DMN Notebook: You want stupid? Here's something stupid

[MavsFanFinley]

You want stupid? Here's something stupid

Dallas Morning News

Avery Johnson was surprised to hear that Erick Dampier had said Dirk Nowitzki was "totally stupid" to suggest that Dampier's performance was the reason the Mavericks played so poorly in Game 1.

He obviously didn't agree with the assessment.

"You know what's stupid?" Johnson said. "The way the Mavericks played the last game. That's stupid."

Eddie Sefko

The Z word not being uttered yet by Mavs

The Mavericks used a zone defense for about seven or eight possessions in Game 7 against Houston. It was a key juncture of the game and the Rockets scored only one time while the Mavericks were zoning them.

Avery Johnson is not fond of over-using zone defenses. But he may break it out at times against the Suns if the Mavericks continue having trouble stopping them.

Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni said his team has seen every defense there is this season. He would welcome a zone.

"I've never been a big zone guy," D'Antoni said Tuesday. "A zone will work if you don't knock down shots. Maybe they'll do it. We'll have to be ready for it. But when you got Steve Nash finding guys, I think we'll get shots."

Eddie Sefko

Bad news for Mavs: Amare's ankle is just fine

Amare Stoudemire emerged on the Suns' practice court Tuesday with an ice bag wrapped to his left ankle.

"It's nothing," he said. "I just tweaked the ankle. I'm cool."

The Suns have remained blessed on the injury front. They have virtually no depth, with only seven players seeing action in all five playoff games.

Eddie Sefko

Nowitzki: It's time to come back strong

The Mavericks admitted Tuesday that in Game 1 they were suffering from the mental and physical drain of their seven-game first-round series against Houston.

"Everybody talks about not having a letdown after an emotional seven-game series," Dirk Nowitzki said. "But it's easier said than done. We just weren't really ready to play.

"But now we're past that, and we have to come back and play like we know we can."

Jason Terry added: "It'll be a totally different game in Game 2."

Eddie Sefko

One Game 2 goal is to start finishing

The Mavericks didn't do a good job of attacking the basket in Game 1. The team was outscored in the paint, 54-42, and missed several easy shots when it did get to the rim.

"We just couldn't finish," Mavericks swingman Jerry Stackhouse said. "We were gun shy a little bit from having Yao [Ming] and Dikembe [Mutombo] in the first round. We were still looking for them at the basket, and they weren't there."

David Moore

No offense Mr. Smith, I mean Mr. Howard

Phoenix' Amare Stoudemire didn't do much wrong in Game 1. But he can do a better job of learning the Mavericks' names.

When Stoudemire talked about his defensive responsibilities Tuesday, he said he spent part of Game 1 "guarding Josh Smith."

That would be Josh Howard. Josh Smith plays in Atlanta and is not to be confused with New Orleansrookie J.R. Smith.

David Moore

[rabbitproof]

"Avery Johnson was surprised to hear that Erick Dampier had said Dirk Nowitzki was "totally stupid" to suggest that Dampier's performance was the reason the Mavericks played so poorly in Game 1. "

This is why I don't like most sportswriters.

What's reported: Dirk suggests Dampier is the reason the Mavericks played poorly.
What happened: Dirk says the center position hasn't given them enough and Damp has to play better, stay in the game longer.

COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. Dirk didn't say anything about Damp being the reason the MAVERICKS played poorly. Maybe the center position but the whole team?

What's reported: Dampier calls Dirk totally stupid.
What happened: Dampier says that what Dirk said was totally stupid.

ALSO DIFFERENT. There's a difference between "You're stupid." and "What you're saying is stupid."

/rant

[kyptonite]

wow, did damp really say that?

[food]

Dirk finally speaks out and he's criticised for it? Unbelievable. Without dirk, this team isn't anywhere near #4. I admit dirk had a slump at bad time but he saved our asses the whole regular season. He's not peja, dirk's had amazing playoff games in the past. Dampier better step up.

Damp has a lot of balls saying that after he did so poorly. Damp should have taken what dirk said and used it in a positive way. Instead he takes it the wrong way. Folks, we're dealing with an all around loser here. The guy dosen't know how to get angry and use it in a good way.

If cuban had any sense, we wouldn't even be in this mess.

We should have went after 24 y/o 6'11 260 lbs. jumping and dunking hops machine robert javtokas(who abused amare and marion in the olympics). his team just won the uleb. http://www.euroleague.net/ulebcup/index2.jsp

Earth to cuban, wake up!!!

[dirno2000]

Didn't you get banned a couple of weeks ago?

[LordOfTheMavs]

"We just couldn't finish," Mavericks swingman Jerry Stackhouse said. "We were gun shy a little bit from having Yao [Ming] and Dikembe [Mutombo] in the first round. We were still looking for them at the basket, and they weren't there."

Wow!!! That is freaking amazing. Yao and Mutombo are still affecting the Mavs going to the basket and finishing. I know the Rox have a dominating interior defense, but come on... they can't block a shot in Phoenix from Houston... especially with all that fishing gear thier lugging around. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

[grndmstr_c]

Originally posted by: LordOfTheMavs

Wow!!! That is freaking amazing. Yao and Mutombo are still affecting the Mavs going to the basket and finishing. I know the Rox have a dominating interior defense, but come on... they can't block a shot in Phoenix from Houston... especially with all that fishing gear thier lugging around. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

Given the short turn around I can't say I'm at all surprised. Houston really packed it in around the basket with some rather large shotblockers, and when you have to deal with that for two weeks the way you go about doing so will start to become a habit.