I will be the first to predict a NBA championship this season for the Dallas Mavericks. I have heard Nelson on the Radio a couple of times and he just sounds giddy. - Finally the Mavs have a real front courts. Dirk, Antawn and Fortson are starting…and rebounding extreamly well. This may be one of the better if not the best rebounding front court in the league. Hard to believe considering the Mavs are traditionally one of the worst rebounding teams in the league. - The Fortson Factor! Nellie loves the guy so far. He has placed him in the starting line-up at center (as was predicted) and sent Reaf to the bench where he deserves to be. An unexpected benefit from this has been a fired up Reaf Lafrentz. In the two games since Reaf was sent to the bench he has played some of his best ball as a Maverick, of course this is just preseason and we will see if Reaf will keep it up for an extended period of time, if he does then the Mavs have a very formidable front court…maybe the best in the league. - Dirk and Antawn. Antawn is the perfect Yin to Dirks Yang. These two were meant to play with each other. With the exception of a short stint by Juwan Howard, Antawn Jamison is the only low post offensive weapon the Mavs have had outside of Dirk Nowitzki for the past several years. Both players have played outstanding so far in the preseason shooting a very high percentage and rebounding extremely well. - The Big 3 is now The Big 4. Antawn Jamison is now the second best player on the Mavericks. Nash is still the catalyst of the offense and Finley is still the floor leader while Dirk is still the team’s best player. These four now give the Mavs multiple ways to beat you in the post as well as multiple ways to beat you on the perimeter. This may be the most lethal group in the NBA. - The Bench. Josh Howard, Reaf LaFrentz and Travis Best will likely be the first three off of the bench with Jiri Welsch and Edwardo Najara also seeing plenty of playing time. The Mavs are really excited about Howard and feel that they have found the heir apparent to Michael Finley (will turn 31 this season) in a couple of years down the road. Since Reaf was exiled to the bench he has really played well and could be an exceptional back up at the 4 and 5 positions if he continues to hustle and play like he has since his demotion, if not expect Najara to be the primary sub at the 4 and 5 spots this year. Travis Best should be an adequate back up to Nash while Welsch can back up either of the back court spots as well as the 3 spot. Don Nelson has said on the radio that this group has come into camp with a great attitude and really plays well together. He seems to think that the chemistry of this team is going to be a real strength. If that is true then then the league is in trouble. If both Antawn and Fortson can keep their heads on straight then the Mavs just got a whole lot better. My Western Conference predictions for this year: 1. Mavericks – The second best team in the NBA made the most significant improvements over the summer. 2. Timberwolves – This is the year that Minni wins a play-off series. Maybe the most complete starting 5 in the league. 3. Spurs – No more Admiral at the 5 spot and no more Steve Kerr for last minute heroics. Duncan is the only marquee player on the Spurs, he may be the best player in the league but his supporting cast does not compare to the other upper echelon teams in the conference. 4. Kings – No longer the most talented team in the league but they are still right there with the Mavs and T-wolves. 5. Lakers – Shaq is still the most dominant big man in the game but his only supporting cast might be the very old duo of Malone and Payton. With Kobe’s legal problems and Fox out until December will they be enough. 6. Rockets – They are having a rough pre-season but with the obvious improvement in Yao Ming’s game and the additions made over the summer it is only a matter of time. 7. Suns – This team is having the same problems as the Rockets during the pre-season but we all know that they will get it together by October 28th. 8. Memphis – All of that talent and a full off-season with Hubbie Brown and Jerry West. This should be one of the great young talented teams for a very long time. Sleeper team of the year – Denver Nuggets. I started to put them as one of my picks for the play-offs but I just can not conceive that a team that was so bad last year could be good enough to make the play-offs this year. Count me as someone that has a healthy dose of fear of this team. Miller, Anthony, Hillario and Camby look pretty damn tough. Throw in Jon Berry, Earl Boykins and Rodney White and the people in Denver look to have a pretty damn good team. If Skita ever lives up to his potential then the whole NBA could have a problem. I have no predictions for the teams in the East. I guess it’s possible that one of the Eastern Conference teams could win the CBA championship or the NBA developmental league championship…we will just have to wait and see.
I put them in order of best to worst with no thought of actuall seeding. I do think that Dallas and Minny will play for the NBA championship...aka the Western Conference Championship. Just like last years top two teams were... 1. Spurs 2. Mavericks
1, 2, and Three [Timberwolves] Is Memphis in the midwest too? Rocket River it is one hell of a division
I strongly feel the swap for Jamison in place of NVE has hurt the Mavs more than it has helped. NVE was the savior for the Mavs last year not only in the Kings series but the Blazers series as well. Antawn will be decent in a Mavs uniform but I can see Van Exel going off for 20+ points per game for the Warriors.
I would love it if Cuban were the owner of the Rockets! Cuban is with out a doubt one of the 2 or 3 best owners in the game. He values winning above all else, including the salery cap. Sometimes I really hate Les!
Only time will tell but the Mavs definitely got a lot better in the post both scoring and rebounding. I think the Mavs are in a lot better position to compete with teams like the Spurs, Lakers and Kings who all have good post players.
The Mavs went from playing small ball last year too......playing small ball this year. They'll place fourth in the West.
Here is a quote from Dr. Jack's chat on ESPN: Joe (Kansas City, MO): Do you think the Mavs have what it takes to challenge for the Championship this season? Keep up the great work!! Dr. Jack Ramsay: The Mavs overachieved last season...and Nick Van Exel was a major reason for that. They still haven't answered the problem in the middle...they'll be fun to watch, but won't beat SA, LA, Sac or T'Wolves.
Agreed. Cuban puts *nothing* above winning, including money, image or attitude. Maverick fans couldn't ask for anything more.
Hey, I like the guy, too, and think he's done wonders for what was a sad-sack franchise when he bought them. But he'll still be insufferable if the Mavs win the Championship. While a very good owner, he's often annoying to listen to. And living in Dallas, I'd have to listen to him a lot if the Mavs win this year.
Totally. Don't get me wrong. He can be very annoying. But I'd rather have an annoying owner who puts together a good team than a "respectable" owner who builds a mediocre one. Of course, I don't live in Dallas, so I don't have to listen to him, either!
I assume he will be the Mavs second option and average around 17 to 20 points a game. I think his f/g % will rise as well.
I dissagree about fixing their problem in the middle. They may not have fixed it the way Dr. Jack thinks they should but they certainly upgraded the front court. They will now have two premium low post scorers in Jamison and Nowitzki as well as three premium rebounders in Jamison, Fortson and Nowitzki. Do they have the huge 7 foot center that will play with his back to the basket and dominate Shaq? Hell no! Did they upgrade their front court significantly to where they are a threat to ALL teams in the low post? Absolutely.
Excellent points. Their team doesn't *need* a dominating center. This is a Dirk/Nash/Finley team, and most of the Mavs' points will come on fast breaks, outside scoring and slashes to the basket. I don't think they addressed their primary need (defense), but they did upgrade their interior offense and rebounding capabilities. They're going to be tough this year.
Not happening. Jamison doesn't solve their need. He is an offensive post presence, not a defensive one. He is just another sieve on defense, like Dirk. And you really think 6-7 danny fortson is that great? He can rebound, and that's about it. He too plays shoddy defense. The Mavs are not better than the Spurs or Lakers, provided Kobe plays the season. The Timberwolves aren't either. Both of your top two teams have a lot to prove this year, and I just don't think either frankly has the personnel to be as good as you think. Minnesota maybe, but their frontcourt is still atrocious and they have a lot of guys who need the ball in their hands to be successful, like Cassell and Sprewell, and the more its in their hands, the less its in KG's. And that's good for the rest of the NBA. I think both will be good teams but they will need a lot of luck to come out of the Western conference as long as Kobe stays out of jail and Tim Duncan stays healthy.
they ahev certainly upgraded their frontcourt, especially with regard to scoring and rebounding and possibly even there defense a little and that might even get them the best regular season record... but can they stop Duncan, KG, Webber, even Wallace and Randolph, let alone Shaq any better, not really sure they can