I know making new threads can be pointless, but I think this is something that can be kept track off from here on out because it has been addressed. Also, everyone else can add input to it.
This was nice to hear:
it's from Fish's latest article on db.com
http://www.dallasbasketball.com/fullColumn.php?id=1411
Quote:
DONUT 2: The Suns’ offseason nightmares will be haunted by Dirk Nowitzki, who made an insane number of off-balance, fully-challenged, how’d-he-do-that? jumpers.
“Dirk played great,’’ said friend-turned-for Steve Nash. “He was unstoppable.’’
The UberMan (joining Jason Terry in taking full responsibility for the Dallas scoring load) started slow … but kept firing. By halftime he had 11. In the third quarter he scored 15 and took Matt Barnes to school. In the fourth quarter, when the Mavs were in the half-court, they introduced a semi-new offensive set that dumps the ball to Dirk at the free-throw line, clears out for him, and gives him a couple of new passing options. …
Thing is, he never much passed out of the “free-throw-line iso.’’ He just kept making insane off-balance shots, and finished with 34 points (to go with his 13 rebounds, four assists and two blocks) and the Mavs have a new bread-and-butter set.
“We actually officially put in a name for that play yesterday and really cleaned up some the stuff involved with the spacing,’’ coach Rick Carlisle said. “It was timely (to have done so) because it was one area that he was able to manufacture some shots.’’
Dallas decided against putting Dirk lower in the blocks because that would draw double-teams. His coaching staff believed that Phoenix would effectively switch to control Dirk on the pick-and-roll, so the Mavs didn’t rely on that. Instead, they went with a new play. … really, a refined play. … and went to it repeatedly down the stretch.
“Dirk was phenomenal,’’ Carlisle said.
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If they work on spacing, the next thing needs to be dive cuts/flashing to the lane. If they double Dirk or they decide to play straight up, you can still find an easier shot by flashing into the lane. Opponents who aren't directly involved in guarding Dirk can end up just standing and watching. The problem with that is the other 4 Mavs players on the floor end up just sitting and watching too. That's a big problem for Dallas, but that's advantageous if you take notice of that the other 3-4 defenders are sleeping. You just need to get in Dirk's line of sight and run into the lane and Dirk is smart enough to get you the ball.
It's smart to take him off the block right now because it's easy to contain him that way with a double and it just cuts off part of his options for moving. At the top of the key or the FT line, he has multiple ways he can go.