Hehe, got to love Dirk!![]()
http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/maver...672590/4672590Keeping pace with Spurs, Mavs hit road
By Jeff Caplan
ESPN Dallas
...With a record of 21-5 (13-4 at home), which included a 12-game win streak, much has gone right. Yet, the Mavs have yet to spend a day alone in first place in the Southwest Division, and after going 14-1 over their last 15 games, they’ve barely scratched a couple of games off the San Antonio Spurs’ lead.
“Not even that,” said Dirk Nowitzki, noting the Mavs have moved from three games back to two entering Monday's games. “They’re playing well. They’ve been fortunate on a couple games. Obviously, we’ve been following them and they snuck out in overtime again (Saturday night against Memphis). It almost seems like they’ve changed their philosophy around a little bit. They’re playing a lot more offense and they’re giving up more points.
“But, for some reason, the Spurs just always win. It doesn’t matter. They used to win 75-74 and now they win 110-109.”
Hehe, got to love Dirk!![]()
That shows that hes got a lot of respect from the Spurs, no matter how much i hate dirk when we play against him i respect him a lot.
Dirk speaks his truth, not some fake ghetto macho tatooed balla bull .
Definitely a HoFer, if I were voting.
I'm looking forward to kicking his ass at least 3 more games this season.![]()
So in classy![]()
Dirk is one of the nicest guys around
Although he is overrated (here we go), he still deserves a ring
i've changed my mind - Dirk is better then Manu
now were going to lose tonight.
Well Dirk that is going to change this week, you can now have the lead in the SW Division by this weekend!
dirk is a badass. Its just to bad the owner of his team surrounds him with trash prima donnas like.
Erik Dampier
Devin Harris,
Jason Terry,
Jason Kidd
Caron Butler
JJ Bera
shwan marion
etc etc etc
Gotta admit that Dirk is a good player, he just annoys the out of me with the stupid faces he makes when he makes a big time shot...![]()
He should just send him down south 35 and let him win a ring this year with Timmy. Then he can go back.
the Mavs and Dirk.
Bunch of pussies around here. Oh, Dirk said something nice about my Spurs. Now I love him. you guys too. I respect his game. him, though.
He shoulda signed here if he likes the spurs so much
+1
It's not because he said this, but he is just a very good guy and always has been, maybe a bit too nice.
Ring count please.
Another take on it.
http://sportsblogs.star-telegram.com...and-spurs.htmlIt's role reversal for the Mavs and Spurs
Dwain Price
DALLAS _From the department of unbelievability, the Dallas Mavericks have suddenly turned into the San Antonio Spurs, while the Spurs have turned into the Mavs.
Say what?
For years, a weekly check of the NBA stats would always find the offensive-minded Mavs near the top of the league in scoring, while the defensive-minded Spurs would always be near the top in fewest points allowed. Now, those roles have been reversed.
Mavs forward Dirk Nowitzki said: "Now we're winning (games) 84-83.''
The Spurs used to be the masters of the halfcourt game, but now they're fourth in the NBA in scoring at a NASCAR-like 106.3 points per game. Owners of the best record in the league at 23-3, the fastbreaking Spurs have scored 100 or more points a Mavericks-like 18 times this year.
By contrast, the Mavs are just 16th in the NBA in scoring with a Spurs-like 99.2 points per game, and have scored 100 points just 14 times in their 26 games.
"It almost seems like (the Spurs) changed their philosophy around a little bit,'' Nowitzki said. "They’re playing a lot more offense, they’re scoring more, they’re giving up more points, but for some reason the Spurs always win.''
The big switch for the Mavs (21-5) and Spurs is also occurring on defense. Believe it or not, the Mavs -- they used to be real soft -- are tied for fifth in the league in fewest points allowed with a Spurs-like 93.2 points per game.
Meanwhile, the Spurs are tied for 13th in points allowed with a Mavs-like 97.2 points per game.The Spurs have allowed eight teams to score at least 100 points against them this year, while that has happened to the Mavs only four times.
Who would have thought the day would come when this conversation would be taking place? This must be the NBA's version of El Nino.
"They used to win 75-74 and now they win 110-109,'' Nowitzki said. "But they, for some reason, always win.
"So it’s a credit to the group of guys they've got, and obviously they've got one of the best coaches in the league (in Gregg Popovich).''
By the way, the Spurs' newfound high-powered offense has kept the Mavs at bay. Since Nov. 19, the Mavs have compiled an impressive 14-1 record.
But they've been able to gain just one game on the Spurs, who are 13-2 since that time.
"Obviously we've been following them,'' Nowitzki said. "You've got to give them credit. They find ways to win.''
Even with their new offense. And new defense.
Dork would kill to get one of the Spurs rings..... wrong team he's at.
Dirk telling it like it is. I still hate him, though.
Heh, in Dirk's defense, if I had those kind of offensive skills, I'm sure I'd make a face or two at the guy trying hopelessly to defend me.
If we turned our pace down to match, we'd be giving up ~90 points per game. We score more, and faster, so the other team gets more shot opportunities. We're still playing good D for the most part, we just have to gel a little more with our younger guys and get better on rotating to 3s. If we can start shutting the 3 ball down, it would increase our defensive rating appreciably.Meanwhile, the Spurs are tied for 13th in points allowed with a Mavs-like 97.2 points per game.The Spurs have allowed eight teams to score at least 100 points against them this year, while that has happened to the Mavs only four times.
Teams are currently averaging 6.1 3 makes per game against us, and we are now dead last in the NBA in giving up treys.
However, a huge part of this IMO is that teams are getting up to play us and they're on their best game. Their shooters are full of adrenaline with the thought of knocking us off, so they play harder, and they get a bigger surge of momentum when they hit a 3.
If we can rotate a little better and cut down our opponents to just 4-5 treys made per game, it should increase our defense significantly.
The fact is, we're taking everyone's best punch right now, and since the 2nd game of the season, we're 22 and 2. That says a lot about this team's ability to handle it.
The points allowed is a bit misleading as well. In their first 9 games, they gave up 100 points 4 times and 99 to the Hornets.
In the last 17 games, including the last two high scoring close ones, they have only given up 100 points 5 times. In those same 17 games, they have given up between 95-99 points only three times. That is more than half of their games with opponents held below 95 points.
5 of the last 7 Mavs opponents have scored at least 97 points.
It may currently be the same statistical outcome at this juncture in the season, but in reality, the numbers state that the teams are moving in different directions.
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