If the Mavs win, they will move a half a game behind us for HCA in the playoffs. If the Spurs win they will tie the mavs for the best record in the west and will be 1 and a half games back of us. So tonight we need San Antonio.


Big game for the Pistons, GO SPURS.

If the Mavs win, they will move a half a game behind us for HCA in the playoffs. If the Spurs win they will tie the mavs for the best record in the west and will be 1 and a half games back of us. So tonight we need San Antonio.


Big game for the Pistons, GO SPURS.

Actually it would be 1 full game behind still.

Still, I'd rather see the Spurs win tonight, as we have the tiebreaker vs SA should we tie in the standings.

Exactly. Go Spurs!

This on TV?

TNT. I'll be watching.

Should Dallas get the 1st seed, SA will have to play the 5th seed (Clippers) instead of the 8th seed (Lakers). I prefer that scenario much more than SA winning the division and having an easy way to the Finals.

Should Dallas get the 1st seed, SA will have to play the 5th seed (Clippers) instead of the 8th seed (Lakers). I prefer that scenario much more than SA winning the division and having an easy way to the Finals.

That is of course assuming that the Mavs can't beat San Antonio. I think it will be a tough series, but I can see where you are coming from. You're right you want the 4th seed to be the team that makes it out of the West. they'd have to play the 5th seed, the 1st seed and likely the winner of the #2 vs #3 just to get to the finals. That could be three 6 or 7 game rounds...

I think some of the dismissiveness leveled towards the Mavs is uncomfortably similar to the way people have written us (Pistons) off in the past, most notably 03-04, a lot of times its done without substance, its simply "they've never gotten to the finals before" repackaged. That's fine, but I think their play is better and their D is better. They are a legitimate threat to beat the SPurs. I'd ratehr play the Spurs in the Finals. We own them.

I'd rather play the Spurs because we are built to beat them. The Mavs on the otherhand blew us out and I can't stand Cuban getting near a championship.

So far this resembles our game in San Antonio.

Dallas just has so many weapons offensively. SA is a three man team, and something seems wrong with Duncan this year.

PHX could be a juggernaut come playoff time if Stoudemire comes back near 100%.

Nash/Barbosa
Jones/Bell
Marion/Diaw
Stoudamire/K.Thomas
T.Thomas

Dallas just has so many weapons offensively. SA is a three man team, and something seems wrong with Duncan this year.

that's basically how i feel about facing dallas or the spurs in the finals. the spurs have the experience, but just seem "old" compared to the mavs. if the mavs ride a hot streak in the WCF's and into the playoffs.....look out.

Dallas only has one great man-to-man defender in Howard, though.

That's the main difference I see between us and them. We can defend at almost every position.

EVentually, the Spurs will have to double Duncan, and the roof will cave in.

Dallas only has one great man-to-man defender in Howard, though.

That's the main difference I see between us and them. We can defend at almost every position.

true, but i worry about our seeming desire to play run and gun basketball with run and gun opponents. we're not beating dallas if we just try to go up and down with them in a track meet.

Dallas only has one great man-to-man defender in Howard, though.

That's the main difference I see between us and them. We can defend at almost every position.

true, but i worry about our seeming desire to play run and gun basketball with run and gun opponents. we're not beating dallas if we just try to go up and down with them in a track meet.

Take a look at out last month or so? Has ANYBODY broken 100 on us?

I think too many people don't give the Pistons credit for being a smart team. They know how much they can afford to turn up the tempo.

I think it's a tad insulting to think we'll try to get into a scoring match with Dallas.

yeah, we've been playing some good defense after the break.....which, oddly (or maybe not so oddly), coincides with Lindsey returning.

but during the last game vs. Denver, they were just 1 bucket from scoring 100. that one sequence sticks out, when there were like 4 misses in a row from both teams, while they just kept running up and down the floor. instead of slowing down the action and setting up in the half court, they tried to play Denver-style ball.

It coincides with both Lindsey AND Dale Davis. Both are one of the very best at what they do.

And if last night was a playoff game, we'd have played differently. I'm sure of that. They just wanted to have some fun in an otherwise-unimportant game.

They just wanted to have some fun in an otherwise-unimportant game.

eh, i don't let them off that easy. they've constantly stressed how badly they want HCA. Dallas and the Spurs are right behind them. EVERY game is important.

They just wanted to have some fun in an otherwise-unimportant game.

eh, i don't let them off that easy. they've constantly stressed how badly they want HCA. Dallas and the Spurs are right behind them. EVERY game is important.

It'll become important if they lose again soon, which I doubt they will.

They just wanted to have some fun in an otherwise-unimportant game.

eh, i don't let them off that easy. they've constantly stressed how badly they want HCA. Dallas and the Spurs are right behind them. EVERY game is important.

Dumars said around the All-Star break that HCA through the eastern conference is what was really important, because of the 2-2-1-1-1 format and corresponding travel. Not so much with the finals 2-3-2 format. I don't know if it's worth trying to stay ahead of Dallas and SA at all costs. they'll push each other to the last game of the season due the the seeding importance, I'd rather lose a few more games and have our guys healthy and reasonably rested for the play-offs.

yeah, but that was bullshit.

HCA is CLEARLY more important ina 2-3-2 setting, because winning games 1 and 2 FORCES the other team to eliminate you on your own home court.

They just wanted to have some fun in an otherwise-unimportant game.

eh, i don't let them off that easy. they've constantly stressed how badly they want HCA. Dallas and the Spurs are right behind them. EVERY game is important.

Dumars said around the All-Star break that HCA through the eastern conference is what was really important, because of the 2-2-1-1-1 format and corresponding travel. Not so much with the finals 2-3-2 format. I don't know if it's worth trying to stay ahead of Dallas and SA at all costs. they'll push each other to the last game of the season due the the seeding importance, I'd rather lose a few more games and have our guys healthy and reasonably rested for the play-offs.

regardless, saying the pistons "just wanted to have some fun" is BS, imo. they lost because they played stupid. and i'm willing to bet they wanted to win that game badly. the starters were all close to 40 minutes except Sheed, because of foul trouble.

They just wanted to have some fun in an otherwise-unimportant game.

eh, i don't let them off that easy. they've constantly stressed how badly they want HCA. Dallas and the Spurs are right behind them. EVERY game is important.

Dumars said around the All-Star break that HCA through the eastern conference is what was really important, because of the 2-2-1-1-1 format and corresponding travel. Not so much with the finals 2-3-2 format. I don't know if it's worth trying to stay ahead of Dallas and SA at all costs. they'll push each other to the last game of the season due the the seeding importance, I'd rather lose a few more games and have our guys healthy and reasonably rested for the play-offs.

regardless, saying the pistons "just wanted to have some fun" is BS, imo. they lost because they played stupid. and i'm willing to bet they wanted to win that game badly. the starters were all close to 40 minutes except Sheed, because of foul trouble.

Yep, they played stupid, no question.

HOWEVER, if you think they're going to treat -any- regular season game like they'd treat a playoff game, you're wrong.

Denver beat us because they want it a lot more. That would not happen ina playoff setting.

Yep, they played stupid, no question.

HOWEVER, if you think they're going to treat -any- regular season game like they'd treat a playoff game, you're wrong.

of course, i can agree to that. but, i seriously doubt these guys are going to "let up on the pedal" until it gets to like 10 games left in the season.....or it's pretty clear how the race for HCA (in the east and west) will shape up.

Spurs flexing their muscles......they lead 76-69 in the 4th with 9min to go.

the Mavs are fucked if they dont beat out the Spurs for the west HCA

Spurs and the Mavs will be going at it for HCA till the end of the season, because neither team wants to be the 4th seed.

Spurs and the Mavs will be going at it for HCA till the end of the season, because neither team wants to be the 4th seed.
neither team wants to have to start a series on the others homecourt. I dont think either team can beat the other if they have to fight against them and HCA.

When the fuck did Parker develop a jumper?

don't you remember, the Spurs supposedly got some shot doctor to come in and help them out w/ their shooting.

TP's shooting a ridiculous FG% this season. granted, he's a league leader in points in the paint, IIRC.....his jumper's been consistent.

When the fuck did Parker develop a jumper?

this offseason. had a specific coach help him with it and his 3 pointer. He doesnt get to flex it much because no one can stop him in the paint. But its there now, he specifically developed it for us because we are one of the few teams to give him trouble in the lane. So i guess we should be flattered.

more scary is that Bruce Bowen suddenly has a jumper, besides his baseline three.

more scary is that Bruce Bowen suddenly has a jumper, besides his baseline three.
yep they know we had them beat last year and that they are gonna have to improve their weaknesses in order to keep up with our efforts to dethrone them along with the rest of the league.

don't you remember, the Spurs supposedly got some shot doctor to come in and help them out w/ their shooting.

TP's shooting a ridiculous FG% this season. granted, he's a league leader in points in the paint, IIRC.....his jumper's been consistent.

I know that they hired a shooting coach but I didn't think it would make that much of a difference.

Parker has always been a high percentage shooter due to the fact that he never really shooted anything other than layups and floaters. But his shot is so much more consistent this season and he improved his range out to the 3point range. [smilie=404.gif]

Does it get any uglier than Greg Popovich? Honestly. The skin, the hair, the teeth... He's uglier than Flip.

hmm....for some reason i thought Bowen's PPG had gone up this season. i was wrong.

his FG% and 3PT% have gone up from last season, though.

btw, i had no idea Bowen shot 56% FT over his career.

Like I said...eventually Dallas's inability to guard Duncan one-on-one is going to kill them.

Like I said...eventually Dallas's inability to guard Duncan one-on-one is going to kill them.

On the other side of the floor Bowen completely neutralizes Dirk.

Does it get any uglier than Greg Popovich? Honestly. The skin, the hair, the teeth... He's uglier than Flip.
Anyone?

LOL@Bowen guarding Nowitzki.

if they tried to put Bowen on Sheed, Sheed would abuse him and laugh at him the entire time.

http://www.pistonsbball.com/pics/wallacepostsmile.jpg

lol@dirk letting horry drive by him something dirty. but nice 3 pointer in return.

lol@horry biting Stack~lmao~

holy shit......was Horry biting someone's arm to get him to let go?!?

hmm....for some reason i thought Bowen's PPG had gone up this season. i was wrong.

his FG% and 3PT% have gone up from last season, though.

btw, i had no idea Bowen shot 56% FT over his career.

The Spurs as a team suck at FTs. Outside of Manu, Horry and Barry, they don't have anyone dependable at the line.

For a good christian thank God for everything guy. Stack is always ready to fight too damn often. even off the court when he choked some real estate broad

why wont' they show the replay??

i swear it looks like Horry started gnawing at a random arm.

http://espn-att.starwave.com/media/box/1999/1218/photo/s_tyson.jpg

haha, they showed the replay......apparently, Horry faked a bite to get Stack to let go of him.

haha, they showed the replay......apparently, Horry faked a bite to get Stack to let go of him.
Snakes on the plane then. no big deal

SA up 96-89 with 34.5 seconds to go. Both teams over the foul limit.

funny because Stack was on Jim Rome today. Rome was ribbing him about how getting into scuffles was in the past now for Stack.

Big TO by Dallas.

haha, they showed the replay......apparently, Horry faked a bite to get Stack to let go of him.
Snakes on the plane then. no big deal

what does that mean? i googled it, but some movie kept coming up.

haha, they showed the replay......apparently, Horry faked a bite to get Stack to let go of him.
Snakes on the plane then. no big deal

what does that mean? i googled it, but some movie kept coming up.
Denny already covered this, but snakes on a plane. So here ya go.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=snakes+on+a+plane

thank god dallas finally lost.

Anybody know what happens if you split the season series with a team? do they do it by margin of victory? If so, then we probably lost the season series to Dal regardless i dont see a 30 pt win.

It goes by best winning percentage against the other conference, I believe.

Dallas is 19-3 against the east

We're 21-4 against the west.

Keep in mind, a loss by dalls in detroit would hurt their out of conference record as well.

actually i found this online:

Two-Team Tie-breaker
1. Better record in head-to-head games
2. Higher winning percentage within division (if teams are in the same division)
3. Higher winning percentage in conference games
4. Higher winning percentage against playoff teams in own conference
5. Higher winning percentage against playoff teams in opposite conference
6. Higher point differential between points scored and points allowed

Three-Team Tie-breaker
1. Best head-to-head winning percentage among all teams tied
2. Highest winning percentage within division (if teams are in the same division)
3. Highest winning percentage in conference games
4. Highest winning percentage against playoff teams in own conference
5. Highest point differential between points scored and points allowed

dallas was retarded for not posting up Dirk on bowens.

Does it get any uglier than Greg Popovich? Honestly. The skin, the hair, the teeth... He's uglier than Flip.
Anyone?

I guess not

Does it get any uglier than Greg Popovich? Honestly. The skin, the hair, the teeth... He's uglier than Flip.
Anyone?

I guess not
post your own pic and we'll find out


i kid, i kid

dallas was retarded for not posting up Dirk on bowens.

Dirk doesn't have much of a post up game but I do agree with the fact that Dallas should've taken advantage of the height difference.

actually i found this online:

Two-Team Tie-breaker
1. Better record in head-to-head games
2. Higher winning percentage within division (if teams are in the same division)
3. Higher winning percentage in conference games
4. Higher winning percentage against playoff teams in own conference
5. Higher winning percentage against playoff teams in opposite conference
6. Higher point differential between points scored and points allowed

Three-Team Tie-breaker
1. Best head-to-head winning percentage among all teams tied
2. Highest winning percentage within division (if teams are in the same division)
3. Highest winning percentage in conference games
4. Highest winning percentage against playoff teams in own conference
5. Highest point differential between points scored and points allowed

The tiebreakers change in the NBA finals.

1. head-to-head
2. record vs opposite conference
3. record within own division
4. record vs playoff teams in-conference.
5. record vs playoff teams in opposing conference
6. overall net point differential.

dallas was retarded for not posting up Dirk on bowens.

Dirk doesn't have much of a post up game but I do agree with the fact that Dallas should've taken advantage of the height difference.
but he's a great shooter. he can get a shot easy in the post on bowens. even if its a fade away jumper. I agree otherwise he sucks in the post. But shit he doesnt need many moves to get a shot on bowens down there. [smilie=arrgh.jpg]

LOL@the Spurs arent afraid of us Daily Dime hype.


Eleven points after showdown
By Royce Webb
ESPN.com

It was a statement game, so let's turn it up to 11 and sort out the statements we can make after the San Antonio Spurs' 98-89 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.

1. The Mavericks are afraid of the Spurs, but not afraid enough.

The Mavs are too good to be shaking-in-their-boots afraid of anyone (especially since they've already demolished both the Spurs and Pistons this season), but on Thursday they were scared enough to come out supercharged and take a 26-14 lead. That fast start showed their talent and spirit, and, yes, their confidence, but it was also a sign of their nervous energy.

But they relaxed a bit in the second quarter, as teams normally do when they take a lead. When that happened, they made eight turnovers and allowed the Spurs to move methodically within a basket by halftime and eventually to move inexorably ahead.

A little success is a dangerous thing.

2. The Spurs aren't afraid of the Pistons.

While the game was billed as a referendum on the Mavs' progress, it was also a chance to take a close look at the champs: Do they still have it? Are they now a step behind the Detroit Pistons?

This game was a reminder of just what the Spurs can do when they are in a tough game.

Lest we forget, in the biggest NBA game of the last decade, the Spurs handled the Pistons in the type of game that Detroit is supposedly built for. In deciding games between San Antonio and Detroit, the Spurs are 1-0, and the Pistons are 0-1.

Which is why the battle for home-court advantage is unusually intense this year.

3. The Spurs still have it, but they won't have it much longer.

It's often said that the Spurs are young enough to win several more titles (and Detroit fans will tell you the same thing about the Pistons), but I don't see it. Oh, sure, they should compete at the top level for at least a couple more years, but they really aren't that young.

Duncan is 30 next month. Ginobili is 28 and, like Duncan, slowed by injury. Bruce Bowen is almost 35. Finley, 32. Barry, 34. Van Exel, 34. Horry, 35.

They have exactly one young player: Tony Parker, age 23.

Some of their struggles on Thursday were age- and health-related.

The future in now in San Antonio.

4. The Phoenix Suns had to like what they saw.

The Western Conference finals were tighter last year than they seemed -- the Spurs won 4-1, but four of the games were very close. And don't forget: The Suns played part of the series without Joe Johnson, and they were coming off a grueling series with the Mavs.

This year, the tables are turned. The Spurs and Mavs, barring a first-round upset, will meet in the conference semifinals, and it's clear that series will be a donnybrook. Meanwhile, the Suns have a relatively easy path to the conference finals.

Not only that, but the Suns have shown they can run on the Spurs, and they have to be more confident of that than ever after watching the Spurs struggle at times to deal with the speed of Dallas.

Now the Suns just need to get Amare Stoudemire out of his casual business attire.

5. Robert Horry is Tree Rollins.

OK, maybe he didn't really sink his teeth into Jerry Stackhouse's arm, but his playful bite during the fourth quarter skirmish had to bring back nightmares for Danny Ainge.

6. Bruce Bowen is a man.

What did the amazing defense he played on Dirk Nowitzki demonstrate?

Why he's on the preliminary Team USA squad, that's what.

7. The jury is out on Michael Finley and Nick Van Exel.

Finley has been lousy this season, with 39 percent shooting despite what are supposed to be wide-open shots produced by the Duncan-centric offense.

But on Thursday, he was solid, with 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting, including three big baskets in the fourth quarter.

Van Exel hasn't been much better than Finley this year, and on Thursday he almost killed the Spurs with his atrocious 0-for-6 goose egg.

See prior point about age -- it happens to the best of them.

But, to be fair, for Finley and Van Exel the season will be decided in May and June. If they hit a few timely, Horry-type bombs then, their season-long struggles will be forgotten.

Which leads us to a related point:

8. The Spurs' Achilles heel may again be 3-point shooting.

When the Spurs have come up short in recent years, it's often been because their perimeter shooting has let them down. In 2004, Hedo Turkoglu and Bruce Bowen couldn't sink open 3s against the Lakers, allowing L.A. to steal the series.

On Thursday, the Spurs were 4-for-12 (just 33 percent), which proves nothing.

But it has to be a concern, because in their offense the ability to hit the 3 is critical.

9. These teams believe in the teardrop.

Or the runner. Or the floater.

Whatever you want to call it, you could see on Thursday how much a strategic part of the game the short, running, one-handed jumper is for the Spurs and the Mavs.

And we saw some absolute masters: Tony Parker, who deserves a spot in the Cousy-Douglas-Nash Hall of Fame, and Jason Terry, the Mavs' resident expert, for whom Dallas coach Avery Johnson will even draw up teardrops in the huddle (including on one game-winning play this season).

But we also saw runners from Tim Duncan, Nazr Mohammed and Bruce Bowen, and they are a staple of Manu Ginobili and Keith Van Horn, too, among others.

There are lots of reasons we don't see as many midrange jumpers in the NBA as we used to, but one reason we don't is that they're not high percentage (or highly efficient) shots. As the three best teams in the West (San Antonio, Dallas, Phoenix) demonstrate, driving into the lane for short shots is a much better strategy than settling for a longer 2-pointer.

10. We need to have Reggie Miller broadcast a Spurs game so he can break down Manu Ginobili's technique for drawing fouls.

It would be the best episode of "Inside the Actors Studio" ever.

11. This was a big game, but not for the reasons everyone said.

Do you think we'll still be talking about a March 2 game when the playoffs start? Me neither.

And between now and the postseason, we still have a Mavs-Pistons game (March 28) to go as well as another Mavs-Spurs game (April 7 on ESPN). So this game will be ancient history.

And do you think the Mavs are going to be crushed, or even shaken, by this loss? Of course not. They'll just try to learn from it, and come back more resolved. That's the way it works. Good teams learn from failure.

No, this game was big for one reason: The result was a potential three-game swing. Had the Mavs pulled it out, they would have had a two-game lead in the West and held the tiebreaker, at least temporarily.

Now, instead, the Spurs and Mavs are tied, and the Spurs have the tiebreaker (a 2-1 lead in the season series).

Twenty-five games to go. Home court and the No. 1 seed at stake. Can't wait to see how it shakes out.

dallas was retarded for not posting up Dirk on bowens.

Dirk doesn't have much of a post up game but I do agree with the fact that Dallas should've taken advantage of the height difference.
but he's a great shooter. he can get a shot easy in the post on bowens. even if its a fade away jumper. I agree otherwise he sucks in the post. But shit he doesnt need many moves to get a shot on bowens down there. [smilie=arrgh.jpg]

I was calling for this all game as well but I think the problem might be that Dirk doesn't have that Rasheed ability to keep the ball high and still hit the short jumper. Even if thats true, you gotta try that shit. Bowen turned Dirk into a primary rebounder. Thats just sad.

Back in the day I use to think Dirk was unguardable because of his speed and shot but after last years series with the Rockets that kind of changed. Tracy McGrady, who is 6'8, made Dirk work like a madman to score. How can you let a player that's four-five inches shorter own you on D like that?

Like I said...eventually Dallas's inability to guard Duncan one-on-one is going to kill them.

Bah, you make it sound like Duncan is Shaq in his prime or something. Duncan has barely been a 20/10 player the last couple years, and Dallas has the big men to make him work on offense. Dallas will be just fine when they face the Spurs.

No, I'm saying Dallas can't guard Duncan without double-teaming him, and that's exactly how San Antonio beats you.

Dallas might be a better opponent, because the refs might hate Dallas' "whining" just as much - especialy with Stackhouse calling out Dick Baveta last night and how Mark Cuban is always all over the refereeing. San Antonio gets mad respect from the referees...

Suns win at Dallas ! [smilie=applause.gi: Diaw is an awesome ballplayer...

Diaw is probably better than Joe Johnson, and PHX has two first rounders(One HAS to be Atlanta's this year or next) due yet.