Tag Archives: Caron Butler

by | December 26, 2011 · 5:24 PM

NBA Christmas Wrap

Merry Christmas

With much fanfare and an obnoxious LMFAO ad that was played almost every commercial intermission, the NBA season kicked off in superb, albeit rusty, fashion. Yes, lockout legs could be seen throughout the five games that were aired but that is to be expected with abbreviated training camps. chemistry was also an issue as many teams have a number of new players to integrate into their rotations. Nonetheless, the NBA is back and fans and players are happy. A reaction:

Boston Celtics 104 – New York Knicks 106

Carmelo Anthony looked great in this game. His 17 points in the fourth quarter were the difference and why the Knicks thought it necessary to gut their team to acquire him. Throughout his time in the NBA, Anthony has proven he has a knack for performing in the clutch and he showed it on Sunday. However, the already shaky depth of the Knicks has grown even more unstable with a knee injury to rookie Iman Shumpert which will sideline him for at least a couple of weeks.

As for the Celtics, Rajon Rondo and Brandon Bass, who is finally free from the tyranny of Stan Van Gundy, were the offense with Paul Pierce missing the game. Rondo continually broke down New York’s defense and got to the rim. When Pierce comes back to the lineup the Celtics should be a more rounded offensive unit, until then this will be Rondo’s team.

Naughty: Kevin Garnett choking Bill Walker.

Nice: Carmelo Anthony’s clutch play.

Miami Heat 105 – Dallas Mavericks 94

The Mavericks raised their championship banner but that is all they had to celebrate on Sunday. Dallas came out looking flat and out of sync, in essence, they looked old. That should be no surprise because their entire core is over the age of 30. Rick Carlisle is integrating Vince Carter, Lamar Odom, Delonte West, who played well, and Brandan Wright into the rotation while dealing with key losses across the board. Jason Terry was the only Maverick who showed up to this one.

Miami looked like they were just rolled off of a German assembly line. They were well oiled and fine tuned. What they did to the Mavericks was scary. Say what you will about all the exhibition games this summer but they seem to have kept LeBron James and Dwyane Wade in game shape, that and their complete desire to destroy everything in their path. This was a blowout, like a brand new Mercedes-Benz S-Class versus a Trabant. Not only were the Heat good but they will get better. Rookie Norris Cole turned some heads with his play in 24 minutes of action. If he continues to improve he could supplant Mario Chalmers as the starting point guard.

Naughty: The Mavs’ 37.8 percent field goal shooting.

Nice: LeBron James‘ box score: 37 points, 10 rebounds, six assists.

Chicago Bulls 88 – Los Angeles Lakers 87

Forget Showtime, these are the Slowtime Lakers. That is not a knock on them, however, not in the least bit. This Lakers squad proved to be as scrappy and gritty as any I have seen. Perhaps this is what Mike Brown brings to the team, perhaps this is what a bunch of blue-collar white guys bring to a team, or perhaps this is just what happens when you lose Odom and Andrew Bynum serving his suspension. Nonetheless, I like the Slowtime Lakers. Where they do need to improve is offensive player rotation. Too many times they reverted to Hawks-esque isolation with three players around the perimeter and one near the post.

Chicago played well throughout, with the exception being the third quarter. With the game close, Luol Deng stepped up and made the big plays. It was his defense against Kobe Bryant and his steal late in the game that allowed the Bulls to go on a 7-0 run, capped by Derrick Rose‘s floater in the lane, to win the game. Rip Hamilton started for the Bulls but did not contribute much due to foul trouble therefore his time was split with Ronnie Brewer. Brewer is a solid defender with good court vision and should see more minutes this season.

Naughty: Kobe’s last shot attempt.

Nice: Rose’s floater to win the game.

Orlando Magic 89 – Oklahoma City Thunder 97

Much like the Heat Mavericks game, the final score does not do justice to the thrashing that actually occurred. Like Miami, the Thunder look ready for the season. Very ready.  Oklahoma City pounced on Orlando early and never relented. Their team is largely the same as it was last year so their learning curve is near zero when it comes to knowing each other and how to execute plays…when they are not freewheeling. Speed and athleticism are the monikers of this team and they will serve them well out of the gate. If only they could improve their shot selections *cough* Westbrook *cough*.

Where the Thunder took plenty of questionable shots when they had built their sizable lead, the Magic took even more haphazard shots throughout the entire game. I have said it many times: the Magic’s offense is terrible. There is nothing more that can be said. It looked like they thought that there was a pit of lava inside the three-point line. Get Dwight Howard the ball in the post and let him work.

Naughty: Hedo Turkoglu clearly indulged his gluttonous side during the lockout. Dude is chunky.

Nice: Kevin Durant. Need I say more?

Los Angeles Clippers 105 – Golden State Warriors 86

If ESPN had their way, this would have been a documentary about Mark Jackson and the greatness of his coaching style. Nevermind the fact Chris Paul and Blake Griffin were on the court, this broadcast was about Mark Jackson, hands down (man down). They showed a clip of him quoting Shakespeare before the game. He was the only coach shown in the huddle, mostly saying cliché motivational shit like “execution” and “focus.” That is all fine and good, but he does have a decent team that the broadcast could have talked about. I think Jackson will be a good coach but that much attention is unwarranted, especially on a nationally televised game. His first coaching milestone was the hack-a-Jordan technique he used on DeAndre Jordan.

The final score is not indicative of how the Warriors remained close for much of the game. Clearly, the Wizards of Lob are the better team but last night they showed chinks in their armor. The aforementioned hack-a-Jordan technique stymied the Clippers offense and brought it to a halt. Luckily, the Clippers have Paul, Chauncey Billups, and Griffin. All played well as they were able to outlast the Warrior. The new look Clippers are a work in progress to say the least and last night they showed it.

Naughty: ESPN’s love affair with Mark “Momma, there goes that man” Jackson.

Nice: Caron Butler‘s circus shot.

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by | December 16, 2011 · 2:12 PM

The Face and Fate of the Clippers

Captain on deck

Chris Paul is now a member of the Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers were, when the hubbub surrounding Paul’s insistence to be moved, the most unlikely of bedfellows because, well, they are the Clippers. Since moving to Los Angeles, some old sages may tell you that the team was once in San Diego, Donald Sterling’s bastard child has only made the playoffs four times and only once have they advanced beyond the first round. However, now they have Paul. He is a master on the court, finding teammates and creating for himself when the opportunity arises to carry his team. Teamed with Blake Griffin, a player who excites by carving out his domain above and literally through the rim, the Clippers, at least for now, are exciting again. Dare say, they are once again relevant.

What will come of the two years that Paul has signed on in Clipperland? Surely, the team’s fanbase will expand beyond Billy Crystal and Frankie Muniz. Bill Simmons gave up on the NBA during the lockout so he will no longer be a mainstay at their home games in the Staples Center. The spotlight will be on the Clippers to perform, fair-weather fans demand it.

Aside from Paul, the team added Caron Butler, the able swingman, who spent much of last season with the champion Dallas Mavericks on the bench due to injury. They matched Golden State’s offer sheet for DeAndre Jordan, who they are likely overpaying but he does have an upside. Plus, he is good friends with Griffin so that chemistry should translate to the potency of the frontcourt. Then there is Chauncey Billups. The Clippers picked him up off waivers after the New York Knicks used their amnesty clause to release him.

To get Paul, one of the best players in the league, they were forced to trade away assets that they were counting on for their future like Eric Gordon (if a team owned by Sterling ever has a future). No matter what side of the trade one may fall on, what is done, is done. Now the Clippers have two years to make it work and the Hornets have forever to rebuild.

The Clippers were Blake’s team. He was the only player that mattered to casual observers. With Paul in town, whose team is it now? Will there be an identity crisis or can the two coexist much like the players that have joined together in New York and Miami. Those relationships, however, are far from equally divided. Not one of these players needs to be the face of the franchise. Both can fill that role for the fans. Yet, on the floor one must take the lead. The likely choice is for it to be Paul as he facilitates the offense. Griffin is the highlight reel who will be on the receiving end of Paul’s decisions. In the fastbreak, which should happen frequently this season, this will be more than apparent. What Vinny Del Negro does in the halfcourt will determine the fate of the Clippers, and likely his job. 

Del Negro will likely give Paul free rein in halfcourt sets, allowing him to masterfully probe the defense, zipping through and around screens and picks, all the while Griffin lurks in  the post, or the charity stripe waiting to strike as his defender focuses on Paul for a moment too long. If Paul penetrates and the defense collapses, he has scorers in Butler and Billups to pass to. If he shoots in the lane and misses, Griffin and Jordan will be there to clean it up. In this scenario, the offense is Paul and because of this the Clippers’ offense will be dramatically improved.

As Rob Mahoney points out, the addition of Paul should be extremely beneficial to Jordan. Much of his scoring comes by means of assists or put backs because he does not have the ability to create scoring opportunities for himself. The Clippers signed Jordan to a new contract worth $43 million over four years. It is a hefty price for a player who has yet to come into his own but Paul should help that. 

Paul’s facilitation will make all of his teammates better by default. This returns to the question: Who is the face of the Clippers? It has to be Paul. He is already a well entrenched figure in households across the country. The argument can be made that Griffin, too, has attained such status. However, his meteoric leap (pun intended) to fame was more about the sheer thrill of his athleticism rather than his tactical vision. Griffin did not make the players around him better. Yes, he has a knack for being able to distribute the ball, a talent many big men do not have, but what makes him special is the ferocity in which he plays the game. Paul is calculating, he has the ability to create angles on the floor with his passes and movements that defenses have no method of anticipating. That is what makes him a great player and what makes players around him better and his leadership will be vital to the development of the entire team, not just the players.  

For the two years that Paul is under contract with the Clippers, he will be the face of a once faceless organization. Griffin will take his place beside Paul due to his ascendancy last season but this is Paul’s team. It will not be a time-share.

It is a rare occurrence that the Clippers have so much buzz going into the season. They will be a better team. Perhaps better than they have ever been. However, that is looking too far ahead. With Paul on board the team is set to return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2005-06 season. Yet, something feels off. Paul is great. Griffin is astounding. It is the notion that the two are the heralded saviors of a perpetually inept organization with a questionable owner. The Clippers are on the precipice of something good, something wonderful. Only they can screw it up. Let us hope, for the sake of all invested in this team for the coming season, Sterling aside, history does not record yet another blunder for Los Angeles’ second team.  

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by | October 8, 2011 · 9:35 PM

Recap of the South Florida All-Star Classic

It was a good show

In what is possibly the biggest recruiting ploy in Isiah Thomas’ stint as the head coach of the men’s basketball team at Florida International University, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade hosted the most recent NBA player charity game. The two players from the Miami Heat reportedly approached Thomas about hosting the South Florida All-Star Charity Classic, which benefits the FIU First Generation Fund through the Mary’s Court Foundation (named after Thomas’  late mother). Yes, the event was for charity but Knicks fans have to be a tad squeamish knowing that Thomas spent as much time as he did in the same gym as Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire. Heck, the NBA and NCAA should be squeamish about Thomas’ continued activities with NBA players. Seriously, it is fairly shady.

The teams were divided into Team Wade and Team LeBron. From there, players were partitioned based on their shoe deals, Jordan Brand and Nike sponsored players had priority placement on the teams. Team LeBron featured the aforementioned James, Chris Bosh, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, Rajon Rondo, Lou Williams, Rudy Gay, Jamal Crawford, Jonny Flynn, and Damon Jones. Wade’s team was composed of Wade, Mario Chalmers, Caron Butler, Dorell Wright, Stoudemire, Anthony, Chris Paul, Wesley Matthews, John Wall, and Eddy Curry. However, in a classic Curry (aka the Hamburglar) move, he did not suit up for the game. Matthews and Williams also did not appear in the game and were replaced by James Harden and Tristan Thompson.

The players were not the only clebrities in the building, Floyd “Money” Mayweather was in the crowd as well as Gabriel Union among the 4,000 on hand for the game.

Kevin Hart coached Team Wade, and channeled coach Bob Knight at one point by throwing a chair on the court, while Udonis Haslem coached Team LeBron.

Aside from an attrocious free throw display, the game featured some fairly competitive ball. Both teams played more than passive defense. However, play around the rim, especially from Team LeBron in the first half, was sloppy at best. It is lockout basketball. It does not matter in terms other than entertainment, yet there are referees officiating the game. The refs really did not play a role in the game, other than the players looking to them for calls regularly, until the last two minutes. During the last two minutes the game grew increasingly competitive as the players took hard fouls, Anthony gave James an NBA foul and Wade and James found each other defending one another.

It came down to Anthony with Team Wade trailing by three. He delivered on a shot from the wing to tie the game at 127 with three seconds to go in the fourth quarter to send the game to overtime. Unfortunately, Anthony began cramping early in the overtime session. Though it did not look to be too serious, it was a reminder that players, without the aid of trainers, are vunerable to injuries as they continue to barnstorm. If James Dolan was watching, he along with Knicks fans everywhere probably held their breath for a beat or two.

In the end Team Wade triumphed 141-140 despite James’ half court make at the end of overtime. James led all scorers with 34 and Wade poured in 25. Bosh added 17.

This game was just another result of the ongoing lockout of the players. After the game, Anthony said, “The way it looks right now they’re going to cancel the first two weeks of the season.” The players and owners continue to not see eye to eye in terms of Basketball Related Income. Owners offered a split of 50/50 to the players last week but the players rejected it. Since then the owners and the league have refused to schedule any further meetings without the players first agreeing to the 50/50 BRI split. Players have said that they would go as low as 53 perecent but the owners refuse to climb higher than the 50 that they offered.

David Stern has recently stated that the owners have conceded on many of their hardline stances in an effort to reach an agreement with the players. However, this is just more double speak from the commissioner. The owners have given up nothing in monetary terms to date. It has been the players that have shouldered the biggest financial burden as their former BRI percentage was 57. It should not be the players who are forced to be held accountable for bad player investment by the the owners.

With the talks stalled for the moment, the barnstorming and exhibition games will continue and with them support for the players will increase. The NBA must return, all sides involved know this. However, it will probably get uglier before it gets better. Until then we will continue to see players don “Basketball Never Stops” shirts in sold out gyms.

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by | June 13, 2011 · 4:38 PM

An Emotional Journey with the Mavericks

Vindication

It would be impossible to completely sum up all the emotions that have churned through me over the entirety of the NBA Finals. This was easily one of the greatest Finals that we have been witness to in the history of the league. Just about everything happened that could and therefore it was emotionally draining for those of us with vested interests in the series.

The Kobe Beef is based in Dallas, Texas. I have lived here for the vast majority of my life. The Dallas Mavericks have always been my favorite professional sports team. Always. Sure, growing up when the Cowboys were winning Super Bowls and partying like it was going out of style was great. Still love the Cowboys too, but they are not the Mavericks.

I have been a fan of the Mavericks for roughly 21 years now and watched them stumble through the 1990s without giving up on them. I cannot say that I expected them to win much during that decade but watching the Three J’s always brought me joy. It never bothered me that they were competing with the Milwaukee Bucks for the worst record in the league. They are my team. Just because they were terrible, and they were, did not mean that I did not care. I am not Chris Bosh.

Unfortunately, I never got to see the Mavericks play in person at Reunion Arena. I would have liked to but that is of little concern now. The first time I actually had a chance to see the Mavs play was when I was in college. They came to UNT to hold their training camp and had a scrimmage in the Super Pit in which students were encouraged to attend. It was wonderful, especially because no matter the outcome of the game the mavericks would win. I can still remember my friends asking me who the short white guy was. I told them that he is not white, he is Puerto Rican and his name is J.J. Barea.

That was a number of years ago. Since then I have seen the Mavericks be dragged through the mud by the media and their critics. They certainly did not help themselves with their various playoff disappointments but all of that is moot now.

Whatever anyone thought of the Mavericks has been shattered. They have climbed to the top. For a while the treacherous seasons of the ’90s did not seem that far gone. Now, they are a distant memory banished to a far away land. The Dallas Mavericks are NBA Champions for the first time in franchise history. Writing that line gives me great joy. I like many other fans, have been through it all with the club. Every high and every low. However, we had never experienced the greatest thrill until now. No team is more deserving.

This group of veterans who cannot jump high or run fast deserve this. They played as a team and won as a team. Throughout the playoffs their celebrations have been muted. They were focused. Rick Carlisle kept their opponents guessing. They were the better team and they were without some key players.

It does not seem real yet, it has not sunk in yet. It will though and it will be perfect.

No pundit expected anything of the Mavericks as they entered the playoffs this year. The only expectations came from their fans and from themselves. In every series they were considered the underdog with the exception of the Western Conference Finals. Yet, they persevered as a team and kept finding miraculous ways to win and overcome adversity. When they lost the 23 point lead in game four against Portland, they were written off. When they had to face the Lakers in the Conference Semi’s they were brushed aside. There were even those who dismissed them against the young and inexperienced Thunder. Dallas overcame them all but the critics remained, however, they were shrinking in number and overdue praise for Dirk Nowitzki was beginning to surface.

In the Finals Dallas faced the Miami Heat. The Heat are everything that the Mavericks are not. They are flashy, boastful, young, cocky, arrogant, and childish. They were anointed, by themselves, to be the next dynasty. How many rings will this team win? I guess we will still have to wait for that question to be answered.

These teams met before in the Finals. The end result left a bad taste in my mouth for years. However, it seemed to effect Nowitzki and Jason Terry more as they are the only two hold overs from 2006. They played will determination and guts. They knew that nothing was written in stone and that you have to create your own destiny. They did and what they accomplished can never be taken away.

The emotions of the championship will never fade, they will just be stored away until they are needed once the celebration dies down. I know that I will always hold onto them. It has been a long time coming.

J.J. Berea, Rodrigue Beaubois, Corey Brewer, Caron Butler, Brian Cardinal, Tyson Chandler, Brendan Haywood, Dominique Jones, Jason Kidd, Ian Mahinmi, Shawn Marion, Dirk Nowitzki, DeShawn Stevenson, Peja Stojakovic, Jason Terry, and the Dallas Mavericks are NBA Champions. I can die happy.

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by | February 17, 2011 · 10:06 PM

Playoff outlooks at the All Star break

Tonight marks the end of the first half of the NBA regular season.  Each of the top eight teams in each conference have battled hard to get in the position they are in.  Each has it’s own story and each has made a case as to why they deserve a playoff berth.

Let’s break it down.

THE WEST


 

 

Methodical wins and pace have been primary themes for this perennial playoff team.  This season, it’s a more upbeat pace led by players that weren’t on the last title-winning squad (Gary Neal, DeJuan Blair and George Hill).  If they keep up and avoid injury, everyone should be very afraid of the Spurs.

 

 

Tough luck.  Injuries (Dirk Nowitzki, Rodrigue Beaubois and Caron Butler) have really set the Mavs back; however, they have responded well.  They are the only team in the league that has beaten all the other powerhouses.  The Mavericks could have three wins against the team mentioned above but again: injuries are a bitch.

 

 

They look sleepy when it matters and can’t seem to beat the Bobcats.  Combined with losses to Cleveland and Sacramento, it’s a wonder that this team is in the position they are in.  They have an opportunity to make a move and they need to capitalize in order to reinvigorate this offense.

 

 

Kevin Durant is scoring at will and Russell Westbrook has shown that he is an elite point guard.  The only thing hampering them is their age.  Westbrook is leading the league in turnovers with nearly four a game and defense isn’t exactly their forte.  The team needs a big man but who doesn’t these days?  They are scoring at home and on the road but they still need a player that can make big shots other than the Durantula.

 

 

They simply can’t rebound.  Outside of LaMarcus Aldridge and Marcus Camby, the rest of the frontcourt is a bunch of no names.  The Cambyman is injured so Aldridge has had to pick up most of the work under the basket.  With Brandon Roy injured as well, it’s kind of weird that they are on a six-game winning streak that is helping them hold onto their position in the West.  Andre Miller is the only other guy stepping up right now but he’s on the trading block.  It will be interesting to see how the rest of the season plays out for the Trail Blazers.

 

 

A hot start has a lot to do with where the Hornets are in the West.  However, they have fallen a bit since.  It’s weird that they are even winning without the usual offensive prowess that they normally employ but Monty Williams has his guys playing defense well.  January fared well as they won 12 of 16 games.  February has been another story.  They are 2-7 this month with losses to Minnesota, New Jersey and Golden State.  Ouch.

 

 

We are all sick of all the Carmelo Anthony talk but he is playing well in the midst of the commotion.  He is scoring over 30 points per game in their last ten and they are leading the league in scoring with 107 a night.  Seems as though his performance as of late matched with the fact that they are even in the playoff hunt means he could spend the rest of the season in Denver.  However, a certain team in the East lost their superstar to free agency last year for nothing and we all know how they are performing without him this year…

 

 

A coaching change in Utah after almost three decades with Jerry Sloan isn’t proving to payoff yet.  The Jazz have lost the last four games since he entered retirement.  They are 2-6 in February and even lost to the Rockets (ewwww).  Luckily, they come back from the break with games against Dallas and Boston (sarcasm).  Looks like they are really going to have to grip to that eighth and final spot in the West.

THE EAST


 

 

The Celtics are good. They are pulling out wins and leading the East even with a myriad of injuries to several players.  They lead the league in assists and in points allowed.  However, they need Jermaine O’Neal and Shaquille O’Neal back.  Kendrick Perkins can carry the front court for now but it can be argued that his injury is what caused them to loose in the Finals.  Imagine how dangerous they will be when everyone is finally healthy…

 

 

They built a super team of only three players.  It’s sad that they are second in the East with two starters (Zydrunas Ilgouskas and Mario Chalmers) that are only putting up around six points a night.  It is a true testament as to how bad that conference is.  They are 3-6 against the Lakers, Boston, Dallas and Orlando and aren’t undefeated against any of those powerhouses.  However, they are beating up on all of the garbage that didn’t make the playoffs last season.  They are 22-4 against those teams but last time we checked, they will not be facing any of those squads in the post season this year.

 

 

The Bulls made some major moves by bringing in Carlos Boozer (frontcourt phenomenon), Kyle Korver (three-point specialist), Ronnie Brewer (athletic wing man) and Brian Scalabrine (fat cheerleader).  Head Coach Tom Thibodeau has them playing defense as they are only allowing opponents to score 92 a night.  Their mix of young talent and veteran leadership will do them well come playoff time and hopefully Derrick Rose can reach the second round for the first time in his career.

 

 

Otis Smith has the balls to make big moves.  Hedo Turkoglu looks like his old self and Jason Richardson looks at home.  Combined with Dwight Howard’s ability to rebound nearly everything, this team of shooting specialist should finish strong.  However, we don’t see them doing what they did last post season unless they actually make another move for a forward that can change things up a little for this offense that can feel predictable at times.

 

 

When you take a glance at the record of the Hawks you notice that it is a tidy 34-21. Are they really that good though? Short answer: no. Atlanta is easily the worst team with 30 or more wins this season. Their record is a result of a soft schedule so far with only two noteworthy wins, both against Orlando. As the schedule gets tougher after the All Star break do not be surprised to see the Hawks lose ground in the East at an alarming rate.

 

 

The Knicks are back, baby! Well, kind of. The hype surrounding the resurgence of the Knicks completely overshaddows the fact that this is a team that has hovered just above .500 all season. In fact, the entire up and down nature of New York can be juxtaposed by two games. This season the Knicks have lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the worst team in the league, and beaten the Spurs, the best team in the league.

 

 

The 76ers are a team that no one is really talking about this season. Doug Collins has his team in the middle of the pack in virtually every offensive and defensive category which is a great improvement over last season. They have already equaled last year’s win total with 27. Night in and night out, the Sixers give it their all. Currently, Philadelphia sits in seventh in the East which is not an ideal situation as it means they will likely not advance. However, this team is young and can only improve in the coming seasons with Collins at the helm.

 

 

The Pacers are the most dangerous team in the East right now. That is especially true if they have a first round matchup with Miami. For some reason the Pacers play the Heat better than any team not in the upper tier of the league. Their length and size will give any team fits. Rebounding and hustle plays allow the Pacers to hang tough against the league’s elite teams and those plays are generally centered around the efforts of Roy Hibbert and Tyler Hansbrough.

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by | February 7, 2011 · 6:38 PM

Overlooked Dallas could prove it’s their conference to rule

Dirk's injury caused Dallas to miss an opportunity to show the West who's the best.

After experiencing their best start in franchise history and having a steady hold of best in the West, teams should be afraid of someone else in the Lone Star State.

The Dallas Mavericks are getting miffed completely by the other team in Texas (and no, we are talking about the Houston Rockets).  This is the best team in the West that isn’t getting talked about for many reasons.

Yes, the Spurs are pretty good.  San Antonio is 42-8 and sits atop the Western Conference standings with a seven game lead over second place.  They are sixth in the league in scoring with 103.9 a game and are committing the fewest personal fouls in the NBA.

In addition, they are doing this in a new system of faster play and more scoring.  Last year, they were 15th in the league in scoring under a system that favored lock-down defense.  They are doing this with Tim Duncan playing less minutes than ever before in his career.  He has only been the leading scorer once this season for the Spurs with only 21 against the Thunder on New Years Day.  Their turnovers are staying down and they are doing it with a core that includes several young players in George Hill, DeJuan Blair and Gary Neal.  Yes, the Spurs look good.

Chicago and San Antonio are the only two teams that have beaten Dallas twice.

Dirk Nowitzki was out in both games.  They went 2-7 without the big German.  Seven losses and yes, it’s the Mavericks holding that second place spot in the West and yes, they are seven games behind them.

We can’t say whether or not the Mavs would be number one in the West if Dirk hadn’t gone down.  But you have to look at the fact that two wins in there against San Antonio would have eaten away at the Spurs lead in the conference.

He did score seven points in his debut back from injury but quickly responded with 32 a few nights later against Detroit and helped guide the Mavs in a win over the Lakers.

It’s ok though that people aren’t talking about Dallas.  It really doesn’t seem to bother this group of players that have known nothing but failure.  No one on this team has a ring and Jason Kidd is the only player on the team that has played in the finals twice (both were losses).

It’s not that the Mavs love losing but let’s be honest, it’s nothing new for some of these guys.  Dallas has only made it out of the first round once since making the finals with three first-round exits against Golden State, New Orleans and San Antonio.

Dallas is really stepping up in big games and it’s going to get them somewhere eventually.  They really showed some grit in their win against the Celtics in Boston last Friday also against the Lakers in Dirk’s third game back from injury.  They won both games without a key component as well.

The Mavs have essentially been playing and winning without the guy that is getting paid to score the second most points on the team.  Without Caron Butler, the Mavs only have two small forwards that can start and that’s Shawn Marion and now Peja Stojakovic.  DeShawn Stevenson is guarding well and shooting 41 percent from beyond the arc (a career best).  He has really emerged into an unlikely role player for Dallas and Tyson Chandler is keeping them fired up as well.

Dallas is going into tonight’s game against Cleveland on an eight-game winning streak.  It will be a nine-game streak by the end of the evening knowing the pathetic Cavs.

Additionally, February is a very easy month for the Mavs.  Aside from one game in Denver on the tenth, they have a very easy road schedule with games in Sacramento, Houston, Washington and Toronto.  They are 5-2 against those teams including Denver and they have beaten all of them except Toronto at least once.  If the Mavs ever loose to the Raptors again this year, the team should be very ashamed.

Meanwhile, the Spurs are slowing down a bit.  They have fallen down to tenth in the league in scoring in their last ten games and experienced a very questionable loss to Portland last Tuesday.  Their starters went 26-58 from the floor and LaMarcus Aldridge dropped 40 points on them.

Dallas can only look forward at this point since they should be very assured by how they have performed this season.  It’s nothing new that no one is talking about the Mavs but one thing is for sure, Dallas will be on a lot of team’s radar come playoffs.

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by | January 21, 2011 · 4:10 PM

Stojakovic Not the Answer for Struggling Mavericks

Trading places

The Dallas Mavericks are set to acquire Peja Stojakovic, who was recently released from the Toronto Raptors, once he clears waivers.

To free up a roster spot for Stojakovic, the Mavericks will trade Alexis Ajinca to the Raptors along with cash considerations (a Mark Cuban specialty), and a 2013 second-round draft pick. In return the Mavericks will get the draft rights to “2007 second-round pick Georgios Printezis (who plays in Spain and is no longer considered an NBA prospect) and create a salary-cap exception equal to Ajinca’s $1.5 million salary,” Marc Stein reports.

This is the second time that Stojakovic will have changed teams this season as he was dealt to Toronto in a trade with New Orleans early on in the season. Now the question must be asked: who is Peja Stojakovic at this point in his career?

Stojakovic has only appeared in eight games, yes eight, this season. At this point is where I would usually insert statistics but a total of eight games merits none. He has missed the previous 26 games due to a sore left knee which dates back to November 26, 2010.

His age is also an issue at 33. Dallas is already a team full of veteran players and getting another one, especially one with health issues warrants questions. To top it off, Stojakovic is simply a weak-side three-point shooter. The Mavericks already have two capable weak-side deep threats in Jason Kidd and DeShawn Stevenson. However, in the most basic sense, Stojakovic is a small forward and the Mavericks are in desperate need to fill the void left by Caron Butler at that position. Apparently, they are incredibly desperate.

It is unlikely that Stojakovic will see much if any time on the court once he joins the Mavericks so there must be ulterior motives in bringing him in.

Since Toronto bought out the remainder of his contract in order to release him, Dallas is getting Stojakovic on the cheap. It is likely that acquiring Stojakovic is part of a larger scheme that the Mavericks are working on in order to completely replace Butler’s absence and turn around their recently spiraling season. Dallas recently signed Sasha Pavlovic to a second ten-day contract in yet another stop-gap move to fill the vacated small forward position.

The Mavericks have established themselves as movers having completed blockbuster deals each of the previous two seasons. The current signings are a far cry from the team’s normal modus operandi. Therefore, the acquisition of Stojakovic is likely to represent one piece of a trade puzzle. He is trade bait. He will be grouped along with a number of other players (hopefully J.J. Barea) and shipped off in exchange for a small forward and possibly a backup point guard.

Now, this is all just speculation of course. However, what are the Mavericks’ realistic long-term, or even short-term, plans for Stojakovic? He does not make the team better and he certainly will not help them regain their winning form of earlier in the season. He has no future in Dallas. This is a team that was built to win now and with a potential lockout next season this group of veterans may never get another shot at a title run.

Peja Stojakovic is not the answer the Dallas Mavericks are looking for. No, he is merely a pawn in Cuban’s chess game to replace Butler and return to the NBA Finals.

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by | January 10, 2011 · 12:54 PM

Dallas Mavericks lurking in the Shadows of Melo Trade

Returning to Big D?

With all the attention focused on the Denver Nuggets and New Jersey Nets attempts to work out a trade for Carmelo Anthony, the Dallas Mavericks may be the team that sneaks in to steal a valuable piece of the deal.

The Nuggets have a budding point guard in Ty Lawson who would step into the starters roll if Chauncey Billups is shipped off to the Nets. However, Denver would be getting back Devin Harris. For the Nuggets, Lawson is a cheaper and more viable option to run their team as they grow increasing cap conscience especially when Harris is set to make $9 million this season and $17.8 million over the next two years.

This is where the Mavericks step into the equation according to Marc Stein. Dallas has not completely dismissed the idea of bringing back Harris to bolster their roster. It is clear that the Mavericks need another point guard and scoring option to spell Jason Kidd who has been forced into a much larger role this season due to injuries by Caron Butler and Dirk Nowitzki. It is also very apparent that backup point guard J.J. Barea is simply not effective enough of a floor general to lead the Mavericks’ second unit when bench players have been moved into the starting rotation because of the aforementioned injuries.

Since Butler was lost for the season the Mavericks have struggled to find a way to replace his offensive production and have called on a bevy of players to fill the void. Harris could certainly do his part to alleviate Dallas’ scoring woes as he is averaging 16.6 points per game this season. However, is another guard the answer to the Mavericks’ problems?

Harris is not the Mavericks’ primary target to replace Butler but if he ends up in Denver Dallas will certainly inquire about the possibility of acquiring Harris before the February 24 trade deadline. Stephen Jackson has been also rumored as a possible replacement for Butler.

Jackson would fit the Mavericks’ needs more so than Harris. He is a small forward with the ability to play shooting guard. Since Butler’s season-ending surgery to repair a torn patella tendon Dallas has been without a true small forward on their roster. They signed Sasha Pavlovic to a ten-day contract today and he is now the lone small forward on the team.

Dallas is going to make a trade this season, that much is certain. What is not known is whether Harris realistically is the player that could help the Mavericks regain their winning ways. Dallas’ roster is replete with guards and they anticipate second-year player Rodrigue Beaubois to return to the lineup by the end of January. They need help at the wing but in all reality they simply need any kind help if they want to keep their deep playoff run hopes alive.

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by | · 11:12 AM

Mavericks sign Sasha Pavlovic to 10-Day Contract

 

Filling the SF void in Dallas

In an attempt to fill the void left by the recent season-ending injury sustained by swingman Caron Butler, the Dallas Mavericks have signed forward Sasha Pavlovic to a 10-day contract.

 

Pavlovic is in his seventh season after being selected 19th overall in the 2003 draft by the Utah Jazz. He has career averages of 5.5 points per game, 1.9 rebounds, and one assist. The Mavericks had an open roster space after waiving Steve Novak last week.

This is by no means the move that many expect the Mavericks to make to replace Butler. It is simply a move to fill a vacant position on the roster. Since Butler went down, Dallas has been playing with out a small forward on its roster. DeShawn Stevenson has been filling in at the three, as the Mavericks continue to play without Dirk Nowitzki, despite being better suited to play shooting guard.

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by | January 6, 2011 · 9:25 PM

Trillionaire Fired…err, Waived

Trillionaire Boys Club

On Wednesday, trillionaire Steve Novak received the news that no one wants to hear in this sluggish economy. Que Donald Trump: “You’re fired.”

Well, Novak was not exactly fired. He was waived by the Dallas Mavericks so that the team could free up roster space after Caron Butler had season ending surgery. In addition, Novak’s one-year contract would have been fully guaranteed had he remained on the team after January 10. The Mavericks’ roster now stands at 14.

Unemployment is never fun. Good thing he is a trillionaire.

Novak, if you did not know, is the active leader of the stat line known as Trillions. It is defined as:

one trillion (wun tril’-yun) noun. Denotes those occasions in which a player logs one minute of playing time without recording any other statistic. The term is derived from the player’s statistical line in a box score, which (sometimes) reads as a one followed by 12 zeros — the conventional English-language numeric representation of one trillion.

(Basketbawlful.com)

In all reality the actual number would now translate to a quadrillion with the amount of statistics categories recorded. It is a pretty embarassing stat in every facet.

Novak has 39 Trillions in his illustrious NBA career.

 

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