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Post by Pem on Apr 18, 2007 14:45:19 GMT -4
Or rather, I should say, the Dallas Mavericks.
If any of you are paying any attention to the playoff race out West, the Clippers and Warriors are fighting for the final playoff spot.
Last night the Clippers played the Suns while the Mavericks played the Warriors. The Suns, respecting the integrity of the league started and played their starters because the game had playoff implications. The Clippers did their business and won a hard fought game. Meanwhile, the Mavericks chose to trot out DeSagana Diop, Maurice Ager, Devean George, and wait for it....Jose Juan Barea. Get the F out of here! Here Warriors, have a free win against our D-League team. I understand resting your starters, but benching your entire starting lineup is pretty pathetic. Fact of the matter is, they don't want to play the Warriors in the playoffs, so they are doing their best to manipulate the seeding. Whatever works I suppose.
To compund the matter, I live in Warrior country, so today I have to listen to these homers (you've never met a homer till you've met a Warriors fan) talk about how great their team is, how great Don Nelson is, and how they deserve to be in the playoffs this year.
Every year it's the same friggin story. In November all I hear about is how the Warriors are greatly improved and "this is going to be the year we finish with a better record than the Lakers. F the Lakers. F the Clippers too." And every year, the Warriors fans go back into hiding by late February. It's about this time that we start hearing about how "great" the A's and Billy Beane are. Truthfully, it's better than hearing about his "this is the year for the Giants." It's enough to make a man puke.
With any luck, the Blazers D-League team will defeat the Warriors and the Clippers will manage to defeat the Hornets. Otherwise, tomorrow is going to be a longgggg day.
Rant off!
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Post by "Three Time" on Apr 18, 2007 15:24:07 GMT -4
i think the mavs are just doing what best helps them win a title. what is dirk got hurt and instead of losing a reg season game they lost the playoff series? this sure is not the 1st time a team will rest players going into the playoffs
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Post by Dan on Apr 18, 2007 15:40:08 GMT -4
Makes sense to me why the Mavs would play their scrubs.
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Post by Boyd on Apr 18, 2007 15:44:05 GMT -4
What did the Clippers do last season?
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Post by Pem on Apr 18, 2007 15:57:07 GMT -4
What did the Clippers do last season? Great things. I think there is a difference between resting and blatantly not trying. If the game didn't matter, fine throw Mark Cuban out there in a uniform. People should respect the integrity of the game. It's an issue in baseball every september, why not in basketball? The Mavs 'rested' their players the game before this as well. I hope Avery knows what he's doing, because there is going to be some rust on the wheels following their 1+ week vacation.
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Post by "Three Time" on Apr 18, 2007 15:59:15 GMT -4
its not just the mavs... last i saw manu/duncan/parker were all on IR the other night. happens bc rest is very important
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Post by Pem on Apr 18, 2007 16:14:20 GMT -4
its not just the mavs... last i saw manu/duncan/parker were all on IR the other night. happens bc rest is very important Believe me, I get it. The Spurs chose to rest their guys against the Grizzlies; the result of the game had no meaning on any teams playoff chance or seeding. If the game has no meaning, no one cares. When a team life is on the line, the opposing team should make every effort to provide a realistic game (maybe just play your starters for ~20 minutes). If Dirk goes down, then sure, Avery would second guessed. Really it's a lose-lose situation, but I'm of the school that you have to respect the unwritten rule of sports...
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Post by "Three Time" on Apr 18, 2007 16:17:10 GMT -4
to just be honest if i was running a team... i could care less about unwritten rules or whatever bullshit. I would do what is best for my team and for the mavs it was a meaningless game and his guys needed the rest. I would do what is best for my team to win in the playoffs no matter what
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Post by Pem on Apr 18, 2007 16:19:56 GMT -4
to just be honest if i was running a team... i could care less about unwritten rules or whatever bullshit. I would do what is best for my team and for the mavs it was a meaningless game and his guys needed the rest. I would do what is best for my team to win in the playoffs no matter what I totally understand where you're coming from, but the game was far from meaningless for the Mavs.
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Post by "Three Time" on Apr 18, 2007 16:36:39 GMT -4
to just be honest if i was running a team... i could care less about unwritten rules or whatever bullshit. I would do what is best for my team and for the mavs it was a meaningless game and his guys needed the rest. I would do what is best for my team to win in the playoffs no matter what I totally understand where you're coming from, but the game was far from meaningless for the Mavs. how so?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2007 16:37:18 GMT -4
GO WARRIORS
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Post by Pem on Apr 18, 2007 17:17:09 GMT -4
I totally understand where you're coming from, but the game was far from meaningless for the Mavs. how so? Well, Dallas has the #1 seed locked up. Fine. If one team can say they own the Mavericks, it's the Warriors. They went 3-0 against them this year (2-0 if you discount the freebie win they gave them last night). Meanwhile, the Lakers only went 1-3 against the Mavs this year. With the Warriors win last night, if they defeat Portland's D-League team tonight and the Lakers lose, the Lakers fall to the 8 seed which should be easy pickings for the Mavs. If the Lakers win, however, the Warriors/Clippers would fall to the 8 seed. Obviously the Mavs would rather play one of the LA teams than the Warriors. They made a calculated move hoping the Warriors would make it to the #7 seed. We'll see how that move turns out. But to say the game was meaningless for the Mavs, far from it...
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Post by "Three Time" on Apr 18, 2007 17:36:27 GMT -4
so your sayin they lost in the hope to play kobe and the lakers instead of the warriors? not for the purpose of rest?
IMO i dont think the mavs really care who they play since its win it all or bust. i dont really think they care who they play. Dont go by season series bc its totally different in the playoffs. i would think that if the mavs were really scared of the warriors they would have just beat them or tried to beat them.
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Post by Pem on Apr 18, 2007 17:50:28 GMT -4
so your sayin they lost in the hope to play kobe and the lakers instead of the warriors? not for the purpose of rest? IMO i dont think the mavs really care who they play since its win it all or bust. i dont really think they care who they play. Dont go by season series bc its totally different in the playoffs. i would think that if the mavs were really scared of the warriors they would have just beat them or tried to beat them. I'm just saying the Mavs know they match up better against the Lakers than the Warriors and they did what they could to help themselves. I'm sure "rest" had a part in the decision as well, but they knew they could play it off as just that if they were questioned. It was probably a wise move on their part, but I still disagree with it.
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Post by Jogo on Apr 18, 2007 18:12:09 GMT -4
You make no sense. Seems to me you are just being a homer like you call the warriors fans. Either pro-Clippers or anti-Warriors.
If the Mavs wanted to avoid the Warriors, they would try to beat them to give the Clippers the 8th seed. Because that would be much more probable (with a Warriors loss vs Mavs) than the Warriors getting the 7th seed hoping the Kings beat the Lakers when they have nothing on the line. And on a side note, no one in their right mind your prefer to face Kobe + 4 in the playoffs than the 5 warriors put on court. And really although it would be nice of Avery to play his best players since there's a race between the Warriors and the Clippers, this is a professional sport and he is getting payed. He is getting payed to win in the playoffs and not to be nice. If he played Dirk and Dirk got injured, he would be headed for big trouble and probable firing if the Mavs failed in the 1st round. Popovich can rest his starters because he is playing the Grizz but Avery can't because their schedule gave them a team that is still playing for something when they are playing for nothing? Doesn't make sense. I can't see you having a point other than if I were a Clippers fan I would be pissed too. But like Elton Brand said, they shouldn't be in that situation in the 1st place (where they have to hope for a Warriors loss).
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