Monos1lab1k

[Ghazi]

I expect the Mavs to finish with around 47 wins if they stay healthy and go out as a lower seed in the first round. Anything less is disappointing and anything more is overachieving.

I think we can crack 50 wins. Keep in mind the Mavs have had 27 road games, and 22 home games. 19 of the final 33 are at home. We've done a better job at home lately, 15-3 since the 0-4 start.

Also, it sure would be nice if we could turn Stack's contract into a useful body.

I dont mind Howard as much anymore. When he was injured/blackhole I wouldn't have minded a trade for the sake thereof, even if a lateral move.

Now I wouldn't trade him except for an offer we can't refuse.

This team needs an infusion of talent anyway, turning a corpse into a useful player would be nice.

It's really hard for me to blame anyone in particular really. We win 60% of our games, and in 40% of our losses 35% of them are blowouts.

When you get blown out, it's hard to pin it on Howard stagnating the offense, or Kidd's inability to penetrate or shoot consistently, it's just been bad defense.

So where did our beloved Mavs D go? We were good, not great, from 05-06 to even last year... this year we've slipped to mediocre. Does 1 year make that much of a difference? Is it the coaching? Complete disinterest?

[ElNono]

Here's a question for Mavs fans...
How many times this season did your team rally from a 15-20+ deficit to either win, or just get back into the game?

[Brickhouse]

Now I wouldn't trade him except for an offer we can't refuse.

This team needs an infusion of talent anyway, turning a corpse into a useful player would be nice.

There are no "no-brainer" deals out there for JHo. Especially when other GMs know they can swindle Mark and Donnie.
They can continue sitting on their asses waiting for some team to offer gold for our , but that isn't happening.

[Ghazi]

We were down 16 to the Cavs earlier this year, came back to tie up, then ended up losing by 19 down by 25 at one point ugh.

Some 4th quarter rallies against the Pacers/Clippers

And the 29 pt comeback v the T-Wolves

[monosylab1k]

Here's a question for Mavs fans...
How many times this season did your team rally from a 15-20+ deficit to either win, or just get back into the game?

We had that epic win where we delivered the greatest comeback in Mavericks history..........................................against the Timberwolves.

[monosylab1k]

They can continue sitting on their asses waiting for some team to offer gold for our , but that isn't happening.

Mark has assured us many times that there's plenty of teams out there desperate to give us their gold for our . Trust in Mark Cuban, it's worked wonders in the past.

[ElNono]

We were down 16 to the Cavs earlier this year, came back to tie up, then ended up losing by 19 down by 25 at one point ugh.

Some 4th quarter rallies against the Pacers/Clippers

And the 29 pt comeback v the T-Wolves

Thanks. It just seemed to me that when the going gets tough, the team tends to lay down... But it must have been just the wrong impression...

[monosylab1k]

Thanks. It just seemed to me that when the going gets tough, the team tends to lay down... But it must have been just the wrong impression...

Generally when the going gets tough, the Mavs will fight back to tie the game and then puff on a "came back to tie the game" cigar for the final 8 minutes and lose by 18.

[Ghazi]

I think it's simply a matter of, when the jumpers aren't falling, and the fast break game isn't going, games can get ugly quickly due to our beloved inconsistent defense.

How else can we manufacture points? We dont get to the line often, we dont have a big man who can score.

Basically, fast break points + jumpers. We're the best 2 PT jump shooting team in the league, have been for years wiht Dirk/Terry on the roster, but I dont think thats a stat to hang your hat on.

When those are failing, games get ugly quickly, may or may not be due to effort.

I mean, what. our beloved Mavs are allowing 3-4 more points per game this year and 5-6 more points per game than 2 years ago and the year before that.

With defense like that, it can indeed get ugly for our beloved Mavs. Same for any team that isn't at the very least adequate on that side of the ball.

[Ghazi]

Another thing, we used to be a juggernaut offense. Now we're just a good but not great offense.

At the end of the day, it's all about putting the ball in the bucket and preventing the other team from doing it.

Well when you regress at both, nights like this can happen... its happened for the Suns/Pistons this year too... happens for mediocre/bad teams all the time.

[mavs>spurs2]

I think it's simply a matter of, when the jumpers aren't falling, and the fast break game isn't going, games can get ugly quickly due to our beloved inconsistent defense.

How else can we manufacture points? We dont get to the line often, we dont have a big man who can score.

Basically, fast break points + jumpers. We're the best 2 PT jump shooting team in the league, have been for years wiht Dirk/Terry on the roster, but I dont think thats a stat to hang your hat on.

When those are failing, games get ugly quickly, may or may not be due to effort.

I mean, what. our beloved Mavs are allowing 3-4 more points per game this year and 5-6 more points per game than 2 years ago and the year before that.

With defense like that, it can indeed get ugly for our beloved Mavs. Same for any team that isn't at the very least adequate on that side of the ball.

Very accurate assessment. I said back in 2001 that we'd never win a championship without a post scorer, and so far it has held true. The only team I can think of who did it was the 04 Pistons and they even had Sheed.

[Brickhouse]

From Dallas Morning News:

SALT LAKE CITY – The Mavericks' phones have gone quiet. Or at least gotten quieter.
The e-mails have slowed from an avalanche to a trickle.
A four-game winning streak will do that.
Owner Mark Cuban said Thursday the Mavericks have understandably drifted out of any serious trade talks given the team's recent uptick. That doesn't mean there aren't still deals to be made before the Feb. 19 trade deadline. But nothing is on the front burner, or even close to it.

If the Mavericks' recent rise is maintained, it's logical to assume they will look for more of a small trade, a tweak, if you will. There is no reason for them to take a major risk in the trade market when the team has shown the sort of quality it has the last week.
Even early against the Jazz on Thursday.
The Mavericks had lost all of the hot shooting they enjoyed for four games, but they were in the middle of the game, always within striking distance of the Jazz.
That's a good sign the recommitment is there, and the Mavericks can give themselves a fighting chance on any night.
Of course, the way things go in this league, now that the Mavericks have eased off the trade-talk gas pedal, the offers will probably start pouring in.

[Ghazi]

Oh how I weep for our beloved Mavs.

I never lost hope that we atleast had a shot at a le last year. Whether it was overconfident, delusion, whatevs, after the Kidd game we had so many close calls that it teased me into thinking the team was right there... then the playoffs happened.

Some perhaps saw it sooner. After the '06 rigged Finals perhaps, or the GSW series, or the Kidd trade, or this offseason, but I had faith in our beloved Mavs.

This year I lost hope in our beloved Mavs after the 3rd game of the season. The Cavs came into our arena and shut our offense down badly, and scored at will. Up by 16 after 1, we come back to tie it, and then get outscored by 25... within 18 minutes... in our own building.

I've set my expectations low for this year, a playoff series win would thrill me, wouldn't be much but would be 1 more playoff series win than we've seen in the past 2 years. It hurts that we're no longer contenders, and my nights are spent thinking what could've been if Bennett Salvatore didn't blow his bull whistle, D-Whistle the wheelchair primadonna didn't make a bunch of fluke shots, etc.

All we can do is endure the mediocrity, for that is our obligation if we want to be called Mavs fans.

Anywho, even if we had the '05-'06 roster in tact, it seems like teams took steroids this year. I'd imagine we'd be around 5th or 6th best in the league.

3 years ago players like Lebron and Kobe were on bad rosters, and Paul/Williams/Howard/Roy were young and undeveloped. Maybe its just me, maybe its the Mavs regressing, but it seems like the NBA took steroids.