1. You ought to give credit where credit is due. They were playing like crap before the all star break. Then after the trade they went on a 13 game winning streak and were 23-7 overall after the all star break. Regardless of the fact that the schedule was a bit easier, it still is a great accomplish and showed that Dallas has improved tremendously since the trade. 5. You said they will bring it "every" game. But they haven't. They've all had 2-3 bad games. Now I don't think that is a huge problem for San Antonio. That is how a series usually goes. Some players step up in some games, other players in other games (e.x: George Hill). 6. You are right about Kidd, Terry, and Marion not playing that well. But what I liked about game 5 is that they were taking it to the rim a lot more as opposed to the jumpshot. Also, who needs a inside "pivot man" when you have Dirk? 25 ppg at 53% shooting sounds good enough to me...
The fact that the Mavs are down 3-2 going into SA is all that matters. You complain about soft ass Dirk not getting his little touch fouls like he did in 05 and 06... Duncan usually gets hammered by Erica.. I think you can use the same argument about the officials on both sides make it neutral. The fact that the Mavs aren't playing like the same team that was there in the regular season should throw out all the regular season numbers.
All that matters is that if the Spurs lose game 6, the Mavs are going to win this series in 7. My complaint was only about one game - game 4 - in all the other games I felt the refs did a fairly decent job. FYI: Damp didn't play the last game - that is not much of a excuse you got there. Also, both games in San Anotonio were close and went down to the wire. Game 6 is going to be a darn good game. I am just of the opinion that Dallas wins. A 103-81 win over San Antonio = Not as good as they played in the regular season? Are you for real?...
Or maybe the season as a whole? I just figured since you found it prudent to throw the Regular season (82 games), throwing out 4 games wasn't a big deal to you...
You're arguing with a Mavs fan and YOU WILL NOT WIN. Anyone who calls Dampier "Damp" is without a doubt a Mavs fan- so it doesn't matter what you say- according to them, they lost the championship in 2006 due to the refs, they lost in 2007 because Nellie had inside information, and if they lose this year, it will be "well, our guys just didn't have enough time to gel!!!" You should know that the last thing the Mavericks want to accept is personal responsibility for their outcomes. So it's a pointless argument.
I give the Spurs the edge because of their mental toughness, something the Mavpricks severely lack. The Big Three will step up big and win game 6 decisively and Cuban is gonna kill himself.
you're blind. mavs had a good streak against bad teams while the spurs beat the celtics, cavs, nuggets, magic, and lakers to finish out the season. mavs are a good road team, but that doesn't matter in the playoffs. the role players aren't showing up for dallas when they play in san antonio. caron butler is going to disappear again, spurs role players are going to do well, and dirk will be manhandled again without getting the foul calls he needs. but it's sports, so it's no fun if there aren't different predictions out there.
1. Dallas lost to the Celtics during that stretch so I'll give you that one. Also, they didn't get to play Cleveland but did manage to beat them WITHOUT DIRK earlier in the year. But Dallas also beat the Nuggets, Magic, and Lakers during the stretch. So if the only difference between the teams is one beat the Celtics and the other didn't - I hardly call that convincing. 2. If the point you are trying to make here is that home and road doesn't matter much in the playoffs then I'll agree with you (when two elite teams are playing of course). The point I was making is that Dallas is a good road team and is more than capable of winning in San Antonio. 3. I think everyone agrees that the Maverick role players haven't shown up in San Antonio (part of it has to do with Carlisle deciding to bench Caron Butler and Shawn Marion for the entire 2nd half of Game 3 - but that is a different story). The only difference is that I think they will show up in Game 6 whereas you don't. It is a matter of opinion and we'll just agree to disagree. 4. Don't worry about Dirk, he has handled the Spurs well in the past and has defeated them two series in a row. I wouldn't worry too much about the whole playing in San Antonio thing either - Dallas has won 2 games in San Antonio in each of the past three series against them. We'll see what happens when they play. It should be a great one...
That's exactly how they act. I've lived in SA for about a year now and a lot of these fans here are humble for what their team has achieved. Dallas is the complete opposite. Let me give you a little advice, advice that we give to tinman. STOP LIVING IN THE PAST. Did Dallas suddenly acquire Jerry Stackhouse and Josh Howard back? It's not the same team.
Dirk & Terry were there for the Mavs and the big three were there (and healthy) for San Antonio. Btw, Dirk & Terry were the ones who came up HUGE in that game. Dirk went 11-20 for 37 pts and Terry was 9-20 for 27 pts (3-6 from 3 & 6-6 ft). You know what? I'll stop living in the past. Lets us talk about this series. San Antonio had a chance to eliminate Dallas in Game 5. But instead the Spurs lost by 22. I guess this proves their mental toughness?...
Point is... just because they did it before with a DIFFERENT group of guys doesn't mean they'll do it again. Those stats are irrelevant. Dallas also had a chance to win game's 3 and 4.. especially 4... when they were up by 15. We'll see who wins tonight.
Umm....Big Three? I think Jason Terry has to accomplish more than being a streak shooter and a 6th Man winner to be considered part of a Big 3. Maybe a Big 2.4, or a Big 2.56, but not a Big 3. Maybe that's the problem with the Mavs- who exactly is their Big 3? Dirk, Terry and Butler? Dirk, Butler, and Kidd? Dirk, Dampier, and Barea? Dirk, Marion, and Haywood? See, I don't think even Carlisle knows. Bottom line is scoreboard- San Antonio is up 3 games to 2 without having had homecourt advantage. Dallas SHOULD have been the ones up 3 games to 2, so they are the underachievers at this point. If they win the next 2, all props to them. But 1 loss and they're right back to being the...., well, let's put it this way- unlike other teams, they're losing series that they're favored to win. 2006 Finals, 2007 First Round, etc. Now this. It'll be VERY interesting to see which team shows up.
I think you misunderstood my post. I mean that Dirk & Terry were there for Dallas and San Antonio's big three (Duncan, Parker, Ginobili) were there for the Spurs. I agree that they have underachieved at this point. Before the series started I thought Dallas was winning in 6. But I still feel that they are the better team and will pull this out in the end. I guess we'll see...
Point well taken. I feel that San Antonio is the better team and I stick with my original prediction of SA in 6. But as long as the Rockets aren't in the playoffs, WHO CARES????????????!!!!!!!!!!?????????????? :grin:
I sort of agree with you - it doesn't necessarily show that Dirk & Terry will go off for 37 and 27 points respectively again. However, the stats are not irrelevant. It shows that they did come to play in the big game and that they do have 'mental toughness'.
