Dirk Is My Homeboy

Enter the Suck: Wizards @ Mavs

2009-10-29T09:54:00.000-07:00

8:30 EST, Tuesday night

After feeling like a kid on Christmas Eve for most of the day, I finally sit down on my couch, cold frosty beverage in hand. It's about to begin. The Dallas Mavericks play the Washington Wizards, and since I live in D.C., I get it on real television, not my computer screen.

8:47 EST

Shawn Marion is looking great, throwing down some nice hook shots, looking like the best low post player I have ever seen on the Mavericks.

11:45

I'm curled up in on my couch, sucking my thumb, tears streaming down my face. What happened? After everything the Mavericks did in the offseason, it's the same lackluster defense, the same anemic offense, the...same old story.

I woke up Wednesday feeling hungover the game was so bad, only I didn't even get the fun of a good night out.

The Mavericks were one of the most, if not the most, active teams in the offseason, and going from the game I saw, not a single thing has changed.

That game was so poorly played, that while I originally thought the Mavericks would battle the Spurs for the second seed, I'm ready to put them at five or six in the West.

The cock-eyed optimist in me thought a few lucky breaks and a trade-deadline acquisition might be able to get them into the Finals, but not anymore.

They'll be lucky to squeak out of the first round.

They talked all summer about being ready to run more, and with Marion on board, I thought they were ready.

Nope, they resorted back to the Avery Johnson days of the awkward half-court offense, the one that results in a contested jumper to beat the shot clock.

Marion, good as he was, clearly isn't in game shape yet, as he looked completely winded by the end of the first quarter.

Dirk, while he did great in getting to the line, wasn't hitting his jumper at all. He still managed to put up more than 30, but he can't do it by himself.

J.J. Barea, for all his brilliance on the offensive end in the second quarter, turned into a turnover machine late in the game, and resembled a screen door on defense.

Drew Gooden, who came into the year ready to compete with Erick Dampier for the starting center spot, showed exactly why he's been bounced out of so many teams. He made stupid plays on both ends of the floor, and took terrible baseline jumper after baseline jumper.

The Mavs continued their woes from behind the arc, shooting a dismal 22 percent. They shot 39.5 percent from the field too, so clearly they're not getting it.

Except for Marion early, the Mavs were just shooting their normal jumpers, and shooting them with people's hands in their face.

They made Fabricio Oberto look like Hakeem Olajuwon out there, as he got blocks, steals and everything else.

The rim was practically the Wizards' playground. Brendan Haywood looked like Stoudemire getting passes from Steve Nash the lane was so wide open. Gooden, Dampier, Kris Humphries—no one could stop them, and the Wizards aren't exactly low-post powerhouses.

I know it's only one game, and I know the Wizards are riding pretty high on emotion now with the return of a healthy Agent Zero, but the problems I saw last night were all too familiar.

They're exactly the same as last year, despite all the turnover, which suggests that there's something more fundamental wrong with this team, and that depresses me beyond belief.

In my season preview, I wrote that the Mavs seemed to address most of their shortcomings in the offseason, but none of the issues got fixed.

We all know this Mavericks team. The one that can push the Lakers to the brink on the road, then drop one at home to the Grizzlies.

The one that lets scrubs like Kyrylo Fresenko and Beno Udrih have career days against them. It's disgusting.

Looks like we can expect a whole season of this garbage, if we're lucky. We know the Mavs can stink up the joint. We don't yet know if they can hang with an elite team.

The Mavs have weathered slow starts before, but it always comes back to bite them in the end, where one win can be the difference between a three or a six seed.

So get to know the folks at the liquor store people, and smoke 'em if you got 'em, because I have a feeling it's going to be a long, disappointing season from the Mavericks.

Something Better Than In The Middle: Season Preview

2009-10-26T09:52:00.000-07:00

The Dallas Mavericks enter the 2009-10 season as tweeners. They are geared up for a run at the title this year, but they are also in position to snag a superstar in the Summer of 2010.

For Mavericks fans, it's a mixed blessing. They are in danger of becoming like the Pistons of 2005-2007, good enough to get deep into the playoffs, not good enough to win.

At the risk of being overly simplistic, the Mavericks' goal for this season should be progress: namely, a trip to the Western Conference Finals. With all the improvements they have made, the Dallas Mavericks simply need to go further, or it was all for naught.

Welcome My Son, Welcome to the Machine

The Mavericks were among the biggest movers and shakers this summer, with six of the Mavericks' 15 players coming in during the offseason.

These players cost the Mavs nothing but a few role players and a few long-term contracts, but we'll take it.

More importantly, each addition seems aimed at a fixing a problem, which is is what you want to see from a team determined to take home a championship.

The Mavs weren't athletic enough to compete with the Denver Nuggets in last year's playoffs, so they added Shawn Marion.

They struggled with three-point shooting, so they added Tim Thomas.

They didn't have reliable depth at center, so they added Drew Gooden.

All of these pieces came at a pretty cheap price. Jerry Stackhouse, who hasn't done much since 2007, and Antoine Wright were given away from Marion. I'll take that deal any day of the week.

Now, Marion's brief stops in Miami and Toronto might persuade one that his prime is long gone, that his freakish athleticism has gone the way of say, Detroit's salary cap space (too soon?).

But Marion seems to thrive when he's got a pass-first PG leading the offense. With the Heat, the offense revolved around D-Wade naturally. But Wade also brought up the ball much of the time, and passing (like not flopping) isn't what Wade is great at.

In Toronto, the offense ran through Bosh, and while I do like Jose Calderon as a PG, he's no Steve Nash or Jason Kidd. From what I saw up close and personal Marion will fit right in with these Mavericks, both defensively and offensively.

Addition by Subtraction

The key loss for the Mavericks, with all due respect to Antoine Wright and Ryan Hollins, was that of Brandon Bass. He provided a spark off the bench on the boards and with a good mid-range jumper.

But playing behind someone like Dirk, he wasn't going to get the playing time he wanted, so he decided to bolt. The fact that he went to the Magic rubs a bit of salt in the wound, but he deserves the opportunity. And hey, if he wants to throw the game when the Mavericks and Magic meet in the Finals, who am I to judge?

One thing the Mavericks have had a knack for doing is finding gems in trade throwaways. Kris Humphries is the latest on a list populated by Ryan Hollins and others.

Orginally the mavs sought to dump him in a way to pare their roster down to 15, but his play in the preseason has given him a regular spot in the rotation, in the same kind of role as Bass.

He brings much of the same to the table, a good jumper, good rebounder, defender who can body up to some of the bigger people in the league.

He has proven effective in small minutes, but on previous teams, it hasn't translated to bigger minutes. I don't think he'll have to worry about getting too many minutes in Dallas, so if he can make the most of it the Mavericks should have a deep bench.

Meet the Old Boss, Same as the New Boss

Jason Kidd has been signed to a three-year deal, and if the Mavericks are lucky, he will have two good ones.

Kidd, while not exactly a glamour signing was very important to the Mavericks' offseason plans, as well as the future of the franchise.

For those who are hating on Kidd's three-year deal, please, do tell, who else was available?

Try as Cuban did, he wasn't able to pry Chris Paul away from the Hornets. And call Cubes and Donnie Nelson crazy, but they didn't hold out for Deron Williams or Derrick Rose to become available.

Ramon Sessions? An interesting notion, but ultimately irrelevant. It took him a while to find a deal, which shows me that he probably isn't a game changer. Good player? Yes. Someone you want at the helm of a veteran team with championship aspirations? No thank ye.

Jason Kidd is exactly what the Mavericks need at this stage of the game. He's still a great passer, he can still knock down the open three, and the pieces around him (particularly Marion) can use someone like Kidd.

And when it comes to next summer's free agency, it can't hurt to have a PG that people like LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Kobe, 'Melo and co. all love playing with. I'm just saying.

What Have You Got on Draft?

Bookended by two years without a first-round draft pick, the Mavericks made some good decisions in 2009. Despite giving their fans a collective heart attack with a selection of B.J. Mullens, they turned him into Rodrigue Beaubois, the heir apparent to Jason Kidd.

A 6-3 PG with Tony Parker-like speed and a better jump shot, Beaubois will have a few years to learn under one of the best PG mentors in the biz, and he should get some minutes as a rookie, especially during garbage time.

Beaubois will probably get some run alongside Kidd at the shooting guard, which brings me to my next point.

The Mavericks can run out lineups as flexible as any team in the NBA, and Rick Carlisle proved last year that he's not afraid to get a little unconventional if he thinks it will help the team win.

Last year they trotted out a few two-PG lineups, most notably with J.J. Barea and Jason Kidd. One would think that a backcourt that small would get run over, and with certain teams, it might.

But it also gives the Mavs a speedy tandem that can exploit big, slow players, which is why it proved successful in small bursts.

They can trot out a sharp-shooting lineup of Kidd, Terry, Howard, Dirk and Drew Gooden, or a defensive minded lineup of Beaubois, Quinton Ross, Marion, Humphries and Damp, or various combinations of the two.

Dirk can also play center, Howard will see some time at the shooting guard, Marion can play both forward spots, and so on.

The point is, the Mavericks have the bodies and skill sets to match up with any team, and that's going to prove to be an asset. Against teams with traditional centers, Dampier can get a bulk of the minutes, but someone quick like Drew Gooden can see some time, because he can get around the big guys easier.

One of the strengths of the Mavs in 2006-07 was their flexibility. They had the personnel to match up with teams, and they could out-talent them in those matchups.

Those Old Chestnuts

Jason Terry, Josh Howard, Dirk Nowitzki. The remaining core that were so close to the ultimate prize in 2006.

Jason Terry, reigning sixth man of the year and the heart and soul of the team brings the same thing to the table every year. Emotional support, a sharp-shooter's eye and a hot and cold streak that would make......uh.....someone who has hot and cold streaks jealous?

I'm sorry, I sat here for about 45 minutes trying to think of a way to complete that sentence. Let's just move on.

Josh Howard is finally healthy, and if we are to go off his performance when he was banged up in last year's playoffs, the future is bright indeed.

Howard is entering an interesting situation. He is an expiring contract this year, and the Mavericks just signed someone who plays his position to a five-year deal.

He will have his chance to prove his worth this season, either to stay with the Mavericks, or get a new deal from someone else.

In my opinion, the better Marion does, the more likely Howard is to be shipped. Unless Howard becomes the kind of slashing, explosive scorer that the Mavericks have been looking for at the 2-guard positions (which, I believe, he is probably capable of doing), then I think he'll be floated out there come the trade deadline.

If Howard could become the dynamic scoring two-guard that the Mavs have been missing since the departure of Michael Finley, then he would solve the Mavs' problem at the 2-guard, freeing them up to turn Erick Dampier into an upgrade at center.

And Dirk. We know what we're getting from Dirk. You're getting 24 and 8, bumped up to 27 and 10 during the playoffs.

You're getting the sweetest jumper known to man, and an unguardable one to boot.

You've got Dirk playing at his lowest weight in years, and rejuvenated after taking the summer off from international ball.

The Verdict

The Mavericks unquestionably got better in the offseason. The problem is, so did the Spurs, and it's unclear at this point if the Lakers did enough damage to themselves to leave the west wide open.

Pencil the Mavericks in for 54-26, 3rd seed in the West, second in the Southwest division.

Want more?

Then you'll have to wait for my NBA preview.

Shawn Marion link

2009-10-15T09:55:00.000-07:00

Hello jerks. Why don't you click here to read my piece about the Mavs' newcomer Shawn Marion.

Getting in Tune

2009-10-14T09:50:00.000-07:00

Please to be clicking here for a slide show of the pre-season game between the Mavericks and Wizards.

Rodrigue Beaubois

2009-10-10T09:59:00.000-07:00

The season is inching close, so here is a little piece I wrote about Rodrigue Beaubois, the Mavs rookie.

Mavs Lose Gortat, I Lose My Dignity

2009-07-13T08:49:00.000-07:00

Congratulations Otis Smith. You've managed to do what only the NBA referees have been able to do. You have caused basketball to disgust me.

Not the game itself, but the process. The concept of a restricted free agent. The whole city of Orlando. Anyone with the name "Otis." I hate you all.

Not only did you do something stupid, Mr. Smith, but it was downright cruel of you.

The entire world knew that Gortat wasn't in it for the money. He just wanted minutes.

Is that any way to show respect for Gortat as a human being, when you know he wanted to leave and was ready to take the next step as a basketball player?

At least the Mavs did the classy thing with Brandon Bass. Bass wanted more minutes, but like Gortat, he just happened to have one of the top five players in the game today in the starting slot.

And it looked like things were going to work out swimmingly. You got Bass who could start at the four, and Rashard Lewis could replace Turkoglu at small forward. Lewis excels there anyway, due to his size and shooting ability.

And we got Gortat. It's not like he would play any meaningful minutes in front of Dwight Howard. He just wanted minutes. And like Bass, Gortat did it in a classy way. They didn't tweet about being unhappy or go to the media. They did it by busting their asses every minute they were on the court, and their teams were better off for it.

And when the Magic gave Bass an offer, the Mavericks let him go. They knew he would never be happy in Dallas as long as Dirk was playing, and they were essentially turning Bass into a major need for them, an athletic center.

Just as a good will gesture, Cuban and Co. helped the Magic out to the tune of an $8 million trade exception by facilitating Hedo's move to Toronto. In no way did the Mavericks have to do that.

When you look back, sure it made the numbers go a little smoother, but really it was a gesture. Sort of like a, "Hey, we really need Gortat and you don't, so here's a couple of million to just, *wink wink* let him go."

But Otis Smith had to get too smart for his own good.

Now what do the Magic have? Well, they're paying $35 million to back up the best center in the league. He's stuck there until at least December 1, and it's pretty clear that he's not happy to be there.

That should be real good for the locker room chemistry.

Then, you've got your first team All-NBA center, who is fresh off of a disappearing act in the playoffs. Now, you're sending him a message, "Look Dwight, we really need someone to back you up. We're going to pay out the wazoo to have someone to back you up."

Nice show of faith. It's already been shown that the Daily Double isn't the most robust player mentally. After a heartbreaking game two in the Finals, he was never the same.

So you've got Gortat until December 15? Then what? You send him somewhere. Houston is the most likely candidate. They made a pretty hard push for Gortat as soon as free agency opened up.

What are you getting from Houston? Kyle Lowry and Von Wafer? Yeah, those guys will take you far.

Then you send Gortat into an unfamiliar offense, with an unfamiliar coach in the middle of the season.

And what happens if Houston finds a big man in the meantime? With all the salary clearing happening around the league in preparation for the summer of 2010, who wants to sign a freshly inked big man?

I can't tell you how sick this makes me. The only thing I can liken it to is an unexpected breakup.

Not to trivialize relationships, but the feeling is the same. That black hole in your gut, a feeling that wasn't there earlier today. Earlier today the world was full of possibilities.

If the Lakers lose Odom, could the Mavs make a serious run at the title? With Marion on 'Melo, with the Celtics big three and Shaq a year older, and with no mismatch at the three with Turkoglu gone, could the Mavs have gone all the way?

Sure, by the time the season rolls around, I'll have convinced myself that I didn't really want to get Gortat anyways. Just like you convince yourself that you never really liked her all that much.

Like we needed another center (a foreign whitey to boot!) for the midlevel to pull a Diop. But every time you see Gortat in another uniform, part of you will wonder...

I can picture myself in my office this afternoon, sitting there all fat and happy, no idea of the train wreck that it about to hit me. Now we're in lean times, and the world is a little colder place than it used to be.

This afternoon I had not a care in the world. I was talking to the Polish guy I work with, working on the proper pronunciation of "Marcin Gortat" and thinking of a nickname that involved changing lightbulbs.

Hours ago I was imagining Jason Kidd pulling down rebounds, with Marcin Gortat and Shawn Marion streaking on the wings, and Dirk trailing the play, ready to knock down a three if necessary.

Now all I see is Erick Dampier's rock-gloved hands, reaching out, not for a basketball that will surely bounce right off, but for my throat, and he's draining all the life out of me until at least February.

If you really want to get real, it's almost worse than a breakup. At least then you can call your buddy and say, "Hey, just got dumped, let's go get hammered on a Monday night."

If I call someone and say, "Hey, the Magic just matched the offer for Marcin Gortat, let's go get wasted on a Monday night," I'm just not getting that sympathy.

Of course, it won't hurt like this for long. Sure you might have pangs keeping you awake in the dead of night for the next few nights, but those go away.

But when those go away, so does a part of you. The part that knew what it meant to love. And in it's place is nothing, which is the scariest part of all.

So, Otis Smith you want to match the Mavs' offer for Gortat? Well, how about a fly down to Orlando and match a crowbar with Dwight Howard's kneecap? How does that sound.

The only consolation prize in this whole mess is that I can now use this line when the Mavs play the Magic:

"Dirk was really on fire in the paint last night. You'd think Gortat of all people would know what happens when you grant the German even the smallest of concessions, whether Panzer divisions or the one-legged Euro fade-away."

So if you'll excuse me, I'm going to crank up Pat Benetar's "Love is a Battlefield" and cry myself to sleep.

How about a new Center and Shooting Guard? Is that something you'd be interested in?

2009-07-02T09:47:00.000-07:00

The Dallas Mavericks are in a unique, yet unenviable position this offseason. Twelve months before the expected free agent bonanza of 2010, they face the prospect of fading completely out of contention, and taking the Dirk era to an unhappy conclusion.

They are also in an unenviable position when it comes to free agents. Their No. 1 target, Jason Kidd, won't offer something new and different. Rather, the Mavs are just trying to hang on to the player who helped them the year before.

While the re-signing of Kidd can be called a triumph, it is a mixed blessing. Without another move, the Mavericks are in the same place they were last year, and only the Rockets are showing signs that they will not be the same or better than last year.

The Blazers, Nuggets and Spurs have taken steps to put them to the next level, while the Lakers are already at the next level.

The Mavericks do not want to be left in the lurch, especially with a rapidly aging, but effective, core.

Assuming they sign Kidd, the Mavericks have a need at the center position and the shooting guard. With Hall of Famers at the one and four, and an All-Star at the three, the addition of two impact players at the off guard and center position will go a long way towards putting the Mavericks back into the race for the west.

Let's look at the two-guard first.

The Pistons might have already done the Mavs' first step for them. They signed Ben Gordon to a big free-agent deal, who also happens to play the same position as Rip Hamilton, another highly-paid and talented two-guard.

So unless they want to have their two highest players playing the same position, one of them has to move. Logic would suggest that the one to move is the older player—the one without the contract with the still-drying ink.

I've alwasy been a Hamilton fan. He's great at creating his own shot, especially off the dribble, which is exactly what the Mavs need from a two-guard. They don't need a Kobe/D-Wade style shooting guard, who will score 30 points on 25 shots.

No, they need someone like Rip, who will score 20 on 10-15 shots.

So what can the Mavs offer for Hamilton?

Detroit could use a backup point guard, with Stuckey taking the reins this season. J.J. Barea, or even new Mav Rodrigue Beaubois could offer a serviceable backup for Stuckey.

Sure, Barea isn't exactly a world-beater, but ask anyone who watched the Mavs regularly last season, there were many times when he came in, slashed to the bucket, made a key defensive stop, or did some other play that got the team and the crowd fired up.

He can shoot from all over as well, which could provide a decent Plan B should Gordon get swarmed, which is most certainly will.

With the impending departure of Rasheed Wallace, and the possible departure of Antonio McDyess, the Pistons are also looking frighteningly thin at in the frontcourt.

And as we all know, a backcourt is only as good as the big men that support it.

The Mavs have a young player on the rise, Brandon Bass, who is in search of both time and a payday. While he wouldn't command more than the midlevel, he is capable of being a starting forward on the right team, such as Detroit.

With his inside presence and good midrange jumper, he provides a formidable threat and would be a nice complement to Gordon and Villanueva, especially when Villanueva inevitably goes down with some sort of injury.

Plus, he has proven he can play the center on a small-ball team, which would be an intriguing possibility with so many good shooters on Detroit.

Hell, the Mavs could even toss in Antoine Wright if the Pistons neded a good backup. While he's not the model of consistency, Wright provides a good bargain for the numbers, especially for a backup shooting guard.

Now that we've covered the two-guard, let's take a look at the center.

Erick Dampier needs to go. His dead hands, inconsistent play, and nonexistent athleticism need to be turned into something.

Since he most likely won't meet his incentives for the 2010-11 season, he is basically an expiring contract, which is appealing to a lot of teams.

Package him together with Jerry Stackhouse ($2 million buyout, non-guaranteed), and Mark Cuban has quite a stimulus package for a team that is hurting financially.

Now that you mention, it I've got two such teams in mind.

New Orleans Hornets Center Tyson Chandler has reportedly been on the block since the draft. With his ability to rebound and finish the alley-oop, he is the polar opposite of Dampier.

Sure, he disappeared until December last season, and I know he has some nagging injury concerns, but I think the Mavericks have a decent backup center in Ryan Hollins to make up for that.

Chandler for Stack/Dampier would save the Hornets some much needed money, which they were trying to do when they tried to dump Chandler the first time.

Plus, I'll admit it, I would get a certain sick pleasure in watching Chris Paul try to feed alley-oops to the lead-gloved hands of Erick Dampier. But that's neither here nor there.

Chandler is a moderately appealing option, but here's my No. 1: Emeka Okafor.

He puts up a double-double almost every night, and while the points don't always come, the rebounds (especially the offensive ones) do.

And that's what the Mavs need from a center: Someone that can finish the fast break, get 10 boards a night, and shoot close shots at a high percentage.

The Mavericks also have a plethora (thats right, I said plethora) of second-round picks, and maybe even a few appealing young high-flyers that the Bobcats could use.

Gerald Green, in a possible sign-and-trade, could provide some acrobatic offense for a small price, and Brandon Bass and/or Antoine Wright (if not gone to the Pistons) could also be appealing to a Bobcats team looking to rebuild and save some coin.

I would throw everything the Mavs have at an Okafor trade, including Terry. Josh Howard and Dirk is where I draw the line.

With Dirk, Terry, Howard, and hopefully Rip Hamilton handling the scoring, he wouldn't need to pour in the points, just lock down the glass.

Now let's look at the starting five for this dynamo: Kidd, Hamilton, Howard, Dirk and Okafor.

That's a starting five that could go to war with a lot of teams in the West.

I would take them over the Spurs with Richard Jefferson. I would take them over the Nuggets, since a healthy Howard and an athletic center could have made the difference against the Nuggs this year.

Sure, the Mavs might not be loaded up for a run at an All-Star in 2010, but unless it's Wade (who might sign an extension soon anyway) or LeBron James (who probably won't come to Dallas), that doesn't bother me very much.

Bosh is most effective at playing the four, which is what Dirk plays. Plus, as much as I like him, I'm still not convinced he can be the best player on a contender, as last season showed us.

Either way, this brings the Mavericks into the the 2009-10 season with each of their major issues addressed, which is more than a lot of teams can say.

Mavs Swap Picks with Blazers: What's the strategy?

2009-06-24T09:19:00.000-07:00

As of approximately 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 24, the Dallas Mavericks completed a trade with the Portland Trailblazers. The Mavericks sent the Blazers their 22nd pick in exchange for the 24th pick, as well as a second-round pick in 2009 and 2010.

While it's seemingly insignificant, Mark Cuban's take on the trade speaks volumes about the Mavericks' draft strategy.

"The guy we want will still be there at No. 24," said Cuban.

What does that mean? Is there any sure pick that will be there for the Mavs at No. 24?

Will Ty Lawson, Terrance Williams, Earl Clark, Johnny Flynn, or Eric Maynor still be on the board?

Each of the players listed should be expected to be selected within the 17th-25th range.

The trade makes it pretty clear; the Mavs are expecting a point guard to be available late enough in the round, since those are the only sure picks to be around.

There is a chance the Nets could select Williams, while the Bobcats could take Earl Clark. One of the reasons why the trade may have occurred is because of Omri Casspi, who Portland may be interested in taking. Now that they have the 22nd pick, they are one pick ahead of the Sacramento Kings, who are also interested in Casspi.

Before we get into who the Mavs should pick, let's examine what another point guard on the Mavericks' roster means.

If they re-sign Jason Kidd, then the Mavericks will have three point guards on the depth chart, plus Jason Terry.

As much as I like J.J. Barea, he won't be more than a good backup, which leaves the Mavs a project to work with.

But what if they're expecting Kidd to walk? Or better yet, what if the Mavs are letting Portland make their pick for them, and reaping two additional picks from it?

How about the Mavs do a sign-and-trade with the Blazers with Kidd for the No. 22 pick and Travis Outlaw?

All of a sudden, the Mavericks have the same player they wanted, a decent role player in Outlaw (Outlaw Maverick jerseys would sell themselves), plus a young point guard.

If I had it my way, I would select Eric Maynor as their point guard.

Johnny Flynn is rising in stock, and might not even make it past the Knicks at No. 8. Lawson will most likely be selected before the Mavs have a chance to take him. My guess is the 76ers or whoever ends up with Minnesota's No. 18 pick will select him.

Jeff Teague will probably be there, but the Mavericks should take Eric Maynor, and there is a higher possibility that he will still be on the board.

The combination of his lack-of-star-power and his alma mater not being a major school will probably allow him to slip. Therefore, the Mavs need to take him.

Eric Maynor and Jason Terry could lead the Mavericks' locker room. Maynor can perform well enough to provide the Mavericks a very dangerous offense.

He can create for others and himself. Not to mention he has the quickness to get in front of other point guards such as Chris Paul and Tony Parker. He has the size to bang with Deron Williams and Chauncey Billups.

He's the kind of player that defies predictions in a way that I like. Like Ricky Rubio, teams seem to be talking themselves out of him, and there's something about that that appeals to me.

The Mavs have second-round picks, which will probably be used as trade bait. They've already got a few picks over in Europe (Shan Foster, Renaldus Seibutus) so they don't need that kind of depth.

But the picks will appeal to rebuilding teams that might not be aversed to stashing players overseas in hopes of reaping a finished product somewhere down the line.

But every plan is only as good as its backup, and if Maynor isn't there, the Mavericks need to go after one of the D.J's.

Who are the D.J.'s? I'm talking about DeJuan Blair or Dajuan Summers. Both are poor-man's versions of Jordan Hill, which is who the Mavs toyed with getting at No. 5 via a trade.

But the Mavs need to focus their energies on Maynor, even if it means turning that No. 24 pick right around. They could send Jerry Stackhouse to the Bobcats for the No. 12 pick, where they might even look into Brandon Jennings. Then, they could use Maynor as the backup.

Either way, it's a no-lose move for the Mavs.

Unless, of course, Eric Maynor goes at No. 23, in which I will then delete all traces of this article.

How to be a Draft Day Winner

2009-05-31T12:46:00.000-07:00

The draft. It's like free agency, only more exciting.

Generally, with free agents, you've got a decent idea of what you're going to get, as there are seasons too look at to see how someone performs against the best of the best.

The draft? No such thing.

These players have been playing against inferior competition, whether in college or overseas, and there's no guarantee that they will pan out.

Sure, they could be dominant in college. Michael Beasley was. Kevin Durant was. But translating that game to the pros is a different story.

Emeka Okafor was also dominant, and the Magic were lambasted for passing on him to take a kid with braces, the same kid (now sans braces) who is the best player on a Finals-bound team.

So you never know.

Nothing in the draft is guaranteed. Blake Griffin is supposedly a guarantee. So was Kwame Brown, so was Greg Oden. Things happen.

But the draft is also how teams can go from lottery to championship, sometimes within a few years.

Ask the Spurs what happens when you make the right pick. Or the Bulls (1984 and 2008). Or the Cavaliers.

So it is in the draft that the Dallas Mavericks must find a player to fill a need/all needs.

It's a tall order, but it can be done. Miracles can happen, and the Mavs have the tools to accomplish such a miracle.

The combination of a shaky economy, a buyer's mentality, and some attractive free agents/contracts put the Mavs in a unique position.

They can buy picks, trade up, or find themselves a blue-chip free agent.

I'm not the GM of the Mavs (their choice, not mine), but here's a scenario I would love to see.

Mavs trade Erick Dampier, Jerry Stackhouse and the no. 22 pick to Memphis for the No. 2 pick

As lopsided as that trade is, it's not even the worst trade Memphis has made in the past two seasons.

Memphis has two problems. They don't have size, and they don't have money.

Their lack of size is so extreme, that Hasheem Thabeet is an option for them at no. 2.

Well, why not take Erick Dampier, who's a serviceable center with an expiring contract? It's not like Memphis is gunning for the Finals anytime soon. Pair Dampier with Marc Gasol, and suddenly you've got a pretty solid frontcourt.

Not world-beaters by any means, but a decent combo, which will give them some room at the end of next season.

And Stack's basically expiring deal, plus the lack of a top-five pick to pay, will give Memphis even more cash to not spend on free agents and try and keep themselves afloat.

"With the no. 2 pick, the Dallas Mavericks select Ricky Rubio."

I won't lie. I hear those words in my dreams. I'm getting giddy just thinking about it.

Assuming the Mavericks can re-sign Kidd, Rubio would be the perfect pick. Not only can Rubio learn from one of the greatest point guard mentors the game has ever known, he can split time with Kidd, and by the time Kidd's two-year deal is up, Rubio will be 20 years old, and ready to lead the Mavs into a bright and uncertain future.

Rubio is everything Kidd is, without the slow feet on defense. He can pass with angles never before though possible, he can hit the open shot, and he is young and quick enough to be able to lead the fast break, something the Mavericks got very good at with a full year under Kidd.

Plus, let's be honest here. The word coming out of Rubio's camp is that he doesn't plan on leaving the comfort of Spain without a few guarantees.

Paul Gasol, Marc Gasol, and Juan Carlos Navarro have pretty much warned Rubio of the quagmire his career would become in Memphis.

Rubio also doesn't want to join a team that's going nowhere, which is precisely the destination that most of the lottery teams are heading.

We've knocked out Memphis, but Oklahoma City would be an interesting option for Rubio.

They could move Westbrook to the 2, Durant to the 3 (both of their natural positions) and be set with a young, dynamic core. But OKC isn't exactly the market Rubio and co. had in mind.

Sacramento? They''ll be lucky to have a head coach by the draft, plus they dumped their talent in the trade with the Bulls. They're on the slow train to nowhere (or Las Vegas/Kansas City).

The Wizards? Anothe promising option, but it looks like the No. 5 pick could belong to the Suns in an Amare trade, so we can't count on them.

Rest assured, if the Wiz or the Suns have the No. 5 pick, that's where Rubio will go. The Mavericks need to find a way to jump before those teams, and secure their point guard of the future.

We've seen what a rookie PG can do with a team that has previously failed to live up to its potential. Derrick Rose has got the Bulls in the winning mood again.

It would be perfectly lovely to see Ricky Rubio doing the same thing for the Dallas Mavericks.

Season in Review

2009-05-15T06:59:00.001-07:00

As I wipe the tears from my face and drain the last of my pint bottle of whiskey into my morning coffee, it's time to reflect on the 2008-'09 season.

Unlike last year, the Mavs went out with a bang, sending Tim Duncan and his dirty crew to an early exit. Sure, the final series might say "Nuggets win 4-1," but two horrendous fourth quarters and a horrible call are the difference between a five-gamer and a six or seven-gamer.

Did the Mavs overachieve? With an aging point guard past his prime and a few cast-offs from other teams and the Euro leagues, they shot up to the sixth seed on the last day of the season, due to some fortunate losses by other teams.

Did they underachieve? With two hall-of-famers, a former MVP and the current Sixth Man of the Year, they shouldn't have gone out in five games against a Nuggets team that had previously been the doormat of the eventual Western conference champs?

The answer probably lies somewhere in the middle, and that's been the story of the Mavericks this season.

They showed flashes of brilliance, followed by flashes of incompetence, big road wins against good teams, followed by home losses to awful teams, good quarters followed by abysmal ones.

Come Together Over Me

The Mavericks just never seemed to get it all together, like a car with a bad timing belt, they couldn't fire on all cylinders very often.

If the defense was clicking, usually the offense wasn't. The Mavs were able to win a few 85-80 type games, but usually if the shot wasn't falling the defense wasn't exactly stifling.

If the offense was dropping shot like they were hot, too often the other team would come back and reciprocate. The Mavs were much better off in games around the 105-110 range, but those can get away from you real quick with stupid mistakes, especially on the road.

Some of it is due to injury. Josh Howard missed significant time, and played banged up towards the end of the season. While he has been criticized in the past for saying and doing stupid things, he hobbled around on two bad wheels throughout the playoffs and made his mark on quite a few games.

Jason Terry also missed time, although he was on the court for some of it. He was virtually invisible for the playoffs, and this was especially noticeable against the Nuggets, where he bricked three-pointer after three-pointer.

Normally, no team in their right mind would give Terry those shots, but the Nuggets called his bluff time and time again, and he never made them pay.

During the season Jason Terry was an absolute assassin, dropping many a dagger from beyond the arc and/or off the elbow.

Dirk did what he always does, better than he always does, with hardly a shred of recognition. Sure, he was named All-NBA first team, but he beat Tim Duncan by five measly points.

Ask anybody who watches the NBA who was the better player this year, and the answer has to be Dirk. Fourth leading scorer in the league (second for a good chunk of it), less turnovers than ever, and as usual, he stepped up his game in the playoffs.

He got better as the odds got worse, responding to turmoil on his personal life by dropping 33 and 16, 44 and 12, and a near triple double in the Mavs' final game: 32, 10, and seven assists.

Your Love (read: season) Is Like A Roller Coaster Baby

As far as the Mavs got this year, it was a long shot in mid-November, when the Mavs were staring down the barrel of 2-7, rumors of a mutiny with their new coach, and not much to look forward to except the end of their streak of 50-win seasons.

Then came the awakening. An OT win in Madison Square Garden, before the New York Knicks became the New York Cap Space. Dirk and Howard officially began the season that night, with 39 and 15, and 31 and 14, respectively.

The Mavs went on a tear from there, winning 11 out of the next 13 games. Then the questions came again. Devin Harris demolished them in New Jersey, San Antonio beat them in OT and a Christmas Day win at Portland was negated by an ugly finish in Utah.

A rally from 29 points down against Minnesota showed that the Mavs weren't ready to go away, but for every good win, it seemed like the Bucks, Kings, Thunder or Warriors were right there to take away the mojo.

The Mavs showed flashes of their 2006-'07 selves, when they were the most complete team in the NBA. They had a hot starter in Howard, a finisher in Terry, and Dirk to drop his 25 in the middle.

The defense came and went, but it seemed like there were certain nights when the offense could let them win in a shootout.

Centrifugal Force (or Lack thereof)

With All-Stars at the point, shooting guard, small forward and power forward, the one area that was lacking this year was the center.

Erick Dampier had another typical year, flashes of dominance followed by disappearing acts, but his fundamental flaws were quite evident.

His lack of athleticism, his poor hands, and his questionable dedication reared their ugly heads this season. When up against a traditional, bang 'em and hang 'em centers (I just made that term up, it sounds cool though), such as Andrew Bynum, Fabricio Oberto, Chris Kaman, or Kendrick Perkins, they seemed to offset one another.

But find a center than has a little bit of range to his jump shot, and a little zip in his step, and Dampier was left in the lurch. Yao Ming, Chris Bosh, Mehmet Okur, Tyson Chandler, and Nene all took advantage, the latter was especially evident during games one, two, and five of the Denver Series.

Ryan Hollins has some potential, but he needs to bulk up a bit. A legit seven-footer, he weighs 215 pounds, which is the same as people a foot shorter than him weigh. He's got the athleticism, he's got the intensity, but he just doesn't have the body to bang down low with the likes of a Shaq or even a Bynum.

Some good coaching, and another year under his belt should be good for him, but it's yet to be seen if he's anything more than a backup.

And with a team that tends to fall in love with a jump shot like the Mavs, a strong low-post presence can make up for the times when the shot goes cold.

Know Your Role (Players)

During the season, certain players emerged into the spotlight and other faded away.

J.J. Barea was a flash of lightning, giving the Mavs a taste of the Devin Harris/ Tony Parker speed, and giving them an unexpected boost.

Brandon Bass started handing out tickets to the gun show, with thunderous dunks, elbow jumpers, and the knack for just the right play to swing the momentum in the Mavs' favor.

DeSagana Diop, who was once part of a two-headed center tandem that brought the Mavs to the finals, left his game in New Jersey, and was turned into a three-point specialist and a young center.

The three-point specialist didn't live up to his billing, but Ryan Hollins turned into yet another sparkplug off the bench, giving the Mavs an attitude and a knack for the thunderous play.

James Singleton, fresh off the boat from the Euro leagues, has his time in the sun, pulling down incredible amount of rebounds while he was on the floor.

You've Gots To Pay (off) To Play (off)

Coming into the playoffs, a series against the Spurs could have been the quick way to an easy exit, or a chance to start the playoffs with a win over foes of old.

The Mavs came out firing in game one, something they failed to do in the past two postseasons. And it goes to show how important that game is, especially on the road, for a team looking for an upset.

Even a rout in game two couldn't stop the Mavs from handing down a beatdown, despite Parker's almost inhuman scoring throughout the series.

Dirk took a few games to get in the groove, and Terry really never found it, but luckily the bench was able to fill in, and help them get those early wins in game one, three and four.

When Dirk finally awoke, the Spurs were done for.

Now here's the conundrum: The poor bench play of Dallas in the Denver series could be assumed to be a regression to the mean. After all, if they play above average for a few games, chances are they're going to play below average for a few.

Which brings us to the Nuggets series. Dirk found an answer for every defender they threw at him, but the bench couldn't give him much help.

As mentioned before, Jason Terry never really hit the shots he had been getting all season. Though a streaky shooter, a 10-game sample of games should have been a sufficient cycle for him to heat up.

Nene looked like Shaq circa 2001, by abusing Dampier, and 'Melo took the art of the clutch shot and the step-away mid-range jumper to another level.

In the end, it's pretty clear the Nuggets were a better team. Whether it was George Karl or Chauncey Billups, someone taught these guys some defense. All of a sudden Denver has the home crowd of the Warriors of 2007, and the players that feed off of them, e.g. Chris 'Birdman' Andersen and J.R. Smith.

Anthony Carter and his abnormally shaped head also decided on showing up, after a long vacation that coincided with my fantasy ownership of him.

In the end, the series came to athleticism in the frontcourt, where Dampier was thoroughly outplayed (but not outclassed) by Nene and Andersen on both ends of the floor.

Antoine Wright also became Raja Bell to 'Melo's Kobe, though if that meant he was a better defender and three-point shooter I'd gladly take it.

What Are You Thinking, Where Do We Go from Here?

And now the future comes to the forefront. While you're still playing, next season doesn't matter, but now suddenly reality creeps in.

The reality that Jason Kidd is now on the market, the reality that Brandon Bass might want more minutes and a bigger payday, the reality that Mark Cuban is willing to be a buyer in a seller's market, and the reality that we're only 12 months away from the Free Agent Summer of 2010.

Unless Ryan Hollins gets some great coaching over the summer, the center position is a big question mark. Someone like Tyson Chandler might be available, but with his injury history, he might not be worth it. Though someone who can actually finish an alley-oop might be a welcome change.

But I'm not here to talk about the future just yet. Right now I'm content with looking back on a season that was at least interesting, and appreciating what could have been a last hurrah for this incarnation of the Dallas Mavericks.

Is a trip to the second round enough to make Cuban back off his threat to blow up the team? Are the role players worth investing another year (Dirk's 31st)?

I'm not quite ready to noodle over those questions yet. Right now, it's time for a trip to the liquor store, another box of Kleenex and a month of basketball without a 7'0" German with the finest cheekbones this side of the Rhein, followed by five months of a basketball-less vacuum.

Go Mavs.

Anatomy of a Swish

2009-05-04T11:04:00.001-07:00

Interested in how your favorite players make their shots look so good?

Click here to see my analysis of different NBA superstars and their shots.

Mavs-Nuggs Game One: Crunching the Numbers

2009-05-04T08:22:00.001-07:00

I've never been a big numbers guy. You can use numbers to prove anything. 76 percent of people know that.

But statistics are a booming business for a reason. They look at the past to predict the future, and that holds very true in sports.

Sure, Nene might have dropped 24 on the Dallas Mavericks yesterday, but seven seasons worth of stats tell us that he averages about 11.2 PPG, so that output probably isn't normal.

A look at the numbers from game one aren't exactly promising for the Mavericks, so let's take a look.

10: The number of shots taken by Carmelo Anthony

23: The amount of points he scored on those shots.

6: The number of points scored and assisted dished by Chauncey Billups.

What do those three numbers tell you? That the two best players on the Nuggets didn't exactly have breakout games, but the Nuggs were able to win by 14.

'Melo only shot 10 times, but he made seven of those, and hit another seven free throws. A very efficient game from him, despite him sitting out much of the first half with foul trouble.

The Mavericks couldn't have asked for a better opportunity in the first half, and yet when it ended they were trailing by four.

The defensive gameplan also worked on Billups, as he didn't get to the line, and his six points were a result of two three-pointers, which I can live with.

What I can't live with is the fact that Billups scores 17.7 PPG, so we can be counted on do do a lot more damage as the series goes on.

What I can't live with is that 'Melo takes 18.3 shos a game, and if he is shooting as his current clip, that means a few over-30 point games.

Let's look at some of the Mavericks' numbers.

28: The number of points scored by Dirk Nowitzki.

32: The number of minutes played by Jason Terry.

15: The number of points scored by Jason Terry, Josh Howard and Jason Kidd

For the first two on that list, 15 is much too low, for the third, more than you can expect.

For a guy who played 32 minutes, Jason Terry was absolutely invisible. If him and Brandon Bass had a "who can make the least impact off of the bench in game one" competition, they would go into more overtimes than the Bulls-Celtics series.

Bass, whose athleticism is going to be sorely needed to compete with the likes of Chris Andersen and Nene, did not come out of the gates with the physicality and energy that the Mavs needed.

Ryan Hollins and Bass are going to be needed to make much more of an impact than they did in game one, because Dampier is a step too slow to hang with Andersen and Nene.

A few more numbers:

8: The number of turnovers committed by Jason Kidd in game one

3: The number of turnovers committed by Jason Kidd in five games against the Spurs.

The Kidd turnovers only bother me because they wasted an otherwise great offensive game from Kidd. For a while in the first half, it was 2003 all over again. Kidd was hitting open threes, hitting elbow jumpers, he even tossed in a floater that made me think that the Mavs had traded for Chris Paul at halftime.

Kidd can't be counted on to drop in 15 a game, and he shouldn't be. In a way, he deserved a lot of credit for contributing. It was clear that after Howard's ankle injury that Howard couldn't (or wouldn't) get as aggressive as he needed to be, so Kidd tok up some of the slack.

The Nuggets gave him space, and he made them pay for it.

But in the debacle known as the fourth quarter, Jason Kidd went to another rarely seen aspect of his game, a turnover machine. Forced bounce passes, miscommunications with other players and sloppy ball handling became a disease that Kidd quickly spread to the other Mavericks as the fourth quarter got away from them.

Now here's where the numbers game gets a little bit ugly. You could argue that the Mavericks beat the numbers against the Spurs. Dirk and Terry didn't play up to their usual levels for most of the series, but the reserves like Bass, Hollins and J.J. Barea played above their levels, so the Mavs were able to win.

ell, yesterday, aside from Jason Terry, we saw a regression to the mean. Dirk got his points, and the role players didn't. Which is bad news since a regression to the mean seems to mean an "L" for Dallas against the Nuggets.

So do the Mavericks come out tomorrow night and have another game that defies the numbers? More importantly, will that matter?

Assume Kidd doesn't turn the ball over eight times, assume Terry and Howard score 20-plus, assume Brandon Bass puts up eight and four, his season average. Sounds good right?

Except we have to be fair. Assume 'Melo shoots more than 10 shots. Assume Billups scores more than 6 points.

Sure, Nene probably won't score another 24, and Andersen probably won't block six more shots, but when the last two paragraphs are thrown together, does it help the Mavericks gain an extra 15 net points? Especially at the Pepsi Center?

I sure hope so, but I don't know if the numbers are behind me.

2009 West Playoffs: (4) Blazers vs. (5) Rockets

2009-04-16T17:54:00.000-07:00

(4) Portland Trailblazers vs. (5) Houston Rockets

Interestingly enough, this matchup was decided before the Blazers/Nuggets game, all that remained was to see who would get homecourt.

The person who has the most to lose in this series won't even be on the court. Tracy McGrady. If the Rockets beat the young, upstart, Blazers, the team that people are saying are the only challengers to the Lakers in the West, then people McGrady loses a lot of value.

Teams that could have been thinking about taking his contract in a trade will think twice, given his injury history and the economy, and the Rockets will view him as the guy who was holding them back.

Rockets fans can envision a world where Yao and Artest can take them beyond the first round, and if they can dump McGrady for another, better free agent in 2010.

The Blazers can shed the ghosts of the past, and accelerate their plans as the team of the future, and with Kobe age, the decline of the Suns, Spurs and Mavs, and Hornets' owner George Shinn's notorious penny-pinching, they could be poised to take over the west.

PG: Steve Blake vs. Aaron Brooks

Who knew at the beginning of the year that it would turn out like this? Steve Blake has experiences a mini-resurgence and has a young heir in Jerryd Bayless to take the reins, and he has played perfectly within himself to help his team be the best they can be.

Besides hitting the occasional three and making some end-of-game free throws, not much of the shooting burden will fall on Blake.

Aaron Brooks started the year second on the depth chart, and filled in so well during Rafer Alston's injury, that the Rockets were willing to trade Alston to give Brooks the reins. He's capable of a breakout game or two on the offensive end, and he runs the offense nicely.

Winner: Aaron Brooks

SG: Brandon Roy vs. Ron Artest

A great matchup. Roy has emerged into a genuine assassin, and probably has the most complete game of any player not named Kobe in the game today. He can kill you on both ends of the floor, and from every spot on the floor. He's capable of miracle shots, momentum killers and boosters, and has a very bright future in the NBA.

But can Ron Artest stop Roy? Between Battier and Artest, Roy has to deal with the two most talented perimeter defenders in the game. As the primary offensive threat, Roy will have to be careful and pick his moments, but he's smart enough to do that.

If Artest can do damage on the offensive end, the Rockets could really be onto something. With McGrady out, Artest needs to provide those points, and he needs to be smart about his shots, something he sometimes gets away from.

If he gets rattled and start jacking up bad threes, especially if Roy starts abusing him it will be very easy for Houston to come unglued and suffer yet another first round defeat.

Winner: Brandon Roy

SF: Nicholas Batum vs. Shane Battier

This is the chance for Nicholas Batum to make a name for himself, other than being the French guy who isn't Tony Parker or Boris Diaw. If he can score with regularity, that spreads Artest and Battier apart, and will open things up for Portland's primary weapon, Roy.

Battier has both the easiest and most difficult job of the game. He has to play good D, and make the open three when called to do so. But he has to play good D against someone like Roy or LaMarcus Aldridge, and he has to do it well.

Winner: Shane Battier

PF: LaMarcus Aldrige vs. Luis Scola

The two frontcourt matchups in this series are the most intriguing pair. Aldridge has the potential to be one of the top power forwards in the game, combining a pretty decent low-post arsenal with a sweet jump shot, and a pretty good skill set. His shot is streak at times, and he tends to slack on defense, but he is rapidly improving.

With Scola, you have a "sophomore" who is one of the most physical players playing in the game. A good shooter, a great rebounder, he will give Aldridge all the bumping he can handle, and then some. It will be interesting to see those two go at it, and to see who comes out on top, as this matchup may very well decide a series that goes seven games.

Winner:LaMarcus Aldridge

C: Joel Pryzbilla vs. Yao Ming

With his low-post skill set, the Trailblazers are going to need every single foul they can get. The problem with Greg Oden is that he might give too many of those away.

Yao can make anyone pay from anywhere inside of 18-feet, and he has managed to stay healthy this season. The pessimist in me says that this means he's facing an injury in this series, which will spell doom for the Rockets. The optimist in me says that playing more than 50 games (77 to be exact) for the first time since 2004-05 will give him the confidence he needs to break through to the next step.

If Yao can get the Portland big men in foul trouble, this will place an extraordinary strain on their reserves, and he could have a huge series.

Winner: Yao Ming

Bench:

Two good benches. Portland's features two people that could be starters on a number of other teams in Rudy Fernandez and Travis Outlaw, as well as Greg Oden. Greg Oden has a real chance to make a splash if he can stay out of foul trouble and make life difficult for the Yao.

Houston's features a promising point guard in Kyle Lowry, who has started to usurp minutes from Aaron Brooks, and two possible difference makers in Von Wafer and Carl Landry.

Portland's bench should have the edge here, but if they cede that to Houston, then they won't go very far.

Winner: Portland

Pick: Portland in 6

2009 Playoffs: (3) Spurs vs. (6) Mavericks

2009-04-16T17:08:00.001-07:00

The Dallas Mavericks have closed the season with a flourish, or so I'm told, I don't follow them all that closely. The Spurs have limped to the finish, which stands in stark contrast to how they usually finish the season, playing their best basketball. Both of these teams have will have a chance to extend their window by at least a week, a the expense of slamming the other's shut.

For the last few years, the hierarchy in the West has always been Spurs, Mavs, Suns. The Suns are stuck in third place as far as that goes, and now the Mavs have a chance to climb to the top, possibly for the last time.

Ginobili has always been a Mavs killer, and with his absence and Duncan's knees, the Spurs are as ripe for the plucking as they have always been.

PG: Tony Parker vs. Jason Kidd

Old-school vs. new school. For two people who play the same position, the two couldn't have more opposite games. With Manu out, Parker must be the first or second option on offense, while Kidd is often fourth or fifth.

We all know that Parker will probably have a field day on Kidd on the offensive end. His speed can't be matched by Kidd, and any help the Mavs will give Kidd will only open the window for another shooter to bomb the Mavs from long range.

Kidd needs to do exactly what he has been doing. Push the ball in transition, set up Dirk, Terry and Howard, and make the open three when given the space. If the Mavs can find a way to slow down Parker, the Spurs simply don't have enough firepower.

Winner: Tony Parker

SG: Roger Mason Jr. vs. Antoine Wright

While Roger Mason's late game heroics have made SportsCenter all year long, what he does in the other 47 minutes can't be overlooked as well. Simply put, he's a smart player. I had the privilege of watching him go overlooked on the Wizards last year, and his play this year hasn't been surprising.

Mason's strength lies in the fact that he doesn't try to overstep his bounds. He doesn't take shots he has no business taking, which is more than can be said of a lot of NBA player. Unfortunately, most of those other players aren't on the Spurs.

Antoine Wright is at his best when he is acting as foil to Josh Howard. When Howard is hot in the first, Wright needs to be lockdown defensively. As Howard cools off, Wright needs to be driving to the cup, drawing fouls.

Wright shouldn't have many defensive problems with Mason himself, but he needs to be careful about shifting to Parker and leaving Mason open. The Spurs have won four rings on the drive-and-kick offense, and this is no time to let them take advantage.

I think Wright is much more capable of leaving his mark on the series than Mason.

Winner: Antoine Wright

SF: Michael Finley vs. Josh Howard

Ah, how fitting. The Mavs' small forward of the past against the small forward of the present (and hopefully, future). Josh Howard has been playing on a leg and a wrist that will go under the knife after the season (hopefully not until late June).

It's been said ad nauseum, but Josh Howard is the X-Factor. His return and subsequent stellar play have everything to do with the Mavericks hot finish.

Michael Finley's role is far more reduced, but no less important. He needs to hit jumpers. Plain and simple. When the defense collapses on Duncan or Parker, he's one of the few that will be taking that shot.

But no one on this postseason, save maybe Kobe, has more riding on this postseason than Howard. Short of an admission that he is a cokehead, Howard has hit the bottom, and has nowhere to go but up. Not that it's going to be easy, but it's possible.

Winner: Josh Howard

PF: Tim Duncan vs. Dirk Nowitzki

As far as star power goes, this is it for first-round matchups. Besides LeBron and Pierce, there isn't another matchup that features two sure hall-of-famers going at it.

At this point in their careers, Duncan is slowing down fast, and Dirk is still plugging along. Of course, Timmy can still relax on a mattress of championship rings (at least, that's how it feels) when he's done. Dirk still has work to do.

Dirk's offensive game is still unparalleled, his one-legged Euro fadeaway is near unguardable (though Carl Landry managed to block one last night), and he can still get to the rim. Duncan, on the other hand, will break you down with his arsenal of low-post moves, and he can hit the elbow jumper and rebound better than anyone.

During this series, Tony Parker can take up most of Duncan's slack on offense, but Dirk's 20-plus points are going to be hard to replace, even with their depth. Dirk needs to have a strong series, otherwise next year's Mavericks are going to look very different, maybe not in a good way.

Winner: Dirk Nowitzki

C: Matt Bonner vs. Erick Dampier

There's not many centers in the league that I would pick Dampier over, but Matt Bonner is one of them. While he is a good outside shooter, he doesn't have the low-post presence to compete with Dampier, and that speaks more to his shortcomings (read: he's a whitey with red hair) than to Dampier's strengths.

This hasn't killed the Spurs because of Duncan's low-post dominance, and his ability to play a passable center.

Dampier needs to show up for every other game as opposed to every four or five, and Dallas should be okay at the center. Dampier does tend to get in foul trouble, and if Parker is particularly aggressive it may come down to that, but that's where Dallas' bench comes in.

Winner: Erick Dampier

Bench:

Dallas has emerged as having a very deep bench. Jason Terry aside, J.J. Barea, Brandon Bass, James Singleton, Ryan Hollins and Gerald Green are capable of making their own marks on the game.

What to say about Jason Terry that hasn't been said already? Your Sixth Man of the Year, instant offense, instant energy and a cold-bloodedshooter to boot. With Terry in at crunch time, the Mavs are looking pretty good in close games.

Let's go back to Brandon Bass. His ferocity and athleticism should play a huge part for the Mavs during this series. Big, athletic guys have always given the Spurs trouble, and that's Bass to a T.

If he can lock down Duncan for a few minutes, throw some crowd-pleasing dunks, and make the occasional elbow or baseline jumper, he could be a huge part of the Mavs living to fight again in the second round.

The Spurs have George Hill (who might be ready in a few years), Ime Udoka (who isn't ready after a few years), and Fabricio Oberto (who lost his starting gig to a big, red-deaded 7-footer who can't rebound). 'Nuff said.

Winner: Dallas

Pick: Mavericks in 6

2009 Playoffs: (2) Nuggets vs. (7) Hornets

2009-04-16T16:20:00.000-07:00

This should be a doozy. A transcendent point guard and an All-Star forward vs. an All-Star point guard and a transcendent forward. A former first round doorman vs. a team trying to prove last year wasn't a fluke.

One team pulled off a monster trade, one didn't and you could argue both came out better because of it.

For the last two seasons, the Western conference champion has started their run against the Denver Nuggets. The "I shoot then you shoot" of the Iverson-Anthony combo didn't do justice to either one's talents, and it got them nowhere. Now, the game's most selfish player has been replaced by one of the most unselfish, and Denver seems poised to advance for the first time in 'Melo's career. Denver also lost a defensive rock in the paint, but added one of the game's most mercurial talents in Chris Andersen.

New Orleans is another low-seeded team still coping with the disappointments of a season in which they were picked to be a sleeper, but Chris Paul has spent the season redefining his position.

PG: Chauncey Billups vs. Chris Paul

What Billups has done to this Denver team has gone largely unnoticed, yet people are not taking them seriously to come out of the West. Partly because of the Lakers, but partly because people are ready to see if Carmelo can join his other All-Star draftmates and finally advance. Billups figures to play a big part in this because of the nature of his game.

He can distribute, he can shoot, he can play defense, in roughly that order.

Unfortunately, the man on the other end of the ball could end up as the best to play his position. It's a case of "everything you can do I can do better," because Chris Paul does everything Billups can do to an amazing level.

Winner: Chauncey Billups

SG: Dahntay Jones vs. Rasual Butler

I would consider J.R. Smith the official shooting guard for the Nuggs, but according to their depth chart, Jones is number one. I don't know too much about him, but I know Rasual Butler can be a threat. He's not a game changer by any means, but wth Chris Paul giving him great looks, and with the attention given to Paul and West, he should have some room to operate.

If the Hornets are going to advance, Butler needs to make his mark on the series.

Winner: Rasual Butler

SF: Carmelo Anthony vs. Peja Stojakavic

Peja is without question on the downside of his career, and 'Melo is still finding exactly what his peak is. This is make or break time for 'Melo. Without Iverson, he needs to take control of the offense, and he needs to show the team that he is the superstar he's billed to be.

He's got the talents to do it, and he talks like he's motivated to do it, but if the Hornets advance, the blame will be on no one but Anthony, and the Nuggets might start preparing for a future without him if he can't deliver.

Peja has much lower expectations, and if he can hit the corner three, and stay out of his own way on defense, he should add to the Hornets nd not take anything away.

Winner: Carmelo Anthony

PF: Kenyon Martin vs. David West

Another intriguing matchup. Martin has shown flashes in his career, but is far from a given at his position. David West, on the other hand, is a bona fide All-Star, and a physical low-post presence combined with a sweet shoooting stroke.

The offense runs through him and Paul, so the two of them need to keep producing for the entire series. West is more than capable, but the question is, can he sustain it for an entire series?

He did well against the Mavericks last year, but during the Spurs series, he shot .565, .182, .526, .267, .640, .286, and .421 across the seven games, not exactly a model of consistency.

He's going to do better than that, especially with the Hornets situation at center.

Winner: David West

C: Nene vs. Tyson Chandler

This is where the series will be made for the Nuggets. You know what you're getting from 'Melo and Billups, but Nene needs to work hard on both ends of the floor.

With Chandler banged up, suddenly Chris Paul's favorite alley-oop target isn't there, and suddenly the paint isn't locked down on defense. A less-than-100% Chandler, combined with Melvin Ely and Hilton Armstrong, means that Nene needs to make a difference down low, which he is more than capable of, given his performance over the last month of the season.

In April, Nene is shooting better than 60 percent from the field , better than 70 percent from the free throw line, and averaging 7.4 rebounds and a block per game. If he can keep it up, the Nuggets should advance.

Winner: Nene

Bench:

New Orleans is frightfully thin, with the exception of James Posey. Antonio Daniels and Ely/Armstrong are far apart from their starter counterparts. Julian Wright is talented, but he won't be able to do much this series.

Denver on the other hand, has sharpshooting J.R. Smith coming off of the bench, not to mention a sparkplug defensive player in Chris Andersen, and Linas Kleiza provides a multi-faceted attack as well.

Denver's depth should give them the edge, because West and Paul can't play all 48 minutes.

Winner: Denver

Pick: Nuggets in five

2009 Playoffs: (1) Lakers vs. (8) Jazz

2009-04-16T16:17:00.001-07:00

Over the next few days, I will be breaking down each playoff series.

It was pretty clear that the Lakers didn't want to play the Jazz. I think they're ready to beat anyone, and they should be, but the Jazz play a physical game that could place some strain on the Lakers, particularly Kobe who's coming off of a run to the Finals last year, the Olympics, and then a full 82 game season this year.

While Kobe's not an old man, he's no spring chicken, and he's still got that finger injury that he never got fixed.

The Jazz are coming off of a strange year. Once thought to be sleepers for the '09 title, the injuries/shenanigans of Carlos Boozer, and a woeful road record have left them as an afterthought to the NBA playoffs, which is strange, given that they've added a talent in Paul Millsap, and haven't really lost anyone of importance.

As bad as the Jazz are on the road, they're that good on the road. The absence of homecourt means they have to steal a game in the Staples Center, and it's hard to imagine them doing that against one of the best teams in the NBA.

PG: Derek Fisher vs. Deron Williams

Really no contest, and one of the few matchups that the Jazz have in their favor. The young, physically imposing Williams should have his way with the older, slower Fisher.

Fisher is no slouch on the defensive end, but he's going to have his work cut out for him trying to stop Williams from doing a lot of damage.

Winner: Deron Williams

SG: Kobe Bryant vs. Ronnie Brewer

I like Ronnie Brewer. He's got decent speed, is pretty good on defense, and is a solid shooting guard. Pity for him he's going against the best shooting guard of the last decade, one who's deadly on both ends of the floor.

With Kobe likely focusing on defending Williams, Brewer should have a chance to make his mark on the series. But can you upset a No. 1 seed with Ronnie Brewer handling the scoring? I don't think so.

Winner: Kobe Bryant

SF: Trevor Ariza vs. C.J. Miles

Trevor Ariza is one of the most underrated defenders in the league today. Though his numbers from three-point land aren't spectacular, it seems like every time I see the Lakers, he makes a timely three. With him and Kobe guarding the best wingmen, they're a formidable duo, and it's going to take more than C.J. Miles to put pressure on them.

Winner: Trevor Ariza

PF: Pau Gasol vs. Carlos Boozer

One of the most intriguing matchups of the first round. A physical low post scorer against a finesse shooter and skilled passer.Gasol's defense against the much more physical Celtics in last year's finals was one of the reasons the Lakers seemed unable to generate much firepower, and stop the Celtics, and it could be a factor here.

I don't see Pau Gasol giving Boozer much trouble when he tries to post up, but Gasol's reach could help him. With Boozer on defense, he's more than capable of handling Gasol, but he will be helpless when Gasol is able to make quick passes to a streaking Ariza or Bynum.

As far as who is going to have more impact on the series, I think it is going to be Boozer. He's got a new contract to think about, and he's got Paul Millsap just waiting to show him up to grab the Power Forward spot.

If Gasol comes out swinging, this could be a four or five-game series, but I think he'll be outmuscled.

Winner: Carlos Boozer

C: Andrew Bynum vs. Mehmet Okur

This provides an interesting contrast as well. As different as Gasol and Boozer are, Okur and Bynum are even more so. Bynum is just a low-post presence, while Okur lacks in that area, but he's a great perimeter guy.

Look to see the two guys switching up on defense. If I were Phil Jackson, I would put Gasol on Okur, start Odom on Boozer, and let those two play their games.

Bynum on the bench could provide a good boost, especially if he comes in when Boozer and/or Okur are on the bench.

I think Bynum will have a chance to make his mark on the series, but I'm not sure he's ready to do it. If he's getting muscled by someone like Boozer and/or Millsap, then he could be hesitant given his injury problems.

While I've always been an Okur fan, I think the nod has to go to the true center.

Winner: Andrew Bynum

Bench:

The Lakers used to have one of the deepest benches in the league, and Odom coming off of it certainly helps the second unit. After Odom, it gets pretty thin, with a streaky Farmar, even streakier Vujacic, and the seldom seen Luke Walton.

Utah boasts a guy who will probably be starting for them next year in Millsap, a sniper in Kyle Korver and one of the most complete players off the bench in Andrei Kirilenko.

Utah's depth will be a major reason they can stretch the Lakers to six or seven games, but they need to take advantage of their matchup advantages, particularly when Kobe is out. If AK-47, can slow down Kobe, the Jazz should be able to make the series interesting. Otherwise, it will be a joke.

Pick: Lakers in 6

How the Mavs can win the title THIS year

2009-04-16T11:12:00.000-07:00

The Dallas Mavericks will open up the playoffs facing the San Antonio Spurs. While this will prove to be a daunting task, no Ginobili and a banged-up Duncan could make the raod easier. I'll go deeper into this matchup when I break down the individual matchups for the first round.

Let's just say that this series is entirely winnable, and with the way the Mavs have been playing of late, they should be able to stop the Spurs.

They will play the winner of the Hornets-Nuggets series, which will probably be the Nuggets. While Chris Paul will probably have a big series and David West should have some good games, I think Chauncey will make enough of a difference to help the Nuggets finally advance past the first round.

The Mavericks haven't fared well against the Nuggets this season, but I see no reason why they can't beat them in seven games. Chauncey Billups provides a good matchup for Kidd, but I think that Kidd wins that battle, since Billups lacks the explosiveness of Paul and Parker.

They can put someone like Howard or Wright on 'Melo, and I don't see J.R. Smith dropping 30 points a game like he tends to do against the Mavs in their regular season matchups.

If the Mavs can steal one at the Pepsi Center, then they could very well advance to the Western Conference Finals.

Let's look at the other side of the West. We assume the Lakers will beat the Jazz, probably in four or five games. We can also assume that the Blazers can beat the Rockets, although Aldridge will have his hands full with Scola, the combination of Pryzbilla and Oden and their 12 fouls should be enough to stop Yao.

The Blazers are the one team that the Lakers should be afraid of in the playoffs. They matchup very well with one another, and I think Aldrige and Pryzbilla/Oden can really make life hard for Gasol and Bynum down low, and I think Outlaw could make things hard for Odom.

Let's say the Blazers steal either game one or game two at the Staples Center. The Rose Garden will be on FIRE, and the Blazers should be able to take care of business there. Let's say the Blazers win in five, maybe six, because they are capable of stealing more than one at the Staples Center.

Then you've got a Mavs/Blazers western conference finals, which is the perfect scenario for any Mavs fan. They Mavs have had the Blazers' number at the Rose Garden, and they match up very well with the Blazers.

Steve Francis isn't the kind of explosive PG that can exploit Kidd, and Jerryd Bayless is too young to really make a difference, although he should be capable of it one day. Wright should be able to stop the bleeding with Roy, and the only real worry is Aldrigde.

He averaged 18.7 PPG on 57 percent shooting this year against the Mavs, but I don't think he's ready to take over a series yet. Mavs can win in five or six.

Now, let's look at the East. I think we can safely assume that the Cavs, Heat, Magic and Celtics will advance to the conference semi-finals.

The Cavs will have their hands full with Wade, but the Heat won't beat them. The Celtics should already be afraid of the Magic, and with KG out, I don't think Pierce and Allen will be able to handle the load, particularly when the Magic's interior defense is so strong.

I don't think the Celtics can win four games from the perimeter.

So you've got the Magic and the Cavs in the Eastern Finals, which is exactly what the Cavs should be afraid of. The Magic are a great road team, going 27-14 on the road. If any Eastern team is capable to getting a win at the Q, it's the Magic.

And we've already seen what kind of beatdown the Magic are capable of laying on the Cavs. With a player like Howard ruling the paint, LeBron's go to scoring isn't so easy, and he can expect to earn every point he gets (barring of course, a 2006 Finals version of the officials, which actually isn't that far fetched).

The biggest hurdle is that the Magic will have to win in five games, which will be tough. But if they can take care of business at home, and avoid a LeBron in game seven, they can do it in six.

It's not a lock by any means, but stranger things have happened.

Then you've got yourself a Magic-Mavs finals, which would be something. Finally, some fresh blood in the finals.

While the Magic are a good team, after all, they beat the Cavs and Celtics, the Mavericks match up well with them. Don't expect J.J. Barea to get much time, because the Magic have a lot of tall shooters, but the Mavs are pretty good perimeter defenders, and I think a combination of Hollins' speed and Dampiers' bulk should be able to stop Dwight Howard, at least, as much as can be hoped.

And there you have it, how the Dallas Mavericks can win the title in 2009. At 60-1 odds according to Vegas, I would think about placing that bet.

Admit it, it's not as far fetched as you thought. Everything I've proposed is possible.

The biggest leaps are the Blazers bating the Lakers and the Magic beating the Cavs, but it could happen. We've seen it happen a few times this season, and there's no reason it can't happen in the playoffs.

Hornets @ Mavs: Preview

2009-04-10T12:48:00.000-07:00

Tonight's game is huge. Sunday's game is huge. Monday's game is big. Wednesday's game could be huge.

The Mavericks are in position to climb up the Western Conference ladder, to not only avoid the Lakers, but to have some shot at home court for at least one series.

A win tonight ties them for 6th place, which may or may not involve Utah, depending on how their game at San Antonio shakes out.

So what do the Mavs need to do?

First, they need to take advantage of Tyson Chandler's absence. They haven't fared too well against teams with missing stars as of late, but they need to tonight.

His absence will be felt on the offensive side for the Hornets, as they don't have an alley-oop receptacle to throw to.

On offense, the Mavs need to attack down low. They need to exploit Hilton Armstrong, whether it be Dampier, Bass or Hollins. Since Dampier played well for this month, it will probably fall on Hollins.

He needs to stay out of foul trouble, and he needs to use his quickness and athleticism to pound the ball inside.

Jason Kidd needs to shoot like he did against the Suns. The last time the Hornets and Mavs played, they left Jason Kidd in his own area code, and he couldn't make them pay by hitting threes.

If he can knock down a few early ones, then he will change the defense right away, forcing them to take him into account. Barea could also help with this if he chooses his shots well, like he did against Phoenix.

Chris Paul. He's going to have himself a game. But if Wright and Kidd can help take him out a little bit, then the Hornets place their offense on Rasual Butler, an ailing Peja, and David West.

I would like to see Bass and West matchup. Both physical forwards who can shoot the J, if Bass can outplay West, the Mavs should have a much easier time.

This is a winnable game for the Mavs, but they've lost winnable games to worse teams.

If the Mavs are serious about being taken seriously, then this is a good start, and it takes a lot of pressure off of them playing Sunday on the road.

Been a while, crocodile, and summer trades

2009-04-10T12:11:00.000-07:00

Wow, more than two months without an update. But it's not like anything important has happened.

It's not like the Mavs have taken some beatdowns on Sunday afternoon, dished out one of their own, clinched a playoff sport, are active on the summer trade front, and are poised to move up in the Western conference standings.

Right?

Apologies to the dozen (if I'm lucky) readers of there here blog, other writing duties, several hangovers and missing quite a few Mavs games of late have all contributed to the lack of updates.

But I'm back with an empty promise that updates will be more regular.

Now that we've got that out of the way, let's take a look at where we are.

After a gutsy win over Miami, in which they were able to take Wade out of the latter half of the fourth quarter, they responded with yet another letdown game against the Grizz.

Then the Mavs took part on yet another Sunday afternoon beatdown, but lo and behold, they were the ones dishing out the punishment.

And now the Mavs are red-hot heading into the last four games, three of which against playoff teams, two of which against the New Orleans Hornets.

If you're like me, you're waiting for the Mavs collapse tonight or Sunday, and the eventual slide back to the 8th seed, followed by a swift dispatch from the Lakers.

But as Andy Dufresne told us, "hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things."

Before we take a look at tonight's game, let's take a look at some of the hot rumors that have been sweeping MavsLand.

Shaq

Shaq and Tony Cubes have been carrying on a twitter romance, and if it weren't for Mark's wife, maybe the two of them could have been something more.

Shaq has wanted to go to the Mavs for a while now. Do the Mavs want/need Shaq next year?

Do they need him? Maybe. Dampier is inconsistent, but if he has a game like he did against the Jazz, he would be tough to lose.

Although he did miss four easy shots, and drop a number of easy passes from Kidd.

The problem Shaq had in Phoenix was that he slowed down their fast break too much, he was taking the place of Stoudemire or Marion.

The Mavs don't have that problem because Dampier isn't a part of their fast break, so you wouldn't lose anything on that front.

Shaq also tends to show up a little more often than Damp, although you never know what another year does to a player, especially one who's been carrying around as much bulk as Shaq.

But tell me a lineup of Kidd, Wright, Howard, Dirk and Shaq doesn't sound good. Three hall-of-famers right there, even if two are past their prime.

I would be all for getting Shaq is we didn't have to give up Howard. Howard has proved in the last few games that he is one tough M.F.er, as well as a defensive X-factor, and the man to set the scoring pace early.

Sure, he might be held together with little more than twine an chewing gum right now, but that doesn't mean he's not helping. A career-high seven steals against the Jazz show that, and he had a beaten-in face.

If the Mavs could trade Damp (now an expiring contract) and Stack (essentially an expiring contract with a $2 million buyout) for Shaq, I am all in.

I think it would help Kidd want to stay, and I think it would fire up the fans without giving up too much.

Chris Bosh

A Dallas native, Chris Bosh has rapidly become disenchanted with what was, a year ago, a promising Raptors squad. It appears Jose Calderon isn't the franchise PG we (or at least I) thought he was.

The rumors have been that he will is excited to come and play for the home team. What would the Mavs have to give up if they were to snag him before his contract expires?

Probably Howard, probably Bass, and probably one more player. Is is worth it?

To be honest, I'm not sure. Bass and Howard are becoming the glue that keeps this team together, and to jettison them as they are blossoming and finding their roles would be a shame.

But Bosh could provide a big jump shooter, which would make it very tough to double-team Dirk, he can rebound, he can hit free-throws, and he's not too shabby on the defensive end.

I think Bosh would be more effective in the 4-spot, with a true center there, but then Dirk has to move to the three, and if you think he'll be stopping the likes of Odom, Pierce or LeBron, you're crazy. So I'm not sure how that would work out. I think there are better options out there, such as:

Chris Paul (!!)

Apparently Cuban went after Paul pretty hard at the trade deadline,and he's ready to make another run.

Always a business man, Cuban's proposal is aimed at saving Hornets owner George Shinn (who seems to have gone to the Robert Sarver school of sports ownership) close to $100 million. In these tough times, it's hard to turn that down, even when it virtually destroys your team from a basketball standpoint.

A scenario could be Howard, Stackhouse and Dampier for Paul, Peja and Chandler, or maybe James Posey. Which, despite my newfound respect and love for Josh Howard, is pretty hard to turn down for the Mavericks.

They get the polar opposite of Dampier, a guy who has trouble staying healthy, but can handle the alley-oop, play great defense, and is very athletic.

They get Peja, one of the best three-point shooters out there, but who also has health problems and is on the downside of his career, not to mention an awful contract.

But you also get some guy named Chris Paul, who is apparently pretty good.

A point guard who has spent the last few months redefining his position, still two years away from his prime, and carried a mediocre (and that's being generous) supporting cast to a seventh game against the Spurs in the Western Conferene semifinals in his first trip to the playoffs.

Having Chandler there to take those alley-oops is huge, and if you think players like Dirk, Terry and Bass aren't going to benefit from better looks, you don't know much about basketball. Bass is like a younger version of West, and that similarity can't hurt either.

I'm sorry, I think I just drooled all over my keyboard.

That is a deal that could be entirely possible in these times, and it may even lead to a scenario like the Celtics has last season, where ring-hungry veterans sign on for one last run.

If the Mavs can keep Gerald Green and Ryan Hollins around, that gives them an incredible mix of superstars, veterans and youngsters that will shoot them right back to the top of the mix in the West.

There's something to chew on for the summer, but let's take a look at tonight's game. In the next post of course.

Mavs @ Magic: Preview

2009-02-02T15:35:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately, circumstances compsired against me, and I wasn't able to watch more than 20 mins of the last two Mavs games.

I call this unfortunate because they happened to win those games, both in convincing fashion.

You usually can't watch every game (I think I'm at about 36 games this season), but these two seem to be especially significant.

Two things have happened in the last week, which was also the least strenuous (game wise) for the Mavs in a number of months.

Rick Carlisle has given control of the offense to Jason Kidd.
Dirk's mentor is being allowed to travel with the team.

These two things represent a complete break from the Avery way of doing things, and so far it has paid off dividends.

Carlisle has acquiesced to personal needs of his two Hall-of-Famers, in a way that ostensibly reduces his own impact.

Jason Kidd was never able to run his own game with Avery. Now, Carlisle gave Kidd a CD with every play on it, as well as stats for what has been working.

For a player like Kidd, this shows him that his coach believes that he can do what is best for the team.

In Dirk's case, Avery would never let Herger Geschwinder travel with Dirk, fearing it would serve as a distraction for the rest of the team. Or was it because Gescheinder represented someone that Dirk would tend to listen to over his coach, even if Avery and Herger differed?

By allowing his mentor to be around Dirk, Carlisle is acknowledging that maybe Dirk needs to find inspiration somewhere else, and Carlisle is okay with that, which is a good sign.

Competitors like Dirk and Kidd are the type to recognize this, and will return the favor by playing at the peak of their abilities.

Which brings us to tonight's game.

The Magic are trying their hardest to convince the Sporting World At-Large that they are not giving the East to Boston/Cleveland without a fight, and tonight would be a step in that direction.

The Orlando Magic are like bookends, most of their substance on the far ends of the spectrum, nothing in the middle.

The Magic can shoot the lights out from three-point land, which is something that the Mavericks have struggled in defending in recent weeks.

They also have the future of the NBA center in Dwight Howard, who doesn't bring perfection to the table, but is without question, the most complete frontcourt force in the league at both ends of the floor.

The Magic's weekness lies in their forwards. Rashard Lewis, despite the money he earns, only plays with effort when he feels like it. While he can always score, his rebounding and defense come and go with the tides, and that's something you can't do against Dirk.

If Antoine Wright is able to play hard defense against Turkoglu, this should take a decent amount of firepower away from the Magic.

Jameer Nelson is a good scorer, and I fully expect him to break the 20-point mark and shoot more than 50% from the field, but I don't think he can win you the game.

The real battle will be down low. The Mavericks need to earn every one of the 12 fouls that Hollins and Dampier are allotted, since that is how you neutralize Howard.

I think the game will come down to who's jump shot is falling the most. If the Mavericks were smart, they would push it into the paint, and get to the line.

If Lewis and especially Howard get into foul trouble, the Mavericks should be able to take advantage. If the game comes down to whose jump shot is falling (which is what the Magic are no doubt hoping), then the Mavs might be in trouble.

The Mavericks have a lot more to gain by getting a win in Orlando, and let's hope they play like it.

Trade tidbit?

2009-01-29T17:32:00.000-08:00

I was perusing the Dallas Morning News' Mavericks newsletter, and someone wrote the following in the comment section, and I don't think I've ever laughed that hard in my life:

I think the Mavs should trade Erick Dampier and Jerry Stackhouse for Chris Paul. The Hornets could use the money from Stack's expiring contract to sign someone even BETTER than Paul, and they would make up for the lost scoring by Paul with all the offensive boards Damp would give them. And the Mavericks would get Chris Paul, who may be on the verge of developing into a star.

Amen brother.

Warriors @ Mavs: The Aftermath

2009-01-29T11:33:00.000-08:00

Phase one of the Mavs's Worldwide Revenge Tour: Complete.

The Mavericks laid a beatdown on the Warriors last night to the tune of 117-93. They outscored the Warriors in three quarters, and tied them in the 3rd.

Now, a win over a bad team isn't necessarily something to crow about, except for a few things.

What's more important is that they held the high-flying Warriors to under 100 points, which is a step in the right direction. This is despite Stephen Jackson turning into Michael Jordan for the first part of the first quarter.

Also, Josh Howard (30) and J-Kidd (33) were the only starters to crack the 30-minute mark.

While this saves wear-and-tear on the starting five, this also gives the reserves some much needed minuted, minutes in which they didn't blow a lead.

Bass had 16 and 11 in 24 minutes, and he also got to the line eight times, hitting all eight free throws.

Good stuff.

Here's the bad: This just shows how tragic the loss to the Warriors in 2007 was.

If Avery hadn't sat out his starters against the Warriors the Mavs could have abused the Clippers in the first round.

That year, the Spurs, Mavs, Suns triumvirate was a veritable game of paper, scissor, rock, with the Mavs beating the Spurs, the Spurs beating the Suns, and the Suns beating the Mavs.

A win over G-State would have pitted the Mavs against a Jazz team that was coming off of a 7-game series with the Rockets, and the Spurs could have taken care of the Suns.

Then you have a Mavs-Spurs Western Conference Final, which could have been an epic series, which I think the Mavs could have one.

And if you don't think that Mavs would attack a team with a 2003 draft superstar in the Finals, then you're crazy.

And now I'm depressed again. Pardon me while I wander into incoming traffic.

Ah, that was better. Back to the game.

The bigs played very well. Dampier put up 10 and 11 in 26 minutes, and Bass abused them in the low post.

In fact, Bass is the perfect player to go small with. He's small in size, but he's got the physicality to overwhelm a small center like Biedrins and Jacko playing at the 4.

Dirk, while Stephen Jackson contained him a little bit, abused Azubuike on offense.

Howard did struggle to guard Jacko, but Ellis at the two solved their undersized two-problem for them.

The Mavs' size was able to lock down the interior, although that's not usually where the Warriors burn you.

In the end, it was the kind of win the Mavs needed, 20+ points, short minutes for the starters. If this was early to mid-December, I'd be happy. End of Janurary? Not so much.

Warriors @ Mavs: Preview

2009-01-28T17:30:00.000-08:00

Stop one on the Dallas Mavericks Worldwide Revenge tour is tonight.

The Golden (shower) State Warriors head into the AAC with some old and new faces to try and extend the Mavs' woes.

Because, as bad as the Warriors are, I don't trust a single game with these Mavericks. I would not be surprised if any of the following happened:

Monta Ellis drops 40 points, the first time he's looked comfortable since he's been home.
Stephen Jackson nails a game-winner from the free-throw line. On the opposite side of the court.
Someone on the Mavericks getting fined.

Who knows what else?

Self-loathing aside, the Mavs should be able to win this one. They do have superior talent, and hopefully the three days off has recharged their defensive batteries.

But if the Warriors get comfortable in the run-and-gun, look out. The Mavericks have given up 100 points six times already in 2009, only winning two of those.

The Mavs don't have the consistent offense (at least, when they're shooting nothing but contested jumpers) to hold up in a shootout.

The prediction?

Mavs win 110-103, Dirk scores 35, Terry 25. Monta Ellis scores more than 30 and Jamal Crawford suddenly looks like the Chris Paul.

Now I've gone and done it

2009-01-28T17:03:00.000-08:00

I really have.

I came up with a trade that could address some major needs, shake things up, and dump some dead weight.

Check it out.

In case you can't see it, or are too lazy and/or infatuated with this blog (in which case, I like your moxie) to click, here it is:

Brandon Bass
Jerry Stackhouse
Devean George
Erick Dampier

FOR

Brad Miller
John Salmons
Kenny Thomas

Good stuff right?

Let's break it down.

John Salmons is rumored to be on the market. I've always been a fan of his, ever since he hit a game-winner against the Mavs last season. On second thought, never mind. Fuck him.

He can play the 2, which means he could help ease the size woes presented by Jason Terry and J.J. Barea. He can also move into the 3, providing something new if the Mavs decide to go small or give Jo-Ho a rest.

He's a decent defender, a good passer and he attacks the basket, which is something the Mavs desperately need.

Replacing Damp with Brad Miller is almost a no-brainer. His contract has one less year on it, Miller can shoot a little bit, and he seems to show up more regularly than Damp.

Kenny Thomas? Supposedly the Kings want someone to take his awful contract, so toss him in. Like Brad Miller, his contract expires before Twenty-Ten, and he and Singleton could back up Dirk.

I don't particularly mind losing George, I don't care about Stack and I say good riddance to Dampier.

I don't relish the thought of losing Bass, but it's a tough world we live in. Knowing the Mavs' luck, he'll probably be moved to the three by someone, where he'll become the next LeBron James.

Okay, maybe that's far fetched, but if I told you a year ago that Devin Harris would be looking like Tony Parker, you would have laughed at me.

The only flaw I see is that Dampier has a worse contract than Kenny Thomas does. But he can play center when he decides to, and hey, when was the last time the Kings made a shrewd move?

Stranger things have happened (cough..GasoltotheLakers..cough).

Of course, George would have to waive his Bird rights (and we all know how that worked out last time).

But a man can dream can't he?

Week in Review: 1/18-1/25

2009-01-27T17:08:00.000-08:00

Introducing a new feature here at Dirk Is My Homeboy: The Week in Review.

Here I will discuss the past week in Mavs games, and what we've learned over the course of the week.

This is the beginning of what I hope will me more updates, as I need to stop slacking and tighten up.

Without further ado:

Though the week began with a thrilling buzzer-beater from the Dirkster, the afterglow soon faded away.

While a win over a disintegrating Pistons team is nice, two blowouts are never a good thing, even if the opponents represent the spectrum of the Eastern Conference playoff teams.

While we might want to refrain from playing "Taps," it seems much closer than any sort of playoff win.

This week the Mavs play two franchises who have done a large part in getting us to where we are today. Will the thought of revenge spark the Mavs into getting better?

Last week's scores

1/19: Mavs 95, 76ers 93
1/21: Mavs 99, Bucks 133
1/23: Mavs 112, Pistons 91

Uhh...I think that's all the games they played. What's that? No, I've never heard of the....the Keltics, is that what you call them? Okay, fine...

1/25: Mavs a little, Celtics a lot

Satisfied? No. Jeez, you people are monsters.

1/25: Mavs 100, Celtics 124

I guess we can all take consolation in the fact that the Celtics beat them by less than the Bucks. You'll excuse me if that doesn't make me want to celebrate. Drink heavily, yes. But no celebrating.

The main problem from the Mavericks has been their lack of defense. They've allowed 100 points way too many times this year, and they've allowed more than 120 three times in the last nine games.

It seems like the Mavs are becoming a D'Antoni/Nellie style team, emphasis on the run-and-gun, and little defensive committment.

Which is all fine and dandy, after all, those teams were always fun to watch, and they tend to make use out of minimal talent. Don't believe me? Look what D'Antoni is doing to the Knicks with the talent they've got.

But herein lies to rub: The Mavs aren't dynamic/consistent enough to outscore people night after night.

With the Iverson Nuggets, the D'Antoni Suns, and the Baron Davis Warriors, you knew they were capable of winning a 130-120 game. I don't think these Mavericks can do it.

Terry is a streaky shooter, even though he's having an amazing year. Josh Howard is also streaky, especially when he falls in love with his jumper.

Despite all that has gone wrong, I remain faithful that the Mavs have the talent to put it all together, hopefully in time to make a deep playoff run.

And that my friends, might be the saddest delusion of all.

Why it (Sometimes) Sucks Beng A Mavs Fan

2009-01-24T17:05:00.000-08:00

Please don't confuse my headline as a result of bitterness at the two blowout losses last week. Though that does sting, thanks for bringing it up.

No, the headline and the following article result from my recent realization that being a Mavericks fan makes it hard to appreciate much of what has made the NBA fun for the last few years.

And I'm not just talking about the 2006 Finals. No, it's a deeper, more fundamental thing, and not just Tim Duncan.

What follows below is a list of people and teams that, as a Mavericks fan, I cannot root for. And you will soon see that it's no picnic being a fan of the blue and white. And sometimes green.

The San Antonio Spurs

A given. And if you're any kind of Mavs fan, you're asking, "What's so bad about hating the Spurs? I've done it my whole life." And as a Mavs fan, I have to answer:

Nothing. They should be reviled.

But in hating the Spurs, Mavs fans have missed out on appreciating the best power forward to ever play the game. I love Tim Duncan's game, and I hate myself for saying it.

Every time he hits his patented bank shot at an impossible angle, I find myself marveling at it for a second, then a dagger to the heart quickly follows suit.

The Golden State Warriors

Thinking about Stephen Jackson's gap-toothed grin, Baron Davis' scraggly beard, and Don Nelson's visual answer to the "What would Chris Farley look like if he was alive today?" question gets my blood boiling.

But guess what? As long as you weren't a Mavs fan, the Golden State Warriors accomplished something special with the 2006-07 Playoffs.

They beat the Mavericks by winning a game on the road, then letting their home crowd make it impossible for the Mavs to get homecourt back.

They beat the Mavs with amazing three-point shooting, high-energy dunks, and sheer moxie. Normally, that's everything that you want from an underdog, and more.

And my favorite team was on the losing end of it.

Not only that, but the coach that left the Mavs was the one to lead the charge. Nellie was the one who devised the defensive plan (sounds like an oxymoron, I know) to lock down the Dirkster.

I remember watching the Jazz-Warriors series that succeeded the Mavs-Warriors series, and every one of my friends were all over the Warriors. After all, who doesn't love the underdog.

Alright, now I'm getting depressed. But it's not over.

The Miami Heat and specifically Dwyane Wade

I hate Dwyane Wade. I hate him with every fiber of my being. Prior to June 2006, he was one of my favorite young players in the league. No more.

It wasn't that he went to the free-throw line if someone breathed on him wrong (okay that's part of it). It's the fact that he had the nerve to call out the Mavericks and the Dirkster specifically, for choking in the Finals.

Guess what Dwayne? Joey Crawford and co. helped you get your ring much more than any of your teammates did. Just because the league decided to make you it's newest superstar and leave ol' Tony Cubes holding the bag, doesn't mean you need to be a jackass about it.

I get so mad watching Heat games, because Wade still gets the same treatment. He goes to the line almost at whim, which is usually a skill, but in his case, it's just the star treatment.

People complain that Bron Bron whines too much, well Wade never whines, because nothing ever goes against him.

I was giddy with glee reading all of the things about D-Wade that came out in his divorce proceedings. Serves him right. He's got this image of a religious, down-to-earth guy, but his own kids don't know him, and he gave his wife an STD, which he contracted through adultery.

Sorry, but with D-Wade, this time it's personal.

The New Orleans Hornets

Chris Paul. More than Kobe, almost more than LeBron, he does things on the court that defy rationalization, if not the laws of physics themselves. His passing. His stealing. His shooting. His movement in transition. All of it, as close to perfection as you can find.

And as a Mavericks fan, you can't root for him. Sure, he's not as bad as the Spurs or the Warriors, but he still tears us apart every time the Mavs play him. He makes Kidd look like a high-schooler. His alley-oops to Chandler make Dampier look like a boulder (which isn't far off).

David West pulled one of the most obnoxious stunts I've ever seen in last year's playoff, and not only did Dirk do a great thing by not escalating it, Dirk's toughness was called into question while David West felt no consequences.

In Conclusion

Quick, name the top five players in the NBA. In no particular order, Kobe, Bron Bron, Chris Paul, D-Wade, and Dwight Howard. Maybe some leeway there, but hear me out.

Kobe plays in the West, and he beats the Mavericks, which is more than enough reason to root against him, except when he plays the Spurs.

To recap the article, three out of those five should, nay must, be hated by any self-respecting Mavs fans.

So what can we as Mavericks fans root for, besides our team. More than you might think.

LeBron James. He doesn't really have an effect on the Mavs, besides playing them twice a year. Until he beats us in the Finals (which, at the point, we would be lucky to see), there's no reason to dislike him, at least from a Mavericks point of View.
Chris Bosh. Man, is he fun to watch. A Dallas native, he's stashed all the way up in Canada, and his team isn't good enough to beat the Mavs. Sounds like a winner in my book.
The Boston Celtics' Big Three. Despite the beatdown they gave us yesterday, there isn't much to dislike there. I always liked Pierce, Garnett, and Allen, and since we only play them twice, and we sure as hell won't be meeting them in the Finals anytime soon, they're safe.

And that's about it. The good news? The Celtics just beat the Lakers, and Bron and (hopefully) the Cavs look to have a good shot at keeping the rest of the teams from winning anytime soon. Sure, that could eventually include the Mavericks, but we'll pass that bridge when we come to it.

You might be wondering, after reading this, why Mavericks fans don't just hang themselves with their Dirk jerseys. Well, because A) a Tony Romo jersey would offer more support, and B) It's not all bad.

Every time Dirk hits one of those completely undefendable fade-aways, it's worth it. Every time you see Mark Cuban on the sidelines, screaming for his team harder than any fan, it's worth it. Every time you see Jason Kidd use spin to put the ball where it has absolutely no right to be, it's worth it.

And maybe one day, when Dirk is holding the Larry O'Brien trophy far above his head with a beaming-from-ear-to-ear Cuban next to him, and David Stern looking like he's rather eat a bullet that hand that trophy to Cuban, it will really be worth it.

A very bad idea

2009-01-07T11:17:00.000-08:00

Josh Howard to Toronto?

Absolutely, positively, no FREAKING WAY.

A horrible trade for Dallas.

Andrea Bargnani? They said he would be the next Dirk. Well, we've already got the original Dirk.

We don't need another tall guy to jack up threes, especially one thats is much worse.

I wouldn't mind dumping Diop's contract, but not at the expense of losing Jo-Ho.

I'm not sure what that article means when they talk about Howard needing to leave. He had a hot start, only to be derailed by injury, but he's playing well this year.

I wouldn't give up James Singleton and Gerald Green for those two jump-shot-junkies, not to mention Howard, Diop and Wright.

I hope this is a rumor. I can't imagine a savvy basketball mind would be willing to make this deal for Dallas.

Amazing Article

2009-01-05T07:04:00.001-08:00

As you can see from the links below, Hardwood Paroxysm is one of my favorite basketball blogs.

But this time, they've really outdone themselves. Fantastic article about both the Mike D'Antoni Suns and The Dark Knight.

And yes, I'm stalling. Updates soon.

Photos from my trip to the Mavericks-Wizards game

2008-12-22T10:11:00.000-08:00

Sorry about the lack of updates. There is obviously plenty of catching up to do with respects to the Mavericks this week, but I've been pretty busy at work, and when a day off finally came, writing was the last thing on my mind.

But I did go see the Mavs yesterday, so click here to see the photos and read my witty comments.

Updates coming soon, I promise.

I never get tired of being right

2008-12-18T18:45:00.000-08:00

Well, it's happened again.

Posted today, Dec. 18, on the website for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram:

It seems the development process of Gerald Green has hit something of a snag. For the first time this season, Green was inactive [against the Raptors], meaning he wasn’t one of the 12 players in uniform.

Green has played a total of eight minutes in the Mavs’ last eight games. He did not play at all in four straight games before logging one minute at the end of Monday’s loss to the Nuggets.

Interesting, especially when I made note of that on Tuesday.

Updates coming soon about this week's games.

Championships

2008-12-18T17:41:00.000-08:00

There are two things in this life that I love: the Dallas Mavericks and championships.

This blog is supposed to chronicle the combining of the two, assuming it ever happens. But I've spent a lot of pixels writing about the Dallas Mavericks in the few months of this blog's existence, and the topic of championships has been neglected.

Championships, and by extension, champions fascinate me. It is the goal of every single player that steps on the hardwood (or field). So look for more upcoming posts about championships and the champions who win them.

And with any luck, Dirk and the Mavs will join that group sooner rather than later.

You heard it here first...

2008-12-16T11:40:00.000-08:00

A wise man once wrote:

Here's what I would like to see from Josh Howard on his return:

Play exactly like J.J. Barea has been playing.

It's not as ludicrous as it sounds. Barea has been incredibly aggressive, only resorting to the jump shot when he has tons of space around him.

There's no way Barea is as athletic as Howard, so there's no reason he can't do the same things. Howard has eight inches on Barea, so he shouldn't have as much trouble scoring in the paint.

Howard also has a better jumper, though Barea might be better with the three-ball.

If Josh Howard can play like Barea, the Mavs will be a real force.

Brilliant stuff when you think about it.

And apparently I'm not the only one that thinks so.

According to the Dallas Morning News' MavsBlog:

Josh Howard explained to reporters that he didn't think he'd have a problem fitting in with a team that went 9-2 while he sat out with a sprained ankle. His reasoning: Recent star J.J. Barea and him "bring the same thing to the table."

Howard was referring to their ability to drive to the basket. Never mind the fact that he's eight inches taller than Barea and plays a different position.

Sounds like they got their stuff together over there at the MavsBlog.

Oh, and also here at Dirk is my Homeboy.

Because, you know, I wrote my post on Wednesday, Dec. 10, but the Mavs Blog didn't come out with it Tuesday, Dec. 16.

Just saying...

How about some love?

2008-12-16T07:03:00.000-08:00

I admit it completely, I love Dirk.

I love him more than one heterosexual male should ever admit when regarding another heterosexual male.

But I don't think I'm letting my man-love for the Dirkster cloud my judgement when I'm saying that he is being vastly ignored for what he is doing this year.

He is third in the NBA in scoring, only behind D-Wade and LeBron James.

Take Wade out since his team lives and dies by him, and even then, they have lost when he scores 30, 36, 40. He has scored 21, 17, 15 in the last few games, and they have lost to Atlanta, Memphis and Milwaukee by an average of 15 points.

LBJ's average is actually a little lower than his career average, but his team is dominating everyone they meet.

But guess what? All you've been hearing about is the return of Wade, the dominance of James, James in 2010, Kobe becoming less selfish, and the like.

No one is talking about the amazing season Dirk is having. In addition to his scoring being the second-highest it's ever been, his rebounding is the second highest ever, a full RPG above his career average.

Always great from the charity stripe, he's currently at 91.4%, a full percent point than his best season ever.

His percentage from the field is down to the lowest since 04-05, but barely. He is also taking more of the offensive load with Howard being out and Terry coming in off the bench.

The NBA is giving him love, with Dirk being named the Western Conference Player of the Week twice.

But you would never know if you were just reading ESPN. I read the Dallas News Mavericks Blog, and that's the only way I found out.

So please, NBA fans and media alike, give Dirk some love. He's having an incredible season, and while the Mavs can't be called contenders, Dirk is doing more than his part, and if the team comes together, they could be very dangerous.

Gimme some typical!

2008-12-16T06:25:00.000-08:00

Well, no actually, don't give me some typical.

But that's what the Mavs did last night, with a typical loss to a good team.

It wasn't just the fact that they lost. Hell, I was OK with the Spurs loss. Well, as OK as you can be after a heartbreaker at home, but we'll let that one lie.

No, this one was typical because it featured a classic Mavs model of losing:

Ice cold start from the field. The Mavs missed their first five shots, and only managed four points in the first four and a half minutes, leading to a 15-point first quarter.
Conversely, the Nuggets came out swinging. Billups, Anthony, Martin, even DANHTAY FREAKING JONES was throwing down dunks.
The Mavs make it semi-respectable by halftime, and then make a great third quarter run, eventually tying the game at 65.

And here's where it became the most depressing kind of typical Mavs game ever, one I have seen too many of.

The Nuggets have the ball, tied at 65. The crowd is getting into it, Dirk has sunk a few buckets, even George is draining the three-ball.

'Melo misses a jumper, Dirk gets the rebound, and tried to hit George in transition. George isn't paying attention, 'Melo gets the steal.

Now, I knew the Nuggets would hit a three-pointer on this possession. I knew it with every breath in my body.

But the thing about the Mavs is, they like to toy with you. Billups missed a 3-pointer that he makes all the time, and I dared to hope.

Foolish me, Chris Andersen takes a break from blowing lines on the bench (cheap shot, I know, what do you want from me?) and gets the offensive rebound, then finds 'Melo for the three, which were his only points of the quarter.

Dallas stayed close for another three-and-a-half minutes, getting within one, but the deficit turned into three, then five, finally ending the quarter down by four, 75-71.

The Nuggets then proceeded to open up the fourth with a 12-2 run, putting our heroes down for the rest of the game.

Except for, oh, I don't know, a FOUR MINUTE STRETCH where the only points from either team was a pair of free throws from both Nene and Kidd.

Now, this a situation you couldn't have drawn up better.

The Nuggets shot the lights out for most of the game, while Dallas did the opposite. If you can hold them to two points in a four-minute stretch, then you should be able to close the distance, especially if you are holding onto championship aspirations.

But the Mavs churned out:

2 turnovers
Four missed shots (two threes, two layups)
1 blocked shot
A partridge in a pear tree (except replace 'partridge' with 'basketball' and 'pear tree' with 'not in the basket')

The three-PG lineup that was so dynamic for most of the homestand seems to be stale.

While it's been fun to see the Mavs go 5-2, Antoine Wright, Gerald Green, James Singleton, and Shawne Williams, all of whom have looked promising, haven't been getting minutes.

Here's their minute counts for the 7-game homestand:

Gerald Green: 8
James Singleton: 2
Shawne Williams: 79 (played 4 games)
Antoine Wright: 36 (played 2 games)

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is a Mavericks bench that, while it has faltered at times, also stood up very well to the Lakers, who have to be considered the benchmark that Western teams are measured by.

These are all young guys (at 27, Singleton is the oldest, the next oldest is 23) who need minutes to develop into players.

Youth is supposed to be something the Mavs are pushing, especially since Dirk just hit 30 and J-Kidd is waging a losing battle with Father Time.

Hopefully Carlisle will learn from what transpired during the homestand. While they went 5-2, they lost to both of the good teams they played.

In fact, the only wins this season that the Mavs have had against good teams were against the Yao-less Rockets, the Manu-less Spurs and the soul-less Suns.

In closing, I leave you with a hilarious quote from Carlisle regarding last night's shooting performance, courtesy of the Dallas Morning News MavsBlog:

"We couldn't hit a bull in the ass with a bass fiddle. When you're not guarding them and not making shots, you're going to suck."

Crisis Averted

2008-12-15T08:18:00.000-08:00

I'm not going to lie to you.

It almost ended, right then and there.

I told you about being in the ledge when the Mavs played the Knicks, where I almost changed this site to "Oden is my Homeboy."

I'm not proud of it, but it's the truth.

Luckily, the Dirk and co. pulled it out, and they have been on a tear since then.

I didn't think I could sink any lower.

But I did.

I had to cover a local basketball tournament on Saturday night, the night the Mavs were hosting the worst team in the NBA, the Oklahoma City Thunder.

If the Mavs were any sort of contender, they should have beaten the Thunder by 30, and used the fourth quarter to get Green, Singleton, Williams and others some garbage minutes.

But it was not to be.

I got off work around 9:30, and on my way home, I checked the score on my phone.

I almost drove off the road.

OKC 76- DAL- 65, 5:08 to go in the third quarter.

What went through my mind at that moment? A lot of things:

The Rick Carlisle experiment had failed.
The Jason Kidd experiment had failed.
The Mark Cuban experiment had failed.
The 7-foot German experiment had failed
THE NBA IN THE CITY OF DALLAS EXPERIMENT HAD FAILED!!!!!

I'm not proud of these thoughts, but it is what went through my head. Everything up to this point in history had failed if it led to this, the Mavs losing to the Thunder at home.

I hurried home to watch the game on my League Pass Broadband, and I contemplated what I would do if they lost.

I considered walking into oncoming traffic, but then again, a fine American automobile shouldn't suffer when my corpse shatters its front end just because the Mavericks can't play defense.

Luckily, my thoughts didn't get far. Thanks to the third best game of Dirk's career (scoring wise) the Mavs pulled it out.

But the Mavs' bench, besides Terry, had almost led me to ruin.

Some days, in my darkest nightmares, I see the score at the AAC that night as it could have been: OKC 110, DAL 100.

Then I wake up in a cold sweat, and spend a few minutes getting adjusted to reality, a reality where the Mavs were able to get the win.

The season is about a quarter of the way through, and I'm already in the nightmares stage.

Not a good sign.

Steve Nash, you lying hussy

2008-12-12T16:21:00.000-08:00

How dare you Steve Nash?

When speaking to the Arizona Republic about the Bell/Diaw for Richardson trade, Nash said:

"It's tough," Nash said after a big exhale. "While I'll welcome my new teammates with open arms, it's tough when you lose your best friend. It's tough when you lose two of your best buddies. It's tough and it hurts. It's tough."

You whore! After everything you and Dirk have been through!

Was Raja Bell there when you were in Dallas, fresh from Canada and Santa Clara, helping you adjust to the life of an NBA-er?

Is Raja Bell the godfather of your twins?

Is that Raja Bell standing by you with an equally bad haircut?

IS IT??!?!?

IS IT????

You better watch your tongue Nash. Dirk is a better best friend than Raja Bell could ever be.

Unless you have some sort of strange fetish for players that are far past their one-year prime, then you better remember who you're dealing with here.

Dirk is the best friend a man could ever ask for. I would sell my left nut just to meet Dirk, and here you are throwing him out like he's yesterday's incredibly handsome garbage.

Write this down Steve Nash: you are officially on notice.

The Spurs

2008-12-10T13:49:00.000-08:00

I had forgotten how much I despise the silver and black.

The only Spurs game I have seen this year was the tail end of the Spurs-Heat game that was right before the Mavs-Nuggs game. I was rooting for the Heat, for the only time ever, but I wasn't too involved in the game.

I didn't watch the first Mavs-Spurs game, I was still getting my League Pass sorted out, and without Ginobili and Parker, I wasn't too worried about it.

Last night I renewed my hatred for the Spurs.

It's weird how it works. When I'm following Red Sox baseball throughout the heat of July and August, the pinstripes fill me with hate, but the silver and black of the Spurs or the silver and blue of the Dallas Cowboys are far away.

If you are a sports team, almost as important as your favorite team is your archenemy. The team that, for brief moments, you swear to the sports gods that you will trade away your own team's success just to make sure that the hated enemy will never win.

In basketball, that is the Spurs.

What pisses me off even more is that they are the class of the NBA in every sense of the word. They are well run, well coached, they make all the right personnel decisions. Their superstars are among the classiest in any sport, especially Tim Duncan.

I want the team I hate to be a dirty team (which the Spurs kind of are (Bowen, Oberto)). I want people that otherwise don't care about my enemy to hate them, just because of the disgrace they've brought upon the sport.

And I hate the Spurs.

I hate the wide-eyed look Tim Duncan gets after he's called for a foul, and the similiar look Bruce Bowen gives after doing things that are illegal in ten states.

I hate the way Tony Parker can't seem to find a razor that works, or the way he licks his gigantic lips while dribbling the ball up the court.

I hate that stupid "Heeyyyyyyyyyyyyyy-oh!" song that plays in the AT&T Center.

I hate that they can afford to drop players as good as Luis Scola, and don't suffer at all.

I hate the Spurs.

But I do enjoy watching the Spurs-Mavs game. I'm trying to plan a vacation around going to the AAC during a Mavs' homestand, and the Spurs game must be included.

The rest of the sports nation has since lost its' fascination with those games, but they are riveting.

Especially last night.

Well, I should qualify that. Last night would have been great if my internet didn't cost me the chance to miss the last minute of regulation, and the entire first overtime.

But we'll let that pass.

What to take away from last night's loss? A few things:

The Mavs' ball movement was phenomenal. They completely neutralized the double team. It didn't matter if it was Dirk or Terry that was double teamed, Barea, Bass, or Kidd were there to make the Spurs pay.
J-Kidd needs some help on the defensive end. Parker fried him, and Paul, Williams, and co. will continue to fry him until he gets some help.
Dirk is a fade-away machine. Until the fourth quarter anyway. He needs to start taking over close games. When the Mavs played the Lakers, as the game was winding down, Kobe would get the ball and wind down the shot clock, and every single human being watching was thinking, "Kobe is going to drain this shot." And he did. Dirk needs to enter that zone.

At the end of the day, it's really just another example of the Mavs' inabiity to close out a game against a good team.

All is not lost however. When Jo-Ho gets back, they should be able to hang. And, they're getting reps in, which helps.

Its a long season, and the mavs are bound to get better at pulling these games out.

But still, fuck the Spurs.

Putting Jo-Ho back in the lineup

2008-12-10T10:11:00.000-08:00

It's funny how things work. If you had told me that Josh Howard would have one the the best starts of his career, but the Mavs would start 4-7, then he would be hurt while the Mavs go 7-2 in his absence I would have called you crazy.

But that's the situation we find ourselves in.

Now, after a week or so of toying with the idea of Howard playing the Mavericks have come out and said that Jo-Ho will be out indefinitely.

Given the record Dallas has compiled in his absence, I'm not too broken up about that. While I'm a huge Howard fan, I'd rather he get all the way healthy, especially with the Mavs winning without him.

We've all seen (Arenas and Wade) what can happen if an athletic player rushes back too quick.

But unlike Agent Zero, the Mavs will surely benefit from getting their most athletic player back on the floor.

But how exactly? After all, the Mavs have had pretty good success with their three-PG lineup, and that leaves Howard as the odd man out.

So how will Josh Howard fit into the way the Mavs are playing?

First of all, his defense will be crucial. We all saw last night how Kidd/Barea/Terry were decimated by Tony Parker last night, even after he started slow.

In the playoffs, you're going to have Parker, Chris Paul, Deron Williams, an underrated Rafer Alston, as well as people like Fisher and Roy.

Howard should be able to guard those guys. Luckily, there aren't many teams with both a quick, penetrating PG and a long, athletic two-guard.

Kobe has Fisher, who is good, but isn't known for his penetration. The closest thing the Mavs should see is the Alston/McGrady combo, and that depends on McGrady's health.

So if Howard gets put on the other teams best athlete, that leaves Terry or even Barea to go after the person Howard is giving up. I love the way Kidd plays, and I think he plays better defense than ge gets credit for, but I just don't trust him.

So then what happens to the three-PG lineup when Howard returns?

You can't lose Kidd. His ball movement and ability to hit the open shot can't be lost.

It's tough to lose Barea. His heart, defense, speed and ability to penetrate are something that the Mavs have lacked for a while.

It's also tough to lose Terry. While he is a streaky shooter, he is great about hitting the open looks (which he is getting more and more of, thanks to the Mavs' vastly improved ball movement), and he's no slouch on the defensive end.

But you can't sacrifice any more size by taking Bass or Dirk out of there, so gun to my head, I think you have to drop Barea.

I love the way Barea has been playing as of late, but he tends to push things too far, often getting facialed by a forward when he tries to go over him. In a close game against a good team, you can't give away possessions like that.

But the problem is this: The lineup of Kidd, Terry, Howard, Dirk and Bass is nothing new, and it hasn't done all that much.

But it really hasn't been around too much with Carlisle, and not after they've had some time to get familiar with his offense.

The way Dallas is moving the ball now, Howard should be able to get looks. The Spurs game highlighted the ability to get out of the double team, and with Howard in there, the Mavs are way too dangerous to double team.

Here's what I would like to see from Josh Howard on his return:

Play exactly like J.J. Barea has been playing.

It's not as ludicrous as it sounds. Barea has been incredibly aggressive, only resorting to the jump shot when he has tons of space around him.

There's no way Barea is as athletic as Howard, so there's no reason he can't do the same things. Howard has eight inches on Barea, so he shouldn't have as much trouble scoring in the paint.

Howard also has a better jumper, though Barea might be better with the three-ball.

If Josh Howard can play like Barea, the Mavs will be a real force.

In crunch time, you can put out Dirk, Terry, Kidd, Howard and Bass/Damp (depending on the size of the opponents).

That gives you four legit shooters (five if Bass is there), plus an inside presence. You've got speed and passing with Terry and Kidd.

Most importantly, you've got that combo that has helped the Spurs so much: people who can penetrate and kick it out to shooters on the perimeter.

The Spurs bread and butter has been setting up Parker in the halfcourt offense, then when he drives, he can score, give it to a low post threat in Duncan, or kick it out to a perimeter threat like Mason, Ginobili, Bowen, Finley or Bonner.

Now the Mavs have a setup like that. With Barea in at the PG, and Howard at the three, you have two legit guys who can get into the paint. With Damp/Diop/Bass as your low post threat, and Dirk, Terry, George (whose outside shooting is picking up), or Wright in there, those are legit threats.

Sure, Damp/Diop/Bass is no Tim Duncan. Sure, Devin Harris can penetrate better. And you can argue that Ginobili, Bowen and Finley are more lights out than Terry, Dirk and Devean George.

But if the looks are there, good shooters will get them. That's why Jason Terry has had such a resurgence as of late. Due to the Mavs' good ball movements, he has gotten great looks, and he's too good of a shooter not to capitalize on those.

I just hope that Mavs fans aren't using the latest streak as a "We can win with out Howard" platform.

While the Mavs have looked good, they have played some pretty dreadful teams (and barely escaped, mind you), but there's no reason that inserting someone as athletic and talented as Josh Howard in the mix won't push them to another level.

Jealousmuch?

2008-12-08T18:34:00.000-08:00

Well, it's official.

After long years of fandom, I finally have tickets to go see the Mavs in person.

Yes, I've seen them live before, at a preseason game against the Wizards, who happen to be my hometown team.

But Dirk never even got out of his warmups. Although the occasional is now notable, since it was my first experience watching J.J. Barea, who would soon (14 months) emerge out of nowhere to become the baby-faced assassin.

I had tickets to last year's Mavs-Wiz games, it was on MLK day, at one in the afternoon.

But alas, previous travel committments took me to the other side of the country, so I missed it.

But Sunday, Dec. 21, at 6 p.m., I will be eight rows from the Mavericks' bench. EIGHT ROWS!!!

If I get hit by some of Dirk's sweat, I might just spontaneously combust with sheer pleasure.

Of course, I will be wearing my Dirk Nowitzki #14 jersey from the German Olympic team.

Here's how it will all go down, at least in my mind.

Dirk (walking back to the bench after hitting a three-pointer to tie the game with 10 seconds left): Hey, you! Up there, eight rows from our bench! Is that my Olympic jersey from the Fatherland?

Me: Yes it is Dirk, I love you!

Dirk: Well son, that sure is something. Tell you what, I'm gonna hit this game winner for you.

Dirk then steals the inbounds pass, dribbles to the three-point line, and nails the game winner while staring at me.

Dirk: Thanks a lot man. You gave me the lift I need. Tell you what, I could use a strikingly attractive man with a clean, musky odor to sit behind us and inspire me to sink trizzles all day long, you up for the challenge?

Me: Uh.....

Dirk: Don't worry, it pays 1,000 bucks a week, plus you can help me ghost write my biography, and run the official blog for my website. Hey, maybe we'll even shower together once or twice.

....And that's when I wake up, often stuck to my sheets.

Delusions of grandeur aside, I am looking forward to seeing a great game.

Maybe I'll be able to get even closer, seeing as the Wiz might only have five wins at that point.

A blueprint for Brandon Bass

2008-12-06T20:42:00.000-08:00

After a slow start, Brandon Bass is returning to the form that made him a free-agent steal last year.

And as much as I like to watch him play, here's what I would like to see him become:

Amare Stoudemire.

Hold your applause, please.

After watching Bass throw down three of the most vicious dunks I've seen in a long time in the Hawks game, two of which ended up being the difference in the game.

And that got the wheels turning in the ol' noodle.

Why can't Bass be like Amare? That out-of-control freight train that gets feeds from Nash down the middle of the lane, and no force can stop him without fouling him.

Sure, Stoudemire has two inches and about ten pounds on Bass, but that doesn't mean Bass can't get a head of steam and take a pass into a wide open lane.

There's a reason the Mavs got Kidd: his passing. You're telling me that Carlisle can't draw up some plays to clear out the lane, and Kidd can't thread a pass the a streaking Bass, who happens to be great in that same situation?

A little-discussed consequence of settling for jumpers is the lack of fouls for the other team.

If you can get the other team's frontcourt into foul trouble, nothing but good things happen. The starting 4 and 5 get their minutes cut back, which leaves the paint more vulnerable to attack, which in turn leads to higher percentage shots, less turnovers and more points.

During the current stretch of wins, Dallas has done very well getting points in the paint, something they used to struggle to get.

Test.....passed?

2008-12-06T20:05:00.001-08:00

Well, they kept the three PG lineup out there for the end of the Hawks game. And they barely escaped with the win.

Let's break it down:

J.J. Barea enters the game with Dallas up by 11, 77-88, and 3:55 to go.

Joe Johnson hits two free throws, then Barea is blocked by Pachulia, leading to a Joe Johnson three.

Dallas up by six: 88-82.

Joe Johnson continues to exploit the size mismatch, by hitting another jumper, only Terry's pair of buckets keep Dallas up by ten.

Two turnovers (by Dirk and J.J.) lead to consecutive threes by Bibby and
Johnson. The size mismatch is hurting them. Badly.

Bibby scores again on a runner, bringing the game to two, Dallas up 94-92, all in the span on 36 seconds.

Two steals and two key outlet passes from Kidd to Bass are able to stem the tide, but this should show Carlisle that he needs to find another crunch time lineup against teams like that.

Of all the teams with big, athletic two-guards (Lakers, Bobcats, Hawks, Rockets, Celtics, Cavs, and the Blazers) the Hawks are the second worst behind the Bobcats.

The Mavs only won by two (five if you take away the last minute, uncontested three from Joe Johnson)

The other five are playoff teams, three of which are in the Western Conference.

How do you think a Kidd, JJ, Terry, Dirk and Bass lineup is going to fare against Alston, T-Mac, Artest, Scola and Yao?

Or against Fisher, Kobe, Odom, Gasol and Bynum?

I don't like those odds.

So the Mavs need to get themselves a different crunch time lineup. Sure, it will be different when Howard and Wright are back, but how does the lineup shake out then?

I would guess: Kidd, Terry, Howard, Dirk and Bass, but that presents the same size problems.

If you put Wright in at the two, then you lose Terry's shooting, speed and energy.

At this point neither Mavs center can be counted on to be in good shape foul-wise at the end of the game. Not against a team that drives to the hoop.

I don't have too many concerns about rebounding, Bass makes up in presence what he lacks in size, but with a 7-foot center in there, what's to stop him from backing to the basket and knocking down five-footers all night?

I'm not saying the new lineup (which needs a nickname by the way) doesn't have a place, I think it's a good way to either end the third quarter or start a fourth quarter with some energy.

But they'll need some size if they're to go deep into the playoffs. Either that or be ahead by more than 15 in the closing minutes.

Hawks-Mavs: A litmus test

2008-12-06T19:21:00.000-08:00

In the previous post, I discussed how the lineup of Kidd, JJ, Terry, Dirk and Bass was working, despite all the size problems it presented.

Tonight should be an interesting case. The Atlanta Hawks are chock full of athletic swingmen, the kind that should easily be able to beat someone like JJ if he's playing the two.

So far (halfway through the 3rd quarter) the ultra-small lineup hasn't come out, but Kidd-JJ and Terry-JJ have been a guard tandem.

One thing that has helped the Mavs in this respect is giving Devean George the start. While he is technically playing the three, he's helping guard people like Joe Johnson and Josh Smith.

The Hawks represent a team that the Mavericks need to be more like, despite the obvious differences in their records over the past few seasons.

They are incredibly athletic and good jump shooters, and they are very good at getting to the line at will. They've caused some foul trouble for both Dirk and George.

J.J. Barea (a recent addition to my fantasy squad, I might add) has provided another bonfire (as opposed to a spark) off of the bench, guiding Dallas to a 15-point lead by scoring 14 in the 3rd quarter.

When Jo-Ho and Wright get back, this could be a very dangerous team.

How DO they do it?

2008-12-05T10:23:00.001-08:00

The Mavericks have left me speechless. They are putting a crunch-time lineup out there of: Kidd, Barea, Terry, Bass and Dirk. What's more confusing is that it's working.

It worked (kind of) against the Lakers, it pulled them out of a hole against the Clips, and it worked against the Suns last night, and I don't get it.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the reason Terry wasn't a permanent fixture at the two is because of his lack of size. But somehow putting in a 5'10" guy at the 2, and moving Terry to the three is working.

Now, it won't work against a big two like Tracy McGrady or Kobe, but it will work against most teams.

J.J. Barea is blowing my mind. I picked him up in fantasy last week, and hopefully he will give the Mavs a legit #2 point guard.

The key to winning eight of nine for the Mavs has been: the times without Kidd haven't been a black hole.

Barea looks like he has been learning from both Kidd and Devin Harris, passing well and getting to the basket with ease.

When Howard comes back, it will be interesting to see how the Mavs play it, but all of a sudden the Dallas bench is looking pretty deep, as evidenced when they outscored the vaunted Lakers bench 56-25.

With a presumed starting lineup of (when everyone is healthy):
Kidd
Wright
Howard
Dirk
Dampier

Here is what the bench is:

Jason Terry - Outscored the Lakers bench by himself, he is coming on strong and getting good looks to the hoop. Already a great character guy, he's making his minutes count for the first time in a year or so.
J.J. Barea - The Wild Card. I'm doubtful that he will be as good as he has been for the rest of the season, but he does provide a spark, he's shooting well, getting to the hoop, playing good defense, and performing all around.
Gerald Green - While his minutes have been cut into, he is still a factor off the bench, and he can provide energy in the late third-quarter, when the stars are resting up for crunch time. I'd still like to see him get more minutes (hopefully in blowouts) where he can get the feel of the Mavs ball movement and defensive schemes, as well as find a niche in the offense.
James Singleton - He has done pretty well on the boards in his limited time, and even hits a jumper of two.
Devean George - Shooting very well off the bench, and provides the defense that Barea and Terry lack on a big SG.
Diop - Slowly getting back to form, and he's actually getting a little aggressive on the offensive glass. I'd like to see him get fed inside more often, since he's got better hands than Damp.

That's not a bad bench there, and if they can shore up the interior defense with someone like Kaman, that could go a long way.

Both alike in dignity

2008-12-05T10:21:00.000-08:00

As a Mavericks fan, the Phoenix Suns have always represented a complex set of emotions for me.

I became a Mavs fan while watching Dirk and Nash bloom into the Hall-of-famers they are today.

When the separation happened, I was upset, but I know that the NBA is a business, and I think both sides handled it as well as it could have been handled (besides Dampier getting the money Nash could've gotten, but that's besides the point).

So I started to root for the Suns a little bit. I have always liked Arizona as a state, my parents went to U of A, and my uncle lives outside of Phoenix, so it wasn't exactly a stretch.

I liked watching the Suns, they were never boring, and the tandem of Nash, Marion and Stoudemire never failed to disappoint.

When the Mavs and Suns met in the playoffs, I would of course root for the Mavs, but should the Suns have won, I would have pulled for them.

Then the 2006 NBA Finals came. The series that changed me as a basketball fan forever.

Dirk, who had been the most dominant player in the playoffs, suddenly was overshadowed by D-Wade and the force field that surrounded him.

That's when the bitterness started, and that's when my feelings towards the Suns shifted.

In a way, I take a sick pleasure in their failings, because they echo the Mavs to a T.

Take a look:

Both teams have an MVP who people say cannot win a championship by themselves.
Both took a major gamble on a trade in late 2008, the Suns filling a need in the middle, Dallas filling a need at point.
Both were ousted after five games in the 2008 playoffs, leading to the firing of their coaches, and the end of their respective eras.

Really it's uncanny how these teams are linked.

The Mavs were undone by the calls going against them against the Heat, and the Suns have been undone by so many calls going against them against the Spurs.

The Suns' fatal flaw during their hayday was their lack of commitment on the defensive end.

This led to several things, which eventually led to the end of the seven seconds-or-less era.

When you're team is based around offense and nothing else, players like Amare and Marion get greedy. With a distributor like Nash at the helm, both players wanted to be the person who got the ball from him.

Whether it was Nash feeding it inside to a Stoudemire who was breaking to the rack, or Nash was kicking it out to Marion for a wide open jumper, the system worked.

Except for the two players who always wanted to be the No. 1 option in a high-octane offense.

So they got rid of one of the players, and got Shaq, the antithesis of the running game. After the playoffs, Terry Porter got the job, and he has slowed down the offense, to the point that Nash, usually a great floor general, looks lost for the first time in his career.

Now let's look at the Mavs.

They were never an offensive powerhouse, but they were a complete team. Almost too complete.

You've heard the saying, "A Jack of All Trades is a master of none." That describes the 2005-2007 Dallas Mavericks.

They were good at everything, but not dominant in any aspect of the game.

Jump shots? They could hit them. Getting to the basket? Jet and Stack could do that. Defense? Sure, Terry is quick, and Diop was a good backup center when you needed stops.

But their lack of dominance had a fatal flaw: they couldn't force teams to play their way.

When the Celtics beat a Lakers team that was on paper more talented, it was because they made the Lakers play their game. They made the Lakers play a game where they had to get physical on the boards, devote most of your energy on defense, and the looks on the offensive end would come.

The Spurs are the kings of making people play their way. With Parker, Ginobili and Duncan, they are one of the best halfcourt offenses in the history of the game.

Give Parker the ball, he uses his quickness to get inside. From there, he can kick it out to Manu or Finley, or if the forwards come after him, give it over to Duncan, one of the game's best in the low post. Or, if they keep the point guard on him, Parker would just break to the basket.

And they forced teams to play that way. Teams like the 2007 Cavs, who couldn't play that way, and were swept. Teams like the Suns who thrive on speed to make their offense work.

The Mavericks didn't have a clear identity to shove down teams' throat, so they were forced to adapt. They tried to play small-ball against the Warriors, and look what they got.

They tried to play the iso game in the 2006 Finals, and look what they got.

And now we've come to this. Dallas and Phoenix, Nash and Nowitzki, fighting for a playoff spot.

In the West, the Lakers, Hornets, Rockets and Jazz are in the playoffs. You figure the Spurs will turn it on and be just fine, and the Blazers are young enough to keep up the pace throughout the season.

That's six team. The Nuggets are benefiting immensely from Billups' leadership, so we'll give them a spot.

Now you're down to Dallas and Phoenix. Once again.

Homerism aside, I think the nod goes to Dallas. They are starting to come together without Josh Howard, and when he comes back, he should keep up his hot start.

Phoenix, on the other hand, seems lost. It's easy to skip that when they started 11-5, but four straight losses have the spotlight on them.

While I think Dallas now has a higher ceiling currently than the Suns, I don't necessarily think either one can win a championship in 2009.

And therein lies the rub.

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

2008-11-25T20:09:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-19T19:20:00.000-08:00

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?

2008-11-10T10:36:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-07T21:47:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-07T21:29:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-07T21:12:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-07T21:03:00.001-08:00

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

2008-11-07T20:42:00.001-08:00

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

2008-11-07T20:27:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-07T20:13:00.001-08:00

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

2008-11-07T20:01:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-07T19:43:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-07T19:39:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-07T19:35:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-07T19:29:00.000-08:00

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!

2008-11-07T19:15:00.000-08:00

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!!

2008-11-07T11:58:00.001-08:00

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

2008-11-06T11:10:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-05T16:49:00.001-08:00

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

2008-11-04T13:49:00.000-08:00

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.

Game 1: Rockets at Mavericks

2008-10-31T07:27:00.001-07:00

I' m not gonna lie to you, it felt great.

Dallas Mavericks. American Airlines Center. Home opener. I've been waiting for this day since April 29.

And there was lots to love, despite the loss. There was lots to improve on also. So let's take a look at what we learned.

The Good:

Josh Howard - Simply a breathtaking performance in the first three quarters. Not only did he start 5-for-5, but he hustled his balls off, including a play when he outfought Yao, T-Mac and Artest for a rebound, his own rebound nonetheless. Not a bad way to come back after a long summer.
The offense - No longer did it seem like three players on offense looked like they were confused. No longer did they run endless isos and live and die by the jump shot. Dirk, Josh Howard, even Kidd tried to penetrate, and got dividends.
The Dirkster - Had a dynamite first half before going cold in the second. But he scored from three, he used his patented fade away, he got to the basket, and he got some boards.
Jason Terry - Besides getting fired up at the beginning, and keeping the crowd fired up, he did a great job filling in for Kidd. It's nice to see players like him and Ginobili that will accept their role, as long as its whats best for the team.
The smallball lineup - The lineup of Kidd, Terry, Jo-Ho, Bass, and Dirk could really do things. I wrote about that in my blog a few months ago that they should play with putting Dirk at the 5, and obviously Rick Carlisle is a fan of www.dirkismyhomeboy.blogspot.com. Not that I blame him

The Bad:

Defense - Not that it's easy to control three All-Stars and potential Hall-of-famers, but they didn't do a great job of stopping the bleeding. Dampier did okay on Yao, but Diop might as well have been holding a red blanket, and just ole-iny Yao to the rack.
Crunch time - A much publicized weakness of the Mavs of late has been their fourth quarter performance. Sometimes a breakout first quarter can put a team away for good, but not a playoff team like the Rockets. You can't expect to win Jo-Ho only gets one bucket, and Dirk only gets a technical free throw.
The bench - Besides Jason Terry, the bench did zippy, except blow any lead the starters handed them. With a bench of young guys like Gerald Green and Diop, and vets like Stackhouse, they should be okay, but they didn't show it last night.
Antoine Wright - After being pretty ineffective last year as a pawn in the Kidd trade, the rumors were that he had busted nuts during camp and the preseason, and earned himself a starter's job. Didn't look like it tonight. Besides shaky defense, a few airballs and some turnovers, his name wasn't called to much.

The Ugly:

Reggie Miller defending Ron Artest, and blatantly ignoring what was put in front of him. Look, I'm a big Artest fan, and I hate the negative publicity that outweighs his amazing skill at most areas of basketball.

But Artest clearly made first contact in that little skirmish between him, Yao and Howard.

If you didn't see it, here's what happened: Jo-Ho gave Yao a hard foul, which is a given in a close division game. Yao did the thing where he looks away from Howard, but walks into him shoulder first, which Howard did a good job by not responding.

Then Artest comes in and give Howard a shove, then he walks to usher Yao away from the whole group.

Do I think Artest should have been given a T? Probably not. But refs call by reputation in this league, for better or worse, and Artest did instigate contact.

What made me mad was that Reggie Miller kept insisting that, "Ron didn't do anything, he just came to help Yao get away."

Marv Albert was respectfully trying to point out how wrong Miller was, but he wouldn't listen to reason. Then, when the replays started pouring in, Miller stayed completely silent while Artest came in and shoved Howard, then as Artest went to Yao, Miller would scream, "See! He didn't do anything except help his teammate."

While I enjoyed the awkwardness of Marv trying to tell Reggie, "Look, you're wrong, and making yourself sound more ignorant by the second," in a professional way, Reggie Miller needs to shut his mouth, especially when confronted with the video.

For more coverage of the Dallas Mavericks, including more poignant insights on what's to come from this team, see my blog.

Pop

2008-10-30T12:04:00.001-07:00

"I don't like you Gregg Popavich, but goddam I respect you."

That used to be my mantra when discussing the way too successful Gregg Popovich. He coaches my archrivals, and he's damn good at it.

I've always suspected he had a very dry sense of humor. I used to get a kick out of watching him grab Craig Sager's perfectly-matched handkerchief, and wipe his sweaty brow with it.

After last night, I actually kind of like him.

That hack-a-Shaq on the first play of the game is literally the funniest thing I have ever seen in a sports game.

It took balls. Who knows how Shaq would havw reacted. He could have easily punched Michael Finley (which would have been glorious), and started a brawl that ESPN could play in slo-mo for weeks, all the while talking about what a disgrace it is.

Instead he flashed Shaq that hesitant smile and thumbs up, and Shaq had no choice but to laugh right back.

In a world where far too many people take themselves and what they do much too seriously, it was a welcome break.

Today, we spell redemption M-A-V-S

2008-10-28T12:44:00.000-07:00

It's almost here....

Can you hear it? The rhythmic thud of the roundball and the squeak of brand-new sneakers on the freshly polished hardwood?

Hoops season is upon us.

For basketball junkies such as myself, it's an exciting time. The Summer Olympics provided a brief respite from the basketball-less desert of the summer, but it was only a taste.

Speaking of Olympic basketball, their is one word that was used for the American men, and will be used for the Dallas Mavericks:

Redemption.

Redemption for the Jason Kidd Trade. Redemption for the Avery Johnson era. Redemption for the loss to the Warriors. Redemption for the loss to the Heat.

Redemption.

It's the theme of the Dallas Mavericks season, and more for reasons than I've stated above.

It's time for Dirk to show people that his MVP wasn't his peak. A Finals MVP will be. It's time for the people that says that Dallas' window has closed to have their eyes opened.

It's time for a one-time All-Star who has a a rough calendar year, with things within and beyond his control, to put himself back at the top of the game.

It's time for high-upside players like Antoine Wright and Gerald Green to make their mark on the NBA, and lend Dallas some much needed youth, swagger, and athleticism.

It's not going to be easy. With Dallas fighting for recognition in their own division, it won't come easy.

But you know what?

That's just how I like it. I've never bee comfortable with being the favorite. For the last few years, the Suns, Spurs and Mavs have entered the season as favorites to represent the West in the Finals.

Now? Seven Seconds or Less is gone, along with Nash and Shaq's youth.

Manu is out for the first few months, and besides signing Roger Mason Jr., the Spurs have done little to combat Father Time.

Instead we've got a Lakers team coming off a finals performance, and hungry for competition.

We've got a Hornets team with another year of experience, and the best playmaker in the game back for another year.

We've got a possibly rejuvenated Ron Artest trying to help the Rockets gets over the first-round hump for the first time in ten years, and for the first time since they've had two legitimate superstars.

You couldn't write it any better.

So what does Dallas have? A new coach, ready to take advantage of his weapons, even if it means relinquishing controls to his players.

Two hall-of-famers, one in the twilight, one in the afternoon, of their respective careers, both of whom want a title to complete their legacy.

Stay tuned for a more complete preview, of both the Mavericks, and the NBA season.

For now? Well, it just feels good to be writing about basketball again.

And it will feel pretty good to watch it again.

It's almost here...

2008-10-08T16:56:00.000-07:00

Apologies to my legions of fans for not writing a lot this summer. You wouldn't believe the hate mail I've gotten:

"Hey faggot, why don't you update your website and stop being such a fucking prick? Love, Mom"

That's just a small example of the mail that has been pouring in as each day goes by without an update. But fear not, As basketball season rapidly approaches, so does my zeal for watching my second favorite German (after Hans Gruber of course) take the hardwood in search of a ring.

Stay tuned for many more updates, including thoughts on the preseason, Rick Carlisle, Josh Howard and much more. Until then...

Olympically Speaking

2008-08-11T07:17:00.000-07:00

The time is here at last. The Summer Olympics.

The Dallas Mavericks have two players competing for gold, and I find myself conflcted when it comes to who to root for come August 17.

That's the day when the U.S. takes on Germany. Dirk v. Kidd. Nazis vs. Manifest Destiny.

But let us take a step back.

The Dirkster represented his country by carrying the flag in the opening ceremonies, the proceeded to lay the smack down on Angola, scoring 23 points, including 3-for-3 from 3.

They've lost since them, but that hasn't stopped me from ordering my brand-new #14 German Olympic Basketball jersey, Dirk's.

I also hope to use these Olympics to see how my blomssoming man love for Ricky Rubio will progress upon seeing him live.

If you haven't heard if Rubio, you will as the 2009 Draft approaches. If Mozart played basketball, he would be Ricky Rubio.

The clips on YouTube that I've seen of him are impressive enough, that I don't think I would complain if Dallas went 0-82 to get the first pick for him.

Now it's a Texas (Bermuda) triangle

2008-07-31T09:10:00.001-07:00

At approximately 9:57 p.m. on Tuesday, July 29, 2008, the Western Conference's Southwest division became the most competitive division in the NBA. Ron Artest was traded to to Houston Rockets for Bobby Jackson, a No. 1 draft pick and a player to be named later.

What does this mean? Simply this: a trio of Big Three's triangled around Texas. Duncan/Parker/Ginobili. Dirk/J-Kidd/Josh Howard. Now Yao/McGrady/Artest.

Or how about Paul/West/Peja?

But unlike the other squads, Houston now has a dominant center, and two smothering defensive presences (Artest and Battier). Houston also has two All-Star caliber forwards in Scola and Carl Landry.

They could plug in a homeless man in the Point Guard slot and still win close to 60 games.

While it's good news for Rockets faithful, New Orleans, San Antonio, Dallas and Memphis have got their work cut out for them.

The Rockets could be poised to become the Mavericks of 2005-07. Good at everything. Solid defenders, solid jump-shooters, solid on the offensive glass.

But could they meet the same fate as those Mavericks? They were a Jack of All Trades, but a master of none. They couldn't dominate one aspect of the game, so when teams adapted, they didn't have anything new to throw out.

If anything Houston will make for an interesting case study. Provided they don't get Igoudala, they won't be very relevant at the PG. They will now have to compete with two hall-of-famers (Kidd and Paul) and a rookie who threatens to redefine the position (Mayo).

It should prove once and for all just how important a PG is. Can a team run a decent offense with firepower at every position, but no distributor? Can a big man, a lock down defender and one of the best all-around players in the game duplicate the chemistry and commitment that brought the 2007-08 Celtics the title?

Some things I know for sure:

—If T-Mac can't get out of the first round this year, he should hang up his spikes, he never will.

—Imagine the penetration of Artest and T-Mac with the inside presence of Yao and the outside shooting of Battier. I bet Jeff Van Gundy wishes he could come back and coach.

—Unless Dallas can pick up J-Smoove and San Antonio pulls off a whopper, Houston and New Orleans will be duking it out for the No. 1 or No. 2 seed come April 2009.

Talkin' Trades

2008-07-22T11:27:00.000-07:00

While Dallas hasn't joined in the Nuggets/Warriors/Clippers/76ers level of making big offseason moves, things are starting to heat up.

Josh Howard seems to be the best trade chip Dallas has to offer right now. His athleticism, as well as his good jumper and penetration ability seems to make for a good fit with a number of teams.

His downside is: his inconsistency could serve to make him a project. At 27, Jo-Ho is a little too old to be taught how to play again.

Ron Artest seems to have a spotlight on him, but the Mavs and Kings are having difficulty deciding what he's worth.

The Mavs offered Brandon Bass and the Stack-attack for Artest. While I hate to lose someone like Bass, I would definitely be on board with this trade.

Artest gives the Mavs some toughness, both emotionally and defensively, which would be a good thing. The Mavs have been missing a lock-down defender who can take the Ginobilis, McGradys, Kobes and others.

Plus he can score, which was starting to be a problem in the last days of Avery's administration. There were times that the halfcourt offense just looked plain uncomfortable.

With Jason Kidd on your team, a stagnant offense shouldn't be an issue.

As much as I like Bass, he plays Dirk's position, and if you move him to the 5, he's too small, and he also plays Jo-Ho's position, so he can't go to the three. And he's almost too good to be Dirk's backup, so I would be willing to trade him for a better fit like Artest.

Then Sacramento countered with a Josh Howard for Ron Artest trade. That's over the line though. As many problems as Josh Howard has had, I don't see any reason that he can't return to All-Star form this year. Especially when he's not running only isos.

I don't think that Artest is worth losing Jo-Ho. With the problems the Mavs have had of late, chemistry is the last thing that needs to be messed with.

So the question becomes, who would you trade Josh Howard for, if at all?

The Dallas Morning News' MavsBlog talks about a Josh-for-Josh trade with the Hawks' Josh Smith.

An intriguing possibility. J-Smoove is younger, an athletic freak, and apparently doesn't want to stay a hawk.

But, with the signing of Gerald Green, we've already got a great athlete. Though it would be interesting to see a lineup of Diop/Dampier, Dirk, Josh Smith, Gerald Green and Jason Kidd.

That lineup has two monster athletes who can penetrate at the 2 and 3, a lights-out shooter who has been known to break an ankle or two at the 4, and the game's best passer at the point.

Given that Green and Smith are both only 22, suddenly a Dallas team that got a lot older with the Kidd trade becomes younger again.

Add that to the cap space created by Kidd's expiring deal next year, and that could put the Mavs in position to go higher as teams like the Spurs inevitably slow down.

But what kind of commitment can Smith offer defensively? The problem with phenomenal athletes like Green and Smith is that they can often seem content with their gifts, and not commit to playing the hard-nosed D that wins titles.

But Smith averages about 3 blocks per game, as well as a steal and a half. If Carlisle can beat some defense into Gerald Green, and with the addition of Diop, all of a sudden the Mavs are no slouches on interior defense.

The only weakness they would have is the same one that plagued them in the Hornets series. A young, quick point guard can beat J-Kidd off the dribble, which can cause the defense to compensate leading to open looks for other players.

Teams like the Hornets, Spurs, Suns, Celtics and now the Clippers can be dangerous if you allow this to happen.

Bottom line: would I trade Jo-Ho for J-Smoove?

Yes.

How the Mavs can win the title and Dirk can win the Finals MVP

2008-07-17T06:40:00.001-07:00

I consider myself a student of history. I enjoy watching trends, and I enjoy using those trends to predict what could happen in the future.

Given that propensity, I did some looking back on the last few professional sports championships (hockey excluded), and found out that all the champions and Finals MVPs had something in common.

This lead me to a foolproof way that the Dallas Mavericks can win a title and Dirk can win a Finals MVP: Dirk needs to get engaged.

Sound foolish? Of course it does, but hear me out.

Let us start with the 2007 NBA Champion Spurs. Tony Parker, your MVP, was engaged to Eva Longoria, and got married a month or two after the Finals.

Then we'll move on to the 2007 Boston Red Sox. While Mike Lowell is already married, Kevin Youkilis was engaged to some hot lady, and he was a crucial part of the World Series win.

Super Bowl XLII MVP Eli Manning was also engaged, and got married within a few months of the Super Bowl.

Fast forward to this year's Finals: Paul Pierce is engaged to some hottie, and he got Finals MVP. He'll probably be married by the end of summer, and he's got a ring and a trophy as a wedding gift, much like Parker, Youkilis, Eli.

Now it's Dirk's turn.

Obviously, I don't know his relationship status, but with Tony Romo unavailable, Dirk should be the No. 1 bachelor in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

You're telling me the Dirkster can't find some floozy to get engaged to, then break it off after they win the Finals?

The sporting gods would never know until its too late, because after all, you can't take away a championship.

More skinny on Shan Foster

2008-07-08T09:09:00.000-07:00

The more I read draft day second-guessing and draft-day grades handed out from everyone from ESPN to Fox to a billion other sites, the more I am on board with the Shan Foster pick.

Here are a few reasons why:

The basket is the same in college as in the NBA. It's still a metal circle (cylinder?) with a net on the bottom. The skills required to throw a 29 oz. leather ball into that circle don't change, the size of the hands blocking them do, however.

There is always a place in professional sports for people who do one or two things better than almost anyone else. You think Bruce Bowen is an All-Star? Hell no. But does he contribute to a winning (although I hate them) team? Yes, because he can guard the best player, and even occasionally knock down a three ball. I'm not too sure of Foster's defense, but he's got the shooting part down, and if he can manage to play some good D, well, then, we've got something haven't we?

It never hurts to have a sniper. I figure, if you've got a dead-eye shooter, what are the worst and best case scenarios? Worst case? Something along the lines of Wally Szcerbiak/Brent Barry. Sure, he'll never be the best (or fourth-best) player on your team, but if you've got enough people that can penetrate (Jo-Ho, hopefully Gerald Green, maybe even J-Kidd), and can swing the ball around, it's good to have a dead-eye shooting from the outside. Just ask the Spurs. There's a reason they tried so hard to get Barry back from the Sonics after Kurt Thomas was gift-wrapped for them.

Best case scenario? Probably Ray Allen. Known for most of his career as a primarily outside threat, teaming up with KG and Pierce rubbed off on him, and now he can penetrate (just ask Sasha Vujacic) and play some good D, and now he's got the bling to show for it. Unfortunately, he doesn't have a slasher and a lock down defender to teach him on the Mavs, but maybe he can make do.

Middle of the road scenario (therefore the most likely)? Kyle Korver. While the Mavs don't have a banger like Boozer to force defenders into the lane, Dirk's fade-away still gets enough attention to draw double-teams, and call me crazy, but the less threes that Devean George (assuming he comes back) and/or Eddie Jones take, the better my blood pressure will be.

Finally, the last reason to get excited for the Shan Foster era? A cool nickname: Sugar Shan (remember, its pronounced Shane). I can see myself screaming that as he's shooting the lights out over the Celtics in the 2009 Finals. Or maybe I'm getting ahead of myself.

And if he doesn't pan out? Let me be the first to hop on the "Splenda Shan" bandwagon.

On to Greener pastures?

2008-07-07T13:40:00.000-07:00

I don't know about other Mavs fans, but I was pretty damn excited when the Mavs got Gerald Green for a minimum contract.

Why? Because it's low-risk, high-reward. Doesn't cost them much, but Green is an absolute FREAK in the athletics department. Plus, he's only 22, and he's actually playing for a decent team. If that doesn't get him motivated, then he shouldn't play basketball.

Want some more reasons that I love this signing? All of a sudden, you've got an incredibly athletic 2 and 3 position with Jo-Ho and Green. Say what you want about Jo-Ho, but he is a damn good athlete.

With Green's athleticism paving the way for Jo-Ho to get some open looks/penetration, this could be an incredible steal.

In other roster addition news, the Mavs drafted Shan Foster with the no. 51 pick. I actually liked the pick. They could use a consistent jump shooter off the bench, and if he develops into something more, super.

I wasn't happy that the Mavs didn't pick up a first round pick. You're telling me cheap-ass Memphis wouldn't have sold Cubes a pick? A pick they could've used on the Superintendant (Chalmers), or Chris Douglas-Roberts.

The re-acquisition of Gana gives me mixed feelings. I like him for his D and his athleticism, as well as for the 6 fouls he can add to Dampier's.

I don't like that they spent the whole MLE on him. If that could have been used for Maggette, that would have been great, if just for the fact that the Spurs wouldn't be able to get him.

I will officially lose my shit if Maggette goes to the Spurs. He is exactly what they need.

Must be nice...

2008-06-18T11:36:00.000-07:00

Even though I was rooting for the Celtics, I couldn't help but be consumed by jealousy seeing Pierce, Garnett and Allen hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy.

Pay close attention Dirk and J-Kidd. That could be you next year.

And if you're wondering what happened to the second part of Why I Like The Mavericks, keep waiting. I have been slammed at work, and don't have time to update all that often.

But I will vent some bitterness.

How dare John Hollinger rank D-Wade's Finals performance the best ever?

More like Bennett Savatore's best Finals performance ever.

Why I like the Mavericks

2008-06-03T12:56:00.001-07:00

Well, it's 4:00 p.m., EST on a Tuesday, and I could be doing work for my noon deadline tomorrow, but I think I'd rather explain to you, the loyal fan (I'm still not entirely sure if anyone other than me has read this blog, but hey, I'm as loyal to myself as they come) why exactly I like the Dallas Mavericks.

After all, I have lived most of my life in the Washington D.C. metro area, I hate the other major team based in Dallas (the Cowboys, sorry NHL, you still have some work to do, like getting your playoffs on national TV), and I've never been to see them play, aside from a preseason game against the Wiz this year.

Let's start at the beginning. I really liked watching Larry Bird in my formative years. I started really paying attention to him around 1991 or so, so I caught him on the down part of the hill. But he was still fun to watch, and he still got me interested in the sports where big guys throw a rubber ball through a circle.

Then Bird left, and MJ began dominating the game. And let me tell you about MJ. I hated him. I hated the Bulls, and when they both kept winning, I stopped watching basketball.

I've always been like that as a sports fan, and I don't think I'm unique. Nobody wants to see a dynasty, unless the ruling team is their team.

So while Chicago was being whipped in a frenzy unlike anything this side of Russell's Celtics, I couldn't have cared less. After all, all my loser friends loved Jordan, loved the Bulls, so I had to be different.

After the Bulls came the strike, then a Lakers three-peat. Boooooooring! But it was around 2002 that I started watching the playoffs again, and I did like watching Kobe and Shaq play together, even thought they became basketball versions of the Yankees (who were fresh off of four rings of their own). So I told myself I would only watch the playoffs, because it guaranteed the best games.

What did I miss by this logic? A few things. Paul Pierce, Jason Kidd, Dirk, Steve Nash, Ray Allen, allen and Pau Gasol for one thing. Since they didn't even sniff the playoffs, I didn't know who they were.

I wasn't an ESPN.com junkie like i am now (thank you 28.8k modems) so I couldn't get that deep in the league.

And during the 2003 playoffs, guess who was the most fun to watch. Not the three-time defending champions, but the Sacramento Kings and the Dallas Mavericks.

The Kings had Mike Bibby (great name, also helped me like Chauncey Billups), Doug Christie, the shell of Vlade Divac and C-Webb, still in his prime (or as close to it as he ever got). They were fun to watch, plus since they had been in the shadow of the Lakers for so long that they even had my sympathy vote.

The Mavericks had the troika of Steve Nash, Michael Finley and the Dirkinator. While I loved Finley's jump shooting and Nashie's passing, there was something incredibly fascinating about this 7 foot German guy who reminded me of Alan Rickman from Die Hard.

He had a wicked jumper (probably should be 'jumpah', just to be safe), could hit the three, could rebound, and though it often was overshadowed by Nash's skills, he was a pretty good passer.

I rented a video game after the Finals that year, and I ended up playing mostly has the Kings (as I have been known to choose sports teams, see: Gretzky's Kings in 1992 NHLPA Hockey for the SNES).

Sometimes I wake up in a cold sweat, wondering what my life would have been like if I'd been a Kings fan. As much hell as the Mavs have put me through in the past few years, it beats the cold indifference of mediocrity that the Kings, T-Wolves, Heat (except for the dreaded '05-06 season) and Clippers have been through.

Okay, I don't really wake up in a cold sweat, but you get it.

Tomorrow, the story continues. Why did I stick by the Mavs as the trio I loved gradually went away?

Until manana.

This Could Be The Start Of Something Beautiful

2008-06-02T12:40:00.000-07:00

Well, here we are. More accurately, here you are. Reading my first ever blog entry. Ever.

I never wanted to start a blog before. I never considered events in my life to be worth noting for public consumption, and I never had a topic that was worthy of constant dissection.

Well, the latter has changed. As I watched my beloved Dallas Mavericks get bounced from the playoffs in the first round for the second straight year, I realized something. That something was this: I need to see the Dallas Mavericks win a championship. I need to see Dirk win a championship.

I am a Red Sox and New York Giants fan, and I saw both of them win within the past year, and that has only whetted my appetite for what I cannot have.

The Giants won a thrilling Super Bowl, and the Red Sox won a second World Series, after four generations of New Englanders lived without seeing won.

The effect of this is twofold, only one of which has any relevance here. I am now consumed with the idea of the Dallas Mavericks winning a championship.

What will follow in this blog are my Mavericks related thoughts, including how me (a native Washington D.C.-er) became so infatuated with the Mavericks, why I love Dirk Nowitzki with every heterosexual (and possibly some homosexual) bone in my body, where I was during the disatrous collapse in the 2006 Finals, and much, much more.

I think it will be good for me. I still can't read those 2006 Finals Boxscores without getting upset, and I can barely stand to look at D-Wade, Shaq, Riles, Baron Davis, Nellie or Stephen Jackson without the rage bubbling to the surface.

That should about do it for this first entry. Stay tuned for much more as I delve into a modern case of tragic fandom, and stay with me as one day, maybe, just maybe, Mark Cuban and co. lead us into the promised land.