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Who would the Spurs beat without Manu and Duncan? (and Hill)
Two observations on the Mavs:
Ever since 2006, I've always had a healthy respect for them - especially in the way they've approached games versus the Spurs. However, I've lost some respect for the way they've "folded the tent" since Dirk has been out. It's the lack of effort that is surprising. This is supposedly one of the deepest teams in the NBA, from 1-12. They've got guys that have been key rotation players on other teams. It;s obvious that with Dirk and Caron out, the rest of the those guys have become exposed. They cannot generate any offense, but that trademark defense that they were supposedly so famous for, has vanished. And most of all, the effort has been lacking.
The Mavs, especially that Turtlehead , talked mucho smack to start the season, when they were winning games and everything was rosy. They boasted how they were set to "take on the rest of the NBA" and how they considered themselves "the best team in the NBA". Now that they've hit a patch of adversity, that frontrunning, posing, at ude of theirs has been silenced. And again, their effort has been poor.
The other thing that was obvious to me is Alexis Ajinca has no business on the court. He missed defensive assignments, didn't generate any offense or hustle plays, and was basically a non-factor. I don't know what's going between Carlisle and Brendan Haywood, but for the coach to elect to start and play Ajinca and Ian Mahinmi over Haywood is irresponsible coaching. The Mavs need production out of their better players and Ajinca and Ian are not better than Haywood - and I'm a fan of Ian's. What point is the coach trying to prove here?
Even when Dirk comes back, I doubt he cures what is wrong with this team. As a result, I don't see them having a long playoff life. Based on this recent skid, it's clear they are posers and not closers - and fans of theirs should be concerned the rest of the way.
Look for the owner to panic and make yet another failed trade, in an attempt to get instant oatmeal. All the while taking on the remainder of yet another bad contract. You can just feel this team and this organization pressing because they know time is running out on the Dirk era. Based on what we've seen since Dirk has been out, he should get serious MVP consideration for carrying this band of has-beens and wanna-bes.
Who would the Spurs beat without Manu and Duncan? (and Hill)
Yeah, there's a critical mass of injuries that would make any team look bad, no matter how deep they are. The Mavs are definitely at that point; right now they're just a bunch of complimentary players relying on Jason Terry to be their major offensive player.
Feel the dark side! the hate made you stronger!
the 08-09 mavs, by 17 points:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/...902240SAS.html
w/o manu and duncan, hill 15 minutes 6 pts 20% fg;
dallas was missing terry though
trolling aside, that wasnt senorspur's point. the point was that the mavs new defensive iden y isnt real, and that carlisle is more concerned with sending messages than maximizing his talent. dirk/butler/beaubois wont change that. of course, you can agree or disagree.
edit: Mel beat me to the link, I take too long posting from work! In any case i saw it in one of your posts last night, just following your instructions!
My two observations
THE MAVS
My two observations
THE MAVS
i can just imagine a WAAAH sound coming out of cuban's crying baby mouth, and dirk sitting there wishing he was playing for a better texas franchise.
Winning is one thing. Playing hard and giving max effort is totally another.
Losing your best player does not give anyone on the team a right to not even try or a built in excuse to lose without putting any effort. During adversity good teams, who will go far into the playoffs, are molded
My opinion is that they are s shocked. They lost Dirk and they were still competing, but when Butler went down, done without anyone touching him they have not been able to regroup. And I noticed in the paper where Dirk was supposed to get an MRI yesterday, my thinking is why, maybe it's still bothering him. I think the Mavs have always lacked mental toughness. This is just another example, but they are frontrunners if and when Dirk comes back they should get back to a better level of play.
^This is the point - EXACTLY.
The Spurs have certainly had their share of injuries to key players the past few seasons. At no time, can I recall them getting down on themselves and feeling sorry for themselves to the point where they gave piss-poor effort. First of all, Pop wouldn't allow it. Secondly, it's not in the DNA of the players the organization brings in. During those adverse situations, they may not win, but they will give max effort.
Mavs fans should be disgusted with the effort that team threw out on Friday night - regardless of outcome.
At important as talent is to a winning team, character and mental toughness are often overlooked as essential, intangible assets. The Mavs don't appear to have either.
Rick doesn't strike me as a unreasonable guy. And the spat with Haywood has been there even before Dirk/Butler got injured, IIRC. It might just be a case of Haywood getting paid and getting distracted. Wouldn't be the first time that happens.
True. He was mentally "out to lunch" for a large portion of his Wizards tenure. The peculiar thing is that the MAvs just re-upped him over the summer for ridiculous money ($50 mil). Now he's an underacheiver, on the first year of a bad contract, and practically untradeable.
Ah ya gotta love Cubes.
??? Dirk is going to somehow help cure their layup line defense?
If he keeps it up, he'll be part of a trade sooner than later...
Cuban looks like he's more interested in the game than his players.
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Maybe he needs to become the first NBA owner/player/team-Capt.
If the Mavs play hard, the home crowd gets corndogs.
You also have to keep in mind that Chandler wasn't 100% (flu symptoms and missed their shootaround) and he's been largely credited for the Mavs defensive turnaround.
However I do think the Mavs are fool's gold until they finally sign a legitimate star that can reduce Dirk's scoring load since he might be kinda breaking down now in his career (this is the most games he's missed) and because the Mavs are almost as limited offensively as the LeBron-Cavs were.
Also imo the Mavs guards are at best average defenders but they seem worse than that especially in this match-up. Jason Kidd, JJ Midget, the Jet, etc seem like they have absolutely no chance against the Spurs guards.
If the Mavs can't address their locker room chemistry and sign a legitimate star next to Dirk I see their run being pretty limited.
The Mavs will never be elite until Cuban stops providing them with excuses for losing. It's always those mean old refs or so and so was out or the schedule was ed or something. That's bull . You play the game on your schedule with who you have and you do your best. Look at that boxscore from 2009 to see a team that does that.
LOL a 17-point blowout of the Mavs with the following starting lineup: TP, Finley, Bonner, KT, and RMJ.the 08-09 mavs, by 17 points:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/...902240SAS.html
w/o manu and duncan, hill 15 minutes 6 pts 20% fg;
dallas was missing terry though
THE MAVS...
That first one is a great "FACE PALM" pic....My two observations
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Anyone else think it was funny, that from the back, Cuban looked like he was a spurs fan wearing those spurs colors
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