I was wrong

[Purple & Gold]

It's early. Regular season means nothing.






Well other than making the playoffs and getting a good seed.

[Lp26]

I read through the thread quickly and this is already being discussed, but from an outsider's perspective, the problem seems to me to be that Avery 1/ is still reacting to the GS loss, and 2/ he seems to have lost confidence in Dirk, and Dirk seems to know it. You guys won 67 games last year with the lineup of Jiop/Dirk or Damp/Dirk. This Bass/Dirk lineup is re ed. Going small with Dirk at the 5 is re ed. From what i can tell about Bass in the few games i watched he's like fool's gold. He may score but he's a defensive liabilty. Put him out there with Dirk at the 5, and your just asking to get scored on in the paint.

And this passive team Dirk is not effective. I was watching a game where you guys needed a score, and watched you go through 3 different people (including Bass) before you went to Dirk. Also i don't know if this has been happening alot, but i watched Dirk get hot last night, and he was kinda demanding the ball (getting into position), and then i watched the rest of Dallas completely ignore him after that.

Avery is playing away from Dirk's strength. I understand the logic, but it screams i've lost faith in Dirk, When he inevitably falls apart in the post-season, it won't matter b/c we won't be dependant on him anyway. The problem is the Mavs are dependant on him. He's your superstar and your not going to really be successful any other way. Everybody else on the team is a role player.

The Mavs have never had strong bench IMO. They had one or two guys that contributed (Stack, and Jiop when he wasn't starting), and Stack besides last night has been miserable.

Just my 2 cents. I don't think you guys are doomed, but Avery needs to figure some things out and quick.

[BonnerDynasty]

Still too early. I still think they are the Spurs biggest compe ion.

[Findog]

Still too early. I still think they are the Spurs biggest compe ion.

There's nothing that inspires confidence in me that the two teams will meet in the playoffs.

[leemajors]

did i see isos for bass last night, or was he just not passing the ball?

[monosylab1k]

did i see isos for bass last night, or was he just not passing the ball?

brandon bass redefines the term "black hole".

that said, I wish Dirk had a little more Bass in his game this year.

[stretch]

did i see isos for bass last night, or was he just not passing the ball?

Honestly, I think Avery has been trying to develop him as much as possible during the regular season by forcing him to take shots and run ISO's, which isn't a bad idea at all. We know that this team is still going to win 50 games and make the playoffs. And Bass really hasn't been taking too many bad shots, and he's been getting more and more confidence each game.

[stretch]

Plus, there is no way in that the offense against the Spurs in the 4th quarter should not be getting run through Howard, Terry, and Dirk every play, but instead, they would just funnel it into Bass almost every play, and just stand back and watch him work. That's why I think Avery is doing it intentionally.

[monosylab1k]

there's teams that grow a pair and get the job done (Spurs, Lakers, Pistons, Heat) and there's teams that get so close but never get it done, then everyone on the team turns into moping little es and slowly the thing dies and the team sucks (Kings, T-Wolves, Pacers). Right now it looks like the Mavs are turning into that second category of team.

[Findog]

there's teams that grow a pair and get the job done (Spurs, Lakers, Pistons, Heat) and there's teams that get so close but never get it done, then everyone on the team turns into moping little es and slowly the thing dies and the team sucks (Kings, T-Wolves, Pacers). Right now it looks like the Mavs are turning into that second category of team.

yeah, it sucks, but I'm coming along to this line of thinking. Stop whining at the ing refs and get a stop. Make a shot. Refs aren't going to bail out whiny es. Champs don't beg for calls, they get it done in spite of the calls.

[mavsfan1000]

This is getting so old. Everyone knee jerking about early in the season games. Yes if the playoffs were close by, I'd be worried. We still got 62 games to play before that. A lot of things can change before that.

[to21]

Is this a replay from last season?

Relax....they'll be fine.

[LakeShow]

The Mavs will be alright and win some games to make the playoffs. They are a talented team BUT it is FOOLS GOLD to think that they can turn it up in the playoffs. In fact, I look for Dirk to have a Doug Christie game 7 of the 2002 WCF in the playoffs choke job this season.

I understand Avery wanting to go to post more often. He understands that without a low post presence in the Playoffs, they're toast. He wants his team to learn to win with a low post game and not having to depend on Dirk. He has seen over and over that Dirk is not the player to depend on when it's win or go home. Now is the time for Avery and the mavs to work on that part of their game. , it's only December!

[stretch]

The Mavs will be alright and win some games to make the playoffs. They are a talented team BUT it is FOOLS GOLD to think that they can turn it up in the playoffs. In fact, I look for Dirk to have a Doug Christie game 7 of the 2002 WCF in the playoffs choke job this season.

I understand Avery wanting to go to post more often. He understands that without a low post presence in the Playoffs, they're toast. He wants his team to learn to win with a low post game and not having to depend on Dirk. He has seen over and over that Dirk is not the player to depend on when it's win or go home. Now is the time for Avery and the mavs to work on that part of their game. , it's only December!

Great. What about the Rockets?

[LakeShow]

Great. What about the Rockets?

The Rockets are not having the best of seasons either but they will get better. Tracy's inability to win a first round matchup and Ming's soft play in the post will be a factor in their le hopes as always. It will be tough to win it all with that hanging over their heads.

[jman3000]

when the mavs started last season 0-4 and all the spurs fans were circle jerking at their dismay i said that they would reel off a couple of 10 game winning streaks soon and that the record wasnt indicative of how they play...

this time however the bad play has been more spread out pretty evenly throughout the season and has to be contributed to more than just "taking the regular season off" as some people perceive the spurs as doing... which they do.... the fact that we have the 2nd best record in the league dumbfounds me. If a few bounces had gone the other way this mav team might be a .500 ball club and that's pretty scary.

[ShoogarBear]

It's early. Regular season means nothing.

I agree with the first statement. Avery's been doing do much experimenting with lineups, but that another thing that Pop's done in years past that he seems to have taken from him.

Mavs still have a lot of talent and could easily turn things around. It would be huge if Dirk would just step up and tell Avery he wants to be the man again.

[SAGambler]

If it's any consolation, the Mavs and the Spurs are still the teams to beat.

I know the Hornets and Celtics are somehow up there, but am I the only one who doesn't see them as a playoff threat?

I watched that Celt - Bull game last night, and quite frankly, I don't see what the big deal of the Celts is supposed to be. They certainly weren't impressive. Yeah, they won, but only because the Bulls couldn't hit a bull in the ass with a base fiddle.

, the great PP had no field goals the entire first half. Ray Allens 3 point shooting is what won them the game, but we all know Allen will completely disappear when Bowen is on the court.

Most of the time they only had 2 of the big 3 on the floor, even though they all started. Taking another page from Pops coaching tips perhaps.

I can't wait until they hit a four or five game roadtrip, with a few WC games thrown in there. I think then they just become another mediocre team, and the media will lose all this interest and hyperbole that is currently being layed upon them.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

Relax....they'll be fine.

[dude1394]

The mavs are trying to develop a few things both with the team(coach) and with the players.

1. Avery is trying to not be the all-controlling nanny that he has been the last few years. Unfortunately with Avery, he seems to peg-out anything he tries so he goes too far. I've noticed that he's starting to ratchet back up a little. He's begun to call a few more plays out there.

2. Having Devin Harris call all of the offensive sets. Again as is Avery's way, he went from not calling anything last year to having devin calling everything this year. We need a balance there until devin is better at it, he needs a little help.

3. Finding a way to deal with zones and teams that take the ball out of dirks hands...PERIOD.. There is nothing that has hurt us like this and to the mavs/avery's credit this is the plan and they will sacrifice the season record and just about any playoff seeding to try and get this right.

4. Getting the rest of the team to quit waiting on dirk to save 'em.

5. Finding a solid small-ball team. Strangely enough since going small against the spurs in the playoffs we've seen a steady diet of small-ball teams. We are much better with a center out there but teams have been taking it away if possible. The mavs have to find a decent way to play without dampier/diop. Right now that's working on Dirk/Bass as that tandem.
It was strange last night that the mavs did not play dirk/bass together last night, they really needed to win that game and that small-ball tandem is still confused.

The defensive intensity is disturbing and that one I don't have an answer for. Unless Avery is also trying to find a way to get the team to be more responsible for it instead of himself nagging them to death about it. But that one I'm not sure about.

The mavs are making some pretty significant changes in what they've done and the coach is trying to make some much-needed changes in his style of coaching.

So I agree with most, there is no reason to think this team cannot play solid defense (they have) or solid offense (they have). But I don't think fans understand the fine line between average and great in this game. Just incorporating a new role player (10 minutes or so) many times throws a team off.

I would also say that around Feb we'll know if it's a bust or not.

[The_Game]

I watched that Celt - Bull game last night, and quite frankly, I don't see what the big deal of the Celts is supposed to be. They certainly weren't impressive. Yeah, they won, but only because the Bulls couldn't hit a bull in the ass with a base fiddle.

, the great PP had no field goals the entire first half. Ray Allens 3 point shooting is what won them the game, but we all know Allen will completely disappear when Bowen is on the court.

Most of the time they only had 2 of the big 3 on the floor, even though they all started. Taking another page from Pops coaching tips perhaps.

I can't wait until they hit a four or five game roadtrip, with a few WC games thrown in there. I think then they just become another mediocre team, and the media will lose all this interest and hyperbole that is currently being layed upon them.

do you get extra points in the standings for winning by playing amazing? please....boston have been blowing teams out by an average of like 16 points so far..they have been very impressive. 17-2 is a great record no matter what.

i think it is wishful thinking on your part that they will struggle and be average. a team with KG, Allen and pierce makes them a huge threat to everybody. they are a le contender.

[BonnerDynasty]

There's nothing that inspires confidence in me that the two teams will meet in the playoffs.

Well with the way Dallas is playing, it could be the first round lol.