Tag Archives: Rodrigue Beaubois

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.

1 Comment

Filed under NBA at Large

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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.

1 Comment

Filed under Playoffs

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | February 17, 2011 · 10:06 PM

Playoff outlooks at the All Star break

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

Let’s break it down.

THE WEST


 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

THE EAST


 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

1 Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | January 10, 2011 · 12:54 PM

Dallas Mavericks lurking in the Shadows of Melo Trade

Returning to Big D?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1 Comment

Filed under 2010-11 Regular Season, Players

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | January 6, 2011 · 7:29 PM

Mavs can’t let Butler’s knee injure entire season

"Noooooooo!"

After a tremendously unforeseen beginning to the season, the Dallas Mavericks finally hit a speed bump.  A big one.

In addition to Dirk Nowitzki’s injury, Caron Butler went down earlier this week with a torn patella tendon in his right knee.  Hate to say it, but it’s time to think about sending him somewhere else to rehab that injury.

His contract ends at the end of the season and with him out, the Mavs will be missing his scoring.  Since losing Dirk and now Butler, the Mavs are only putting up 88 points a game and have fallen to 17th in the league in scoring.

He is the No. 3 scorer on the team with 15 a game and Dallas is 12-2 when Butler’s score matches his average or more.

Shawn Marion is No. 4 in scoring on the team with 11 a game but has had an up and down season.  This could be due to the fact that he’s playing the least amount of minutes per game since his rookie season in 1999.

His playing time will definitely increase with Butler out but the Mavs need to consider if he will be enough to fill the void.  Marion only scored 10 points a game during last season’s playoffs while Butler averaged 19 in that very same series.  Regardless, Marion serves best as a backup to Dirk (sorry Brian Cardinal).

There are no other small forwards on the roster.

There is hope, but it will take a risk from management.

Trade him.

The Mavericks are loaded with young talent that they could easily tag into a deal that would send Butler carrying his suitcase to a new city (with a limp of course).

Several teams need guards and even more need big men.  The Mavs have a plethora.  Granted, there is a good chance the young players could be developed in Dallas and turned into phenomenal players.  However, several points lead to them needing to make a move now.

Rodrigue Beaubois has been injured for a while now and his return is still unknown.  The Mavs have absolutely no idea how he will perform when he returns to a team missing a top scorer and a new build up of big guys.  J.J. Barea is a mess of a backup point guard and tends to confuse plays more than create them although he does have his moments.

Next, do the Mavs really have the time to develop Alexis Ajinca and Ian Mahinmi?  Dirk and Jason Kidd are not getting any younger and Brendan Haywood and Tyson Chandler are controlling the large-man situation just fine.

Those are all trading pieces that teams will buy for because they can get them for incredibly cheap.  This leads to our new point: a lockout is looming.  Not a lot of movement has happened this season outside of the moves made by Orlando.  Teams are too afraid to tie up money when it may not be there in the coming months.

Reversely, that trade that showed that some teams may be willing to dump more expensive talent in order for better position financially.  The Wizards took advantage of the situation to reform as did the Suns (to an extent).

Dallas has an opportunity to put out a player that will not be tied down by a contract come free agency.  They could tag in some young talent as well and put out some bait for some of the newly-forming teams to rework their budget and roster.

The West isn’t the powerhouse that it was last season.  The Lakers are getting tired, Portland is hampered by Brandon Roy’s injury, Phoenix desperately misses Amar’e Stoudemire and Utah misses Carlos Boozer (they are third to last in the league in rebounds).

The Mavs have shown that they know how to beat both OKC and San Antonio despite recent losses.  Regardless, a move needs to made in order to get scoring up in Dallas.

They have lost Caron for the year but smart moves can save their season.  It may be time to move on and put him on the trading block.

Before sugery and hopefully before being traded.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

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.

Leave a Comment

Filed under NBA at Large

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | September 27, 2010 · 9:49 PM

NBA Media Day and More ‘Melo, More Problems

Nugget for now

Ah, yes, media day across the NBA is upon us once again. The hardwood is polished, player edition sneaker boxes line the locker room, our Twitter feed is chalk full of goodies, Ira Winderman is as giddy as a schoolboy despite the fact that Brian Windhorst will cover the Miami Heat for ESPN, and the smell of freshly cut grass and hot dogs wafts through the air. Wait, scratch that last part. After a long and tumultuous summer, all 30 teams are fully assembled yet again as they prepare for their first practices which begin Tuesday. New faces are introduced to the media as well as the new numbers and jerseys that the players will don this year. The new adidas jerseys seem to carry a promise similar to that of PF Flyers. Yes, all is right with the league, faces are smiling, players are sounding allegiance to their teams, and every team garners some hope for the coming season. Well, not exactly. The Timberwolves have all but ruled out a championship run. Other teams are likely to follow suit in due time.

Since the two man staff here at the beef is not yet of the press ilk that are invited to events such as media day we will do our best to keep you informed of all the happening around the league. Here is what is transpiring across the NBA on the first day of the new season. Let the games…err, practices begin.

As of today the most pressing issue that has faced the league is where Carmelo Anthony will end up. Today, he reported to the Nuggets media day, spoke to the press, and will attend practices tomorrow. So much for the nonsensical rumor that he might not show up to camp. Who would honestly believe that anyway? The only possible scenario that would involve him not appearing at camp with the Nuggets would have been if he had been traded. They still pay him after all. The least he can do is show up. Anthony’s entire stance during the “Melo Drama,” as it is being universally called now, has been one of silence. He even went so far as to say that he never publically requested a trade. Adding further that, “I’m leaving my options open.” Really, ‘Melo? You are leaving your options open? Who could have guessed?

Anthony is likely leaving his options open because of the faltering four team deal that would end up sending him to New Jersey. Why is deal faltering? Anthony does not want to be sent to a Nets squad that will be forced to give up former All Star point guard Devin Harris, who is not too thrilled about his role as trade bait of late, to the Charlotte Bobcats which would leave the reigns of the offense in the hands of Jordan Farmar. If you ever watched Farmar quarterback in Los Angeles you too would have second thoughts about this arrangement. Naturally, Chris Paul entered the conversation because of his insistence that the New Orleans Hornets trade him after he ‘witnessed’ the scorched earth tactics of some of his fellow Beijingers. Yet, Paul could not be acquired by the Nets either later this season or in 2012 due to the teams issues with cap room if they did trade for Anthony and have him sign an extension with them.

Further complicating the proposed deal is the statement that the Utah Jazz made today concerning their role in the trade. In the original package, the Jazz were to send Andrei Kirilenko to the Nuggets. Now they are saying that they have no intention of moving the Russian box score stuffer. This is the second time a team has had misgivings about this deal. Charlotte did not want to move D.J. Augustin. Despite that, however, the deal appeared to be moving forward, albeit at the speed of molasses. As the four way trade began to catch snags other teams stepped up with offers of their own.

The Philadelphia 76ers were said to have been using the likes of Andre Iguodala to lure Denver into a trade for Antony. Then, the Golden State Warriors hoped into the fray with a half-hearted offer including Stephen Curry. Hell, even the Minnesota Timberwolves got involved. Everyone wants a piece of Carmelo Anthony. It was joked that any Minnesota deal for Anthony would require a point guard to be sent to the Timberwolves. Each of these potential deals was quickly shot down be one of the sides involved. Now that media day has drawn to an end, however, and Anthony has still not been traded, the goal of the Nuggets is to get him thinking about remaining in Denver. They might not get him to sign the extension they offered him but they could convince him to stick around a bit longer. At least that is their end goal even though it may appear futile at this point.

Hey now, you're an (potential) All Star

Jazz fans can rest easier tonight knowing that the team does not plan on moving Kirilenko and that Kyrylo Fesenko did not turn up in Houston for media day. Fesenko, after a long holdout, decided to resign with Utah. When asked why he did not take the Rockets’ offer he simply said that he did not want to move. The Jazz now have two viable options at center, the other being Francisco Elson, while Mehmet Okur is out. At present there is no set time table for Okur’s return. Even better news for the jazz is that Deron Williams has his eyes set on making new teammate, Al Jefferson, an All Star this year. That should not be that hard given Jefferson’s skill sets but his health will always be the one thing holding him back.

Unlike Fesenko, Erick Dampier still has yet to find a team to call home. However, the list he made is down to four potential suitors but only one will receive a rose from Dampier. Those teams are the Houston Rockets, Milwaukee Bucks, Portland Trailblazers, and the Toronto Raptors. If Dampier hopes to attend the playoffs this year in uniform rather than in the stands, he really has just three choices.

Another player who has been involved in the trade buzz over the summer is Rudy Fernandez. For quite some time it was rumored that the Chicago Bulls had interest in the Blazers’ spark off the bench. Well, that was then and this is now. Today, Fernandez tweeted (yes, we use Twitter as a valid source of information) that he “prefers the European style” and “I don’t feel good in NBA.” Wow, talk about a buzz kill. No one will touch him with a 10 pole now let alone want to trade for him. Can anyone explain why these Spaniards dislike the NBA so much? Pau and Marc Gasol seem to like it just fine. What is it about Spain? Is it their three hour lunches followed by a siesta every day? Is it the Iberian weather? Is the work ethic in the NBA too much for them? Seriously, throw us a bone. We have no clue what their deal is.

At least one European expressed his interest to remain in the NBA today and with the same team nonetheless. Tony Parker, after having been connected to joining Amar’e Stoudemire in New York to play for the Knicks at the start of the summer, reaffirmed his commitment to the San Antonio Spurs. “I hope Spurs fans know I want to stay here … I’m going to take Manu’s example from last year,” Parker said. The only example that we can think of that Manu Ginobili has ever set is flopping 101. Essentially, Parker will continue to end up on the floor 87 percent of the time he drives the lane for the Spurs for years to come.

Gilbert Arenas is back. Gone are the days of treating the locker room like it was the OK Corral. This is a new Agent Zero. Wait, he changed his number. He now wears the number nine. So what are the fans and media supposed to call him now? That is presently up for debate on Twitter with some of the better ones being “Cloud 9,” “The Ninth Wonder,” and “District 9.” Seeing as how he plays for the team located in the District of Columbia, “District 9” seems to be the most apropos. Hopefully that one will stick.

“I’ve gotten better.” Those simple three words are how Kevin Durant described his game today. He still does not think that he is on the same level of LeBron James, however. Durant is a modest player. Obviously, Durant is not on the same level as James. No, he surpassed that level this summer. He surpassed him in Turkey, he surpassed him in scoring last year, and he will surpass him in MVP votes this year. It is a good thing that Durant has such a good head on his shoulders. It would be a shame if he became “one of them” and did it all for the celebrity of it.

Curry should lay off the curry while he recovers from his latest injury

In some lighter news, Eddy Curry, the much maligned and hamburger loving center for the Knicks, injured his hamstring to day during running drills in which he was lapped several times. Mike D’Antoni must have been running them hard today. It must be noted that he was lapped before he pulled his hamstring. He is expected to miss four to six weeks. Curry, looked to be the third string center going into this season despite being paid around $11 million. The Knicks are going play some of their preseason games in Europe but Curry will not travel with the team because of his injury. The whole of Knicks fandom should jointly look up to the sky, shake their fists and yell, “ISIAH!!!” Go ahead, do it. You will feel better.

The Sacramento Kings probably will not make any playoff ripples this season, but that is not stopping one of their players from wanting to make as big an impact as he can. DeMarcus Cosins wants to be the Rookie of the Year. “When I’m on the court, I’m trying to show you … especially the people that doubted my basketball skills,” Cousins said. “I want to be the Rookie of the Year. I didn’t get a chance to be the Player of the Year in college. I need my own individual award. I want mine.” That should keep the cowbells ringing at Arco. At least half of the staff at the Beef gives him a legitimate shot at taking the honor home with him this year.

Down the 101 in Los Angeles, new Clippers head coach, Vinny Del Negro, is already complaining that Baron Davis is fat. Guess he has been hiding a second chin under that beard for all these years. This story has dominated all Clippers coverage so far. Blake Griffin seems to be a complete after thought…just like the Clippers themselves. It really is too bad that Eric Gordon is relegated to play for that organization. He needs to demand a trade.

Four-tet

As people who follow the Dallas Mavericks have come to expect over recent years, the Mavs began their season touting their roster depth at media day. It is beginning to sound like a record skipping. (Do kids even know what records are anymore?) The Mavericks are easily one of the most consistently deep teams put together every year. This season, however, they have one glaring omission. There is not a traditional power forward to back up Dirk Nowitzki. Time at the backup four spot will likely be given to Shawn Marion but that makes for a small lineup. Playing the four is nothing new to Marion but a more serviceable big might be needed down the stretch. Depth at the guard will also be an issue with Rodrigue Beaubois being out with a foot injury to start the season. The Mavericks had hoped to start the young and explosive guard alongside Jason Kidd this season in an effort to ease him into a replacement role down the road. Those plans will have to be put on hold for the moment.

These are just some of the stories facing the teams as the season gets underway. Soon the squeak of rubber on wood floors will be heard in 30 different places as players either try to make the cut or work on finding their rhythm after a long summer. What media day brings everyone is a great sigh of relief. Now all the filler stories and rumors can stop being written and everyone can get back to the business of basketball. What the upcoming season may hold no one knows. What is certain after media day, however, is that everyone still hates the Miami Heat.

Leave a Comment

Filed under NBA at Large

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | August 11, 2010 · 8:19 AM

Injuries Continue to Mount for Team USA

Another finger bites the dust

Just when you thought the worst was over for Team USA after losing Amar’e Stoudemire, David Lee, Brook Lopez, and Robin Lopez for various reasons, the team has been hit by another injury. On the first day of training camp in New York, Danny Granger dislocated a finger on his right hand after making contact with the underside of the rim while playing defense. As it turns out, he had dislocated a bone but put it back into place after it had happened. Granger spent the remainder of practice with his hand wrapped in ice. This injury is quite similar to how Lee injured his finger on the first day of minicamp.

This is the second time that Granger has been injured this summer. During the Las Vegas minicamp, he sat out some time with a knee injury but eventually played well enough to survive the first round of cuts on the team. Gerald Wallace, Tyreke Evans, JaVale McGee, and O.J. Mayo did not make the current 15 man roster. However, McGee was brought back to practice with Team USA when Brook Lopez was forced to excuse himself from the team as he is battling mononucleosis.

If Granger cannot participate due to his finger it will likely mean that he will not make it through the second round of cuts when Coach Mike Krzyzewski and his staff must trim the current roster down to 12 for the FIBA World Championships. The final roster must be submitted to FIBA by 26 August.

Before the World Championships begin, Team USA will play several exhibition games. The first is a ‘Blue vs. White’ scrimmage at Madison Square Garden on 12 August. They will play again in MSG on 15 August against France, who have injury problems of their own with Rodrigue Beaubois having broken his foot. From there the team will play its remaining three exhibition games in Europe. Two will be played in Madrid: 21 August vs. Lithuania and 22 August against Spain. From there Team USA travels to Greece to play the Greek national team in Athens on 25 August. The FIBA World Championships begin on 28 August.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Team USA

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | July 15, 2010 · 2:12 PM

NBA Free Agency post “The Decision”

A not so long time ago, in an NBA galaxy close to home…

FREE AGENCY

Since the coup d’état and emergence of the Miami Thrice there have been a remarkable amount of moves, signings, and trades by teams. So many moves have occurred in fact that it is almost dizzying. Sure, the major names that have filled the 2010 Free Agency marquee banner for two years were quickly off the table but there are certainly a number of key players that are out there that will make a great addition to any franchise looking to improve. We, hear at the Beef have taken it upon ourselves to help keep you as up to date as possible with free agency. It is likely that within hours of this posting many more signings and trades will have occurred (the number of times this piece had to be updated while being written over a two day span is proof positive of that), making this piece slightly dated but, as always, keep apprised of all the movers and shakers in free agency with up to the minute information, or at least as soon as we are able to report it, by following the Kobe Beef on Twitter.

Miami Heat

When Miami attempted to buy itself a soul by acquiring both LeBron James and Chris Bosh they had just two players under contract with the team for the coming season. Those players were Mario Chalmers and Michael Beasley. Since that time, the Heat have dealt Beasley, in what equates to a salary dump, to the Minnesota Timberwolves for two second round draft picks in 2011 and 2014. Ouch, he was the second overall pick in 2008. Relieving themselves of Beasley’s services allowed the Heat to free up enough to award the Miami Thrice (will this catch on?) close to maximum contracts. Both James and Bosh will receive six-year, $110 million contracts while Wade receives $107.5 million over the same period of time. Each player also has an early termination option after the 2013-14 season.

So the Heat, at that point, had just four players under contract for the coming season. That is certainly grounds for championship speculation. Since then the organization has been in overdrive recruiting and signing free agents to bolster their roster. Mike Miller looked like a lock to join the Heat after meeting with Pat Riley and other organization officials on July 1, but now the Miami Herald is reporting that Miller may be backing out of the deal. Miami has a qualifying offer out on Joel Anthony which would pull the reins even tighter on the money that they could offer Miller. Nothing about Miller’s situation with the Heat is certain yet. At least that was the latest news as of early Wednesday afternoon. As of today, Mike Miller is in Miami and has signed a five-year contract with the Heat.

Udonis Haslem, after being pursued by the Dallas Mavericks and Denver Nuggets (who have had a knack to engage in bidding wars this summer), has decided to resign with the Heat. Haslem’s deal is worth just over $20 million over four years. The Heat are also close to a minimum level deal with Juwan Howard.

In yet another blow to the city and fans of Cleveland, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, for the second time this calendar year, is leaving. This time he is leaving on his own accord and not part of a multiplayer and multi-team deal to help entice a certain player to stay put. He is following James to Miami. Ilgauskas has played his entire career in Cleveland, he was traded to the Wizards but he never played a single game for them, let alone put on a Wizards’ jersey. The deal with the Heat is expected to be for two years with a player option for the second year. How many knives will Cleveland have to remove from their back when free agency is over?

Gordon Gekko…err, Pat Riley, has done an excellent job of using the Bud Foxes at his disposal as incentive for players to join the Heat. Ilgauskas’ close relationship with James was the deciding factor in his move to South Beach. Yet, the team still lacks a point guard. Miami lost out on its attempt to lure Derek Fisher away from the Lakers and the aura of Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant. Certainly, the combo of Jackson and Bryant is Sir Lawrence Wildman to Riley’s Gekko.

New York Knicks

New Yorkers and Knickerbockers alike should not feel all too bad about missing out on the Miami Thrice (I’m going to make this stick). They successfully procured Amar’e Stoudemire. That is a very solid consolation prize. It is better than what the soon to be cross town rivals got. New York should be happy that they convinced any player to join their team since they employed Isiah Thomas to help them recruit free agents. Isiah Thomas! This is the man who gave monster contracts to “superstars” like Eddy Curry (who is going into the final year of his contract and will be paid $11.3 million) and Jared Jeffries. He almost singlehandedly drove the organization into the ground. Well, Knicks owner, James Dolan, helped too. However, the acquisition of Stoudemire was not a bad one but it meant that fan favorite and perennial double-double (this is a statistic that STAT cannot claim on a regular basis), David Lee, would no longer be a part of the Knicks’ future.

Lee was dealt to the Golden State Warriors (the AND1 Mix Tape Tour’s only NBA equivalent) via sign-and-trade where mad scientist, Don Nelson, will undoubtedly have an insane number of offensive schemes already planned with him in mind. In return the Knicks received Anthony Randolph, who was the main chip New York wanted in return, Ronny Turiaf, and Kelenna Azubuike. Randolph will make $1.96 million this coming season, Turiaf will make $4 million, and Azubuike, who is going into the final year of his contract, will make $3.3 million. Dorell Wright is also joining the Warriors. He became expendable when the Heat orchestrated a Gekko-esque takeover and cornered the market on top free agents. After that they needed to pay them and Wright would eat up more money that they needed for their new stars. Dwyane Wade is reported to have really like Wright as a teammate but money seems to have trumped friendship. Wright has agreed to a three-year deal worth $11.5 million.

The Knicks lost Chris Duhon in free agency to the Orlando Magic so for a time they were without a starting point guard. In a Mike D’Antoni coached offense, this is the most important position. New York quickly found a solution to their vacancy in Raymond Felton. They had been after Felton since last season but the Bobcats were in no mood to trade him. Felton was originally in talks with the Knicks to sign a three-year deal with the Knicks but the two parties reached an agreement on a two-year contract worth nearly $15 million.

In addition to these players the Knicks also signed Timofey Mozgov, a 7’1” center from Russia. He is expected to sign a three-year contract worth $9 million but not all the money will be guaranteed. The Knicks are buying him out of his contract with his former team, Khimki Moscow, and are reportedly paying them $500,000. Some reports have said that he is the best prospect in Europe. We at the Beef have not read that, in fact we know nothing about him. Honestly, we thought all the Russians were in New Jersey.

The Knicks have also shown interest in resigning Earl Barron, who played the last seven games of the season with New York last season. Yet, nothing has been made official. Even after all these signings the Knicks will still have about $2-3 million in cap space. With the expiring contracts of Curry and Azubuike at the end of the season, the team looks poised and ready for free agency next summer when Carmelo Anthony becomes available if he chooses not to sign an extension with the Denver Nuggets.

Minnesota Timberwolves

What the hell is general manager David Kahn doing? Does anybody know? In recent days it has been said that an avocado would do a better job than he would. As of right now (July 14, 2010 at 1:05 pm central standard time) the Timberwolves have just reached an agreement with point guard Luke Ridnour on a four-year $16 million deal. Minnesota now has four point guards; yes that is right, four. They have Jonny Flynn, Ramon Sessions, Ridnour, and Spaniard holdout, Ricky Rubio. If Kahn is trying to entice Rubio to leave the now perpetually drunk Spain, he sure is sending mixed signals. However, many see the signing of Ridnour as a possible prelude to the Wolves trading Sessions. Reports say that Minnesota has been in talks with Charlotte, who just lost Felton to the Knicks, about the possibility of a trade for Sessions. The Bobcats, however, have just extended an offer to free agent guard, Shaun Livingston, which likely means that all Sessions discussions are dead.

The acquisition of Ridnour comes just days after the Timberwolves traded away their best player, Al Jefferson, to the Utah Jazz. Minnesota, in return, gets two first round draft picks and center Kosta Koufos. Utah swooped in, seemingly at the last minute, to snag Jefferson as the Timberwolves and Dallas Mavericks were in serious trade discussions. The Jazz had the advantage of having a trade exception, acquired when Carlos Boozer left for Chicago, and were willing to give up first round draft picks. Minnesota’s motive for moving Jefferson was based on his style of play, slow and post oriented, which they are trying to move away from. If there is any sense of style coming out of Minnesota it is a frenetic one, spearheaded by Kahn.

David Kaaahn!

Minnesota has finalized its contract with Darko Milicic making him one of the veterans on the team. Veterans, as a term, should be used lightly since Milicic has just seven years of NBA experience. The T-Wolves have also signed draft picks, Wesley Johnson and Lazar Hayward. Center Nikola Pekovic has also agreed to terms with the team. All of these moves, along with the addition of Beasley, have, as David Kahn hopes, bolstered the frontcourt and made the team sleeker and quicker on the court. Yet, it is still hard to discern what Kahn in actually doing other than trying to improve upon last year’s 15-67 record. His roster now has four centers, and a host of wing player. This is also now one of the youngest teams in the league and plays in a division where the four other teams won at least fifty games last season. Hell, Utah is a division rival and they just shipped their best player to them for virtually nothing other than “financial flexibility.” Kahn must be leaving his team’s fan base screaming his name in anger, much like Captain Kirk in Star Trek II, every time he makes any sort of move. Though they have become a player in free agency this summer none of their moves consolidate into a coherent plan, Kahn appears to be a madman, deranged by power, hunting his white whale. His whale, of course, is Ricky Rubio.

Chicago Bulls

Chicago has benefited from defectors from Utah. Both Carlos Boozer and Kyle Korver have left the confines of the Great Salt Lake and head to the Windy City. No, neither of these players is named James, Bosh, or Wade but they are still major pickups for the Bulls. Korver should help the Bulls in their three-point shooting. As a team the Bulls shot 33 percent from downtown which ranked them 28th in the league. The Bulls are also looking to further strengthen their long-range shooting as they have signed J.J. Redick to a three-year, $20 million offer sheet. Redick is a restricted free agent so his current team, the Orlando Magic can match the Bulls offer and retain him. If history is any indication (matching the Mavericks offer to Marcin Gortat last summer) of their intentions, Orlando will likely match the offer. Yet, the Magic recently agreed to a deal with Quentin Richardson so maybe they are prepared to let Redick go.

Korver’s deal is worth an estimated $15 million over three years. Boozer agreed to a five-year deal worth roughly $75 million that became a sign-and-trade with Utah with the Bulls also receiving a future protected second-round draft pick. The trade exemption that the Jazz used to trade for Al Jefferson was part of the Boozer trade.

New head coach, Tom Thibodeau, should be very pleased with the work that general manager Gar Forman has done this offseason. Fans of the Bulls should also be quite pleased with the moves the team has made. They may have been slighted in their quest to land one of the Miami Thrice but they have found themselves in a formidable position heading into next season. The same cannot be said for all the teams who were in the rat race for the big three.

New Jersey Nets

Seriously, the Nets should change the name of their team to the New Jersey Nyets. Despite the fact that they were shot down by every major free agent this summer, they constantly thought themselves to be leading the pack to land each one. The team confidently suggested in the media that they had the upper hand in landing James. Why? What hallucinogen gave them this notion? It must be some pretty potent shit to make them have pipe dreams such as this. Everyone in the world seemed to know that James would not go to the Nets except for the Nets. This ordeal has seriously hurt the reputation of Jay-Z and his supposed ability to land James due to their friendship. Who listens to a minority owner anyway? Greatest rapper alive? Give me a break, Rakim is still alive. Mikhail Prokhorov said he had a hunch that James would not be coming to his team. What tipped him off? Everyone he talked to?

What have the Nets done then, other than move to the cesspool that is Newark? Well, they lost their general manager, Rod Thorn and replaced him with Billy King. Yawn. They have reached a contract agreement with Johan Petro worth $10 million over three years. He will back up Brook Lopez. The Nets need to lure a big free agent this summer to make up for their failures thus far and they may have found just the player. Two time NBA champion, former Lakers great, Jordan Farmar has agreed to a three-year, $12 million deal with the struggling franchise. Good job, Jay-Z. I doubted you earlier but you really came through with this one. It should prove to be a spectacular competition for starting point guard when training camp begins. Farmar stated that his desire to leave the Lakers was to be a starting point guard on a team. He has a good chance of doing just that in New Jersey. Oh, wait…Devin Harris still plays in New Jersey? Oh, I see. Is that common knowledge? Did anyone tell Farmar that? Sorry, Jordan, looks like you will simply be a backup on a bad team.

By far their biggest acquisitions are those of Travis Outlaw and Anthony Morrow. Outlaw agreed to a five-year, $35 million deal. New Jersey signed Morrow to an offer sheet worth $12 million over three years that the Golden State Warriors did not match. The teams eventually worked out a sign-and-trade where the Warriors receive the Nets’ second-round draft pick in 2011.

These moves, in the wake of not landing James, are…well, they are moves. Morrow and Outlaw have the potential to thrive alongside Harris and Lopez but it will all depend on how Avery Johnson chooses to utilize their talents on the court. As for right now, the Nets look to be at least three wins better than they were last season, maybe. At least in a few years the team will be in Brooklyn where they can overcharge hipsters for tickets and merchandise. Hipsters love ironic failures and chronic underachievers. Financially, the Nets will be winners then.

Phoenix Suns

The Suns have been one of the biggest movers in the Western Conference this summer. They had to be after losing Stoudemire to the Knicks. They recently welcomed back to the league, Josh Childress and his iconic Afro with a five-year contract. Phoenix acquired him via sign-and-trade with the Atlanta Hawks, who still retained the rights to his contract. Atlanta will receive the Suns’ 2012 second-round draft pick.

Phoenix has also traded for scorned Raptor, Hedo Turkoglu for Leandro Barbosa and Dwayne Jones. Turkolgu thrives in offenses where he gets to control the ball so a pairing with Steve Nash seems a bit odd but any situation has to be better for Turkolgu than what he went through in Toronto.

Dallas Mavericks

Dallas’ attempts to land players named Al have been thwarted at every attempt this summer. First they were in position to land Al Jefferson. Then, out of nowhere, the Jazz swooped in and nabbed him so that they could fill the void left by Boozer’s departure. Next the Mavericks set their sights on Al Harrington. Talks were advancing nicely but then the Denver Nuggets struck. They offered Harrington a longer and more valuable contract (five-year, $34 million) than the Mavericks were willing to offer him.

The Mavericks have made some moves this summer, though they are not earth shaking; they are moves to build on for the future. Dallas’ second priority this summer, after resigning Dirk Nowitzki, was signing Brendan Haywood. They did just that as the team and Haywood agreed on a six-year deal worth $55 million. The way Haywood’s contract is structured he will make $7-8 million a season, and as the Mavericks are prone to do, the last year of his contract is not fully guaranteed.

For the Mavericks, the elephant in the room was Erick Dampier’s nonguaranteed $13 million contract and their ability to use it in an attempt to lure a max free agent to Dallas to team up with Nowitzki. Dallas missed out on the marquee names but was able to move Dampier’s contract. Dampier, along with Matt Carroll, Eduardo Najera, and cash were sent to the Charlotte Bobcats for Tyson Chandler and Alexis Ajinca. It was not the blockbuster move that Mavs fans were hoping for and many are quite discontent at the moves their team has made this summer after being force-fed rumors and speculation about the possibility of landing a superstar. Honestly, this deal fits the Mavericks plan better than landing the likes of Jefferson who would have either been forced into a sixth man role or center. Neither of which would have been ideal for either party. Chandler gives the Mavericks and versatile shot blocker with the ability to run the floor. Running the floor is something that Chandler was accustomed to during his time with Chris Paul and the New Orleans Hornets and is something that he will get back to on the Mavericks with Jason Kidd and Rodrigue Beaubois. One thing is certain, the alley-oop dunk will return to prominence in Chandler’s offensive repertoire.

This deal also gives the Mavericks some financial breathing room as they have dumped Carroll’s bloated contract. It also gives the team added size and length in the frontcourt, something the team wanted so they could compete with the Lakers’ bigs. This deal came just in time too. It also acts as a counter to their in-state arch rival San Antonio Spurs’ addition of the great threat, Tiago Splitter. This nobody is making folks quake in their boots from the filthy, disease laden River Walk to the Alamo. Team front offices are whispering amongst themselves about the domination that Splitter could unleash on an unsuspecting league. Hold on, he is a South American seven footer? How many floppers do the Spurs need on their roster? The only threat he poses is to himself. It is a long way to the floor when flopping from seven feet up, concussions could become a problem.

Chandler is going into the last year of his contract which has led some to speculate that if a player became available during the season the Mavericks could use Chandler and Caron Butler, who is also entering the last year of his contract, as trade bait. However, the people who are the ones speculating this are the same ones who almost guaranteed Mavericks fans that they would land a superstar player this summer.

Utah Jazz

The Utah Jazz have acquired Raja Bell and thwarted Kobe Bryant’s attempts to get Bell to sign with the Lakers. Los Angeles had $1.8 million left of their mid-level exception to offer Bell while the Jazz offered him a three-year deal worth close to $10 million. (It is always about the money.) With the signing of Bell the Jazz chose to let Wesley Matthews sign with the Portland Trailblazers as they were unwilling to match the offer sheet that Matthews signed with the Blazers which was worth $32.7 million over five years.

1 Comment

Filed under Free Agency

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | March 28, 2010 · 2:46 PM

Drop it like it’s Hot

Roddy B was channeling NBA Jam last night because he was "On Fire"

Last night, Rodrigue Beaubois (Roddy B), simply lit up the Golden State Warriors. “He’s heating up!” is the memorable line from NBA Jam when a player scores two consecutive buckets. Roddy B, once entering the game, wasted no time heating up. “He’s on fire!” is the exclamation once a player drains three consecutive shots causing the basketball to glow and burn with fire, burning the net with each made basket. Roddy did not need any heat check shots last night; he came in on fire and maintained that level of play throughout the game.

Beaubois could not miss it seemed as he continued to make it rain from downtown throughout the game. He was the spark that the Dallas Mavericks need as they started the game sluggishly (as is their newfound unfortunate custom) but never trailed by any insurmountable amount. Roddy picked up the slack. Oh, and did I mention he is a rookie? He is. He is also an amazing (freakish) talent with speed, quickness, and agility. His three-point shot is also a thing of beauty. The Warriors should feel privileged to have witnessed it. “He pulls up…From Downtown!” Beaubois was 9-11 from behind the arc on route to his career high of 40 points. There was simply no stopping him and there was nothing the Warriors could do because Don Nelson has no idea what defense is.

40 points is the second highest rookie total in Mavericks’ history behind Mark Aguirre’s 42. It is also the second highest point total set by a rookie this season. Brandon Jennings has the high mark with 55. They are the only two rookies that have scored 40 or more points this season. Not even our ROY pick, Tyreke Evans, has dropped 40. He does have a triple-double though so we’ll call it even. Roddy B’s 40 points are also the fifth most by a rookie since the 2004-05 season. Beaubois also had the third most points in a quarter by a rookie this season scoring 21 in the second quarter. At one point during the game, in a span of less than one minute Beaubois drained three straight three-pointers. On fire indeed.

This scoring outburst will surely do little to quell the growing Free Roddy B movement here in the Metroplex but how can that be a bad thing? He needs to play more. The Warriors are not the cream of the crop of NBA teams so it was a game in which a player with Roddy B’s skill set was poised to go off. He played the entire game at the off guard position, Rick Carlisle noted after the game, and did not play single minute at point. The real test of Carlisle’s trust in Roddy will be Monday night when the Mavericks host the Denver Nuggets, the team they are tied for second place in the West with. It was easy to unleash Roddy against a frenetic up and down team like the Warriors but Denver is a different animal. Their team defense could exploit Beaubois’ rookie weaknesses and make him turnover prone. They will certainly be watching film of Beaubois’ Saturday night point eruption and will be keen to guard him if they see him enter the game.

RB3

Last night’s outburst has certainly moved Roddy up the bench a seat or two and all but solidified him a spot when an opponent plays small-ball and the Mavericks counter with a three guard set. Roddy’s game was on especially on point “From long range!” His scoring is certainly what the Mavericks need more of off the bench. The future can only be brighter for this young, up and coming star. It is no doubt, if the Mavericks keep him, Beaubois will become the future of the franchise. However, because he is still an unpolished rookie he will have to earn his minutes for big games down the stretch and for the playoffs. Last night certainly won’t hurt his odds.

Leave a Comment

Filed under NBA at Large, Players

Tagged as , , , , ,