would you rather LOSE to? I go with SA - at least then I'd feel like we're still taking our lumps and didn't have Amare or Kurt so it wasn't really rfair, anyway. Losing to Cuban, regardless of injuries will make me sick.

 

[gdiddy]

It's 2-1 now for the Mavs. They got pretty lucky near the end. First Ginobili loses the ball and Stackhouse misses his first freethrow and hits the glass on the second, resulting in a violation.

 

[Cheesebeef]

as for my last post - I don't think I said who'd I'd actually want to play - it's obvious, we can't beat the Spurs this year, but we CAN beat the Mavs - good lord it would be ridiculous for this team, sans Amare, to get to the Finals AND shove it up Cuban's butt again. That alone would be like winning the title this year.

And you KNOW the networks and sports writers would be creaming their pants with a Nash v. Mavs, run and gun grudge match in the Conference Finals, rather than a likely SA-butt-kicking of us. I'd say it' s still a long-shot to beat the Mavs, but for some reason, I just can't see Nash losing to Cuban.

 

[devilalum]

I don't like either team.

I want 7 games and 7 bloody overtimes.

 

[Gaddabout]

Picking Dallas or San Antonio, it's not about which team would be easier to beat, it's which team would present more favorable matchups for the Suns. The Suns absolutely do not matchup with the Spurs. At least against the Mavs, the Suns create some personnel difficulties. Against SAS, they just put Bowen on Marion and an assortment of guys on Diaw and the entire offense is shut down. The Mavs would have some difficulty matching up on Diaw, and I'm not quite sure it's safe for Dirk to say he's exercised his Marion demons.

Of course, this is making a great leap to assume the Suns would even be in the WCF. LAC has plenty of adjustments they can and probably will make.

 

[greensborohill]

hey

It's 2-1 now for the Mavs. They got pretty lucky near the end. First Ginobili loses the ball and Stackhouse misses his first freethrow and hits the glass on the second, resulting in a violation.

That ball was tipped off of him by Devin Harris. . . sometimes you create your own "luck"

 

[SactownSunsFan]

This isn't a very flattering picture of Dirk. Kinda like that Nash picture the Spurs fans are so fond of...is anyone thinking what I'm thinking?

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[greensborohill]

This isn't a very flattering picture of Dirk. Kinda like that Nash picture the Spurs fans are so fond of...is anyone thinking what I'm thinking?

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I like it, I like the snarling, it's what makes others teams fans hate him. . .

 

[SactownSunsFan]

I like it too, but for this reason!

You must be registered for see images

 

[Sundance]

MVP Stackhouse tries to throw the game.

WTF was he thinking with that moronic jump-shot at the end of the game. And his flubbed free-throw... And his flubbed intentional free-throw miss that resulted in a violation, because it completely missed the rim...


And who can forget his show of support for his fellow teammate...

Reporter: "Is Dirk the MVP of the league this year?"

Stackhouse: "No, Kobe is."

 

[SunsTzu]

Yeah, Stackhouse and the Nash hating Mavs fans are really the only reasons I don't care much for the Mavs. Dirk is one of my favourite players.

As for the question, I think the only chance we have of advancing is against the Mavs. Though losing to the Mavs would be a lot more annoying with their Nash hate so I'll go with the Spurs.