My apologies if this has already been posted, but I didn't see it anywhere. http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/basketball/mavs/stories/112402ndspomavsdate.6dfc6.html Notebook: Francis won't draw team out of its zone Unbeaten Mavs take Rockets point guard's criticism in stride 11/24/2002 By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News Don Nelson got a kick out of comments by Houston's Steve Francis that the Mavericks' early-season success is due in part to a gimmick defense. "I watched Houston's game [Friday night against Washington] and they played zone for half the game," Nelson said. "Do I care what Steve Francis says about our zone? Absolutely not. But I know Rudy [Tomjanovich] understands why we do it because he played it half the game [against the Wizards]." Francis said after the Mavs' 13-point win over Houston on Thursday that they "hid in a zone for 48 minutes," and that the Mavs "know better than to match up man-to-man against us." Zone defenses use to be illegal. Since the league began allowing them, teams have used them occasionally, although man-to-man still is preferred by many elite teams. Leaning on the zone too much often is considered as a sign of weakness in the macho NBA world. The Mavs don't care if they play zone 100 percent of the time as long as they're winning. "When I was young, it would have bothered me," forward Popeye Jones said. "But as you get older, you realize it's basketball. If one defense is better for you than another, then you use it. The whole idea is to take somebody's strength away from them." Nelson said that is all he's trying to do for his team – give it a chance to play the best defense it can. "We're suppose to do that," Nelson said. "Now are we going to stay in it all year? Not if everybody starts kicking our butt. "There are some purists who think we played man-to-man for 50 years and should still be playing it. But the zone is here and is part of the game. That doesn't mean it's for everybody. But our numbers are good in the zone. I don't think we'd have this [winning] streak without it. "I'm not sure how long it will go on because the longer you use the zone, the more people learn how to deal with it. But right now, it's all about banking wins. We've got [13] wins in the bank and nobody can take those away from us." Nelson's comments are right on the money. I cringed when I heard Francis' comments after the Rockets-Mavs matchup. The Metroplex papers all included his criticisms in stories on Friday. Then the Rockets played zone for most of Friday night's game. Francis is one of my favorite players, but he really needs to learn to be gracious in defeat and give the other team some credit. The fact is the zone is part of the game and if we struggle with it, it's a reflection on us - not the team employing it.
Francis was just mad that they lost. Whatever it takes to win. I also found it funny that the next day we played zone a LOT against Washington. Live and learn.. DaDakota
You know what? Francis is RIGHT! They did lay back in a zone and they WERE smart not to match up with them one-on-one. Geez, Nellie, don't get your skirt in a wad.
Good points Rocket Addict. We need to come up with solutions for the zone first. I'm not a fan of zone defense but it is here to stay and everyone is using it to their advantage at times.
This is gonna start a real rivalry between the Rockets and Mavs its just that right now Mavs got the upper hand on the season but as the Rockets grow as a team I think we will end up on top. Mavs might win it all this year tho.
You can talk about Nellie wearing a skirt all you want, they're going to use that zone. The Rockets need to come up with an adjustment to beat that zone.
I wanted to see what all the fuss was with the Mavs improved D and was a little underwhelmed with what I saw. I would and should be annoyed with our performance against those two simple zones, but that game will always be my all-time "circuit breaker". When the Rockets won game seven against the Knicks I just put my head down on the bar and counted millions of blessings. Thursday night I had to keep telling myself this is just basketball and I do understand this stuff. And we lost to the Mavs, but I still have to keep reminding myself of that. Why should Steve be overly impressed with those guys? And I like the Mavs, I honestly think they match up favorably against anyone except a healthy Sacramento and us. We'll see them again soon enough anyway. Right now I am ridiculouly unconcerned with what other teams are doing now. I can't blame Steve for feeling the same way.
The Mavs were better than the Rockets the other night with or without the zone it was there offense that was killing us and our stupid mistakes and our poor shooting... but the Rockets are learning on the fly and I don't care what the Mavs throw at us the next time around they will be hard pressed to win... And we will give them a tast of there on medicine... As bad as we played we were in the game most of the way and we will only get better and will build our offense around Yao and Eddie and Mo will improve and Rice and Tmo's rolls will get defined and Cat will comeback and be play like he is capable of and the Rockets will kick Nowhiskey and nappy Nash and company's butt! The Rockets are on the rise and we have noone to fear if we play our game...
I'll tell you one thing. If there's one high-seed I'd like to face in the playoffs, it's the Mavs. In a 5 game or 7 game series, teams adjust quickley to a zone. If the series starts in Dallas, that's fine, they use the zone, and we come up short. So they won 1 home game, big deal. For the next 4 games, the Rockets will be superior. Our man to man beats their man to man anyday. The only good defenders on that team are Finley and Nash. What will they do about Yao Ming? Mo Taylor? Francis will eat up Nash. The Rockets are one of those teams that, because of inexperience and youth, play up or down to their competition. Meaning, they can be as good as the Mavs consistently, but just don't know how to yet. That is EXACTLY the type of team that no team wants to face in the playoffs. Lakers or Mavs, we have a chance. Spurs and Kings, we have trouble.
Hey maybe the Rockets will be that high seed that other teams will have to think about facing... Anyhows we are playoff bound one way or another and we all now Rudy's magic in the playoffs thats when he really shines and your right I would not want to to be the team to face the Rockets in the Playoffs... bring on the pretty boys from Dallas and their 13 game win streak and lets see what they do in the games that count when the real men come to play...
Look people can blame the zone all they want for the lose we had against the mavs but its not why we lost.... Shoot well requires HEALTHY LEGS... MoT and Cat are both dealing with leg injuries... they combined in that game for 2-18... thats why we lost... the zone is designed to give the open shots to the 3-point line... isn;t that what the rockets have always wanted??? A zone defense only works against big teams with bad guards... We are not a team like that... A healthy Rockets will destroy any zone and the mavs... the zone is for small teams with good guards.... hence mavs... The Rockets got a big inside game and GREAT guards... so yes the mavs are great and are beating all the teams in the nba but guess what... most teams have a crapy big game and crapy shooting... can't creat the miss matches to force the zone. the rockets have all the tools they need to win.
Well, this is one of those rare times where Francis should have bit his tongue, whether or not Nellie overreacted. We got our ass beat, so give credit to the Mavs defense, rather than going out of your way to say that they can't play us man-to-man. When you consider that Francis himself, is one of the worst defensive PGs in the league, it makes it all the more mind boggling that Francis would have much ground to stand on, with regards to talking about defense.
I think you are right, and its funny how we played zone almost exclusively against the Wizards. Michael Jordan...... in post game comments, following the Rocket game, said: They (the Rockets) surprised us by playing zone almost the whole game, in the first half we scored well from the peremiter, but we knew it wouldnt last the whole game. We cooled off in the second half. We tried to break their zone, but couldnt, thats why we lost.. I think Mike handled it a little better than Steve.....Sounded like he was saying the Rockets did a good job on D.
