Im glad Dallas is winning, the last thing I want is for Alonzo Mourning to get a ring, that arrogant prick doesnt deserve it..
If anyone noticed, Jason Williams played TERRIBLE perimeter defense, and once Payton began getting minutes they pulled into double digits. The Glove is still himself on D, and forced several steals, if the Heat want to survive, they should go back to the seniority and Perimeter D he brings.
The game ends 99-85, and was really just a good showing for the Mavericks. The game started out close, both teams were playing rather sloppy ball, making just bad fundamental mistakes. People was not stepping into the passes coming to them, making lazy passes, not protecting the ball while dribbling, and dribbling out of control. The heat seemed to be doing decently enough when Williams was attacking the rim and getting into the paint, but then Harris came into the game and cut that off early in the second quarter.Once Williams stopped driving to the lane as much, and Stackhouse started to heat up, the Mavericks just ran away. The team was pushing the ball, just like they have done all season. They didn't automatically give the ball to their point guard when getting a rebound, whoever got the rebound turned around and took the ball down court(except Diop and Dampier obviously,) while the rest of the players would take off. Terry did a great job of managing the Dallas team, especially being that veteran type guard. I counted so many times where the Mavericks seemed to get a little excited with the ball, or clump together on offense, so Terry would go grab the ball pull it out towards half court and set up the offense. The defense for Dallas was amazing, but some of that had to go towards the fact that Dallas was not afraid of any other player on the court beating them tonight. No one was hitting open jump shots, or their layups, so it made it easy for them to commit to double teaming Shaq the entire night. Shaq was passing well as i said earlier, but no one else was making shots.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Fouled Out @ Jun 12 2006, 02:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Can't say I'm upset about Shaq sucking these two games...</div>I'm personally not upset but shaq's ego must have taken a bruising after today's game. Quite sad.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Heatfan32 @ Jun 12 2006, 01:04 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I'd just like to state out the obvious here: Stackhouse>The entire Heat bench combined.</div>He had a point less today, but your point still rings true.A more important point is the aforementioned Damp's points > Shaq's points. The Heat won't win a game if that continues.I really think Avery outcoached Riley tonight. The first few minutes was like a Hack-a-Heat, they couldn't even really shoot anything. Eventually we had to change directions with our strategy, but the most important thing had been established, and that was to deny Wade and Shaq shots and mess up their rhythm. Maybe it isn't "outcoaching," but Avery definitely had a plan coming right out of the gates tonight.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Justice @ Jun 12 2006, 02:24 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>He had a point less today, but your point still rings true.A more important point is the aforementioned Damp's points > Shaq's points. The Heat won't win a game if that continues.I really think Avery outcoached Riley tonight. The first few minutes was like a Hack-a-Heat, they couldn't even really shoot anything. Eventually we had to change directions with our strategy, but the most important thing had been established, and that was to deny Wade and Shaq shots and mess up their rhythm. Maybe it isn't "outcoaching," but Avery definitely had a plan coming right out of the gates tonight.</div>Point less or not, he came in and set the rhythm for the team, Mavs fell on him and he came up for them. Also, both teams started like crap but I couldn't believe we were missing such easy layups and shots, Avery did outcoach Riley here. The hack-a-Shaq has hurt is badly, hes shooting around 40% from the line, in previous years that wouldn't stop him but he doesn't have the same step he had a few years ago.Watching these games reminds me of the Detroit-Los Angeles series back in 2004 where they were able to hurt Shaq with team defense. All I can say is good job Dallas and if we don't win 2/3 at home we are done, I would hate to see us lose the series at home. Watching the Heat play today was like they were scared or nervous, I'm still deciding which one was it. They didn't have the same confidence they had in game 1, instead of playing better then they played worst.
From espn's daily dimeAfter Game 1, Heat fans swore Shaq and Wade would come back and have a monster game, and take over the series. I'm thrilled to see what they have to say now. All the hype about Wade ready to take over the big stage, and dominate . . . he's been "sensationally" horrendous. And wow, that guy found on a train, he's makin Damp look like Olajuwon 12 years ago. Wonder if Riley will make a 180-degree team change this off season too. Or will Shaq demand a trade, pulling a "I can't exist with Wade" deal like he's done twice already. Good stuff DirkAnd shaq got fined for not turning up to the press conference. It keeps getting worse for him.
Alright, we obviously have our backs against the walls, but we're no where near finished. If you look at this way, a series hasn't begun until a team wins a game on the road. If we can just protect our home court, we got a shot at this. I believe Shaq is going to come back strong at home. He was completely embarassed in game 2 and I can't see him letting it happening again here. We have to regroup and like I said, just protect our homecourt and work our way up from there.
He was embarrased in game 1 and got even more embarassed in game 2. Maybe the trend continues....p.s. Melo 061, love this sh*t
Oh the Series isn't over yet...But the Heat will not win 3 strait at home. Dallas is too good to lose 3 strait at this time of the year, and they are too good a road team not to win a road game, if not 2.But make no mistake about it...this series is not going past game 6.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (PrimeTime @ Jun 12 2006, 12:14 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>If anyone noticed, Jason Williams played TERRIBLE perimeter defense, and once Payton began getting minutes they pulled into double digits. The Glove is still himself on D, and forced several steals, if the Heat want to survive, they should go back to the seniority and Perimeter D he brings.</div>Well, GP is not still himself on D. But a 36 year old Gary Payton is better on defense than Jason Williams has ever been. Gary is still a relatively good defender, but I must say, not close to what he was in his prime.But about Game 2. I'm almost speechless. Shaq took what 11 shots in Game 1. Shaq wanted more toughes, the media said to expect it, and Pat Riley insured he would get more touches. What happened in Game 2? He get shoots 2-5 and gets 5 points. I can honestly say I don't think I have ever seen Shaq do either of taking as little as 5 shots, and score as little as 5 points!I give credit to Antoine Walker though. He was supposed to step up, everyone has been calling for him to step up. He did, he scored 20 points shooting 50% and he only commited 2 turnovers. Great job Toine. Wade looked pretty good on the stat sheet again, but no doubt he doesn't look the same. He's sick right now and not fully rested and not fully healthy. I love that he is fighting it out no matter what and is giving him all even if he does have the flu, or something close to it. That's a mark of a true great player.But enough about Miami because they disgusted me last night. Erick(a) Dampier was a monster. I don't know how many rebounds he grabbed but I'm willing to bet it was about 11-12. Dirk played like everyone though he would, but still impressed me. He had 25-26 points as well as 14+ rebounds and he was nearly perfect from the line. J-Stack played very well off the bench and knocked down every open jumper. The Jet struggled shooting from the outside, but he took it inside and produced a little and at the same time did a great job of finding the open man. How many assists did he have? And to put the icing on the cake, Josh Howard played pretty well offensively and hit his shots.Great win for Dallas, that was huge. But, who knows what can/will happen with the next 3 in Miami.
It is confirmed after 2 games that Dampier>Shaq and the only Shaq stopper in the league I know of. The key though was containing Wade since he is borderline the playoff MVP if not for Dirk. I don't expect Wade to be as bad as these last 2 games but I think Dallas has the answer for Shaq.
Does homecourt cure strategy woes?Seriously, the Mavs have created a nightmare for the Heat: they made Shaq an offensive liability. When Dampier and whoever else double-teams him, he puts up bad shots. When Diop is defending him, he can rarely get passes because of Diop's agility. The only thing I can really think to do is rest your team on Zo. He had over double what Shaq had in fewer minutes.I didn't think the Mavs could do what they did last night, but I knew they could do something like it. You don't just accidentally blow out the defending champs (I still consider them our most difficult playoff opponent, obviously) on their homecourt. The Heat are a good team, but the problem isn't as easy as, "Well, Shaq just needs to play better!" As I said earlier in the thread, Shaq and Wade need to score about a combined 50 to really help the Heat win. If they had lost by say 5 points or 3 points or whatever, I could see this thing coming back to Dallas. But they haven't even been fouling at the end of the game, because they've been so far behind. And on top of that, they need Haslem at 100% or at least close to that. I'm just so proud.
For the record, Dampier and Diop aren't Shaq stoppers, Avery Johnson is a Shaq stopper. Either hack-a-Shaq or just throw 3 bodies on him, now I don't know of any players that can handle constant double teams, Shaq at this age is no exception.
Shaq was double teamed but still it wouldn't matter if Shaq had good positioning but both Dampier and Diop are keeping him away from being under the rim and forcing him farther out. So the Shaq stopper is Dampier+ double team. Miami has been flawed from 3 point range all year yet teams refused to double Shaq or at least when they did not to allow Wade to get open in the process. Leave Walker open and force him to shoot a high percentage which I don't he will do.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Heatfan32 @ Jun 13 2006, 06:28 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>For the record, Dampier and Diop aren't Shaq stoppers, Avery Johnson is a Shaq stopper. Either hack-a-Shaq or just throw 3 bodies on him, now I don't know of any players that can handle constant double teams, Shaq at this age is no exception.</div>It seems that everyone thinks Shaq has never been constantly doubled team. The fact is that Shaq has fallen off. Shaq even 2 years ago would've busted Avery's double teams.
