In my opinion, inserting Brent Barry in the starting lineup and going with Fabricio Oberto before Nazr Mohammed and Rasho Nesterovic were not real adjustments, or they just weren’t good enough. After Avery Johnson made the brilliant move of bringing Devin Harris in the starting lineup for Dallas, Pop decided to replace young legs for old to reflect any adjustments on Dallas’ side.
Pop is a great coach and has done really well when it comes to matchups in the past, but it was clear by seeing Devin Harris blow by Brent Barry countless times that this was not one of them.
The other adjustment: Oberto getting into the rotation ahead of Nazr, and Rasho didn’t even play. In fact I don’t know if it was a Slovenian National Holiday, but Rasho and Beno picked up DNP’s.
The Spurs have been badly outrebounded in the playoffs so far, and the only signs of life I’ve seen from Nazr so far have come in game one against the Kings. But I think Rasho deserves a chance, and I would even let him start tonight just to see if it works, becasue obviously Horry in the starting 5 is not working in this series.
And for God’s sake, Pop, do I have to pull out the Free Beno rant again. Yes, Nick has more playoff experience than Beno, but he sure the hell isn’t playing like it. Nick should be used sparingly and I think the time is now to make Beno the primary backup to Tony Parker.
And it’s not just me, Aaron Stampler, who’s been filling in for Mathew Powell at Pounding the Rock, has had enough of NVE as well.
Whatever changes are made, heres’s hope for a Game 4 win as the Spurs can’t afford losing a third game going back to San Antonio, where the Mavs have already won.
By the way, Buck Harvey has Pop’s back.
-Michael A. De Leon
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