MAVS Are Pathetic

[DallasFan]

Last year when the team stated 0-4, I really was not worried. This year, however, they clearly a VERY mediocre team, and I really doubt that will change. Something is very "off" with this team. They look old, scared, and very confused. Stackhouse is the first I noticed during the start of the season...it looks like he's developed Alzheimers or something as he could hardly dribble the ball.

For starters, they have been forcing Dirk to become something he is not: a post up guy and a good defender. This has so obviously affected his shooting game and now we have no offense unless Howard or Terry gets a rocket stuck up their butt. Dirk has had one, two at the most good games this year. I really think they haveruined his jump shot, and in effect our scoring we are accustomed to seeing.

I really think that this team has a psychological problem, ever since that Warriors series, and I fret they will not overcome it. I don't see the blame on one particular individual, except maybe Cuban, who will not make a trade (Kobe?) to fix this crap.

Everyone I have talked to here in Dallas admits that it "isn't just the same". This team comes out flat just about ever night and are really boring to watch and fans are becoming dis-interested. The AAC is very quiet if you watch the games on TV.

Don't get me wrong, I am not a bandwagoner, but when a team continues to break your heart like they do to all the fans, what are you gonna do...sit in misery every night? Screw that...we just aren't watching them like we were before.

Spurs fans...be prowd that you have a team that you know will not choke and you can have complete confidence in. Unless we get Kobe, I see this much more heartbreak for this team and it's fans. The Mavs had their chance in 2006 and I'm afraid that was probably it, at least for a while.

THANK GOD FOR THE COWBOYS! :drunk

[ancestron]

Yeah the Mavs really took a nice steamy dump against the Raptors last night.
The Mavs problem is they have no leader. They have 3 or 4 guys that should be, or could be, but there isn't one. Dirk is just not the leader everyone wants and needs him to be.

[ratm1221]

It's a long season. Keep faith.

[monosylab1k]

Avery says he's gonna hit the gas in January. We'll see. As critical as I've been, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt until then. If they still suck, my two favorite words will definitely be Fire Avery.

[midgetonadonkey]

Last year when the team stated 0-4, I really was not worried. This year, however, they clearly a VERY mediocre team, and I really doubt that will change. Something is very "off" with this team. They look old, scared, and very confused. Stackhouse is the first I noticed during the start of the season...it looks like he's developed Alzheimers or something as he could hardly dribble the ball.

For starters, they have been forcing Dirk to become something he is not: a post up guy and a good defender. This has so obviously affected his shooting game and now we have no offense unless Howard or Terry gets a rocket stuck up their butt. Dirk has had one, two at the most good games this year. I really think they haveruined his jump shot, and in effect our scoring we are accustomed to seeing.

I really think that this team has a psychological problem, ever since that Warriors series, and I fret they will not overcome it. I don't see the blame on one particular individual, except maybe Cuban, who will not make a trade (Kobe?) to fix this crap.

Everyone I have talked to here in Dallas admits that it "isn't just the same". This team comes out flat just about ever night and are really boring to watch and fans are becoming dis-interested. The AAC is very quiet if you watch the games on TV.

Don't get me wrong, I am not a bandwagoner, but when a team continues to break your heart like they do to all the fans, what are you gonna do...sit in misery every night? Screw that...we just aren't watching them like we were before.

Spurs fans...be prowd that you have a team that you know will not choke and you can have complete confidence in. Unless we get Kobe, I see this much more heartbreak for this team and it's fans. The Mavs had their chance in 2006 and I'm afraid that was probably it, at least for a while.

THANK GOD FOR THE COWBOYS! :drunk

Real fans do.

[TampaDude]

Real fans do.

WERD...and I should know...I'm a Redskins fan... :lol

[DallasFan]

Real fans do.

Say what you want, but watching this team play right now is not easy, especially after being "spoiled" the last few seasons. Maybe things will change...I really don't see it anytime soon.

Maybe they're trying to copy the Spurs and save something for the playoffs? I doubt it...

[ratm1221]

Say what you want, but watching this team play right now is not easy, especially after being "spoiled" the last few seasons. Maybe things will change...I really don't see it anytime soon.

Maybe they're trying to copy the Spurs and save something for the playoffs? I doubt it...

They aren't "trying" to play like shit and copy anyone. They are just playing like shit. They will snap out of it.

[CubanMustGo]

Say what you want, but watching this team play right now is not easy, especially after being "spoiled" the last few seasons. Maybe things will change...I really don't see it anytime soon.

Maybe they're trying to copy the Spurs and save something for the playoffs? I doubt it...

Thing about the Spurs doing the "take it easy before the RRT" thing is that they are just plain used to doing it by now. The Mavs seem to be suffering because they have been doing something different each year for the last three years now. Two years ago it was play hard and beat SA in the playoffs - mission accomplished, but at the cost of the Finals collapse. Last year it was "make up for the Finals collapse" - mission accomplished during the regular season, but we all saw what happened in the first round. If this year is "coast early and turn it up later," then they are certainly coasting now but who knows if they can turn it back on before the hole gets too deep and the losing mindset takes hold of the team.

The Mavs are a better team than they have showed so far this year, but as others have said there has to be someone on the court to step up and lead them out of the funk. AJ can't do it from the sidelines and as his years in the league fade into the past his credibility with the players as being "one of them" will similarly fade.

[Reggie Miller]

Real fans do.


I'm not so sure about that. I consider myself a real Pacers fan, but they are almost unwatchable at times this year. Last night was a major exception; still, they gave up way too many points to a floundering Bulls team.

I think a team can hit rock bottom and still keep trying to dig itself in deeper. (Knicks, anyone?) At that point, I think you can go on hiatus for a while and still consider yourself a "real fan." For example, I think "real" Knicks' fans ought to stop supporting the team at this point, because otherwise they would be enabling Thomas and allowing this monstrosity to continue.

[Cry Havoc]

WERD...and I should know...I'm a Redskins fan... :lol

You have no comprehension of misery.



Go Cubs. :depressed

[Reggie Miller]

You have no comprehension of misery.



Go Cubs. :depressed



Actually, it was my experiences as a recovering Cubs' fan that led me to the "you can't keep enabling a shitty organization" philosophy.

Down with WGN!!!!

[ancestron]

Being a Chiefs fan, I have first hand experience with misery and disappointment as well.

[Shank]

Being a Chiefs fan, I have first hand experience with misery and disappointment as well.

Ouch. As a Denver fan, I saw firsthand what you're going through after this last weekend. But hey - Herm should be gone soon enough.

[ancestron]

Ouch. As a Denver fan, I saw firsthand what you're going through after this last weekend. But hey - Herm should be gone soon enough.

I don't know. Carl Peterson has a giant woody for Herm and it looks like we have another season of this crap at least. He is a horrible coach. KC got man-handled in every sense of the word by the Broncs.

You play! to punt! the ball!

sorry to be off topic. I'm sure the Mavericks will get it together. They have too much talent. This journey into the realm of suck will probably be brief, and good for them in the long run.

[lrrr]

I'm not so sure about that. I consider myself a real Pacers fan, but they are almost unwatchable at times this year. Last night was a major exception; still, they gave up way too many points to a floundering Bulls team.

I think a team can hit rock bottom and still keep trying to dig itself in deeper. (Knicks, anyone?) At that point, I think you can go on hiatus for a while and still consider yourself a "real fan." For example, I think "real" Knicks' fans ought to stop supporting the team at this point, because otherwise they would be enabling Thomas and allowing this monstrosity to continue.

I'm inclined to agree with RM. How do you support an organisation that goes against everything that is morally good in this world? If it was just the inept GMing, that wouldn't be so bad, but things are so so much worse...

Thank God for Robinson, Popovich and Duncan.

[LaMarcus Bryant]

It still makes no sense to me how Devin "The Pussy" Harris scores every single jumpshot he takes against the Spurs, and Josh Howard rebounds like he's a hyper kid on crack against us, and only us. Devin Harris is such a joke, its like he's programmed only to step up against us because he hates so bad that he's nothing more than a poor man's parker.

[easjer]

I'm not so sure about that. I consider myself a real Pacers fan, but they are almost unwatchable at times this year. Last night was a major exception; still, they gave up way too many points to a floundering Bulls team.

I think a team can hit rock bottom and still keep trying to dig itself in deeper. (Knicks, anyone?) At that point, I think you can go on hiatus for a while and still consider yourself a "real fan." For example, I think "real" Knicks' fans ought to stop supporting the team at this point, because otherwise they would be enabling Thomas and allowing this monstrosity to continue.


So much agreement here. Being a fan means caring about your team and wanting them to do well, but it doesn't mean torturing yourself with bottom of the barrel shit. It's not just about wins, you have to be there for the losses too - but when it's as bad as it is in NY - the point is better made by not giving them money or support.

Though, for the record, I do not think the Mavs are anywhere near that point.

[Findog]

As poorly as they have played, relative to their standards, the Mavs would be the fifth seed if the playoffs started today and are 1/2 game out of the fourth. My only expectations for the regular season is that they get a top four seed and have HCA for at least one round. HCA is always nice to have but a title team doesn't NEED it. If you look at what happens in the playoffs historically, only the Rockets won a title being seeded lower than fourth, when they pulled off the repeat in 1995. And the Knicks made a Finals as an 8 seed in the lockout year. But other than that, you need to finish in the top four in your conference. And if we beat NOLA tomorrow night, the fourth seed will be ours, temporarily at least.

I also think it's no surprise that Devin Harris started off the year playing very well and Dallas went 9-2. Now that he's tailed off, they're 14-9. I think he's shown enough that he should be allowed to play through his mistakes. He's never going to make the leap that a lot of optimists think he can if Avery continues to pull him every time he blows an assignment or makes a bad decision. This team has made winning a title as a goal. I don't think that's going to happen with such inconsistency at the PG position. If Devin plays the way he did the first month of the season, a deep playoff run is likely. If not, they'll have trouble getting out of the first round. He's by no means our best player, but at this point he's certainly our most important. They need to shit or get off the pot with Devin. Andre Miller should be available and maybe Cassell too if the Clippers buy him out. I don't know if it can be done within the parameters of the cap, but I would absolutely do a deal for Miller with a package centered around Harris. It doesn't seem like Avery has complete faith in Devin, and if that's the case, Miller and Cassell jump out as the best available options without completely blowing things up. I think there's too much uncertainty regarding Kidd's availability, it seems like to me that he's angling for a contract extension with the Nets.

We don't have a "true" PG right now, nor do we get consistent low-post scoring if Bass is out of the game. And too many roster spots are taken up by aging vets that are contributing very little out on the court: (Juwan, Hassell, Stack, Eddie Jones, Devean George). That's five roster spots that we're getting nothing from.

If we're not going to make a move, then I roll with this lineup:

C: Damp/Diop
4: Dirk
3: Bass
2: Howard
1: Devin

6th Man: Jet
2 other rotation spots: Damp/Diop and Stack.

Maybe somebody will get bought out in February that can help us. I don't like this team very much right now.

[ata]

@DallasFas: I agree, however - why do you think Kobe would change anything? What has he done w/o Shaq?
He is great bbal palyer, no doubt about that, but does he really cares about team effort?

[Shank]

Avery's loyalty to Terry and Stackhouse are ruining what this team should be. Harris needs to be out there running things (if his dumb ass would stop picking up 2 fouls by the 10:00 mark, but that's another story). Terry needs to go back to the bench to start the games. Dirk needs to be more of a leader. I'm tired of his pussy-ing around out there - show some fucking balls, man. If he doesn't want to do it, then Howard needs to step up. And Stackhouse - enjoy being the 4th option off the bench. Guy couldn't hit water if he shot into the ocean.

[DallasFan]

@DallasFas: I agree, however - why do you think Kobe would change anything? What has he done w/o Shaq?
He is great bbal palyer, no doubt about that, but does he really cares about team effort?

Kobe has bigger balls than Dirk...at least from what I've heard. No, seriously, we need someone with a killer instinct that doesn't get down psychologically and chokes. Not to mention Kobe listed Dallas as a team he'd like to play for. I would make the Dirk+whoever for Kobe trade in a heartbeat.

It'll never happen with Cuban's loyalty to Dirk, and especially since the Lakers are rolling right now. Like Findog said...I don't like this team right now either and something is very wrong with them. Sir Charles even said they need to make a trade as they are in trouble.

As mentioned previously, we need a true PG as well...

[LEONARD]

The Spurs were all but done last January too...

[BeerIsGood!]

At worst the Mavs will roll into a 5th seed and still get a favorable matchup against the 4th seeded Rockets or Jazz. After that it's all about who is playing the best in May, and that remains to be seen. Only Knick fans should be pissed and disgruntled right now. Well, maybe Bobcat fans too.

[Findog]

And Stackhouse - enjoy being the 4th option off the bench. Guy couldn't hit water if he shot into the ocean.

Three more years at 8 million per. Terrific!

Not like Marquis Daniels is Basketball Jesus, but I do believe he's a decent defender and is only making around $5 million a year. Since we roll with vets, why don't we sign Kevin Willis while we're at it? Oh wait...

[ShaqDynasty]

Ha ha ha you soft Mavericks.

When we beat you in 2006, we were just winning the series that we were supposed to win and I added my 4th ring that I was supposed to win to my collection of my three other championship rings that I was supposed to win on the team I was supposed to be playing on.

No big surprises, you guys are just missing a bunch of shots that you're supposed to miss in the arena that you're supposed to be scheduled to play in and shoot some shots in.

[B and P Cats]

At worst the Mavs will roll into a 5th seed and still get a favorable matchup against the 4th seeded Rockets or Jazz. After that it's all about who is playing the best in May, and that remains to be seen. Only Knick fans should be pissed and disgruntled right now. Well, maybe Bobcat fans too.


We still have faith! Maybe not this year, but it will come.

I haven't seen any Mavs games, but I'm sorry they seem to be doing so badly. From what I do know, it seems like Harris should be PG or he should not. It seems like you fuss around with him and don't really make him anything. Either use him as PG or find another you can use consistantly. JMO