Magic Gives Mavs a Nod

[Spurzilla]

Magic Gives Mavs a Nod

Posted on Tue, Dec. 13, 2005

LINK

MAVERICKS NOTES

By DWAIN PRICE
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

DALLAS -- Magic Johnson rolled into town Monday and brought nothing but high praise for the Mavericks with him.

Before Dallas' game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Johnson said he likes everything about the Mavs -- except their inability to beat the San Antonio Spurs in a seven-game playoff series.

"To me, the Mavericks are the second-best team out there now," said Johnson, a TNT analyst who also is vice president of the Lakers. "Now, how do we get to be the first, because they're playing better than anybody and they're playing just as good as San Antonio.

"But how do we beat them in a seven-game series?"

Johnson figures this might be the season the Mavs are finally able to exorcise their Spurs demons.

"The only level now they have to go to is being mentally tough," he said. "If you're mentally tough, that brings the defense, that brings the things that you're talking about that they didn't have in the past.

"But this year you can see them being a little bit tougher mentally."

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban appreciates the bouquet of roses Johnson tossed his way.

"I hope he's right," Cuban said. "We think we can play with anybody in the league.

"We also haven't played our best basketball yet, because we haven't gotten healthy yet. So, hopefully, the best is yet to come."

Johnson sure thinks so.

"The best move Mark made was bringing Avery [Johnson] in here [to coach], and that's why you see the change," he said. "You know they're going to be around for the Western Conference Finals.

"I think now it's about how do you separate yourself from San Antonio? How do you beat them?"

Magic Johnson said he fully understands why the national media isn't embracing the Mavs as a championship-caliber team, even though they've beaten all of the top clubs.

"It's because people have seen it in the past," he said. "What are they going to do when they get to a seven-game series and they haven't been there? Can they really do it in a seven-game series?

"For me, I respect them a lot because Avery's got them playing the right way. Now, it's just buckling down and doing it in the playoffs."

Briefly

Avery Johnson said swingman Jerry Stackhouse will probably go through his first full workout of the regular season today. Stackhouse has missed the entire season with a sore right knee.

Indiana Pacers guard Ron Artest said he wants to be traded, but the Mavs apparently have no interest in acquiring him. Avery Johnson said: "We like our team."

[easjer]

Because we all know how hard it is for Magic to tear himself away from his formerly unwavering support for the Spurs to toss that bone.

The Mavs are playing well. They do look better. AJ coaching them is scary, because he knows the system.

But they are not very good (at least in the past) at series basketball. Dirk had never had that mental toughness. He is a perennial MVP candidate who disappears in the playoffs. Can AJ fix that? Dunno.

We'll see.

But I still think that the Spurs are the better team with more experience and more depth. I guess we'll have a better idea about where both teams really stand come March and April.

[TwoHandJam]

Shows how ignorant Magic is naming the Mavs the second best team with a club like Detroit still in the league. So wrong.

[Josh810]

Cuban cares way too much about what people say about his team.

[SouthernFried]

Kinda funny that Magic praises the Mavs, and gives them a chance to beat the Spurs......cuz they now have a San Antonio trained coach. Sorta like saying..."Now that you've gotten somebody trained by the Spurs...mebbe u can beat them!"

I wonder if he understands what he just said. If you can't beat 'em...copy them.

[SenorSpur]

We'll give 'em a nod allright. Right out the playoffs.

[smeagol]

Shows how ignorant Magic is naming the Mavs the second best team with a club like Detroit still in the league. So wrong.

Agreed. One could argue Detroit is the best team right now (they certainly have the best record).

[Supergirl]

Only way the Mavs are better thant the Spurs, the Pistons, the Heat, or the Pacers, or even possible the Clippers right now, is with a serious injury to Duncan, Ben Wallace, Chauncey Billups, Jermaine ONeal, Shaq, or Elton Brand. Because the Mavs go-to guy (Dirk) is not as mentally tough, or even as tough a player physically, as any of those players. And that will always sink em in the playoffs.

KG will get a ring before Dirk. And neither of em may ever get it.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

Only way the Mavs are better thant the Spurs, the Pistons, the Heat, or the Pacers, or even possible the Clippers right now, is with a serious injury to Duncan, Ben Wallace, Chauncey Billups, Jermaine ONeal, Shaq, or Elton Brand. Because the Mavs go-to guy (Dirk) is not as mentally tough, or even as tough a player physically, as any of those players. And that will always sink em in the playoffs.

KG will get a ring before Dirk. And neither of em may ever get it.

Tru dat. I don't particularly like KG but if he had had the talent around him that Dirk has had in years past he'd probably have a ring.

[Pistonfan1]

Tru dat. I don't particularly like KG but if he had had the talent around him that Dirk has had in years past he'd probably have a ring.

stop using the supporting cast card it is getting a little old. KG is scared to take playoff pressure shots and NEVER wants the ball. Why do you think they had that fluke year and made it out of round 1? Cassell took all those pressure shots while KG hid like the stat padding punk that he is. KG is a horrible and overrated leader and the last 9 years are pretty damn good evidence. KG is nowhere in the class of TD and Shaq and I laugh when people say "well if he had help he would be better". Ahem the same damn team that made the WCF in 2004 didnt even make the damn playoffs and if KG was such a damn good leader he would of prevented this crap from continuing to happen but no he was just wanting to pad his stats to get MVP talk again.

[Oh, Gee!!]

Only way the Mavs are better thant the Spurs, the Pistons, the Heat, or the Pacers, or even possible the Clippers right now, is with a serious injury to Duncan, Ben Wallace, Chauncey Billups, Jermaine ONeal, Shaq, or Elton Brand. Because the Mavs go-to guy (Dirk) is not as mentally tough, or even as tough a player physically, as any of those players. And that will always sink em in the playoffs.

KG will get a ring before Dirk. And neither of em may ever get it.

Spurs were always accused of being soft even after Duncan arrived. We have three rings now. That whole "past playoff failure equals future playoff failure" is a joke. Dallas has a chance if they get hot at the right time. I root for the spurs always, but I'm not blinded by homerism to the point where I can't ackowledge that the Mavs are a quality team that could go far this year.

[SequSpur]

Magic is tragic.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

stop using the supporting cast card it is getting a little old. KG is scared to take playoff pressure shots and NEVER wants the ball. Why do you think they had that fluke year and made it out of round 1? Cassell took all those pressure shots while KG hid like the stat padding punk that he is. KG is a horrible and overrated leader and the last 9 years are pretty damn good evidence. KG is nowhere in the class of TD and Shaq and I laugh when people say "well if he had help he would be better". Ahem the same damn team that made the WCF in 2004 didnt even make the damn playoffs and if KG was such a damn good leader he would of prevented this crap from continuing to happen but no he was just wanting to pad his stats to get MVP talk again.

I don't want to give the impression that I'm a KG supporter. I think he probably would have had better surrounding casts around him if he hadn't demanded (and received) such monstrous money. All I'm saying is that Garnett compared to Dirk is much better. I think you're a little too hard on KG, but that's not the point I came here to make.

[ZStomp]

Cuban cares way too much about what people say about his team.

Like so many people in here.

Just look at this thread...

[Supergirl]

I think the Mavs are a top team. Maybe even good enough to get to the West Finals. but I don't think they are good enough to win a le, not yet, maybe not ever unless Dirk becomes a significantly different type of player. Which he may, but I do think it is unlikely. I think players are either defensively-minded or not, disciplined or not by the time they're 5-6 years into the NBA. And Dirk, while playing BETTER defense, has never shown he has the stamina to play defense for 48 minutes, much less for a seven game series. KG has. Tim has. Shaq has. Bowen has. Manu has. Horry has. The Pistons have.

[DDS4]

Dirk and Dampier...soft as tissue paper.

I'm not a believer yet. Regular season and playoffs are completely different.

[Josh810]

Like so many people in here.

Just look at this thread...

Well sure, but it's different if you're a fan of a team as opposed to the owner.

[Oh, Gee!!]

Well sure, but it's different if you're a fan of a team as opposed to the owner.

yeah, an owner has a stake in the outcome.

[Pistons < Spurs]

Shows how ignorant Magic is naming the Mavs the second best team with a club like Detroit still in the league. So wrong.

My impression was that he was referring to the Western Conference and taking it away from the Spurs as opposed to the whole NBA.

[mavsfan1000]

No doubt the mavs are at least the second best team in the west. Maybe even first. If they get hot they can beat anybody.