The Postseason Notebook: Spurs-Mavs, Game 1
Tonight’s 105-97 loss to the Mavs leaves reason for optimism as well as concern. After holding the Mavs to 18 points in the opening quarter, the Spurs allowed Dallas to score an average of 29 points per quarter for the remainder of the game. If the Spurs are going to win this series, they have to show poise and intensity on the defensive end of the ball for a full 48 minutes.
The damage Dallas inflicted did not come from the usual suspects. Dirk Nowitzki was held to 19 points; Jason Terry was held to 12. Josh Howard (25 point on 9-18 shooting) played well in an uncharacteristic manner (as opposed to uncharacteristically well); he was a consistent source of points rather than an early presence who became increasingly irrelevant. But my main concern is not Howard. It’s the combination of J.J. Barea, Erick Dampier, Brandon Bass. Each was as prominent a part of the Mavs victory as any of the more recognizable Dallas players.
J.J. Barea is an unbelievable annoyance on both ends of the floor. He is an active defender. He pokes. He prods. He flops. He uses whatever tools are at his disposal to make up for his lack of size. He did an excellent job mitigating Tony Parker’s effectiveness in one-on-one situations (he drew two key offensive fouls out of Parker in the second half). He was equally as problematic on the offensive end. A confident slasher and savvy decision maker, Barea did an excellent job taking advantage of any defensive rotation that came a second too late.
Erick Dampier’s presence was most painfully felt on the offensive glass. Of his 10 points, I believe 8 were second shot attempts. Even when the Spurs successfully altered the initial shot, Dampier solidified his position in the paint easily. In particular, I’d like to see Kurt Thomas (1 defensive rebound) and Drew Gooden (0 defensive rebounds) do a better job controlling the boards when Duncan isn’t on the court.
It’s hard to be positive whether Brandon Bass will continue to be a force as the series drags on. When considered in and of themselves, his points seemed as much a product of luck as skill. But his strength and athleticism are predictably problematic. I don’t imagine he’ll average 77% percent from the floor over the course of the series but I’ll definitely be focused on what percentage of his shots in game 2 strike me as consistently makeable.
The element that unites Barea, Dampier and Bass was their ability to score at the rim. Dribble drives, garbage buckets and isolations on the wing all led to points in the paint. Our interior defense was the key to the first 12 minutes; it’s absence was the key to our defensive failure for the remaining 36. Protecting the rim is priority number one headed into game 2.
The bright spots hidden in tonight’s game lie on the offensive end. The Spurs shot as well from beyond the arc as they have all season. A collective 11-14, they not only hit wide open attempts but shots with a hand in their face. If anything, I’m concerned they won’t be able to muster a repeat performance on Monday. Finley, playing like a man possessed, shot 5-5 from the perimeter. At the risk of sounding like a hypocrite, I’ll admit I wished we had worked more aggressively to find open 3-point looks. I get frustrated when we experience outside shooting droughts and use more 3-point attempts as a solution. But tonight, that drought never came. If our gunners are dialed in, let them fire away.
Tim Duncan played excellently. During the overtime period of Spurs-Hornets on Wednesday, he shifted into a higher gear. When he stepped onto the court this evening he had yet to shift down. The only question mark hovering above Duncan’s performance was his single free throw attempt. Duncan took 24 shots and made 13. His single free throw attempt came on an “and one.” Dampier does a good job being physical with his chest and hips as opposed to his hands, obfuscating the amount of contact he initiated. Duncan deserved several trips to the line he never received.
The most disappointing performance of the evening came from Tony Parker. Despite his 24 points and 8 assists, Parker looked in turn indecisive and unfocused. He committed 5 of our 9 turnovers and struggled to score when faced with the busy hands and busy feet of J.J Barea. You’d be hard-pressed to fault the effort he gave but as the game dragged on he struggled to maintain his level of energy. He struggled to finish at the rim and failed to find open perimiters shooters if he managed to collapse the defense. My hope is Parker takes this evening’s loss personally.
For the time being, I have few recommendations to give. The theories behind the decisions we made on both ends of the ball remain sound; our difficulties lie in the execution. The most glaring failure was our interior defense: If we limit their points in the paint, we will quickly regain control of the series.
Tim and I will continue to analyze this game in further detail over the next two days. Keep the faith, Spurs fans.
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