I am lovin this article...

[traitoravery]

It's time the Mavs find some weapons to support Nowitzki
By RANDY GALLOWAY
Star-Telegram staff writer

Mark Cuban wasn't smiling at the end of the Golden State series and could be frowning again next season. Blow up the Mavericks?

Too late for that. Nellie just did.

A better idea would be to blow up the goofy I'm-the-smartest-guy-in-the-game owner of the Mavericks.

Again, too late for that. Nellie just did.
One more time, Mark:

Shut the bleep up.

Over the past two weeks, Mr. Cuban verbally trashed the coach of the other team on almost a daily basis, doing so while watching that same coach use his basketball expertise to game-by-game systematically destroy the very foundation of Cuban's entire organization.

How dumb can you be? Here's a guy with a billion dollars in the bank (ask him, he'll tell you), but his mouth continues to bounce basketball checks all over town, all over the country.

Cuban just flunked out of his beloved David Stern University. Professor Nellie hung all F's on the fool.

Actually, that was the one and only local consolation hoot from the Mavs-Warriors series. What Nellie did to Cuban is being celebrated all across NBA-land, and also locally, although there are media members who run scared of Cuban (he might bloooooog me), so they won't publicly admit it.

Unfortunately, however, all other Mavericks' employees -- the good people -- were also trapped in this epic first-round, choke-fest collapse.

Now left to dig out of the rubble would be Nellie's son, Donnie, the Mavs' general manager; Nellie's friend, Mavs coach Avery Johnson; and Nellie's "basketball son," the tall German.

Cuban is not important, except for my personal amusement, and that counts for something. But the Mavs as a team we thought we knew now have been wiped off the current hoop landscape, thus begins the process of figuring out where it goes from here.

Hard to compute, huh, that in the first week of May we are having this soul-searching about a 67-win team? Sixty-seven wins rendered meaningless. I am in shock.

But you have to believe this, or else it's suddenly hopeless:

Donnie can and will recover. Avery, definitely, will learn and grow from this disaster. But Dirk?

Because there was a championship on the line last summer, that would seem to be the logical answer. But going against logic, it's probably worse now.

Maybe it's just hard-headed me, but at no time last June did I think the Heat was the better team. While Dirk also faded in that series, particularly in comparison to Mr. Wade, at least he had some useful moments.

This time, however, there was no point over the six games when anyone could think the Mavericks were the better team. Not if you watched the games and forgot regular-season records. Golden State dominated all facets. Dominated. Period, over and out.

And Dirk, of course, totally disappeared. Poof, he was gone. Nellie knows him better than anyone. Nellie exposed him and shrunk him. Even in the final three minutes of Game 5, Dirk threw in a couple of 3-ball prayers to save a W, and he also made his free throws. But it was not like he took over.

When you combine June with the latest events, there is NO way Dirk can continue to be labeled as the player who can lead the Mavericks to a championship.

Dirk can still be a vital part of the process, but, frankly, he doesn't have the game or the killer mentality to be the horse this team can ride.

Include me among the wrong. Put me right at the top on being wrong. I thought Dirk was the man. You might give him some grace for last June, but not this.

Only a moron could have watched this series and still be clinging to the Dirk-is-the-man idea.

But...

These kind of judgments can do a 180 from one year to the next. Hello, Peyton Manning. But the past two postseason samplings from Dirk have now harshly labeled him, labeled him with the truth as we know it now. Hopefully, this will change at some point.

Trade Dirk? Dump Dirk? No, and hell no.

We've already had enough stupidity around here with Steve Nash ("the Mavericks are better off without him") and with Don Nelson ("he don't know no defense"). Thanks, by the way, for all the e-mails demanding a Dirk-for-Kevin Garnett trade, but please check Mr. Garnett's track record and reputation in Minnesota. Then back off.

Here's the problem for Donnie and Avery:

Nellie made it clear in this series: Dirk would not beat his team. Dirk would be targeted and shut down. He was and was. That's a deep Dirk deficit that he allowed to happen. But Nellie also believed the rest of the Mavericks weren't good enough to get it done without Dirk. Unfortunately, he was right.

Not only was Dirk exposed, but so was everyone else. Thus ends the big local lie, that even without Dirk, this is a 50-win team. Many people actually believed that. Take Dirk out, and it's not even a .500 team, and certainly not better than the West's No. 8 seed.

OK, finding a point guard is an absolute necessity. No more Jason Terry at the point. Is Devin Harris ready for full-time duty? Maybe, but I doubt it. Old-timer Jason Kidd's name is being floated for a return to town, but Kidd is now on a playoff roll, so it can't be assumed New Jersey will trade him in the off-season.

This is not a team you can necessarily blow up, due to the contracts in place, but the mentality has to be re-programmed, and that will take new faces.

It's now the responsibility of Donnie and Avery to make it different. One difference has to be on-court toughness, and that means adding a couple of street-ballers. I'd bet heavily Avery is ready to cowboy-up his roster after watching these nice men get punked by Nellie's in-our-face renegades.

I trust Donnie and Avery to handle the transformation, but if there's any static from the top, then I hope both tell the owner to stick it, and quit by Independence Day.

Otherwise, good luck, fellows, as your long, long summer begins.

Randy Galloway's Galloway & Co. can be heard weekdays 3-6 p.m. on ESPN/103.3 FM.

[judaspriestess]

"Only a moron could have watched this series and still be clinging to the Dirk-is-the-man idea."



There are plenty of those around. :lol

[schadenfreude52]

Haha, it's so easy to imagine Randy reading this aloud with that distinctive drawl of his. :lol

[RonMexico]

The funniest part is that every Mavs fan has been in love with Jason Terry and Devin Harris as proof they don't "need Nash."

At least he finally exposed the entire team for being non-clutch, not just Dirk. Should have brought up that Josh Howard didn't make a single field goal in the last 5 minutes of the 4th in ALL 6 games... guy is incredibly over-hyped.

[TampaDude]

Mark Cuban sucks. That is all.

[ponky]

The funniest part is that every Mavs fan has been in love with Jason Terry and Devin Harris as proof they don't "need Nash."

At least he finally exposed the entire team for being non-clutch, not just Dirk. Should have brought up that Josh Howard didn't make a single field goal in the last 5 minutes of the 4th in ALL 6 games... guy is incredibly over-hyped.

0-1, three to go, fishing hole....week and a half

[Admidave50]

mavsfan vs sunsfan, that's what we want to see! :)

[schadenfreude52]

0-1, three to go, fishing hole....week and a half

:lol

[SpursDynasty]

Exactly. Josh Howard just makes lucky shots at the right times and they get overhyped. He is extremely overrated.

Like I said, outside of the 2006 SA series, no one cared about/heard about/gave a shit about Josh Howard and Jason Terry.

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

:clap That, was a good article, very true for the most part, and hardly homerish.

Glad he stuck it to Cuban too.



Exactly. Josh Howard just makes lucky shots at the right times and they get overhyped. He is extremely overrated.

Like I said, outside of the 2006 SA series, no one cared about/heard about/gave a shit about Josh Howard and Jason Terry.
Josh Howard is definitely skilled and I hardly think they're lucky shots. He's really good on both ends.

But his 4th quarter disappearing acts in important games, are glaring. Josh Coward, though a lame spin on his name, is very apt.

(...props to whoever coined, Josh Halftime, though :lol)

[ponky]

The funniest part is that every Mavs fan has been in love with Jason Terry and Devin Harris as proof they don't "need Nash."

At least he finally exposed the entire team for being non-clutch, not just Dirk. Should have brought up that Josh Howard didn't make a single field goal in the last 5 minutes of the 4th in ALL 6 games... guy is incredibly over-hyped.


oops, i missed this little bullshit from you...anyway, jho is a first half dude, doesn't bring it much in the latter half...it is a SOMETIME problem that he should work on but it's not like the guy can't ball so i'm calling you on bitching about him once again....let's take a look at your two little baby all-stars (read: not nash, that guy has balls) and how they fared the last five minutes of the game against the spurs on sunday:

5:03 minutes left in the 4th SAS 98-97

5:00 nothing
4:30 nothing
4:00 nothing
3:30 nothing
3:00 nothing
2:30 nothing
2:00 nothing
1:30 nothing
1:00 nothing

oh, here we go:

0:35 - Stoudemire Jump Bank Shot: MISSED

0:27 - Stoudemire Jump Bank Shot: MISSED
0:26 - Stoudemire Tip Shot : MISSED
0:26 - Stoudemire 2 Free Throw Shots : 2 POINTS MADE
0:11 - Stoudemire Layup Shot: MISSED

Bueller? Bueller? Marion? Marion?

2 points combined for STAT and MATRIX in the last five minutes and ZERO field goals....and STAT actually should've made two of those baskets which were relatively easy.


Ok, I'm not done here after checking JHO's stats the last five minutes of the games. He didn't disappear in every single game, you ought to learn to check your stats before talking shit about my boy.

Game One - 1:57 Howard Two Free Throws: MADE; 0:23 Howard Driving Layup Shot: MADE

Game Two - Howard didn't do anything so you're right about this game and this game alone...he sat at the 1:30 min. mark and the Mavs won anyway.

Game Three - 4:55 Jump Shot: MADE by JHO, then he sits at the 4 minute mark and doesn't come back in the game...not his fault he sat.

Game Four - bad five minutes for Howard, he did have one rebound which lead to a three pointer by Dirk...at least it's better than the rebounds your Suns had last night that didn't lead to shit.

Game Five - Defensive board by JHO leads to a 3 by Dirk, another defensive board by JHO leads to a layup by Devin for 2, another defensive rebound by JHO leads to 2 FTs for Dirk, another rebound by JHO leads to 2 FTs for JHO...if that's not contributing, then fuck me, I'll just go watch the two baby All-Stars on the Suns.

Game Six - he was benched with three minutes left in the game because it was over...can't do anything when you're on the bench so that doesn't count

[Trainwreck2100]

yeah, that last one was pretty sad. I mean, he was right there.

[ponky]

yeah, that last one was pretty sad. I mean, he was right there.

i was surprised that he didn't make the last one, like WTF?!?!?! is it only because nash was out and the whole team got rattled? when nash breaks down the team is done for, the team has just gotten to used to playing with him in the lineup

[ratm1221]

Keep in mind that Galloway says off the wall statements to get a rise out of people on purpose. He brags on the radio about how many people he pisses off. Other than that, funny article.

[samikeyp]

mavsfan vs sunsfan, that's what we want to see!

I have Ponky by 20 over anyone in the field.

Although I will take Ron Mexico over ratm. Quicker feet and that whole herpes thing. :)

[Cry Havoc]

lots of ranting about how much Suns players suck :clap

Man, did we ever get lucky in San Antonio. Horry, one of the greatest clutch players ever, AND Duncan, who can man up and take over late, AND Manu, who seems to catch fire just when we need it.

Mavs need a good PG and a closer. That would help them immensely.

[ponky]

Man, did we ever get lucky in San Antonio. Horry, one of the greatest clutch players ever, AND Duncan, who can man up and take over late, AND Manu, who seems to catch fire just when we need it.

Mavs need a good PG and a closer. That would help them immensely.


i know a lot of people think dirk sucks balls right now but i've seen him be a closer and i'll stick with him but he and the team would definitely benefit from a good PG and i'm not sure i even want terry moving to the two spot if they get another PG, he's too dang inconsistent. lots of mavs fans hate me when i diss devin so i always give him another chance thinking i'm missing something, fuck that, he's not getting it done and i'd rather get someone experienced who won't keep making stupid mistakes...sometimes devin is too fast for his own good. as for the suns/spurs series, GO SPURS GO, for finley and because i can't stand suns fans because they act like they're team is better than the mavs and they haven't done shit either....and i'd like to keep it that way! :lol

i think it's kind of funny to see everyone who was complaining about horry in the regular season and joking about how he needs to retire...dude is strictly for the playoffs and i have to give the spurs props for keeping him fresh and not playing him much in the regular season.

[mabber]

I have Ponky by 20 over anyone in the field.

Although I will take Ron Mexico over ratm. Quicker feet and that whole herpes thing. :)

Ron Mexico would have a chance vs. Ponky if he'd get past his confusing man-hate for Josh Howard :lol I'm beginning to think that Josh tagged his girlfriend as his hate for him is irrational otherwise.

[samikeyp]

:lmao

[ponky]

Ron Mexico would have a chance vs. Ponky if he'd get past his confusing man-hate for Josh Howard :lol I'm beginning to think that Josh tagged his girlfriend as his hate for him is irrational otherwise.


http://farm1.static.flickr.com/202/440426870_5d0b4e7cd4.jpg?v=0

[samikeyp]

I still like Ponky as the favorite though.

[Cry Havoc]

i know a lot of people think dirk sucks balls right now but i've seen him be a closer and i'll stick with him but he and the team would definitely benefit from a good PG and i'm not sure i even want terry moving to the two spot if they get another PG, he's too dang inconsistent. lots of mavs fans hate me when i diss devin so i always give him another chance thinking i'm missing something, fuck that, he's not getting it done and i'd rather get someone experienced who won't keep making stupid mistakes...sometimes devin is too fast for his own good. as for the suns/spurs series, GO SPURS GO, for finley and because i can't stand suns fans because they act like they're team is better than the mavs and they haven't done shit either....and i'd like to keep it that way! :lol

i think it's kind of funny to see everyone who was complaining about horry in the regular season and joking about how he needs to retire...dude is strictly for the playoffs and i have to give the spurs props for keeping him fresh and not playing him much in the regular season.

I'm not really ready to write Dirk off yet. But he had a horrible Finals, and I have never seen a superstar implode like he did in Round 1. I've even heard rumors that he might have been injured and not made it public. That would support the thought I had, about how off-center his jumpshot looked in the GS series, though that could have been because he was rattled as well.

I really can't explain Dirk. I'm not sold on Harris, either. He relies too much on drawing the charge to be a consistent PG on the defensive end of things, and if there is one thing that series shows, it's that the Mavs have to have to HAVE TO contain dribble-drive penetration. Their second line of defense isn't active enough for force a PG into a bad situation once he gets into the lane. Deron Williams would have been a similar nightmare for you if you got past the Warriors, perhaps worse than Davis because he's a superior assist man. Of course, Davis went berserk on 3s, but he wouldn't have been so open if a single player on the Mavs could have stuck him.

Terry is a chucker. He's clutch early on, and with a good team around him might be a finisher, but he seems to be fading late into games as well. It's almost as if the entire team was running on fumes. Stack would play great for 3 quarters and then fade like a set of used brake pads, as well. I'm not sure if you want him back.

However, if you can sign Jermaine O'Neal, I think a lot of your other problems become secondary. He's a mobile big who will stop anyone in the lane and gives you another option on offense. If you can pick up JON and a decent PG who can play defense, you should be set to make a run to the WCF again. As the announcers say in the 2k College Hoops series: It's not panic time yet, but at least you want to have your finger near the panic button."

[ponky]

OMFG!!!!!!

NEWS ALERT: CUBAN IS GAY!!!!

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/194/489116725_a2eab244d6.jpg?v=0

[Cry Havoc]

OMFG!!!!!!

NEWS ALERT: CUBAN IS GAY!!!!

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/194/489116725_a2eab244d6.jpg?v=0

Let me guess: That's you, and he was sporting less wood than a forest full of baby Christmas trees. :lol :)

[ponky]

I'm not really ready to write Dirk off yet. But he had a horrible Finals, and I have never seen a superstar implode like he did in Round 1. I've even heard rumors that he might have been injured and not made it public. That would support the thought I had, about how off-center his jumpshot looked in the GS series, though that could have been because he was rattled as well.

I really can't explain Dirk. I'm not sold on Harris, either. He relies too much on drawing the charge to be a consistent PG on the defensive end of things, and if there is one thing that series shows, it's that the Mavs have to have to HAVE TO contain dribble-drive penetration. Their second line of defense isn't active enough for force a PG into a bad situation once he gets into the lane. Deron Williams would have been a similar nightmare for you if you got past the Warriors, perhaps worse than Davis because he's a superior assist man. Of course, Davis went berserk on 3s, but he wouldn't have been so open if a single player on the Mavs could have stuck him.

Terry is a chucker. He's clutch early on, and with a good team around him might be a finisher, but he seems to be fading late into games as well. It's almost as if the entire team was running on fumes. Stack would play great for 3 quarters and then fade like a set of used brake pads, as well. I'm not sure if you want him back.

However, if you can sign Jermaine O'Neal, I think a lot of your other problems become secondary. He's a mobile big who will stop anyone in the lane and gives you another option on offense. If you can pick up JON and a decent PG who can play defense, you should be set to make a run to the WCF again. As the announcers say in the 2k College Hoops series: It's not panic time yet, but at least you want to have your finger near the panic button."

I like Jermaine O'Neal....a HEALTHY Jermaine O'Neal! The off-season will definitely be interesting, hopefully not the kind of interesting off-season that the Mavs had in 04 when they blew up the team. I'd keep Stack because I like him as a good bench guy and he has a lot of experience and he's that kind of "don't take shit from nobody" guy the Mavs need and other teams love to hate...along with JHO. Hmmm, I haven't really been keeping track but I wonder who will be available for PG position, either as FA or I guess via trade, although I don't see a lot of teams wanting to trade a good PG.

[Cry Havoc]

I like Jermaine O'Neal....a HEALTHY Jermaine O'Neal! The off-season will definitely be interesting, hopefully not the kind of interesting off-season that the Mavs had in 04 when they blew up the team. I'd keep Stack because I like him as a good bench guy and he has a lot of experience and he's that kind of "don't take shit from nobody" guy the Mavs need and other teams love to hate...along with JHO. Hmmm, I haven't really been keeping track but I wonder who will be available for PG position, either as FA or I guess via trade, although I don't see a lot of teams wanting to trade a good PG.

Were I the Mavs, I'd trade almost anyone to get Deron. I can't say enough about him. He's got bigger shoulders than Lebron! He's the perfect matchup to say :nope to The Red Baron.

[ponky]

Let me guess: That's you, and he was sporting less wood than a forest full of baby Christmas trees. :lol :)


:lol

[mabber]

Were I the Mavs, I'd trade almost anyone to get Deron. I can't say enough about him. He's got bigger shoulders than Lebron! He's the perfect matchup to say :nope to The Red Baron.

He's a local boy as well. He went to high school 10 minutes from where I live now.

[DarrinS]

Is there any way Dallas can dump Dampier? That dude is costing them a ton of money -- and for what?

[Cry Havoc]

He's a local boy as well. He went to high school 10 minutes from where I live now.

We're fond of him here in Illinois for obvious reasons. I didn't think he'd simply dominate the NBA like he is now, but he had spectacular court vision at the U of I. I seriously think he's the next great PG in the NBA. He's quick, has fantastic, physical defense, and I don't think there's a stronger PG from the waist up in the NBA. I'd probably trade Tony Parker straight-up for him. He's that amazing, and his future is going to be so bright, if he stays healthy.

[mabber]

Is there any way Dallas can dump Dampier? That dude is costing them a ton of money -- and for what?

No, the Mavs are pretty much stuck with him for another 3-4 years. As long as Cuban doesn't mind paying him $10 million/year I don't mind having him on the team. I like the Diop/Damp combo at center. Obviously, Damp is worthless in a matchup with GState but he's valuable against most other teams.

[ponky]

i would love to have deron williams. i remember in-between some game, they were talking about how deron might have an interest in dallas because his family (gf/wife and kid) lives here and he wants to be closer to the rest of his family as well...and he's a mavs fan...i would trade anyone other than dirk, jho and maybe diop to get him

[mabber]

We're fond of him here in Illinois for obvious reasons. I didn't think he'd simply dominate the NBA like he is now, but he had spectacular court vision at the U of I. I seriously think he's the next great PG in the NBA. He's quick, has fantastic, physical defense, and I don't think there's a stronger PG from the waist up in the NBA. I'd probably trade Tony Parker straight-up for him. He's that amazing, and his future is going to be so bright, if he stays healthy.

I've been extremely impressed by his play in the playoffs thus far. I don't see the Jazz letting him go unless they just don't want to pay him what he'll be worth after his rookie contract is up.

[Cry Havoc]

i would love to have deron williams. i remember in-between some game, they were talking about how deron might have an interest in dallas because his family (gf/wife and kid) lives here and he wants to be closer to the rest of his family as well...and he's a mavs fan...i would trade anyone other than dirk, jho and maybe diop to get him

:( You mean you'd trade Cuban for Deron? :(


:madrun

sidenote: Finally an avatar that works for me!

[DarrinS]

i would love to have deron williams. i remember in-between some game, they were talking about how deron might have an interest in dallas because his family (gf/wife and kid) lives here and he wants to be closer to the rest of his family as well...and he's a mavs fan...i would trade anyone other than dirk, jho and maybe diop to get him


Deron is a good player, but he spells his first name wrong.

[Man of Steel]

Dallas media always does this to the Mavs.

Whenever they lose, they seem to pounce on AJ and Cuban.

[fitzgerald]

Dallas media always does this to the Mavs.

Whenever they lose, they seem to pounce on AJ and Cuban.

Cuban is a jerk and is classless. He does want to win in the worst way, but he is difficult to put up with. I don't like him and he is our owner. I can only imagine the hate he brings to the organization. Jerry Jones is another guy difficult to put up with. There are many Dallas fans put off buy their behavior but what can you do? AJ is cool, I just think he screwed up twice now. He needs to take control of the players like Pop does.