Anyone actually think Mavs can win a le with Anthony Johnson as their PG?

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

I was thinking in terms of a player who can do everything on the court - run the team, defend, and score. Although not brilliant at anything, Johnson is as solid as they come.

Johnson is a much better defender than Boykins.
Barbosa is more a pure scorer than a PG.
Johnson is better than Jaric.
Felton will start this year.

Banks was a starter last year, thus I didn't think of him, but he's pretty damn fine. Livingston is also very good and getting better, and it wouldn't surprise me if he is starting by the middle of the year.

Okay, revision, AJ is one of the top 3 backups in the league. Happy?

Now that I know what you mean, yes.

[FromWayDowntown]

Duncan has chronic lower leg/foot injuries. Those things are never fully rehabilitated and tend to result in other peripheral injuries. Duncan is not getting younger either. It would be better for you guys to expect him to sit out some, because at this stage in his career it is more likely than him not being affected by the injuries.

Duncan gave a heroic effort against the Mavs. No doubt about that. That effort was in spite of his injuries.

llama -- I'm glad to see you're back to up the discourse from Mavs fans. But your characterization of Duncan's injuries is simply wrong. He doesn't have any chronic injuries -- he has suffered injuries in each of the last two seasons, however, that have limited his production. Those are two entirely different things.

Duncan's injuries aren't fatigue-related and they aren't evidence of some structural problem with his body. In 2004-05, he managed to land hard on other players' feet on three different occasions. Undoubtedly, the first and the second weakened his ankle to the point that his body struggled with the third sprain, but last year, he suffered no apparent ankle problems, which would seem to negate your claim of a chronic injury. More to the point, there is no evidence to suggest that the p.f. that Duncan dealt with last season had anything to do with the ankle injuries he suffered in 2004-05. You can make that assumption if you choose, but to my knowledge, no medical doctor has ever suggested that there is a connection and I'm not entirely sure why there would be a connection. Perhaps you can enlighten me, but the p.f. wasn't even evident early last season, when Timmy had apparently completely healed from the ankle problems that burdened him during 2004-05. This season will be an interesting one to watch in terms of Timmy's health, but to this point, there is simply no evidence of any sort of chronic injury problem there.

I also think your assertions regarding Duncan's age are quite misleading. Tim is 30 years old and entering his 10th NBA season; he's hardly old, even by NBA standards. Pop monitors his minutes, but not because there is some concern that Timmy will tire out down the stretch -- I think Pop realizes that his team will be compe ive at the highest levels once the playoffs roll around and that there's absolutely no reason to needlessly extend Timmy in November, December, and January. In any event, Tim's primary sidekicks are each under 30 years old. They're older than they were last year, but so too are each of the Mavericks.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Fair enough, my comment was flippant and needed further fleshing out.

If I could have an ideal backup for the Spurs, it would be Johnson or Banks. Both can defend, Johnson is ultra solid, but Banks would give us a constant, 48-minute speed PG attack! Now that would be something to watch!

[Leetonidas]

Dirk owns the Spurs, fellas.

Then Tim pwns the Mavericks.

[Kori Ellis]

Duncan has chronic lower leg/foot injuries. Those things are never fully rehabilitated and tend to result in other peripheral injuries.

Name a guy in the NBA that had plantar fasciitis one season and then was never the same again because of it?

I'm pretty sure that person doesn't exist.

If you were talking about sprained ankles, I think the FromWayDowntown addresses that point. Also, I would say that Dirk has more of a problem with "chronic" sprain ankles than Duncan does.

[BERSERK]

I thought Doug Christie retired so he can be with his psycho obsessive wife.

[Kori Ellis]

I know the reason he retired was different than this, but Doug Christie was never the same after plantar fasciitis...

His breaking down had nothing to do with plantar fasciitis. A big number of NBA players have some level of plantar fasciitis at some point of their careers.

[Kori Ellis]

Nah, you are wrong. When Christie got plantar fasciitis, he was a different player. It was a huge problem for him a few years back. Never the same player since. Ask any legit Kings fan. However the reason he retired was cuz of the ankle injury.

Will Duncan be like Christie? No. I dont think his was as serious.

Bosh and Kobe have plantar fasciitis but they will play just fine. It depends on the person.

Christie's problems were a lot more than plantar fasciitis and I don't think it had much, if anything, to do with him breaking down. He wasn't the same player WHILE he had it. But his breakdown over the past few years was from structural ankle damage, not plantar fasciitis.

[JMarkJohns]

I agree with RoughnReady... Johnson should be a starter. He's a Derek Fisher kind fo guard. Solid defender, good range and the occasional ability to score points in bunches. As with Fisher, he's roughly a top-20 PG in the league, while being underappreciated by most fans.

He's very good.

I'd take players like Harris, Livingston and Barbosa over him longterm, but Johnson is a PG that brings a lot to the table. I wanted the Suns to get him real bad.

Not saying I agree with him starting over Harris, but if Harris isn't ready to play the year, then Johnson shouldn't cause much of a drop-off.

[Kori Ellis]

Christie's demise started way before the ankle problems did. You are forgetting why he was traded to Orlando for Mobley. He was 35 and had plantar fasciitis that was not going away. Any Kings fan will tell you that Christie started free falling long before the ankle problem. The fasciitis problem lasted several seasons and he went through treatment for it, most notably shockwave therapy.

He had structural ankle damage since he was 28 which got progressively worse and caused a mul ude of problems, according to himself and his agent. I'm not denying he had plantar fasciitis.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

Doug who?

[Kori Ellis]

To get back to the topic, I'd go with Devin Harris as the starter and let him develop. If he's struggling after a month or so, then use Anthony Johnson.

[angryllama]

llama -- I'm glad to see you're back to up the discourse from Mavs fans. But your characterization of Duncan's injuries is simply wrong. He doesn't have any chronic injuries -- he has suffered injuries in each of the last two seasons, however, that have limited his production. Those are two entirely different things.

Glad to see you around as well. As Ali G would say, "Respec."

Plantar fasciitis is an overuseage injury. It affects the fascia of the sole of the foot. Its an irritation of connective/covering tissue on the sole. People who have the condition can reaggrivate the injury fairly easily.

I had plantar fasciitis from playing soccer. It set in when I was 13 and continued off and on throughout my soccer career until I quit playing at 20. I got it from wearing cleats and running on hard, dry Texas ground. It got worse when I played wearing flats on artificial turf.

Anyway, a person with plantar fasciitis (my doctor called it a "stone bruise") compensates for the pain by changing their gait. Even a slight bit of change in the way you carry your weight can cause injuries to other areas of the legs or back. It can even lend itself to shoulder and neck injuries.

[Rynospursfan]

Its a little known fact that Mark Cuban has installed a fountain of youth in the Mavs practice facility. Several of the Mavs are actually a year younger now.

[dav4463]

Spurs overmmatched by Mavs? It comes down to a dumb foul by Ginobli in Game Seven of a series where every game was a war. I don't think anybody was overmmatched here! I do think the Spurs were a little flat except for Tim and the Mavs played over their heads. If they meet again, I like the Spurs chances.

[icem]

the mavs are easily still better than the spurs in my opinion. anthony johnson was a great pickup. i doubt he will start but he is an amazing player to bring in off the bench, much better than Udrih. and just for the record i am NOT a mavs fan. i just think the spurs are now on a downslope. spurs didnt improve this offseason at all. only thing the spurs did was get a year older. mavs have far too much speed and athletic ability for manu, horry, finley, and the ever aging bruce bowen.

[THE SIXTH MAN]

I have a hard time thinking that a further aged Spurs squad

I guess you also have a hard time remembering your team lost to an older Heat squad.

that looked overmatched against Dallas last season will be able to overcome a reenergized and better Dallas team that has yet to peak.

It took over time in a GAME 7 to win this series. Explain to me how is that being "over matched"?

[THE SIXTH MAN]

the mavs are easily still better than the spurs in my opinion. anthony johnson was a great pickup. i doubt he will start but he is an amazing player to bring in off the bench, much better than Udrih. and just for the record i am NOT a mavs fan.

Your not a spurs fan either! All 8 of your post either are pimping the rockets or predicting a Mavs win. Your so full of .

[THE SIXTH MAN]

Its a little known fact that Mark Cuban has installed a fountain of youth in the Mavs practice facility. Several of the Mavs are actually a year younger now.

I guess this is why mav fans always say that the spurs are a year older, because it doesn't apply to the mavs team they just stay the same age year after year.

[angryllama]

Spurs overmmatched by Mavs? It comes down to a dumb foul by Ginobli in Game Seven of a series where every game was a war. I don't think anybody was overmmatched here! I do think the Spurs were a little flat except for Tim and the Mavs played over their heads. If they meet again, I like the Spurs chances.

The Mavs dictated the pace of that series. After game 2, it was the Mavs' series to lose. In one of the greatest plays in recent playoff history, Nowitzki ensured that that didnt happen.

The Mavs did not play "over their heads" or overachieve in any way. The Mavs' great player, Nowitzki had not only a great series against the Spurs, but a great playoffs altogether. They have one of the top couple of defensive center rotations in the NBA, a clutch combo guard, and possibly one of the best energy/glue players since Dennis Rodman. Not to mention the best bench in the NBA.

The Spurs have a good chance to dethrone the Western Champion Mavericks just like they do every season with Duncan in the ranks.

[MajorMike]

Anyone actually think Spurs can win a le with Avery Johnson as their PG? [/signed the 90s]

Exactly.

[FromWayDowntown]

Anyway, a person with plantar fasciitis (my doctor called it a "stone bruise") compensates for the pain by changing their gait. Even a slight bit of change in the way you carry your weight can cause injuries to other areas of the legs or back. It can even lend itself to shoulder and neck injuries.

In the end, I guess this season will be telling. I happen to think that Mavsfan playing up Duncan's statistical decline and injury woes of the last two years are trying more to reassure themselves that Tim isn't poised to reassert himself than they are trying to actually analyze the situation.

Besides, even if he is chronically injured, the 2006 Western Conference Semifinals demonstrated that the guy can play through injuries and elevate his game to beyond Hall-of-Fame levels. If I were a fan of another team in the West, I'd be hoping and praying that Tim Duncan is beset by injuries, too.

[Texas_Ranger]

Everyone can win the le

[td4mvp21]

Its a little known fact that Mark Cuban has installed a fountain of youth in the Mavs practice facility. Several of the Mavs are actually a year younger now.

The Mavs did not play "over their heads" or overachieve in any way. The Mavs' great player, Nowitzki had not only a great series against the Spurs, but a great playoffs altogether. They have one of the top couple of defensive center rotations in the NBA, a clutch combo guard, and possibly one of the best energy/glue players since Dennis Rodman. Not to mention the best bench in the NBA.

Too bad he choked like a in the Finals to ruin it.

[Dirk41MVP]

Plus having a guy like Diop as their starting center

guess people can say the same whoever the spurs have at center

what has happened to devin harris? getting beat out of a starting job by anthony freaking johnson?

That "guy" diop shut down your superstar timmy duncan in the OT of game 7, do you remember ?, duncan ended up shooting 1-7 or 1-6 in the OT because Diop was in his face all the time. (have the game tivoed, don't whine it's not true)

Who said Aj will be the starting PG ? avery hasn't made up his mind yet, we'll see who he inserts in the lineup. Besides Aj is a pretty good damn PG, he scored 40 in the PO's last season, he has the capabilities to produce. And as somebody else said, you guys won it with Avery at the point, I don't see a big difference...

Yeah, but Devin Harris was the element of surprise ; this time, Spurs will be prepared

I'm sure he was a HUUUGE surprise, considering he scored 20 points in 1 quarter (4th) against you guys earlier in the season at Dallas... maybe your team should do a little more preparation and scouting when they play somebody.

If Elson/oberto can do a decent job on Dirk (it's a big if), Spurs will easily win in playoffs against mavs.

"if DJ Mbenga can do a decent job on Duncan, the mavs will easily win in playoffs against the spurs", there you have it, good luck. Dirk and TD will get their numbers no matter what, it's up to the rest of the supporting cast (jho, jet, devin, TP, flopobili,etc) to determine the series.