Round Two: Mavs vs. Suns

[Biclops]

It will be interesting to see what kind of adjustments the Mavs make for Game 2

Will they start playing more small ball to catch up with our speed?

Terry // Stackhouse // Finley // Howard // Dirk

CANT WAIT TILL WEDNESDAY

 

[Sundance]

Nash out-rebounded Eric Dampier...

 

[Amare32]

honestly if you guys aren't going to talk about the game in the game thread there is no point me making them.

 

[Cheesebeef]

They had 2 days off and they routed the Rockets so their players had enough rest. Fatigue was not a reason why they got routed in this first game.

actually - they had one day off and were coming off a grueling 7 game series - there's a such thing as mental fatigue as well - that being said - there are no excuses in the playoffs but you better believe that Wednesday night's game ain't gonna be as easy as this one was tonight. We win on Wednesday, this series is as good as over.

Anyone see that HORRID stat on Sportscenter - made me cringe - were 4-5 in our last 9 series when we've won Game 1 - worst record in the NBA over the last ten years as far as that's concerned. Not that big of a deal - this team is completely different - it just brought back ghosts of playoff failures.

 

[George O'Brien]

Avery Johnson was supposed to have instilled defensive discipline into the Mavs. They did not really show it in the Rocket series where the Rockets shot quite well in 5 of the 7 games. They did not show it tonight either.

This may create a crisis on the Dallas squad. In a shootout, I'd be worried if Don Nelson was on the other bench. He couldn't get his guys to play defense, but he knew more about creating and exploiting matchups than any coach I've ever seen. Avery is not in the same league. He wants to win with defense, but that is easier said than done with the Suns.

The Mavs could try to go small, but they still won't be as fast as the Suns and would lose their rebounding edge. If the Mavs big guys couldn't handle Amare, imagine putting a small forward on him.

 

[elindholm]

I figured that Dallas was dead when they were 0-2 to Houston, but they found a way to win that one, so I wouldn't count them out yet. Still, this was about as good a Game 1 as the Suns and their fans could hope for. It's only one game, but it's a lot better to win it than to lose it.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Great win, but its just one.

If Dallas comes in and wins game 2, they go home feeling they can win the series. If the Suns win game two, they head for Dallas with Dallas' backs against the wall--Dallas loses game 3 and its basically over.

Dallas only hope is to double and triple Amare and hope we have a bad shooting night. Its probably a strategy that will get a game or two from the Suns, but we have too many good shooters for it to be effective for an entire series.

 

[lancelet's cousin]

The only thing that really suprised me was how we performed in the first minutes. I think to come out that hot after 8 days of rest was as impressive as the Bull's Jannero Pargo hitting those 3's after sitting for 2 hours. I thought it would take them a quarter (or more) for everyone to find a rythm. D'Antoni amazes me with how he prepares his shooters.

Amare/JJ/Marion all looked amazing.

Another great sign was how well we played with JJ at the point. This was as aggressive as I've seen him throughout the course of a complete game. That is probably the last thing our opponents wanted to see.

 

[cly2tw]

actually - they had one day off and were coming off a grueling 7 game series - there's a such thing as mental fatigue as well - that being said - there are no excuses in the playoffs but you better believe that Wednesday night's game ain't gonna be as easy as this one was tonight. We win on Wednesday, this series is as good as over.

48 hours are 2 days, though technically they had only one day off. But I'll give you the argument about mental fatigue, in particular we play a completely different style than the Rox. They will try to double team Amare next game, but Amare showed enough maturity in the postseason that I'm confident that we'll win it like we got the first game vs. the Grizzs.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

6b. Treesquid, get off my case. I will not warn you again. You can ask some of the other posters on this board how much fun it is to get into a verbal battle with me.

Don't waste your time. This loser went after me the other day, completely unprovoked, and didn't have the "guts" to respond...

 

[asudevil83]

there are excuses when the game is close and in the 4th one team runs away with it. there, you can blame fatigue. here, we didnt have that. Dallas was NEVER in the game. they came out flatfooted and lazy because they werent in the mood.....not because they were tired.

 

[JCSunsfan]

there are excuses when the game is close and in the 4th one team runs away with it. there, you can blame fatigue. here, we didnt have that. Dallas was NEVER in the game. they came out flatfooted and lazy because they werent in the mood.....not because they were tired.

I disagree. They wanted it, its just that the Suns wanted it too, and the Suns are a much better team.

Dirk said this after the game,

Nowitzki said the Mavericks have to get a better game from Dampier to have any chance in the series.

"We've got to get something out of our center position," Nowitzki said. "He was always a step slow. He got in foul trouble and couldn't be aggressive. He's got to find a way to stay in the game."

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=250509021

This is the story. Play Amare 1 on 1, he kills you single-handedly. Double him, he still kills you most of the time, and there's someone good open on the perimeter. Double and triple him, and its a 48 minute shoot around for the Suns.

Anyone else notice Amare's D tonight. Hell hath frozen over and turn out the lights.

 

[elindholm]

"We've got to get something out of our center position," Nowitzki said. "He was always a step slow. He got in foul trouble and couldn't be aggressive. He's got to find a way to stay in the game."

I'm more sympathetic to Dampier than most people on this board, but my impression is that he doesn't respond well to this kind of criticism. Nowitzki is probably doing the leadership thing by calling his teammate out, but it's likely to backfire in this case.

Cool!

 

[cly2tw]

"We've got to get something out of our center position," Nowitzki said. "He was always a step slow. He got in foul trouble and couldn't be aggressive. He's got to find a way to stay in the game."

I'm more sympathetic to Dampier than most people on this board, but my impression is that he doesn't respond well to this kind of criticism. Nowitzki is probably doing the leadership thing by calling his teammate out, but it's likely to backfire in this case.

Cool!

When the body isn't there, there is only so much mind can do. With or without Dirk's comments, Dampier is doomed, uh demoralized by Amare's athlectic superiority.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Well, there's a little more motivation, if some was lacking... Barkley hemmed and hawed and gee whiz, much as he loves his hometown team, he's just gotta pick the Mavs to win.

Is it possible to yank him out of the Ring of Honor?

I was at the game, so I missed the TNT show.

What did Barkley have to say at half and the end of the game?

 

[PhxGametime]

The Mavs should put Dirk at Center

 

[JS22]

"We've got to get something out of our center position," Nowitzki said. "He was always a step slow. He got in foul trouble and couldn't be aggressive. He's got to find a way to stay in the game."

I'm more sympathetic to Dampier than most people on this board, but my impression is that he doesn't respond well to this kind of criticism. Nowitzki is probably doing the leadership thing by calling his teammate out, but it's likely to backfire in this case.

Cool!

And damn near everyone claimed that I didn't know a thing about basketball when I was praying that Phoenix would stay far far away from Dampier. Where are all of you now?

 

[elindholm]

And damn near everyone claimed that I didn't know a thing about basketball when I was praying that Phoenix would stay far far away from Dampier.

Hmm, we remember differently what the majority opinion was. I admit that I was heavily in the pro-Dampier camp, but I didn't think there were too many of us -- a couple of other diehards, and that was about it. I think most people were saying that Dampier was a joke who played well only in contract years.

Dampier was awful in Game 1, but he's actually been pretty good for the Mavericks this year. The Suns wouldn't have been able to play this kind of game if they had him instead of, uh, whoever, so it worked out well not to pursue him. I think Dallas did okay for themselves, though.

 

[meth]

Great performacne! This series ain't over yet but it was the best way to start it. Mavs had some good chemistry after some incredible games against Rockets but now they might be a little crushed.

Because of time difference (game starded 4.30am in here) I couldn't even follow this game via espn.com (of course there were no TV relation) but I woke up twice to check up the score. Right now I'm downloading this game and I'm so excited to see it.

GO SUNS!

Ps. And when I read all those articles and comments... It is just... WOW! I'm so very proud.

 

[Chaplin]

Something nobody mentioned is that Josh Howard (one of the x-factors IMO) is the leader in the playoffs in total fouls. That can only be a good thing.

 

[elindholm]

Something nobody mentioned is that Josh Howard (one of the x-factors IMO) is the leader in the playoffs in total fouls.

If only Voskuhl could get his chance to make a run at that.

 

[meth]

Something nobody mentioned is that Josh Howard (one of the x-factors IMO) is the leader in the playoffs in total fouls. That can only be a good thing.

He had some hard time defending TMac I guess. But this series it's not going to be any easier for him. Tonite he had 5 fouls and 5 turnovers in 28 minutes.

 

[Mulli]

What was the deal with TNT's camerawork last night? At one point my wife asked if they were using a handheld camera. I was getting motion sickness. I loved when the Suns would be fast breaking and the camera angle would get skewed because the action was too fast.


Second, how about Kenny Smith saying, "they will get good shots against the Suns. They just have to make them. Isn't that true about every game of bball ever? Just have to make your shots and keeps the other teams from making theirs.

 

[Joe Mama]

Dampier was awful in Game 1, but he's actually been pretty good for the Mavericks this year. The Suns wouldn't have been able to play this kind of game if they had him instead of, uh, whoever, so it worked out well not to pursue him. I think Dallas did okay for themselves, though.

I guess if you think 10 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks in 30 minutes per game merits a contract that averages $10 million per season then you are right. Erick Dampier had a pretty good year. However one of the biggest knocks on him was that he could not stay healthy and had only done so in his contract year. This season he only played in 56 games.

IMO the Dallas Mavericks would have been much better off throwing that same money at Steve Nash and trading for an average center instead of Jason Terry.

Joe Mama

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

IMO the Dallas Mavericks would have been much better off throwing that same money at Steve Nash and trading for an average center instead of Jason Terry.

Probably, but they had been going with Nash and average centers for the past five years and it got them nowhere. You can't blame Cuban for trying something new instead of going with the same old thing that obviously wasn't going to net them a championship.