I think the key is to instead make sure Dallas can't neutralize T-mac. This way they are a wash, and it comes down to the teams. Let's face it, we have no more of a solution to the big german, then they do for t-mac, but we have a big china man in our pocket as well....if only we can make sure the hidden dragon will show itself.
Even though shutting down everyone else is MORE important than containing Dirk, I'll throw my opinion out. 1. DO NOT PUT TMAC ON HIM. Why waste McGrady's energy when there's obviously a size mismatch staring at us in the face? 2. THROW BOWEN/BRAGGS AT HIM. I think, even though both are offensive liabilities, they can keep up with him. Bowen has pretty good--maybe even underrated?--lateral quickness. This will be vital in nixing any perimeter opportunities for Dirk and forces him to drive to the hole. With Braggs, he's a bit shorter, but he's strong enough and is probably faster than Weatherspoon. 3. TIRE HIM OUT. Obviously he's not one of the better defenders and it'll be an easier task for him since there's no offensive threat at the 5 slot. So when we can, play small balll. I do realize they have quick guards as well, but putting in TMac at the 4 and a trio of Wesley, Jamse and Sura COULD be an option. Haven't seen it yet, but it could happen. What does this do? It forces Dirk to guard either TMac or one of our guards. Penetrate and try to draw a foul. If they slide him over to center? Dump Yao the ball and try to draw the foul. Basically: limit the amount of time he spends on the floor. 4. CUT OFF THEIR OFFENSE BEFORE IT GETS TO HIM. Wesley/Sura/James does a pretty good job on the defensive end. If they can force TOs and what not, it will, of course, limit the amount of touches Dirk gets. 5. DO NOT FOUL HIM. Dirk gets calls period. Don't foul him.
you can't stop or contain dirk. the same can be said about t-mac... hopefully the same will be true for yao, and if that is the case dallas won't be able to slow both tmac, and yao.
they are unguardable for different reasons. Dirk is unguardable because there are not many people that can match up with him. He's 7feet, can run the floor and has range. However, if you put Duncan, or the Wallaces and other mobile/quick/athletic 4's on him, he will struggle because he doesn't shoot off the dribble. Tracy is unguardable because he's athletic, tall, can shoot the ball well, can get a shot off in any situation and he has the best handle in basketball (behind Iverson). I gurantee you JVG will dust off those thick defensive scheme books and slow down Nowitzki. They can't slow down T-mac, because if he's double teamed, he will make the great passes to the open man. Like Tolbert said: "When McGrady misses a shot, it's because of him and not because of what the defense does. He gets such great elevation on shots, that you can't contest them"
JVG will have a scheme. IMO, you have to double him on the perimeter with someone like T-Mac. T-Mac's man will likely be Josh Howard and you wnat him to have to beat you. If he's on the post, you double with Yao and rotate. I think we'll see T-Mac on him for stretches, but not a long period of time. Dirk will get his. No question. The big key is limiting Terry and Finley - not letting them get open looks or get into the lane - and keeping Van Horne and Stackhouse out on the perimeter. More than anything, this team is going to have to close out on its defenders and rotate like their lives depend on it. The more in the face of Dallas they are, the better the chance they will have of holding the Mavs below 40 percent shooting - IMO, the magic number.
Get in his face on the perimeter. Fight through the screens and switch off to force him to dribble drive and not get too many free jumpers from the perimeter. Have Spoon/Bowen/Padgett guard Damp or whoever is playing the 5 for them so that when they come out for the screen, it is our 4 that is switching off while Yao/Deke is still lurking in the interior. I like the idea of the small lineup too, with TMac at the 4 and Barry at the 3. This forces Dirk to have to defend TMac. TMac should take it inside and draw fouls from him. Put the pressure on Dirk defensively. Make him have to work on the defensive end. Dallas has to adjust by going small and moving Dirk to the 5. When this happens, as long as he is setting up outside, let Barry play on him, and then if he comes down and plays the post, let Yao/Mutombo take him then. The only scary part about this is, our center has to play off him when he posts up at the FT line, because if he is up close on Dirk, it's one dribble and a layup and a foul. So, when they post Dirk up, our 5 has to play off, and one of our guards has to come down for the double. Other than that, have Yao give him a knee to the groin is our only other option.
I'm pretty sure Bruce is in San Antonio, but anyone with Bowen as their surname is a good defender from what I heard!
Dirk is a rythmn shooter. A streak shooter is inconsistent. They go hot and cold. A rythmn shooter is one who is very consistent when they get the shots that they are comfortable with. Certain places and situtations are important. They must be disrupted. When a rythmn shooter gets disrupted they sometimes will disappear for stretches simply because they do not feel comfortable. They can lose some confidence. This is what we must do in this series. Keep Dirk out of his comfort zone. The best way to do this is frustrate him early and often. If he misses shots early in the 1st qtr.a nd early in the 3rd qtr. and is shooting a lower % he may start letting the defense affect him and pass up shots. I have seen him do this. Iverson is also a rythmn shooter, but he won't disappear, he will keep shooting no matter what. Peja is a rythmn shooter. A pure shooter who can hit all day if they are allowed to get comfortable. So we must harrass Dirk early, deny him the ball, quickly double, fight hard through picks and be very careful who we leave open in the process. Spoon will be a disaster because Dirk can shoot over the top of him with ease. And you don't want to foul a rythmn shooter because I think it keeps them in rythmn because a miss and a foul gives them as much confidence as a make. That is why the guy is good. If he is comfortable he can drain the shots. Just contain him below 30, defend the paint very well, get back hard and fast on transition and don't double off of Finley and Stackhouse, they are both scorers. Scorers will get points one way or another they have alot of confidence. They will drive, pull up or chase loose balls, whatever it takes to get 20-25 pts. We need the scoring load on the least experienced players. They will be the ones who crack under pressure over 6 games.
PS- Also I think we shouldn't overly focus attention on Dirk. Dallas has the kind of players who can be unsung heroes each night. We don't want someone else hot either. That is why it is very important who we put on Dirk. It must be someone who can really harrass him. Quick to get in his face, and quick enough not to foul him on the drive. Make him dribble towards the basket, don't let him dribble around a pick and pull up. He is a very nice shooter. If he makes some early shots he can go off for 40+ I would use TMac very sparingly defending Dirk. He moves very well without the ball and he gets alot of foul calls. I think Bowan is a no brainer for the harrassment assignment.
I am telling you, Braggs with his size and mobility might prove to be the x-factor this series if JVG allows him to defend Dirk. He is very strong and physical, can rebound, and is the biggest PF we have down low. I would use Braggs and Bowen above everyone else. I would really limit Spoon's minutes in this series.
unfortunately, Braggs didn't make the Rockets' playoff roster. link: http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/3147615
I'd say Hack-a-Dirk! Break his rhythme. Shooter have to feel it before they go unconscious on the offensive end. Hack him at the beginning of every quartor. Of cause put T-Mac on him is also a good idea. T-Mac is an already established star. He normally won't get some bull**** calls on defense. And T-Mac is quick and long.
We know that it's going to come down to the final minutes of the fourth quarter in every game, so why not put T-Mac on him for two to three minutes a game? A combination of Spoon, Padgett, and Bowen will TRY to slow him down through out the rest of the game, good luck to them.
