Dallas disaster was predictable
I saw this coming, but I did not think it would happen. I thought the inexperience of the Warriors would not allow them to pull one the greatest upsets ever in the NBA. When I saw the way the playoff ladder was shaping up the last two weeks of the season with Golden State and the Clippers fighting for the eighth seed, I thought “This is not fair.” Here you have a club in the Clippers that made the semifinals last year with the same identical team and the Warriors who also underachieved early, but were playing the best basketball in the NBA to end the season.
The Mavericks really set themselves up by trying to avoid playing the Warriors in the playoffs by basically throwing a game away at the end of the regular season, hoping that they would move up to the seventh spot. Avery Johnson sent a message to the Warriors and his team by sitting Dirk Nowitzki, Josh Howard and Jerry Stackhouse in that key game for Golden State.
When the Warriors clinched the eighth seed, they entered the series with the psychological edge over the first seed – a team that won 67 games.
Here is why the Warriors had that edge and I wrote it a few months ago when I said the Suns were a better team than the Mavericks…
The Mavericks are a jump-shooting team with no inside scoring whatsoever. I have never seen a team win a title that had no inside-presence scoring. That’s why the Heat figured them out last year and eventually won four straight to get the title. They just took away their ability to make jump shots.
The Mavericks top four players are all jump shooters. Nowitzki, Howard, Stackhouse and Jason Terry get the majority of shot attempts and most come from 15 feet. The reason it has worked the last two years is because DeSagana Diop and Erick Dampier provided very good interior defense and offensive rebounding – thus giving a very good shooting team more opportunities.
The reason the Mavericks were so dominant this year is because they used their shooters differently than, for example, the Suns or Warriors. They used them in a half-court slow-down pace with one-on-one clearouts, two-man games and post-ups around the free throw line.
This allowed them to play non-scorers like Diop, Dampier and Greg Buckner, who would not have survived in an uptempo game. Thus we have the defensive and rebound presence.
This system was great against 27 teams during the regular season, but not so much against Phoenix and Golden State.
Those two teams force the tempo and play small with serious inside-the-paint scoring.
Avery Johnson changed his lineup and went small to start the series and was criticized – which I thought was unfair. He did the right thing, but realized something he already knew… His small guys could not compete with Golden State’s.
The Warriors not only have shooters, but their shooters are multi-faceted and that is something the Mavericks could not deal with.
Stephen Jackson, Baron Davis, Jason Richardson, Monta Ellis and Mickael Pietrus can all shoot from the perimeter, drive to the basket and post you up inside. That advantage and the Mavericks inability to post the smallish Warriors inside caused this massive breakdown.
So how do you fix the Mavericks?
Ask Mark Cuban again if he misses Steve Nash. A pass-first point guard who can score is what the Mavericks need. They waste too much time and energy getting off shots. A guard that can get Nowitzki and Howard wide open shots without having to bang and dribble would help. Terry and Devin Harris are off guards and always will be.
They also need to find a post player that can defend and rebound, but also with a good post-up game to command a double team every now and then. Having an enforcer that can score on the other side would do wonders for Nowitzki.
The Mavericks will see how Utah takes advantage of the smaller Warriors inside players with Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur and forces Don Nelson to play Andris Biedrins and maybe even Adonal Foyle – especially if Al Harrington continues to be the weak link as he was in the Dallas series.
(Utah in seven, but I am pulling for the Warriors).
SKY Said,
May 7, 2007 @ 6:19 pm
I think the Mavs stood a chance against the Warriors if they didn’t have a mental breakdown (Dirk). I think the loss against the Suns had a bit to do with it. Pretty much the whole team was scared of the Warriors maybe except Stackhouse and Terry as well.
Although I’m happy for the Warriors and the rabid fans in the Bay Area, I do feel bad for the Mavs and their fans (maybe except Cuban, haha) because their tremendous season came to a stop the worst way possible.
Matt Sans Said,
May 7, 2007 @ 6:33 pm
I think Don Nelson is a master of mind games right up there with phil jackson and pat riley in that respect. He got the mavs over confident and pulled the rug out from under them. So Avery still has a lot to learn. And to be fair Dirk does have more pressure then the other contenders because he doesnt have another super star so if he struggles the mavs are in big trouble as we saw. Yes Josh Howard is an all star but he isnt a bonafied star yet he is on the verge. Should the mavs of won probably but that just goes to show you anything can happen in sports. And LeBron and the Cavs are going to the finals so to the Suns Spurs Jazz and Warriors if you want some come get some.
ChacoTaco Said,
May 7, 2007 @ 6:51 pm
If the Mavs don’t have a post presence then why was Dirk being tripled on the low post throughout the series?
The Mavs lack of consistent peirmeter shooters is what lost them the Finals and this first round series as well as Avery’s incompetence.
Eddie Said,
May 7, 2007 @ 7:01 pm
WHAT? Are you kidding me? Lack of consistent shooters? What team were you watching? They won 67 games shooting the ball outside. You must have Dirk Mistaken for someone else he rarely goes to the post on purpose. he posts up at the free throw line. They ran at him they did not double him.
kevin Said,
May 7, 2007 @ 7:37 pm
This was actually a well written article, with alot of good points. However, I said it before in reference to your article about Miami, and I still contest that when it’s all said and done, the face or faces of the franchises are the ones who shoulder the weight of losing. Every writer from New York to Sacramento was writing about Nowitzki’s choke-job, not the Maverick’s. And with that said, I think it is only fair to put Miami’s loss squarely on their star’s shoulders. Otherwise, people are beginning to be inconsistent and will be contradicting themselves.
Eddie Said,
May 7, 2007 @ 7:48 pm
He did not choke. He was overwhelmed by a coach who knew every weakness of his game in Don Nelson. When a star fails you can always dig deeper and find out that the role players helped cause it. Bottom Line.
Example when The Houston Rockets won Back-to-Back Championships Hakeem Olajuwon would not have excelled if it was not for guys like Robert Horry, Sam Cassell, Kenny Smith and Clyde Drexler stepping up and having a superstar game at least once in that series.
No one for the Mavericks stood out like that for a full game to carry the load and save Dirk. Howard and Stackhouse started strong in a few games, but they faded away as the game continued.
Not to pat my own back, But i remember in 1997 when i played with Barkley, Hakeem and Drexler(Rockets) against Utah in the conference finals. We were down 0-2 and for two games i scored 31 points in game 3 and scored a buzzer beater to win game 4 thus helping out three hall of famers and helping the load.
Tracy Mcgrady and Dirk didnt get that help. Thats what i meant in the Miami Heat article.
Straighy Hyphy Said,
May 7, 2007 @ 7:56 pm
Al Harrington needs to step up and help out on defense when it comes to containing boozer. Steal one at home and come back to the bay where we get hyphy and stewy yadidamean?
this was made before the mavericks series:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XlchZQwdck
mad props to the UP crew!
Jamie A. Said,
May 7, 2007 @ 8:59 pm
Mr. Johnson is right, Dirk didn’t choke. Every die-hard basketball fan should know that Nellie use to coach/GM for the Mavericks. He basically put that Mavericks team together and he even coached Avery on two different occasions. The tactics that Nellie used forced Dirk to play a game that he isn’t comfortable with. In Game 5, Dirk just came out firing bricks and that really seemed to throw off his confidence.
I have a question for Eddie though. How come in Game 4 Dirk quit attacking the basket immediately after receiving the ball 15-18 ft away from the basket? I was hoping the Mavericks had the Warriors figured out, as far as the double-teaming of Dirk aspect. It seemed like he was putting the ball down before the double-team came and he was able to get to the basket.
One last thing, I remember watching that Rockets/Jazz Game 4 in 1997 as a kid. I think I celebrated crazier than you did after you nailed that deep three-pointer.
Enjoy reading your articles.
Jason Said,
May 7, 2007 @ 11:18 pm
Great points. Let me add that I have never seen a NBA team when a championship that does not excel on offense, defense or have a player that can take over just about any game.
The Mavericks don’t have any of those factors. The offense lacks dribble penetration and an inside game as you said. Their only easy points come from offense rebounds and off turnovers. Never from any of their sets.
Their “defensive lineup” with guys like George, Buckner and Diop is so bad offensively, is just too mediocre offensively. In fact, it worked against them defensively because they kept turning the ball over.
And Dirk just can’t get to the hole at will and can’t play on the block against everyone.
Being just good at all of them does not cut it because when times get rough, they didn’t have a staple or identity to reach for.
kevin Said,
May 8, 2007 @ 12:10 am
I realize your points now, after allowing myself to step back from my original opinion and outlook on the matter. I still think it’s too easy to allow the stars who are paid to be scrutinized to be able to shy away from the spotlight when they fail, but I do see your point, and I do agree with alot that was said. I agree they need their supporting cast to perform well to win. This is why Kobe will never win a title without a solid team around him. He cannot do it alone. However, since he is the face of that franchise, he will continue to be blamed, or at least he should be. If you relate it to football, for instance, the Green Bay Packer’s Brett Favre is highly regarded as the reason for their failures of late. One quick look at their team and the talent around him would render that claim incorrect. But in summary, I feel we both have made our point, and it really is something that comes to a middle ground. All players of each team are suspect, no matter it be in winning or losing, and alot of times the wrong guy or guys will get the credit or the blame. Unfortunately, that’s just the way it is.
Omar Aberilla Said,
May 8, 2007 @ 2:39 am
I beg to differ on the argument raised by Mr. Eddie Johnson that Avery Johnson should not be criticized for changing his lineup to match up with the run-and-gun Warriors. Here’s why, the Mavs are the best team in the NBA (at least based on their 67-win record) thus, it is only fitting that the Mavs impose their presence and make the 8th-seeded team adust to them. Not the other way around. I respect the accomplishments of Avery, but we just have to fault him for his questionable decisions - the aforementioned lineup change and that of sitting his stars at the end of the season. You always have to be on top of your game going in to the playoffs, physically and mentally. Sitting Dirk and some of the starters triggered complacency on the mindset of the Mavs, which led them to think that they could just roll over their early round opponent so it would be best to rest their main guys during the remainder of the regular season in preparation for the supposed deep playoff run. You know what forget the health issues, unless ofcourse it’s critical. Rest is due for the offseason. That strategy backfired on them, now Dirk can rest all he wants with nothing left to play for. Moral of the story, just play the game. Your game. The Mavs style of play catapulted them towards the top of the standings. Why change that? Why be concerned with resting them players when they have no serious injuries and when they should be playing all the games to keep them in game shape heading into the playoffs?
ejsucks Said,
May 8, 2007 @ 5:30 am
You mentioned that the suns were the better team, but you did not raise these points as clearly and with emphasis as you have now. So… So you’re sayin the suns are the best team in the league? i can name 3 teams that can beat them: SA, utah, detroit. Throw the warriors into that list if they get past utah, and if they played the way they did in big D.
Yarr Said,
May 8, 2007 @ 7:19 am
“I have never seen a team win a title that had no inside-presence scoring.”
Well I certainly find it hard to remember the great inside presence socring for the 2004 Pistons, Ben Wallace? Rasheed always preferred to settle for jump shots so it coudln’t have been him.
And while Luc Longley and Bill Wennigton are right up there with Shaq as terrifiying inside scorers I don’t believe they were the prime reasons for the 6 Bulls titles. Might have been Dennis Rodman or Horace Grant, they sure outscored Karl Malone and Charles Barkley?
Who was the terriyfing monster scoring inside at will for the 89/90 Pistons, Bill Laimbeer?
Peter Said,
May 8, 2007 @ 7:19 am
Eddie is again absolutely right on this one. Even if I try to find a weak point in his reasoning, I have to admit again and again, that there are just no extra comments needed. All you guys in here who try to see things from all possible perspectives only to put Eddie’s thoughts in doubt, please, truly think twice before posting here. Personally, I don’t know any other NBA expert around the league, whose posts would even compare to Eddie’s, this is really some quality stuff.
Thanks Eddie, appreciate your work.
Aaron Ray Said,
May 8, 2007 @ 8:10 am
I also knew it was coming. For some reason it just seemed to me that with Baron Davis healthy the Warriors are one of the most talented teams in the league, and when they have confindence they can ride it for a long time. They’re a better team than their record shows, they were injured all season, trust me i went through a few of their players on my fantasy team, BD, JR, AH) But I knew after the first game that it wasn’t a fluke and that Warriors were gonna win, I felt they should have won in game 5. I also think the Warriors have a good chance against the Jazz, if they take away Boozer, but if Kirilenko plays like he can, then its in favor of the Jazz.
Marcus Barn Said,
May 8, 2007 @ 8:17 am
Wow, I love it when guys try to take credit knowing how a series is going to unfold after it’s over. In the article Eddie Johnson is referring to he mentions that Chicago or the Heat both could go on to win the East and that it’s going to be a great series. Wrong 4-0 to Bulls and the Heat looked awful. He also predicted the Spurs and Nuggets series would be close, wrong 4-1 Spurs. All he said about the Mavs v Warriors series is that the Warriors “will make life difficult for the top seed”. If it was so predicable then I would expect someone to say outright that they thought the Warriors would win. All his article did was put doubt in each of the first round series so just in case there was an upset then Eddie could claim he saw it coming.
Don’t get me wrong I am not saying Eddie doesn’t know basketball. Reading his article he makes some very knowledgeable points but it comes after the fact and I can’t stand sport writers always jumping on the bandwagon and pretending to know more then everyone else.
Marcus
JAY Said,
May 8, 2007 @ 9:10 am
I dont think anyone saw this coming. This was just a case of bad match ups that nellie exploited. I think its very funny how NOW Eddie thinks he KNEW this was going to happen. If Baron Davis doesnot hit that shot at the halftime buzzer in game 4 the Warriors are done. So give me a break, you played the game so you should understand what happened here. And you keep talking about the Suns, just watch what the Spurs do to them. And then we will see what you have to say. Tony Parker is going to continue to destroy Nash and that series will be over soon. Its all about match ups. The Suns give Dallas more problems than the Spurs do. But the Spurs give the Suns more problems that they do Dallas. Eddie I thought you knew the game!
Eddie Said,
May 8, 2007 @ 9:40 am
Marcus, then what are you saying? did you read anywhere else in the country close to what i said about the Dallas - Warrior mathup? What article did you read. Nothing was after the fact it was before the fact if you read it before the fact Marcus.
I said the
Eddie Said,
May 8, 2007 @ 9:42 am
Heat would struggle because they played terrible this season. I was disappointed in the Nuggets. they won the first game and went downhill. you want to debate me bring it on i love it.
Eddie Said,
May 8, 2007 @ 10:01 am
Yarr,
Duh it was Rasheed Wallace and it was Chauncy Billups. Inside presence does not mean you have to be big.
do you remember Michael Jordan Yarr? He was one the best post up players in history of the game.
do you also remember Rick Mahorn, John Salley, James Edwards and Mark Aquirre? thats where they got their points with the bad boys
please guys before you debate me please come with some good stuff i’m bored –LOL
Eddie Said,
May 8, 2007 @ 10:08 am
We have a guy on here that named himself ejsucks. Ok ——Must be a Maverick fan who is still crying and wants to attack me. my response could be plain and simple. If you are still crying who is going to hold the baby? LOL
Eddie Said,
May 8, 2007 @ 10:19 am
Omar, My brother once told me that no matter who you are their is always someone around that can kick your butt. The United States is the biggest baddest country on Earth, but havnt we gotten our butts kicked before. We won’t admit it but we have. i don’t need to name the instances you can do that. Well the Mavericks met their butt kicker in the Warriors. Now you do one or two things don’t play or change. well you have to play. Avery made a mistake in not playing his key guys at the end of the season, but really did he? He did not want to play the Warriors and he tried to advoid them by losing and thus making them a seventh seed. The line-up change was the right thing to do, but Devean George, Greg Buckner and Austin Croshere can’t play with the smallish Warriors And we found out the big guys could not either. Don’t blame Avery. Blame the fact that they ran into the one team that could kick their butt just like my brother said—–LOL
Omar Aberilla Said,
May 8, 2007 @ 10:41 am
I absolutely agree with you on all fronts, but we all know that by saying Dirk Nowitzki didn’t choke is just you trying to be polite. It’s just that Dirk always seems to come up short in big games, his international stints with Germany included. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a very good player. But we all know that the NBA is made up of very good players. However, to set yourself apart from the bunch and be considered among the greatest players much less an MVP, you’ve got to come up big especially when your team is in dire need of it. The guy can’t even take all the heat of proving himself worthy of winning the Maurice Podoloff hardware over Steve Nash in a regular season game. That’s saying a lot. No doubt he has the talent, though I don’t know about his willingness to carry a team. As much as basketball is a team game and everyone has to play his part, you can only go as far as your leader takes you.
Gerard Said,
May 8, 2007 @ 11:09 am
I’ve been a Mavs fan ever since the 2002-2003 season when they had Nash, Finley and Van Exel. It’s dissappointing and frustrating to admit it but this article has a lot of truth in it. The Mavs desperately need a stronger center, someone who can catch the freaking ball for god’s sake, don’t get me wrong Damp is a good center but can’t he catch a ball for an alley-op or is he that old? but he did step up this year, too bad he was nursing an injury before the mavs-warriors series. The team also needs a pass-first point guard who rarely fumbles the ball or fouls. Devin Harris is just too weak at the point. I also agree with what someone said here about Dirk coming up short in times of need. Being the number 1 candidate for MVP honors should have boosted his ego to the level of Gilbert “i can’t miss a shot” Arenas. Well fine maybe not that big an ego, but it should have done wonders to his confidence level. I still love this team despite of it’s historical stupidity. I hope next year they win it all, if they dont I forsee that they’ll never win a championship and would end up being remembered as the team who won 67 out of 82 games and lost the 1st round to an 8th seeded team which was built/ put together during the middle of the season.
Donnie Nelson is gonna trade trade trade hahaha
al davis Said,
May 8, 2007 @ 12:34 pm
Your article wa correct. You can’t jump shoot only & win the finals. A point guard would help like Bibby. They should shake up the Mavs & trade Dirk or their centers for a post upper. Avery needs to have more faith in the bench.
Marcus Barn Said,
May 8, 2007 @ 1:11 pm
Eddie can you please post the link to the article where you are said that you predicted the Warriors beating Dallas. As for the Heat, here is a direct quote from one of your articles
“Miami against Cleveland or Chicago will be a great series. Either one of these teams could win the East. How many times have we seen a matchup of potential conference champions in the first round?”
Let the readers decide but it doesn’t seem like you predicted the Heat to struggle.
Marcus
baltimore space Said,
May 8, 2007 @ 2:26 pm
i am more than glad that the warriors pulled it out. few will believe it but i was rooting for them to make the playoffs with a full month away as i knew they could take down dallas. as a player it is clear to see how this could have potentially developed. in every sport you could be unbeatable, but in the end it could just come down to matchups. dallas was really at a disadvantage here:
baron davis & devin harris: harris not big enough to handle him over a series.
stephen jackson & josh howard: jackson plays like he thinks he’s a star, howard would play under jackson’s mentality and ego no matter how good of a game he had. note to world: jackson HAS a championship ring.
harrington & nowitzki: too much physical inside play over consecutive games for nowitzki.
richardson & terry: richardson too strong and athletic.
biedrins & dampier: biedrins is active. dallas’ stand and wait centers are not good in a running game. the should’ve kept mbenga around.
we can’t even get into the benches or coaching. dallas was killed by the matchup, just like toronto, just like miami, just like chicago is now. good call EJ.
kevin Said,
May 8, 2007 @ 3:38 pm
in regards to Omar saying Nowitzki never comes up big in big games, what about dropping 50 against the suns in a game 5? and what about playing clutch and finishing strong while sending the Spurs away last year?
Dirk is a clutch shooter and a big time performer. Too many people are letting one bad stretch of games overshadow his growing legacy. He is not a choke artist. He simply did not bring his A game, and neither did the rest of the Mavericks.
On top of all that, he had to face his old friend, mentor, and coach, in Donnie Nelson. And if you ask me, Avery Johnson doesn’t quite know how to use Dirk, much less manage his team.
William Said,
May 8, 2007 @ 5:13 pm
Great column, and appreciate the fact that you go out of your way to respond to the comments.
An elite point guard is really hard to find. Mike Bibby might be available but at what price? Would he really be an upgrade?
A post scorer aren’t that easy to find either. They don’t grow on trees anymore. They tend to be more expensive too, most of them are high salaried players (Zach, Elton, Jermaine, Eddy). Someone like Mike Sweetney could be decent for them if he ever shape up. Or probably Shareef Abdur Rahim.
Then the other problem is acquiring impact players often cost another impact players as well, it will be really weird to break up a 67 wins team. Just like Dallas in the Don Nelson days.
Wouldn’t you just say that Avery Johnson got outcoached in this series? I think his reluctance to play big costs the Mavs
Tom Said,
May 8, 2007 @ 9:07 pm
IMO the long-term cause of this was Don Nelson - specifically, Dirk Nowitzki’s development under Nelson. Historically, Nelson-coached teams are not paint-oriented, so Nowitzki didn’t take advantage of his early years to develop his low post game. Things would’ve been different had he found another coach to help him develop his low post game. In the NBA, players his size are not meant to be perimeter players - they are meant to be post players.
gilt Said,
May 8, 2007 @ 10:20 pm
Couple points in the fall of the Mavs that got my attention. First off I am not a fan of the mavs.
With that said any one that thinks shipping Dirk out is a good idea needs to take a deep breath and back away from the computer. What you need to understand is the mavs defensive image. This needs to be addressed. Like it or not the only one on that team that understood how to win was Stack. If he wasn’t draining a 3, he was heading to the rack to draw a foul, Mavs playoff MVP. Ithink I am starting to ramble but let me some up the mavs situation.
- keep Dirk
- Get a shutdown defender
- make sure the team “Know their Role”
- Watch Stacks highlight reel from the series.
Omar Aberilla Said,
May 9, 2007 @ 1:26 am
Hey kevin obviously you’re a big dirk fan and I respect that. But if you can’t bring your A game facing elimination against an 8th-seeded team, then there’s a problem right there. The Mavs were perceived as solid contenders after a terrific season. This was even supposed to be the year they win it all. Dirk stated that anything less than a championship, he would consider a failure. As the pressure mounted and with his status as the MVP leading candidate at stake, you would have expected AT LEAST a better turnout for Dirk. If that’s not choking, then let me know what it is.
Gerard Said,
May 9, 2007 @ 3:25 am
Sorry Kev but Donnie Nelson is Don Nelson’s son, GM of the Mavs
glen Said,
May 9, 2007 @ 3:34 am
Hey Omar Aberilla,I don’t think Dirk choked on the GS-Mavs series. He was just overwhelmed by the defensive tactics used by the Warriors. He’s already used to being guarded by the small forwards but three defenders all scrambling on him is simply too much. His teammates should have stepped up to force the warriors into man to man but they failed to do so. The most glaring deficiency the Mavs lacked is the inside presence of a defensive and yet scoring center. They have defensive centers but scoring isn’t their forte. If they could only have a Tyson Chandler or Eddy Curry they would have surely taken the whole thing.
Dirk did not choke and so did Avery. They must have simply known that Golden State would surely take advantage of this weakness. As a Mavs fan,I already know this weakness as early as the beggining of the season. It’s not much of a worry though, because I was thinking of a matchup with teams with more traditional lineups like San Antonio and Detroit. Then came a freakish team like the Warriors.
The Mavs will surely rebound though. Its just another lesson on the way to the championship. I think they’ll make it next year if they can clean up their current lineup. Trade away Jason Terry, Devin Harris (for a true point guard like Jose Calderon and Brevin Knight - very realistic in my opinion), Erick Dampier (sign Shareef Abdul Rahim - he’s an FC), acquire DeShawn from the Wizards as a shooting guard and I think all will be set. They should resign Jerry Stackhouse and we’ll be on our way to a championship. 1 - Brevin Knight / Jose Calderon 2 - DeShawn Stevenson 3 - Josh Howard 4 - Dirk Nowitzki 5 - Shareef Abdul Rahim (or just for wishful thinking Eddy Curry or Tyson Chandler). That would be sweet!!!! What do you say Eddie???
Jerry Maine Said,
May 9, 2007 @ 4:42 am
I think the truth is somewhere in the middle. Dirk didn’t bring his A game, but with the warriors exploiting other matchups, not simply Dirks, Dallas were always in for a rough 1st round. Dirk has had some big games in the past, but he’s had a few shakey moments too. Dallas has no legitimate inside big, Dirk is ultimately a shooter, an unconventional, 7 foot small forward who is forced to play PF because he’s too slow to guard a 3, and will never get a ring until Cuban brings in a couple of post type guys to complement him, even a guard like Chauncey or Baron Davis who they could isolate. I doubt Avery not starting Damp in the first game made any difference to the outcome.
If their contracts weren’t prohibitive I’d be moving Damp and Terry for a post up brute F/C and a slasher, even if it meant starting big with Howard and Dirk at the 2 and 3 until Diop sits. With those contracts they won’t get equal talent back, but they might as well roll the dice.
Lastly, I didn’t call it either way but the result didn’t surprise me, I’m a warriors fan, was well aware of the matchup problems and the Nellie factor. One of my friends, a PHX fan, was praying the Warriors would make the 8 just for that reason. Dallas had to bring their A game, but didn’t.
It's like I Said,
May 9, 2007 @ 6:17 am
I didn’t watch a single game of this series. In fact, I’m not even sure color a basketball is but I can tell you one thing; I know that you are all wrong. Just wrong. Dirk or whatever his name is wasn’t to blame. Neither was the coach. It was the score. And don’t cite Aristotle or anything else like you can teach me something. Because you obviously can’t. It was the score’s fault. In fact, I blame numbers for everything that is wrong with this world. But especially scores. And especially in sport contests.
Eddie Said,
May 9, 2007 @ 10:26 am
Marcus go to the forum and you will see that for the month or so that i said the Mavericks would have a difficult time with the Warriorsand that it was a scary series. I also went on Colin Cowherd before the play-offs and said the Warriors would beat the Mavericks. i can’t help you any more then that sir!
Glenn,Shareef would be a very good addition and they could get him.
Bectond Said,
May 9, 2007 @ 11:54 am
I’m sorry guys, but Shareef is not the answer. They need a multi-purpose 3 that can create his own offense. I think Grant Hill would be a much better choice and he may take the min-level to sign with a contender. I’d also like the Pistons Amir Johnson(The Blk Kirilenko) even if he is a couple of years away. The Mav’s should nab him with their low-level. The addition of Shareef would displace Dirk from his natural position and after a dozen years i’m still not sold on Shareef as a viable 1st, 2nd or 3rd option on a contending team. Dirk just needs to fight harder for low post position, then the double teams will have to come, then so will the open shots. If I were the Mavs Front Office I’d add two pieces (Hill and Johnson) and use the regular season to develop Dirks low post positioning skills, I’d platoon Terry & Harris who still gets in foul trouble too often at the 1, platoon Howard & Stack at the 2, Hill & Johnson at the 3, Keep Dirk at the 4 and I’d Keep platooning Dampier & Diop at the 5. If they run back into G.S. in next years playoffs they can feature a multi-faceted front line of Hill (dirving and creating), Johnson(rebounding, shot blocking and penetrating) and the new Dirk(shooting from the outside and fighting for low post positioning)
david Said,
May 9, 2007 @ 1:52 pm
The warriors had better outside players than Dallas, but Utah’s big players will be a real problem for them. I think Utah is the last team that GS would want to face - they are not only big but deep as well.
JV Said,
May 9, 2007 @ 5:49 pm
hahaha sheed “not” a post-up guy… ask karl malone about that sometime.
i think what dallas did in their first-round trip was stupid. why the hell did they keep throwing bricks when they’re one of the best teams in fishing for fouls? i think it’s obvious, dirk’s just not there yet and i’d be surprised if he was mvp. he has to use his BRAIN sometimes, when he’s out there on the floor he has to make some of his own decisions insted of looking at avery’s direction. you start out 1-out-of-1,000,000 from the field and you still force your shots from the outside. wow, and he’s a perennial mvp? no way. i hate nash but from what i’ve seen from dirk, give it to the former.
oh and eddie, would you explain why you had this utah-warriors series in 7 games? the way nellie’s team played (despite the loss) and the fact that there’s still no D-Fish tonight (which would probably tire out deron) i think you’re either being generous to utah or just playing pessimist. i hope you’re not going to say anything about their experience coz baron’s been there, al’s been there (though he’s being an airhead these past couple of games), stephen too, nellie… i’d have this series for the warriors in 6.
Bruce J. Said,
May 9, 2007 @ 8:31 pm
I think Shareef wouold be a perfect addition to the Mavs, and I don’t think he would cost that much. Bibby, a great player, but he reminds a lot of what the Mavs already, Jason Terry. I do not see him breaking down the defense and constantly getting into the lane. He takes care of the ball, but he is not a consistent penetrator. What do you think Eddie?
Anthony Said,
May 9, 2007 @ 9:28 pm
Dallas lost also not only because of Dirk, but they lack a center (as said “inside presence” by EJ) who wants the ball and can score consistently, and Devin Harris was a guard who can never consistently hit jumpers and pass the ball the right way. I think this team lacks a smart point guard and it is a shame Devin Harris did not improve those important parts of his game through his last 3 yrs in the NBA.
Anthony Said,
May 9, 2007 @ 9:35 pm
Utah can beat GS and play in their rhythm because they play more fearless and physical. The X-Factor is Deron Williams and AK47. AK47 is back on track and is not noping, for now….he can run and irritate you with his cuts, blocks, & passing, and his faux-hawk. D-Williams is trillions of times better than Devin Harris because he can pop the J with smoothness and kick it to Money Okur, a 3-pt shooting center (that what Dallas never has).
Jerry Colangelo's dog Said,
May 10, 2007 @ 12:46 am
“This system was great against 27 teams during the regular season, but not so much against Phoenix and Golden State.”
What?
You think because the Mavs don’t match up against the Warriors that has something to do with Phoenix?
If the Mavs system didn’t work with Phoenix, why did Phoenix need a huge mistake by Josh Howard, and 2 lucky threes by Nash to send game 3 into overtime?
If the Mavs system didn’t work against the Suns, why did Phoenix only win by two points after two overtimes?
Are you the Suns color commentator or something?
If you watch a little closer at the end of game 3, you can see Amare foul Dirk without a whistle, and when the three officials meet in the middle of the court, you can see Steve Javie say “fouled him” after the baseline official asked him what he saw. After Javie told him what he saw, you could see the baseline official say “ok” and then he diverts his eyes up into the crowd and has this bumfuzzeled look on his face.
That was the difference between the Suns winning and losing the third game against the Mavericks.
It seems pretty clear to me that the Mavericks system works just fine against the Suns.
Since you work for the Suns see if ESPN will give you a copy of the audio (At least one of the officials was mic’d) and you can hear everything that was said.
As far as the Playoffs go, aside from the matchup problems (How can Devin “The Pip Squeek” Harris match up with Baron Davis. How can Jason “The Pip Squeek” Terry match up with Jason Richardson. How can Dirk “The Big White Giant That Has Less Fast-Twitch Muscle Than The Average Black NBA Player ” Nowitzki match up with Stephen Jackson. ) Don Nelson used the same style of game play when the Mavericks beat Utah in the first round, and guess what, that was against Karl Malone (A big inside-presence scorer) and John Stockton.
You obviously didn’t watch the Finals last year. You do know the difference between the Mavericks winning and losing the title was less than 10 points total, across 3 games, don’t you?
Just in case you didn’t see the finals last year, search “phantom foul” on YouTube for some game 6 highlights.
Omar Aberilla Said,
May 10, 2007 @ 1:00 am
Adding Shareef Abdur-Rahim would only mean bringing in another “soft” player in Dallas. I know a lot of you would disagree, but what the Mavs need is acquiring a bona fide superstar and let Dirk take a supporting role. I mean let’s face it, not everbody is born to be king. Only a few are able to combine talent with courage and will. It would really take a lot of pressure off of Dirk, permitting him to perform better in crucial situations. He’s better off as a sidekick, and there’s no shame in that. Ask Scottie Pippen, it worked out for his career. It’s a team game after all. Just imagine having Dirk as your second guy. Now that could possibly translate to a title. That’s why it was sad to see Nash go. Nash was the guy who could carry the brunt of the team’s load and attract the spotlight to him, win or lose. This would allow Dirk to operate in his comfort zone. That’s only my opinion though. Who that go-to-guy should be is up to Cuban and his crew.
Rashidi Said,
May 10, 2007 @ 1:37 am
I agree with the article except for one thing EJ said.
“The Mavericks are a jump-shooting team with no inside scoring whatsoever. I have never seen a team win a title that had no inside-presence scoring.”
Correct me if I’m wrong, but wouldn’t the 2004 Pistons qualify? Billups, Hamilton, Prince, and Sheed are all jumpshooters, and Big Ben is a non-factor. Didn’t they also have shooters like Okur and Mike James off the bench?
Rashidi Said,
May 10, 2007 @ 1:51 am
Dallas also never addressed one of their weaknesses that was quite evident in last year’s NBA finals. The Maverick guards are undersized and cannot stop stronger players, particularly ones that have excellent penetration skills. After getting shelled by Wade last year, was it any suprise that they got stomped by Baron?
Devin Harris is a disppaointing defender. He picks up too many fouls trying to draw charges and going for steals. When he’s in foul trouble on the bench the Mavericks can’t keep up with Baron and Monta. Since the Warriors play an uptempo game that leads to more possessions, it leads to the potential for more foul opportunities. Which means that when Harris is playing 12 minutes less than other regulars, it’s as if he’s missing 15-18.
Sean Said,
May 10, 2007 @ 1:59 am
Dallas’s demise was predictable…C’mon Eddie that’s garbage. Hind sight is 20/20.
Hara Said,
May 10, 2007 @ 5:00 am
I’d like to add just one thing, someone said Dirk is a failure with Germany. Germany has no players whatsoever except for Dirk. He led them to the top of European basketball (a 3rd place and a final loss in the last few years), and without him they’re nowhere near the top 10.
So that’s not true. Serbia, which has 5-10 NBA players, 10 ex-NBA players and many more top players in Europe, doesn’t have results that are as good as Germany in the last 5-6 years.
Dallas’ bottom line. I can’t believe they didn’t pay Nash and went and gave that money to the train wreck that is Erik Dampier.
Zane from London Said,
May 10, 2007 @ 9:02 am
Eddie I agree with your article completely. Nelly had the Mavs number before the series began.
JAY Said,
May 10, 2007 @ 3:17 pm
Thanks for not answering me Ed. You know I am right!!!!
tiks Said,
May 10, 2007 @ 5:50 pm
I second you Eddie on the Avery Johnson’s taking the risk comment. If he’d been successful playing small ball, he’d have been called a genius by everybody. Since Dallas couldn’t win, the press immediately swooped down on him.
Ben Said,
May 10, 2007 @ 6:01 pm
Eddie did call it, he made these predictions during the regular season matchups between the Suns & Mavs.
bobby Said,
May 10, 2007 @ 6:13 pm
yeah that’s true,dallas is a jump shooting team.but you can’t say that their just jump shooters.howard can drive to the basket,stackhouse can,terry can,dirk can and he has shown it in last years playoffs.all i can say is that they just didn’t come out aggressive enough and they reaaly lost their confidence.and another thing,don nelson knows the mavericks so much,even the coach,the staff and that has been a big factor in the loss of the mavericks.i’ll really feel bad when the person who once made the mavericks a great team is the person who will break this team and show its weaknesses but they really need to add up some key players next year with a low post prescence and one who can create his own shot.it would just take time and right pieces so dallas would be the world champions
Pop Said,
May 11, 2007 @ 12:57 pm
‘I saw this coming, but I did not think it would happen.’
It makes perfect sense
lbj Said,
May 11, 2007 @ 5:00 pm
EJ hit the nail on the head! The 2004 Pistons had Rasheed Wallace. Eventhough he shoots threes from time to time he does have some moves down in the post.
And the reason EJ mentioned Phx and GS in the same breath is because they both play a similar style. A more uptempo style than most NBA teams.
LBJ Said,
May 11, 2007 @ 5:04 pm
Dallas had a chance to try to keep GS out of the playoffs on April 17th I belive. GS had to win out to hold on to a playoff spot and keep the Clips from making it and Avery sat Dirk, Howard and Stack too. Not to say that they would’ve beat GS had those guys played anyway but it turns out it was a big gamble that they lost.
Stack really played with a lot of heart for Dallas. He did a good job.
Jerry Colangelo's dog, Rover Colangelo Said,
May 13, 2007 @ 5:19 am
Omar Aberilla said that Dirk wasn’t even good in his stints in Germany (stints?) yet he seems to not know that he has won multiple MVP awards playing for Germany.
1.He earned his first MVP award in the World Basketball Championships, and Germany wasn’t even in the Finals. They finished 3rd place behind Yugoslavia [ A team full of NBA players from Serbia and Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, etc.] and Argentina, another team full of NBA players.
(Yes, I said World, not European. Dirk was named the MVP of the World. Something not even Michael Jordan can claim. Oh yeah, how did Team USA, made up of elite NBA players and coaches [Lebron, Carmelo, Wade, Joe Johnson, D'antoni], do in the World Basketball Championships?)
2.When he earned his second MVP, his team finished in 2nd place. Serbia and Montenegro was 1st and France came in 3rd. Germany finished 2nd even though the 1st and 3rd place teams had loads of NBA players including Vlade Divac, Predrag Stojaković, Željko Rebrača, Darko Miličić, Mile Ilić, Boris Diaw, Tony Parker, Mickael Pietrus, 3 other current NBA players, and a former NBA player who played for the Mavericks.
3.In the 1998 Nike Hoop Summit, before he was even drafted, he lead a team of international high school players to a victory against the best high school players in the US. He scored a record 33 points and grabbed a record 14 rebounds, yet he had never played the American game, and was playing against guys that knew the American game better than every other high school player in America. (This was technically his first MVP. Why wouldn’t it be. He set 2 records that still stand.)
4.He even has some World and European tournament scoring titles.
5. He has received the EUROSCAR award for European player of the year for 5 consecutive years, yet he only plays in Europe during the summer.
6. He received the FIBA European player of the year award in 2005, yet he only plays in Europe during the summer.
7.Etc.
After hearing the facts, Omar Aberilla, could you please explain how they translate into him not being good in his “stints” in Germany?
It’s OK to be retarded, just keep it on the down low.
On a side note, can someone tell me how Amare Stoudemire made All-NBA 1st team?
Someone who stands under the basket that only scores 20 ppg and 9.6 reb is All-NBA 1st team worthy?
In 02-03 the Mavs won 60 games and Dirk averaged 25.1ppg, 9.9 rebs, he made 148 three’s, shot 88% from the line, and he even lead the team in steals, and he only made All-NBA 2nd team.
I guess it has something to do with NBA marketing or hype or something. I don’t know.
LBJ Said,
May 29, 2007 @ 4:14 pm
On a side note, can someone tell me how Amare Stoudemire made All-NBA 1st team?
Well I belive Amare made the first team this year because they’ve been listing him as a center. And he did play quite a few minutes at the center position with Kurt Thomas coming off the bench.
As far as Dirk getting second team in 02-03… There are a lot of talented power forwards in the NBA an it’s very difficult to make the list as a power forward. Many people feel that Dirk plays more like aN outside shooting small forward but is only considered a PF because he’s 7ft tall. Who know’s why Dirk didn’t make it 4 or 5 years ago. I guess the NBA felt someone else deserved it more. You could ask the same questions about lots of All-Star votes, season awards etc…
statusmvp Said,
August 10, 2007 @ 3:10 pm
did u guys realize that 100% of the sports analyst “BELIEVED” that dallas was going to win no matter wat….i guess we are wastin our money payin them to be analyst…..