If loving is Wright, I don't wanna be rong...

There's a first time for everything.

Tonight, I watched Antoine Wright become everything that bothers me about this Mavs team. Except the exact opposite.

He was slashing to the hoop. He was only taking jumpers when absolutely necessary, but they weren't overly contested jumpers, he manged to get good looks and hit most of them.

Sure, he could have hit some more free throws. Sure, he was 0-for-5 from three-land. But guess what?

Without him, the Mavs wouldn't be .500. Without him, the Pacers would have shut the Mavs down on the scoreboard just as easily as they did on the boards.

Is this the beginning of Antoine Wright's rise to superstardom? Probably not. But it's a start. More importantly, this changes the spectrum of the Mavericks' lineup, especially when it comes to trades.

If Stackhouse wants to leave, then he might not need to be replaced with another swingman. After all, James Singleton is playing good minutes, Green has been good, and when Howard gets back, that's a pretty good depth at the 2 and 3 spots, especially if Kidd and Terry are on the court at the same time.

That leaves the Mavs room to chase after someone like Chris Kaman, someone who can give them a good interior presence.

A package including Stack and Damp might be appetizing to the Clips.

Other notes on the Mavs/Pacers game:

• Jason Terry is like a magnet. He's either thrilling you with clutch jumpers and drives to the basket, or he's infuriating when those same shots rim out.
  
• This was the first time in ten games that the Mavs haven't outrebounded their opponent. The Mavs record when they win the Battle of the Boards? 5-5. When they lose the battle of the boards? 2-2. This means that winning on the boards isn't key for the Mavs to win the game, but of course, it helps.
  
• The Mavs are finally taking that final step in a comeback: taking the lead. They seem to do fine tying the game or getting within a possession, but then it all falls apart. While this is good news, it's going to be much harder to break that barrier against the teams they need to beat to go deep into the playoffs.
  

A win is a win, an a gutty one like this is always satisfying.

We'll see what happens Friday against the Lakers. After a three day layoff, it took the Mavs close to 45 minutes to get into this game, and they won't be able to do that against the Lakers after another three day layoff.

Let's hope Carlisle can find a way to keep the momentum fresh over the holiday to the end of the week.

Don't go too crazy on the turkey, Dirk.

The suns rises for the Mavs

To quote the late, great Harvey Dent, "The night is always darkest just before dawn."

On Sunday night, I was going through the darkest part of the night.

My beloved Mavericks were getting manhandled by the New York Knicks. It wasn't just that Zach Randolph, Quentin Richardson and Chris Duhan were having career games.

It was that nothing was going right for the Mavs. They were missing layups and getting in foul trouble.

Get an offensive rebound? They would turn it over on a pass to halfcourt.

Get a defensive stop? They would follow it by an offensive foul or a brick.

Bring the lead to within four points? The Knicks would bury a three, or get the and-one.

They couldn't get a key stop or a key shot, two things that are essential in close games.

With 2:30 to go in the fourth quarter, I was considering becoming a Portland fan. I couldn't go through 74 more games of this, not to mention the rest of my life.

It was like I was married to the Dallas Mavericks, and the 2006 Finals collapse was like the death of our child.

We had moved on, but we would always be reminded of how close we came. And no matter how deluded I was, the magic could never be recaptured.

The Blazers on the other hand, were a chance for a fresh start. They were young, they gave me thrilling, buzzer beating endings. Brandon Roy's complete skill set seduced me the way a curvy college-aged chick would seduce any man going through a mid-life crisis.

The fact that I am 25, and thinking about mid-life crises should show you how distraught I was.

The amount of times I came oh so close to clicking the red X on the top right hand corner of my computer monitor, forever closing my NBA League pass window, would fill you with shame.

But you know what stopped me? The Red Sox-Devil Rays game five. I didn't want to miss anything.

That's why you watch sports, on the off chance that something that defies logic, defies reason, hell, defies the very laws of physics that govern the physical world in which we occupy, happens.

So that's why, with 2:26 left in the game (or so I thought), when Jamal Crawford assisted Richardson for a jumper to put the Knicks up by seven, I held little hope.

And redemption started not with a bang, but with a whimper. Josh Howard hit a runner and was fouled, making the three-point play.

Then Dirk nailed a 12-footer after a David Lee miss. Then Dallas gets an offensive rebound and Terry ties the game.

The rest, as they say, is history. Dirk turned it on during OT, nailing several jumpers, foul shots and a dagger three-ball.

And suddenly, the sun was rising.

The five-game win streak was over. Dallas finally pulled out out in the clutch. They got the stops, they hit the shots.

Does it mean that the season is saved? Not necessarily. But you've got to start somewhere.

Melodrama aside, let's take a look at some of the positives and negatives from what can only be termed a disappointing start.

The Good

There doesn't seem to be a specific flaw in the Mavericks. Their defense hasn't been as bad as advertised, people like Ben Gordon and Zach Randolph are just hitting their contested shots.

They are finding ways to lose, rather than finding ways to win.

Like a wall that has sprung a leak, every time one gets plugged, another one starts to leak.

But sooner or later, the wall is stronger than before, because most of it has been repaired. Either that, or is just collapses, but for the sake of my sanity and my fandom, let's throw that option out.

Jason Kidd is having a pretty good year. He's hitting open threes, he's running a good halfcourt offense, and he's doing good on the break.

They are also moving the ball pretty well, sometimes their shots aren't falling. Those shots will fall eventually.

I've also been impressed with James Singleton over the last few games. He brings breath of fresh air off the bench, and he's pretty good on the boards.

The Bad

Rick Carlisle is showing signs of Avery.

The beginning of the end for Avery was when he decided to abandon the lineup that won Dallas 67 games in 2007, to matchup with a Warriors team that got into the playoffs on the last day of the season.

Carlisle did the same thing against the Knicks last night. Dampier played four minutes, and Diop didn't play at all.

Why? The Knicks didn't look particularly run-and-gun to me. The Mavs were running pretty good with those two playing normal minutes, and having a Dampier in the game should give the Mavs a big advantage on the boards.

Then we get to the last play of regulation. What did Carlisle call? Oh, I don't know, maybe the Avery special? An iso to Jason Terry that ended with him taking a low-percentage elbow jumper.

With the jump shooters on the Mavs team, as well as the people who can penetrate, why settle for a jumper. Why not give it to Jo-Ho and see if he can get to the line? Or Dirk? Or swing the ball around and give Kidd an open three?

So could this be the start of something beautiful for the Mavs? Probably not, but you never know...

Fatal flaws?

After an incredibly disappointing weekend of Dallas Mavericks basketball, I think I've finally figured out why Dallas has seemed like a doomed team since Game Three of the 2006 Finals.

Before Game Three, the world was Dallas' oyster. They were halfway towards a sweep and an NBA championship, Dirk Nowitzki was playing better than any forward since Larry Bird, and all was right with the world.

So what happened? Was it owner Mark Cuban's arrogance, going on late-night television talking about his soon-to-be-championship? Was it the city of Dallas, already planning their parade route?

I have always been a big believer in karma, especially sports karma, but I don't think that's the reason.

The reason is that Dallas is missing two key ingredients—things that every championship team of recent memory has possessed.

Problem No. 1: Lack of a Dominant Big Man

Did you know that last year's Lakers-Celtics Finals was the first Finals since the Jordan years not to feature Tim Duncan or Shaquille O'Neal? Think about that.

The two best big men of this generation have been in a position to win the Finals every year since 1999. You could argue that Kobe Bryant has been the most dominant guard of this generation, and LeBron James has been and will be the most dominant forward of this generation, but, both have missed the Finals multiple years.

Of course, LeBron is much younger—but just for the sake of argument, hear me out.

The two big men have taken their teams to the Finals, most of the time with one other piece. Tim Duncan was able to team with David Robinson, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker. Shaq had Kobe and D-Wade. It could be argued that Wade did more than Shaq, but Shaq was there.

Now, bring this back to the Mavs. They have Dirk, who is a big man in terms of height, but he doesn't play the big man's game. He's a decent rebounder (8.6 per game for his career), but he isn't a dominant low-post player.

He's got a guard's game. He can hit a jumper, a three, and drive to the basket to draw fouls. His skill at the fadeaway shot and the match-up problem his height presents are what have made him the player he is today.

For the past few years, the Mavericks have had Erick Dampier and DeSagana Diop anchoring the frontcourt.

Dampier is not the type of center that is going to win you a championship. I like him, but that's the truth.

He makes the money the Mavericks could have given to Steve Nash. Here's Dampier's basic five-game stat line:

• One or one-and-a-half games where he lights the world on fire, especially since Kidd came to Dallas. He will get offensive boards and tip-ins, three blocks, a steal or two, and a 10-and-10.
• Two games where he will be in foul trouble, like Friday night in Denver. Dampier played a total of 13 minutes against a team with Marcus Camby at center. When he could have been out-muscling Camby, he was riding the pine because he was fouling jump shooters away from the basket.
  
• One or one-and-a-half games of absolutely pedestrian numbers. He might get seven to nine boards, with none or maybe one off the offensive glass, and he will get five points on one-for-five from the field and three-for-six from the charity stripe.
  

That's not going to win you a championship—especially over a long playoff run.

Diop is great as a backup center. He provides decent defense (although not much to speak of this year), good rebounding presence, and he can knock down three to five shots a game.

Jamal Magliore had a chance to return to form last year, and I was really hoping he was the last piece of the puzzle. Whether it was former coach Avery Johnson not playing him (3.9 minutes per game) or just general "suckitude" (1.7 ppg, 1.1 rpg), he wasn't the answer.

This year, we have the Damp-Diop combo, except they're two years older than they were during their Finals run, and Diop isn't looking like himself.

So what are the options? The best answer would be Chris Kaman of the LA Clippers. He's friends with Dirk, he hates LA, and he is the most underrated center in the game (possibly because of his bald spot). He plays good defense, he's only 26, plus he's ambidextrous. A Damp-Diop trade for Kaman would be great, especially if the Clips could take Jerry Stackhouse also.

Would I give up Brandon Bass for Kaman? It pains me, but yes. Would I give up Josh Howard for Kaman? Probably not. Would I give up guard Jason Kidd, who's expiring contract might be attractive to the Clips?

Then they could run with Jason Terry at point guard and Gerald Green at shooting guard, which is close to the lineup that took them to the Finals.

Problem No. 2: A Distinct Lack of Clutch

Yeah, I know what you're saying—that's what every one says. But it's true. Besides Dirk, there is no player that can be counted on in the clutch. This leads to double teams on Dirk on key possessions, which in turn lead to one of three things:

• Someone else gets the ball, and turns it over or bricks a shot.
• Dirk is forced to the rack, and gets stripped.
• Dirk gets to the rack, makes the shot, and gets fouled, tying the game with no time left (Game Seven of 2006 Western semifinals only).

There have been way too many possessions late in the game when Dallas is still in it, but they just choke away a golden opportunity.

(If you think Dirk isn't clutch, you don't watch basketball. The aforementioned play in Game Seven in 2006, and the buzzer-beating three-pointer against the Jazz to send the Mavs to the playoffs last year are just two of the most dramatic examples.)

Take the Mavs-Nugs game from Friday night (a liveblog can be found on my blog). The Mavs spent all night clawing their way back into the game—and finally got there, thanks to Green (another article for another day).

With twenty-one seconds left, Kidd gets the and-one off a Brandon Bass block, giving him a chance to tie the game. He bricks the free throw, forcing Dallas to play the foul game.

With seventeen seconds left in the fourth quarter, the Mavs are down two, with the ball and a golden opportunity (since Chauncey Billups missed one of his free throws). For some reason, Bass gets the ball, twenty-five feet from the basket, and immediately has the ball stolen.

It's been the same old thing with these Mavericks, and it's incredibly frustrating. They claw their way back into the game, and it comes down to a few key possessions, which always end up with:

• Someone jacking up a contested three to beat the shot clock.
• A steal, strip, or some other turnover caused my someone who shouldn't have the ball in the first place.
  

People always harp on the Mavs' "lack of toughness," but it's their clutch performance that is lacking.

I don't know if it's that coach Rick Carlisle hasn't drawn up a play for the situation, or if it's the execution, but it is ridiculous. In playoff basketball, wins come down to who can execute down the stretch.

The Spurs and Lakers do that better than anyone else, and that's why they have seven championships in the last nine years.

And when the Mavs have only one clutch shooter in Dirk, he can easily be negated.

But the Lakers had Kobe, Shaq, and Big Shot Robert Horry—none of whom you want to leave open.

The Spurs have Duncan and Ginobili, and to a lesser extent Michael Finley, none of which you want open on a final possession.

How can this be fixed? I don't know. You can't teach clutch, but it's hard to get clutch. Green might be in the running. Terry, not so much. Kidd, as lights out from three-land as he was on Friday night, shouldn't be trusted in a clutch three-ball situation.

Josh Howard remains a viable solution, but I don't see him hitting a three-ball when needed, and often times only a three-ball will do.

What I can see Jo-Ho-Ho and a Bottle of Rum doing is driving to the rack, but he doesn't have that Tony Parker or D-Wade skill of the bank shot, where he can make the shot after the foul as he's headed to the floor.

I don't know if this provides viable answers to the questions I've asked. But, those are the two flaws that need to be fixed if the Mavericks are to win a championship in the Dirk years.

4th Quarter, Part II

All times EST.

12:51 - Jo-Ho is forced to jack up a contested three with a second left of the shot-clock. What happened to offensive consistency? Oh yeah, his name is Gerald Green, who has 13 points in 10 minutes.

12:55 - Dallas is going small for the last four minutes. Is this because they're trying something different, or because their centers have been in foul trouble all night. Whatever it is, it's working.

12:56 - As much as I love Dirk, he always seems to turn it over on a huge possession. This one leads to a Billups three.

12:57 - Dallas should have the ball, but the refs say the ball didn't go behind the glass. Now Denver gets the ball, up by one. If history is any indicator, they will now hit a dagger three, and the game is done for Dallas.

12:58 - Kidd steals from 'Melo, but Bass throws it away, now time for the dagger. Kidd fouls 'Melo, now he has five.

1:00 - Dallas lineup: Kidd, Terry, Green, Bass, Dirk. Three guards, two forwards. Interesting choice. Let's see how it plays out.

1:02 - Dallas down by one, with the ball, what do you think happens? If you guessed up Terry jacking up a contested three with the shot clock expiring, and Dirk fouling 'Melo on the rebound, you'd be right. You'd think they would convert at least ONE clutch possession.

1:03 - Dallas down by three, they had the ball with a minute to go, settle for an iso and a fade away jumper.

1:04 - Kidd makes the and-one on the fast break! He misses the foul shot. Of course. Nuggets lead by one, 19.9 seconds left, timeout.

1:06 - My heart just skipped a beat, J.J. Barea is walking on the floor. Please tell me he's just foul fodder since Kidd has five.

1:07 - J.J. fouls Billups, only the best free-throw shooter on the team, number two in the NBA last season. He misses the first. If only we can avoid an awful offensive possession...

1:08 - Dallas down 102-104, 17.5 seconds remaining. They haven't done squat on key possession, except jack up awful treys. Can they put something together. They also have two more timeouts. This is where no center could hurt them on a miss.

1:09 - Another choke job. Bass loses the ball, 'Melo heads to the line and makes both.

1:11 - 1.1 seconds left, Terry sinks a three. The first clutch play they've had, and it's not all that clutch.

1:14- .4 seconds left, 'Melo to the line, where he is perfect 12-12. He makes it 14-14. Timeout Dallas.

1:16 - And that's your ballgame. Kidd inbounds to Green, who can't get it off in time. If Dallas pulls off one or two more possessions, the game is theirs. Oh, well.

That's gonna do it for all of us here at Dirk Is My Homeboy, thanks for stopping by.

4th Quarter, Part I

All times EST.

12:30 - Alright, down by only 7. Not insurmountable, but Dallas needs to play all 12 minutes. If Dampier can stay on the court for more than a few minutes, maybe they can establish some interior defense. Although, if he does come back in, he's going to have a bull's-eye on him.

12:32 - The first Gerald Green sighting! Now get Dirk out there.

12:33 - Dallas has yet to take an uncontested shot. Meanwhile, Denver pushes the lead to 10.

12:34 - Kidd hits ANOTHER three, giving him 50% for the night, including four of his last six. Terry hits the J, and the lead is down to 5. All of this with Dirk out.

12:35 - Dirk is in, gets a defensive rebound, and GG throws down a monster dunk to bring the deficit down to three. All is suddenly right with the world.

12:37 - GG hits a three, gets the ball in transition, and hits an and-one jumper! Tie game! Can someone PLEASE tell me why he sat for this long?

12:38 - I'll tell you one thing. As much as I hate D-Wade, I do like his new show commercial, with all the radio broadcasts talking trash about him. Maybe it's the overcoming adversity thing, maybe I just like hearing him slandered, but it's a good commercial.

12:41 - Green hits the foul shot to put the Mavs up by one, his eighth straight point. I wonder if www.greenismyhomeboy.blogspot.com is available?

12:42 - J.R. Smith makes the three-point play. I'm sorry Dirk, I'll never stray again.

12:43 - The Mavs have only gotten two offensive boards since the first half. On the other side, the three ball might be coming back, as Dirk buries one to cut the deficit to one.

12:44 -Jo-Ho comes back in. 6:30 to go, Denver leads 91-88. On the floor, we've got Green, Terry, Kidd, Dirk, and Bass. A good group.

12:45 - Dirk is able to pass out of the double team to GG for a trizzle. Tie game. Steal Mavs, fast break lay-up, Dallas now up by two, 93-91. It's go time.

3rd Quarter, Part II

All times EST.

12:13 - I can't even make an on-balance shot, and Dirk just hit an off-balance jumper to tie it. Did I mention that I love that man?

12:14 - While Dallas has no problem scoring, they are letting the Nugs score at will. If this comes down to who has the last possession, I have absolutely no confidence. The one thing Dallas doesn't want to do is get into one of those 120-point shootouts, because that's the one game the Nuggets can usually win.

12:17 - Jason Kidd is the game's leader in boards. If you are over 6'7", you should be ashamed of yourself.

12:19 - Uh-oh. Denver is finding their jumper, just as Dallas is losing theirs.

12:22 - Denver has their biggest lead of the night, eight points. This looks like the quarter Dallas takes off. Dallas has 18 points in the paint in the first quarter, 8 since then, and they've turned over the ball five times without getting any TOs of their own.

12:24 - When you're on the fast break, wouldn't Gerald Green be a better option than a Stack three from the corner? I went almost twenty minutes without mentioning it, and for that, you should be proud.

12:25 - Dirk is off the floor, so don't expect the Mavs to make any dents in the now ten-point deficit.

12:26 - Kidd hits a long two, to maybe stop the bleeding. Then he hits a three in transition. What is going on here? Dallas down by 7, end of the third quarter.

3rd Quarter, Part I

All times EST.

12:03 - Nowitzki starts out hot, hitting a three, then abusing a banged-up Kevin Martin. If he heats up, it could a a great second half.

12:04 - Did we trade Kidd for another Jason K? Jason Kapono maybe? He hits another three, making Dallas 3-of-3 from beyond the arc in the second half.

12:05 - Best sight of the night? Stack, on the bench, will his blue pullover on.

12:06 - For the first time, I noticed 'Melo's new 'do. He actually looks more respectable, but I think "businesslike" is a stretch.

12:08 - KIDD WITH ANOTHER THREE!!! Dallas up by two, 63-61. If he can do this consistently, this Mavs team could have another weapon. And, to bring me down, Dampier gets his fourth foul, after a mere six minutes in.

12:09 - Kidd brings me back down to earth with an airball. Nene, who leads all scorers with 17, just for hurt and left the court. Tie game, 63-all.

Halftime Thoughts

A few nuggets (pardon the pun) from the first half.

- I'm very happy with the offensive rebounding. Because of those extra possessions, Dallas leads despite only shooting 34.6% from the floor. Conversely, Denver is only down by one, despite shooting 36.4% form the floor, but 14-for-15 from the line has helped them.

- Terry leads the Mavs with 12 points. I don't mind him starting, but why on earth isn't Gerald Green getting Stack's minutes? Is it because Stack doesn't like riding the pine? Remember Stack, you could be in New Jersey right now. Say the word, and you'll go to Milwaukee for Mikey Redd so fast...

- Speaking of Redd, the Celtics just hosted the Bucks, and the C's take the game from the Redd-less Bucks, 101-89. Call me crazy, but does Redd look like a skinny, black Ron Jeremy. Maybe the shoe shine fumes are getting to me.

- Josh Child-what? The Hawks are undefeated, even though J-Smoove got injured on a dunk, and might miss a few weeks. I still would have traded a package revolving around Stack for him, but I wouldn't have traded Jo-Ho for him. No matter what you read.

- Stack is 1-for-6. That would normally make me more upset, except for two things:

• He has three rebounds, all offensive.
  
• Billups is 1-for-7 with one assist and one steal in 14 mins

- It's nice to see that Devin Harris dropped 39 on the new-look Pistons. Oh wait, no it's not...

- The Mavs are alternating great help defense with a defense that looks completely lost. If it weren't for poor shooting from the Nugs, they could be in a big hole. Fortunately for the Mavs, the Nuggets aren't exactly famous for consistency.

- Antoine Wright isn't doing crap either. GER-ALD GREEN! GER-ALD GREEN!

- Kidd has looked great. He's hit two threes, has seven rebounds. The problem? All si of his shots have been threes. That's not a bad thing, since they were mostly catch-and-shoot, and he was pretty open, but i would feel much better if he had hit at least one more of those.

2nd Quarter, Part II

All times EST.

11:27 - I would have bet my life that Jason Kidd wouldn't be the one to make the first three, and it would come halfway through the second quarter. And I would be dead by now.

11:29 - Howard makes a catch-and-shoot three that looks as easy as breathing. See? It's not that hard. A Howard jumper follows a Dirk rebound, and Dallas is on a 10-0 run, now leading 42-38. The thing about those jumpers, is the more you make, the more you take, and it doesn't necessarily work in the reverse order.

11:31 - I'm still mind-boggled about that last sentence. I made that up myself. Damn I'm insightful.

11:32 - These new handheld camera Adidas commercials, featuring Duncan, T-Mac, Agent Zero, and others blow. Just saying.

11:34 - You know, without his goatee, Jason Kidd is one ugly dude. His head has the strangest shape. Martin and 'Melo have shredded Dallas on two consecutive possessions, Dallas up by two.

11:35 - Jason Kidd responds with a three. I never thought I would type those words. I take it back, it was called a two.

11:36 - 2:48 left in the first half, Dallas already has 14 offensive boards. Where was that team against the Cavs Monday night?

11:37 - The Mavs have infected the Nuggets with Brickthreeball-itis, and I couldn't be happier about that.

11:38 - For a guy that had cancer a year ago, Nene doesn't seem to be getting too many sympathy calls. He's got two blocking fouls, and he was just fouled on what would have been an and-one.

11:39 - Terry dunks on a fast break. You're telling me if I grow by one inch to Terry's 6'2", I can dunk?

11:40 - Doubling Dirk has cooled him off this quarter. And they just gave Dallas a point for the three Kidd hit five minutes ago.

11:41 - Nothing like a contested three from Terry to end the half. Dallas up by one, 49-48, at the half.

2nd Quarter, Part I

11:13 - Dampier comes in, and within 1:14, has his third foul of the game. Back to Diop, at least for a few minutes until he gets his third foul.

11:14 - Bass and Kleiza are having a nice little rivalry. Bass hits a jumper over him, giving his six points to Kleiza's eight. But Bass also has six rebounds.

11:15 - Antione Wright gets spun around on a hard foul and stays on the ground. Hello? Rick? I think God is telling you to put Gerald Green in.

11:16 - Even is the Mavs lose, it would be worth it if Bass can drive Andersen back to cocaine, which he might do, that's how bad he's abusing him. Too soon?

11:17 - Just saw a trailer for the new Bernie Mac movie, Soul Man. Why can't he just rest in peace? Why do this to him?

11:20 - Dallas looks completely lost without Dirk out there. That's why he's your superstar. FYI: Green is still on the bench, Stack just bricked another one.

11:23 - I thought the NBA got a new marketing theme every year? You're telling me we're in year two of "Where ____ happens"?

11:24 - Dallas is 2-for-11 this quarter, and 0-for-6 from threes for the game. And the Nugs are on an 8-0 run. Their offensive boards are the only thing keeping them in the game.

11:25 - 'Melo misses a dunk, but gets fouled on the putback. Of course he does. Nugs up 38-32 after Anthony sinks two free throws.

1st Quarter, Part II

All time is EST.

11:00 - Bass makes a MONSTER putback jam with one hand. Looks like the smallball is going pretty well, if I do say so myself. Now if we can only get Stackhouse out of there...

11:01 - As A write the last sentence, Stack buries a 20-footer.

11:02 - Dirk (how did he not travel) makes his way around a triple-team to bank it in. Hot damn.

11:03 - 8 of Dallas' 9 field goals have been from the paint. Good stat, although it doesn't account for those awful jumpers.

11:04 -Kleiza gives Denver the lead by hitting a three. He wishes he could be Dirk. Stack responds by bricking a three. I'm getting ready to start a chant in my room. GER-ALD GREEN! GER-ALD GREEN!

11:07 - Denver is on another 7-0 run. Bass gets an offensive rebound, gets rejected by the rim, gets his own rebound and puts it in with .5 seconds to go.

11:08 - Denver is up 26-25 at the end of one. According to the announcer, Billups was the star if the first quarter, even though he is 1-for-5, with only a three to his credit. Sure, it's not like Dirk has nine points and four rebounds or anything. Or does he....

1st Quarter, Part I

All time is EST

10:42 - Announcer mentions that Dallas is only getting to the line 21 times a game this season. Not good, especially since you're one of the best teams in the league at free throws. Too many jumpers.

I have a feeling that's going to be the theme of the evening.

10:45 - Denver is in the midst of a 7-2 run. Not the best way to start a game. And Terry just went for another long jumper. Sigh.

Denver is famously bad on D. Why the hell not penetrate?

10:49 - Imagine if Billups and 'Melo had been playing together since 2003? Would the Pistons have won more titles? Or none? How would 'Melo and 'Sheed gotten on? So many questions.

10:50 - Iso for Josh Howard. Wait, you're telling me this isn't 2006?

10:51 - Damp and Diop both have 2 fouls, and we're six minutes in. At least now the Mavs can try my small ball lineup.

10:54 - Tie 12-12. Dirk driving to the hoop. He's fouled........AND GOALTENDING. BAM!! I have feelings for that man more than any heterosexual male should have for another. And you know what? It doesn't bother me to say it.

10:55 - A stop, and Howard drives to the lane, drawing a foul. See Josh? Isn't that much better.

First few possessions for Dallas

Here's how the first few possessions went:

Turnover.

Dirk break down defender for 2

Jo-Ho settled for the outside jumper. Shock.

Terry penetrates for 2.

Howard settles for a jumper on a fast break. Another shock.


Jo-Ho is falling in love with his jumper WAY too early. He needs to be penetrating against a Camby-less Nuggets team.

Homecoming

This is Chauncey Billups' homecoming game, and he just gave a speech to the crowd at the Pepsi Center.

What is this, the Oscar ceremony? Since when do players get on the mic, unless it's them recieving the MVP award at their home arena?

God, I loathe the Nuggets.

From the "I-don't-know-if-it's-a-bad-thing-or-a-good-thing" department, Antonio McDyess was bought out by the Nuggets a mere two hours ago.

I really hope some other team besides the Pistons get him. It would serve them right.

Tonight's starting lineup for your Dallas Mavericks:
Jason Kidd
Jason Terry
Josh Howard
The Dirkster
Erick Dampier

.....and Dallas starts the game on their usual note: winning the tip, then turning it over.

Heat-Spurs

I'm watching the end of the Heat-Spurs game, and I couldn't be more filled with hatred.

The two teams I hate the most in the NBA playing each other. The only satisfactory result? A nuclear explosion at the AT&T Center, wiping both teams from the face of this earth.

I don't know who to root for, I was rooting for a Spurs comeback, because that would cause the most pain, but I'm happy with another Spurs loss at home.

Really fun fact: The Spurs are now 0-3 at home to start the season for the first time in the history of the franchise. I love it.

And we are live!

Welcome, the the first of (hopefully many) live blogs from your friend(s) here at Dirk Is My Homeboy!

Tonight we will watch as the mighty Mavs visit the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colo.

Want to chat live? IM me at AOL screen name: GunslingerTDX. I know it's weird, it's all I could think of because the obvious ones were taken. It should change soon.

So relax, crack open an ice cold one (I know I will), and watch NBA Basketball at it's very best.

I will post every few minutes hopefully, unless it becomes a blowout, in which case I will just shine my work shoes, and then hang myself.

Again, feel free to IM me at GunslingerTDX. Even if you don't want to talk, just IM to let me know you're reading.

HER WE GO MAVS!

Live Blog!!

Stay tuned tonight, starting at approximately, 10:15 ET, where Dirk Is My Homeboy will do it's first ever live blog, for the Mavericks-Nuggets game. See you then.

Matchup Hell

Two posts ago, I brought up a lineup that in my opinion, could change the way teams plan for the Mavs.

You've heard of Small Ball, what about Big Ball? Given the Mavs shortcomings on the boards as of late, this could help them shake things up.

Here's the lineup:

PG - Jason Terry
SG - Josh Howard
SF - Dirk Nowitzki
PF - Brandon Bass
C - Dampier/Diop

While that might seem incredibly short-sighted, given the propensity for young teams to go small, imagine the possibilites.

You've got four dead-eye jump shooters and a traditional center. That's can translate into a halfcourt offense that could be unstoppable, especially when you add Jo-Ho and Bass's ability to muscle on the inside.

You've also got two seven footers, or close to it. If that can't get you a boards advantage, even for the few minutes that you've got it out there, than nothing will.

Now, think about the matchups. Dirk against a 3? Think about that. A seven footer than can kill you from the outside, mid-range, or penetrate against a smaller, but quicker guard. He could force his way to the line 15-20 times a game like that.

Now think of Bass against a PF. He seems to match up well with other quick PFs such as Gasol or Scola. He's much tougher than Gasol, and a Bass/Scola matchup could be real nasty.

Dare I say, nasty as they want to be?

Glorious hip-hop references aside, this is a lineup that can get things done.

I know what you are thinking, this lineup would get shredded by any run-and-gun team. Right?

Wrong. Where does the run-and-gun start? From a defensive rebound or steal. Steals happen, and unless J.J. Barea is in the game, it's usually a product of good defense, which is going to happen, especially if you want to go deep into the playoffs.

But the defensive rebounds into fast breaks? How are you going to pull down boards with two seven footers? With two guys that big, you can keep them on the inside for shots, and they're then in prime position to shine the glass.

Plus, Josh Howard and Bass are great rebounders. Terry has been known to get some rebounds as well, especially if he's fighting for the long ones near the elbow.

The last two lineups I've posted, small ball and big ball, all focus on one thing: playing Dirk out of position. But if you know anything about Dirk's game, you know he can play both the 3 and the 5, so these lineups therefore make sense.

Think about it. And please, somebody send this blog to Rick Carlisle.

Small Ball lineup

In the earlier post, I recommended a small-ball lineup that could create matchup hell for a lot of teams. In case you forgot:

PG- Kidd
SG- Terry
SF- Howard
PF- Bass
C- Dirk

For some reason, Carlisle hasn't thrown out Bass and Dirk on the floor very much. I think it would be a great combo.

Bass's athleticism and mid-range jumper can allow him to move away from the rack, while the combination of Dirk and Jo-Ho penetrating/shooting jumpers can help the Mavs get points, which they will need, especially if there D continues to have an on/off switch.

Bass and Howard are the Mavs' toughest guys on the boards. Plus, Kidd has been able to get his share of boards, something which is great from a point guard who is used to moving around the court.

With Dirk, Bass and Jo-Ho in your frontcourt ,you've got three tough rebounders, one over seven feet as well as three lights-out jump shooters.

You also have two and a half guys who can shoot the three-ball (the half is the shaky combo of Howard and Kidd.)

What this lineup gives you is a chance to be quick, lights out, with a little more toughness on the boards than your traditional small-ball team.

Why is small ball important?

Did you see the 2007 Mavs-Warriors series? Avery decided to go small against them when he hadn't gone small all year. The result? Me, ready eat a bullet.

What happens if they start rolling out this lineups against some younger teams? What happens if you can find Gerald Green a spot in a small-ball lineup, maybe instead of Terry?

All of a sudden, you've got an incredibly athletic core of Green, Howard and Bass, surrounded by two hall-of-famers in Dirk and J-Kidd.

Sounds pretty good huh?

The downside? Defense. While Jo-Ho is still not up to being a Kobe-stopper, he is quick, and combine him with Kidd, they could probably do a decent job of stopping a dynamic SG such as Kobe, T-Mac or Brandon Roy.

Besides, smallball isn't necessarily your crunch time lineup, just a way to mix things up when you feel like running.

If it's broke, fix it

Alright ladies, it's not time to sound the panic alarm yet. But there are some glaring questions, things that have gone wrong in the first three games that need to be fixed if this team is to make a deep run.

Thing no. 1: The bench. Seriously. If two out of Dirk, J-Kidd or Josh Howard are, the Mavericks are not scoring points. Barea is a turnover machine, Stack couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, Diop is getting abused, and so on. For a team that came into the season priding itself on it's bench, they have no dependable depth, save for Gerald Green, which brings me to my second point.

Thing no. 2: Antone Wright as a starter. Start Gerald Green already! He's provided a great spark off of the bench, and he's got the athleticism to run with Kidd and Josh Howard. Wright on the other hand, is slacking on D, can't make a shot, takes contested threes, can't hit open threes, and gets into foul trouble.

Thing no. 3: The tendency to take quarter(s) off. When they faltered down the stretch against Houston, that's forgivable. When they falter for the second quarter against the T-Wolves, that makes you notice. When you take a half off against the Cavs, including the times when Bron Bron is out of the game, then you've got problems. Dirk and Josh Howard cannot disappear, which they have been doing at key moments.

So what is the good news?

Jason Terry: the JET has been great, making jumpers at a good clip, running when filling in for Kidd, even doing a decent job on D.

Brandon Bass: He's doing good on D off the bench, and his mid-range jumper hasn;t lost a step from last year.

How do we fix it? Simple.


Make this your starting five:
PG- Jason Kidd
SG- Gerald Green
SF- Josh Howard
PF- The Dirkster
C- Erick Dampier

- Jason Terry as a backup PG, Antoine Wright and Stack splitting the other minutes at the 2.

- Small ball lineup of:
PG- Kidd
SG- Terry
SF- Howard
PF- Bass
C- Dirk

- Want to change things up? Put Dirk, Bass, and Dampier/Diop in at the same time. Dirk will create matchup hell with any small forward, and if you play Jo-Ho at the 2, and JET at the point, all of a sudden you've got a sharp shooting group out their, with bangers down low. Not a bad idea when you need to change up the pace.

Tonight: Dallas v. San Antonio, who is struggling out of the gate. We'll see if the Mavs can get their season back on track.