Questions for Mav Fan

[timvp]

I know that when Spurs fans and Mavs fans converse, the focus eventually shifts to four rings, sexuals, the Heat, turtle shaped heads, the Warriors, Ginobili's foul, Bennett Salvatore and other lovely topics. But for one thread, let's see if we can keep things on track. Here are five questions I'd genuinely be interested in having Mav Fan answer and provide insight on the team they follow:

1) A lot of league observers have noted that while Dirk is still a great player, he isn't as athletically explosive as he was in 2006. As the theory goes, his lowered rate of free throws is due to a slowing of his first step. Do you, as a Mav Fan, agree that Nowitzki's athletic peak is behind him or do you believe that simply his role in the offense has be altered?

2) Avery Johnson received a lot of the credit for defeating the Spurs in 2006. Now that Rick Carlisle is in charge, what are the positives and negatives of this regime compared to Johnson's reign?

3) Defensively, the Mavs haven't been elite this season. They are giving up almost 100 points per game and they are in the middle of the pack in opponents' field goal percentage. That said, as of late, the Mavs' defensive stats are improving. Has there been a distinct change in the team's defensive focus as of late?

4) Josh Howard had a very rocky portion of this season, however he is playing better as of late. How would you compare this version of Howard to the version that was on display in 2006?

5) Which player on the Mavs do you believe is the x-factor in this first round series against the Spurs?

Thank you in advance, Mav fan.

[LEONARD]

I know that when Spurs fans and Mavs fans converse, the focus eventually shifts to four rings, sexuals, the Heat, turtle shaped heads, the Warriors, Ginobili's foul, Bennett Salvatore and other lovely topics. But for one thread, let's see if we can keep things on track. Here are five questions I'd genuinely be interested in having Mav Fan answer and provide insight on the team they follow:

1) A lot of league observers have noted that while Dirk is still a great player, he isn't as athletically explosive as he was in 2006. As the theory goes, his lowered rate of free throws is due to a slowing of his first step. Do you, as a Mav Fan, agree that Nowitzki's athletic peak is behind him or do you believe that simply his role in the offense has be altered?

Peak is behind him

2) Avery Johnson received a lot of the credit for defeating the Spurs in 2006. Now that Rick Carlisle is in charge, what are the positives and negatives of this regime compared to Johnson's reign?

Carlisle is better

3) Defensively, the Mavs haven't been elite this season. They are giving up almost 100 points per game and they are in the middle of the pack in opponents' field goal percentage. That said, as of late, the Mavs' defensive stats are improving. Has there been a distinct change in the team's defensive focus as of late?

Yes

4) Josh Howard had a very rocky portion of this season, however he is playing better as of late. How would you compare this version of Howard to the version that was on display in 2006?

75% of '06 Howard

5)Which player on the Mavs do you believe is the x-factor in this first round series against the Spurs?

Thank you in advance, Mav fan.

JJ Mother in' Barea

You're welcome...

[MavTalker]

Mavs play bad against athletic team like Lakers Denver Warriors Cavs Hornets etc..

We know everything about Spurs, and they are not athletic at all...

I am not saying Mavs will beat Spurs in 7 games, however they are the BEST opponent we want to play in the first round

The key is not how many points Parker will score on Kidd, the key is how we can limit TD. TD has been seriously hurt recently, i really believe he is not going to be the same TD like before, there is a way to limit his efficiency. Rick, time to show your magic!!Kidd, Wright, Howard, and Singleton. I don't really see how we don't match up well with them but match up well with SA.
Parker is going to put up some of the best numbers you will ever see from a point guard in a playoff series.

Parker can get to the basket any time he wants without a pick and we aren't going to come off of Bonner, Finley, Mason, or Duncan so he will have layup after layup all day long. How are we going to stop that? God forbid, they actually set a pick for him.Our record against the spurs this year - 2-2 Our record against denver - 0-4

With a hobbled Duncan and a bunch of role players that can be shut down, Parker is going to have to put up 60 a game for us to be in worse shape than if we played Denver. Denver's bigs match up well against ours, Chauncey is too quick for Kidd and too big for JJB/Terry, a gimpy Howard can't lock down Carmelo, and JR Smith has been en fuego recently. Ill count my blessings we missed them in the first round
Denver would've beaten us. I think our chances against San Antonio are very good. We have to be sure and not underestimate the perimeter guys like Mason jr. and Finley though. If we can contain Parker, than I think we've got the series wrapped up. Im anxious to see how Dirk and Terry do in this series but I have a good feeling about Barea too for some reason.
This is the series i've been wanting since the classic '06 series..(i wanted them to play before either team made BIG changes to their core guys). l think this will go down as another ESPN classic. We always play our best vs San Antonio. The l-35 rivalry will be FUN!!
GO MAVS!

[xtremesteven33]

HaHa Mavs fans.

[completely deck]

question for spurstalk owner admin:

After considering all the aspects of the matchup between the Spurs and the Mavs, I regretfully have to admit that the evidence points to the Mavs being more likely to win this series. Dallas is just a very bad matchup that causes a mul ude of problems. With Ginobili, I'd say the Spurs win in six games. Without Ginobili? The evidence points to the Mavs winning in six games.

I don't get it, timvp. I just don't get it.

[Shank]

I know that when Spurs fans and Mavs fans converse, the focus eventually shifts to four rings, sexuals, the Heat, turtle shaped heads, the Warriors, Ginobili's foul, Bennett Salvatore and other lovely topics. But for one thread, let's see if we can keep things on track. Here are five questions I'd genuinely be interested in having Mav Fan answer and provide insight on the team they follow:

1) A lot of league observers have noted that while Dirk is still a great player, he isn't as athletically explosive as he was in 2006. As the theory goes, his lowered rate of free throws is due to a slowing of his first step. Do you, as a Mav Fan, agree that Nowitzki's athletic peak is behind him or do you believe that simply his role in the offense has be altered?

2) Avery Johnson received a lot of the credit for defeating the Spurs in 2006. Now that Rick Carlisle is in charge, what are the positives and negatives of this regime compared to Johnson's reign?

3) Defensively, the Mavs haven't been elite this season. They are giving up almost 100 points per game and they are in the middle of the pack in opponents' field goal percentage. That said, as of late, the Mavs' defensive stats are improving. Has there been a distinct change in the team's defensive focus as of late?

4) Josh Howard had a very rocky portion of this season, however he is playing better as of late. How would you compare this version of Howard to the version that was on display in 2006?

5) Which player on the Mavs do you believe is the x-factor in this first round series against the Spurs?

Thank you in advance, Mav fan.

1. Dirk's game has changed since 2006. Yes, he's a touch slower and may not be as explosive, but he's added to his repertoire. I think he's a smarter player today because of his trevails. That "Euro Fade" is a staple and, while you know it's coming, is quite difficult to defend. He's better over smaller defenders and makes good decisions out of double-teams. Still not a good defender, but he's adequate and is good for a couple swipes and rebounds when he's playing inside. That being said, I personally hate when Carlisle leaves him to defend the paint.

2. Carlisle, though many saw him as a brow-beater, has taken his control down a notch from what Avery was doing here in Dallas. They tried his brand of the motion offense early in the season, but quickly scrapped it when it was seen not to be effective with his roster. He trusts his point guard and stars more than Avery every did and just "lets the guys play". Negatively, his lineups are sometimes baffling and his 3rd quarter adjustments have fallen short on a number of occasions. He sometimes doesn't pull the plug quickly enough when things are working and has been known to piss away timeouts.

3. The players are seeing first-hand what happens when they play with an intensity on the defensive end. They obviously have the firepower to hang with anyone but have been witnesses to losses to inferior opponents when they think they can breeze through games. It's a question whether they can do it on a consistent basis, though. They still seem to lose focus or take quarters off on the defensive-end.

4. This version of Howard has taken it upon himself to improve himself both on and off the court. He's more "grown up", if you will. His BBIQ, while still iffy, is better than in the past and he knows that success follows him when he attacks the basket rather than settling for jumpers. He mopes less and keeps his head in the game even when the offense isn't going through him or he's having an off-night. He understands that this team finds success when he plays to his potential.

5. X-Factor...hmmmm. I would hope that Barea's matchup against Vaughn off the bench would give the Mavs an advantage, but I get a feeling Carlisle is going to give him the chance to start. Bass? Possibly. Hollins? People love him and what he can bring, but I don't know how much burn he'll get. I'm going to go with (and some will hate me for this) - Erick Dampier. If Damp stays out of foul trouble and can chip in at least 8/8, I think it opens up a lot of things for the Mavs and makes life easier for Dirk and Howard.

I love you,
Shank

[Whisky Dog]

Hittin' the bar a bit early Mavtalker? I honestly don't know what you were trying to say in that post.

[timvp]

I don't get it, timvp. I just don't get it.

What don't you get? And what does that quote have to do with this thread?

[ElNono]

The key is not how many points Parker will score on Kidd, the key is how we can limit TD. TD has been seriously hurt recently, i really believe he is not going to be the same TD like before, there is a way to limit his efficiency. Rick, time to show your magic!!Kidd, Wright, Howard, and Singleton. I don't really see how we don't match up well with them but match up well with SA.
Parker is going to put up some of the best numbers you will ever see from a point guard in a playoff series.

Parker can get to the basket any time he wants without a pick and we aren't going to come off of Bonner, Finley, Mason, or Duncan so he will have layup after layup all day long. How are we going to stop that? God forbid, they actually set a pick for him.Our record against the spurs this year - 2-2 Our record against denver - 0-4

With a hobbled Duncan and a bunch of role players that can be shut down, Parker is going to have to put up 60 a game for us to be in worse shape than if we played Denver. Denver's bigs match up well against ours, Chauncey is too quick for Kidd and too big for JJB/Terry, a gimpy Howard can't lock down Carmelo, and JR Smith has been en fuego recently. Ill count my blessings we missed them in the first round
Denver would've beaten us. I think our chances against San Antonio are very good. We have to be sure and not underestimate the perimeter guys like Mason jr. and Finley though. If we can contain Parker, than I think we've got the series wrapped up. Im anxious to see how Dirk and Terry do in this series but I have a good feeling about Barea too for some reason.
This is the series i've been wanting since the classic '06 series..(i wanted them to play before either team made BIG changes to their core guys). l think this will go down as another ESPN classic. We always play our best vs San Antonio. The l-35 rivalry will be FUN!!
GO MAVS!

This is where the train derails. What magic could possibly Carslile come up with to slow down TD? Double team and open up our shooters?
And he's been nothing short of great the last week or so. The end of TD's reign of terror has been greatly exaggerated.

[clambake]

1) A lot of league observers have noted that while Dirk is still a great player, he isn't as athletically explosive as he was in 2006. As the theory goes, his lowered rate of free throws is due to a slowing of his first step. Do you, as a Mav Fan, agree that Nowitzki's athletic peak is behind him or do you believe that simply his role in the offense has be altered?

i never considered him explosive, but i felt his focus was lacking. they're playing better as a team right now.....and yes, he's already peaked.

2) Avery Johnson received a lot of the credit for defeating the Spurs in 2006. Now that Rick Carlisle is in charge, what are the positives and negatives of this regime compared to Johnson's reign?

pos: they don't have to constantly look to the sidelines at the little screamer.

neg: he doesn't have the same players.

3) Defensively, the Mavs haven't been elite this season. They are giving up almost 100 points per game and they are in the middle of the pack in opponents' field goal percentage. That said, as of late, the Mavs' defensive stats are improving. Has there been a distinct change in the team's defensive focus as of late?

they're just more confident as a whole. good timing for a weak team.

4) Josh Howard had a very rocky portion of this season, however he is playing better as of late. How would you compare this version of Howard to the version that was on display in 2006?

not even close. it doesn't take much for him to pout, then he'll start chucking jumpers and half-ass it back down on D. if you guys get in his head early, he'll limp the rest of the way.

5) Which player on the Mavs do you believe is the x-factor in this first round series against the Spurs?

whoever is guarding parker.....at any time. that could be six players through the course of one game.

and don't thank me........i have no idea what i'm talking about.

[41times]

1) A lot of league observers have noted that while Dirk is still a great player, he isn't as athletically explosive as he was in 2006. As the theory goes, his lowered rate of free throws is due to a slowing of his first step. Do you, as a Mav Fan, agree that Nowitzki's athletic peak is behind him or do you believe that simply his role in the offense has be altered?

First of all, Dirk was never all that "athletic" He was and is a tremendous basketball player who has a ton of talent. I think what you are seeing this year compared to years past is that Coach Carlisle is not trying to make him something that he is not and that is a down low or post player. Avery and Nellie were dead set on forcing him to make that move to the basket. So he worked on that for years and got "okay" at it. But the real Dirk is a dead eye shooter. So this year he has developed this little step back 1 footed move when the defender gets up on him real tight. So naturally he is getting a few less FT's because he is using this move 10 times a game instead of trying to get past the defender. Personally i think he is the same speed today as he was in '06. But he is having his 3rd best year ever so if he is "slower" it is not really translating to a worse performance. You be the judge.

2) Avery Johnson received a lot of the credit for defeating the Spurs in 2006. Now that Rick Carlisle is in charge, what are the positives and negatives of this regime compared to Johnson's reign?

What i liked about Avery was that he came in with a different at ude than Nellie had. Nellie was the "underdog king" he always wanted to be the guy/team that wasn't supposed to win so when they did everybody was surprised and happy. Problem was he had a team in 2002 that was good enough to win it all. Then Dirk got hurt in the playoffs and that was it.

So Avery takes over when Nellie quit and the first thing Avery said (which he proabably got from Pop) was we are here to win a Championship. Period. And once he convinced the players then you saw what happened in '06. We beat the Suns and you guys to get to the Finals. Problem was DumbWade got every call and Avery was exposed as a below average X & O's coach. Mavs should have never lost in the Finals. Dallas had far superior talent. But Avery got out coached by Riley. When the same thing happened in '07 against GSW Cuban had to do something. Enter Kidd and Carlisle.

Avery was a firey compe or and a good motivator. But when his weakness as a coach were exposed, he lost the team and the confidence of the owner.

Carlisle is about as exciting as watching paint dry. However, he is a terrific X & O's guy. We are so much better out of timeouts now and we are so much better at adjusting to matchup situations than with Avery. Carlisle & Cuban brought back the Motivator to fill the void and that is Daryl Armstrong. He was a firey guy when he played here for a few years and he is the perfect compliment to Carlisle.

3) Defensively, the Mavs haven't been elite this season. They are giving up almost 100 points per game and they are in the middle of the pack in opponents' field goal percentage. That said, as of late, the Mavs' defensive stats are improving. Has there been a distinct change in the team's defensive focus as of late?

The slight improvement is because of guys like A. Wright, Bass and Kidd. Yeah i know Kidd gets killed by Parker and CP3 but he is great at filling the passing lanes and rebounding etc. Dirk has improved slightly at defense and when Damp is healthy he is pretty good. But the Mavs will never be a great defensive team like the Spurs. But they have proven that they can play short stretches of defense when it counts. The 4th qtr of the Houston game the other night was a perfect example. I think Houston scored 14 in the 4th?

4) Josh Howard had a very rocky portion of this season, however he is playing better as of late. How would you compare this version of Howard to the version that was on display in 2006?

Josh Howard has had a very difficult year. He has been injured basically the entire year. He has a bad ankle that will probably require off season surgery. He has missed about 30 games completely and been hurting at least 30 more.

Howard is also a mental midget. He can flake out on you sometimes and do something stupid or he can simply dissapear in games, usually in the 2nd half.

However, when he is "right" he is the best all around player on the team. Problem is he hasn't been "right" much this year. The most encouraging thing happened in the Houston game on Wednesday. He started the game by scoring 0 pts, 0 rb, 0 ast. first half. I thought he was hurt or something. But the coach called his number several times in a row in the 3rd qtr and he finally made a basket or 2 and then bang, he went off. I think he scored about 12 or more in the 3rd and another 6 or son in the 4th. You will not see a 100% healthy Howard this series. He might be 80%? but that will have to do. If he misses a game the Mavs will lose. That is how important he is.

5) Which player on the Mavs do you believe is the x-factor in this first round series against the Spurs?

Every time the Mavs and Spurs play it is an epic battle. You pretty much know what you are gong to get from Dirk and Jett and Howard if healthy. Kidd will struggle on defense against Parker for sure. So for me the X guys will be JJ Barea, Brandon Bass and Ryan Hollins in that order.



Hey now this is a well thought out legit playoff thread here. Way to go TimVP.

Above I gave you my no B.S. Mavs view minus all the trash talking crap. I hope you like it. Thanks again for the civil thread!

[Findog]

1) A lot of league observers have noted that while Dirk is still a great player, he isn't as athletically explosive as he was in 2006. As the theory goes, his lowered rate of free throws is due to a slowing of his first step. Do you, as a Mav Fan, agree that Nowitzki's athletic peak is behind him or do you believe that simply his role in the offense has be altered?

He's played starter minutes since he was 19, never has extended stints on the injured list, so he's got a lot of miles on his tires. I think he peaked in 06/07 and is at the beginning of a decline. However, by any objective measure he remains one of the top 10 players in the League and the Spurs still don't have a reliable way to guard him.

2) Avery Johnson received a lot of the credit for defeating the Spurs in 2006. Now that Rick Carlisle is in charge, what are the positives and negatives of this regime compared to Johnson's reign?

Positives - He trusts his players and although a controlling micromanaging type himself, he finally relented and gave the play-calling duties to Kidd. He doesn't have the ego that Avery did.

Negatives - Avery was the exact right coach for the Mavs when he was brought in and was able to get the team to buy into his program. His emphasis on defense got this team to within 5 minutes of a championship. Carlisle has been unable to get that same kind of defensive commitment.

3) Defensively, the Mavs haven't been elite this season. They are giving up almost 100 points per game and they are in the middle of the pack in opponents' field goal percentage. That said, as of late, the Mavs' defensive stats are improving. Has there been a distinct change in the team's defensive focus as of late?

The team's fortunes changed in February when Carlisle gave Kidd the playcalling duties and Darrell Armstrong was brought in as an assistant coach. He was a popular guy in the locker room and he's being given credit for Josh reverting back to 2006 form. When Josh is being the slashing/disruptive force that we all know he can be, the Mavs improve greatly on both ends of the floor.

4) Josh Howard had a very rocky portion of this season, however he is playing better as of late. How would you compare this version of Howard to the version that was on display in 2006?

The same, since he has conveniently recovered his 2006 form in time for a contract push next year.

5) Which player on the Mavs do you believe is the x-factor in this first round series against the Spurs?

Josh Howard, no question. If he plays up to his potential, I think we advance. If he reverts back to being a lazy jumpshooter, we're going fishing.

You are welcome, Spur fan.

[BUMP]

Dirk has peaked but he is still playing at a high level.

This team's offense is more smooth without AJ. What I like more about this team under Carlisle lately, is watch our bench during the game. The only bench i see which looks like they are having more fun is Cleveland. I think it makes a difference, as a player, when you look over at your bench and you see 5 guys standing up encouraging you

I think our D as a whole looks like they are just giving more effort out there lately. I have noticed a difference.

Like someone said earlier, it looks like its about 75% of the 06 Howard.

It depends what u mean by X-Factor. An X-factor that could make a big difference and cause matchup problems all series would be Bass. If you're talking about an X factor that comes in for a little bit and makes some exciting plays to energize the rest of the team (Kerr in 03) i would have to go with Hollins. I dont see Barea doing much in this series.

[Morg1411]

this thread. It's nice to see a solid discussion.

[Obstructed_View]

America, eatin' my lunch from a single bowl in my...


Just kidding.

[Shank]

lol

[phxspurfan]

Awesome thread. Good, intelligent analysis from the other side that makes you think.

[monosylab1k]

Peak is behind him



Carlisle is better



Yes



75% of '06 Howard



JJ Mother in' Barea

You're welcome...

Don't own any...I've watched about 1.5 games this season...don't really give a damn these days...

[jag]

The only questions Leonard should be answering are the ones about SpursDynasty.

The Mavs have always been a bad matchup for the Spurs...i'm not sure why Spurs fan thinks this thing will be over in 5 or 6 in favor of SA. They seem to have forgotten that the Spurs are missing their third support.

[Findog]

Can't the Mavs just go under every screen on Parker and force him to beat them with jumpers? If Parker is hitting his outside shots, tip your cap and wish him ill in the second round. Just seems like Job 1 is keeping him out of the lane as best as you can.

[leemajors]

Can't the Mavs just go under every screen on Parker and force him to beat them with jumpers? If Parker is hitting his outside shots, tip your cap and wish him ill in the second round. Just seems like Job 1 is keeping him out of the lane as best as you can.

Thanks. I now have the horrible image of Matt Bonner sexually assaulting someone in a freckled frenzy.

[colargol]

this thread. It's nice to see a solid discussion.

awesome thread. Good, intelligent analysis from the other side that makes you think.

+1

[monosylab1k]

I know that when Spurs fans and Mavs fans converse, the focus eventually shifts to four rings, sexuals, the Heat, turtle shaped heads, the Warriors, Ginobili's foul, Bennett Salvatore and other lovely topics. But for one thread, let's see if we can keep things on track. Here are five questions I'd genuinely be interested in having Mav Fan answer and provide insight on the team they follow:

1) A lot of league observers have noted that while Dirk is still a great player, he isn't as athletically explosive as he was in 2006. As the theory goes, his lowered rate of free throws is due to a slowing of his first step. Do you, as a Mav Fan, agree that Nowitzki's athletic peak is behind him or do you believe that simply his role in the offense has be altered?

2) Avery Johnson received a lot of the credit for defeating the Spurs in 2006. Now that Rick Carlisle is in charge, what are the positives and negatives of this regime compared to Johnson's reign?

3) Defensively, the Mavs haven't been elite this season. They are giving up almost 100 points per game and they are in the middle of the pack in opponents' field goal percentage. That said, as of late, the Mavs' defensive stats are improving. Has there been a distinct change in the team's defensive focus as of late?

4) Josh Howard had a very rocky portion of this season, however he is playing better as of late. How would you compare this version of Howard to the version that was on display in 2006?

5) Which player on the Mavs do you believe is the x-factor in this first round series against the Spurs?

Thank you in advance, Mav fan.

1) He's lost a step, but I don't know how much. At one point it looked like he had lost alot, but now I'm not so sure. Honestly, and maybe it's heresy for me to say it, but there's times where it looks like Dirk is dogging it out there. He's taking jumpers simply because it's available, he's got a new trick where he does a couple fakes and doesn't actually shoot with form but literally throws the ball at the goal looking for a bailout whistle (i know he's hunted for calls in the past, but this is more blatant than anything he's ever done), and especially on defense at times it really looks like he isn't trying anymore.

The past 2 weeks he's been attacking the basket a whole lot and playing much better defense and rebounding a ton better. There's no way he's simply found some hidden burst of energy, it's just that now he's putting out maximum effort. Is it a good thing that he's been holding back until now? We'll see.

2) Positives are that if something doesn't work, Rick has the humility to scrap it and find something that does work, instead of stubbornly insisting that his plan is perfect. Negatives are that he doesn't know the Spurs nearly as well as Avery, and he can't inspire the team the way Avery could.

3) A motivated Josh Howard is the key on defense, as it means Kidd probably doesn't have to guard a good perimeter player, and instead he can offer help defense and play the passing lanes.

4) This year's Good Josh is nowhere near as good as 2006 Josh. This year's Good Josh is still way too selfish with the ball and still takes too many jumpers. But this year's Good Josh is still significantly better than Bad Josh.

5) Josh is the biggest x-factor obviously, but another big one is Dampier. If he stays active on the offensive boards like he's been the past 2 weeks, that will be huge. He and Kidd have a natural chemistry together too, which could result in some easy buckets. But like always, the big question with Dampier (and the Mavs as a whole) is how much effort will be put forth.

[Obstructed_View]

Can't the Mavs just go under every screen on Parker and force him to beat them with jumpers? If Parker is hitting his outside shots, tip your cap and wish him ill in the second round. Just seems like Job 1 is keeping him out of the lane as best as you can.

I'd submit that every team that's had playoff success against the Spurs since Parker's arrival has done so because if its ability to limit Parker's dribble penetration. It's a bigger key to beating the Spurs than anything, including anything you can throw at Tim Duncan.

[jag]

Can't the Mavs just go under every screen on Parker and force him to beat them with jumpers? If Parker is hitting his outside shots, tip your cap and wish him ill in the second round. Just seems like Job 1 is keeping him out of the lane as best as you can.

That's a strategy that worked in '05. He's always been able to get in the lane, but there's a reason he's absolutely going off on teams this year...his midrange J has, at times, turned into his go to.

You pretty much gotta let Tony get his and stay with all the 3-point shooters. The 3 ball allows the Spurs to hang with the better teams in this league...especially without Manu.