Center of attention now falls on Diop

[kriD]

Center of attention now falls on Diop

By ART GARCIA
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

DALLAS -- In an effort to curb the lethargy at center, Mavericks coach Avery Johnson benched struggling Erick Dampier in favor of eager backup DeSagana Diop.

So far, so good.

The Mavs routed New Jersey 110-77 Saturday night on -- believe it or not -- Erick Dampier Poster Night at American Airlines Center in Diop's first start, a change that could continue for the rest of the season depending on the performance of both centers.

"Teams change during the course of the season and get different looks," said Johnson, making his first lineup change not influenced by injury. "That's what we feel we need to do and, hopefully, it will work out."

Diop, 23, made his first start since signing a three-year free-agent contract ($6.5 million) with the Mavs during the off-season. He started five games in four years with Cleveland, with the last start coming during the 2003-04 season.

Diop defined his role as "offensive rebounds, hustle plays, block shots here and there." He was ready to make his first-team debut.

"You've got to be," he said. "That's what you work for every day. I didn't want to be a backup all my life."

Diop had seven rebounds and two blocks in 20 minutes and didn't play in the fourth quarter. He made sure to remind everyone about the most important stat from his night.

"1-0," he quipped.

More important than Diop's numbers, Johnson saw the early spark he said had been missing lately. The Mavs jumped out early and led by as much as 26 points in the second period.

Diop has played with energy and enthusiasm all season, qualities that have been hard to locate in Dampier.

"We've tried to be patient," Johnson said. "We've tried a lot of different ways to get things going with our starting lineup, and it just hasn't worked out."

Johnson played a lead in the sign-and-trade deal that sent Dampier from Golden State to the Mavs before the 2004-05. Johnson and Dampier were teammates with the Warriors before Johnson joined the Mavs as an assistant to former coach Don Nelson.

Dampier, averaging 5.5 points and 7.5 rebounds this season, signed a seven-year contract potentially worth $73 million.

"I went out on a limb for it," Johnson said. "I stand behind it.I've done pretty much all that I can do. I really just need to get a return on my investment."

Or a kick in the pants. The Mavs are hopeful the demotion inspires the stoic center.

"Should be a motivating factor for Damp," Jerry Stackhouse said. "It may be that he's better suited coming off the bench. We may be finding out two truths."

Dampier addressed the situation after the game.

"You've got to be a professional about it," he said.

Johnson wouldn't say how long he'll go with the new lineup, but indications are Diop will be given the chance to lock up the spot for the long term.

Dampier played only 15 minutes against the Nets. Johnson wants to see more of Keith Van Horn playing alongside Dirk Nowitzki, another potential blow to Dampier's playing time.

Mark Cuban didn't have a problem with Dampier's benching.

"Damp is the best center we have had since I have been here," Cuban said. "All players go through their ups and downs. It's Avery's responsibility to get the best out of all our players. How he does it is up to A.J. and his staff."

[madape]

Diop just put the final nail in Dump's coffin. Rest in peace Dump!

Good work Mavs!

[G-Man]

Lets face it, we got Damp because Cuban believed the road to the championship runs through Shaq, and Damp is one of very few who can bang with him. The majority of teams have smaller, mobile centers that Damp lacks the footspeed to keep up with. Unlike Shaq, he isn't skilled enough to dominate them with his strength.

Plus, off the bench, he'll easily overpower backups who probably lack the offensive skills to embarrass him. He'd usually be the best rebounder on the court... good for us when starters like JHo and Dirk are on the bench. I'd much rather see Damp beat other teams backups than get beat by their starters.

Diop isn't all that strong, so there will be matchups that Damp is better suited for. Maybe he doesn't start again until we meet Miami in the finals. Damp off the bench may give us the best chance to get there.

Its expensive, but I'll gladly spend all of Cube's money if it brings home a championship!

Note to Ape. I'll defend to the death your right to say Damp is a pile of dung. But everytime I look at that graphic, I can almost smell it. Its grossing me out. And its so BIG! Any way I could get you to tone it down? Plus, when my wife walks in the room, she wondrs why I'm looking at photos of feces. Its just too weird.

[Thespiralgoeson]

Originally Posted by madape

Diop just put the final nail in Dump's coffin. Rest in peace Dump!

Good work Mavs!

lol, dream on, ape. I like Diop as much as anybody here, but if you think Dampier won't be back in the starting lineup (probably soon), you're in for a disappointment.

[dude1394]

Originally Posted by Thespiralgoeson

lol, dream on, ape. I like Diop as much as anybody here, but if you think Dampier won't be back in the starting lineup (probably soon), you're in for a disappointment.

Challenge!!! Let's see the money.

[Thespiralgoeson]

You know, I've watched just about every game Erick Dampier has played as a Maverick and I still don't know what the f*ck everyone is talking about... He looks exactly the same on a good night as he does on a bad night... I keep hearing everyone babble on and on about "oh, Damp looked like he was hustling more tonight" or "oh, Dampier didn't even try tonight" It's a crock of sh*t. I have seen him play some pretty lousy games, but I have never once saw him and thought that he wasn't trying as hard as anyone else out there. I think I'll just come out and say that I think this entire thing with Dampier is complete bullsh*t, and that the vast majority of people have no idea WTF they're talking about when it comes to who's putting forth effort and who's not. In every game I've ever seen him in, good or bad, he's always looked the same to me. Whether he's rebounding like a madman, or stinking it up, he's always out there leveling people with his picks, facing up his man, and just generally moving his ass...

It really is mindboggling to me... For weeks everyone drones on about how damp is playing better, then two sub-par games and apparently he's just not trying anymore... And apparently he's the only one too... As if he was responsible for all those ridiculous turnovers in the first quarter against New York. If AJ is just trying to work out the bugs in the team by tinkering with the lineup, that's fine. Or, if he's just trying to give the team a shot in the arm by putting in some new blood, that's also fine. However, it's utterly ridiculous for everyone to crucify Dampier for his supposed lack of effort... If you wanna criticize someone for the effort, how about the entire g*ddamn team! All season long we've been blowing leads, and it seems more often than not we've had lackluster first quarters no matter who we're playing against. If you think that's all Erick Dampier's fault, you're sorely mistaken.

[Thespiralgoeson]

Originally Posted by dude1394

Challenge!!! Let's see the money.

Why bother? After all, it is Ape we're talking about here. What was your prediction for the Mavs this season again, Ape? 6th in the west was it?

[dude1394]

Originally Posted by Thespiralgoeson

Why bother? After all, it is Ape we're talking about here. What was your prediction for the Mavs this season again, Ape? 6th in the west was it?

Well it would have been easy money right?

[kriD]

MAVERICKS NOTES

Avery happy with center swap

By DWAIN PRICE
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

DALLAS -- In his first game after being demoted to the bench, center Erick Dampier responded the way Mavericks coach Avery Johnson figured he would.

"He seemed like he responded well," Johnson said. "He blocked some shots, he got some rebounds, had a dunk in there. I didn't expect anything less."

Dampier, who lost his starting job to DeSagana Diop prior to the 110-77 victory against New Jersey on Saturday, didn't enter the game until the start of the second period.

By then, Keith Van Horn had already come off the bench to replace Diop, with Dirk Nowitzki moving to center.

Dampier finished with two points, three rebounds, two blocks and one foul in 15 minutes.

Johnson said he didn't see much difference in Diop as a starter compared with how the fifth-year veteran played as a reserve.

Diop had two points, seven rebounds, two blocks, two steals and one foul in 19 minutes.

"[It was] pretty much the same thing, clogging up the middle, contesting shots, and I thought he gave us a big boost," Johnson said. "Again, you don't need to do anything fancy.

"Just rebound and block shots. That's it. That's what we need."

Johnson is hopeful that Dampier's demotion will be a motivating factor for the 6-foot-11 center.

"I expect him to not be satisfied," Johnson said. "And because he's not satisfied, I expect him to make somebody pay. I want him to be a terror coming out there and doing his job, basically."

Johnson, whose team hosts Milwaukee at 7:30 tonight, reiterated that there was nothing personal or no hidden agendas in Dampier's demotion.

Dampier had been inconsistent, and the Mavs seemed energized once Diop entered a game.

"This is not about one person," Johnson said. "It's not about who's making what, or who the coaches like or supposedly don't like.

"It's all about the Mavericks and us winning a championship."

Van Horn shines

Keith Van Horn played and worked himself out of a shooting slump against the Nets because he stuck to the basics, Avery Johnson said.

"I just thought he kept it simple," Johnson said. "When he caught it, he shot it if he was open. If he was covered, I thought he moved it.

"Keith's at his best when he does that."

Van Horn was 8-of-9 from the field, including 5-of-6 from 3-point range, and scored a season-high 23 points in just 18 minutes.

[madape]

Originally Posted by Thespiralgoeson

You know, I've watched just about every game Erick Dampier has played as a Maverick and I still don't know what the f*ck everyone is talking about... He looks exactly the same on a good night as he does on a bad night... I keep hearing everyone babble on and on about "oh, Damp looked like he was hustling more tonight" or "oh, Dampier didn't even try tonight" It's a crock of sh*t. I have seen him play some pretty lousy games, but I have never once saw him and thought that he wasn't trying as hard as anyone else out there. I think I'll just come out and say that I think this entire thing with Dampier is complete bullsh*t, and that the vast majority of people have no idea WTF they're talking about when it comes to who's putting forth effort and who's not. In every game I've ever seen him in, good or bad, he's always looked the same to me. Whether he's rebounding like a madman, or stinking it up, he's always out there leveling people with his picks, facing up his man, and just generally moving his ass...

It really is mindboggling to me... For weeks everyone drones on about how damp is playing better, then two sub-par games and apparently he's just not trying anymore... And apparently he's the only one too... As if he was responsible for all those ridiculous turnovers in the first quarter against New York. If AJ is just trying to work out the bugs in the team by tinkering with the lineup, that's fine. Or, if he's just trying to give the team a shot in the arm by putting in some new blood, that's also fine. However, it's utterly ridiculous for everyone to crucify Dampier for his supposed lack of effort... If you wanna criticize someone for the effort, how about the entire g*ddamn team! All season long we've been blowing leads, and it seems more often than not we've had lackluster first quarters no matter who we're playing against. If you think that's all Erick Dampier's fault, you're sorely mistaken.

haha. Mad babblings from a man disgraced! You hitched your ride with Dump and he's lead you down the commode, leaving you smelling like as much two day old feces as the erstwhile center himself. Congratulations to you!

I reccomend you rub the piss and filth out of your eyes and gaze at the world the rest of us live in. You will see that it is a world in which it is blatantly apparent to everyone that Dampier has played like a walking pile of crap since the day he came here, and it is a world in which bafoons like you are distractions from good basketball talk.

[Stranger]

If the team and coaching staff have really completely lost faith in Dampier, the Diop pick-up looks like a potentially season-saving move. DJ and Pavel are miles away from being passable starting centers.

[Thespiralgoeson]

Originally Posted by madape

haha. Mad babblings from a man disgraced! .

This coming from a man who predicted that the Mavericks would finish 42-40 last year, and 46-36 this year (correct me if I'm wrong)?

You hitched your ride with Dump and he's lead you down the commode, leaving you smelling like as much two day old feces as the erstwhile center himself. Congratulations to you!

I reccomend you rub the piss and filth out of your eyes and gaze at the world the rest of us live in. You will see that it is a world in which it is blatantly apparent to everyone that Dampier has played like a walking pile of crap since the day he came here, and it is a world in which bafoons like you are distractions from good basketball talk.

You fail to make one single valid point. Indeed, you didn't even respond to a g*ddamn thing I said. Just typical nonsensical ravings we've all come to expect from you. You hate Erick Dampier so much, but what the f*ck makes Gana Diop so much better? Because aside from the blocked shots, it sure as f*ck ain't the numbers he's putting up. And if you give me any crap about effort, you're gonna have to give me some f*cking evidence to back it up (and your usual horribly biased, blindly hateful, overly simplistic, naive, childish bullsh*t doesn't fall under that category) Matter of fact, in what way shape or form has Erick Dampier not played better than any of us ever saw Shawn Bradley play here in his last 2-3 seasons?

Next time you wanna have some "good basketball talk" with me, try brining up some actual points. Until then, how about you go f*ck yourself instead of calling me a bafoon?

Edit: You know, I thought I was done but I just thought about that "good basketball talk" bit of yours, and it pissed me off even more. How dare you, of all people, accuse me of "mad babblings" and being a "distraction from good basketball talk" I've read quite a few posts of yours, and I can't remember you ever even once bringing up a valid point to support your view. Perhaps you simply do not know what such a thing even is. Well let me tell you what is NOT;

Referring to Erick Dampier as "Dump" is not a valid point and does nothing to support your argument. Nor is calling me or anyone else names. Oh yeah, your tired vulgarity doesn't do anything to convince anyone who disagrees with you of your stand either.

Allow me to demonstrate what an actual debate (or "good basketball talk" if you will) would be in the case of Diop vs Dampier;

Diop is a better shot-blocker, and that is ALL. Diop is not as good a rebounder, certainly isn't better offensively, is physically weaker than Dampier and as such gets pushed around more easily. On top of that, he sets horribly sloppy picks, whereas Damp is one of the best there is in that department. The only argument I've heard to suggest that Diop is better suited to start is the effort and I'm by no stretch of the imagination convinced. I've still yet to hear a single coherent, reasonable argument that would convince me to believe that Erick Dampier doesn't put forth as much effort as everyone else out there. Is he inconsistent? Sure... But certainly not moreso than Diop who's had his share of games where he was a complete non-factor since he's been a Maverick. Also, ape, you've often criticized and insulted Erick Dampier's career prior to his coming here. Well why don't you take a look at the first 4 years of Diop's career by comparison?

I constantly hear about Dampier's quiet, stoic demeanor as evidence of his laziness, however he always has that exact same demeanor and look on his face when he's having what is, by everyone's account, a good game; He looks exactly the same on a 2 point 4 rebound night as he does on a 12 point 14 rebound night. Also, if the only evidence of any lack of effort on Erick Dampier's part is "inconsistency" then why don't you take a look at the game-by-game stats of every single player on this team... Jason Terry, Josh Howard, Keith Van Horn, Marquis Daniels etc... All of them have had good games and downright horrible games, yet NONE of them are nearly as maligned, criticized, or hated as Dampier is.

[chumdawg]

Sell the Damp love somewhere else. If he was one-fourth as great as you make him out to be, Avery would never have benched his sorry ass.

It's time to face the facts. Damp really wasn't all that good in Golden State in his contract year, and he certainly wasn't anything to write home about in the years before that. His early career was plagued by nagging injuries that he showed no desire to play through. When it came time, even after his celebrated contract year, to re-sign him, the Warriors opted to break the bank for Adonal Foyle instead. Adonal Foyle. Let that sink in.

At least the guys in Portland were honest enough to say they were playing for a check. Damp is a dog and a half. He is filled twice full of dog. On occasion he will show some athleticism and desire, but it will be gone again quicker than you can say "double-double."

Don't bother trying to quantify Damp's play with stats. He'll get more offensive rebounds than pretty much anyone else in the NBA for the simple reason that he will miss more chip shots than anyone not named Antoine Walker, and those are the only shots all game that he will pursue with any kind of enthusiasm.

He is a selfish player. He has no concept of team. And for that matter, he has very little pride in or respect for himself. He's just a guy. Just a big, seven-foot guy who is probably first in line every week when they are cutting the check.

Can't say that I really blame him. Nice gig if you can get it, you know. But don't tell me that that mutt dog of a basketball player deserves a prominent place on a championship team.

I wish he did. But he doesn't.

[dirno2000]

When it came time, even after his celebrated contract year, to re-sign him, the Warriors opted to break the bank for Adonal Foyle instead. Adonal Foyle. Let that sink in.

This is Chris Mullen...he just broke the bank for Mike Dunlevy. We're not talking about Jerry West here.

Don't bother trying to quantify Damp's play with stats. He'll get more offensive rebounds than pretty much anyone else in the NBA for the simple reason that he will miss more chip shots than anyone not named Antoine Walker, and those are the only shots all game that he will pursue with any kind of enthusiasm.

How is he getting those chip shots in the 1st place? They're not running plays for him.

Plus, if you're going to hold that against him then I assume that you also discount Moses Malone and Buck Williams as hard workers.

I've said it before and I'll say it again...lazy players don't get offensive rebounds.

edit: Josh is rated 2nd among SF's in offensive rebounding rate. I saw him grab three offensive rebounds in one possession Monday night, do we have to discount this too?

[Thespiralgoeson]

Originally Posted by chumdawg

Sell the Damp love somewhere else. If he was one-fourth as great as you make him out to be, Avery would never have benched his sorry ass.

I'm not selling anything... Certianly not "damp love." Hardly... I am, however, not buying any of the Damp hate, and even less, the Diop love.

It's time to face the facts. Damp really wasn't all that good in Golden State in his contract year, and he certainly wasn't anything to write home about in the years before that.

No argument here. He's a role-player, nothing more. Which is exactly why I don't understand the Damp-hate. His numbers here are on par with or better than his career averages, yet for some bizarre reason everyone seemed to think we were getting Robert Parish when he came here.

When it came time, even after his celebrated contract year, to re-sign him, the Warriors opted to break the bank for Adonal Foyle instead. Adonal Foyle. Let that sink in.

No, I won't let that sink in because it's not true... Golden State wanted cap relief... Plain and simple. If your telling me they're happier with Adonal Foyle than they would be with Dampier, then I beg to differ.

At least the guys in Portland were honest enough to say they were playing for a check. Damp is a dog and a half. He is filled twice full of dog. On occasion he will show some athleticism and desire, but it will be gone again quicker than you can say "double-double.'

Again, never seen or heard anything that would convince me this is true... He's inconsistent and is not a vocal or animated person... As are many players in the NBA, but again, I hear nothing of such lack of effort as I do in Erick Dampier's case.

Don't bother trying to quantify Damp's play with stats. He'll get more offensive rebounds than pretty much anyone else in the NBA for the simple reason that he will miss more chip shots than anyone not named Antoine Walker, and those are the only shots all game that he will pursue with any kind of enthusiasm.

Chum, if you honestly believe that, I'm more than a little disappointed in you. Watch him closely, and if you still believe that the majority of his offensive boards are from his own missed shots, then you need something to help correct your impaired vision.

He is a selfish player. He has no concept of team. And for that matter, he has very little pride in or respect for himself. He's just a guy. Just a big, seven-foot guy who is probably first in line every week when they are cutting the check.

Can't say that I really blame him. Nice gig if you can get it, you know. But don't tell me that that mutt dog of a basketball player deserves a prominent place on a championship team.

I wish he did. But he doesn't.

Again, no evidence to suggest such a thing... He's a "mutt dog of a basketball player" he doesn't try, he has no pride etc... Why would someone believe such a thing... I guess I should stop asking because nobody seems to have a real answer for me.

And where the hell do you get off calling him selfish? Did he bitch about being benched as , many NBA players would? No... Does he ballhog? Certainly not... Please tell me in what manner does he play selfishly?