That was Magic Johnson pulling a 180 on TNT, going from anti-Rockets to "if they can keep this up, they're going to the finals."
I heard it, too. It was: "Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blabber blah blah blah bladdy blah. Blah! Blabber blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blabbing blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah bladdy blah blah blah. Blabby. Blabber!"
Oh, do they mean like Shaq and Kobe? Jordan and Pippen? Hakeem and Clyde? That's label suits me just fine.
Dirk is a perimeter player, he can not dominate on the block because the new rules allow a double team of Yao or Deke, and he can't beat them down low. And on the perimeter, both Ryan and Tmac are quicker than Dirk and it is frustrating him. He is a great player, but if the referees did not protect him so much he would not be so highly regarded. DD
If we're a two trick pony, what the hell are they? Can we even call them a one trick pony at this point?
Bah, everyone on The Ticket is an idiot. Listen to the ESPN 103.3 postgame... Newy is giving the Rockets all sorts of props this morning on the Good Fellas...
wouldn't you think at SOME POINT, they'd wake up and realize you're not gonna win in the playoffs by outscoring teams. it just doesn't work that way. it's one of the oldest axioms in sports. but i'm sure they'll keep trying.
Astute observations there. I also like how we messed with Dirk's dribble in game 1. Everyone has weaknesses, and 7-footers can have a high dribble susceptible to fast hands (as we know too well ). Scared the lane out of him.
The Mavs don't have really good role players. Josh Howard is fantastic but the rest of the team is made up of guys who either have been all-stars or were primary scorers and want the ball in their hands all the time. Terry was an all-star in Atlanta. Finley was an all-star. Stackhouse was an all-star in Washington Dirk is a bona fide offensive machine. Even Van Horn was a primary go-to guy early in his career. They have more firepower but in the playoffs, it's not about the stats or even athletic ability. It's about intensity, composure and the ability of your superstars to create opportunities for role players, and for the role players to convert. When the Bulls won, Jordan carried the team but Paxson and Kerr made huge shots. When the Lakers won, Kobe and Shaq carried them but needed Robert Horry to make shots. McGrady and Yao can carry this team and players like Sura, James, Barry, and Wesley need to make the open opportunities. Our team is built like past champions. Dallas has a lot of talent but individual talent. When they don't have the ball in their hands, they're ineffective.
here is a comment from the Dallas Morning News board (it sums it up perfectly) - I wonder if it was a Mavs fan that wrote it ___________________________ I thought last night was one of the most exciting basketball games I have ever seen. The effort and intensity by both teams was inspiring. But Houston had more. Tracy McGrady was "Jordan-esque" in two consecutive games. He will not let Houston lose. If Dallas can give the sort of effort they did last night and still lose, they have no answers. Where was that much ballyhooed Dallas defense we keep hearing about? Sad to say, but I think Dallas is a "dead team walking."
I agree with you. But my point isn't on the offensive end. It's not about guys like Paxson and Kerry hitting shots, though I agree that's important. The problem with this Mavs team is they really can't stop anyone. They shoot nearly 70% from the three-point stripe, and it's not enough because they can't help but give up 113. There are times during the game where they really don't have even one good defender on the court. Again...one of the oldest axioms in the NBA is that defense wins championships. Debate that all you like, but there is a reason teams like Dallas can't crack the NBA Finals. Plenty of guys to fill it up...but no one can stop anybody when they really need to.
"Hot Yao shows off his stuff By DWAIN PRICE Fort Worth Star-Telegram DALLAS - Yao Ming tried to put to rest that season-long argument about who is the second-best center in the NBA behind Shaquille O'Neal." I....I am ABSOLUTELY speechless....they do not MAKE rolley-eyes big enough for that BS quote. Are you JOKING?? The Dallas fans and sports writers live in some sort of La-La Land. Only THEY would think that Yao Ming needs to "put-to-rest" a "season long argument about who is second best center in the NBA". Seriously...Yao needs to prove that he is a better center than that fragile scrub, Damp-pants about as much as a Ferrari needs to prove that it's faster than a rusted out 73 Pinto. JESUS!
they're freaking out about sura, barry, and james' play in the last two games, something like 70% shooting. They don't understand it, but I do. It's called wide open shots. Because of double teams. Because we have two guys, one a lanky African American gentleman who can morph into any one of the 50 greatest players in the NBA at his own choosing, and the other a very tall Chinese man/boy basketball savant. It's not hard to figure out, Dallas.