Dallas Mavericks tribute thread...

After todays disgraceful result I have to say that Mavs is what is wrong with the NBA, and Rockets is pure greatness. How can the scumbag team go and lose to the Celtics? If they even knew how to play a lick defense they'd probably be good, but they are just morons all together. Rockets on the other hand are kings (not the team) in disguise. They have heart, they have fire and they can step up the defense, to pull out a win against the MIGHTY Cavs.

Of course as all the other I could have wanted more from them, but looking how other teams can suck when they play the bottom of the barrell known as eastern scrubs you gotta be somewhat happy and see the positives.


Btw, can you tell I had money on Mavs today?

So any other day I might agree with you. But today is not a day to praise the Mavs.

 

dallas and sacramento are definitely my two favorite teams to watch. they just make it look so easy. but of course that's not so hard when you're fielding an offensive all star team every night like the mavs or have an insanely talented, good passing, good shooting team like the kings. and when they play against each other, it's must see TV.

this may not be the intent of your thread but i'll post it here anyways. i always hear analysts or fans act like if "team x" would play like the kings and mavs they would score more/be more fun to watch. only problem is, you have to have that talent to do it and win. only 2 or 3 teams in a league of 29 are going to be capable of accumulating that much talent at any given time and thus only 2 or 3 teams can play a style that's that much fun to watch and a winning style (i.e. lots of teams could play that way but they'd give up more than they'd score b/c they simply don't have the firepower and fans seem to get pissed quicker when you play bad D and lose than bad O and lose). in that sense i don't think it's poor strategy that holds most of the nba back, it's more of necessity. it all comes down to talent, but perception says play D and be blue collar and the fans will accept the inability to score but they won't accept the inability to stop people (which is weird b/c everyone complains about low scoring).

and as for the nba being boring, it is for the most part. but i'm not sure how to solve it. it was more fun back in the 80's (not that i was old enough to watch it live but i've seen it) but that doesn't mean those players would beat today's players. the athletic superiority of today's players vs older players would be too much to overcome no matter how fundamentally sound older players were. and if you let the slower, less athletic players of yesteryear guard today's players and play D as soft as they did, i think they would find the going much easier and find more open shots and run better offenses. but today's athlete's are so much quicker while the court remains the same size that i'm not sure how to get back to the old ways. you can't just increase court size because that doesn't mean the D has to come out to guard anyone 30 feet away. the only thing i could possibly think of is somehow drastically reduce the contact that is now allowed to occur but i don't think the nba wants everyone fouling out for a whole season while the players adjust.

sorry for that rambling, but i just wanted to point out that while today's style may be more boring, today's players are still better than the ones that came before (as it is in all sports) and not everyone can plays like the mavs, however much i wish they could and would love to see it.

 

I'm glad Walker had the shot to win vs. Boston and missed.

 

You've bought too much of the hype. '70's players maybe, but by the late '70's and through the 80's there were plenty of VERY quick, athletic AND fundamentally sound players in the NBA; ever heard of the Showtime Lakers, THE Sixers - ??? And you had true multi-dimensional players who could take it to the rack, dunk, finger roll, AND kill you if you give them space for the J - the midrange was simply automatic; free throw shooting was also more accurate.

Also, exactly how many rings have these "super athletic" teams and players won?? The Lakers have exactly one of these (albeit the best of them) - but Kobe's greatness doesn't come from the acrobatic dunks - it comes from the automatic turn around fallaway 18 footer, and other clutch jump shots. The Spurs have none of your prototypical types - and with those two squads I have accounted for the past five seasons. Even prior to that, the Bulls and Jazz were dominant - both of which were so because of their fundamental soundness and consistency; Jordan was no longer an athletic freak in '98.

The Lakers or Celtics of the glory days would, in fact, destroy the current Mavericks IMHO.

 

I love the Dallas Mavericks, their definitely my second favorite team. I love Steve Nash, I love Dirk, and I love Don Nelson, who is an old old school coach. I agree with Haven that this is what the NBA should be, 80's style.

One telling stat -- despite leading the league in shots and scoring and running that uptempo offense, Dallas is LAST in the league in turnovers.

That's how good this team executes.

Too bad they can't get over the hump.

 

You have it all wrong.

I'll agree with you most players have gotten bigger and stronger (Baron Davis compared to 80's pg's) but back in the 80's you had players who started to change the landscape of players considerably (Karl Malone).

Even though you weren't old enough to remember the 80's I was. When I had the capacity to realize reality at the tender age of 4, (1979) I was blessed to have grown up in Los Angeles and exist during the time of Magic's rookie season, MJ's, James Worthy's and Sam Perkins tar heel days, Showtime, etc.

What I remember were the days of fundamentally sound basketball that eclipsed all the crap strong guy moves that exist in today's game like Shaq's boring and brutal game. You had guys who didn't use their size and strength to intimidate, they used their finesse (Kareem Abdul Jabbar) comparable to Tim Duncan's game.

The 80's, thanks to Espn Classic, shows you a game that was more fast break oriented and more skilled than today's game. If you were to catch any of the old games from 1983 of the Lakers, you would notice a young James Worthy before he injured his knee doing windmills and 360 slam dunks. You would see Byron Scott who at 6' 4" (who grew up minutes from the Forum and would sneak into watch the Lakers as a kid, how cool a story is that) dunk over guys who were 8 inches taller than him. You would see Kareem sky hook from 15 feet and no one could defend that shot, as it was impossible.

You think Kobe's clutch move were cool? Please.

Every week as a kid, for at least 80% of games that were close by a margin of 2 pts (games nowadays are never that close) you always knew that Pat Riley would call the timeout, with 3 seconds to go, and give it to Magic. Everyone knew it was going to Magic. Why? Because he was Mr. Clutch. And the teams knew it. Once Magic got the ball he would be triple teamed, but he would get it anyway, run threw the defense, and launch a three, and all of the sudden, at least 80% of the time, would win the game at the buzzer.

One thing you will never see again, I think in this lifetime is a pure point guard who stands at 6' 9" and can play all positions. One remarkable thing for you to remember is that Magic, who as a rookie (Le Bron who?) stood in for the injured Kareem Abdul Jabbar and played center in his place (while playing all five positions) in the 1980 NBA finals in Game 7 against Dr. J's Sixers, and scored 42!!! points 15 Rebounds, 7 Assists, 3 Blocks, and 1 Steal!!! He did this playing against Darryl Dawkins, who at the time, was a strong power forward/center, muscular like Karl Malone. Remembering this moment still brings tears to my eyes.

Without ranting forever, and ever, I just wanted to say the difference between the players of now and then, is that the players then knew they were lucky. Lucky enough to be getting paid a couple of million dollars for doing something they loved. Magic in his prime made around 2 million a year, however, being a smart business man, has made him triple that.

Remember this is during the time when NBA playoff games and NBA Finals games were played after the 11pm news, just like Wimbledon.

Credit goes to Magic and Larry for changing the future of the NBA.

 

I'll love watching the Mavs lose to the Clips tonight.

I hope. I got free tickets to the game for buying some gear at Academy.

 

I think Defense is just better now
More physical now that it has ever been

I think the 'jordan rules'
The HARD FOUL change alot of things

I think the STAR CALLs hurt alot too.

Rocket River
I like good defense

 

Yup, I love to watch the mavs play. I want them to win the championship to shut up all thier critics, cause nobody gives them any respect.

 

I win.

DAL 105
LAC 115



It was fun too.

Q. Richardson was on the money... time after time. I like his game. Maggette and Brand were nice too.

 

Damn the Mavs are in a real funk right now. I think they were better off last year with just the big 3. They would have won the championship last year if it wasn't for Dirk getting injured in the Spurs series.

 

I was indifferent to all of the trades during the offseason, but after the first couple of months, I absolutely HATE this collaboration of talent.

I can't stand watching my favorite team anymore. Antoine freaking sucks, I don't care WHAT Nellie says.

 

Same. I liked the Jamison pick up, but absolutely hated the Walker pick up. Don't know what cuban was smoking that day. That recent Walker article where he blasted ainge and went on and on about how great he is just reconfirmed how much I hate him. Why does he think he can shoot the 3? Of course when you take that many some are bound to go in. His participation in the 3pt shootout last year was a complete joke. Walker should be benched in favour of Jamison.