Mavericks Playoff Practice Report (04/19/10)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Mavs preparing for Spurs' Game 2 adjustments
Mavericks Playoff Practice Report (04/19/10)

Over the course of a best-of-seven playoff series, two teams are sure to make plenty of adjustments. The alterations tailor-made for Game 2 between the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs could prove pivotal for the final results of the first round series.

With that said, Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle is anticipating his counterpart Gregg Popovich's next step, before the veteran San Antonio signal-caller even makes his next move.

After the Mavericks exploited the Spurs' single coverage on Dirk Nowitzki in Game 1 on Sunday, leading to No. 41 ripping into the San Antonio defense for 36 points en route to a 100-94 Dallas win, Popovich figures to make some changes the second go-round. Carlisle's crew will be ready.

"(The Spurs) are going to give you different looks and we're going to give them different looks, too," Carlisle said in anticipation for Game 2. "We'll have to adjust when those things happen, and we'll have to be ready to make plays."

Whether or not the Spurs change their defensive strategy against Nowitzki remains to be seen. Either way, the 7-footer will once again look to take advantage of scoring opportunities when they present themselves.

"I'm going to take whatever they give me. But they'll make changes and we'll be ready for them," Nowitzki said.

Sunday night, Caron Butler showed he is ready if the Spurs' attention is locked in on Nowitzki. The newcomer's Mav playoff debut was a successful one, hitting on eight of 19 shots and scoring 22 points.

"We definitely needed some scoring from somewhere else," Nowitzki said. "I thought Caron was big."

"My teammates just told me to be myself," Butler explained. "Don't try to do too much, just be myself."

Monday, the swingman worked on being in the proper position if the double team comes Nowitzki's way.

"That's what we worked on all today, knowing where the shots and double teams are coming from...We just have to be prepared," Butler said.

Defensively, the Mavs hope they are more prepared to deal with the Spurs' "Big Three" of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker. The trio combined to score 71 points in the series opener, as the Dallas defense took away San Antonio's role players. In Game 2 on Wednesday night, Carlisle is hopeful that his team can continue to quiet the Spurs' supporting cast while also limiting the trifecta's impact on the game.

"Stop the role players or not, we still have to stop those three and they scored a ton. We can't let them get off, even if we are stopping the role players," the coach explained.

For Carlisle, stopping the three stars begins with defending the pick-and-roll. If the entire five-man defense can focus on stopping the Spurs' lethal pick-and-roll sets, then the Dallas squad likes its chances.

"It's very tough, because such a high percentage of their plays are pick-and-roll plays. And they've got really great facilitators, good screeners and rollers and a bunch of three-point shooters out there. It's going to be challenging. The important thing is five guys are engaged in it defensively, even though it's a two-man game. Everybody's got to be involved, because so many different things happen on their screen-and-roll," Carlisle said.

Both the Mavs and Spurs will try to implement their adjustments Wednesday night in Game 2, when Dallas goes for a 2-0 series edge before the schedule swings to San Antonio. The second matchup in the best-of-seven series will air nationally on TNT and locally on KTXA and KTXA HD at 8:30 p.m. CT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.

"(Sunday night) was a positive step, but we've got to get better as the series goes along," Carlisle said.

The Mavs-Spurs First Round series schedule is as follows:
Game 2 – Wed April 21 San Antonio at Dallas 8:30PM TXA21/ TNT
Game 3 – Fri April 23 Dallas at San Antonio 8:30PM TXA21/ ESPN
Game 4 – Sun April 25 Dallas at San Antonio 6:00PM TXA21/ TNT
Game 5 * Tue April 27 San Antonio at Dallas TBD TXA21/ TBD
Game 6 * Thu April 29 Dallas at San Antonio TBD TXA21/ TBD
Game 7 * Sat May 1 San Antonio at Dallas TBD TXA21/ TNT

Mavs.com has introduces a new, interactive webcast entitled "Technical Foul," hosted by Mavs television broadcasters Mark Followill and Bob Ortegel. The second live-streamed broadcast will be Tuesday, April 20 at 12:30 p.m. CT, recapping Game 1 and previewing Game 2 of the series. Earl K. Sneed will also talk with fans and answer questions via a live chat during the show. Tune in for exclusive Mavs talk with the people that know the team the best.




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