Round 1: #2 Mavericks vs #7 Spurs

[Donald Kaufman]

Well, we drew a familiar opponent. We're in much better shape than we were this time a year ago, despite not having HC.

Blair with the great game today, 27pts and 23 boards. Let's hope he brings some of that to this series.

Time to start channelling the 1995 Houston Rockets. They won the chip from the 6th seed.

Let's go Spurs!

[Blame Rasho]

Hey... Championship via 7th seed

Honestly... we don't match up well vs them at all.

I look at games vs the Nets and say... man I wish we would have gotten those W's in order to face the Nuggets or Suns/Jazz.

[Donald Kaufman]

I think we'd be screwed if we faced the Jazz, maybe even the Suns this year. Our safest bet was to draw the Nuggets, they're struggling at the moment.

[co_laper]

Well, let the predictions start.

(where the Spurs win the series ofcourse)

Game 1. @ Dallas
Dallas was surprised. Game 1 is always the best chance for the road team to steal the game. Spurs upset Dallas and take homecourt. SA lead series 1-0

Game 2. @ Dallas
Dallas ain't that stupid. They went full throttle and Spurs got a good butt kicking. Perhaps even blown out in this game. Series tied 1-1

Game 3. @ SA
Spurs got embarassed in game 2 so they're looking for revenge. Won a close game and take series lead 2-1.

Game 4. @ SA
Knowing it's gonna be hard to steal 2 games in Dallas, the Spurs treat this as a must win game and got it. Lead 3-1.

Game 5. @ Dallas
It's win or go home for Dallas. They're not gonna drop this game. Spurs still lead 3-2.

Game 6. @ SA
San Antonio gave everything they have but still fall short and lose homecourt. Series tied 3-3.

Game 7. @ Dallas
In a very close game where Richard Jefferson had a game winning dunk on Dirk at OT and won just about every Spurs' fans heart.

Spurs win series 4-3.

Epic first round series.

[Donald Kaufman]

I like it! Except I have us winning in 6 hard fought games.

[TiMVP]

I think we can win. You know what would make this my favorite year ever? If we could beat the Mavs, then the Suns, then the Lakers. Like those are all of the most hated teams as a Spurs fan. And the championship too, ofcourse.

[Magz50]

I think we lose game 1, but will pick it up once Parker gets back to his old self.

Spurs in 7

[Nolan]

Its gonna be an interesting series. On the perimeter we match up pretty well with thenm, if Hill and Parker are healthy. But in the paint we're at a serious disadvantage. Dirk, Damp and Haywood are all going to be very tough matchups for us. Timmy can guard one of them, but we have no one that can match up against the other dude.

[co_laper]

I think the x-factor here for us is Richard Jefferson. This is a series where Jefferson is gonna be forced to play a lot of PF. How well he plays that position in small ball and how he matches up againts Shawn Marion or Caron Butler will be huge. I think we lose every game Jefferson turns in his "invisible" performances. I just hope it doesn't happen more than 3 times.

[mavslove]

Well, let the predictions start.

(where the Spurs win the series ofcourse)

Game 1. @ Dallas
Dallas was surprised. Game 1 is always the best chance for the road team to steal the game. Spurs upset Dallas and take homecourt. SA lead series 1-0

Game 2. @ Dallas
Dallas ain't that stupid. They went full throttle and Spurs got a good butt kicking. Perhaps even blown out in this game. Series tied 1-1

Game 3. @ SA
Spurs got embarassed in game 2 so they're looking for revenge. Won a close game and take series lead 2-1.

Game 4. @ SA
Knowing it's gonna be hard to steal 2 games in Dallas, the Spurs treat this as a must win game and got it. Lead 3-1.

Game 5. @ Dallas
It's win or go home for Dallas. They're not gonna drop this game. Spurs still lead 3-2.

Game 6. @ SA
San Antonio gave everything they have but still fall short and lose homecourt. Series tied 3-3.

Game 7. @ Dallas
In a very close game where Richard Jefferson had a game winning dunk on Dirk at OT and won just about every Spurs' fans heart.

Spurs win series 4-3.

Epic first round series.

Is this a joke? LOL! Dallas 4-0 baby!
Game winning DUNK ON DIRK? not gonna happen in a million years. maybe the other way around. Dirk dunks on Timmy

[co_laper]

Uhm.. So on a prediction where I clearly say "Where the Spurs win the series" then I write one where Dallas go 4-0? Man... I'm glad I'm not a Mavs fan. They have a tendency to make themselves look stupid to us.

[Blame Rasho]

Is this a joke? LOL! Dallas 4-0 baby!
Game winning DUNK ON DIRK? not gonna happen in a million years. maybe the other way around. Dirk dunks on Timmy

Not the sharpest tool in the shed as I can see...

[Deus]

Mavs and Spurs go at it again. I think its going to be another classic series.

Keys to the game for me are:

1. Manu vs. Butler - whomever wins this matchup wins the series
2. Parker vs. Kidd - Kidd will hold his own, especially with Haywood behind him.
3. Duncan vs. Dirk - pretty even. Duncan always gets his. So does Dirk.

I predict the Mavs in 6. We get games 1 and 2. Spurs take 3. We get 4. Spurs take 5 in a last second shot. Mavs win 6 in SA.

[LyMinh]

Spurs sweep easily

[XL21MVP]

AS A HARDCORE ROCKETS FAN IT FIRES ME UP TO SEE YOU GUYS REFERRING TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM....BUT NEVERMIND THAT SINCE MY ROCKETS ARE OUT OF THE PLAYOFFS MY TEAM TO WIN ARE YOURS TRULY THE SPURS SO GOOD LUCK BEATING THEM PONY'S!

[batmana]

I don't exactly agree that we matchup poorly with the Mavs. Remember the one game we won against them this season - we were without Tony and Timmy and I think Antonio McDyess did a tremendous job on Dirk. I expected that matchup back then and was thrilled at how good it was for us. So I believe Antonio will again try and give Dirk a run for his money. And we have to not forget how Tony Parker used to absolutely torch Jason Kidd for a long stretch over several seasons before last year's playoffs. There is no way Kidd can stay in front of Tony if Tony gets back his killer instinct in time (which will be synonymous with his health). I absolutely expected us to beat Dallas in last year's playoffs almost solely on their inability to keep Tony but unfortunately our gameplan was different back then and he only burned them in the one win we managed getting 39 points I believe. We have to go to our strengths and try and keep the Mavs out of the paint - they have almost no post presence and that's what I'm basing my hopes on. And still, remember how a month or two ago we were playing so badly we were just hoping to make the playoffs and win one game. It's better now and I have a gut feeling we will play better with each game so hopefully our hopes go up as this series starts! GO SPURS GO!

P.S.: I absolutely enjoyed how we gave the Mavs our bench in that last game of the season and they kept on playing their starters for fear of losing - they even brought them back with like 1:30 left in the 4th when the gap was only 6 and it had appeared earlier like they were done for the night. Pop likes to mess with opposite teams like that and that gives me confidence that he has a clear gameplan and didn't wish to show any of it to Dallas in that game.

[co_laper]

I wouldn't put up any hopes of Dice doing a "tremendous" job on Dirk. I don't think anyone can. The guy is that good.

I'm thinking we play Dirk somewhat straight up in the 1st game. Kinda like what we do with Amare. Hoping that Dirk don't go crazy againts us with limited help while we stay at home with the other guys. Basically make Dirk beat us and shut down the rest of them.

We won't change if 2 things happen.
1. We win.
2. We lose but Dirk was contained like we hoped. Meaning the reason we lose is because our defensive strategy of shutting down the rest of the team failed.

If we lose because of Dirk going 40-50 points while the rest of their guys disappear, then I think we change it up perhaps using Golden State's defensive strategy on Dirk. The plan is to limit Dirk while making their other guys beat us.

If we lose both and have no success, then we're dead.

[Scarfie]

http://waynewinston.com/wordpress/

here's a way we can beat the Mavs (statistically)
I think these stats are from the same guy that convinced Avery change his line up vs Golden State where the Mavs lost in the first round a few years back.

What he really says that when Tim Duncan is out the best thing to do is put Blair and Bonner together

When Duncan is out, the Spurs are great with Bonner and Blair in (12 points better than average). Rest of time Duncan is out Spurs are 9 points worse than average.

Apparently this is our best performing line up...
Duncan/Ginobili/Hill/Jefferson/McDyess

Also Pop must not give Bogans too much playing time... seriously.

[MAD MAV MAN]

http://waynewinston.com/wordpress/

here's a way we can beat the Mavs (statistically)

I think these stats are from the same guy that convinced Avery change his line up vs Golden State where the Mavs lost in the first round a few years back.

What he really says that when Tim Duncan is out the best thing to do is put Blair and Bonner together

Yeah, do that. That should stop Dirk.

[co_laper]

Yeah.. I wish it was that easy.

Don't play Keith Bogans = Win againts Mavs.

What's the formula (statistically) for us to win the championship? There must be one.

Don't play Mahinmi = NBA title?