One positive about this game: We know for sure that Nowitzki won't have a career night. Griffin seems to play him well. Finley is on fire recetly though. For the first time this season, I think, Yao has the strength advantage agaist the opposing C. Of course, the height advantage is negated. What do we need? We need Francis to, for once, school Nash, and for Mobley to play up to Finley's level. Our frontcourt and bench will beat their frontcourt and depth. Without Lafrentz and NVE, their starters are logging HEAVY minutes, so this could be good for us. I hope Cato's back. If he's back and scores 10 while grabbing 10 boards, we'll win.
Perimeter defense is the key. Don't double team anybody. Nash will be lost in our big front court. My rotation: Cato/Yao - Bradley MoT - xxx Griffin/Kenny - Dirk Cat/Hawk - Finley Steve - Nash Lose Moochie and Rice. Sub Hawk at 2 or 3. Play the 8-man rotation. This game is the first touchstone of the season for Rox. Final score: Rox 100 : Mavs 99
It is no surprise that some in the Mavs organization are concerned. First Dirk, for sure, is very impressed with our backcourt. Second, we gave them their worst beating last year and we are improved this year. 3. Although we are clearly a work in progress we could just solve their mystery on Thurs. Do we have an answer for the mavs? Let's count the ways: Nash: Creates and can score. If Wink is indeed improved this year, I would expect Steve to take everything out of Nash. Wink should not be lookng to stray or help, on defense. Stick with Nash like Payton would. Very important to get back on defense and stop the ball. To help that, Wink should work him on offense too. I would move Wink alot and put Nash through as many picks as possible, and even try to get him in foul trouble. Finley: Mobley and Hawk. Again there is no need for these guys to leave Finley. If there is a frontcourt player dominating ours then let it be, do not leave Finley. The mavs cannot afford to invest, in this game, the amount of resources needed to get Finley to 20 points based on the Mobely and Hawk playing him. PF - Dirk/Najera: Our matchup is primary EG and MoT with KT available for Najera. When Dirk is on the outside, keep him in front of you. If he goes down low, front him and plan for help from other forward or even center. Go to EG and MoT regularly as Dirk is not the best defensively and we may get a few fouls. Collectively this would make him getting 20 point a real stretch. Getting back on defense is very important here. We have to force them into a halfcourt game. SF - Griffin/Williams: KT and Rice is a superior matchup. Bradley: The combo of Cato, Ming, Collier and EG should be used. If we want easy baskets and pick up some fouls on Bradley and even Dirk we have to have our guys run the floor. They all can beat Bradley down the floor and should constantly get the inside passes in transition. I would hope the Francis would not be walking up the ball because we are the faster team, pound for pound. Some may say the running is their game but I believe it is also ours and if we want to reduce the amount of times we see that zone of theirs then we should get into our offense quickly. Are we equipped to run all game? I think that is what depth is all about. We have the horses. Throw everything at them. Even give Dirk a little bit of Ming. If I were playing the rockets, I would be scared.
I saw TV analysts (I think it was ESPN, but I don't remember) saying the tough part would be a back-to-back with Detroit and some other team (sorry, I don't really know the Mav's schedule), but that particularly ticked me off because not only were they completely over looking last night's match up with the Lakers, they also forgot about Texas' best team -- the ROCKETS! We'll show 'em what's up tomorrow.
I ordered Kung Pao Chicken last night. I opened my foturne cookie and was shocked. "Dirk left holding Steve's jock strap." Wow.
Cato/Yao/Collier will break down Bradley so expect to see Dirk more at C. That leaves A. Griffin/W. Wiliams against KT/Hawkins/Rice at SF Popeye Jones against EG/MoT at PF Cat against Finley at SG Steve against Nash at PG Given that NVE and LaFrentz is out with injuries, I favor the matchup to go Rockets direction. Down with Dallas!!!!!!!
I came to realize from my own post that the best avenue of shutting down the Mavs is not through Nash, but actually through Dirk. They have a strong running game with Nash perimeter and Dirk interior. So you have to shut down one of them. With a deep frontcourt like the Rox have, to run our guys at Dirk and get him into foul trouble would be feasible. Conversely, we have enough players to distribute the fouls in case the calls fall on the Rox. Makes sense doesn't it?
I'm suprised by how little respect you guys are showing the Mavs (actually I'm not that suprised). By the sound of things you guys are expecting to go into Dallas, and blow the Mavs out of the water. I'll be the first to admit that the Rockets always give the Mavs fits, and they are the team that best matches up with Dallas but come on, they're 11-0 for a reason. I hope for the Rockets sake that the players are not discounting the Mavs as much as you guys are.
You are absolutely right in that Dirk is the Mavs money guy. But it's not Dirk's inside game that's killing the league right now. Rox must have a good perimeter defense in order to win. Mavs is still a run-n-shoot team.
I have a bad feeling that Finley's gonna light us up faster than a candle...prob a 30-40 pt game...maybe even like Kobe's game. Rocks have trouble w/ good SGs
I have no problem with Finley going off like Kobe, as long as the rest of Dallas goes ice cold like the Lakers did. That is probably not going to happen though. We have to rebound well against Dallas. Last night they had 3 players with 10+ boards. The Rockets have to shoot a decent % also - nothing below 45% if they want to win. I think we match up very well with Dallas - they can be beat, they must be beat. Houston 93 Dallas 89
