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The self-proclaimed "second best center in the NBA" just laid a big fat egg against a guy who isn't big enough to be a legitimate center. He's Jerome James South.
Not sure how accurate this is but read on a Mavs board that Dirk called out Dampier after the Mavs lost to the suns. Saying he was getting into too much foul trouble. Now I read this response.
Not sure how accurate this is, but like I said in the beginning of the season. Dampier is a scrub, the Mavs will regret the day they ever signed him to a $70 million+ contract.Avery Johnson was surprised to hear that Erick Dampier had said Dirk Nowitzki was "totally stupid" to suggest that Dampier's performance was the reason the Mavericks played so poorly in Game 1.
He obviously didn't agree with the assessment.
"You know what's stupid?" Johnson said. "The way the Mavericks played the last game. That's stupid."
The self-proclaimed "second best center in the NBA" just laid a big fat egg against a guy who isn't big enough to be a legitimate center. He's Jerome James South.
Mavs bickering after Game 1 loss
PHOENIX (AP) -- A prominent pair of Dallas Mavericks are bickering in the wake of the team's blowout loss to the Phoenix Suns in Game 1 of the Western Conference playoffs.
That's just one of the problems rookie coach Avery Johnson has to rectify before the teams meet again on Wednesday night.
Team leader Dirk Nowitzki criticized Erick Dampier after Amare Stoudemire outscored the Dallas center 40-0 in Monday night's 127-102 Phoenix victory.
"He's a step slow on everything," Nowitzki said after the game. "He never got involved in the game. He has always been in foul trouble. The first series was the same thing. He gets a quick two fouls in the first two or three minutes, and we can't be aggressive any more. Then he gets the third foul and has to sit."
Nowitzki didn't stop there.
"The bottom line is we've got to get something out of our center position," he said. "We really haven't gotten anything out of it."
Nowitzki also shouted at Dampier as the two ran down the court following a three-point play by Stoudemire over the Dallas center's back.
Dampier lashed back before the team's workout on Tuesday.
"He can say what he wants," Dampier said. "We really didn't get a lot from anyone. This is not a one individual game. It's a team concept. We didn't play the way we are capable of playing, so for him to say something like that is totally stupid."
Told of Dampier's remarks, Johnson said, "You know what's stupid? The way the Mavericks played the last game, that was stupid."
Nowitzki, meanwhile, stood by his post-game comments.
"I'm not going to change what I said, and I don't think I need to talk to him," he said.
Johnson said he would take care of the rift.
"We're OK. We trust each other," the coach said. "We have strong character and strong fiber on this team. We just didn't play like the team you guys saw in the first round. We're embarrassed, we're bitter, we're disappointed. Obviously we know we're up against a very tough team, but our best team didn't show up last night."
The squabble stems from Dallas' inability to slow Stoudemire in Game 1, a problem that the Mavs never solved in three regular-season meetings either, when he averaged 32 points.
"He's a great player. He's going to get his numbers," Nowitzki said, "but we can't give him 40 and send him to the line 17 to 20 times."
There are problems against Stoudemire regardless of whether the defender is Dampier, Alan Henderson or Nowitzki.
"He's going to out-quick the bigger guys," Phoenix's Quentin Richardson said, "and if they try to put Dirk or a smaller guy on him, he's going to overpower him, so it's a dilemma."
The ever-confident Stoudemire wonders if there's anything the Mavericks can do effectively against him.
"It's going to be tough for them. They're not exactly Memphis," he said, referring to the team Phoenix swept in the first round. "Memphis had more scrappy players and more defensive players. I'm not sure. They might just polish up their offensive and defensive games."
The Mavericks may decide to double-team Stoudemire, but that opens up the Suns' array of outside shooters, and Stoudemire still could get his points.
"Obviously, one-on-one he's a handful," the Suns' Steve Nash said, "but he becomes more dangerous out of a pick and roll because you have to kind of pick your poison. Are they going to leave me? Are they going to leave someone from the weak side with the tremendous shooters we have. At the same time, we've got people moving to get the ball. I think our team has a lot of balance, and that highlights his superior ability."
After watching video of Monday night's horror show, Dallas' players knew that their main problem was a lack of effort and energy. Two days after their 40-point blowout of Houston in Game 7 of their first-round series, the Mavericks sleepwalked while the Suns sped over, around and through them.
"We were just flat in all areas," Nowitzki said. "We were a step slow on offense and defense. We were jogging around."
The Suns said they know that Game 2 will be far more difficult.
"Last night we had a great game, we played well, we had a lot of fun, but you know that game's over," Richardson said. "We don't expect to win by 20. I've been saying all the time, I expect this to be a dogfight. We don't get any extra wins by winning by 20 or more points. It counts as one win."
everything dirk said is correct ... but i would suggest keeping that kind of stuff "in house." i don't see dampier a the type of guy who would be inspired by this. i see him as the type who would become a bitter malcontent.
He'd better suck it up. Dirk shouldn't have to score 40 every night in order to lead the team. Dampier has no excuse for playing such uninspired ball. He needs a manhood check.
Dampier is nothing but a scrub. What kinda weak ass GM would ever pay a guy who has a 9 and 9 average as his best year for being in the league for 9 years.
Simply terrible. I figured the front office would be smarting up, but that's just stupid .
There were a lot of guys on the Mavs playing matador defense last night, it's just that Dampier got singled out because he was guarding the Freak.
Dampier is not a scrub, but he's also not worth that contract. He's a Nazr-type player: a banger who can grab some boards and get some putbacks.
Dampier is a Nazr type player in a contract year. When have the Mavericks ever not overpaid a center? The Mavs will be able to move him in the offseason for someone else with a big name and no game.
Any GM watching the Phoenix series would have to be stupid to pay Dampier big money, or help _allas out.
Well, looks like he'll get traded to the Knicks.
Cuban is always able to move players because he picks up other bloated contracts in return. It's amazing what people will take in order to make the salaries match. Personally, I hope Dampier, Stackhouse and Van Horn are the death blow for the Mavs
Damn Dirk, you're 7 feet, 250 -- YOU PLAY CENTER!"The bottom line is we've got to get something out of our center position," he said. "We really haven't gotten anything out of it."
OMG are they beginning to implode?
Anybody else see this in the article?
Is he asking for an elbow to the grill???
Doesn't sound as if they're beginning to implode, they have imploded.
Dallas is done. I heard this quote from watching the game the other day. Phoenix does what Dallas does, but only better. And that is totally true. I don't think there is a single team in the NBA that can outrun the Suns. The only way to beat them is to make them slow down and grind out a victory. Run when you can on them, and make sure you get back. Dallas is trying to go halfcourt on them but they don't have the players to use that system. A tiger can't change his stripes.
Like charles said last night. Your both PF's Dirk. If your supposed to be the leader of the team, nut up and guard him yourself.
That will come back to bite your ass.
you don't have that problem your a LionA tiger can't change his stripes.
trust me ,after game 3? you will see ,and you will know,
then you will have to eat your crow.
the suns are too y for their own good. i cant wait...
The only way the Mavs could beat Phoenix is if they traded Nash back to Dallas for Van Horn. Dallas might win a game at home, but they are being beaten over the head with their own game plan.That will come back to bite your ass.
you don't have that problem your a Lion
trust me ,after game 3? you will see ,and you will know,
then you will have to eat your crow.
Exactly. It's one thing for a guard to call out a big man. But for a big man to call out another? Dirk needs to shut up and play both ends. If Damp sucks, then put on a helmet and guard Amare yourself.
So, who wins tonight - Mavs or Suns?
You tell all that from just one game? You must be related to Bill Walton
You must be related to Mouse?
good question.
let's see here... if your a suns fan? The Suns . If your a mavs fan? the mavs,
If your a Spurs fan that wants a free pass to the semi finals? The Mavs
If your a Spurs fan that does not like mouse? The suns.
if your like T park and sequ spur? then you wait till the game is over and act like you knew who would win all along.
trust me if your a betting man? bet the over and under for game two..
take the Mavs in game 3
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