Game 1: Rockets at Mavericks

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

"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

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...

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

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

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

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.