Tag Archives: Dirk Nowitzki

by | April 18, 2012 · 2:58 PM

Ribeye to Eye: The Eastern Conference Playoff Picture

Even the East is juicy this year

Doyle Rader and Travis Huse discuss the NBA’s Eastern Conference, namely the playoff situation (what do you think of this segment’s tentative name?):

DR: Before we get rolling on how we feel the Eastern Conference playoffs will look, I want to address something that I saw last night. Now, I didn’t watch this game, I feel sorry for anyone that did, but I kept an eye on the score throughout the night because, well, I simply didn’t believe what I was seeing. The Detroit Pistons demolished the Cleveland Cavaliers 116 – 77. Now, the 77 points that Cleveland scored are deceiving. On the surface it appears to be a respectable, albeit low, total. It most certainly was not. At the end of three quarters the Pistons were up 100 – 50. Yes, they had a 50 point lead. 50 points! My God! This is the NBA. I know that there is a very vague level of parity that exists in the league, although it often cannot be found on a nightly basis, but what an embarrassment. At least the Bobcats weren’t the worst team in the NBA for one night.

OK, had to get that off my chest. What do you think about the Eastern Conference playoff picture?

TH: I don’t even know how you let the Pistons drop 100 on you. In the middle quarters, the Pistons scored 71. The Cavs only scored 6 more points than that in the entire game.  Oof.

Home court appears to be set, with the Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, and Indiana Pacers spread enough apart that no one will be able to chase them. Bulls’ losses at Miami and Indiana could give the Heat a slight chance to make the top seed, but that’s a tough thing to imagine. Due to the NBA Playoff format, Boston will nab the 4th seed after winning the Atlantic Division. The remaining four spots are a murkier view.  With Dwight Howard‘s back injury and the myriad of front office issues the Orlando Magic have faced, it’s hard to imagine them competing with the Atlanta Hawks for the right to play Boston.  That being said, they seem to be a more cohesive, team-first organization without Howard.  Teams with a distinct desire to win will remember this when Dwight-a-palooza 2.0 hits next season, and will likely pass.  He’s more meant for the organizations that have a need for PR purposes than ones who need to win.  Every team has a joker, a guy you can’t rely on (Luke Babbitt, Metta World Peace, Stephen Jackson with 29 NBA teams), but it’s not exactly the best formula for winning if that guy also happens to be your superstar.  Recent history has shown that in order to win, your best bet would be with a humble star (Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant, Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki), instead of the splashy names. Orlando’s not a postseason threat to anyone in limbo, but they might make a last push in order to save face. Knicks can have the 7th seed, whatever.

The 8th spot is something to consider, though.  Could the Philadelphia 76ers really fall out of the picture with only 5 games left in the regular season? Absolutely. The Milwaukee Bucks are only a game and a half behind, and they play the 76ers at home. Since the trade deadline, this Bucks team is almost, sorta, maybe clicking, somehow.  A loss here could spell doom for Philly.

DR: Humble stars? Are you forgetting Kobe Bryant? He may actually be humble off the court but on the court he is quite loquacious with his game.

You’re right about the Magic, though. They are dead in the water and I’m pretty sure that Atlanta has the tie breaker over them so it’s doubtful that they move up in the standings, especially with Howard resting his back injury for the foreseeable future. Some have even speculated that he could sit out the playoffs too. Drama Dwight knows how to play ‘em doesn’t he? The Magic will be a first round exit; the top three teams in the East are too good.

As for Philly, they are taking all their cues from the 2007 Mets. This was a team that I predicted was the scariest team in the East at midseason. I was way off with that one. It is simply mind blowing that they could fall apart this bad. There has been plenty of blame to throw around but it is the whole team that needs to accept responsibility for this showing. Andre Iguodala scored more than 20 points last night for the first time ALL SEASON. This is a well balanced team at virtually every position, and hypothetically, they can rely on scoring from all their pieces but this is crunch time and their balance is dwindling. It is completely conceivable that Milwaukee catches them.

New York is locked into the 7th seed behind the might of Steve “Discount Double Check” Novak. What a flawed and exciting team. I’m pretty sure that they can only exist with one star healthy at a time if they have any hopes of winning. Jeremy Lin led the team at one point, Stoudemire did it early on, now it’s Melo’s turn. It’s the oddest damn thing that they cannot coexist.

TH: Kobe’s an outlier, though, simply because of his self-concept as the post-Jordan Jordan. He’s his biggest critic, and he forces his teammates to play at the best of their ability. Dwight, Carmelo Anthony, and LeBron James have been habitual excuse-makers, and it shows when they’re really tested in the playoffs.

As for the Knicks, I still think they can mesh. Mike Woodson has done a great job with Melo so far, and if he can get Stoudemire to buy into him (not his plays even, but Woodson the man), they’ll work. Melo’s triple-double against the Celtics is firm evidence that he’s much more likely to defer a bit to his teammates than ever before. As soon as the Knicks can get Anthony to pass the ball, we’ll see an increase in his shot selection, and they’ll be able to run high pick-and-rolls with STAT, and then they’re golden.  The Knicks need two things on offense, from my perspective. They need unselfish play from Anthony in pick-and-roll situations, and they need to move the ball from left to right in the halfcourt.  If they get defenses paying attention to that sort of movement, it will free up a TON of space for the stars to drive.

DR: With Amar’e coming back from injury soon, Woodson has indicated that he will insert him backing into the starting lineup. Thus, Carmelo will move back to small forward as he has been playing the four spot. I just wonder if this is going to hurt their defense moving forward since Stoudemire isn’t known as a defensive anything. But it looks like we will see a Knicks Heat first round series so that should be fun.

Anyway, there is one team flying under the radar right now and that is fairly unbelievable. The Indiana Pacers are cruising! They have won 10 of their last 11 games and are simply clicking on all levels. The change of tempo that Leandro Barbosa has brought to this team is remarkable. Danny Granger is efficient and resisting the ‘hero-mode’ urge more than usual. Roy Hibbert is a double-double machine and Tyler Hansbrough has returned to his ever scrappy play that we saw in the first round against the Bulls last year. Oh, and they have David West. This team IS dangerous, yet, no one is talking about them at length outside of the guys at eightpointsnineseconds.com. Whether they play Orlando or Atlanta in the first round, the Pacers should see the second round for the first time in a while.

TH: I love this Pacers squad so much.  They were a boatload of fun last season, and all the guys they added are quality.  Of course I have to love George Hill, but David West was such a wonderful pickup for these guys.  I truly feel that this time next year, once the Magic and Celtics and Hawks suck, they will cement themselves as a perennial contender and a new Bulls-Pacers rivalry will form, maybe one that puts Indiana on top.

DR: The job that Frank Vogel has done with this team is remarkable. They have won more games already this season, in a shortened year, than they did all of last year. There aren’t many teams that can make that claim who are making the playoffs.

I think, though, one of the biggest concerns going into the playoffs is the health of the star players. Derrick Rose has been hurt, Rajon Rondo landed hard on his coccyx last night, Howard is hurt, how will Amar’e integrate, and to a lesser extent, Zaza Pachulia is also hurt. Teams like the Bulls and Celtics need to be healthy if they expect to compete deep into the playoffs. I know players will play hurt in the post season with everything on the line but with the season wrapping up it might be wise just to rest players. Miami is already doing it. In fact they will probably be the most rested team by the time the postseason begins.

TH: I’m not going to lie, I burst out laughing when Zaza’s name came up. Only in Atlanta. Not exactly worthy of the “Highlight Factory,” but with Al Horford out, you take what you can get.

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by | February 2, 2012 · 4:17 PM

What’s in a Game?

Even with less games, one game means much less in a lockout-shortened season.

I spent some time today with Doyle running over last night’s Mavericks-Thunder game, both teams’ chances in the West, and the strenuous (or is it?) relationship between the Thunder’s stars.

TH: Last night, the Oklahoma City Thunder managed to dismantle the reigning champion Dallas Mavericks.  The loss, though, is not too surprising, as the Mavs were without Lamar Odom and Brendan Haywood, and Jason Kidd is still out with his calf injury.  Dirk Nowitzki had a spectacularly awful game (2-for-15 shooting) and Rick Carlisle was thrown out of the game after punting a ball into a boy’s face.  How do you, Doyle, feel as a Mavs fan about this loss?

DR: I don’t think that the term “dismantle” is appropriate in this instance. This was a game that the Thunder should have won since they have been deemed the Golden Child of the Western Conference. You mentioned the absences on the Mavericks’ roster last night so this should have been a cake walk for OKC, but it wasn’t. This was a competitive game with the Mavericks finding ways to either lead or stay in contention until the final minute of the game. If Nowitzki did not shoot so poorly, clearly his knee is still bothering him, and if the Mavs had some shots fall late, the outcome of this game could have been different.

TH: The one worrying thing for the Mavs is this:  Nowitzki’s had a few bad games, is this all because of the knee or could there be a mental problem that’s causing his trouble?  He’s been complacent often this season, and watching the game against the Spurs (his first game back, I know), Dirk doesn’t seem as fearless as we’ve come to expect.

DR: I’m not as concerned with Nowitzki as I’m sure many are. It would be easy to blame his issues on the lockout but that is a cop-out that is used all too often in this shortened season. We are about a fourth to a third of the way through the season so I expect Dirk to miss more time this year for rest and conditioning. This is true for almost every player who will be injured this season. I also do not think that his recent struggles are mental either. Against the Thunder he stepped into several bold shots in the fourth quarter. Those shots simply did not fall. He’ll be fine as the season progresses and despite being the face of the franchise, the Mavericks have other players who can step up and fill the void when they are called on.

Dallas has the highest scoring bench in the league and also has one of the deepest. The likes of Jason Terry, Odom (when not dealing with a stomach bug), Vince Carter, Delonte West, Rodrigue Beaubois, Ian Mahinmi, and Brandan Wright have all shown that they are more than capable of contributing to the team when called upon. Sure, Dirk being in a funk is disappointing but it is not catastrophic for the team.

TH: Agreed, and playoff seeding is going to be strange this season.  We’ve already seen how younger teams are capitalizing on bigger minutes for their stars, teams like the 76ers, Clippers, and Thunder.  If they manage to keep their high playoff seeds, it will be interesting to see how the older, more experienced teams like the Mavs, Spurs and Lakers re-allocate minutes. Last lockout, an 8th seed made it to the Finals.

But defense wins championships, and that is what ultimately gave the Thunder an edge over the Mavericks.  Without Kidd, the Mavs have to rely on a combo of Roddy B. and West, and there are simply too many contending teams with point guards who will take that matchup to task.  Western teams like OKC and the Clips would fare differently against Kidd’s perimeter defense and smart hands.  Here are a couple questions for you: Do the Thunder deserve their current record?  How do you envision the rest of their season?

DR: I’m not certain that having either Beaubois or West on the court is a bad thing against some of the elite point guards in the league. Both are younger and quicker than Kidd is and therefore have to capability of keeping pace, or at least better than Kidd, with the likes of Russell Westbrook and others. Also, both Beaubois and West bring a different set of skills to bear when on the court. West is a tenacious defender who likes to come off the bench and play alongside Terry thereby alleviating West’s need to score as much even though he is an able scorer. He is on the floor to hairy the opposing point. Where Roddy excels is by pressuring his defender on the offensive side of the floor. Much like Westbrook, Beaubois has an innate ability to penetrate the lane, though he does so with less bombast. Kidd is still a handful with his passing, court vision, and IQ but he has lost a step and the Westbrooks of the league will exploit that. Having West and Beaubois helps the Mavericks be a flexible and more difficult team to matchup with.

As for the Thunder, of course they deserve the record they have, they have won 17 games thus far and you cannot take that away from them. Bill Parcells that is famous for saying “you are what your record says you are,” and for the Thunder that means they have the best record in the West. However, that is not to say that the Thunder are perfect. In fact they are far from it. They are an extremely talented team, let me put that out there first, but they are also extremely inexperienced. On the break, OKC is one of the most dangerous teams in the league, perhaps second or third to only the Heat and Clippers, because they are fast and have the ability to finish at the rim. Westbrook is the spearhead and plays like a charging bull, lowering his head and relentlessly moving forward despite obstacles. Add the scoring threats of Kevin Durant and James Harden and you have the third most potent offense in the league. It is that offense, though, that gets the Thunder in trouble.

On the break, everything works well. However, in the halfcourt the Thunder often look lost and their offense stagnates. Frequently, Thunder players stand and watch the ball handler try to create for themselves in an isolation situation. Yes, the Thunder’s big three are great individual scorers but a Joe Johnson-esque ISO bogs down the entire offense and instills a heavy reliance on long jumpers or contested drives. With the skills that these players possess it is shocking that the Thunder are not more creative offensively, Scott Brooks, in my opinion, deserves a lot of blame for this.

When the Thunder offense is mobile in the halfcourt they create boundless mismatches but these go ignored far too regularly. In the game against the Mavericks there was a possession where Harden had the ball and was determined to take the shot, with Shawn Marion guarding him I believe, while on a switch Terry was defending Durant. Harden did not make use of the obvious advantage his team had in that situation and wound up missing the shot he took. Why Brooks is not irate or frustrated that this scenario repeats itself seemingly every game is anyone’s guess. The Thunder have a lot of growing to do if they are actually going to grow into the team everyone thinks they are. Until that happens they should be looked on as a new version of D’Antoni’s Suns. A good team that won’t make the Finals.

TH: I’m not so sure they won’t make the Finals, with the Western Conference being weaker than it has been in years.  The Chris Paul trade fiasco essentially knocked the Lakers from contention, alienating Pau Gasol and losing Odom to the Mavs for peanuts.  Dallas lost enough players over the summer that this year almost seems like a mini-Mark Cuban rebuilding effort, and San Antonio appears limited in roster movement until Tim Duncan decides to retire.  When was the last time any of these teams appeared so fragile?  Already headed this way, the lockout and compressed season has hit older teams harder than anyone would have expected.

After last year’s Conference Finals appearance, the Thunder have the experience and resilience to make it, but it hinges upon favorable seeding matchups and Westbrook’s shot selection.  Durant has shown more leadership this season, but it might take an MVP trophy for the rest of the team to realize that he’s the clear #1; also, an increased role for James Harden could produce stagnation, as he loves watching the ball leave his hand.  You’re absolutely right that the blame falls on Scott Brooks.  He needs to explain to his team, in clear terms, that Kevin Durant is the best basketball player on the Thunder.

Durant’s been strikingly supportive of his teammates, and I love it.  Superstars in the league now tend to throw their team or their coaching staff under a bus if it suits their personal aspirations, while Durant’s shown a commitment to the city, its team, and management.  But maybe they’d be a more cohesive team on the court if he were to drop the humility a tad, and stepped up and took sole ownership of the team.

DR: I’m not certain that Durant becoming more of a focal point for the offense to flow through is necessarily the right course of action. That could elicit a #MeloSystem style of offense. I would like to see Scott Brooks shoot an email to Sebastian Pruiti and request some suggestions for plays in the halfcourt. They could be much more fluid if he did.

You are right though, the West is wide open and the Thunder need to exploit it, but they need to first battle through the surprisingly tough Northwest Division. If the playoffs began today they would have to face the Trail Blazers in the first round. That is far from a desirable match…but nothing in the West will be ideal this year.

Yes, the Thunder are a good team but their mediocre defense and lack of ball movement could be their eventual undoing. Until that time they need to enjoy the ride. Oh, and…something, something, Westbrook and Durant hate each other, something. There, I think I just covered the main issue that we have been dodging.

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by | January 9, 2012 · 6:24 PM

The Dallas Mavericks visit the White House

The NBA champion Dallas Mavericks finally had their opportunity to visit the White House and meet President Barack Obama. Initially, the league did not schedule a trip for the Mavericks to visit the White House as the team was not scheduled to play the Washington Wizards in D.C. due to the shortened season. Mark Cuban would have none of that and arranged the visit.

Honestly, I cannot be unbiased about this moment, nor can I write about it in an even-handed fashion. This moment simply made me happy and proud. I have been a Mavericks fan since I discovered what basketball is and seeing the team standing behind the President is wonderful.

President Obama makes plenty of cracks about the Mavericks’ age, Jason Terry‘s Larry O’Brien Trophy tattoo, and Dirk Nowitzki‘s talent for singing. One of the best moments is when the President displays a bit of homerism saying that it will be the Chicago Bulls who he meets next year. Everyone involved was clearly having a good time.

On a side note, Ian Mahinmi got swag. Check out his plaid print shirt, bow tie, Black rim glasses, and black cardigan. Baron Davis and James Harden have been put on notice. Mahinmi’s hipster status is untouchable.

Video via PBT

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by | October 20, 2011 · 8:12 AM

Dirk Nowitzki’s Pitching Duel with MLB

Move over, Big Unit.

Yesterday was a landmark day for Major League Baseball. It was the start of the World Series between the Texas Rangers and the St. Louis Cardinals, Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden were on the mound with an injured veteran to throw out the first pitch, and the crowd was electric. Baseball could do no wrong yesterday, except they did.

The Texas Rangers reached out to Dirk Nowitzki, the most recent person to lead a Metroplex team to a championship, and asked him to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at one of the Rangers’ home games in Arlington during the World Series. Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks leapt into the national spotlight when they defeated the favored Miami Heat for their first NBA title in June. It seems that Nowitzki, who was named Finals MVP, is a perfect choice to be a representative of the area but the MLB did not think so.

Major League Baseball gave no real reason to deny Nowitzki the opportunity to throw the first pitch, his submission by the Rangers was simply declined. Some speculated that it was because MLB front office types did not want to be seen as not showing solidarity with their counterparts in the NBA who have locked out the players for 111 days and counting. However, Marc Stein of ESPN, who broke the story on Wednesday, believed the decision by MLB was based on Nowitzki not having “broad-based” appeal.

Shortly after the news broke about the decision to not have Nowitzki toss a first pitch a slew of negative reactions lit up the internet. In the never ending public relations battle that is professional sports (see: Stern, David), Major League Baseball struck out. Baseball is a funny sport, rooted in its past, but it must adapt to its present as well. denying Nowitzki was a further example of the stodgy hierarchy of baseball neglecting to notice the world outside their sport. Nowitzki is a regional hero. He has been the face of the Mavericks for over a decade. Perhaps MLB officials never noticed him or basketball, but in the world of the internet and Sports Center, that is unlikely.

With the negative press swirling, Bud Selig, the commissioner of Major League Baseball who was not involved in the original decision, and the Major League brass rescinded their earlier ruling on Nowitzki. Whether it was the bad press on the day that the World Series started or not wanting to become the latest Bryant Gumble opinion piece that changed their minds the public will likely never know.

Nowitzki will be throwing out the first pitch before game three on Saturday.

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by | October 1, 2011 · 9:38 AM

My Bologna has a First Name, It’s K-O-B-E

Buongiorno

All summer teams across the globe have sought the services of the lockout Kobe Bryant. He has had offers, requests, and pleas China, Turkey, and Italy. It looks like Vitrus Bologna, of the Italian League, has finally seen their lure bob and have a bite on their line. However, it might take some time, and a complex agreement, to reel in the biggest fish in the NBA.

If Bryant were to play for Vitrus, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, he would want the entire league to benefit from his presence there, not just the team he plays for. As of Friday, that is what his representatives were trying to work out. Bryant also wishes, if the lockout continues, to cause the least amount of disruption to the Italian League’s schedule if he does join Vitrus.

Yet, for more teams to benefit from the arrival of Bryant, Vitrus’ schedule would be altered so that games in which he appears will be played in larger venues. Other teams are not so keen on the idea of changing the schedule. Furthermore, Legabasket rejected the idea of creating a revamped schedule for Vitrus.

What is interesting is that the Lega Serie A, the league that Vitrus Bologna plays in, would not alter its schedule to boost the overall profits of every club that faced Bryant while he was there. It is no secret that Italy will be the next country that will be bailed out so that they do not go into default, Greece was bailed out this week. Is this just how business is ran (into the ground) in Italy? Bryant has the power to draw crowds that the Italian League has never before seen. A simple schedule alteration cannot out weigh the benefits of having an international superstar on the court, if only for a few games. Perhaps they should look to Dirk Nowitzki to play in their league, it is the Germans who are bailing out the rest of Europe anyway.

Not only are there scheduling issues that need to be resolved, but there is also the matter of paying Bryant. The original deal with Vitra Bologna would have paid him $3 million for 10 games over the course of 40 days. Any deal would, of course, also contain an opt-out clause allowing Bryant to return to the NBA if the lockout is ended. There had been speculation that a percentage opposing teams’ ticket sales at away games would be used to pay part of his salary. That was before talks fell apart late on Friday.

All the while Bryant is in Italy working on a deal, he is keeping his ear to the ground. As the labor talks enter a crucial weekend, it is believed that, if needed, he would swoop into New York and enter the fray of negotiations. Luckily, his clutch stats will not have any bearing at the bargaining table. Until he receives the call he, along with his representatives, will continue to work for progress in Italy.

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by | June 27, 2011 · 6:56 AM

Dirk Leaves One High Over The Plate

Dirk Nowitzki, Germany’s first shuuto pitcher.

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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 | May 31, 2011 · 10:34 AM

NBA Finals Preview

This is how I visualize the teams fighting.

Dallas Mavericks vs. Miami Heat

This series, a rematch (of sorts) of the 2006 Finals, figures to be as thrilling in regards to its storyline as it is in the polarizing approach these two teams employ on the court.

To put it bluntly, I think this might be the best competition since the Undertaker vs. Mankind Hell in a Cell, you know, the one where Mankind got chokeslammed through the cage roof, and knocked him and some teeth out.  It should be noted that after that match, both wrestlers were forever remembered as ultimately badass champions.  In much the same manner, this series will cement the legacies of at least four future NBA Hall of Famers in varying stages of their careers, pitting the old guard of Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd against the young collusion trio of Dwyane Wade, Lebron James, and Chris Bosh.

If you watched Dirk momentarily hoist the Western Conference Finals Trophy, then immediately retreat to the locker room, you can tell that this is not the Dirk we knew before.  While his points per game dipped against the Lakers (27.3 against the Portland Trailblazers, down to 25.3 with the Lakers), they skyrocketed against the Thunder, up to 32.2.  There are two reasons why Dirk’s production rose in the Conference Finals, one being that he didn’t have to shoot over Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol; but make no mistake, this is a more resilient and determined squad than Dallas had in 2006, even in the two players left from that series.

Lebron’s stated that he wants to guard Dirk, but with Dirk’s fadeaway, not much is going to stop him now.  It’s more important to see that Lebron will be able to jump off Dirk for a second to cover the ball-handler in pick-and-roll situations, because James is quick enough to get back to his man.  This will force some interesting offensive plays by Dallas in order to create shots for their guards.

Marquee Matchups:

Dwyane Wade and LeBron James vs. the Zone

In the regular season, Wade and James combined for 3-for-17 against the Mavs’ zone defense.  Lebron is especially susceptible to his ego, taking difficult long jumpers and ill-advised 3s, so this will be interesting to watch.  The Heat have seen zones more frequently recently, but Dallas has the best in the league, and this will allow for J.J. Barea and Peja Stojakovic to grab more minutes to feed their offense.

Tyson Chandler vs. NBA Officials

Chandler’s interior presence is a distinct advantage for the Mavs, but

Texan strategery-face.

if he lands himself in foul trouble, they have to rely on Brendan Haywood.  Haywood’s been playing well lately, but essentially, well in the same way that Joel Anthony has been playing, so losing Chandler would be nullifying a benefit that Dallas is relying upon.  I expect this to become an issue in at least one of the games.

X-Factors:

James, Wade, and Dirk are all going to put up numbers close to their playoff averages.  They can create their own shot at will and have the poise to keep themselves fairly efficient.  The Heat have an incredibly weak bench, so they’re relying on Bosh and Udonis Haslem to fill in the production necessary to win against this high-scoring Mavs squad.  If Bosh can eke out an 18 point game average, they’ll feel much more secure in their future.

The Mavs have many more options, yet most of them are incapable of being game-changers.  Jason Terry and Shawn Marion have both played incredibly well, and if they (especially Marion, wowzers) can continue this level of productivity, They can more than cancel out the scoring output of Haslem and Bosh.

Barea has been unstoppable this postseason, capitalizing when he has a free path to the basket (with Dirk as your screener, it can happen frequently).  It will be more difficult against the defensive speed of the Heat, but I expect Rick Carlisle to employ him in creative ways.  He can be the fastest guy on the court, and his speed could land him at the free throw line consistently.

The Mavs should also play off of Mike Bibby in hopes that his horrific 3-point percentage continues.  I mean, seriously, his True Shooting percentage is 34.7 and his Effective Shooting percentage is 34.2.  Out of 49 tries this postseason, he’s made 12.  Let the guy shoot the ball as much as he wants.  Spend that time preventing Wade’s killer cuts.  Or just run into the backcourt and wait under your own basket so you can get an easy transition layup.  Or tie your shoes.  Or anything, really.

Prediction:

The Heat have the best Big 3 that money can buy, and where they have glaring holes have patched them together through a multitude of underwhelming players.  The Mavs have an incredible drive, and are deeper than the Marianas Trench.  It’s going to be a knock-down-drag-out, no-holds-barred, free-for-all battle, but I have to believe in the team nature of basketball, and right now, the Mavs are just too integrated.  The Mavs defeat the Heat 4-3.

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by | May 24, 2011 · 10:15 AM

Ri-DIRK-ulous

Rising above

The beliefs of many have been shattered this postseason. For years those who are less knowledgeable but rather vocal have been quick to defame and tarnish Dirk Nowitzki. They were quick to blame him for the Dallas Mavericks’ playoff missteps. Labels of soft and choker were pinned upon him. However, that will not be the case any longer. Of course he will have his detractors, those who refuse to give any amount of credence to his game, but they will be ignored as conventional knowledge has accepted Nowitzki’s game finally. Better late than never.

Game Four against the Oklahoma City Thunder will go down as one of the greatest comebacks in NBA playoff history and it was fueled by Nowitzki. With 5:08 left in the fourth quarter the Mavericks were down 15 to the Thunder, who were, along with the crowd, celebrating wildly. If only they knew how premature their celebrations would become. Dallas rattled off a 17-2 run to tie the game in regulation forcing overtime. Nowitzki scored twelve of the 17 points including two free throws, after Nick Collison was finally called for a foul on him, to tie the game as ice coursed through his veins. He would go on to tally 40 points for the game.

To those naysayers who have always jumped at the opportunity to throw the first stones at Nowitzki after a playoff defeat Game Four was an affront to their beliefs. They were left reeling like Harold Camping when the Rapture never came. This was Nowitzki’s second 40-pint outburst during the series, he scored 48 in Game One. He became the first player since Shaquille O’Neal in the 2000 Finals to have two 40-point games and shoot 60 percent or better in those games. Those are just a few more marks on Nowitzki’s bloated playoff résumé.

This postseason, as the nation has an opportunity to re-acquaint themselves with Dallas’ future Hall of Famer, Nowitzki has put on a clinic. Not only that, but he his making a case for the best clutch performer in the league. Those with knowledge know that Kobe Bryant does not perform well with the game on the line. Nowitzki’s Efficiency Rating in the clutch is an astounding +62.7. That is almost double both Dwyane Wade‘s and LeBron James‘ ratings. His rating skyrockets while his turnover ratio plummets to zero. Nowitzki does not turn the ball over in the clutch. This does not mean that his defenders are not trying to wrest the ball from him. They most certainly are only to the tune of sending him to the line 29.3 times during the last five minutes of a close game.

Not only in the closing minutes of a game as Nowitzki been key but in the fourth quarter he has thrived all season including the playoffs. Against the Thunder he has scored 46 points in the fourth quarter. He had 10 points in Game One, 16 in Game Two, and 10 in both Games Three and Four. In the final frame he has shot a combined 58.6 percent.

Nowitzki means everything to the Mavericks. That is why they made their strongest push to resign him last summer, foregoing the circus that engulfed much of free agency. In these playoffs, Nowitzki has shown why he is so valuable. When he is on the bench, the Mavericks’ offensive rating drops from 114.44 to 98.63. Their rebounding percentage drops from 50.3 to 42.9 and their true shooting percentage goes from 59.3 to 51.2. Those are just a few of the declines, and there are many, that Dallas experiences when Nowitzki sits.

Now that the media has flooded its coverage of the Mavericks with the amazing statistics that Nowitzki has put up throughout his career, the haters, detractors, and those who just had no clue have run out of ammunition. Dirk Nowitzki is one of the best players in this generation. Period. There can be no questioning that. He is a lock for first ballot Hall of Fame induction. The scrawny kid from Würzburg, Germany has become an unstoppable force. He now sits just one win away from returning to the NBA Finals. A return trip will give him the opportunity for vindication and possibly revenge. As he has shown all postseason, he does not miss his opportunities.

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by | May 17, 2011 · 5:32 PM

Western Conference Finals Predictions: Mavs vs. Thunder

The end is near.

Two unlikely forces have emerged in the West in what should be a tale of David vs. Goliath in the conference championship.

3. Dallas Mavericks vs. 4. Oklahoma City Thunder

The Oklahoma City Thunder are in the midst of their greatest playoff run in franchise history.  This group of young guns just made the playoffs for the first time last season but now find themselves at the doorstep of the NBA Finals.

Standing in their way, is the most experienced team left in the playoffs that has overcome its own hurdles to get this far.

That being said and considering how strongly the Beef feels about this series, let’s do things a little different and start off with the prediction.

The Dallas Mavericks will DESTROY the Thunder leaving them little room but to maybe ring the doorbell of the Finals and ultimately loose in four games.  Yes, get your brooms out because these snot-nosed degenerates in OKC will disappoint everyone that has them picked to take this series past four games.

Here’s why:

Key Matchups:

Sadly, OKC is starting Russell Westbrook at point guard.  This overrated player in his third year out of UCLA has essentially been handed the reigns of the Thunder offense.  Scott Brooks’ laid back style is essentially in the hands of the player that led the league in turnovers during the regular season with 3.9 a game.  This postseason, Westbrook is turning it over 4.5 times a game.

His play is marred by tunnel vision and a jump-first mentality.  If he doesn’t have the shot, he then looks for the open man.  Usually, he just takes the shot.  Additionally, during several occasions during their series against the Griz, he would find himself trapped in the post with no easy way out.  Memphis took advantage of this by swiping at the ball while he was too busy looking for open guys or simply intercepted bad passes.  Either way, it was almost the downfall of the Thunder during that series.

DeSawn Stevenson had the daunting task of guarding Kobe Bryant in Dallas’ last series against the Lakers.  Rick Carlisle was able to throw the Black Mamba off his game early with Stevenson’s ability to pest the future hall of famer up and down the court.  He even begins his approach at the baseline as if the Mavs were in a full-court press.  This often leads to the offense having to run a screen just to inbound the ball.

His job will be to hit Westbrook early and hard.  In the first two games of the Lakers’ series at Staples Center, Bryant only sunk six shots in the first quarters.  Although Stevenson doesn’t offer a ton offensively, he will give the young guard a headache and cause early turnovers that will shake his confidence.

Westbrook does have the ability to drive and sometimes find the open man after collapsing defenders in the paint.  This is how teammates Kevin Durant and James Harden get so many open threes.  However, don’t expect the Dallas zone to fall for this so easily.  Even after Stevenson is benched Dallas’ Tyson Chandler or Brendan Haywood will be there in the paint to prevent any easy scoring.

Next, we have a matchup with the big men.  Oklahoma City is leading the league this postseason in defensive rebounds per game with 34 a night.  However, this should come as no surprise when you look at the smaller lineups they faced in both Denver and Memphis.  Dallas proved against LA that it has a very deadly frontcourt that offers up a lot of second-chance scoring.

Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins will have their hand full against the taller and lengthier Chandler.  His tip outs have changed the way the Mavs rebound and give them an advantage on both sides of the court from giving Jason Kidd a chance to reset the play to fast break points which they had 18 of in their last game against the Lakers.  Not to mention, Chandler only gathered one personal foul against LA.  Emeka Okafor had 28 against the Lakers in the first round.

Perkins is not a tool in the OKC offense at all.  He’s mainly down in the post getting rebounds but not passes.  So far this postseason, he’s only getting 4.7 points a night along with almost 4 personal fouls a game.  Ibaka is putting up much better numbers but Westbrook is going to have to get him the balll.  Additionally, he needs to cut down on his personal fouls as well seeing as he has collected five fouls in during six games these playoffs.

X Factors:

The Mavericks bench is going to be crucial in this series.  Utilizing J.J. Barea in the fourth quarter has been very successful for the Mavs.  His speed caught the Lakers off guard late in both games three and four.  He’s a hard player to guard and can stretch a team out on the court.

Additionally, Jason Terry was on fire against the Lakers.  His nine three pointers in game four essentially took them out of the game from the start.  Peja Stojakovic will be essential as well.  Everyone in the stadium knows he is a sharp shooter but he often caught LA’s defenders off guard when he created shots off of the dribble after the likes of Bryant, Ron Artest and even Derek Fisher threw their bodies at him with their arms up to guard against the three.  He simply dribbled around them and hit an easy two pointer on multiple occasions.

Likewise, the Thunder will need to get some scoring from their bench as well.  Dallas has been off for eight days as opposed to OKC’s  two.  Not to mention. The scrappy series against Memphis has worn the Thunder out.  It will be up to their bench to bring some energy late in the game.  Harden is having a great postseason with 12.4 points a game but he can’t carry them alone.  Nick Collison and Nazr Mohammed need to show up especially since Brooks doesn’t have a lot of size to deal with.

Next Kevin Durant needs to open his mouth and be the leader that this team needs,  Westbrook is taking just as many shots as he is at 20 a game these playoffs.  Durant moped during the overtimes in game four to Maurice Cheeks on the sideline instead of getting in Westbrooks’ face himself and asking for the ball.

This second-overall pick needs to stop acting like a docile child and actually take control.  He is the reason they are here and no one else.  If he allows this team to continue running plays with him as an afterthought that has to create his own shots, not only will they loose this series but his legacy will never live up to what people expect it to be.  This team is living by Westbrook and at their rate they will die by Westbrook.  This scoring champ needs to let him know who needs to be taking the shots.

Lastly, it comes down to how much Dallas wants this.  They have been in this situation before and put away a very good 2006 Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference Finals.  That year, much like this one, they got better and better as the playoffs wore one outside of the Finals.  However, this is an older and different Mavs team and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  Carlisle has already proven his ability to recognize the need for adjustments especially with how he has dealt with all the options he has at guard.  Not to mention, Kidd is a much better point guard than Devin Harris and Chandler is a much better option that Erick Dampier.

Then their comes the one that wants this the most.  Dirk Nowitzki is sick of all the talk and is ready to finally prove something.  While Miami was popping champagne after defeating the geriatric and injured Celtics, Dirk marched off the floor with a sense of determination and professionalism.  He knows this may be his final chance to take what has eluded him for so long: a title.  Even Mark Cuban has shut his mouth as of late knowing very well what overconfidence can do to his Dallas Mavericks.  Even Dirk has an appreciation for a quite Cuban.

Prediction:

The Mavs have better everything: better coach, better guards, better offense, better defense, better bench, better big guys and a better resume this postseason.  Congratulations to the Thunder that knocked off Denver and Memphis who both lacked any players that averaged more than 20 points a game during the regular season.

Their playoff run was cute but it will end next Monday after the Mavs defeat them in game four.  Every sign shows that this Thunder team’s luck is about to run out.  This series sweep is going to be brutal so forget the broom, you’re going to need a wet vac.

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