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Hope they are forever.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...e.2b34198.html
Dallas Mavericks still San Antonio spurned
Duncan's Spurs have what Dirk's Mavs are chasing
By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News
It's a fraternity that nobody wants to be in, but one that includes many of the greatest basketball players in history.
The second-leading NBA scorer of all time is in it. So is the point guard with the most assists.
Ten members of the 50 greatest players as voted upon at the league's 50th anniversary are card-carrying members.
And, for now at least, so is the best European player in history.
Dirk Nowitzki has to live with being in the same category as Karl Malone, John Stockton, Charles Barkley, Elgin Baylor, Kevin Garnett and a slew of others. None of them has an NBA championship.
Like others before him, Nowitzki would love to change that, but if he doesn't, it won't make him any less of a player.
Besides, in addition to being ring-less like so many high-end NBA players, they have something else in common. They all ran into dynasties and/or all-galactic talented players who were simply more dominant during their respective eras.
Barkley, Malone, Stockton, Patrick Ewing and the rest of the '90s generation tried and failed to dent the Michael Jordan dynasty. The Chicago Bulls won six les in eight years with Jordan and Scottie Pippen. When Jordan took two seasons off, Hakeem Olajuwon and Houston scooped those trophies.
Before that, it was Magic Johnson and Larry Bird who dominated the '80s. Beating them meant something.
Every NBA era, which lasts about 10 years or so, has its le-hoarders.
This generation, the first since Jordan's departure, has been dominated by Shaquille O'Neal and Tim Duncan, who have won all but one of the les since 1999.
That means there's a whole new age bracket of players who have been denied a le by two of the most commanding influences in league history.
Nowitzki, Kevin Garnett, Jason Kidd, Steve Nash and Allen Iverson all have the game, the heart and the drive to win les.
They've just never had the right team.
"There's always a generation of a team that's really outstanding," Avery Johnson said Wednesday. "Tim Duncan came along, and it was good for a lot of us, including myself. It's a terrific situation for them. We just happen to be in that era to see how solid they are.
"It's a challenge. I love it. It was real meaningful for me in the time I spent there. And now I'm here and ... we're like the rabbits. They're the ones that got the guns."
Barkley said he has never felt that failing to win a championship was an indictment on his career. Far from it, in fact. So many factors are involved to win a championship that it's often out of a player's control, even for the best of players.
"Barkley will roll his eyes on whether it's a referendum on his career, whether he won a championship or not, because he knows he did everything he could," said assistant coach Paul Westphal, who coached Phoenix when Barkley and the Suns lost to Jordan and the Bulls in the '93 Finals. "Sometimes, one little play doesn't go your way, and that ends up being the season.
It has been tough for Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks to get past Tim Duncan and the Spurs. "And sometimes, the difference is something as silly as somebody stepping on the court during a fight. It's that fine of a line."
The good news for Nowitzki, as well as Garnett and Nash and others still chasing the dream, is they still have time. Nowitzki is solidly in the middle of his career and is a couple of years younger than Duncan.
"They're still winners, and they're still future Hall of Famers," veteran Juwan Howard said. "That's not a knock on a career. We have a championship-caliber team, but if you want to win it, you have to go through San Antonio."
Which brings us to tonight's contest. The Mavericks are aware that no championship can be won or lost tonight. But they also know they must treat every meeting with San Antonio like it's a benchmark game.
Until they win a le, the Mavericks won't be able to consider themselves on the Spurs' level. And Barkley said he believes the Mavericks may have missed their opportunity.
"I honestly thought the Mavericks had broken through when they beat the Spurs in Game 7 a couple years ago," Barkley said, referring to the year Dallas beat San Antonio in the Western Conference semifinals and lost to Miami in the NBA Finals. "I thought they'd crossed over.
"But it's harder to stay there. When you don't win it all, you obviously weren't good enough. So you got to make changes. And they haven't made any changes of significance. You saw their flaws in the Golden State series last year. They match up well with the Spurs, but not with other teams."
RE-JECTED!
Eddie Sefko's top 10 players in NBA history without a ring and the primary foils that kept them from achieving that magical moment.
1. Karl Malone, John Stockton: NBA's second-leading scorer and top assist man spent almost their entire careers together: Foils: Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon
2. Charles Barkley: Greatest rebounder ever for his size. Foils: Larry Bird, Michael Jordan
3. Elgin Baylor: Retired with knee problems nine games into the season in which the Lakers would win it all. Foils: John Havlicek, Bill Russell
4. Kevin Garnett: Played 12 seasons in Minnesota and never reached Finals. Foils: Shaquille O'Neal, Tim Duncan.
5. Patrick Ewing: Best jump-shooting center of all time, perhaps, but never was surrounded by enough talent. Foils: Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon.
6. Reggie Miller: His 3-point records may never be broken, and longevity as a shooter remarkable. Foils: Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal.
7. Bob Lanier: Career 20-point, 10-rebound player was a force in the paint. Foils: Dave Cowens, Bill Walton, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
8. Jason Kidd: Best point guard in post-Magic Johnson era has been to two Finals. Foils: Shaquille O'Neal, Tim Duncan.
9. Dirk Nowitzki: He's an MVP, and his game has evolved to all-around status, but he knows Kidd's pain. Foils: Shaquille O'Neal, Tim Duncan.
10. Allen Iverson: Toughest and craftiest 6-footer maybe of all time got Philly to a Finals basically by himself. Foils: Shaquille O'Neal
UN LED
Ten of the NBA's 50 greatest players, as voted upon on the league's 50th anniversary, finished their careers without a championship.
Player Finals app.
Charles Barkley ('84-'00) 1
Elgin Baylor ('58-'72) 8
Dave Bing ('66-'78) 0
Patrick Ewing ('85-'02) 2
George Gervin ('74-'86) 0
Karl Malone ('85-'04) 3
Pete Maravich ('70-'80) 0
John Stockton ('84-'03) 2
Nate Thurmond ('63-'77) 2
Lenny Wilkens ('60-'75) 1
Hope they are forever.
We will see when after tonights score is
Mavs 110
Spurs 89
"Like others before him, Nowitzki would love to change that, but if he doesn't, it won't make him any less of a player."
B.S. unlike some of the others superstars mentioned Dirk has proven to be "charmin" when it counts. He needs to "ball up" and win something, he has had lots of talent around him for a long time.
This game means nothing. It's November 15th...call me when it's May 15th. But still I'd like the Spurs to come out strong and not lethargic.
Nice jab yah jerk.It has been tough for Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks to get past Tim Duncan and the Spurs. "And sometimes, the difference is something as silly as somebody stepping on the court during a fight. It's that fine of a line."
And what were the Spurs chasing in *99?
Did he have to give the Suns fans more fuel?
??????????????
We will see what?
I don't think either team gets a trophy for a win tonight.
Are you throwing in the towel so soon? Sure there is a trophy it's called the Dallas Mavericks owns your San Antonio ass award. what could be better?
Throwing in what towel? What the are you talking about? Did I say Spurs are losing? I said I don't think EITHER team gets a trophy for a win tonight.
But ok, you think the Mavs will win.
Still, the fact you do make your own trophy for maybe getting a win in a November game is exactly why you guys will never win a le. You guys celebrate too damn early, call it "pre-mature ejac-lebration": wins in November, 67 wins before May, WC Semi Finals...
So, go play with your November trophies and admire that Division banner and that 2nd Place banner you guys hang so proudly in the AAC.
Last edited by smrattler; 11-15-2007 at 02:40 PM.
^
hopefully all the games between the teams don't come too early. we're gonna have played houston twice in the first three weeks. i'd rather see these matchups later in the season!
edit: looks like game 2 is in early dec, but the next two are in feb and march.
Dave Bing ('66-'78) 0
Dave Bing left the Bullets in 1977. They won the championship the next year. So close but yet so far.
That was the biatch slap heard round the world!
Still, the fact you do make your own trophy for maybe getting a win in a November game is exactly why you guys will never win a le. You guys celebrate too damn early, call it "pre-mature ejac-lebration": wins in November, 67 wins before May, WC Semi Finals...
So, go play with your November trophies and admire that Division banner and that 2nd Place banner you guys hang so proudly in the AAC.
Say what ???
It should be Wade and Refs instead of Shaq for Dirk.
Did the refs caused Dirk to shoot under 40% against the Heat?
The article is talking about how Dirk and the other players' teams lost to the opposing team.
Shaq was irrelevant in that series.
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