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kriD · 01-11-2007, 11:33 AM

Anthony Johnson should stay a Maverick

01:22 AM CST on Thursday, January 11, 2007

Do not trade Anthony Johnson.

There. I said it.

This is a good player and a good teammate. Just because he's expendable right now doesn't mean you should try to fleece somebody out of a power forward or a shooter who may or may not help you and who may or may not fit in as well as Johnson has in the locker room.

Experience has proven that a good player at one position, even if he's not playing much right now, is more important than an unknown commodity at another position. And that's all you'd be getting if you tried to find another Keith Van Horn or Calvin Booth or somebody else who you think might be a better option at backup power forward than Austin Croshere.

And besides, as soon as there's a trade, you just know either Jason Terry or Devin Harris would get injured, and all of the sudden you'd have Jose Juan Barea as your backup point guard.

He's a good young prospect. But not who you want playing significant minutes on a championship caliber team.

Another consideration: Why tinker with a team when it has the best record in the league? If things had continued to plod along after the 0-4 start, everybody would be clamoring for a change. But this team is too good to mess with.

I'm hoping the Mavericks will agree with this line of thinking.

Eddie Sefko

MAVERICKS Q&A

Q: When will Avery Johnson learn that the regular season means nothing? I think it's about time he gave Dirk and the other starters some decent rest and played the youngsters. They can beat a lot of teams even playing the deep reserves. What do you say?

Prasheel C.

SEFKO: I know what Avery would say and that's that you aren't giving the NBA enough respect. There's a reason why deep reserves are deep reserves. They can't stay on the court for long with the good players in the league or even the fifth, sixth and seventh men on most teams.

Johnson knows that this is the kind of team that can't prove anything until the playoffs. But that doesn't mean the regular season is meaningless. He often talks about a process in which you can't skip steps. There are steps that have to be addressed in January and February that will pay dividends in April.

And, while the Mavericks know they can win road games in the playoffs, it's not like they aren't playing for something. Having home court in the playoffs is a nice advantage and makes those early rounds much less taxing.

• • •

Q: This is not about the Mavericks, but I'd be interested in your opinion about Larry Brown. It wasn't like he was John Wooden or Pat Riley winning championships. Does anybody else wish he'd just go away? He's starting to get creepy, always lurking around for any potential opening.

Barbara K., Flower Mound

SEFKO: First of all, Larry Brown is well known as an X's and O's genius. He knows how to run a team and manage a game.

Second, you're right. It is a little creepy the way he hovers around the league and seemingly availing himself to every potential job opening.

Now, he's in Philadelphia and he's just a seat or two away for taking over for Maurice Cheeks, who deserves better but probably won't get it.

Brown is a lifer. He's going to stay in the league as long as he can. I wouldn't expect anything else.

• • •

Q: When will you and the other sports writers at the DMN stop trying to make Dampier look good in the press? With the exception of two or three games, he has had negative results to the bottom line. A.J. and others made a major mistake in bring in a $60M player who can't catch the ball, does not have a shot (except a dunk) and can't play defense. The best thing you could do to help the Mavs win the NBA this year would be to outline how really bad Dampier plays, compared to the opposing center, and push really hard for a trade or release and sign a new player.

Mack M.

SEFKO: There's no way they can get rid of Dampier. He's owed too much money. But unlike you, I don't think he's been as bad as all that this season. Hey, even D-Moore has good days, although not recently.

Dampier sets the best pick on the team in the high screen-and-roll, which is the team's bread-and-butter play. I know you don't need a $60-million pick-setter. But that's the breaks. Sometimes you overpay for a player and sometimes you get a bargain (like Diop or Howard).

He had a pretty nice block of a shot at Utah on Tuesday night to preserve the victory. Those kinds of plays are important and justify a player's existence.

And he's catching the ball much better this year. How many centers are better than him? Yao, Camby, Shaq, Eddy Curry, Ben Wallace and Amare Stoudemire, if you want to include him as a center.

OK, I'll give you those. But if you size him up against the Krstics, Pryzbillas and Nesterovics of the world (and there are a lot of those), Dampier is better.

The bottom line is that there are no perfect teams. Don't you think San Antonio would like to have a legitimate small forward or center instead of a sometimes cheap-shot defender who can't do anything offensively except make one out of every four 3-pointers and Francisco Elson?

• • •

Q: Oh great and mighty one, can you explain how player minutes are calculated when partial minutes are played?

Sam M.

SEFKO: Some box scores are printed with the actual minutes and seconds broken down. Sometimes you'll see them with just the minutes and no total, which is 240 minutes for a non-overtime game.

Most newspapers and some online services use minutes rounded up or down to the nearest minute. Sometimes, they don't add up to 240, but the player minutes are always within 30 seconds of the actual time that was spent on the court.

If a newspaper doesn't run minutes and seconds, it's likely because of space considerations. Every spec of space in the paper is important these days.

• • •

Q: I recently saw a rumor that the Mavericks would be getting Earl Boykins and Eduardo Najera for Austin Croshere. Could you see this or any other trade happening before the deadline?

Zach C.

SEFKO: As much as I like Boykins and Najera, I don't see why the Nuggets would do such a deal. Both players have as much or more value than Croshere, other than his expiring contract. But Denver is in a win-now mode. The Nuggets won't do anything until Carmelo Anthony gets back from suspension later this month.

If the Mavericks continue to win at an 80-percent clip, why in the world would they tinker with what is an obviously solid team with good chemistry? That's a nirvana that isn't often reached in any sport.

• • •

Q: Did I read recently that Josh Howard had a game with zero rebounds? I noticed his rebounds are a shade below last year and his career number. Could that be the result of him shooting more and subsequently (that means happening after something else, if D-Moore is writing the newsletter) not being around the basket?

Also, what's the rule on jump balls and the shot clock? I thought I saw a jump ball in the Kings game where the Mavs had only one second on the shot clock, but when they retained possession, it was reset to five seconds.

Chris B.

SEFKO: Last month against the Lakers, Howard indeed did play 42 minutes without a rebound. Amazing for an athletic 6-7 player.

It should be noted, however, that he has averaged more than eight rebounds a game since then. His season average is up to right at seven boards per game. That's more than his previous career high for a season, 6-4 per game in 2004-05.

As for the jump ball/shot clock snafu, I don't remember that happening, but if it did, it's a mistake. When a held ball is called, the shot clock is supposed to remain where it is when play was stopped. If the defending team gets the jump ball, it goes to 24 seconds. If the offensive team remains in possession, the clock starts from wherever it stopped.

• • •

Q: How would you rate Erick Dampier's chances for most improved player thus far?

Ryan K.

SEFKO: For a minute, I thought this was Mrs. Dampier with an e-question.

I'll be the first to admit I'm one of the Maverick center's biggest backers. He does a lot of dirty work on the court that goes unnoticed, except by the coaching staff and his teammates.

But even I can't make the argument that he should be most improved. Kevin Martin in Sacramento might have that honor already wrapped up. If not him, then Luke Walton or maybe Jose Calderon or somebody else I might be forgetting.

Dampier is doing what he does. But eight points and eight rebounds is nowhere near his best season and only marginally improved over last year.

• • •

Q: I never thought I'd say this, but I miss Mark Cuban. Dirk was right last year that Cuban went over the line more than once in the playoffs, but isn't there some middle ground for him? Can't he still be part of the show without all the histrionics? Or has David Stern University finally worn him down?

Kirby H., Weatherford.

SEFKO: The one thing I miss about the toned-down Cuban is his wit. He's a funny dude who thinks quickly on his feet. He's great for a beat reporter because he can throw out a cute one-liner that reads well in the paper.

But remember, this is just January. I think you'll see a few more Cubanisms as the season gets closer to the playoffs. And it'll be very interesting to see how he conducts himself when the stakes rise in the playoffs.

01-11-2007, 11:33 AM	#23
kriD Platinum Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Germany Posts: 2,039	Anthony Johnson should stay a Maverick 01:22 AM CST on Thursday, January 11, 2007 Do not trade Anthony Johnson. There. I said it. This is a good player and a good teammate. Just because he's expendable right now doesn't mean you should try to fleece somebody out of a power forward or a shooter who may or may not help you and who may or may not fit in as well as Johnson has in the locker room. Experience has proven that a good player at one position, even if he's not playing much right now, is more important than an unknown commodity at another position. And that's all you'd be getting if you tried to find another Keith Van Horn or Calvin Booth or somebody else who you think might be a better option at backup power forward than Austin Croshere. And besides, as soon as there's a trade, you just know either Jason Terry or Devin Harris would get injured, and all of the sudden you'd have Jose Juan Barea as your backup point guard. He's a good young prospect. But not who you want playing significant minutes on a championship caliber team. Another consideration: Why tinker with a team when it has the best record in the league? If things had continued to plod along after the 0-4 start, everybody would be clamoring for a change. But this team is too good to mess with. I'm hoping the Mavericks will agree with this line of thinking. Eddie Sefko MAVERICKS Q&A Q: When will Avery Johnson learn that the regular season means nothing? I think it's about time he gave Dirk and the other starters some decent rest and played the youngsters. They can beat a lot of teams even playing the deep reserves. What do you say? Prasheel C. SEFKO: I know what Avery would say and that's that you aren't giving the NBA enough respect. There's a reason why deep reserves are deep reserves. They can't stay on the court for long with the good players in the league or even the fifth, sixth and seventh men on most teams. Johnson knows that this is the kind of team that can't prove anything until the playoffs. But that doesn't mean the regular season is meaningless. He often talks about a process in which you can't skip steps. There are steps that have to be addressed in January and February that will pay dividends in April. And, while the Mavericks know they can win road games in the playoffs, it's not like they aren't playing for something. Having home court in the playoffs is a nice advantage and makes those early rounds much less taxing. • • • Q: This is not about the Mavericks, but I'd be interested in your opinion about Larry Brown. It wasn't like he was John Wooden or Pat Riley winning championships. Does anybody else wish he'd just go away? He's starting to get creepy, always lurking around for any potential opening. Barbara K., Flower Mound SEFKO: First of all, Larry Brown is well known as an X's and O's genius. He knows how to run a team and manage a game. Second, you're right. It is a little creepy the way he hovers around the league and seemingly availing himself to every potential job opening. Now, he's in Philadelphia and he's just a seat or two away for taking over for Maurice Cheeks, who deserves better but probably won't get it. Brown is a lifer. He's going to stay in the league as long as he can. I wouldn't expect anything else. • • • Q: When will you and the other sports writers at the DMN stop trying to make Dampier look good in the press? With the exception of two or three games, he has had negative results to the bottom line. A.J. and others made a major mistake in bring in a $60M player who can't catch the ball, does not have a shot (except a dunk) and can't play defense. The best thing you could do to help the Mavs win the NBA this year would be to outline how really bad Dampier plays, compared to the opposing center, and push really hard for a trade or release and sign a new player. Mack M. SEFKO: There's no way they can get rid of Dampier. He's owed too much money. But unlike you, I don't think he's been as bad as all that this season. Hey, even D-Moore has good days, although not recently. Dampier sets the best pick on the team in the high screen-and-roll, which is the team's bread-and-butter play. I know you don't need a $60-million pick-setter. But that's the breaks. Sometimes you overpay for a player and sometimes you get a bargain (like Diop or Howard). He had a pretty nice block of a shot at Utah on Tuesday night to preserve the victory. Those kinds of plays are important and justify a player's existence. And he's catching the ball much better this year. How many centers are better than him? Yao, Camby, Shaq, Eddy Curry, Ben Wallace and Amare Stoudemire, if you want to include him as a center. OK, I'll give you those. But if you size him up against the Krstics, Pryzbillas and Nesterovics of the world (and there are a lot of those), Dampier is better. The bottom line is that there are no perfect teams. Don't you think San Antonio would like to have a legitimate small forward or center instead of a sometimes cheap-shot defender who can't do anything offensively except make one out of every four 3-pointers and Francisco Elson? • • • Q: Oh great and mighty one, can you explain how player minutes are calculated when partial minutes are played? Sam M. SEFKO: Some box scores are printed with the actual minutes and seconds broken down. Sometimes you'll see them with just the minutes and no total, which is 240 minutes for a non-overtime game. Most newspapers and some online services use minutes rounded up or down to the nearest minute. Sometimes, they don't add up to 240, but the player minutes are always within 30 seconds of the actual time that was spent on the court. If a newspaper doesn't run minutes and seconds, it's likely because of space considerations. Every spec of space in the paper is important these days. • • • Q: I recently saw a rumor that the Mavericks would be getting Earl Boykins and Eduardo Najera for Austin Croshere. Could you see this or any other trade happening before the deadline? Zach C. SEFKO: As much as I like Boykins and Najera, I don't see why the Nuggets would do such a deal. Both players have as much or more value than Croshere, other than his expiring contract. But Denver is in a win-now mode. The Nuggets won't do anything until Carmelo Anthony gets back from suspension later this month. If the Mavericks continue to win at an 80-percent clip, why in the world would they tinker with what is an obviously solid team with good chemistry? That's a nirvana that isn't often reached in any sport. • • • Q: Did I read recently that Josh Howard had a game with zero rebounds? I noticed his rebounds are a shade below last year and his career number. Could that be the result of him shooting more and subsequently (that means happening after something else, if D-Moore is writing the newsletter) not being around the basket? Also, what's the rule on jump balls and the shot clock? I thought I saw a jump ball in the Kings game where the Mavs had only one second on the shot clock, but when they retained possession, it was reset to five seconds. Chris B. SEFKO: Last month against the Lakers, Howard indeed did play 42 minutes without a rebound. Amazing for an athletic 6-7 player. It should be noted, however, that he has averaged more than eight rebounds a game since then. His season average is up to right at seven boards per game. That's more than his previous career high for a season, 6-4 per game in 2004-05. As for the jump ball/shot clock snafu, I don't remember that happening, but if it did, it's a mistake. When a held ball is called, the shot clock is supposed to remain where it is when play was stopped. If the defending team gets the jump ball, it goes to 24 seconds. If the offensive team remains in possession, the clock starts from wherever it stopped. • • • Q: How would you rate Erick Dampier's chances for most improved player thus far? Ryan K. SEFKO: For a minute, I thought this was Mrs. Dampier with an e-question. I'll be the first to admit I'm one of the Maverick center's biggest backers. He does a lot of dirty work on the court that goes unnoticed, except by the coaching staff and his teammates. But even I can't make the argument that he should be most improved. Kevin Martin in Sacramento might have that honor already wrapped up. If not him, then Luke Walton or maybe Jose Calderon or somebody else I might be forgetting. Dampier is doing what he does. But eight points and eight rebounds is nowhere near his best season and only marginally improved over last year. • • • Q: I never thought I'd say this, but I miss Mark Cuban. Dirk was right last year that Cuban went over the line more than once in the playoffs, but isn't there some middle ground for him? Can't he still be part of the show without all the histrionics? Or has David Stern University finally worn him down? Kirby H., Weatherford. SEFKO: The one thing I miss about the toned-down Cuban is his wit. He's a funny dude who thinks quickly on his feet. He's great for a beat reporter because he can throw out a cute one-liner that reads well in the paper. But remember, this is just January. I think you'll see a few more Cubanisms as the season gets closer to the playoffs. And it'll be very interesting to see how he conducts himself when the stakes rise in the playoffs.