Tag Archives: Rick Carlisle

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 | 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 | 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 5, 2011 · 9:11 AM

They Are Who No One Thought They Were

Take dat wid chu.

The city of Los Angeles is in shock and it is not because of a botched breast augmentation or one too many injections of Botox. No, it is because their team, the team they depend on so that they can be seen on national television, the Los Angeles Lakers are down 2-0 in a best of seven series with the Dallas Mavericks. Not only are they down 2-0 but the two games they lost were at the Staples Center. Right now the best thing the Staples Center has going for it is Youtube highlights of Blake Griffin, who just won rookie of the year.

This is the first time the two franchises have met in the playoffs since 1988 and the series has lived up to its billing, for one team at least. The Dallas Mavericks came back from a 16 point deficit in the first game of the series to win 96-94. This victory due to their extended bench which outscored the Lakers’ reserves 40-25. Phil Jackson was not overly thrilled about the developments in game one and went as far as emulating his star play in saying that he, and his team, was “worried.”

Kobe Bryant had said, after the Lakers game one loss, that he (I am paraphrasing here) was worried, and that the Maverick could beat the Lakers. Yes, Bryant is talking about the same Lakers that were a shoe-in to three-peat yet again. Bryant is also talking about the team with the most feared frontcourt outside of Dwight Howard. These are the Lakers, are they not? They are lords over the Western Conference (when the San Antonio Spurs are out of the equation), right? Who can possibly beat them?

The Dallas Mavericks.

Early on in game two, head coach Rick Carlisle set the tone. It wasn’t anything Marv Albert and Steve Kerr picked up on instantly, but it created an arena in which the Mavericks could operate on their terms.

Carlisle controlled the matchups. It was obvious to see from the start. When he went small and Dallas extended the lead, Phil Jackson was forced to adjust. Carlisle and Jackson have met before in the playoffs. Jackson got the best of him the first time they met. But, can one really say that when the team Jackson had before was a Bryant/Shaquille O’Neal team? No. That was the equivalent of Jordan/Pippen in 2000-03. It cannot be ignored, but it cannot be ignored in the same manner as Barry Bonds’ single season home run record cannot be ignored.

Phil Jackson and his Lakers had no answer in game two. Bryant provided and answer occasionally, but that was only to keep his team close. Close is never good enough, though.

The Dallas Mavericks played their tempo throughout the game. It would be easy to say that 40 of the 48 minutes were dominated by Dallas. The Lakers were lethargic and could not contend with a superior opponent. Los Angeles is not used to an opponent who can match them physically in the frontcourt. They have had a cakewalk to the finals the past few season. Now, they have a test. Now, they are losing.

Here at the Beef, especially this author, we love Ron Artest. However, we love him more in a pinstriped Indiana Pacers’ jersey than we ever could in purple and gold. In this series, he is little more than a distraction. The media will always want to remember him as the protagonist of the Malice in the Palace. That is not who he is any longer, though. He is still Ron Artest (and will potentially be suspended for game three), but Tony Allen has stolen his title in terms of defensive will and tenacity on the court.

Artest has become a non-factor  in this series. Who can he legitimately guard? Dirk Nowitzki can shoot over him and Shawn Marion can drive by him. He is out of place. The only player that he can flummox anymore is Peja Stojakovic and that is only because it is not difficult to defend a spot-up shooter. Yet, that is not to say that Stojakovic cannot get by Artest using the dribble. As he did so in both games.

Dallas controlled just about every aspect of game two. No, scratch that, they won the game handily and therefore controlled the game throughout. Even when the Lakers gained the lead, for the fleeting moments that they did, it did not appear as they had any semblance of control on the game. Dallas was making a statement, and that statement came from Würzburg, Germany.

Nobody in the NBA can guard Nowitzki. His off-legged jumper is something that will go down in the annals of NBA history as something that can never be duplicated. Charles Barkley said that when you guard Nowitzki you need a cigarette and a blindfold. Phil Jackson, Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, and Ron Artest have masked their eyes and are presently smoking. What Nowitzki has done would be incomprehensible had we not seen him execute his offense to perfection for the past 13 season. Even though we have seen it before, it is not any less remarkable and is still spectacularly difficult to defend.

The Mavericks have always been considered a soft, jump shooting team. Fair enough, they were. But ask the Lakers if that is what they are currently. Dallas has grown, not only in size but in toughness. Tyson Chandler has changed the mentality in Dallas.

Los Angeles’ lauded big men have met their match through two games in the Western Conference Semi Finals. Andrew Bynum has not played like the young, overhyped center that some mistakenly believed he was, but more like the young, oversized player who is not used to taking on a challenge equal in stature to himself.

Dallas has big men to match the Lakers. When Chandler is on the court, Bynum’s numbers drop. He has only averaged 12.8 points and has an efficiency rating of -7.2. That rating is indicative of the Mavericks’ defensive resolve thus far in the series.  It is not just Chandler who is giving Bynum fits, as he is no longer swiping at the ball and instead holding his ground and not committing the foul. Along with Chandler, Brendan Haywood has also stepped up to become an unsung hero of the playoffs for the Mavericks as well.

With Haywood on the floor, Bynum’s rebounding numbers drop from 11.4, in the two games, to 8.6. His overall efficiency sees a decline as well from 1.1 to -17.1. Added to that is the fact that, through this series so far, Haywood has been accountable for every block the Mavericks have recorded while he is on the floor. Mark Cuban paid the money for a two-headed beast in the middle and that beast is dominating the defending champions.

The Mavericks are still a jump shooting team, however. This has worked against them in the past, but not so far against the Lakers. Taking the ball into the teeth of the Lakers’ defense is exactly what Los Angeles baits their opponents into doing. The Mavericks are stubborn. They still remember that Don Nelson taught them (the ones he coached at least) that the best shot is a jump shot. Only this Dallas team does not rely entirely on it.

In the two games against the Lakers, the Mavericks have employed and offense predicated on ball movement. Sure, occasionally Jason Terry holds the ball for too long and is forced into a low percentage shot but the Lakers have yet to fully capitalize on such situations. Dallas knows that driving into the paint against the Lakers is folly to an extent. But they must do it anyway. It opens up passing lanes and, as game two displayed, it leaves perimeter shooters such as DeShawn Stevenson and Stojakovic open.Three-point shooting has been key for the Mavericks thus far.

When the Mavericks do capitalize in the paint it is with J.J. Barea. So far the Los Angeles has yet to check him. In fact, they never will. Barea’s speed on the court is something that no Laker can contend with. Shannon Brown will be a step or two behind him and wholly out-of-place in terms of defensive positioning. It is testament to Barea’s courage that he competes for the same ground  on the floor that Bynum and Gasol feel is their birthright to defend. Having Steve Blake guard Barea is laughable at best right now.

The Dallas Mavericks learned from Brandon Roy. Roy torched them and lead his Portland Trail Blazers to victory in game four of the opening round, thereby tying the series 2-2. People doubted the Mavericks’ resolve. Portland never won another game in that series. Now, Dallas is on a four game win-streak. Most everyone had them written off on six in the first round but , surprise, these are not the old Dallas Mavericks. This is a team who has won four in a row and three straight on the road. Doubt them no longer.

Yes, the Mavericks have been up 2-0 before, but this time it is different. This time there will be no phantom calls that Stern calls down to his minions. Oh yes, the Lakers will fight. They must and Bryant will spearhead their assault. But, what can they do at this point? They have yet to get a meaningful stop, they are getting out coached, and Nowitzki is playing as if his defenders were rag dolls. This is Dallas’ series to win. The Lakers, after years of coasting through the Western Conference Playoffs, have finally met their match. Dallas has stung the champs and Los Angeles will not recover.

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by | March 3, 2011 · 3:15 PM

Corey Brewer signs with Mavericks

More defense in Dallas

Corey Brewer has become the latest addition to the ever-deepening Dallas Mavericks roster. The free agent wing cleared waivers on Thursday and will signed with the team.

Brewer signed a three-year contract with Dallas worth between $7 million and $8 million. He chose the Mavericks over a bevy of suitors, many of whom look to be contenders when the playoffs begin.

Although not entirely consistent offensively, Brewer has an effective field goal percentage of .414 this season, the Mavericks were more concerned with his ability to play defense. They hope that in their system he can come in and help the team get stops when it matters in the playoffs where he may be called on to face some of the Western Conference’s elite shooting guards.

“He’s got an opportunity to help us this year. This is one of those situations where, at this point, if we can get a guy who can help us situationally or if he even ends up playing more, if he can help us get one stop at the right time, it’s a good move for us,” Mavericks’ Head Coach Rick Carlisle said of Brewer.

Defensively, Brewer has a rating of 111 for his career. However, that is not entirely indicative of his defensive abilities. Overall team defense factors into a player’s defensive rating and the Minnesota Timberwolves, where Brewer has played his entire career until this point, have not been a noteworthy defensive squad since they traded Kevin Garnett to the Boston Celtics. As a team, Minnesota has had an average defensive rating of 111.25 since Brewer has entered the league.

Brewer was bought out by the New York Knicks earlier in the week which allowed him to become a free agent.

It is the hope of the Mavericks that they can develop him into well-rounded piece that the team can build and rely upon and their three-year deal with him is evidence of that. He will wear number 13.

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by | March 1, 2011 · 12:06 PM

Beef Stew: After the Trade Deadline

So beefy

After a flurry of moves that came down just prior to the trade deadline all the way up to the 3 P.M. Eastern Time cutoff, the NBA has seen quite a dramatic shift. Now that it is over teams are still jockeying to shore up their assets and acquire role players for a deep playoff push. Of course every team wants to enter the playoffs healthy, but that may be easier said than done. On to the Stew!

Money, money, money

The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed newly acquired big man, Kendrick Perkins, to an extension. It is a four-year deal that will net him $34.8 million. As an added incentive, the deal also includes bonus clauses that can increase Perkins’ pay. Furthermore, the Thunder have increased his 2010-11 salary from $2.3 million to $6.7 million and based the extension off the new salary. Perkins had been hesitant to sign an extension with the Celtics this season which factored into the team trading him. It looks as though the Thunder’s General Manager, Sam Presti, is playing for keeps.

In the epic saga that is Troy Murphy’s life, he now faces his greatest decision ever: what team does he want to chase a ring on? After being bought out of his present contract by the Golden State Warriors (he was traded to them at the deadline for Brandan Wright and Dan Gadzuric) it looked as though Murphy was well on his way to Beantown. That is until the most shrewd operator in the business came calling. Gordon Gekko, er…Pat Riley and the Miami Heat have shown interest in Murphy. Decisions, decisions. Miami would have to free up roster space to add the power forward, however, it would seem that there are plenty of players on their roster who are expendable outside of their marquee three. The only thing for Murphy to do now is to sit back, wait, and quote Cuba Gooding Jr. BREAKING: As this piece was being written, Marc Stein of ESPN reported that Murphy has chosen to play in Boston. The terms of any deal between the two parties are not yet known. I hope ABC was filming this, there was certainly potential for a bad reality show in there. Throw in some roses and you have a hit.

Everyone knew that the Washington Wizards really did not want to take Mike Bibby. He is old and that team is young. He likes to mall walk and they like to sleep in. It just was not going to work. Therefore, the Wizards did everyone a favor and bought out the remainder of Bibby’s $6.2 million salary for the season. Bibby had chosen to waive the final year of his present contract so that he would be able to be bought out. He is set to clear waivers on Wednesday. Once that occurs, it is widely believed that he will become a ring chaser on the Heat. Now, that Murphy has decided on Boston, Miami’s push for the veteran point guard will likely be stronger than ever as they do not have the best point guards in the league. Bibby is by no means the player he once was with the Sacramento Kings, however, he would be a positive offensive upgrade over both Mario Chalmers and Carlos Arroyo. UPDATE: reports are saying that Arroyo has been cut to make room for Bibby.

After the New York Knicks swung their deal for Carmelo Anthony, they also acquired from the Minnesota Timberwolves Corey Brewer. However, Brewer has not seen a single minute of playing time with his new team as Mike D’Antoni prefers to play Renaldo Balkman instead and the team deactivated Brewer. Now, the Knicks are in the process of buying him out. In the hunt for him now, according to various reports, are the Celtics, San Antonio Spurs, Thunder, and Dallas Mavericks. He is expected to meet with several coaches from interested teams on Tuesday including mavericks’ coach Rick Carlisle.

Pain, pain, pain

Somehow, the Spurs have managed to stay healthy all season. Did they make a deal similar to Robert Johnson’s? Was it pure luck? Is it still the revenge of the small market? Whatever it was, it came to an end. Tony Parker is likely to miss two to four weeks with a sore calf muscle. In the long run this injury will not hamper the Spurs’ playoff quest. They already have 49 wins this season. However, they may seed some ground to the Mavericks, who are looking at catching the Spurs for the number one overall seed in the Western Conference.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are not going to make the playoffs. They would not even get an invitation to the NIT this year. They are awful. Yet, somehow they know how to beat the Los Angeles Lakers and the Knicks. They have beaten the Knicks twice. Ouch. However, the team may have just suffered its biggest loss of the season. Antawn Jamison will likely miss the rest of the season with a broken finger. The Cavaliers just cannot catch a break. Cleveland was actively engaged in trying to move Jamison to Golden State at the trade deadline but the two sides could not reach an agreement. After that news sunk in, Jamison’s left pinky decides to ruin the rest of the season. Poor guy.

Fresh off his recent arrival to the Denver Nuggets, Danilo Gallinari has fractured his left big toe in a game against the Atlanta Hawks. According to the team, the injury will keep him sidelined for a week to ten days.

In the same game that Gallinari was injured, Josh Smith left midway through the game with a stiff knee. Smith will be re-evaluated once the team returns to Atlanta.

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by | October 28, 2010 · 1:01 PM

One down, 81 to go

Tyson Chandler and the Mavericks kicked a nasty habit Wednesday night.

The Mavericks had a first on Wednesday night as they steamrolled into the season with a familiar result.

Their 101-86 win over the Charlotte Bobcats was the Mavs first opening-game win under head coach Rick Carlisle after they had lost the previous two openers both at home.  Jason Kidd had a career-high 18 assists and the Mavericks stayed perfect against the Bobcats at 13-0.

The first quarter was winding down as Dallas was carrying a 23-6 lead.  Dirk Nowitzki, Caron Butler and Jason Terry led the initial charge that was disrupted by a Boris Diaw 3-pointer.  Charlotte closed the first quarter with a run that held the score at 21-25

Carlisle started the second quarter with bench players J.J. Barea and rookie Dominique Jones in the game.  The duo both scored but lost the lead and the starters were put back into the game.  Dallas did not look back and secured a very easy win.

Stephen Jackson sat out the entire final quarter with what some are speculating to be a bad ankle.  The Bobcats were losing by double digits by that point and there was no use in putting him back in.

Tyson Chandler looked very natural in the offense and even had some impressive post plays with Kidd.  His ability to actually move under the basket will be an emphasis to this offense with the Maverick’s ability to move the ball close with slashes or aggressive passing.  Brendan Haywood was held to only 20 minutes in the game and Carlisle needs to make sure he is okay with such limited play off of the bench.  However, the season is long and we may see some rotation starts between he and Chandler.

The Bobcats did not look they belonged in the playoffs last season.  Gerald Wallace was very frustrated the entire game and even got into a scuffle with Chandler towards the end of the fourth quarter.  He and Diaw finished by shooting 10-26 from the floor.

Tyrus Thomas is really fitting in well with this team.  He came off the bench very aggressively and is really turning his game around in Charlotte after a dismal few years in Chicago.  We could see him move into a starting position as Larry Brown is forced to start smaller lineups.

D.J. Augustin made it very apparent that he wanted to run this team’s offense at point guard.  After Raymond Felton moved to the Knicks, the team was forced to start him over injury-prone Shaun Livingston and rookie Sherron Collins.  He looked lost for most of the evening and if not lost, then overly confidant.  He rushed into a lot of situations but also held back a lot and really wasn’t the play-maker that Jackson was on the court.  However, he finished with only one turnover and five assists.

It was an easy one for Dallas over a team that should really be a lot better.  Carlisle knows that the Mavs could win this one and showed it with increased minutes from his bench.  Let’s consider this one a warm up for some of the better teams in the league.

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by | October 12, 2010 · 3:07 PM

The Heartbeat of Texas

The Mavs are looking to change things up a little more than just an outdoor preseason game this year.

It’s going to be a stacked season that’s full of surprises but to be honest, one of the biggest may be coming out of the Lone Star State.  We aren’t talking Rockets or Spurs either.  If the cards fall in the right place and the stars align, Dallas could be looking at having one of the best teams in the west.

After loosing in the first round to San Antonio last season, the Mavericks have a chance to turn it around this season and compete for that Western Conference title that has eluded them for the past few seasons.  In fact, just getting out of the first round has been a problem in Dallas for the past four seasons but that’s about to change.

It was the trade of the season last year.  Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood came to town as the Mavericks finally decided that Josh Howard’s lackadaisical efforts and attitude weren’t going to fly anymore.  They then went on to win 13 in a row and take control of the second seed in the West.  However, you can’t solely attribute Haywood or Butler’s efforts for the wins.  Butler averaged just over 14 points per game during the winning streak while Haywood only mustered about eight a game.

Instead, the two strengthened their sections of the court and added to the much-needed depth.  Dirk Nowitzki went on a scoring streak where the fewest points he saw were 12 in that streak’s last win against New Jersey.  Tough night but before that, he never scored less than 23 and that was against the defensively minded Orlando Magic.  Other than that, no one on the team really “popped off.”

Shawn Marion saw a slow start to scoring with the newly acquired players but increased his stroke in the latter half of the streak.  Jason Terry missed the last four games of the streak due to injury.

It was a funny win streak as well that was actually marred by some very bad play by the Mavericks that somehow turned into wins.  In their last win against the Nets, they only shot 44 percent from the field.

However, the trade translates to one that was procured for the sheer fact that it added depth to the squad.  When Erik Dampier rested, Haywood could easily fill his shoes on the court.  Butler could start and added to players Terry could fill in for.  It was a personnel trade as you would expect by receiving those two players who aren’t marquee athletes.  A smart trade that added to the team’s overall performance and they pretty much got them for nothing.

This season, Tyson Chandler will add to this depth.  He will be able to have minutes that will result in actual productivity and not sheer point holding as the center position proved to be in the past in Dallas.  For example, a starting player gets the production on the floor but when he goes out there are a few things that can happen with the bench player.  He can score, he can maintain or he can actually hurt the team with turnovers.  Chandler will score and add in minutes that are usually held for maintaining.  This is the key to building a good bench.

The same works for Caron but as a starter.  He gives them a lot of versatility with Marion and Terry.  Rick Carlisle just needs to figure out what works best over the course of both games and the season itself to determine who needs to go in when.  And again, it’s all about maintaining production when starters are on the bench or even injured.

The point guard is the next position or interest that could make or break these Mavs.  Jason Kidd is 37-years-old but with 10.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 9.1 assists, 1.8 steals and 2.2 3-pointers a game, his tank is far from empty.  However, age will show at some point especially in an 82-game season.  Dallas does have options though.  J.J. Barea is showing that he can actually be consistent.  In the last two seasons, he has averaged over 7 points and 3 assists a game.  Those numbers double what he did his first two seasons and we can only assume that he will get better.  His determination on the court is unquestionable but his intelligence definitely is.  Let’s see how he does in his fifth season and hope that he has learned a little from Kidd.

Rodrigue Beaubois was a pleasant surprise last season but injuries are really an issue with this young man.  He has shown that he can score and plays with a heightened level of confidence.  With only 1.3 assists per game last season, it’s obvious that he shouldn’t be running point but he does add depth to the guard position.

Next, it’s the sheer state of the Western Conference that gives the Mavericks a good shot to shine.  It is by far the better of the two conferences but a lot of teams in the West didn’t really do a lot to improve this offseason.  Kobe Bryant is already complaining of knee problems in LA.  Phoenix lost an All Star in Amar’e Stoudemire.  Utah lost a few good players and Denver could be in a crisis with Carmelo Anthony’s contract.

Oklahoma City improved greatly last season but we have yet to see if the franchise can maintain two years of competitive play.  Houston made efforts to get better but I don’t have much confidence in the myriad of shooters they have there.  San Antonio is getting old and beating the Mavericks last postseason was mainly due to hubris on Dallas’ part.  Portland is going through injury problems and firing Kevin Pritchard will hurt how this team grows this season.  Of all the teams out west that missed the playoffs, the Kings and Memphis are the best but neither is ready to take it to the postseason and compete (Tyreke Evans is good but it took Kevin Durant a few years to turn OKC into an above .500 team).

Lastly, it’s how badly they want it.  The hangover from the Finals against Miami seems to still be lingering at American Airlines Center and hopefully it has turned into a taste for blood.  Nowitzki and Kidd know that their careers wont last much longer but still have the gas for another run.  The West is weaker than a lot of people are making it out to be.  Granted, the lower seeds are going to be harder and harder to get but nearly every team has a glaring weakness that Dallas could exploit.  They need to get hungry and now is the time.

It may be a bold statement now but the Mavericks have a lot of good pieces in place.  They have had an entire offseason to settle as a team and figure out what it’s going to take to win.  Dallas needs to shake off the dust, bury the past and move on before the twilight settles in on North Texas basketball.

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by | April 4, 2010 · 6:15 PM

Vocal Players Go Largely Unheard

There was certainly no love loss between these two on Easter Sunday

Sunday’s match up between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics was everything that a high rating game should be. Well, it turned out that way at least. The Celtics almost blew a 22 point lead in the fourth quarter as things grew testy between the Eastern conference rivals. Boston needed the game more but one man did not want them to have it. A heated on court war of words broke out between the leaders of their respective teams. Yet, the viewer at home has no idea what was said in the lengthy exchange. Some may not want to know or simply just do not care, but I am not one of them. I want to know. What goes on in the mind of players on the court? Boston wound up winning the game because of a combination of a dagger three-pointer by Jesus Shuttlesworth that put the team up four and King James’ less than royal performance at the foul line. It was a good game but the war of words and the minds behind it is what truly piqued my interest.

What could Lebron James and Kevin Garnett have been jawing about late in the game Sunday afternoon? People sitting courtside probably know. The press, announcers, reporters and commentators who sit at the officials and press tables probably know. If I had NBA League Pass would I know? Do they have to edit or use a ten second delay also? (Seriously, I would like to know.) I know that the game is broadcast nationally on Easter Sunday on network TV so no one will actually let anything slip by the censor but that does not make me any less curious. I deserve to know. Were they wishing each other a Happy Easter? How about their excitement for the start of the baseball season? Probably not. I am a fan of all aspects of the game with a particular interest in the mental games that players play against one another. This is something that is completely ignored during the coverage of almost any televised NBA game except occasionally in local game coverage. My main man, Bob Ortegel, is pretty good about breaking down player’s mindsets. He is one of the few.

Do the cameramen realize that I and most people can read lips, especially when the words being spoken are expletives? I clearly read Garnett’s lips when he said the word “shit.” Just let me hear what goes on between players on the court. What did Ron Artest and Manu Ginobili say to each other in the game just after that when they were both awarded with technical fouls? What did Lebron say to Gilbert Arenas, several years ago in the playoffs, when Arenas was at the charity stripe with the game on the line?

The NBA does not cherish its history as much the NFL does (remember the ABA? The NBA would rather you didn’t). The NBA does not have an equivalent to NFL Films where players and coaches discuss games in an unedited format. The NBA does not have a Hard Knocks equivalent. Why not, David Stern? Oh, wait, I just answered the question. David Stern does not want to have anything potentially portray his City on a Hill in a bad light. He does not want to let the average NBA fan that Kevin Garnett sounds like a DMX album when he is on the court. He did not want the average fan know how colorful Charles Barkley’s language was during his time in the league. He wants no part of anything that could have the ability to taint the image of the league or the commercial appeal and marketability of its marquee players.

It seems as though the league has tried to incorporate, although poorly, more of a focus on the huddle, interviews with coaches in between quarters, and microphones on both coached and players during games. Oh, the breadth of knowledge that these interviews and devices have yielded is vast, prophetic, and hinges on personal epiphany. Have you ever seen an on the court between quarters interview with Stan Van Gundy, Phil Jackson, Doc Rivers, Larry Brown, or Rick Carlisle? Profound aren’t they. “Mic-ed Up” players, now that is the true essence of what I discussed in the beginning of this article. However, when a sound bite is presented by a player wearing a microphone it is usually just that player greeting a player or an official at the start of the game. Yes, this is what the fans want to hear. Yes, it is just this type of dialogue that makes the home viewer feel like they are sitting in the front row rubbing shoulders with Jack or Spike. Oh, no, wait. It doesn’t.

The Association needs to make a concerted effort to make the game more accessible to views who want to know what goes on during play. I do understand that the has to make concessions to the FCC and their strict, puritan regulations concerning profanity but if I can clearly hear Peyton Manning calling plays at the line of scrimmage or Tiger Woods expressing his disgust at a poor shot then there is no reason I should not be able hear more in game vocalizing on the hardwood. There is a ten second delay on the game anyway so this should not be as big of a deal as the league thinks it may be. This is the most personal of all the major sports. The players do not wear helmets obscuring their faces and the audience is not required to be silent at any time, they in fact sit mere inches from the court and players. Fans can personally talk to or yell at players and the players can do the same right back to the fans. This type of interaction is completely lost when televised. Much of every sport is lost when not experiencing it personally but the NBA has certainly not done much to enhance the televised experience. High definition is nice but it is not everything. Simply allowing fans viewing games from their homes the ability to hear more of the players while they play the game would improve the connection between fan and sport making the players seem more human and increasing fan knowledge and consumption of basketball.

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by | April 1, 2010 · 3:15 PM

The Nelly Curse

Don Nelson works a powerful hex over each team he coaches

One of the most potent curses in sports is rarely discussed for fear that it might rear its head and linger for an indeterminate amount over an unfortunate team. It only brings false fortune to those who have been cast under its spell. The only way to destroy its grasp, which seeps deep into the mind of those that it infects, is to completely reject it in every way. Is it the curse of the pharaoh? No. Is it a Haitian voodoo curse? No. Is it the curse of some Shakespearean haggard witch? Not a chance. What could it be then? It is the curse of Don Nelson and the Dallas Mavericks have been plagued by it since the late 1990s and even though he no longer coaches the team it still haunts them.

A Don Nelson curse? You may be confused so let me explain. The curse of Don Nelson is worse than Mike D’Antoni’s “seven seconds or less” philosophy. It is a curse of the jump shot and complete incompetence toward defense. What? The jump shot is the essential element of the game of basketball. If you are only familiar with the game of basketball based on the movie Hoosiers (great movie, watched it the other the day) you obviously have not developed any sense of the true nature of the game. No, this does not mean the league would be better with filling each team roster with a full of Darius Miles’. Don Nelson’s curse is of the perception that the midrange jump shot stretching out to the three-pointer is always the best and highest percentage shot. Entire teams are drafted and traded around this strategy. The only time any player is ever given the green light to attempt to score in the paint is if that player is a quick, speedy point guard or, better yet under the Nelson system (curse), a combo guard.

Look at the current makeup of the Golden State Warriors. They are truly a team built from the evil genius (?) that is Don Nelson’s mind. This is a fast, long, quick off the dribble, three-point shooting, undersized team. Look at their regular starting five: Stephen Curry, Monta Ellis, Corey Maggette, Anthony Morrow, and Ronny Turiaf. This is a deep ball shooting, small ball handling team, slash to the bucket (if there is an obvious lane), and fast break team; Perfect for Nelly. At a whim Ellis or Curry can drive to bucket and get a quick layup but if their shot is challenged they can dish it Maggette, Morrow, or even Anthony Tolliver when he is on the floor for a nice midrange shot or a corner three. The problem is all the positive attributes are only one side of the court. Yes, Turiaf is a good rebounder and shot blocker but one man cannot stop five. This, as evidenced by their record (injuries aside), does not translate to wins.

Nelson tricked the NBA world, however, as coach of the Dallas Mavericks, into thinking that it did work. The Mavericks are just now, finally starting to recover from the curse but they are not over it yet. They still rely heavily on the jump shot for much of their scoring. When it falls it is a wonderful thing. When it bricks it is agony. The Mavericks are a great jump shooting, one of the best you say. You’re right. However, it seems like they do not want or care to do anything else at times and will carelessly put up very low percentage shots just because they are there. This happens especially when they are down. Instead of getting into the lane and drawing a foul the jump shot seems to be the preferred method of a comeback for them. (I have been yelling at my TV during Mavs games for years now, “Get in the paint!!”) It is the curse.

The Mavericks are cursed in terms of personnel issues to go along with shot selection. Where have all the two guards gone? Ever since Michael Finley was sent packing the Mavericks have had nothing but issues (as if Finley at the two was not an issue in itself) with the off guard position. The curse continues. What about Caron Butler? Didn’t the Mavericks just pull off a blockbuster trade for him? They sure did but Caron Butler is a natural small forward, not a shooting guard. He and Shawn Marion play the same position and aside from where they prefer to take their jump shots (Marion: 10 feet and in; Butler: 12 feet and out) they are essentially the same player. The difference being that Marion can switch to the four spot in small ball situations. These two players combined embody everything that Don Nelson wanted out of Josh Howard but just could not get and the Mavericks have simply gone out and found replacements. Swing men are crucial to a teams success but to have a team replete with them is not. Nelson strikes again!

What is Jason Terry? To Nelson, he was a beloved combo guard. But this is not the reality of Terry’s game. He is a pure scorer plain and simple. He is not what Nelson tried to mold him into; essentially he is not Monta Ellis or Stephen Curry. Terry is one player that the Mavericks have been able to develop outside of the grasps of the curse. You can thank Rick Carlisle for that. Recognizing that Terry’s energy and scoring was more suited in a sixth man role than as a combo guard starter alongside either Jason Kidd or the traded Devin Harris who was a Nelson point guard experiment.

Carlisle has his work cut out for him if he truly wants to sever all ties with the Don Nelson style of play and his lingering curse on the Team. Avery Johnson could never escape the curse and it is the curse, and Don Nelson himself that destroyed Avery. Carlisle must get the team to focus on the defensive end of the floor consistently. It looked as though he had gotten through to his players when they went on a 13 game win streak just after the All-Star break. Since then the curse has begun to work its old magic again. The Mavericks have looked sluggish and lackadaisical on the defensive end of the floor, falling behind early during some games and needing a herulische Anstrengung from Dirk Nowitzki to squeak out a win. Last night’s game in Memphis is a perfect example. The Mavericks shot terribly and continued to do so throughout the game but instead of getting into the paint for higher percentage shots and the possibility of going to the line they continued to shoot jump shots. It is astounding that when Hasheem Thabeet was in the game they still did not drive the lane in an attempt to draw a foul. Nelly’s lifeblood, the jump shot, remains at the core of this team.

Rick Carlisle has the best opportunity to banish the curse of Don Nelson forever. The trade was essentially his trade. He knows what the team needs. What he did in Detroit and Indiana is what he needs to do in Dallas. This is not the grind it out East though. Carlisle has some tricks up his sleeve and more wisdom. Several summers ago he spent the offseason with the D’Antoni Suns to pick up on more offensive schemes and learn the art of the fastbreak. Under him, the Mavericks are slowly breaking the curse. It will take the full cooperation of each player, Mark Cuban, and the front office with Carlisle to break Nelly’s grasp. If this cannot be done the curse may remain indefinitely.

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