Mavs@Lakers GAME THREAD!

[Findog]

Dirk failed to deliver in the clutch... Not the first time, probably not the last time. He's a terrific player and had a great game today. But if you're the go to guy in the crunch, you need to either score, get to the line or find an open teammate... He did none of those. Compare with Kobe, that took it to the hole to put the game out of reach...

Uh no, Kobe passed to open teammates when trapped, he didn't "take it to the hole." The Lakers spread the floor and have the game's best player. The Mavs have an idjit for a coach that calls a Dirk iso on one leg instead of a pick and roll with Kidd.

[Findog]

Damn leave Dirk alone! The guy is playing on a ed up ankle and STILL scored 28 pts tonight and shot a ridiculous percentage from the field. He is not the reason the Mavs lost, it was their poor defense down the stretch and inability to stop the Gasol/Odom layup drill.

And Rocket fans need to STFU. DAL has an actual chance of making it out of the 1st round. The Rockets team leader is the epitome of Mr. Glass.

You're redeeming yourself DaC.

[ElNono]

BTW, Odom was a ing beast. If he plays like that more often, the whole Pau-Odom tandem is damaging.

That tandem looks especially great when it's being guarded by one player while the Center is standing in the 3 pt line...

[Medvedenko]

Uh no, Kobe passed to open teammates when trapped, he didn't "take it to the hole." The Lakers spread the floor and have the game's best player. The Mavs have an idjit for a coach that calls a Dirk iso on one leg instead of a pick and roll with Kidd.

Fin I like your takes but the Mavs are not a better team than the Lakers. They may win a game here and there but with this current incarnation of both teams the Lakers are the better constructed team. Granted your team has arguably better chemistry and more proven vets but the talent and coaching of the Lakers put them ahead. There's really nothing to debate. Dallas played a great game, shot well, created turnovers and played decent D, as well as you can against the Lakers, but came up short.

[Findog]

Fin I like your takes but the Mavs are not a better team than the Lakers. They may win a game here and there but with this current incarnation of both teams the Lakers are the better constructed team. Granted your team has arguably better chemistry and more proven vets but the talent and coaching of the Lakers put them ahead. There's really nothing to debate. Dallas played a great game, shot well, created turnovers and played decent D, as well as you can against the Lakers, but came up short.

Oh, I agree the Lakers are slightly better, and they have a huge edge in coaching.

[ElNono]

Uh no, Kobe passed to open teammates when trapped, he didn't "take it to the hole." The Lakers spread the floor and have the game's best player. The Mavs have an idjit for a coach that calls a Dirk iso on one leg instead of a pick and roll with Kidd.

I don't care what Kobe did or did not do the rest of the game. Go take a look at the last play by the Lakers that put them up by 4. That's a guy delivering in the clutch.

[Findog]

His injury lookes pretty healed to me, especially on that off balance one footer he made to give you guys your last 4 point lead....oh, and it was off the injured ankle.

But, meh, you guys don't want the truth.

DD

God you are so ing stupid. I guess getting raped by Odom on defense and that awkward gait = completely healed.

High Ankle Sprain = 3-6 weeks of recovery. He's said himself he'd still be sitting out if this were November or December. Get a ing clue.

[Findog]

I don't care what Kobe did or did not do the rest of the game. Go take a look at the last play by the Lakers that put them up by 4. That's a guy delivering in the clutch.

Yeah, Kobe is pretty clutch. I was just pointing out that the Mavs strategy was to take the ball out of his hands. It didn't work because they were trapping with Damp as the help defender.

[mattb_25]

God DD your ing stupid.. He had a pretty bad injury, which most players who get them are out for more than 1 1/2 week. TO had something like dirk and was out for almost 3 weeks I think. Also Gibson was out for 6 weeks. So don't give this like it's not a bad injury just because dirk is tough as and can play even when hes hurt..

And for the record your rockets team wont do . They can't even score 80 on the sonics.

[GuerillaBlack]

God DD your ing stupid.. He had a pretty bad injury, which most players who get them are out for more than 1 1/2 week. TO had something like dirk and was out for almost 3 weeks I think. Also Gibson was out for 6 weeks. So don't give this like it's not a bad injury just because dirk is tough as and can play even when hes hurt..

And for the record your rockets team wont do . They can't even score 80 on the sonics.

Gibson's injury was worse than Dirk's, but Dirk's was still pretty bad.

[mattb_25]

Gibson's injury was worse than Dirk's, but Dirk's was still pretty bad.

Oh well maybe it was, I didn't see it. But still give the guy ing credit for coming back and playin so good man.

[dg7md]

Dirk has shown he has balls, but his team is underachieving completely, and a shakeup is in order.

[dav4463]

Why do the mavs insist on Dirk always taking the shot in a tied or 1 to 2 point game? He never delivers.

He misses the fadeaway step-back in the lane, then he catches it on his hip trying to drive to the basket with about 20 seconds left... should've been double dribble but Lakers stole it anyway......

Then, KOBE DID DELIVER...took it straight to the basket to put the game away drawing a foul with 17.8 seconds left.

That's the difference between a go-to guy (Kobe) and a guy who always gets the ball and rarely if ever delivers a game-winner.

Dirk did play an awesome game. It's just that in the final seconds of games, he simply is not a clutch player that you can depend on.

[dav4463]

How does Vujacic not get called for the constant reach-ins? That's all he does on defense

Reaching in is not a foul. Hitting someone is a foul. How are you ever going to steal the ball if you don't reach in? That's the dumbest thing fans say....."ref, he's reaching.." I wish once the ref could turn around and tell fans that reaching is not a foul. It's like over the back. Over the back is not a foul either, but if a player gets a rebound from behind, some fan will invariably yell "over the back". No one know the law of verticality rule in the stands.

[dav4463]

There's no point blaming Josh, that phantom call on odom was ing ridiculous. Its time to move on and try to win our next game simple as that

How come mav fans never talk about the steal by J.Kidd on the pass to Kobe when Kidd has both arms around Kobe's waist and then pulled him back to get an advantage going after the loose ball?

Now, that was a foul, but I bet mark cuban won't send that in to the league complaining about a missed call. No, it went his way, so he liked it.

[ludda]

Why do the mavs insist on Dirk always taking the shot in a tied or 1 to 2 point game? He never delivers.

He misses the fadeaway step-back in the lane, then he catches it on his hip trying to drive to the basket with about 20 seconds left... should've been double dribble but Lakers stole it anyway......

Then, KOBE DID DELIVER...took it straight to the basket to put the game away drawing a foul with 17.8 seconds left.

That's the difference between a go-to guy (Kobe) and a guy who always gets the ball and rarely if ever delivers a game-winner.

Dirk did play an awesome game. It's just that in the final seconds of games, he simply is not a clutch player that you can depend on.

I agree, but who on the Mavs will deliver? Terry? Please, he got his blocked twice in the 4th. Howard? The most unclutch player on the Mavs? Kidd the wonder shooter? That's the Mavs main problem right there- continued over-reliance on Dirk. Mavs are still mostly one-dimensional jumpshooters.

[dav4463]

true.

[DaDakota]

Dirk chokes under pressure, and just because he is playing on a gimpy ankle does not excuse him fumbling that ball away...

You guys just can't handle the truth.

And Findog...I am not going to follow up with anyone, you made the assertion that Dirk insisted on the trade.....

Prove it, or stop saying it.

Weren't you just last week rooting for the Mavs to miss the playoffs so Avery can be fired and you guys keep your draft pick.

yeah, some fan you are....

DD

[JK2]

Dirk chokes under pressure, and just because he is playing on a gimpy ankle does not excuse him fumbling that ball away...

You guys just can't handle the truth.

wow. that statement sounds kind of funny from a rockets fan. your team is built around a proven loser and big time choker. Neither Dirk nor any other Mav is even close to that category. any team that has the luck to play the rockets in the first round can start selling tickets for the second round after the regular season.

[DaDakota]

Dirk and Tmac are exactly alike they choke under pressure.......remember the FTs in game 3 against Miami in the finals?

I agree with you about the Rockets, without Yao they are not favored to advance.....doesn't change the fact that Dirk fumbled that ball last night....essentially choking that game away.

DD

[Shank]

And Findog where is that LINK to back up your claim that Dirk wanted the Kidd trade.

DD

This is what I love about the Internet. Everyone thinks there's a link to everything they want to know. I'll back up what Findog said because I heard it from within the organization. How's that?

And even without a link, how much better did Dirk start to play once word got out that Kidd was coming? The news alone energized him.

[GuerillaBlack]

Links for something like that are easy to find. They should be in the many articles before the trade happened.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

This is what I love about the Internet. Everyone thinks there's a link to everything they want to know. I'll back up what Findog said because I heard it from within the organization. How's that?

And even without a link, how much better did Dirk start to play once word got out that Kidd was coming? The news alone energized him.

Sweet, so now you guys have an 'energized' choker instead of a malcontent one

[DaDakota]

This is what I love about the Internet. Everyone thinks there's a link to everything they want to know. I'll back up what Findog said because I heard it from within the organization. How's that?

And even without a link, how much better did Dirk start to play once word got out that Kidd was coming? The news alone energized him.

Well I heard that Josh Howard was very upset that they traded Harris from inside the organization...how is that?

And no, I am NOT a Mavs fan, but I do know some top people in the organization....believe it or not, I don't care.

And if the organization was dumb enough to listen to a star player over what the GM should know is GOOD for the entire franchise than they deserve what they get.

You don't let a player make personel decisions, they may be good basketball players but that doesn't mean they know how to build a basketball team or to manage the egos and chemistry necessary.

Just look at Isaiah Thomas, or Kevin McHale, etc..etc...etc....there are some exceptions ...Joe Dumars...Jerry West, but there are far more failures of NBA players moving into exec positions and screwing it all up, because while they are great players, they are NOT great managers or builders....Michael Jordan anyone?

DD

[Findog]

Dirk chokes under pressure,

Yeah, Dirk NEVER delivers in the clutch for his team.

What a ing toolbox you are.

and just because he is playing on a gimpy ankle does not excuse him fumbling that ball away...

He's tough and gives 100% effort. You can't ask for anything more under the cir stances.

And Findog...I am not going to follow up with anyone, you made the assertion that Dirk insisted on the trade.....

Prove it, or stop saying it.

Stop being an idiot, or stop posting.

Weren't you just last week rooting for the Mavs to miss the playoffs so Avery can be fired and you guys keep your draft pick.

What do you know what I'm rooting for? You obviously haven't read all my posts.

yeah, some fan you are....

At least I didn't run and hide like a when my team's winning streak was snapped and stop posting.