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Old 02-20-2011, 05:04 PM   #34
BGMaverick9
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Are the Dallas Mavericks Contenders or Pretenders?
Heading into the final stretch of the regular season, the Western Conference is still stacked with talent. The difference is that this year's true talent lies at the top. The San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks are the legitimate contenders in the West. There are troublesome teams such as the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Utah Jazz and the Denver Nuggets. The lower-level playoff teams should not be a major issues for the Mavericks due to youth, mismatched personnel or an impending talent implosion. The last handful of playoff runs have left the Mavericks merely as the one-and-done boys with their first round exits. So can the Mavericks truly make a deep run in the playoffs?

Having Dirk Nowitzki in the lineup will clearly go a long way in determining how far the Mavericks will ultimately go. The Mavericks are 2-7 without Nowitzki in the lineup, they are 38-9 with Nowitzki in the lineup. "We've played well so far against everybody," Nowitzki said. "We've beat everybody so far. Beat the Lakers. Beat the Heat. Beat Orlando. Beat the Celtics twice. In the West, we've beat San Antonio. So we've basically beat all the good teams in the league, so we should be ready for a great second half of the season."

Another major factor that gives the Mavericks a chance is the play of Tyson Chandler. The big man has been doing some incredible work on both ends of the floor as his average is close to mirroring a double-double, 10.5 points with the 9.4 rebounds. His energy and toughness has given the Mavs a new sense of hope. "My goal coming here was to make an impact on the team and change the culture of the team," said Chandler. "And although I feel like we’re not completely there, we’re headed in the right direction. So, I feel like we’ve done a good job so far."

If the Mavericks want to make it to the NBA finals, they will have to deal with either the San Antonio Spurs or the Los Angeles Lakers.

The San Antonio Spurs, the I-35 rivals, are playing at a ridiculously high level and they have truly been impressive. All things considered, they have also been very fortunate. The Spurs have not had to deal with significant time lost to their key players due to injuries or other issues. When you compare that to the Mavericks, they have totaled 102 games missed due to injury, suspension or illness. In addition, San Antonio has changed their philosophy by playing at a faster tempo and preserving players key players such as Tim Duncan. Will they be able to flip the switch and go back to the old-Spurs formula when it comes to playing playoff basketball?

The Spurs have built up a fear and intimidation factor across the league. The Mavericks do not fear the Spurs, nor should they. San Antonio has the best record in the league and they have a ton of depth. That is all well and good, but the records can be thrown out the window when the Mavs and the Spurs face off in the playoffs. The teams know each other inside and out and it is just a matter of who can make the most out of critical possessions to win the series. When both teams were at full strength in November, Dallas ended the Spurs' 12-game win streak in San Antonio. Dallas does know that San Antonio does not have an answer for Nowitzki. Last year's playoff series also showed that Rodrigue Beaubois could play a pivotal role in a series based on the fact that quick guards even give issues to the mighty Spurs.

When you look at the Los Angeles Lakers, they do have Kobe Bryant and he does provide plenty of problems in a seven-game series. The two-time defending championships are piling up some troubling losses, but everyone knows that the champions are just going through the motions and they will flip the switch when the playoffs come. If you are underestimating the Lakers, you are in trouble. "I think (the Lakers are) struggling a little bit. But I think after back-to-back championships, after going to July almost every year, I think they're going to be OK," Nowitzki said. "I think they're going to step it up after the break and, to me, the Lakers are still the team to beat. They're still the same team, they've got the length, they've got the talent." They have size with the forwards and centers, but Mavericks have their own size and can match up with the Lakers in that department. Los Angeles does not have a lot of depth or speed at the point guard position. The Mavericks have Jason Kidd as the starter and they can also throw JJ Barea and Rodrigue Beaubois at the Lakers. If the Lakers have issues with quick guards, the point guards off of the bench for the Mavs should give the them issues.
you can read the rest at http://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2011/2/...-or-pretenders
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