shagdog1976, welcome to the best NBA forum on the internet. We have many members who are fans of others teams and live in other cities around the world. Nuggets4, pacertom & MemphisX for example. (I'm also a Pacers fan from birth but have lived in Houston for 20+ years). I'm sure you realize some here are very anti-Mavericks. Here you will find some of the best NBA discussion anywhere. On the Finals, Dirk definitely didn't step up big when it counted. He also looks a lot worse in comparison because DWade is such an incredible clutch player (even when the refs don't bail him out every shot). I disliked Dirk very much and referred to him only as "Jirk" until the Spurs series this year. He's earned my respect because his playoff performance was much improved over last year. If the Mavs had at least won game 5, memories of Dirk's playoff clutchness would be more favorable. Your team is poised to do well again next year. KVH is finally gone. Josh Howard should be better. I assume Jason Terry will return. The most glaring need is some kind of low post player who would at least merit some attention from the defense. The Mavs had the better squad and should have beaten the Heat. After the first 2.9 games, Avery wasn't able to pull them back together. 4 in a row. OUCH! I hope the Rockets sweep the Mavs in the WCFs next season. P.S: Don't talk any trash about the Mavs or you will get flamed. Keep the tone sober. Also, the Hangout forum is great for non-NBA discussion.
Here's a comparison for you Dirkdefenders: Would you be upset if T-Mac gave up the ball in a last-second situation in a do-or-die NBA finals game -- to Rybo? Because that's pretty much what Dork did.
Dirk didn't step up his game, plain and simple. True superstars step their game up when everything is on the line, Wade did that, Dirk didn't. He played great the first 3 rounds and was unbelievable versus the Spurs. He put up good numbers but really didn't show any leadership or put the team on his back like superstars (like the one he was compared to) did. Wade elevated his game and put the team on his back. That's what seperates superstars and stars IMO (Wade did it, Jordan, Hakeem, Shaq, Duncan, Bird, Magic, etc...)
Nobody sane is saying Dirk = Wade. But Dirk stepped up his playoff performance clutchness compared to previous years. This cannot be denied. If the Mavs had won game 5 we wouldn't be having this debate. Dirk is better than he used to be. Don't hate him so much you can't even see this. If you still don't consider him a "true superstar" in the class of Wade, Jordan, Hakeem, Shaq, Duncan, Bird, Magic, etc I agree. There is no shame in being a notch or two below those players.
True superstars are the main focus of the defense. Dirk was; was Wade? Not when Shaq was on the court.
Dirk did lead his team past Duncan's as well as the defending league MVP's. Only one guy clearly was better this playoffs.
Not to sound rude but did you watch the Finals? Wade was the main focus of the defense and he still scored almost at will. Shaq did get the double team but he was nowhere near the force he use to be. Avery Johnson even said that they had to stop Wade first. I'm sure the gameplan for the last 4 games was how to stop Wade, not Shaq.
Honestly I was pissed about the way we played the last 4 games and you are right Dirk did not step it up but I thought we played great up to that point. Now we have the jitters out of the way not to mention the experience as well as conquering of our complex over the Spurs. I believe next year Dirk will become a better leader and become even more of a clutch player.
I agree with gucci. In fact when Mia got in trouble (games 1, 2 and 3rd quarter of game 3) was when they tried to go through Shaq and not Wade. That was when Miami's offense got stagnant, turned the ball over, and lead to Dallas runs. Even Shaq admitted he was a distant second fiddle on this team. Shaq's rebounding and bits of strong defense were about as important as his offense (in fact Walker actually was the Heat's #2 scorer in the finals).
The playoffs include the Finals if your team makes it that far. Dirk was great UP UNTIL the Finals. Then he played below expectations (he was supposed to dominate Haslem/Posey) and poorly (39% shooting, key missed freebies, vainshed in game 4 and the 4th of game 6).
He still was putting up 23 & 11 with the highest scoring efficiency (1.3 points per shot) of the top 5 Mav scorers. This despite Mia playing an outstanding forward defender on him (Posey or Haslem) and getting that player lots of help. Two things killed Dallas. #1, they could not slow down Wade when Mia had the ball in the half court, #2, except for Terry, the Mavs wings players even with Dirk sucking up Mia's defense were very inconsistent offensively from the half court. Dirk got a lot of open perimeter looks for Harris, Howard and Stack, if those guys convert on a poor % on good looks that isn't Dirk's fault.
Sometimes ya have to look past the numbers and focus on the actual games. Dirk had a poor game 1, good game 2, good game 3 (up until the 4th), did he even play game 4?, ok game 5, poor game 6 (I call it poor cuz he vanished in the 4th). Add in the missed freebies in the crucial moments of those games and his poor shooting %, and you get a bad series.
Dirk played a heck of a lot better than Kobe did versus Det in the finals. Sometimes you have to credit the defense and a better opposing player, in this case Wade. Dirk was clearly the 2nd best player in the finals.
he doesn't need to do it consistently. But he needs to do it, when his team needs him, when the game is on the line. I'll have to look again, but I think that Game 6, DWade actually had a poor 4th quarter, making most of his points from the line...... Nowitsky shouldn't settle ofr those jumpshots, when Miami is basically making him work for it, but letting him take it. If he doesn't draw the double team, then Howard & Terry aren't getting involved. It's no secret that Nowitzky can't beat too many NBA teams on his own, and it's foolish to think he can win a Finals series that way. He had a great game, a great series, but they weren't winning, if Terry & Howard weren't getting theirs. IF Miami isn't going to double him, he needs to take it to the whole, and force them to keep him out of the paint, and then get his team involved. Don't work to get a bad shot off with less than 6 seconds on the shot clock, and a hand in your face. Yes & No.... IT's like having Shaq on your team. Having that big fella under the goal makes it so easy for Wade/Kobe/Penny to do what they do... Nowitxy is trying to be the 7 foot version of those guys....... when he should be trying to be a 250lb version of Shaq.. I'm not saying he should post up under the basket like a 7 footer should, but he needs to be that guy that everyone is worried about even when he doesn't have the ball. you know I usually try to root for the home team, but I couldn't find it in me to root for the Mavs, and the main reason for that is the way No......sky plays. When they played the Suns, they were constantly getting Nash on Dirk by way of the Pick and roll.... you'd think he would take the little fella to the whole, and dunk on him..... but nooooooo..... he'd turn and shoot a fade away... what's pathetic, is that Phoenix wasn't worried about it. they'd let him do it.... I gaurantee they would have sent help if he'd have posted Nash. The Mavs won that series...... but that IMHO was more to the fault of Phoenix. in that game six, Miami vs Dallas...... Wade started the 4th quarter with 25 points. He only made two field goals..... he went to the line 4 times, making 7 of 8. He got 3 assissts, and pretty much every basket the Heat made in the 4th, was because they were trying to keep Wade out of the paint. Nowitzsky only took 3 shots, and missed all three. He only went to the line once, and he had one assissts..... two for the whole game.
If Dirk stepped up......... We wouldn't be having this debate. I think it's a misconception that Shaq isn't capable of dominating games anymore. I just want to put my two cents on that subject here, and now. There still isn't a center in this league that can stop Shaq from scoring at will. Not 1 on 1......... He decided when he came to Miami, that he was going to be the #2 man. I think, it was in direct retalliation to what Kobe did to him in L.A. and also what happened in Orlando. The F.O. of those teams chose to stay with their flashy athletic gaurd/forward...... instead of sticking with the big man. Which has to be a slap in the face. He's always said he'd be willing to be Kobe's Robin, if Kobe would admit, that he is only as good as he is, because Shaq was under the goal. "I'm great....... but it's because of Shaq.........." that's all he wanted.. in Orlando as well. I thought he proved as much, that year the Lakers won the championship, but Kobe won the scoring title...... the league knew it was all because of Shaq however, and named him the MVP of that finals series(and I think the league)....... Dwayne Wade has never had a problem with that, he always mention how much it means to have Shaq under the goal. That's the politically correct analysys(sp)...... but that's not what happened. Dirk wasn't sucking up the defense. ON most every play, save the final screw up by Dampier......... the Heat would either let Dirk go one on one with Haslem, or brought a week double team. They were never too far from their guy, to close up the space, and get a hand in the guys face...... Look, here's the difference... if Shaq get's the ball, foul him........ don't let him get his hands above his waist. wrap him up, foul hard, so there is no missing the call by the referees..... the other team does not want the ball in Shaq's hands. Now..... teams used to play the passing lanes to Shaq...... they wouldn't allow him to get the ball....... they can't do that now, because of DWade..... if he gets the ball, it's over, because they can't stop him. so teams focus on keeping the ball out of his hands, and just fould Shaq when he gets it. When Dirk gets the ball, he has to prove he is worth a double team every time. If Jason Terry didn't go off against the Spurs, the Mavs wouldn't have advanced from that series.... Bruce Bowen would have just kept a lid on Dirk, and that would be that. So aha...(you say) Terry didn't step up.... no, it's still Dirk's job to make everyone else's job easier.... when he's shooting that fade away jumper, after trying his best to shake his defender, he needs to kick that foot, and try to get the foul, ala Reggie Miller...... make the heat not want to see Dirk with the ball, so they overplay him, and really open your shooters.... not with week doubleteams on Dirk, but big time help, coming in a bad way. DWade was able to make the Mavs adjust to them on Defense. Dirk was not able to do the same... Miami knew how they wanted to play D, and they pretty much did what they set out to do. I honestly don't know, I'm asking....... but does anyone remember when the man on their team was o-4 in the 4th Quarter?? he only went to the line once... c'mon...........
Personally, I thought Miami almost blew the series force feeding Shaq. Go to games 1, 2 and the 3rd quarter of game 3--lots of turnovers and stagnant offense. Miami straitened out when they realized Wade was the #1, #2, and #3 option, with Shaq and Walker being a distant 4th options when Wade needs a brief spell. It was also why some of the most effective ball Miami played was when Mourning was in, because then they didn't even try to go through anyone else and they were very focused on working through Wade. Shaq is still good--his defense and reboudning when he was fresh was important to Miami, but no where near a horse to saddle up on offense and needs to be used in spots.
Just one comment, on Jason Terry: He was great. His finals performance was dynamic and proved how important he is to their team. I think he ran out of gas in game 6 which is why he missed his last 10 shots. He had nothing left in the tank and Avery should have given him a bit more rest.
i hope dirk doens't lose too much sleep over this http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/TV/06/30/people.hasselhoff.ap/index.html
Dirk said exactly what needed to be said- Back off, Cuban!: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2506302
