Mavs future Gameplan - any ideas

[dalmations202]

I am confused as to what the Mavs are trying to do this year. Can anyone shed any light?
As I see it, and from my opinion.

Dallas will play at most 9 players in the playoffs.

To win, they must be able to run, play offense in the half court, and defend perimeter/defend slashing/defend interior.

To do this they need 9 awesome players in the rotation, 4 need to be tweeer subs -- with 3 developing players who are "specialist role" players.
With Avery as coach, it needs to be a fairly conventional lineup.
So you need a PG, SG, SF, PF, and C. Then to be able to match up with teams you need a 1/2, 2/3, 3/4, and 4/5 + role players shooter, defensive Big, defensive perimeter guy.

Right now Dallas has 1 (Harris), 1/2 (Terry), 2 (Finley/Daniels), 2/3 (Stackhouse), 3 (Howard), 3/4 (KVH), 4 (Dirk), 4/5 (Unknown), 5 (Dampier)

They have 1 unknown. They need to find him w/o losing one of the other guys. If you move one of the other 8, you need to replace him. EX: if you move Howard -- then make sure you are getting Marion, Peja, Artest, etc.

So if the Mavs move Finley, then they stil have Daniels in the lineup, and are not hurting too bad. If they trade Daniels and keep Finley -- same thing. Problem is, to get to the style of play they seem to try to be emulating, then Fin has the better skillset as a spot up shooter.

But if they can't be a superstar defense like Detroit or SA, because they don't have the personnel to do it, then don't they need a better offense? I mean, you win with offense, defense, or a balanced combo of the two. This year SA was more balanced than most years. They let Phoenix score points, but scored more than them. They stopped Detroit, while Detroit was stopping them, but still scored the points when they had to.

How are the Mavs going to beat SA if they don't have the inside/outside game of SA, or LA (previous). They seem to be designing the team around the SA style of play (on defense which is GREAT), but the offense doesn't seem like it will work. Look at SA this year, they had TD who controlled the inside scoring, and Ginobli who drove the lane, and spot up shooters in Horry, Barry, Parker (somewhat), and Bowen. Everything went inside on post play by TD, drive by Ginobili, or kickout to spot up shooters. The Center position on their team was a clean- up player.

Now look at the Lakers. They had Shaq to control th paint, Kobe to slash, and Fox, Fischer, Horry, and George to spot up. The PF on those teams was usually clean up.

Now Dallas has the clean up guy in Damp, but that makes Dirk have to control the paint. Dirk is not Duncan. Then they have Stack to slash (maybe), but Howard, and Daniels are not three point shooters. How are they going to get the same production when nearly every player is trying to change their game to be something that they aren't. Dirk is not a better post player than Duncan, and will probably never be a better post player than him.

So here is my main question, what is the gameplan?? They have talent on the team, and really seem to be only one player short --- but I really think that the one player they "have" to get must be a defensive stud and post player which will allow them to move Dirk back outside and allow Howard to be the clean up. Either that, or they need to change into a modified Princeton offense with much more ball movement and more athletic cutting to the hoop...ala Detroit.

As they presently set with team that they have (if they move Fin):
Dirk has to change from an outside threat to an inside threat.
Damp has to play clean-up, and you have no other inside threat.
Howard must develop a consistent spot-up shot, or his man will always double Dirk.
Daniels must make teams pay by hitting the 3 pt shot when they double down on Dirk.
Terry must learn to pick-n-roll and finish.
Stackhouse has to be the slasher, and basically the #2 option.
KVH will have to spend lots of time on the floor for his shooting/slashing ability.

If they make a small change by getting an athletic 4/5 that can post and be a defensive monster.
Dirk can be the shooter/slasher:
The 4/5 can force double teams on the inside, thus allowing Dirk, and the spot up shooters free space.
Howard gets to be the clean-up guy where he excels.
Terry gets to be a shooter instead of a "control" the game style point guard --- helping his style.
Stack, Daniels -- become the 3rd offensive options instead of the second.
Damp is clean up only and serves a role, and not trying to carry an offensive load with "hands of stone".
KVH can play instead of Dirk, instead of with him.

I guess, I am still trying to see the gameplan of what mgmt is trying to do. If they move Fin, they are short shooters. Stack has to be the superstar slasher -- ala Kobe, TMac, Jordan, Ginobili. Dirk is closer to a SuperStud slasher/shooter --- so who is going to control the post?

Where are they going? Are they expecting Dirk to become Duncan, and then Daniels/Howard to become 3pt shooters and/or slashers?



************************************************** *************

The only group that won a championship that is somewhat near this one (and I watched in my lifetime), is the early 80's Celtics. If Dirk can be Bird (80-85, 21.2-28.7 ppg and 5.5-6.6 rpg), and KVH can be McHale (80-85, 10-19 ppg and 4.4-9 rpg), and Damp can be Parish (80-85 avg 17.6-19.9 ppg and 9.5-10.7rpg) then I can see it. Howard would then emulate Cornbread Maxwell.

I can see Dirk doing it. I can see KVH maybe. Howard has numbers like Maxwell's.
Damp has a long way to go to get to be Parish though.