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Cuban should know by now that if you can't beat them, you join them.
But i expect Dallas to be playing the Spurs in the Western Finals, he's just getting his jabs in early.
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll...01080327/1127/
Mavericks owner says the most aggressive teams in the league are also the least penalized.
Sunday, January 08, 2006
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News
AUBURN HILLS -- You hear that noise, kind of shrilly and annoying, coming from the South?
It's another fine whine coming from deep in the heart of Texas.
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban thinks the league's officials might be giving the Pistons and Spurs too much leeway during games, perhaps in deference to their reputations as tough, defensive teams.
"What I don't understand is how the two most aggressive defensive teams in the league are Detroit and San Antonio," Cuban told the Dallas Morning News, "yet they've had the fewest fouls called against them. How does that happen? I don't understand it."
The Pistons are being whistled for an average of 19.57 fouls a game, the lowest in the league. San Antonio is next at 21. Cuban's team picks up 23.7 fouls per game.
"Yeah, well, the two most aggressive teams have the best records, too," Ben Wallace said. "That's not a coincidence. We play aggressive defense all the time. They (Mavericks) mostly try to outscore teams."
Pistons coach Flip Saunders said that Cuban wasn't seeing the whole picture.
"He grew up in Indiana," Saunders said. "He grew up watching Bobby Knight's teams. They were the most aggressive teams in the Big Ten and they didn't pick up a lot of fouls."
Saunders' point being, the aggressive team usually gets the benefit of the whistle.
"What good defensive teams do, a lot of times, is do their dirty work early," Saunders said. "You beat people to spots and you are quicker to where you are supposed to be. You create a situation where they are following you rather than you following them."
By looking only at the numbers, Saunders said, Cuban was ignoring how the games are played.
"Both us and San Antonio, although we are aggressive defensive teams, but we're not really high in creating turnovers and making steals," he said. "We might be aggressive on the ball, but everybody else is disciplined. We pack it inside. Teams like Charlotte, who get a lot of steals, they are more aggressive on the perimeter and pick up more fouls. Our aggressiveness is more on the inside, and the same goes for San Antonio.
"To make a blanket statement like that, you aren't looking at the defense the teams are playing."
Cuban made his statement in defense of Dirk Nowitzki, who the Mavericks think is taking a beating from opposing defenses nightly and not getting to the free-throw line nearly enough. His free-throw attempts are down two a game.
Cut the check
Alex Acker can breathe easier. Actually, he has been breathing easy since 6 Thursday night. That's when his contract became guaranteed for the rest of the season.
"It's a true blessing," Acker said. "I kind of had a good feeling about it. They never hassled me or told me I had to step up my game or nothing like that. They never brought it to my attention."
Acker, a rookie guard who has yet to be activated this season, will get the full $398,076 this season. He was the only player on the roster without a guaranteed contract.
The actual deadline for guaranteeing contracts is Tuesday. But league rules stipulate that players had to be placed on waivers two business days before that deadline. Obviously, Acker was never placed on waivers.
Praising Kirilenko
It's pretty obvious the impact that a healthy Andrei Kirilenko has on the Jazz. Start with this: They are 13-5 when he's been able to start this season, 4-12 when he hasn't. Then add his brilliant 24-point, 11-rebound, two-block performance in the Jazz victory on Saturday.
"Kirilenko is a flat-out stud," TNT analyst Charles Barkley gushed during a recent telecast. "When the Jazz get healthy, they should win that (Northwest) division."
Kirilenko was only averaging 13.7 points a game, but that hardly depicts the impact he has on games. He's also contributing eight rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.5 steals and a league-high 3.3 blocks.
Last Tuesday against the Lakers, he posted the third 5-by-5 game of his career -- meaning he posted a minimum of five in the five main statistical categories -- points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. He had 14 points, eight rebounds, nine assists, six steals and seven blocks against the Lakers. That, actually, was just the second 6-by-5 in NBA history. Houston's Hakeem Olajuwon did it March 10, 1987, in a double-overtime game.
To put Kirilenko's feat into perspective, only nine players have posted 5-by-5 games (the league didn't start keeping track of blocks until 1972).
In the bonus
The Pistons won't be seeing rookie-of-the-year candidate Chris Paul on Tuesday when they make their only visit to Oklahoma City. Paul, who is averaging 16.5 points and 7.5 assists for the Hornets, tore ligaments in his right thumb.
Antonio McDyess scored a season-high 13 for the Pistons, but the bench was still outscored 52-19.
Cuban should know by now that if you can't beat them, you join them.
But i expect Dallas to be playing the Spurs in the Western Finals, he's just getting his jabs in early.
they cant play us in the western finals
they can play us in the western SEMI finals but not the western finals
we're playing the Suns in the western finals and winning in 6
the playoff seeding rules are what is preventing the 2 best teams in the west from meeting in the conference finals
okay. i get what your saying, but it's still only january. the seedins ain't set or nothin.
It's not likely because they are both near the top and in the same division, but it's not impossible.they cant play us in the western finals
they can play us in the western SEMI finals but not the western finals
If one of them had the 2nd seed and the other the 4th or 5th seed, they' could meet in the WCF.
Or if one of them had the 1st seed and the other the 6th or 7th seed, they could meet in the WCF.
Jump shots, stfu.Cuban made his statement in defense of Dirk Nowitzki, who the Mavericks think is taking a beating from opposing defenses nightly and not getting to the free-throw line nearly enough. His free-throw attempts are down two a game.
I just gained more respect for Flip Saunders for telling Cuban off with intelligence.
I like Cuban. But the press jumps on every word he says. I really don't care what cuban thinks...i'm more concerned with Avery and the Dallas Defensive improvements...
As much as I respect our Spurs and everything, they just don't give fodder to the press.
Which is cool. But IF Every team was like that? What a boring league this would be...
Cuban cry me a river....seriously we give out lest fouls, but most other teams go to the line more then us.
Cuban is hilarious. He just talks for no reason. I like him. I think he's funny. Even when he es, it doesn't bother me. I just laugh. Next week, he'll complain how his vagina is irritable and how they don't make a sensitive enough lotion for billionaire rashes.
Jealousy is a .
i thought bush was worst character guy in texas, but cuban is nearly takin the thrown back
Mark Cuban is like Bill Walton. If you take him serioiusly, then sometimes you get pissed at things he says. But, if you just laugh at him like a cartoon character and take whatever he says with a grain of salt, then you really enjoy reading and hearing his quotes. Seriously, don't take him seriously.
I agree with Saunders for a change, Cuban doesn't know what he is talking about. Or he is baiting the refs, probably the latter ala Phil Jackson, which we haven't seen in a while, not since 04 when Jackson last coached. I'm surprised he hasn't done this year, or maybe he isn't getting the print he used to when the Lakers were compe ive. Anyway, Cuban's taking over.
Cuban complaining?? No way!!!!
I would not compare him to Walton. Walton has sad many nice things about Spurs and San Antonio in general in addition to a few stupid remarks sure but overall..
Cuban is 100% Rich .
Didn't we have this discussion last week?
Dallas is #5 in the league in FTs attempted, Spurs are 26th. STFU Puban.
Cuban is a little . That is all.
I prefer to think of him as a waltzing vagina.
Well the nba is full of crap with the refs. Kobe and Shaq get the star treatment but the same thing goes with championship teams. They get the benefit of the calls more than not. Bowen gets away with ton. So do the Wallaces.
Free Throw attempts per game:
6. Dallas
.
.
.
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21. Detroit
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27. San Antonio
Cuban, STFU.
Cuban: Ref favor spurs blah blah (phone rings)
Cuban: hold on commish I'll be right back (takes other call)
Cuban: Is my jet ready to fly? I need to be at my luxury yacht in a couple hours.. and why did I make only 5 million today in stocks.
Somewhere a dove cries for Cuban..
Cuban back to commish: Oh where was I .. .oh BOO HOO my life is so horrible commish please stop the Spurs and Detroit and Bowen waahahhahahah I have NOTHING TO LIVE FOR AND am poor...
/cuban out.
Cuban is your typical whiny lil' . This is just the latest in a slew of "Mavs don't get no respect" type compliants.
Charles and Kenny were right. Anyone who keeps their own individual scorecards on the officials has no life.
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