Well I hope we get the spurs for different reasons. 1.) we actually match up better with the spurs 2.) we play better being the under dog 3.) I firmly believe game 1 for us will be a flat game and would rather lose game one on the road than at home. 4.) whomever comes out of the Dallas vs Sas series will be motivated. 5.). Spurs are a great team, but they've proven they can lose with HCA, I.E. Memphis series. 6.) Aldridge loves to play against Duncan and most likely pop will play Aldridge in single coverage as well 7.) Dallas will double Aldridge, like you said, and I don't think Aldridge is ready to be the player to pass out of the double like most dominant big man do. 8.) Carlisle will know everything stotts plays. He will have the upper hand.
Both teams are about as successful on the road as they are at home. The difference is San Antonio was 30-11 on the road compared to Dallas at 23-18 on the road.
I agree, I prefer Dallas. Also Aldridge and Dirk would be fun to watch as there playing styles are very similar. Not to mention Stotts vs. Carlisle. It's always fun to see Mark Cubans Facial expressions when he's loosing.
Some of your points I can see. but. 1 - Lillard won't shoot 45% from three against the spurs with all the screens he will have to fight through guarding parker. (When Danny green isn't in the game.) 2 - If the Spurs can force Stotts to pull Lopez and go small ball I believe the Spurs have a huge advantage in small ball. Mo is obviously hurting playing through it but he's the Blazers only real "small ball sub" 3 - I don't think the spurs are mental enough to not throw multiple looks @ Aldridge to prevent him from going off like he did against the Rockets. 4 - Memphis series was 4? years ago? Spurs are a different animal now. I remember watching the spurs come back from 24 down @ halftime against the Clippers. Acting like it was nothing. But I also remember watching the meltdown the Spurs had against OKC being up 2-0. 5 - Pop is arguable the best coach in the NBA. I think Wesley matches up better with Ellis than he does with Ginobli. I think Batum has a huge advantage against anyone the Mavs can throw @ Batum. I think Lopez would eat the Mavs for dinner. Blair/Dalembert/Dirk/Marion boxing out lopez? ha. Give me that every day all day and twice on sunday. Aldridge/Batum play dirk decently. But Dirk is Dirk.. He's one of those players you hate, but respect. No one on the Mavs can guard Lillard or even slow him remotely. Carlisle knows stotts, but stotts knows Carlisle.
A lot of truth in here but on the other side we can play the Spurs straight up effectively unlike the Rockets. We don't have to cheat over and try to strip/double their center because he is so dominant, LA will get to rest in a way on defense because Splitter isn't much of a threat down low (Assuming we put Lopez on Duncan), and we are ready on defense for what the Spurs are about to throw because we've dealt with a ton of high screens and penetration by guards for 6 games plus if we can force Harden to his right we sure as hell can force Manu to his.
Doesn't matter much which team we play between those two, if I have to choose I'm going Mavs because Stotts really knows that team. Anyone think it was possible to have a Wizards-Blazers finals?
I had a huge, long post, but I deleted it because I realized 'ain't nobody got time for dat.' Basically, I think a matchup with SA would showcase some great basketball, and I feel like we have a decent chance if we can keep our heads in the game and match their intensity. I think a matchup with Dallas would be a dogfight very similar to what we just experienced with the Rockets because Dallas is another team that is very similar to us offensively and defensively. I'm not sure I can take another series like that, so I start leaning towards wanting SA. Then you realize SA didn't finish with the top record for nothing, and they've been here before. I don't know what to think. We seem to play up or down to our competition, so either way it will be tough.
The thing that worries me most about the Spurs that I dont about the Mavs is the floor spacing and they have a lot of 3 point shooters. Green, Diaw, Mills, Bonner (if hes even playing i havent noticed lol), Ginobli. When Parker or Ginobli penetrate we need to make sure we are covering the 3 point shooters. My ideal defensive scheme is having Batum on Parker like we normally do and Wes on Ginobli and having Lillard on Leonard/Green.
I feel like Lillard and Aldridge match up better with San Antonio. It all starts with them two having big games.
Best way to hide Lillard's defense could be putting him on Danny Green. Calderon/Ellis will pick and roll him to death, and Marion can post Lillard easy Guarding Parker is ridiculously hard, so put Matthews or Batum on him. The other can guard Leonard. Green is primarily a 3pt shooter so he won't hurt Lillard in the post, and he won't really take him off the dribble, either. And Mo and Patty can take turns playing horrible defense on each other. I think Harris would own Mo.
I do agree facing the spurs is a daunting task, but this is house money guys... Seriously, we did what others said was impossible for us to do. I think we have a great shot at beating the spurs, and if we do, it's going to condition us to be a great team. If we face Dallas and win the series, many will discount the series win as a fluke, since it wasn't against the real #1 team in the league. If we beat the spurs, all doubters will change their tune. A series win over the spurs will give us the confidence we need to win the next round and maybe the finals.
Spurs. I simply can't root for the Mavs over the Spurs. Plus, you gotta beat the best to be the best. Plus other points others have already made.
I agree... To be the best, you must beat the best. Every champ has done it and we are in business to be champions. If we fail to beat them, it sets a good measuring stick of what to improve on for next season.
if the mavs beat the spurs in game 7 wouldn't they be considered better than the spurs therefore beating the mavs would be beating the best? Leonard would post Lillard because the spurs would take advantage of it. Blazers whould have to shade/double which would open up their 3 point shooters. so that's a matchup that favors Leonard. Also I highly doubt ginobli not being in the game in a late game situation. therefore Lillard would have to guard parker. because Ginobli/leonard would attack him. Now if leonard is out in place of green. or the Spurs were able to force small ball sure. But overall your analysis isn't complete. it's not about guarding parker. It's about working through the 5..6...7.. screens set for him on EVERY possession. Okay maybe it's not 6 or 7. But the guy comes off a lot of screens. that's how the spurs run their offense.
