Game 5 Preview: Spurs @ Mavs
by CapHill on Apr 27, 2010 3:00 AM CDT
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Not much to add to the plethora of praise being given to Georgeous. Wayne can take pride in being the first Spurs fan on Hill's bandwagon.
This is the fifth preview that I've done for this series. I've been able to come up with some new insights for each game, but it's getting progressively harder. So if I repeat myself, just nod your head and click the links.
 San Antonio Spurs @ Dallas Mavericks [Game 5] Where: American Airlines Center - Dallas, TX When: April 27, 2010; 8:30 PM Spurs time Watch: NBATV
How They Stack Up
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Matchups
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 George Hill |
Point Guard Kidd looked really old in the last game, and Carlisle is playing him way too many minutes. Is anyone going to question my white box selection this game? I think not. Advantage: Spurs |
 Jason Kidd |
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 Manu Ginobili |
Shooting Guard Sorry Caron, but chucking 18 shots to get 17 points is not an efficient scoring night. Even with his broken schnozz, Manu still throws himself around like a pinball. He's a wizard. Advantage: Spurs |
 Caron Butler |
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 Richard Jefferson |
Small Forward Marion had a great first half, but his skills did not suit the game, once it slowed down. RAGE played great defense, showed great hustle, and even dunked the ball a couple times. Advantage: Tied |
 Shawn Marion |
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 Tim Duncan |
Power Forward Dirk was battered and bruised in Game 4, and the cracks in his facade are showing. Well, Timmeh, that was not good. You still provided some defense and rebounding, but I just hope the rest of your birthday went a little better. Advantage: Tied |
 Dirk Nowitzki |
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 Antonio McDyess |
Center Dice, you sure are rolling. Robert would be so proud, especially of your takedowns. Haywood played pretty well. "Damp" was absolutely worthless, and got fined $35,000 for complaining about the refs. Advantage: Spurs |
 Brendan Haywood |
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 Tony Parker |
Bench & Role Players Blair was beastly, providing a huge spark off the bench and redonkulous per minute stats. Terry and Barea provided some offense. And Haywood finally played more minutes than Ericka, resulting in some actual production from the center position for Dallas. Advantage: Mavs |
 Jason Terry |
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 Gregg Popovich |
CoachWay to go, Pop. You put some faith in your Young Guns, and they rewarded you with a huge win. Give 'em a nice bottle of wine. Carlisle was pissed. His player rotations have been screwy, but he has no control over their heart. Advantage: Spurs |
 Rick Carlisle |
| images via yahoo.com | ||
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Other Factors
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Intangibles |
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The Spurs are the road grader. The Mavs are the dirt. Advantage: Spurs |
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Mojo |
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I'm not about to piss the mojo off now. Advantage: Spurs |
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Winner: |
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You think I'm going to change my mind now? Nope, but like Games 3 and 4, it should be close. |
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Keys To The Game
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Strength of ScheduleFifth game of the series, with once again, one day of rest. Again, schedule doesn't really matter in the playoffs, as there are no back-to-backs. Last Time They MetRelive the physical battle that was Game 4, where we pulled out a 92-89 win due to the brillian play of one Furious George. |
Some Other ReadingMavericksMavs Moneyball - The SBNation home of the Mavericks. They played nice with us last year during the playoffs, so go say hi, but please don't be trollish. Spurs48 Minutes of Hell: The best TrueHoop team blog is still going strong, "pounding" out some of the best analysis there is on our beloved Spurs. |
Where to Tune In
TVThis game will be aired nationwide on NBATV. If you have cable or satellite, you'll have to look up your individual channel. And of course, there's always League Pass for the haves. For the have nots, read on. OnlineAs always, NBA League Pass is recommended for those who are willing to pony up the cash. Most Spurs games will be broadcast there, which is especially helpful for those of us who aren't in the San Antonio area. Please don't post links to illegal game feeds in the game thread. Links to illegal feeds are not permitted on SBNation, but you can probably find them out there on the internets if you're resourceful and desperate. In fact, nobody can stop you from googling "atdhe". You can also shoot an email to poundingtherockmail@yahoo.com for more assistance. NBA League Pass audio is still free this year, so check it out. RadioIf you're in the San Antonio area and aren't near a TV, tune in to WOAI (1200 AM). |
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Comments
Nice preview Cap.
Go, Spurs, Go.
In Manu, we trust.
by day_late_friend on Apr 27, 2010 3:09 AM CDT reply actions
Thanks for the timely previews Cap.
Georgeous
Love it! Can’t believe I have not seen that nickname yet on a site famous for nicknames. Or did I just not read closely enough.
I just stole it from p2cat – she’s a genius. And it just came about yesterday, so you didn’t miss it from before.
Let’s end this tonight. If PHX beats Portland on Thursday we would next play this weekend, thus three or four days off. If Portland wins it would mean next Monday or Tuesday, thus a week off. Days off are valuable at this point for everyone in the West so let’s handle business and close these guys out by outplaying them on their floor and fully avenge last season’s playoffs.
A big first quarter (which we all know the team leading after 1 has won all games) would go a long way toward cementing in the Mavs’ heads that their off-season is an hour or so from starting. Stay poised and be ready for anything.
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
I believe that I was on the Hill bandwagon even before Wayne was…
It will be interesting to see how the Mavs respond tonight.
Is it wrong if i don’t (ever) refer to Hill as gorgeous?
Sort of like the same way I have never called (and never will) Tony, “Wonderbutt” ?
The Spurs = Not your granddaddies 7th seed !
Ok, the “gorgeous george” I can live with.
But I cant bring myself to call Tony " McWonderbutt"…its just a lame moniker is all.
The Spurs = Not your granddaddies 7th seed !
Any idea where Tony’s nickname came from? I don’ think anyone would want that.
As for Georgeous, that sounds cool since you can yell it out when he knocks down a 3 or hammers home a dunk. Like “Melo” or other good two syllable names.
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
The genesis of Tony’s nick was this post by Stampler August of ’06.
Whew.
Seeding is for suckers, peaking at the right time is what counts. - Robbie Hilson
o;—-)
You beat me to it. I’m getting this strange feeling that I should have put together a thread for the launch of the Nicknames Dictionary, much like you did with The Lexicon. Of course, highsight is 20/20, especially when you consider that it was published months ago.
I think I suggested earlier we put a promotional post on that. I can help you with the ’chops… but maybe we should do it in the offseason?
Just cause we're crippled, don't mean we gotta take the crumbs.
by silverandblack_davis on Apr 28, 2010 9:18 PM CDT up reply actions
Two minutes apart. I should have left it for you, or have my link pointed to the Dictionary.
Now we need to anchor your entries so that people can link to them individually, instead of having to scroll down or search once they get to the Nicks Dict. for the term they need.
Since CD set it up (thank you, Deck) it’s not too difficult to look at the html and replicate it. Of course, if you’re not up to that – you could always ask him nicely to see if he’d help you out…
Seeding is for suckers, peaking at the right time is what counts. - Robbie Hilson
o;—-)
Just cause we're crippled, don't mean we gotta take the crumbs.
by silverandblack_davis on Apr 27, 2010 5:31 AM CDT up reply actions
"He was just a young skinny guy who looked like a winner. We didn’t know he was going to be as good as he is."
—Popovich on Manu Ginobili
by spursfan87 on Apr 27, 2010 5:56 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs
I was thinking 17. But I’ll take one of the others. How about a 3 point win in game 5?
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
As long as we win, I don’t really care. :)
In Manu, we trust.
by day_late_friend on Apr 27, 2010 7:30 PM CDT up reply actions
Timmeh is gonna have a 20-10 evening. :)
In Manu, we trust.
by day_late_friend on Apr 27, 2010 7:31 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs
Lets do this.
"We suck on 'D. Both individually and team-wise, we suck. We're pretty consistent that way. I don't know if I have an answer to that. If I did, we wouldn't suck quite so bad." - Popovich
by Aaron "Hirschof" Preine on Apr 27, 2010 8:02 AM CDT reply actions 2 recs
I’m not nearly as anxious about this one as I was about Game 4, because I know that should we fall tonight, we’ll just close it out at home. The thing in our favor, however, is that the Big Three won’t underproduce like that again, so unless our role players completely disappear, leaving us in a similar situation, it’s going to take a Herculean effort (given their current emotional stability) for Dallas to win. I don’t want to pull a Sir Charles and say they’ll need a “perfect game,” but suffice to say they’ll need a lot to go right, and a lot for us has to go wrong.
"What is this new devilry?" -Jeff Van Gundy
I tend to disagree. I think that being back in Dallas will help the Mavs a lot. I also think that as much as the wins have been about the Spurs stepping up, there’s a lot Dallas hasn’t been doing that they could start doing—it will be a matter of whether our younger guys can regroup and adjust if that happens. As for the Big Three—I don’t think they’ll have another outing as subpar as the last one, but if Dallas starts scoring the way they’re capable of, Tim and Co. could see this game quickly move out of reach unless they are creating some fireworks of their own.
I expect see less of the three-guard lineup combined with the zone. And in highly technical basketball terms, the rest of the Mavs will have to help Dirk.
I’d love to see us win this one, but I will not be surprised nor will I be Psychologically Devastated™ if we lose.
I have flying monkeys at my disposal, and I'm not afraid to use them.
Haywood
Is it wrong that every time I hear his name, I think “Jablowme?” and giggle inanely?
I have flying monkeys at my disposal, and I'm not afraid to use them.
by Lauri on Apr 27, 2010 8:51 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
jeez – you and my wife must think alike. she says that everytime :)
"Mr. Gilmore deserves to be in the Basketball Hall of Fame damnit. Highest field goal percentage EVER"
http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/gilmoar01.html
by Joe deLarios on Apr 27, 2010 9:36 AM CDT up reply actions
I almost think they need to go BeauBo, Terry, and Barea in those small ball situations. According to Winston, the Mavs are doing those to get RJ off the court. The problem is, anyone can guard Kidd. It is easy to put RJ on Kidd. RJ shouldn’t play Terry, Barea, or the rook though. We would have to counter with our 3 guards.
I’m not entirely sure this would help Dallas though unless they also played Marion and Haywood with those three in order to get some defense. They would still have to force turnovers and gang rebound in order to get any momentum.
Yeah, I agree with you. I am shocked that BeauBo, as you called him, hasn’t played more. It’s seems that Carlisle may have made the same mistake Pop did last year with Hill. All that being said, I’m not sure he puts them over the top.
I think the Mavs are just outmatched. Kidd, for all of his play-making abilities, is such a liability against our guards. Dampier and Haywood aren’t attacking Duncan enough and I’m thinking they aren’t capable of doing it. Butler is shooting so inefficient compared to Howard last year that he is just killing this team.
Howard might not have been as good last year had we played Hill more and had RJ and Manu. I think that is a safe assumption, but his numbers were gaudy compared to Butler’s so far.
If that’s the case, then why not try out the French kid? Carlisle, in the past, was good about letting no-name people play and give the Spurs trouble. I’m just surprised he hasn’t at least given him a shot.
He can’t defend any of our guards and is likely to commit turnovers. Hindsight says the Mavs did that anyway but Carlisle wasn’t expecting that. It would’ve been a desperation move which is silly when you’re 1-1 or 1-2. You have to trust what got you there. Now that it’s been established that the Spurs are better, you can go desperate and see if works. If not, you were going home anyway.
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
OK. On a somewhat unrelated note, given that Kidd is such a liability for the Mavs now would he still be useful contributing from the bench? ATS stated here that De Colo might never make it to the NBA but he presumably has great play making ability. Has anyone seen him play enough and can make a comparison between him and 37 year old Kidd? Is it a comparison favorable to De Colo? What about an old Mark Jackson?
"If an expert says it can't be done, get another expert"
- DBG
by LasEspuelas on Apr 27, 2010 10:04 AM CDT up reply actions
Kidd is very complicated because for every weakness he has an incredible strength. His passing, rebounding, and 3 point shooting are all really excellent, not to mention his BBIQ. Turning to a rookie over Kidd could be asking for serious trouble. I don’t really think Dirk is a good team leader, so I think you need Kidd to be that floor leader.
Carlisle is probably making the right decision in trusting Kidd over betting on the rookie’s defensive abilities against our cerberus. I think they need to get Kidd’s minutes down to like 28 a game though. I think he is playing like 36.5 right now. They owe Kidd 8.5 million next year and the year after. That is not good for the Mavs.
I can’t compare him to Nando.
If Kidd is allowed to post up Parker without help he will get a layup every time.
"If an expert says it can't be done, get another expert"
- DBG
Kidd actually tried doing that in Game 2. And I didn’t see him getting a layup every time.
In Manu, we trust.
by day_late_friend on Apr 27, 2010 6:39 PM CDT up reply actions
I thin we will see Dallas go Barea small to attempt to up the tempo and creat hustle plays while being pushed along by teh crowd and perhaps some ref homecooking on the 50/50 plays. If I were Pop I stay big. Dyce or TD on Dirk. The other on Butler or Marion. They’ll go at whomever Duncan is guarding but we could kill them on the other end with points in the paint and rebounding. Plus get them in foul trouble.
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
I think if we come out with the defensive intensity that we have seen recently there is not much the Mavs can do. Of course we did not see that kind of defense all year although it is becoming more consistent as of late. Defensive intensity + not whistle happy refs = Spurs win! Let me be right not matter what like a true sports analyst… I give us a 50% chance of winning.
"If an expert says it can't be done, get another expert"
- DBG
See now I disagree on the Dallas ‘not doing what they could’.
Dallas hasn’t done what they usually do because of how we have defended both as a team and individually. Georgie and rotating defenses has taken away Kidd’s transition O and stand still 3. Dice and quick blind side doubles have hounded Dirk. Only Terry has been doing his thing coz he is able to get his against the defenders so far(in no small part to Tony leaving his man on the corner 3s). Also, don’t underestimate the amount of hesitancy our guys have put in their minds during the course of a game. I have seen Kidd hesitate too long on open 3s only to lose the slight window there was.
I think our play is nullifying their strengths. I don’t think they can improve offensively unless Dirk makes his shots and we get out rebounded or the refs decide to shaft us.
Seriously Tony! There is no reason for him to slack away from Terry to try to stop Dirk when he is penetrating. Dirk is just going to stop and take a fade away shot anyways or if Tony is slacking he is going to pass it to the open three. He needs to be glued to his man in that situation. He got benched last game because of it so I think he will be better today.
"If an expert says it can't be done, get another expert"
- DBG
by LasEspuelas on Apr 27, 2010 10:11 AM CDT up reply actions
In a way, we’re saying the same thing—basically, the Spurs have succeeded in disrupting the Mavs’ game. If the Mavs can force the game back uptempo and (most importantly for them, I think) get some decent shooting out of anyone besides Dirk and Terry, they might be able to win.
I think Kidd is capable of shooting better than 29% even when Cubits is playing superbly.
As for Dampier . . . not a single goal in the series yet. Again, I think that’s something that could turn around. On the other hand, there’s no reason to think that the Spurs can’t keep shutting them down. I would be ecstatic if they could!
I have flying monkeys at my disposal, and I'm not afraid to use them.
Are we talking about the same Dampier? ; )
"If an expert says it can't be done, get another expert"
- DBG
by LasEspuelas on Apr 27, 2010 10:43 AM CDT up reply actions
I would have to agree with everything except what you said about Dampier. Dampier will do NOTHING offensively. The one attempt he had was at a lay-up and he mis-handled the ball.
by The Augustus on Apr 27, 2010 5:22 PM CDT up reply actions
You’re right. This is why match-ups, along with health, decide NBA playoff fate. Spurs match-up well with Dallas.
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
They wanted/needed the #2 seed to assure home court vs everyone except LA. They may also have believed their own hype (imagine that in Dallas) that their 2-1 record vs the Spurs and playoff win last season meant the Spurs couldn’t beat them.
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
it has to be the hype thing, but #2 doesn’t do you any good if you don’t matchup with your first round opponent
I’d say that No Timmeh and No Manu is the why. They barely beat us without our two best players on their HOME COURT. The seeding was more important to them than to Pop. Now that it’s the playoffs, the Spurs actually care about winning.
The Mavs probably thought (based on last year’s playoffs and this year’s regular season) that they could handle us easily. What they failed to account for is how the Spurs were starting to gel and also how, come playoff time, the Mavs mental state is akin to a soft serve ice cream cone outside in the blazing summer Texas sun.
Only Manu God knows why.
In Manu, we trust.
by day_late_friend on Apr 27, 2010 6:41 PM CDT up reply actions
Monty McCutcheon, Pat Fraher, Greg Willard
I have flying monkeys at my disposal, and I'm not afraid to use them.
Not a bad crew. McCutcheon is usually down the middle.
"We suck on 'D. Both individually and team-wise, we suck. We're pretty consistent that way. I don't know if I have an answer to that. If I did, we wouldn't suck quite so bad." - Popovich
by Aaron "Hirschof" Preine on Apr 27, 2010 8:59 AM CDT up reply actions
Now what I want to know is who’s going to be calling the game on NBATV?
I have flying monkeys at my disposal, and I'm not afraid to use them.
Some links for you:
NBA referee assignments (Zarba’s working the Cleveland game, rejoice)
Spurs game notes (PDF file)
Mavs game notes (PDF file)
Sometimes the game notes will be updated later in the day closer to game time—you might want to recheck the links accordingly.
I have flying monkeys at my disposal, and I'm not afraid to use them.
I give up, what?
::waiting for punchline::
I have flying monkeys at my disposal, and I'm not afraid to use them.
Oh, I was serious. I wanted to know why to rejoice his working the Cavs game. I actually don’t know that anything about that ref.
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
In January Zarba made some wretched calls on the Spurs and then tossed Pop for pointing out that his essential essence consisted of suckitude.
I have flying monkeys at my disposal, and I'm not afraid to use them.
the spurs of the past were road kill in a game like this. not necessarily super-focused with a 2 game lead, opponent seething and ready for blood in front of the home crowd, etc. a recipe for a lopsided loss.
but i dont think that’s how this one will go down. spurs didnt really play a complete game in either of their home games, so they are due – and dallas seems like they are one double digit defecit away from folding the tent. i wont be surprised if we go down, but i am expecting another hard fought fist fight that will go down to the final minutes.
sadly, i wont be on the thread for tonite – or for thursday if it goes that far. due to a strange technical difficulty, i wont be able to be online at home tonite while watching the game – and i wont be in front of a computer at all for the thursday game. rest assured that i will be doing my part for the mojo though. i have been wearing a very old and tattered 1999 NBA champs shirt since after Game 1……for some reason…..and i’m not about to wash or switch it out now…….
I think you might be right about the double digit defecit. I think this game is going to be a battle of the Mav’s pride versus their mental fortitude to battle back. They are going to need their fairweather fans more than ever tonight. If we empty the arena, the Mavs are sure to quit too.
I have a Mavs fan who sits right next to me at work. I was just telling him the same thing about what would happen if we get a double digit lead.
He agreed. He’s so sick of the Mavs he’s ready to switch allegiances to OKC.
Seeding is for suckers, peaking at the right time is what counts. - Robbie Hilson
o;—-)
This is an odd one to pick, because traditionally this is the game the Spurs would relax on (as most teams would), but I have a hard time not seeing the last game as the team’s ‘lazy’ game. All things considered, the team was lackadaisical in the first half, and won the game on monster defense in the third as well as getting hot from mid range. (On top of Hill dominating). The Spurs as a team haven’t yet had a complete game this series (G2 came closest). By this I mean consistent play across the board and no RQC. They just keep winning in spite of allowing Dallas to go on a 17-0 run once a game.
I could see the Spurs winning easily, just as I could see them dropping it. I think the first quarter will be the tell. If the Spurs come out and put the clamps on them early, I can see Dallas cracking and going through the motions the rest of the game, playing their young guys, goofy desperation lineups, etc. If not, Dallas could easily keep it close and sneak in a win at the end.
The Clamps!!
"We suck on 'D. Both individually and team-wise, we suck. We're pretty consistent that way. I don't know if I have an answer to that. If I did, we wouldn't suck quite so bad." - Popovich
by Aaron "Hirschof" Preine on Apr 27, 2010 11:27 AM CDT up reply actions
Damn you guys I suddenly thought of this about 30 seconds before I got to these comments and how it totally should’ve come up back when the clamps first came up. Awesome, y’all.
Basically voted most normal person on PtR.
He even kinda looks like Marion…
"We suck on 'D. Both individually and team-wise, we suck. We're pretty consistent that way. I don't know if I have an answer to that. If I did, we wouldn't suck quite so bad." - Popovich
by Aaron "Hirschof" Preine on Apr 27, 2010 2:19 PM CDT up reply actions
Saw this and thought of you.
Seeding is for suckers, peaking at the right time is what counts. - Robbie Hilson
o;—-)
"We suck on 'D. Both individually and team-wise, we suck. We're pretty consistent that way. I don't know if I have an answer to that. If I did, we wouldn't suck quite so bad." - Popovich
by Aaron "Hirschof" Preine on Apr 27, 2010 6:20 PM CDT up reply actions 8 recs
Perfect.
Just cause we're crippled, don't mean we gotta take the crumbs.
by silverandblack_davis on Apr 27, 2010 7:26 PM CDT up reply actions
heh… your image didn’t show up on my work PC
"We suck on 'D. Both individually and team-wise, we suck. We're pretty consistent that way. I don't know if I have an answer to that. If I did, we wouldn't suck quite so bad." - Popovich
by Aaron "Hirschof" Preine on Apr 27, 2010 12:06 PM CDT up reply actions
Actually the Spurs of the past closed people out on the road regardless of series spread. Remember being up 3-1 in the ‘05 WCF then finishing the Suns in PHX? The sweeps of ’99? Closing out the Lakers in ’03 at Staples? Their tempo, defense and poise allow them to cut through the opening emotion of a road elimination game. Ultimately, the pressure is on Dallas. Every quarter that ends with us in the lead; every run that we make that takes back or extends our lead, all falls on their shoulders. They’ll fight back, no doubt. And being an emotional team they’ll come out frisky and playing to the crowd. The Spurs will tread through it and be ready for one or more of our stud players to finish in the 4th.
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
Not exactly a telling statistic, but during the last game, they kept mentioning that for the series, the team which won the first quarter eventually won the game.
Just cause we're crippled, don't mean we gotta take the crumbs.
by silverandblack_davis on Apr 27, 2010 7:28 PM CDT up reply actions
+20 for the Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night reference.
"We'll see how our character is," guard Tony Parker said. "We don't have time to be sad. Nobody cares. It's just us. We're the only ones who can help each other."
by Josh Guyer (completely deck) on Apr 27, 2010 9:21 AM CDT reply actions
GO SPURS GO!
I’m expecting big things out of Timmy and Tony tonight!
We have already broken the Mavs mentally, tonight is just a matter of taking care of business.
WTF is the deal with the game being on NBATV though? They did the same thing with the Hawks/Bucks game last night. I freaking hate that. NBATV should NOT be considered nationally televised. All playoff game IMO should be available on ESPN and TNT at least, if not ABC.
GO SPURS GO!!!
They do it for the same reason the NFL puts games on their network, to try to bring legitimacy to their network. If they never have any real games on their nobody will tune in to watch NBA TV outside of a very small group of crazy fans. They know it upsets people, but people will still find a way to watch the games.
As Barkley said after game 4, when told that game 5 would be on NBATV, “I thought we’re supposed to get the good games!” I actually wouldn’t mind the NBATV thing if they offered both teams’ broadcast. Then we could choose and I could hear Sean’s humor and avoid hearing the Mavs’ (understandibly) biased crew.
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
the season is almost over for the MLPs…….they will come out with nothing to lose…….weather the storm and crush their hopes
"Mr. Gilmore deserves to be in the Basketball Hall of Fame damnit. Highest field goal percentage EVER"
http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/gilmoar01.html
thanks, i thought so too
"Mr. Gilmore deserves to be in the Basketball Hall of Fame damnit. Highest field goal percentage EVER"
http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/gilmoar01.html
by Joe deLarios on Apr 27, 2010 12:35 PM CDT up reply actions
i won’t be sad to see the end of jj bieber…
free malik hairston!
perth wildcats - 2009/2010 nbl champions baby!
by sleep research facility on Apr 27, 2010 9:31 AM CDT reply actions
The Spurs need to come out strong. I think the Mavs will be expecting the Spurs to be a little lax in this game. If the Spurs come out and put the pressure on the Mavs that will force the Mavs to over come their weak mental state, which I think they will.
I fully expect the Mavs to play much much better tonight. Not only will they have the fans behind them, they’ll be motivated to not get knocked out without a fight. I think all the “role” players will hit the their open shots and the Spurs will have to be extra crisp on defense.
Something along these lines?
"We suck on 'D. Both individually and team-wise, we suck. We're pretty consistent that way. I don't know if I have an answer to that. If I did, we wouldn't suck quite so bad." - Popovich
by Aaron "Hirschof" Preine on Apr 27, 2010 10:54 AM CDT up reply actions
that persian does look eerily like jason terry
by GodsLoveSpursGlory on Apr 27, 2010 10:55 AM CDT up reply actions
Ginobili with a Leonidas beard, hmm. . . .
"I like the fact that he’s a man." – Hubie Brown on Blair
by Manu ex Machina on Apr 27, 2010 2:22 PM CDT up reply actions
Blair would flip him over his back, haha
"I like the fact that he’s a man." – Hubie Brown on Blair
by Manu ex Machina on Apr 27, 2010 2:30 PM CDT up reply actions
I’d prefer Pop with the beard.
In Manu, we trust.
by day_late_friend on Apr 27, 2010 6:46 PM CDT up reply actions
Nah. They will hesitate for a moment and then jump all by themselves later on.
In Manu, we trust.
by day_late_friend on Apr 27, 2010 6:47 PM CDT up reply actions
if the spurs win tonight, we’ll have a commanding lead in this series…just sayin
by GodsLoveSpursGlory on Apr 27, 2010 10:54 AM CDT reply actions
I agree that it would be hard for them to come back.
"What is this new devilry?" -Jeff Van Gundy
by DrumsInTheDeep on Apr 27, 2010 10:57 AM CDT up reply actions
The P(h)onies Character ... or lack thereof
It’s fascinating to me how teams seem to have a character that, even after so many players change, remains the same. The Nuggets were supposed to have turned the corner when they got Chauncey. Recently, however, it seems Chauncey has become more like the rest rather than vise versa. The Mavs, who stunningly showed that right-on-the-edge frailty of character in the ‘06 Finals, have hardly anyone left from that squad, yet appear to have that same mentality. For all the experience, leadership and savvy that Jason Kidd was supposed to bring to them, he looks generally befuddled out there. Contrast that with the quietly confident, no braggadocio, no chest-thumping of Manu, TD and company. Like others, I think the Mavs are right at the edge of the mental cliff (never mind of an early vacation). If the Spurs hit them early and hard, I think they’ll fold like the school bully kicked in the nuts.
by agutierrez on Apr 27, 2010 11:21 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs
It is interesting. Compared to many other teams in the NBA, the Spurs are a flatline of consistency; today, that means a hell of a whole lot.
by The Augustus on Apr 27, 2010 5:29 PM CDT up reply actions
and it’s okay to be scared, Ericka…we are the Spurs.
by spursfan_needs_counseling on Apr 27, 2010 12:59 PM CDT up reply actions
Thanks for the preview Cap!
i’m curious to see how the Mavs respond tonight, not so much Dirk, but Kidd and Butler. My bed is on badly.
Their big wins in the regular season looked nothing like this. Sure, Hill had some huge games and Blair’s been a beast. But the overall complexion seems like this team just hopped out of a cocoon with swords drawn. It’s like the playoff Spurs just burst from the chest of the regular season Spurs .
This is so awesome.
I also like
Suns, because, well, it’s the Suns and I’m pretty sure there’s an immutable law of physics which says Steve Nash can’t defeat Tony Parker in a playoff series.
by One4theThumb on Apr 27, 2010 3:01 PM CDT up reply actions
I just finished listening to the Game 4 sound bites from the miked coaches. One thing that Pop said caught my attention:
“Be DeJuan Blair … you’ll be great”.
Nice.
http://www.nba.com/video/channels/playoffs/2010/04/25/0040900154_dal_sas_recap.nba/index.html
Middle of page, coaches miked up.
Sorry, I do not know how to attach a link to a phrase.
by SpurScientist on Apr 27, 2010 3:27 PM CDT up reply actions
Man i can’t wait for this evening..HURRY UP!!! I WANNA SEE THE GAME ALREADY!
"Fried chicken gives me the shits......." - Gandhi
by Cello the great on Apr 27, 2010 3:21 PM CDT reply actions
funny the comment about Caron. You could have said nearly the same thing about Manu. But I guess it was the intent.
Anyone watch this? This guy is seriously crazy.
Superman wears Manu Ginobili pajamas to bed. ~ CMoney
I am happy. I am proud. ~ Manu Ginobili
holy shit. fear the deer!
Rim Rockin' Red Rocket -silverandblack_davis
by SpursfanSteve on Apr 27, 2010 6:53 PM CDT up reply actions
Considering how boring the last dunk contest was, we really need a mascot dunk contest.
I did a lot of soul searching. I didn't find anything.
Who dat? Game thread is up.
Just cause we're crippled, don't mean we gotta take the crumbs.
by silverandblack_davis on Apr 27, 2010 8:05 PM CDT up reply actions
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