Round 1: Spurs (1) vs. Mavericks (8)

[imagump1313]

I missed the game due to class tonight. Looks like it was good that I missed it

I'm not surprised that Dallas takes a game or two in this series. It's a rivalry series and they did win 49 games this year. The Spurs are always good for a stinker or two in every playoff run also. I won't be concerned unless we lose both games in Dallas.

[co_laper]

I missed the game due to class tonight. Looks like it was good that I missed it

I'm not surprised that Dallas takes a game or two in this series. It's a rivalry series and they did win 49 games this year. The Spurs are always good for a stinker or two in every playoff run also. I won't be concerned unless we lose both games in Dallas.

It's the way we lose games that concerns me though. It can be argued that we got lucky late in game 1 to completely shut them down for that last 7 minutes of the game. But to have 2 consecutive games where we simply struggle, you gotta give credit to Dallas.

They didn't give us anything tonight. Aside from the turnovers and offensive rebounds, look at how we scores.

We didn't get many open threes. Yes, Manu broke out with 5-6 shooting from the three, but our 3 point shooting was contained.

Our primary players that get points in the paint (Manu, Tim, Parker, Kawhi) all didn't get theirs. Parker's 5 made FGs are all jumpshots. I don't even recall him ever getting to the paint other than the possession after Blair fouled him and got Parker mad and went to the rim right at Blair. But after that, Blair was subbed and Parker didn't continue his aggresiveness.

Also, we're playing really solid defense on Dirk, but we forgot about everybody else. That team has shooters and they're getting wide open ones in both games.

Regular season, Dallas is just as good as us in offense. It was on defense that we were much better than them for the whole year. We haven't shown that. 96 minutes of games and we only show up for 7 minutes.

[imagump1313]

I missed the game due to class tonight. Looks like it was good that I missed it

I'm not surprised that Dallas takes a game or two in this series. It's a rivalry series and they did win 49 games this year. The Spurs are always good for a stinker or two in every playoff run also. I won't be concerned unless we lose both games in Dallas.

It's the way we lose games that concerns me though. It can be argued that we got lucky late in game 1 to completely shut them down for that last 7 minutes of the game. But to have 2 consecutive games where we simply struggle, you gotta give credit to Dallas.

They didn't give us anything tonight. Aside from the turnovers and offensive rebounds, look at how we scores.

We didn't get many open threes. Yes, Manu broke out with 5-6 shooting from the three, but our 3 point shooting was contained.

Our primary players that get points in the paint (Manu, Tim, Parker, Kawhi) all didn't get theirs. Parker's 5 made FGs are all jumpshots. I don't even recall him ever getting to the paint other than the possession after Blair fouled him and got Parker mad and went to the rim right at Blair. But after that, Blair was subbed and Parker didn't continue his aggresiveness.

Also, we're playing really solid defense on Dirk, but we forgot about everybody else. That team has shooters and they're getting wide open ones in both games.

Regular season, Dallas is just as good as us in offense. It was on defense that we were much better than them for the whole year. We haven't shown that. 96 minutes of games and we only show up for 7 minutes.

Well, like I said I couldn't see the game so I don't know the exact particulars of what happened. I'm concerned but we actually play better on the road than we do at home and Dallas is a place where we can win and have won before. If we were going somewhere like OKC on the road I would be much less optimistic. This is the one series we will play this year where home court isn't as important. I hope it's not the only series we play

[Donald Kaufman]

8:38 in the third quarter. Know what that is? Kawhi's first FGA. Pathetic. Who called Diaw passive?

We should be down 2-0 right now. We're playing like reheated dog poop.

Credit to the Mavs. Carlisle is outcoaching Pop to date and they're doing a great job keeping TP out of the paint.

[Phreak50]

Agree on Kawhi but also, the Spurs guards simply can't use Danny Green's excuse of the D respecting them and getting to them early.

If that was the case, no player would ever be consistent.

Show some balls and rise to the occasion. Yes I am talking about Green but also Marco, who has been poor for over a month now.

[Donald Kaufman]

Yep. His numbers in April: 9.1ppg on 35%FG and 24.1% from 3. He's not the sole reason to blame of course - most of our bench is awful right now - but he's not providing that spark that we clearly need.

We've come out so flat these first two games. I really don't get it. We're not far removed from a 19 game win streak. It's not like we limped into the postseason like the Pacers.

Hopefully we wake up in Dallas.

[RobertoBell]

hi there guys,I'm sorry for my bad english, I'm Italian Spurs fan.
I think that Spurs will win 4 to 2
What do you think of the season of Marco?
Please correct me if I'm wrong

[Donald Kaufman]

Welcome.

I've enjoyed watching Belinelli play this season, though he has been less effective recently as mentioned above. His synergy with Ginobili has been fantastic to watch.

I hope he finds his shot in this series.

[Boarder Patrol]

The bench has been killing the team so far this series. Guys need to stop wading around the perimeter all game - shoot! No confidence, passiveness, whatever, it needs to stop. Guys seem to be content with playing their 'role' in the system, that nobody is stepping up when it counts.

Another issue, Parker. He's been banged up all year. Looked ok these first two games, but I've said it before and will again, the team goes nowhere if he isn't 100%. He's the only guy that is able to (rather, SHOULD be able to) break down elite playoff defenses. Without anyone to collapse the D, there's no space for anyone and the offense gets stagnant and cluttered.

[co_laper]

The bench has been killing the team so far this series. Guys need to stop wading around the perimeter all game - shoot! No confidence, passiveness, whatever, it needs to stop. Guys seem to be content with playing their 'role' in the system, that nobody is stepping up when it counts.

Another issue, Parker. He's been banged up all year. Looked ok these first two games, but I've said it before and will again, the team goes nowhere if he isn't 100%. He's the only guy that is able to (rather, SHOULD be able to) break down elite playoff defenses. Without anyone to collapse the D, there's no space for anyone and the offense gets stagnant and cluttered.

I feel like we're watching a different game. I don't see any of what you said being the problem in game 2.

They're staying home on our 3 point shooters, especially Danny Green because that's who is on the floor more than Marco or Patty. And you specifically don't want Danny to force up a 3 or even worse, put the ball on the floor.

Trivia Question: First 2 minutes of game 2, and there was Danny Green putting the ball on the floor. His first 2 possessions of the ball game. What happened?

Answer: Turnovers.

And it's been that way all season long. No one in their right mind wants Danny to start even dribbling the ball once. He's got no ball handling skills, absolutely zero court vision, and arguably the slowest first step by an NBA player ever.

Marco's not any better. All season, Marco's best attribute is in his 3 point shooting and his ability to move without the ball that Manu usually finds him for.

It isn't a confidence issue. It's not about passiveness. They're staying within their role as they should be. Does anyone here really want to see them doing more than what they're capable of?

The guy that needs to step up in that game 2 are our stars. Our role players play off our stars, and if our stars can't do their job, then it's their fault.

Where was Parker? He didn't get to the paint and forced the issue. He was a victim of passiveness. Constantly settling for midrange jumpers that Dallas were happy to give him. Shot 2-5 from FT line. And had 3 turnovers.

Where was Duncan? He was 4-5 from the field but should have demanded the ball as the Mavs switched on nearly every P&R. He was doing great in game 1, and the same was available for him in game 2. He didn't show up defensively either. 7 rebounds in 30 minutes and was getting outworked for offensive rebounds from Dalembert and Blair. Monta Ellis attacked him at the rim and scored every time.

Where was Kawhi? Foul trouble. Stopped him from being aggresive on defense and passive on offense. At the same time, Spurs were talking about wanting to emphasize posting up Kawhi on Monta for game 2. I just want this Kawhi post up experiment to stop already. He's not ready yet. Kid got as many moves as Omer Asik.

And for all the talk about Manu showing up, he was the biggest culprit of our 24 turnovers. He commited 6 of them in a typical Manu fashion that results in an opponent fast break layup. And that was really the story of the ball game, turnovers.

[co_laper]

Yep. His numbers in April: 9.1ppg on 35%FG and 24.1% from 3. He's not the sole reason to blame of course - most of our bench is awful right now - but he's not providing that spark that we clearly need.

We've come out so flat these first two games. I really don't get it. We're not far removed from a 19 game win streak. It's not like we limped into the postseason like the Pacers.

Hopefully we wake up in Dallas.

My money is on Spurs winning game 3. I think the turnovers, rebounding, and missed FTs are fixable. That's self conflicted stuffs.

I look to see a more aggresive Tony Parker.

Honestly I'm hoping that Pop makes the switch on defense and let Green guard Monta. Atleast to start the game off. We're putting Danny Green on Shawn Marion and that makes no sense for me. If we're going to do that, then start Marco. If not, then letting Danny guard Monta helps us more. It reduces the likelyhood of Kawhi getting in foul trouble. It allows Kawhi to exert more of his energy on offense. If he manage to not get in foul trouble in 1st quarter, then he'll have more freedom to guard Monta in the quarters after that.

And our bench has got to show up sometimes right?

But it's on the stars to show up. This Dallas switching defense is designed to stay home on our shooters. So if the Mavs gameplan is to stop the role players from showing up, then the stars has to show up.

[Donald Kaufman]

I agree with all your points.

Green on Matrix is redundant.

We need a more assertive Kawhi.

I like what Splitter is giving us. I don't care if he scores, as long as he rebounds and makes Dirk work for everything.

Where is Mills, Green, Diaw, Beli? I know our stars need to step up but we had the best bench in the league during the regular season. Not the case in this series so far. Mavs bench is killing ours.

[SPURt]

We better shore up our turnover situation and start getting some stops because these playoffs are starting off pretty crazy. I'm not gonna be worried till Dallas wins its third game, but if someone would've told me Lamarcus Aldridge would drop 90 over the first two games in Houston to shutout the Rockets I would have bet against it. Also, to see OKC down 2-1, we need to close this series out in 5 and watch the rest of the field take a pound a flesh from each other.

[SPURt]

Fun Fact: Did you know the Spurs split the first two games of the first round of every NBA postseason in which the Spurs have won a championship?

1999: 4-1 to Minnesota
2003: 4-2 to Phoenix
2005: 4-1 to Denver
2007: 4-1 to Denver

[Donald Kaufman]

How many top 4 seeds are going to go out in the first round this year? Weird playoffs so far. Entertaining as hell though. I've found our series with Dallas the least interesting of the four Western series so far.

[co_laper]

How many top 4 seeds are going to go out in the first round this year? Weird playoffs so far. Entertaining as hell though. I've found our series with Dallas the least interesting of the four Western series so far.

Yup, I also found our series to be pretty uninteresting compared to Houston-Portland and Memphis-OKC. Even after losing againts Dallas in game 2, I just feel like we're gonna be fine.

Memphis-OKC is really fun to watch for me. That's the best series so far. Houston-Portland second most exciting because Aldridge is just going crazy right now.

[franktony]

Honestly, We gotta give props to the Mavs defense as well. RC is doing a heck of a job against our offense.

They're defending the 3-pointers very well and our ball movement is not working as well as in the regular season because they're switching every single play. Even when Parker ends up facing a big , he takes a jump-shot instead of trying to go to the rim. That's a major problem IMO.

Manu as the backup PG is part of the problem as well. So many careless passes that I wanted to shoot my TV. 27 points is great when you don't give up half of that with crap passes and 6 TOs.

Splitter, while soft and useless offensively, at least defends Dirk very well so far. Danny Green is freaking useless offensively when he doesn't have wide open 3s. Can't put the ball on the floor and can't handle it.

I think Marion had "too much" offensively last game and part of it because Green is defending him instead of Leonard. There's absolutely no reason to put Leonard on Monta.

Anyway, I think SA wins game 3. TOs will be down, FT% will be up and Parker/Duncan will play much better.

[Donald Kaufman]

Yup, I also found our series to be pretty uninteresting compared to Houston-Portland and Memphis-OKC. Even after losing againts Dallas in game 2, I just feel like we're gonna be fine.

Memphis-OKC is really fun to watch for me. That's the best series so far. Houston-Portland second most exciting because Aldridge is just going crazy right now.

Yup. Games 2 and 3 of the OKC-Mem series have been awesome. Just a fun matchup of contrasting styles. I think if OKC go out early Brooks is gone.

[Phreak50]

Both teams on fire.

But hell yeah, we need THIS from Kawhi every game!!

[SPURt]

Kawhi is gonna haunt some Mav dreams after this game