Avery : ''Let the players decide the game''

[Obstructed_View]

Exactly - Pop also called out Mohammed for that 3 against the Kings... he's not afraid to send the right message to his players... I'm sure if the NBA suspended players for unsportsmanlike conduct (aka needless 3 pointer in blowout) that Pop wouldn't argue the suspension...

Pop suspended Nazr and his backup for an entire playoff series because of that three. He's the classiest coach EVER. I bet he called the coach of the Kings with an offer to commit Seppuku at midcourt, but since the line was disconnected, he could live to fight basketball injustice for many years to come.

[1Parker1]

First game of the Finals I've watched fully. I was slightly rooting for the Mavs, because I really don't like a lot of the players on Miami. Though it's nice to see the exact same thing happen to the Mavs that it did to the Spurs in Games 4 and 5, it still pisses me off the way NBA refs so blatantly affect the outcome of the game. At one point in the 3rd quarter, I checked the boxscore, Heat had scored 82 points and had shot a whopping 40+ FT's at that time. Meanwhile, Mavs had shot something like 15.

Yes, Howard choked big time, yes Dallas as a team choked big time down the stretch, however, I am so freaking tired of having games decided at the FT line. Though it's nice to see Dallas get a taste of it's own medicine, Spurs fans were saying the exact same thing that Mavs fans are saying now after it happened to us.

Anyways, I really could care less about this series, however Avery does have a point. If the NBA would just let players decide the game, it would be that much more enjoyable for fans to watch. And Stern wonders why ratings are so low. Even I was getting bored of watching the Heat just parade to the FT line every other possession.

[jmard5]

I don't think you can equate that to the Webber situation. Webber acted on his own. Josh was just doing what his coach told him.

*lol* Howard "did" a Webber alright. Not just in the NBA. Read on...

-----------------
So ended the civil part of our dialogue, and Howard -- as you can see above -- clearly wasn't in the mood to discuss it further.

Needless to say, I wasn't about to follow up with a question about his free-throw showing earlier in overtime or his history of making a mistake with a late timeout, although those would have been legitimate things to ask. (In college, on Feb. 24, 2002, Howard was with Wake Forest when he called a timeout he didn't have with 1.3 seconds left against Maryland. It was a technical foul, and Juan Dixon made 1 of 2 free throws to win the game.)

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dailydime

[Hook Dem]

#6 needs to be hung in the Mavs gym...not ours! that traitor! The Mavericks have become nothing more than the Avery & Cuban show! They deserve one another.

[nkdlunch]

If Avery rolled over on this, you guys would be calling him a pussy for not fighting for his team.

"fighting for his team"? Little mav es need daddy Avery to protect them

[ctpsb]

I know I'm repeating what's been said on this thread many times now.
But it is nice to see Mavs get a taste of their own medicine. At least Wade was moving toward the basket in the act of shooting with three guys swiping their hands at them. Dirk was twisiting wildly in place 12 feet from the basket not shooting with Bowen's hands away from him at end of Game 4 when foul was whistled!!

Also Avery is similar to Pop with emphasis on defense, but the Hack-A-Shaq and constant reference to the officials??!! Not like Pop at all!!

Don't get me wrong, I still believed Pop screwed up with small ball (is Miami not starting Shaq to "match up" with Mavs or are they playing THEIR style of game?), but no way would he do BS Avery is doing in this series!!

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

The problem is everyone in Dallas is losing it. I wouldn't be suprised to see technicals galore in game 6 if Dallas isn't getting every call from the opening tip. They'll be crying and complaining left and right to the stripes.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

I am so freaking tired of having games decided at the FT line

If players don't foul guys going for shots at the end of games, FTs won't decide it. Pretty simple actually.

[ctpsb]

The problem is everyone in Dallas is losing it. I wouldn't be suprised to see technicals galore in game 6 if Dallas isn't getting every call from the opening tip. They'll be crying and complaining left and right to the stripes.

EXACTLY!!!!

I think Mavs are so used to getting most all the calls (didn't Dirk get 20-25 FT's in a couple of our games by the way for all Mavs fans who complain about Wade's 25?) that they don't know what to do when they don't. However be prepared since going back to Dallas, calls will probably start going their way again. And when Dirk gets 25 FT's again, all Mavs will forget they complained about these last couple of games.

[1Parker1]

If players don't foul guys going for shots at the end of games, FTs won't decide it. Pretty simple actually.

Hmm, I don't recall you saying that after that ticky-tack Bowen foul on Dirk. This one was the same one on Wade.

[MadDog73]

If players don't foul guys going for shots at the end of games, FTs won't decide it. Pretty simple actually.

And this is the problem with Cuban's brand of B-Ball. With every touch being called a foul (or the potential to, anyway), you can't play defense at all.

So, you have two choices:

1. Let the player get to the hoop, and see if he can score.

2. Make him shoot free throws.

Neither makes very exciting basketball. Some contact in basketball is essential to keeping the game entertaining. The subjective "hard fouls" should still be called, but having good refs should alleviate most of the problems these subjective calls raise.

But to have every other possession end with FTs is just crap to watch...

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Bowen didn't ticky tack foul Dirk. Nowitzki dropped his shoulder into Bowen three straight times, and the fourth one the ref called a foul.

There's a nice NBA image floating around out there showing Devin Harris with a handful of Wade's shooting arm, which explains the ball coming out of Wade's hand wildly.

Big difference in the calls, IMO.

[1Parker1]

But have every other possession end with FTs is just crap to watch

True that. I was thinking that exact same thing as I watched the game yesterday. How do they expect ratings to go up? The average TV viewer would most likely prefer to watch players make tough shots/buzzer beaters in the clutch. Not shoot FT's every possession.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

If Avery wouldn't have gone hack a Shaq, there wouldn't have been the FT disparity or every foul for Miami ending up in FTs.

Seriously, Shaq shot what, 14 FTs largely due to Hack a Shaq. Don't intentionally foul the guy for 3 minutes of basketball and then whine about the FT disparity, or the fact Miami was in the bonus at the end.

Riley said it best last night - whenever they are in the bonus Wade is going to attack and put the onus on the D to either foul him or let him score, because they can't stop him.

Avery got his own medicine crammed back down his throat, what's the big deal?

[SPARKY]

It's rather simple. Mavs games should be called with 'Riley rules' when they are on defense and the current rules when they are on offense. Otherwise Cuban will run around on the court in a Mavs jersey and stare at you.

[kalikot_boy_kr]

mavs are the better team? what??!!! are u kidding me?? how comes they become better team? hahhahaha!! u mavs fan are just trashy idiot!!!!! hahahha!

[whottt]

Just to chime in on when the Spurs gave Manu AJ's jersey...

Beyond all doubt the Spurs and Pop new it was AJ's jersey...

At the press conference when Pop(who was still the GM back then IIRC) handed Manu the jersey, he said, "the last guy that wore that jersey hit a shot to win a championship".

Without a doubt the Spurs knew it was AJ's jersey and had no intentions of retiring that number and it was Don Harris that stirred up everyone about it.

What was AJ's quote about the whole thing?

"Let him make his own number"

A quote which Manu immediately stuck up AJ's ass.

20 was >>>>>>>>>>>> 6 after 2 years and it's actually an embarrasing slight to Manu that makes Spurs fans and org look ing clueless.

[LEONARD]

mavs are the better team? what??!!! are u kidding me?? how comes they become better team? hahhahaha!! u mavs fan are just trashy idiot!!!!! hahahha!

[SPARKY]

Just to chime in on when the Spurs gave Manu AJ's jersey...

Beyond all doubt the Spurs and Pop new it was AJ's jersey...

At the press conference when Pop(who was still the GM back then IIRC) handed Manu the jersey, he said, "the last guy that wore that jersey hit a shot to win a championship".

Without a doubt the Spurs knew it was AJ's jersey and had no intentions of retiring that number and it was Don Harris that stirred up everyone about it.

What was AJ's quote about the whole thing?

"Let him make his own number"

A quote which Manu immediately stuck up AJ's ass.

20 was >>>>>>>>>>>> 6 after 2 years and it's actually an embarrasing slight to Manu that makes Spurs fans and org look ing clueless.

Dude, it's a ing number.

[picnroll]

Avery's greatest quotes:

"Let him make his own number"
"Jesus would be ashamed of you"
What was the Parker one? "Don't send a boy to do a man's job"?

Avery is the Yogi Berra of low class remarks.

[Supergirl]

Yeah, AJ has really pissed me off. He's become Cuban-ized, rather than learning from Pop, who seemingly is the only coach who DOESN'T whine about the calls and the refs, even when they're off. Just STFU and play through it, AJ. The better team finds a way to win. When you don't complain when you're winning and suddenly you complain when you lose, it just makes you look like an asshole. There were plenty of questionable calls that got the Mavs to where they are today, but you don't see them complaining about it. And Dirk gets away with whatever he wants most of the time. So STFU and play through it. Play the way the game is being called already. Get over it.

[MadDog73]

Dude, it's a ing number.

I could care less if AJ's number is retired or not, the only number's I care about are #50, #21, and #20.

#9 will be up there too, but that's awhile away.

It's rather simple. Mavs games should be called with 'Riley rules' when they are on defense and the current rules when they are on offense. Otherwise Cuban will run around on the court in a Mavs jersey and stare at you.

I think that's in Cuban's new, revised "Official Rules."

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Yeah, AJ has really pissed me off. He's become Cuban-ized, rather than learning from Pop, who seemingly is the only coach who DOESN'T whine about the calls and the refs, even when they're off.

He's not becoming Cubanized, some of you are just waking up to the real AJ.

He trashed Parker when he got here and replaced him, he said crap about Manu and the jersey #, the list goes on and on. He's a punk. Always has been.

[Please_dont_ban_me]

AJ wasn't exactly loved by his teammates and coaching staff here.

He was more so tolerated.

[George Gervin's Afro]

I'm shaking my Avery Johnson jersey in anger!!!