Mavs Moneyball - MMB Gameday: Dallas Mavericks 100, San Antonio Spurs 101Rick Carlisle approved.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50869/mmb-fav.png2014-10-29T15:00:03-05:00http://www.mavsmoneyball.com/rss/stream/68446022014-10-29T15:00:03-05:002014-10-29T15:00:03-05:00Breaking down Chandler Parsons' final attempt
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<p>Should he have passed to Monta Ellis? Should Dirk have taken on the double team? We analyze the final play.</p> <p>To be totally honest, being in San Antonio at the AT&T Center was rather disorientating. I knew the <a href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Mavericks</a> were down by one with a huge possession coming up, but I was actually shocked when the buzzer went off right after Parsons missed this shot. It just seemed so quick -- I thought there was more time on the clock. The clock wasn't in the corner of my TV screen or on the big board where I'm used to it at the AAC.</p>
<p>But as it was, this was a game-winning shot situation. Here's the full play.</p>
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<p>"We didn't want to go timeout because we thought we could get a better shot flow," <span>Rick Carlisle</span> said after the game. Although he wanted to review the film before saying anything else, it looked "like we got a pretty good look."</p>
<p>Ignoring the crazy-assed sequence that starts the gif, let's break down each shot opportunity.</p>
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<p>The flow offense is designed to hit you with a ton of pick and rolls, especially when your defense isn't set. The <a href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Spurs</a> recover on this one well.</p>
<p>If Devin is able to put the ball right in Dirk's shooting pocket for this one, it's possible he would have jacked it over the smaller Diaw, but there was still nearly 20 seconds left in the game at this point and absolutely no need to rush.</p>
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<p>Parsons gets the ball and can't do anything with it, so the Mavericks set up another pick-and-roll, this time with Dirk on the left side and Monta with the ball.</p>
<p>Dirk has <span>Danny Green</span> on him at the high elbow, but he sees <span>Tim Duncan</span> coming baseline to double team. Wisely, Green is playing him to the lane so that Dirk's only option would be to go baseline into Duncan. Could he have gotten a shot off here? Absolutely. But immediately deciding to pass is the unselfish play that we're accustomed to Dirk making, and if he was going to do it, it had to be an immediate reaction.</p>
<p>"Since I had just scored twice in a row, they brought Duncan over to double team me from the low side," he said. "I saw Devin over there by himself so I swung it."</p>
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<p><span>Devin Harris</span> wisely chooses not to shoot the 3-pointer here, but with Manu running at him, he does pass up a one-dribble pull-up jumper on the baseline. This is the most questionable decision made by a Maverick on this sequence, and even then, it's not very. The shot clock is at four seconds, so there's not time to drive and kick and he doesn't want to dribble himself into a wild, forced shot. It's possible he gets a layup or a quick dish to <span>Tyson Chandler</span> if he attacks, but four seconds just isn't a lot of time.</p>
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<p>Once the ball reaches Parsons, he makes the correct decision to shoot it.</p>
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<p>"I got a good look," Parsons said. "Looking back on it, I may need to make an extra pass to Monta there but I didn't know how much time there was on the clock. I'll take that shot any day at the end of the game and I got to step up and knock it down next time."</p>
<p>Two and a half seconds, Chandler, to answer your question. Enough time to swing the ball to Monta, yes. Enough time for him to get off a shot, albeit with Danny Green running at him just like <span>Boris Diaw</span> is running at Parsons, also yes.</p>
<p>Monta is probably better on the catch-and-shoot 3-pointer than people realize, but Parsons is just the better shooter and the better option.</p>
<p>Do you want to talk about how he spots up several feet behind the three point line? While that might strike some as "desperation," <a href="http://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2014/8/24/6061367/film-study-looking-at-chandler-parsons-offensive-tendencies" style="background-color: #ffffff;">that's actually just how Parsons plays</a>. He loves spotting up way behind the 3-point line and he's comfortable taking that shot (although I'd be very interested in seeing research on whether he's actually good at it, percentage wise). His attempt is on target and a little short, which makes you wonder if the depth played into it, but that's going to be a season-long battle with him, not just an issue on this single play.</p>
<p>Parsons had the look he wanted, and thus the Mavericks had the look they wanted. Of course it could have been a better look, but no one was at fault this possession.</p>
<p>"I like an awful lot of the things that [Parsons] did do," Carlisle said. "It's one game and he'll bounce back on Thursday."</p>
https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2014/10/29/7094699/breaking-down-chandler-parsons-final-3-point-shot-mavericksTim Cato2014-10-29T10:00:04-05:002014-10-29T10:00:04-05:00Rick: "Slim margins" in the Western Conference
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<p>A report from a losing locker room in San Antonio, where the Spurs open the season with a narrow victory against the Mavericks. </p> <p>SAN ANTONIO -- The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/">Spurs</a> fans aren't loved around these parts, but give them credit for this: they filled the AT&T Center on Tuesday night and they were <i>loud.</i></p>
<p><i></i>The crowd noise crescendoed for the important moments. The ring ceremony. The unveiling of the championship banner. Each player walking to half court to collect their jewelry. Then the game started, and <span>Tony Parker</span> with a 3-pointer. <span>Tim Duncan</span>, with his never-aging running hook shot.</p>
<p>But with that 101-100 lead, the noise flattened to a nervous buzz as the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/">Mavericks</a> swung the ball around the floor and settled on a makeable <span>Chandler Parsons</span> 3-pointer. All Dallas needed was a shot to go through the hoop, and for that moment, everyone in the arena knew the Spurs were beatable.</p>
<p>As we know, Parsons missed the shot and that storyline wasn't to be. The Mavericks were quiet in the locker room but hardly downtrodden, not after game one of 82. They know they were a shot away from beating the Spurs, last year's world champions, and while no one took that as acceptable, no one viewed it too poorly, either.</p>
<p>The NBA season opener has come and gone. On to the next one.</p>
<h4>Playing the machine-like Spurs to the final buzzer</h4>
<p><span>Rick Carlisle</span>: "I love a lot of things about the way we played. It was a great basketball game. You can't kick off the season with a much better game than this for the fans, there's just no way. Unfortunately, the slim margins of winning and losing is all anyone remembers. We get one more stop or one more basket and we're all in here singing a different tune. That's the world we live in in the Western Conference."</p>
<p>Carlisle: "We just got to be better [on defense], simple as that. Once again, they got us a lot late in the shot clock, and we just got to keep working. I like an awful lot of the things that we did do, we did a lot of things well, but winning in losing in the West is going to be very slim margins."</p>
<p>Parsons: "They're NBA champions for a reason. We've got to clean up some things, be smarter defensively and keep moving the ball offensively."</p>
<p>Nowitzki: "Parker going 4-for-4 [from three] against us is tough. He's supposedly not the greatest shooter of the bunch but he always makes his 3-pointers against us. They have some great shooters. ... We didn't guard the 3-point line as much as we wanted to, but it was still a close one.</p>
<p>Harris: "I think we did okay for our first game. Obviously there's things we can do better. We're playing a team with a high basketball IQ who plays at an extremely high level. We'll get better."</p>
<p>Nowitzki: "I thought the third quarter was a killer overall. I thought we lost our composure a little bit, with letting the referees get to us a little bit instead of working through it."</p>
<p>Nowitzki: "I like the way we battled back. We were down eight or nine in the fourth, and we still battled back."</p>
<h4>Not the Chandler Parsons debut he had planned for</h4>
<p>Parsons: "Looking back, I may need to make an extra pass to Monta, but I wasn't sure how much time was on the clock. I'll take that any day at the end of the game. I got to step up and knock it down next time.</p>
<p>Carlisle: "He's going to be fine. I like an awful lot of the things that he did do. It's one game and he'll bounce back on Thursday.</p>
<p>Parsons: "It was just one of those games, man. It sucks to play like that in the first game but you know, it's only one of 82 games. It's going to take some time getting used to playing everything and it's just one of those nights I couldn't get anything to fall. I got to be better."</p>
<p>Dirk: "I thought he had a couple of in-and-outs. This is not a one-game season, it's a 82-game season, so he's got to be able to get used to some of his new teammates and a new style of play and new playcalling. He'll be okay. He's a good player and very versatile. I thought he had a couple of good looks and a couple of them rimmed out and that's unfortunate.</p>
<p>Parsons: "I took good shots. I took a couple of chippies at the rim. I missed some wide open threes. I've got to take those every game. I don't see myself missing those a lot."</p>
<p>Parsons (on whether this will bother him for a couple nights): "Yeah, for sure. I never like playing inefficient and I hate losing. It definitely stings and you want to play well, especially on a new team, and you want to win. I got to play better. It's one out of 82 games so there will be plenty of opportunities."</p>
<h4>Everything else</h4>
<p>Carlisle on Tyson Chandler's fourth foul in the third: "You know, I haven't looked at the film yet, I can't tell you a direct blow-by-blow on everything. But he's important and we need to work to keep him out of foul trouble."</p>
<p>Carlisle on <span>Greg Smith</span> being the first player off the bench: "They had Duncan in and I just wanted to give Tyson a quick blow for a short stint. He was in there when Duncan was in there and I couldn't have Chandler in. That's one of the capacities with which he'll be played, and we got a roster that's deep with guys who have specific abilities and responsibilities and we'll have to go deep.</p>
<p><span>Jameer Nelson</span> on the starters meshing: "We're getting there. We're not where we want to be right now obviously, we've got to work on a lot of things, but we got to continue to get better as a group and as a whole, not just the starters. It's one of those things, it's one game and we learn from it and prepare for the next one."</p>
<p>Nelson on the importance of this game: "For me, these past two games, this is probably the biggest game I've been in. TV game, playing against the defending champs."</p>
https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2014/10/29/7088785/dallas-mavericks-quotes-locker-room-san-antonio-spurs-slim-marginTim Cato2014-10-29T08:30:19-05:002014-10-29T08:30:19-05:005 observations from Spurs 101, Mavs 100
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<p>After a night to sleep on it, some thoughts about the first game of the season.</p> <h4>1. <span>Tyson Chandler</span> is really, really important to what Dallas wants to do this season</h4>
<p>You're probably thinking "duh," but it's important to understand that his impact goes well beyond what the box score reflects. His eight points and ten rebounds were important, but he didn't get statistical credit for all of his back taps generating extra possessions*, his screens (and subsequent rolls to the hoop), and his general activity on defense. 2011 seems like such a long time ago but it took half a quarter to remember why we were all floored that Mark Cuban let Chandler go. Additionally, he brings the ability to communicate with everyone defensively. The other <a href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Mavericks</a> were simply more active and quicker on rotations with Tyson on the floor.</p>
<p>*Chandler was credited with three offensive rebounds. Official NBA scorers will award him with the rebound off of a tip "if he makes a clean, direct tap-out to a teammate," according to<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/07/sports/basketball/chandler-finds-new-way-to-grab-rebounds-he-doesnt.html?_r=2&adxnnl=1&pagewanted=all&adxnnlx=1414588823-+GMJum5GQxvvpyChPFfpJA"> this New York Times article</a>. If a teammate corrals the rebound but has to chase after it, he is credited.</p>
<h4>2. The <a href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Spurs</a> are still really, really good</h4>
<p>Despite missing three rotation players the Spurs hummed along like it was nothing, connecting on 14 open and contested three pointers in 28 attempts. Their ball movement was masterful and despite the improved defense from Dallas, it's going to take a lot of work to figure out how to stop it. Interestingly, the game plan for the Tuesday night loss was quite different from the playoff series. Back in April, the Mavericks switched everything in an attempt to shut down the open lanes that resulted from multiple San Antonio pick and rolls. On Tuesday the Mavs tried to fight over every screen and it left the San Antonio playmakers with plenty of options once the Dallas interior broke down. Additionally, I hate how good <span>Manu Ginobili</span> and <span>Tim Duncan</span> still are.</p>
<h4>3. The rotation may take a long time to sort itself out</h4>
<p>With seven players seeing time off the bench against the Spurs, it's clear coach <span>Rick Carlisle</span> has a project on his hands in terms of sizing up the bench. When Greg Smith was the first man off the bench on Tuesday the general social media reaction was, "wait, what?" It's important to remember that Dallas has options this year and Smith was a better bet to defend against the Hall of Fame mix of strength, size, and skill that Tim Duncan has. San Antonio is not a good team to try interesting lineup combinations on because they exploit weaknesses with ease. There wasn't enough from last night's rotations to glean anything interesting about what happens for back up small forward and power forward positions as the Mavericks move ahead with the season.</p>
<h4>4. Three guard line ups are a lot of fun</h4>
<p>I don't have any statistical data to back this up (yet), but the three guard line up featuring <span>Monta Ellis</span>, <span>Jameer Nelson</span>, and <span>Devin Harris</span> is really enjoyable to watch on offense. Having three guys who can get to the cup and make plays forces the defense to gamble. Defensively, the line up was mixed at best (one assumption from the play-by-play announcer was that Carlisle countered with this to help keep up with the speed of the San Antonio ball movement). Personally, I think it's terrible on defense because neither Monta, Jameer or even Devin has good enough footwork to bother the better guards in the league. It's something Carlisle should use in spurts, but I hope it doesn't become a regular feature.</p>
<h4>5. <span>Chandler Parsons</span> needs time.</h4>
<p>I was furious with Chandler "Stand There" Parsons on Tuesday, because after an opening period dunk and some decent off-ball defensive plays, the shiny off-season acquisition for the Mavericks looked atrocious. He didn't get a few drives at the rim to fall and became a passive spectator, falling back to his Houston habit of standing on the three point line, hoping for a kick out. When he was directly involved in screen-roll situations, he always flared away after screening, never challenging the defense. Simply put, he's too good to be that ineffectual (5 points, 4 rebounds, 2-of-10 shooting).</p>
<p>The skill was there, as evidenced by the first quarter dunk after a screen and roll with Tyson Chandler. Heck, his three point shots all nearly fell (three of four went in and out). He'll get better. My overreaction wasn't entirely warranted (but let's be honest that his play was frustrating as hell). He really has no where to go but up after a lackluster performance.</p>
<p>Basketball is back everyone. Thank goodness.</p>
https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2014/10/29/7088795/five-observations-from-the-loss-against-san-antonioKirk Henderson2014-10-28T21:33:17-05:002014-10-28T21:33:17-05:00Recap: Mavs Drop Season Opener to Spurs
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<p>The Mavericks lost an incredible and close game to open the NBA season to the NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs, 101-100</p> <p>In Dallas' return to San Antonio where they hoped to spoil the <a href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Spurs</a>' ring/championship celebration, the <a href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Mavericks</a> fell to the reigning champs 101-100. <span>Monta Ellis</span> led all scorers with 26 on 11-21 shooting, though <span>Tony Parker</span> and <span>Manu Ginobili</span> had 23 and 20 respectively. <span>Dirk Nowitzki</span> had 18 on 7-11 shooting.</p>
<p>For the beginning of the first quarter, both teams were having a rough go of it, clearly struggling to shake off the offseason rust. It took almost 2 minutes for either team to score, and by halfway through the quarter, both teams were shooting below 35% from the floor.</p>
<p>That, though, is simply a testament to how absurd the two team's offenses are. By the end of the quarter, both team's shooting percentages were approaching 50%, both teams were on track to score 100 or more.</p>
<p>More importantly, though, one quarter in, we already had so many signature moments to signal what is to be in the year to come: <span>Devin Harris</span> to <span>Brandan Wright</span> alley-oops, <span>Chandler Parsons</span> slam in traffic, Dirk one-foot-fade, Monta Ellis midrange jumper, and, of course, a Devin Harris end-of-clock 3-pointer. In one quarter, it already felt like old times.</p>
<p>The second quarter felt like basketball in earnest. We had arrived.</p>
<p>We, as fans, had been primed, and the players had tested the waters. Everyone ventured more freely into the paint starting in the second, 3's started dropping, and there appeared to be, at least, a semblance of a flow to the game.</p>
<p>Monta got hot with a midrange jumper, a layup, and a 3, and suddenly the Mavs were energized and exciting.</p>
<p>They <i>felt</i> like the Mavs, again.</p>
<p>The Mavs got comfortable far more quickly than the Spurs, too. Dallas' defense was rough, at best (particularly Monta), but the Spurs struggled to take advantage. They made all the right passes, but when a player got an open glimpse, or a view of the basket, they often struggled to either shoot or take advantage of the close out. The Mavs, too, have many quick-handed players in Monta, Jameer, Parsons, and Dirk, and found themselves ending a lot of plays with steals.</p>
<p>Because the Spurs are an elite team (and because Tony Parker is a filthy magician with a basketball) they stayed competitive, but ended the quarter trailing Dallas 53-45.</p>
<p>The Mavs clearly began the game by tinkering, too. It's a bit too early to speculate too far, and this isn't the place, but Dallas tried things like rolling out <span>Greg Smith</span> before Brandan Wright, and they went to a lineup of <span>Jameer Nelson</span> - Monta Ellis - Devin Harris - Chandler Parsons really early.</p>
<p>As well, instead of relying on the shooting of <span>Richard Jefferson</span>, Carlisle went with Aminu and Crowder together as the first wing players off the bench, robbing the team of any shooting. Aminu, too, appears to have a green light to shoot at the moment, presumably for Carlisle to see how his shot really looks.</p>
<p>It's hard to know how much of that Carlisle was serious about, but I suppose only time will tell.</p>
<p>The second quarter saw a return to some degree of normalcy regarding lineups, but also regarding pre-game expectations: the Spurs surged back, quickly, behind Tony Parker and Spurs-ian ball movement and shooting. 4 minutes into the 3rd quarter, the Mavericks' lead had completely disappeared, leaving the teams tied at 57-57.</p>
<p>As the game progressed, it just got better. By the end of the third quarter, both teams were putting on clinics on brilliant basketball. Using screens and hand off and post-ups and drive and kicks to perfection. Tony Parker and Monta Ellis traded off brilliant scoring runs, and Devin Harris' batshit shooting almost held off Manu Ginobli going completely nova from the field.</p>
<p>Almost, though. The Mavericks ended the 3rd quarter down 76-73 after Manu hit several incredibly filthy shots,</p>
<p>The Spurs started rolling, they shook off the dust, and at that point there's just not much you can do. The Mavericks refused to lay down, refused to go quietly into the night, reminding me at times of their valiant effort before their postseason dreams last season finally came to a close.</p>
<p>Early into the 4th, despite the effort, it just didn't look like there was much that the Mavericks could do. The Spurs were hitting 3's that were about as contested as they could be without the Mavs having to leave lanes open to strong drivers. For a while, the Spurs couldn't miss.</p>
<p><span>Marco Belinelli</span> drilled a three literally on top of Devin Harris to punctuate a comeback attempt from Dirk Nowitzki, and it left everyone wondering if the Spurs could ever be stopped. And maybe they couldn't be. Maybe they can't be.</p>
<p>Really, at that point, all anyone can do is hang their head and wish fate had treated them more kindly.</p>
<p>The Mavs won't do that, though. They don't even lay down for fate.</p>
<p>Slowly, the Mavs weathered the Spurs' storm of ball movement, player movement, and shotmaking, to stay within 7. Finally, at the end of the quarter, with a minute left, the Mavericks tied the game behind a beautiful <span>Tyson Chandler</span> baseline cut, a Chandler Parsons 3-pointer, and a foul on Monta Ellis.</p>
<p>And who better to take the game from there, but Dirk Nowitzki. With 1:20 seconds left, Dirk hit a patented baseline stepback shot to put the Mavs in the lead by 2.</p>
<p>The Spurs, though, the reigning champs of the NBA, would not be denied their ring game satisfaction. Tony Parker hit a 3 from the wing with 48 seconds to go, to make the lead 1 point, 101-100.</p>
<p>After back and forth turnovers, the Mavericks had the last 24 seconds to make a shot and win the game. Devin Harris probed the D, Parsons and Dirk ran a pick and roll, and the ball swung around the entire perimeter of the floor before returning to Chandler Parsons for the go-ahead 3-pointer to win the game.</p>
<p>Chandler, unfortunately, missed.</p>
<p>The Mavericks lost 101-100, but this game was a glowing example of what the 2014-2015 NBA season might be. Beautiful basketball played beautifully. Losing here was no shame. Instead, it was a testament to the greatness of NBA basketball.</p>
<p>Long live the Mavericks, long live the NBA.</p>
https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2014/10/28/7087175/recap-mavericks-fall-to-reigning-champs-in-ring-ceremony-openerHal Brown2014-10-28T12:00:05-05:002014-10-28T12:00:05-05:00Talking Spurs with Pounding the Rock
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<p>Ian Dougherty from Pounding the Rock joins us to discuss all things Mavs-Spurs before tonight's opener. </p> <h4><span>Last Spring the Mavs and <a href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Spurs</a> played another classic playoff series. The Mavs really had no business pushing the Spurs to a game seven, but Carlisle worked some of his warlock magic. How did that series shape the way you looked at the Mavs and at the Spurs playoff run? </span></h4>
<p><span>That series made me gain so much more respect for <span>Rick Carlisle</span>. I knew he was a great coach, but him putting his guys in a position to go 7 with that Spurs team was truly incredible. For the Spurs, that series raised a lot of questions for me. Carlisle was fantastic, but they really shouldn't have had to go to a Game 7 versus those <a href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Mavericks</a>. Patty Mills and <span>Marco Belinelli</span> weren't very good that series, and I was concerned that they wouldn't come back to the high level they had played at all year. The Mavericks figured out that forcing <span>Tony Parker</span> to take jumpers makes the whole offense sputter, and the rest of the Western Conference playoff teams definitely took notice of that. Of course, those things worked themselves out and the Spurs took off after that war of a series.</span></p>
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<span>Finals MVP <span>Kawhi Leonard</span></span><span>—that still feels strange to say—has an eye injury and <span>Tiago Splitter</span> is questionable with a calf injury. If they’re not available for the opener, who fills those minutes for the Spurs? </span>
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<p><span>Kawhi Leonard being a Finals MVP is the 2nd strangest moment I've seen in my years of following the Spurs. (Behind Boris Diaw even being considered for that Finals MVP.) If he's out, I expect a lot of those minutes early in the season to go to veterans that have been in the system. <span>Manu Ginobili</span> and Belinelli should be able to hold the fort, and we may even see a little <span>Kyle Anderson</span> and <span>Austin Daye</span> sprinkled in. <span>Jeff Ayres</span> and Diaw should be fine absorbing Splitter's minutes.</span></p>
<h4><span>The Spurs seemingly got another steal in the draft when they selected Kyle Anderson out of UCLA. How has the rookie looked in the preseason and will he crack the rotation? </span></h4>
<p><span>Anderson looks fine offensively. We all know he's a great passer, his shot has looked pretty solid through the preseason, and he has great awareness and basketball know-how for a rookie. Defensively, he can't guard a phone book. Like most rookies, his positioning and knowledge of a complex NBA system is extremely weak right now. He's also just not as quick as most NBA players, so he gets beaten off the dribble a lot. Overall, he could get minutes on most NBA teams, but with a talented roster like the Spurs', he won't see much court time.</span></p>
<h4><span>The Spurs have been old for a very long time now. Is this the year they finally die? </span></h4>
<p><span>The Spurs will never die. Even when Duncan, Manu, Parker, and Pop are all gone, the Spurs will be perpetually Spurs-ing until the end of days.</span></p>
<h4><span>The opener will be on TNT, which means sideline interviews with Pop are back. Has he smiled much since the championship, or should we expect the same surly Coach Pop? </span></h4>
<p><span>Pop has actually been pretty charming in sideline interviews as of the past couple seasons. He's a wicked-smart person, so I'm sure he knows that people look out for those interviews, and proceeds to ham it up a bit for that half a minute. Don't be fooled though, if you ask him the wrong question in those interviews or at a presser, you'll get Pop'd</span></p>
<p><i>Many thanks, Ian. Follow him on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/iandougherty" target="_blank">@IanDougherty</a> and check out <a href="http://www.poundingtherock.com" target="_blank">Pounding the Rock</a> for more Spurs coverage.</i></p>
https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/game-coverage/2014/10/28/7077105/talking-spurs-with-ian-dougherty-of-pounding-the-rockAustin Ngaruiya2014-10-28T08:26:40-05:002014-10-28T08:26:40-05:00Injury report: Splitter, Leonard, Mills out
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<p>The Spurs will also be without Patty Mills tonight.</p> <p><span>Tiago Splitter</span>, <span>Patty Mills</span> and 2014 NBA Finals MVP <span>Kawhi Leonard</span> will all be in suits for the San Antonio ring ceremony in tonight's season opener against Dallas.</p>
<p>Leonard missed all but one preseason game with a nasty right eye infection, while Splitter didn't play at all, nursing a calf injury. Neither player is expected to miss a serious amount of games, but they won't be available on Tuesday night.</p>
<p>Mills' absence was expected after he underwent shoulder surgery this offseason. His return will likely come in January.</p>
<h5>What it means for the Mavs</h5>
<p>With the injuries, the starting five for San Antonio will likely look as such: <span>Tony Parker</span>, <span>Danny Green</span>, Marco Bellinelli, <span>Tim Duncan</span> and either <span>Matt Bonner</span> or Boris Diaw. Kyle Anderson should get minutes off the bench behind Bellinelli.</p>
<p>The loss of Splitter and Leonard removes arguably the team two best defenders, especially for matching up with Dirk. After a poor shooting series against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/">Spurs</a> in last year's playoffs, it wouldn't surprised me if he reminds people how good he still is.</p>
<p>It's never easy to beat the Spurs, but an old Nelly-ism is that if you're going to knock off a team like this, the ring ceremony is a good time to do it. At practice on Monday, <span>Devin Harris</span> agreed to a certain point, saying that he's seen it distract a team in some situations, but motivate teams in other ones.</p>
<p>Regardless, it's just good that the NBA is finally back.</p>
https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/game-coverage/2014/10/28/7082831/kawhi-leonard-tiago-splitter-patty-mills-injury-report-dallas-san-antonioTim Cato2014-10-28T08:00:09-05:002014-10-28T08:00:09-05:00The Spurs are still good at basketball
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<p>People have finally gotten past the whole "the Spurs are finally going to be too old this year" meme, and now everyone just assumes (justifiably) that the Spurs will be contenders every season. 2014-2015 is no different.</p> <p><i>[Ed. note: In lieu of a traditional quick preview, we decided to run the final division preview as the game preview. We'll be back to quick previews for Thursday's game.]</i></p>
<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/" style="background-color: #ffffff;">Spurs</a> are again the favorites in the West. After two straight Finals appearances, this shouldn't be a surprise to anyone, especially considering that last year's title team returns completely intact. While no one should underestimate the Spurs, two straight Finals appearances is a lot of extra basketball on a team featuring more than a few older legs. In a Western Conference that is tougher than ever, will the Spurs have enough in the tank to make it through yet another long, grueling playoff grind?</p>
<h3>Offseason Changes</h3>
<p>Almost none. The Spurs re-signed <span>Boris Diaw</span> and <span>Patty Mills</span>, and <span>Tim Duncan</span> did not retire. So they returned every single player who contributed to last year's championship. <span>Tony Parker</span> quietly signed a 3-year contract extension. Same old, same old.</p>
<p>The Spurs then somehow drafted <span>Kyle Anderson</span>, who is basically a younger, less donut-happy Boris Diaw. Anderson is so perfect for the Spurs that basketball twitter basically exploded when he fell to San Antonio in the 2014 NBA draft.</p>
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<p>Seriously, how did the Spurs get Kyle Anderson?</p>
— Bo Churney (@bochurney) <a href="https://twitter.com/bochurney/status/525113371633659904">October 23, 2014</a>
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<p>It’s disgusting that the Spurs got Kyle Anderson. Perfect fit lol</p>
— Nate Jones (@JonesOnTheNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/JonesOnTheNBA/status/523854812928933888">October 19, 2014</a>
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<p>Anderson will replace rarely used former Longhorn Damion James. It's anyone guess which Spurs team Anderson ends up contributing to (San Antonio or Austin), but if he does end up in San Antonio most of the season, expect <span>Gregg Popovich</span> to find ways to use him while resting his older starters on a regular basis.</p>
<p>The most visible offseason move the Spurs made was adding Becky Hammon to the coaching staff. Hiring the NBA's first full-time female assistant head coach (and straight out of her playing career in the WNBA no less) was a surprisingly flashy move for a franchise often accused of being boring.</p>
<h3>Offensive Breakdown</h3>
<p>The Spurs offense is a balanced, efficient buzzsaw of death. Don't expect that to change this season. People accuse the Spurs of being unexciting offensively, but these people are stupid children who don't actually appreciate basketball. The Spurs offense is elegant and beautiful, and makes basketball look like ballet.</p>
<p>The Spurs had six players average double digit scoring last season. Two of those players--<span>Marco Belinelli</span> and Patty Mills--did so almost exclusively by making open three-point shots made possible by the incredible spacing of the Spurs offense. The Spurs led the league last year in field goal percentage, three-point percentage, and assists. This is by design. San Antonio has perfected a motion offense that makes full use of passing, screens, off-ball movement, and designed sets to create open looks and driving lanes.</p>
<p>What is even more terrifying is that, at this point, the players are experts in the system. Everyone understands the offense, knows their role, and are fully aware of what that offense can achieve (ringzz, in case that wasn't clear). There is no one new to introduce to the offense, other than maybe Kyle Anderson, but there's already a clear Boris Diaw-sized model for how Anderson can fit in. What I'm trying to say is that the Spurs could be even better this season than last season. Sure, Ginobili could completely fall apart, or Diaw could decide basketball just isn't as much fun as wining and dining on the riverwalk. But barring injury, the Spurs offense should be as good or better than it was last year. Everyone be very afraid.</p>
<p>I know that I gushed a lot about a division rival's offense here, but it really is that good. And it is a perfect model for what the Mavs can do this year, only Dallas has arguably more talented offensive weapons.</p>
<h3>Defensive Breakdown</h3>
<p>As fantastic as the Spurs offense is, their defense is just as good. It is the reason they're coming off two straight Finals appearances. Teams don't make deep playoff runs without defense. While the Spurs were seventh in the league in overall offensive rating, they were third in defensive rating.</p>
<p>Part of the reason the Spurs are so good on this end is their depth. Though Tim Duncan and <span>Kawhi Leonard</span> are no slouches defensively, San Antonio doesn't really feature any prolific defensive stoppers. Much like their offense, their defense stops opponents through a coordinated, systemic effort. The Spurs rotate well, don't make many mistakes, and have a lot of bodies to throw at an offense.</p>
<p>This is an area where Pop's hyper-effectiveness at managing his players' minutes pays off. Team defense depends largely on players paying attention and not having mental lapses. Mental lapses are much more likely to occur when players are either undisciplined or tired. Pop's players are <b>never </b>undisciplined or tired.</p>
<p>Again, with everyone coming back, don't be surprised if the Spurs are still one of the best defenses in the NBA.</p>
<h3>When the Teams Meet</h3>
<p>This series should be a lot of fun to watch this season. These two teams should be competing for both the Southwest Division and a top spot in the West. The Spurs are the clear favorite, but <span>Rick Carlisle</span> has the most talented roster he's arguably ever coached. Expect a lot of adjustments from both coaching staffs when these rivals meet.</p>
<p>As far as player matchups go, Parsons vs. Leonard should be really interesting. Hopefully Dirk's new quicker jumper will cause some issues for Diaw and Splitter defensively, and <span>Tyson Chandler</span> should provide a better answer for Duncan. Tony Parker is going to be an issue as long as <span>Devin Harris</span> is on the bench. We'll see what sort of creative solutions Carlisle can develop to prevent Parker from demolishing <span>Jameer Nelson</span> and Monta Ellis. Another interesting thing to watch for is whether <span>Al-Farouq Aminu</span> might get some serious burn trying to guard Diaw. The Mavs struggled to contain Diaw last season, and Aminu may turn out to be the perfect guy to match up with Diaw's unique offensive skillset.</p>
<p>Offensively, plenty of points should be scored. The major question is whether the Mavs can keep up with the Spurs defensively. As fantastic as last year's first round series was, there isn't a lot of reason for optimism on this front. Until the Mavs prove otherwise, the Spurs are the clear favorites because of their obvious advantage on defense.</p>
<h3>Gameday Update</h3>
<p>The Spurs will be opening the season at less than full strength. San Antonio will begin their title defense without starters Kawhi Leonard and Tiago Splitter. Leonard has yet to recover from an eye infection that kept him out of the majority of training camp, and Splitter has a calf strain. The Spurs will also be without backup point guard Patty Mills, who is still recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. No word yet on who will start in place of Leonard and Splitter, but it isn't uncommon for Gregg Popovich to beat good teams without the help of multiple starters. Dallas should not take this matchup lightly.</p>
https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2014/10/28/7072771/division-preview-the-san-antonio-spurs-are-still-the-bestBailey Grey