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Posted: Wednesday May 24, 2006 1:54PM; Updated: Wednesday May 24, 2006 5:18PM
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Western Conference Breakdown
SI.com's Marty Burns breaks down the matchup between Phoenix and Dallas
Center
Boris
Diaw		 vs. DeSagana
Diop
Boris Diaw
Boris Diaw
Greg Nelson/SI
These two guys with similar last names also were two of the NBA's most improved players this season. Diaw took home the award, but Diop emerged as a quality defender after four years of riding the pine in Cleveland. However, they probably won't see much of each other in this series. At 6-foot-8, Diaw is too small to guard the 7-foot Diop, so he will likely shift over to defend Josh Howard and let the 6-10 Tim Thomas man the middle. At the other end, Diaw is a gifted passer and setup man who often initiates the Suns' offense. He will try to pull his man out from under the basket and force Dallas to play small. Diop has been an unsung hero of the Mavs, providing a legitimate shot-blocking presence under the basket. His defense on Tim Duncan in OT of Game 7 was heroic. But neither he nor Erick Dampier are real low-post threats, so they will have to punish the Suns inside by cutting to the rim and converting rebounds and layups off feeds from teammates. Whether they can do that enough to offset the Suns' ability to spread the floor at the other end is doubtful. Look for Dallas coach Avery Johnson to opt for a smaller lineup, using Keith Van Horn or somebody else, early in most games.
Edge: Even
Power Forward
Shawn
Marion		 vs. Dirk
Nowitzki
Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Nowitzki
Greg Nelson/SI
Far and away the best individual matchup in the series. Nowitzki is the Mavs' catalyst and unquestioned go-to guy. Once predominately a jump shooter, the 7-foot German now has a complete offensive arsenal. More important, he seems to be on a mission this season. He averaged 29.5 points a game against the Suns during the season series and is coming off a sensational semifinal series against the Spurs in which he silenced any remaining doubts about his leadership. In Marion, however, Nowitzki will be facing one of the game's best defensive forwards. The 6-7 Matrix is an athletic marvel who can bang inside or stay with Dirk out on the perimeter. At the other end, Marion's ability to run the floor and spot up for three-pointers could cause problems for the lankier and slower Nowitzki. Marion must make Dirk work on defense and try to wear him out so he is not as fresh at the end of games. Nowitzki, meanwhile, must be determined on offense and not settle for too many jumpers. The Suns expect him to set up more often in the post this series, where he can use his size advantage and where he can try to get Marion into foul trouble.
Edge: Mavs
Small Forward
Tim
Thomas		 vs. Josh
Howard
Josh Howard
Josh Howard
Greg Nelson/SI
Since being plucked off waivers in March, Thomas has been a godsend for the Suns. The 6-foot-10 sharpshooter has averaged 15 points and seven rebounds in the postseason while shooting 41.8 percent from downtown. He even stepped in and played some decent defense on Elton Brand for short stretches in the Clippers series, so he should be mentally ready to bang with Diop if necessary. A free agent after the season, Thomas seems determined to show he's worth a big contract offer. Howard isn't flashy, but he's a more complete player and one who appears to be on the cusp of All-Star recognition. During the season the Mavs are 21-0 when the third-year pro from Wake Forest scores 20 points or more. With Nowitzki likely to have his hands full with Marion, Howard will be relied on to produce some big offensive numbers in this series as well. He must attack, attack, attack. Defensively, Howard has the quickness and length to match up with either Diaw or Thomas and keep them from getting too many open looks.
Edge: Mavs
Shooting Guard
Raja
Bell		 vs. Jason
Terry
Jason Terry
Raja Bell
Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images
Terry moved into the shooting-guard spot in place of Adrian Griffin when the Mavs decided to go small with Harris. On paper he rates a big edge over a journeyman like Bell. But Bell emerged this year as more than just a defensive stopper and in some ways has been Phoenix's best all-around player in the postseason. The 6-5 bulldog averaged 15 points and three rebounds while shooting 44.2 percent from downtown. He has kept it up in the postseason, defending Kobe Bryant in the Lakers series and hitting the game-tying shot with 1.5 seconds left in regulation of Phoenix's pivotal Game 5 OT win over the Clippers. A former Maverick, he also will be primed to show his former team that it made a mistake in letting him go after his one season ('02-03). Terry, meanwhile, is the Mavs' second-leading scorer (14.8 points) and a proven clutch shotmaker in his own right. He has the quickness to get open against anybody, and his rainbow jumper is lethal, but he must be smart with the ball and not commit turnovers. He also will be relied on heavily to provide help defense on Nash. Like Tim Thomas, Terry is also a free agent after the season who will be looking to showcase his skills on the big stage.
Edge: Mavs
Point Guard
Steve
Nash		 vs. Devin
Harris
Steve Nash
Steve Nash
John W. McDonough/SI
What more can be said about Nash? The reigning two-time MVP means everything to the Suns. He's the engine of their high-octane offense, the guy who makes it all go. He also has a fierce will to win, as evidenced by his 29-point, 11-assist performance in his team's Game 7 clincher over the Clippers. But Nash has some lingering health issues (see below), and he did not shoot well in the L.A. series. If he is not near 100 percent, the Suns could be in trouble. Harris, a second-year guard out of Wisconsin, has the quickness to take advantage if Nash is hobbled. He helped the Mavs turn around their series against the Spurs after being inserted in the starting lineup before Game 2. Harris will try to pressure Nash up the court and stay in front of him as much as possible. At the other end, he will need to stay aggressive so that Nash has to work as much as possible. If Harris can't do the job, the Mavs will slide Terry back to the point and use Griffin at the off guard.
Edge: Suns
Bench
Phoenix Suns
 vs. Dallas Mavericks
Jerry Stackhouse
Jerry Stackhouse
Greg Nelson/SI
The Mavs might have the deepest bench in the league, and they will need it here. Dampier, Van Horn, Jerry Stackhouse, Marquis Daniels, Adrian Griffin and Darrell Armstrong form a talented, experienced corps. Stackhouse is a big-time scorer who finished third in voting for this year's Sixth Man award. Dampier provides quality defense and rebounding in the middle. Van Horn, who recently returned from a hand injury, is a big man who can shoot from downtown. Daniels, Griffin and Armstrong can all defend and knock down shots. Against the run-and-gun Suns, the Mavs' bench figures to see plenty of action as Avery Johnson tries to keep his troops fresh. The Suns counter with a bench that is dangerous if not particularly deep. Leandro Barbosa, Eddie House and James Jones can all stroke it, meaning Phoenix never has to worry about having enough shooters on the floor. Keep an eye on House, an explosive scorer who didn't play much in the last series because of matchups but could be a bigger factor here. Meanwhile, center Kurt Thomas is back in uniform after being out since February with a broken foot. Though he might seem useful in helping shore up Phoenix's thin defensive interior, he is probably still too rusty for Mike D'Antoni to trust in such a big series.
Edge: Mavs
Coach
Mike
D'Antoni		 vs. Avery
Johnson
Avery Johnson
Avery Johnson
John W. McDonough/SI
The last two Coach of the Year winners will really get a chance to match wits in this series with all the odd matchups on the floor. D'Antoni (the '05 COY winner) did a masterful job again this season, leading the Suns to a 54-28 record despite the preaseason loss of All-Star power forward Amaré Stoudemire to a season-ending knee injury. He truly believes in his system and never lets his team's confidence falter, a big part of why the Suns were able to come back from a 3-1 deficit against the Lakers in the first round. Johnson, this year's COY winner, has been every bit as impressive. In his first full season on the Dallas bench, he guided the Mavs to a 60-22 record. A defensive-minded coach, he got his team to buy into his philosophy without turning them into a walk-it-up one-dimensional outfit. Johnson also has shown the ability to make adjustments. For example, his decision to go with Harris and a quicker lineup against the Spurs might have been the key to that series.
Edge: Even
X Factor
Phoenix Suns
 vs. Dallas Mavericks
Keith Van Horn
Keith Van Horn
Stephen Dunn/Getty Images
For the Suns, it's Nash's health. The 32-year-old point guard has been bothered throughout the postseason by a balky back and he didn't quite look himself in the last series. During a five-game span against the Clippers in the last round, he shot only 38.5 percent from the floor, including two of 18 from downtown. The Suns need Nash to be like he was in Game 7 for them to take this series. As for the Mavs, keep an eye on Van Horn. The 6-10 veteran recently returned after missing six weeks with a broken right hand, but he hit five of nine three-pointers in Games 6 and 7 against San Antonio. Van Horn gives Dallas a big man who can match up with the likes of Thomas. Like Thomas and Terry, he's also a free agent after the season with plenty of extra motivation to make his minutes count.
Edge: Mavs
Intangibles
Phoenix Suns
 vs. Dallas Mavericks
Shawn Marion
Shawn Marion
John W. McDonough/SI
The Suns are a resilient bunch with a healthy chip on their shoulder. Counted out all season, they just keep coming back to prove the doubters wrong. They became only the eighth team in NBA history to come back from a 3-1 deficit when they vanquished the Lakers, and they survived a bigger Clippers team that was supposed to slow down their offense. Now they get a chance to prove the skeptics wrong again. They should be confident that they can beat Mavs, having posted an 8-4 record against them the past two seasons -- including a six-game triumph in last year's semifinals. But will the Suns be weary after two grueling seven-game series? As for the Mavs, they showed against the Spurs how hungry they are to reach the Finals. They also have the added motivation to avenge last year's playoff loss to Suns. Throw in the fact that the Mavs have home court advantage (they are 38-8 at American Airlines Center this season) and it seems Dallas is primed to advance.
Edge: Mavs
Bottom Line
The Suns' offense is unstoppable. But does Phoenix have enough left in the tank? Meanwhile, Big D has the three Ds: defense, depth and Dirk.
Mavs in six.

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