The Mavericks weren't supposed to make it this far. That's what the experts and many fans believed, this author included. San Antonio is the superior team with the best regular season record. Not only that, but coming into the series, the Spurs had beat the Mavs in nine consecutive meetings. Who could have imagined that the scraggly eighth seed Mavericks could force a game seven with against the vaunted Spurs?
Well, here we are.
Can the Mavs disrupt San Antonio's pick and roll?
Since they cannot stop it, their best bet is to try and slow it down. They did a decent (a loose term in this case) job of slowing it down in Game 6. After the game, both Rick Carlisle and Monta Ellis said that the difference was being more aggressive. Neither gave specifics and neither ever will. Look, these answers are just a few of many from a long script of generic answers that players and coaches read from daily. Their answers don't matter. What matters is how the team plays. If they say the team simply played more "aggressive" then great.
They better play "aggressive" Sunday afternoon. Dallas' best chance to win is getting a stop, however many that may be. The Mavs need to unsettle the Spurs enough to make them reset their offense and rethink their pick and roll.
How ‘bout that DeJuan Blair?
MVP.
Can Dallas stop Tiago Splitter?
Sadly, no.
What do the Mavs have to do to win Game 7?
They have to play their asses off.
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Look, there really isn't much more I can say about this match-up that hasn't been covered here at Mavs Moneyball and other outlets. Dallas' offense is the key to winning. San Antonio can get the Mavs out of rhythm for long stretches. Yada yada yada. I know. You know. What this game comes down to is which team is up to the challenge. Each player on the Mavericks needs to rise to the occasion and other such cliché sayings. They know what is at stake. It's all that matters right now. If they take it lightly, this will be the last game of the season. That's it. Nothing else matters. Give ‘em Hell or go fishing.