Mavs Thread

[UNT_92_Fan]

We havent had much Mavs talk on this board lately. I know a few of you guys...and gals...are serious Mavs fans like myself. Here's what I have on my mind about this team.

A.) Best Team we have seen in this area in awhile...IN ANY SPORT...

B.) Josh Howard got SHAFTED on making the All Star Team. I dont want to hear the reasoning that Stern's will put him in. He deserves the respect of the League and didnt get it.

C.) If the Mavs have the best record and only have ONE true All Star...does that make dirk the MVP?

Discuss....

[Green Mean]

We havent had much Mavs talk on this board lately. I know a few of you guys...and gals...are serious Mavs fans like myself. Here's what I have on my mind about this team.

A.) Best Team we have seen in this area in awhile...IN ANY SPORT...

B.) Josh Howard got SHAFTED on making the All Star Team. I dont want to hear the reasoning that Stern's will put him in. He deserves the respect of the League and didnt get it.

C.) If the Mavs have the best record and only have ONE true All Star...does that make dirk the MVP?

Discuss....

Yes the Mavs are the best team from this area in a very long time....last team I think had that kind of affect was the 98-99 and 99-00 Dallas Stars Stanley Cup teams. I just hope it can finish off with a championship in June.

Josh Howard definitely got shafted but at the same time the west is so dominant and so deep that its not a surprise even tho I would have easily picked JHO over Shawn Marion this year. Stern still has a chance to choose him but you are right that Howard does not have the respect yet...but it will probably take time just like it took time for Dirk to get some respect in the league.

It would be a tragedy if Dirk did not win the MVP...theres no doubt that Nash is kicking some arse right now and it seems like he is playing his best basketball ever. I think Nash has better stars around him that makes him better....with the Mavs I think you if you take out Dirk then you are looking at a .500 team.

Maybe im just being a homer but all these things wont matter if we can win the championship in June.

NOTE: I would not mind one bit if Kobe Bryant took the MVP...because after Dirk I think he most deserves it.

Edited February 2, 2007 by Green Mean

[UNT_92_Fan]

Kobe deserves Most Improved Player not MVP...

Kobe was the top dog as far as selfish players last year, while still getting his points he has improved his game this season by learning Basketball is a 5 man game. I DO NOT think the lakers will be aplayer in the playoffs, without KObe they dont see the post season...wtih kobe they get beat in the frist round by the Suns or Spurs

[UNT_92_Fan]

Maybe im just being a homer but all these things wont matter if we can win the championship in June.

FULLY AGREE

[Green Mean]

Kobe deserves Most Improved Player not MVP...

I DO NOT think the lakers will be aplayer in the playoffs, without KObe they dont see the post season...wtih kobe they get beat in the frist round by the Suns or Spurs

He's definitely learning not to be selfish but what you just said is exactly why Kobe would deserve the MVP...if he's not on the team they would not even be close to making the playoffs. With Odom back and if the Lakers have everything together I honestly would not be surprised if they pull out an upset against say the Suns or Spurs or Rockets or some big dog. I've learned not to underestimate Kobe and this year I think they have a very nice team especially with Odom kicking some but and Bynum slowly slowly figuring things out. Without Dirk I can still see the Mavs being a playoff team...maybe a 7th or 8th seed.

[gksmith]

Thanks to the Minn. T-wolves finally beating Phoenix earlier this week.

Now if more teams can smack the Suns the rest of the way.

At the start of the season I said that Phoenix will be the big problem for Dallas. Stottlemyer (sp) is a good player that the Suns did not have last season (injury). No one believed me.

Shame Shame on all you doubters.

[UNT_playmaker]

Im a HUGE Mavs fan and have followed them since the early 90's, Im not kidding. Im from the DFW area.

The Dallas Mavericks or the Phoenix Suns will win the NBA title this year. Who ever wins the west will win the league.

There is not enough respect for the MAVS in the NBA, period. Stern is the worst commish in sports history, second is Selig.

Dirk should be the MVP but it will go to Nash again.......

Yes this is the best Mavs team ever and I believe they will go all the way.

[Quoner]

Yes this is the best Mavs team ever and I believe they will go all the way.

Damn it...must fight overriding urge to disagree with anything...you...say... Go...Mavs

[Coach]

Stottlemyer (sp) is a good player that the Suns did not have last season (injury).

Move over Marc Stein!

[Guest JohnDenver]

...and if the Mavs really only have one all star on their team and yet have the best record in the NBA (in the toughest conference): does that make Avery coach of the century?

I get really tired of the Kobe talk.

He is weak. He is doing BETTER at being a team player, but that does not make him MVP. The argument about if X player isn't Y team, them Y isn't a playoff team... can be said for half the playoff teams. Utah? Boozer. Nuggets? Melo (before AI). .. etc. Very rarely do you get a team that plays extremely well together. That is what makes them the playoff favorites (i.e. Mavs, Spurs, Suns, Pistons). The teams with only one player that makes the difference are outside shots.

My main problem with Kobe is his shot selection. In the first half of the ball game, he will get 5 assists and only take 4 shots. People point to this as him trying to get the team into the game. Second half he will throw up 22+ shots and get to the free throw line 17 times. He will have 0 rebounds and 1 assist. He ends the game with 29 points, 6 assists and 1 rebound. He does this night in and night out -- and it drives me crazy.

That is a very good line when reading it in the news paper, but not when watching the game.

He needs KEEP his team into the game .. not pander to them in the first half and then turn into the ball hog in the second half. Some say that he needs to do that in the second half to win the game because he team isn't good enough. That is BS. He likes the spotlight and he likes taking all the second half shots. It is just a re-visit of previous years selfish playing. Instead of doing it the WHOLE game, he only does it in the second half. Therefore he gets the assists and gets the praise for turning a new leaf. I would rather a superstar level player take equal level of shots until the last 4 minutes of the game (when it may be come back time). I would like the superstar to keep his team into the game and not just there to support.

I definitely smell a Kobe apologist in this thread.

Did you know Dirk has more 30+,10+,5+ [Point, Rebound, Assist] games than anyone in the league? He has 9. Kobe and LeBron have 7.

[Guest JohnDenver]

For instance, I looked up this week's game against Indiana.

Kobe had 8 shot attempts and three assists in the first half

Kobe had 17 shot attempts and one assists in the second half.

They were close at half time. They didn't fall behind until Kobe couldn't hit the side of a barn.

If Kobe didn't "feel" his shots going down, he should have taken less shots and let his team step up.

He had 10 more shots than the next person and 15 more than the third.

Kobe: 7-25 Reb: 5 Assist: 4 Points: 22

*******************************************************************************

Start of 1st Quarter

Back To Top

Assist: Bryant (1 AST) 11:34

Assist: Bryant (2 AST) 10:12

Bryant 3pt Shot: Missed 6:17

Bryant Jump Shot: Missed 4:12

Bryant Rebound (Off:0 Def:1) 2:05

Bryant Free Throw 1 of 2 (1 PTS) 1:49

Bryant Free Throw 2 of 2 (2 PTS) 1:49

Bryant Driving Layup Shot: Made (4 PTS) 1:17

End of 1st Quarter

Bryant: 3 shots -- 2 assists -- 1 rebound

Start of 2nd Quarter

Bryant Turnover:Bad Pass (1 TO) Steal:Marshall (1 ST) 7:11

Assist: Bryant (3 AST) 6:59

Bryant 3pt Shot: Missed 5:54

Bryant Rebound (Off:0 Def:2) 5:31

Bryant Turnover:Traveling (2 TO) 5:26

Bryant Jump Shot: Missed 4:15

Bryant Jump Shot: Missed 2:31

Bryant Jump Shot: Missed 2:01

Bryant Jump Shot: Missed 1:30

Bryant Free Throw 1 of 3 (5 PTS) 0:02

Bryant Free Throw 2 of 3 (6 PTS) 0:02

Bryant Free Throw 3 of 3 (7 PTS) 0:02

End of 2nd Quarter

Bryant: 5 shots -- 1 assist

[iND 44-41]

Start of 3rd Quarter

Bryant Jump Shot: Made (9 PTS)

Bryant Jump Shot: Missed 9:59

Bryant Jump Shot: Missed 9:05

Bryant Jump Shot: Missed 7:58

Bryant Rebound (Off:0 Def:3) 7:38

Bryant Jump Shot: Missed 6:58

Bryant Layup Shot: Made (11 PTS)

Bryant Driving Finger Roll Shot: Made (13 PTS) 4:10

Bryant Jump Shot: Missed 2:58

Assist: Bryant (4 AST) 1:15

Bryant Free Throw Technical (14 PTS) 0:32

End of 3rd Quarter

Bryant: 8 shots -- 1 assist

Start of 4th Quarter

Bryant Rebound (Off:0 Def:4) 8:01

Bryant Jump Shot: Made (16 PTS)

Bryant 3pt Shot: Missed 4:46

Bryant Jump Shot: Missed 4:15

Bryant Jump Shot: Missed 3:17

Bryant Foul:Personal (1 PF) 3:03

Bryant 3pt Shot: Missed 2:03

Bryant Turnover:Bad Pass (3 TO)

Bryant 3pt Shot: Made (19 PTS)

Bryant 3pt Shot: Made (22 PTS) 0:51

Bryant Rebound (Off:0 Def:5) 0:37

Bryant Turnover:Out of Bounds Lost Ball Turnover (4 TO) 0:33

Bryant 3pt Shot: Missed 0:27

Bryant 3pt Shot: Missed 0:20

End of 4th Quarter

[iND 97-84]

Bryant: 9 shots -- 0 assist

[Green Mean]

The thing about Kobe is I think he and the whole world knows he can and will take over a game at any point during the game. Usually you need your superstar in the second half when the game is winding down. And Kobe is definitely more of a complete player than people think he is....he can do just about anything but most importantly he can take over a game by himself. Kobe has definitley chilled out cuz I think he has a very nice team around him now thats only going to get better in the coming years. At the same time Phil Jackson has had a few years to reinstill his triangle offense and the team is starting to figure things out. I wouldnt say I am a Kobe apologist but I know I would never underestimate him cuz he can take over a game and single handedly beat you. Without Kobe the Lakers would be one of the worst in the west no doubt about that. With Kobe they are a 45-50 win team. Without Dirk for some reason I can still see the mavs be a contender for a final playoff spot kind of team...maybe a little less than that. Dirk can take over a game too has he showed last year but I think he still has to prove it more and again and again for people to believe that he can do it.

[Guest JohnDenver]

The thing about Kobe is I think he and the whole world knows he can and will take over a game at any point during the game. Usually you need your superstar in the second half when the game is winding down. And Kobe is definitely more of a complete player than people think he is....he can do just about anything but most importantly he can take over a game by himself. Kobe has definitley chilled out cuz I think he has a very nice team around him now thats only going to get better in the coming years. At the same time Phil Jackson has had a few years to reinstill his triangle offense and the team is starting to figure things out. I wouldnt say I am a Kobe apologist but I know I would never underestimate him cuz he can take over a game and single handedly beat you. Without Kobe the Lakers would be one of the worst in the west no doubt about that. With Kobe they are a 45-50 win team. Without Dirk for some reason I can still see the mavs be a contender for a final playoff spot kind of team...maybe a little less than that. Dirk can take over a game too has he showed last year but I think he still has to prove it more and again and again for people to believe that he can do it.

How's the "taking over the game" working out for Kobe now?

Dropping five in a row... ouch. To east teams as well.

It defeats me how more than half of Kobe's points come from the free throw line. There are so many "all star" fouls calls when Kobe is shooting. It is unreal.

You can take his numbers as they are and think they are good..

Minutes: 40:37

FG: 9-22

Threes: 2-7

FT: 14-15

Rebounds: 6

Assists: 5

TURNOVERS!: 6

Points:34

To me, it shows poor shooting, turnover machine, that gets a lot of fouls called so he shoots FTs.

Last night Dirk went to the line ZERO times. *That* is unreal. Yet Dirk had a solid game, made the big shots and spread the ball around. Dirk has shown the last two weeks that he has what it takes to win the close games -- like he has all season.

[Quoner]

JD - Tim McMahon quanitified clutchness using 82games.com

This breaks down exactly what you are talking about...

http://mavs.beloblog.com/archives/2007/02/...s.html#comments

Just an FYI

[Guest JohnDenver]

JD - Tim McMahon quanitified clutchness using 82games.com

This breaks down exactly what you are talking about...

http://mavs.beloblog.com/archives/2007/02/...s.html#comments

Just an FYI

That is good stuff.

How about this quote from Kobe on lastnight's game:

“When you have a lot of free throws, it chops the game up quite a bit,” Bryant said. “But I’m not complaining. I’d love to march to the free throw line 15 times a night.”

Jackassery at its finest. "But I'm not complaining." No, he was complaining. FTs killed his godly momentum. He just didn't want to sound like a whiny SOB.

[Quoner]

That is good stuff.

How about this quote from Kobe on lastnight's game:

“When you have a lot of free throws, it chops the game up quite a bit,” Bryant said. “But I’m not complaining. I’d love to march to the free throw line 15 times a night.”

Jackassery at its finest. "But I'm not complaining." No, he was complaining. FTs killed his godly momentum. He just didn't want to sound like a whiny SOB.

Kobe had a hate reprieve from me last year for when he almost single-handedly beat the Suns in the playoffs. Then I gave sam Cassell the same break in round 2 when they almost beat the Suns (and were one missed rotation away.)

Now, this year, no breaks, Dwyanynene Wade, Black Jesus, Steve (James Blunt) Nash, Ginobli, Mrs. Longoria, you are all on notice. If the Mavs win it all, I want to beat the best to do it - not have the Rockets and Jazz upset anyone on the way there.

[greenminer]

The whole "taking over a game" beef seemed to work well for Wade last year. Simmons is one of my favorite reads over at espn.com. Here's an excerpt from a write-up he did right before the Heat turned it around and won it all:

Here’s what happens if Miami wins the title: New Jersey will say to themselves, “Hey, maybe this could happen to us with Vince Carter”; Washington will say the same about Arenas; Boston with Pierce; G-State with Richardson; the Lakers with Kobe; New Team X with Iverson. And so on and so on. But that’s just the thing … we went through this last decade. There was only one MJ; the formula couldn’t be replicated. Same with Dwyane Wade; only LeBron can match him. And everyone else will fail trying, which means we can look forward to another decade of perimeter scorers going 11 for 32 in big games, teammates standing around while stars dribble at the top of the key waiting to challenge two defenders at once, and refs deciding every big game (like in Game 5) by how they interpret contact when the same guy is recklessly driving to the basket over and over again. Does any of this sound fun to you? I didn’t think so.As much as I enjoy watching Wade, a Heat title would erase all the progress of this spring. The Heat don’t play well together offensively, they don’t bring the best out of one another … they uneasily co-exist for the sake of a larger purpose (an elusive championship). Just watch some of their guys during the average game. Does Shaq ever seem happy? Walker? Payton? Posey? It’s a 1990s team playing in a different decade, only Wade is so freaking good, they’re getting away with it and, hell, they might even win a championship.

As a basketball fan, I think this would be terrible. A tragedy, even. Nothing against Wade — after all, it isn’t his fault his team sucks and he has to play this way — but seeing an individual triumph over a team YET AGAIN would erase every positive outcome from the 2005-06 season. Basically, the team with LeBron or Wade will win the next 10-12 titles, and it will come down to which guy made more 20-footers with two guys on him and which guy got the most cheap calls from the most spineless referees. That’s not basketball, it’s a star system. When my wife was asking why I was so ticked off after Game 5, it wasn’t because I had money on the game (I didn’t), or because I liked one team more than the other (I don’t). If Miami wins, we may as well go back to box haircuts again, because it’s going to be 1991 all over again — the “New and Improved” NBA will have been defeated, and the Old-School NBA will reign supreme.

Here's the link that used to work. Looks like it's gone dead. If it's gone Insider, maybe someone could verify it. If that's the case, I - or an admin - will probably have to remove it. FWIW, it was not subscription-based when I accessed it.

Edited February 16, 2007 by greenminer

[UNT_92_Fan]

Pardon my language but...

DWade is a little bitch...

[AnotherEagleFan]

...and if the Mavs really only have one all star on their team and yet have the best record in the NBA (in the toughest conference): does that make Avery coach of the century?

I get really tired of the Kobe talk.

YES

and ME TOO

Thanks

[Green Mean]

Pardon my language but...

DWade is a little bitch...

I hate DWade too but I love to see him play...dont knock him for being the leader of his team while Dirk was not in last years finals. It still pains me when I think of the Heat and Mavs and Finals last year but in the end DWade scoreboarded and embarassed Dirk last year in the finals....Which is what really counts in the end after all.

[UNT_92_Fan]

Oh don't get me wrong...I am in total awareness of what happened last year...It does fall on our superstar. I am just not a Wade fan for his weak play...he is exciting...but he is a bitch...

NOBODY can look at the highlights from last year and tell he was fouled by Devin Harris in that infamous drive to the basket.... And if he was fouled...NOBODY can tell me he didn't LAUNCH Jet into the scorers table before that foul. He is babied by the league.

Dirk came out after the final game last year and said the better team won...look that up...he gave credit to the Heat....and NOW when the whole league is watching the Mavs and the Suns, DWade has to come out shooting at Dirk about his leadership... The guy needs attention and then when he gets it he falls down limps off the court then acts like effin superman... Him Ginobli (who ahs gotten better) and Vlade Divac should all star in a movie...that would be hard choice for the best actor award...

The Heat are barely .500 and Wade spouts this s*it out of his mouth....We will see how it goes this season...I am ready for game one after the AllStar Break.... Avery needs to have his team and his superstar step on the neck of the heat and not get off till the buzzer sounds....

{steps off soapbox}

[Guest JohnDenver]

...and not get off till the buzzer sounds....

{steps off soapbox}

Maybe not even then.

[Eagle1855]

not have the Rockets and Jazz upset anyone on the way there.

if the Rockets were to play and beat the Spurs in the playoffs, it probably wouldn't be an upset. Their records are almost identical and the Rockets have beaten them twice this year in SA, once without Yao. The Suns however, that would be an upset for anyone that isn't the Mavericks.

The Rockets are a healthy center away from being a legitimate top 3-4 team in the West. The Mav's have a hard time matching up with the Rockets when Yao is in the lineup and I think the Rockets pull last night's game out with a W if he is in there (pure conjecture) - if for no other reason than the fact that he can actually make a free throw (which were few and far between for the Rockets team last night) Dirk played like a superstar last night. I agree with whoever posted that about the fact he didn't go to the line being further indicative of that. He made some amazing shots. The back to back 3s were a killer!

As a fan of both (though I favor the Rockets) I hope they get another shot at each other during the playoffs. Anything to knock SA and that gaggle of whiners out of the mix.

Sorry to interrupt, Let the Mavs homerism continue...

Edited February 16, 2007 by Eagle1855

[Green Mean]

I absolutely fear the Rockets more than the Spurs and probably even the Spurs. They have a big man who is dominant, have a top 5 or top 10 player in TMac and they have a great coach with a great supporting cast. I definitley fear the Rockets in a 7 game series however I am not sure if they have the mental edge that the Mavs have in a 7 game series. If they played in a 7 game series then I atleast expect 6 back and forth games if not 7.

[Quoner]

if the Rockets were to play and beat the Spurs in the playoffs, it probably wouldn't be an upset. Their records are almost identical and the Rockets have beaten them twice this year in SA, once without Yao. The Suns however, that would be an upset for anyone that isn't the Mavericks.

The Rockets are a healthy center away from being a legitimate top 3-4 team in the West. The Mav's have a hard time matching up with the Rockets when Yao is in the lineup and I think the Rockets pull last night's game out with a W if he is in there (pure conjecture) - if for no other reason than the fact that he can actually make a free throw (which were few and far between for the Rockets team last night) Dirk played like a superstar last night. I agree with whoever posted that about the fact he didn't go to the line being further indicative of that. He made some amazing shots. The back to back 3s were a killer!

As a fan of both (though I favor the Rockets) I hope they get another shot at each other during the playoffs. Anything to knock SA and that gaggle of whiners out of the mix.

Sorry to interrupt, Let the Mavs homerism continue...

I agree with you on the Rockets, but the Spurs fans would say (despite obviously slipping this year) that we didn't go through them so it doesn't count. Nevermind that it's their fault for not being in the way to begin with.

Those writers/fans are awful. When I was down there a few weeks the SA Express News had a big feature on how the Spurs lost their home court edge because games start earlier and the best fans in the world couldn't provide the home court edge they know and love for the first quarter. That makes sense. No one could ever win in SA, let alone win a game 7.

Nothing but love for the Rockets, but I fear they are a team that will never get a chance to have all their pieces together - and even when they did a few years ago they fought valiantly and couldn't seal the deal. I don't think they have improved much since then, although not looking at Jon Barry is an improvement for me.

Also, Yao Ming's parents are dirty commies.