SenorSpur
04-01-2009, 02:40 PM
This is a piece written by a Dallas media scribe about the Mavericks. If you forget the direct references to that team, one could read it and easily assume that it was written about the Spurs. At least, that's the feeling I got from reading it.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/columnists/esefko/stories/040109dnsposefko.3f14cce.html
In the paint, Dallas Mavericks' picture is brighter
MINNEAPOLIS – The Mavericks are a jump-shooting team. When they get carried away with that strategy, they get in trouble. Their points-in-the-paint average of 35.2 is ahead of only three teams in the NBA.
With that in mind, they met before the Minnesota game and made a conscious effort to drive to the basket.
"We're just shooting way too many jump shots," Jason Kidd said. "It falls on me. We understand what we have to do. We got to play inside-out, not outside-out."
Good teams get the ball in the paint and play from there. But they also mix things up. The Mavericks have the ability to do that. Their game against Minnesota wasn't a great gauge. They shot 55 percent from the field and hit half of their 16 3-pointers. Shooting like that, you can play any style. But it was a good sign. Ball movement was a big part of their easy win. Kidd had 13 assists in three quarters.
"It's important to get the ball in there in the form of postups or drives as much as you can," Rick Carlisle said. "At the same time, you can't get into a situation where you're forcing it and doing things that are unnatural for your personnel. We know we're more of a jump-shooting team. But we've got to have the right balance."
Shooting jumpers is easy. Driving into the bodies and elbows in the paint usually isn't. But it's got to be a priority if the Mavericks want to accrue any momentum going into the playoffs.
The comments by Carlisle are important because, in the case of the Spurs, they only have 2 guys that are capable of slashing to the basket and creating off-the-dribble opportunities for themselves. I didn't count George Hill because it now appears that Pop has now benched him indefinitely.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/columnists/esefko/stories/040109dnsposefko.3f14cce.html
In the paint, Dallas Mavericks' picture is brighter
MINNEAPOLIS – The Mavericks are a jump-shooting team. When they get carried away with that strategy, they get in trouble. Their points-in-the-paint average of 35.2 is ahead of only three teams in the NBA.
With that in mind, they met before the Minnesota game and made a conscious effort to drive to the basket.
"We're just shooting way too many jump shots," Jason Kidd said. "It falls on me. We understand what we have to do. We got to play inside-out, not outside-out."
Good teams get the ball in the paint and play from there. But they also mix things up. The Mavericks have the ability to do that. Their game against Minnesota wasn't a great gauge. They shot 55 percent from the field and hit half of their 16 3-pointers. Shooting like that, you can play any style. But it was a good sign. Ball movement was a big part of their easy win. Kidd had 13 assists in three quarters.
"It's important to get the ball in there in the form of postups or drives as much as you can," Rick Carlisle said. "At the same time, you can't get into a situation where you're forcing it and doing things that are unnatural for your personnel. We know we're more of a jump-shooting team. But we've got to have the right balance."
Shooting jumpers is easy. Driving into the bodies and elbows in the paint usually isn't. But it's got to be a priority if the Mavericks want to accrue any momentum going into the playoffs.
The comments by Carlisle are important because, in the case of the Spurs, they only have 2 guys that are capable of slashing to the basket and creating off-the-dribble opportunities for themselves. I didn't count George Hill because it now appears that Pop has now benched him indefinitely.