Are Mavs bashers paying attention? - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

kriD · 02-10-2006, 08:16 AM

Are Mavs bashers paying attention?

By JENNIFER FLOYD ENGEL
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

DALLAS - TNT sideline reporter Craig Sager was interviewing Mavs forward Dirk Nowitzki before Thursday's game about his All-Star selection.

He is the only player on a now 39-10 Mavs team going to Houston, by the way, and he used his platform to address Charles Barkley and his fellow TNTers.

"Hey, Chucky, are we impressing you yet?" Nowitzki asked, looking directly into the camera.

Not yet, Dirk.

Not really.

In typical Barkley fashion, the Round Mound of Putdown spent halftime deriding Dirk and his Mavs teammates.

"No disrespect," Barkley added, as a disclaimer, to his opinion that Dirk is the weakest defender on a mediocre defensive team, and his chances of being able to stop Spurs forward Tim Duncan come playoff time were only slightly better than nil.

Neither Barkley nor Kenny Smith believes this little Mavericks team is NBA Finals good.

Ditto for Lakers coach Phil Jackson.

As for Shaq, also a professional Mavs basher, he had this to say after his Heat lost 112-76 in Dallas: "It was just a good, old-fashioned Texas beatdown."

Which just proves you can coach basketball and talk basketball for a living and still not know squat but, if you play basketball, you have a pretty good idea of what is what.

The Mavs are the best team in the NBA right now. Nobody is playing better than them.

Not Detroit.

Not San Antonio.

Certainly not Miami.

Listening to players like Shaq in Miami's postgame locker room, it was very apparent that coach Avery Johnson's Mavericks are not viewed as just a pretty streak of 13 consecutive victories.

They are viewed as a legit championship contender.

"The way they got beat, I know they would feel that way," Mavs forward Jerry Stackhouse said.

They were beat handily. And they are a pretty good team.

One of the Zen Master's criticisms of this Mavs team was their winning streak was built on the back of patsies.

No longer.

Miami is not a patsy -- not with O'Neal -- and Dallas absolutely crushed him and them. Add this to a victory against Detroit earlier this season and the Mavs have beaten the two best teams in the East by 36 and 37 points.

They are 2-0 against Phoenix.

They split their meetings with San Antonio.

What Barkley and Co. contend is the Mavs are still not going to be good enough to beat the Spurs.

And they may be right.

Who knows if any of what the Mavs are currently doing will translate into any kind of success in May and June.

What I do know is this Mavs team is going to have a better chance to.

All anybody had to do was pay attention on Thursday night and see what the Mavs were able to do to Shaq.

Johnson rolled DeSagana Diop and Erick Dampier at him. And despite what Barkley contends, this will probably be how Duncan is handled.

Johnson has had a little luck using his physical center combo against very athletic forwards.

See Pau Gasol.

And if he gets a Dampier like we saw Thursday, well, he may just be in business.

How good were Dampier and his 11 rebounds and seven points? Good enough to get a little love from the man who once accused him of being fit for the WNBA, not NBA.

"That was just a joke," Shaq said. "I was just trying to start trouble. I'm a trouble-maker."

The Big Man was full of jokes Thursday.

Have you heard his one about the Mavs defense?

"They've always been a solid defensive team," Shaq said afterward in what had to be a joke.

Defense had never been a Mavs' forte, until this season.

And this is a big reason the Mavs are the best team in the NBA right now.

"They're an attacking sort of defensive-oriented, very talented offensive team that has taken on this personality of the Avery Johnson that I coached against for a long time," Heat coach Pat Riley said. "I give him a lot of credit for changing sort of the mind-set of this team from what it used to be, which was very, very good as an offensive team to being able to do it at both ends of the court."

He may not have as big of an audience as Barkley or the rings of Jackson, but Riley knows something about winning and he knows how to tip his cap to a team that just beat his team's butt.

So why doesn't Mavs owner Mark Cuban blog Barkley?

"In terms of being quick witted and smart, he doesn't even know where the computer is yet," Cuban said.

Nor has he caught on that the Mavs are pretty darn good.

irontoad · 02-10-2006, 08:34 AM

Barkley can go kiss his other round mound. I don't usually speak up about commentators much, but calling a defense that has kept 13 straight opponents uner 100 pts. mediocre is ridiculous, whether you're trying to stir up controversy or whatever...

Hitman · 02-10-2006, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kriD

Are Mavs bashers paying attention?

"Hey, Chucky, are we impressing you yet?" Nowitzki asked, looking directly into the camera.

I would love to see a clip of this!

George Gervin · 02-10-2006, 09:29 AM

I think you guys give this too much energy. Barkley does this because he knows it bothers the Maverick organization from Cuban to the fans. When anyone from the organization brings up Barkley he knows that is getting to you. We all know if you stop paying attetnion to someone who is bothering you they will eventually stop when they see you don't care anymore. Of course the surest way to shut him up is to win the golden ball.. but then that would mean yo would have beaten the spurs.. tough to stomach..even the thought of the mavs eliminating the spurs..

Arne · 02-10-2006, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hitman

I would love to see a clip of this!

Would do great in a Mavs-Mix.

MFFL · 02-10-2006, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by George Gervin

I think you guys give this too much energy. Barkley does this because he knows it bothers the Maverick organization from Cuban to the fans. When anyone from the organization brings up Barkley he knows that is getting to you. We all know if you stop paying attetnion to someone who is bothering you they will eventually stop when they see you don't care anymore. Of course the surest way to shut him up is to win the golden ball.. but then that would mean yo would have beaten the spurs.. tough to stomach..even the thought of the mavs eliminating the spurs..

This from a representative of the fans who WHINED constantly how they didn't get their due after winning the championship during the strike year? How many fans were outraged at the suggestion that their championship deserved an ASTERIK?

Up until a couple of years ago the Spurs fans were just as whiney about respect as Mavs fans are currently. Get a clue.

dude1394 · 02-10-2006, 10:50 AM

Hey "chucky". Heh...

As far as squirts fans, it will be a rough come-uppance for the squirts. They've convinced themselves that evidence in front of their eyes is not real because it's not june yet.

Guess what it's going to happen, it'll happen either this year or the next, timmah's going to slow down, other teams are going to out-hustle you, it's inevitable.

No one on this board disrespects the squirts, but the same cannot be said for their fans.

F'em

u2sarajevo · 02-10-2006, 10:53 AM

One place we still aren't respected for sure is Spurs forums. Get a load of this fine bit of wisdom found on SpursReport.com:

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichB

They continously try to make us believe that anyone other than the Spurs or Pistons have a chance at winning a championship this season.

What's funny is that some Spurs fans actually buy into this kind of stuff.

Can we officially stick a fork in Miami? Please?

They lost by 36 points tonight to a team that won't even make the Conference Finals.

Can we quit talking about this team?

It would leave us with only two more pretenders...errr..contenders to annoy us with these silly articles (Dallas and for some reason Phoenix apparantly).

I predict, when we are kicking the crap out of the Spurs in round 2 of the Playoffs... that this uninformed gentleman will be whining about Officiating and blaming Cuban in his best Phil Jackson impersonation.

DubOverdose · 02-10-2006, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by u2sarajevo

One place we still aren't respected for sure is Spurs forums. Get a load of this fine bit of wisdom found on SpursReport.com:
I predict, when we are kicking the crap out of the Spurs in round 2 of the Playoffs... that this uninformed gentleman will be whining about Officiating and blaming Cuban in his best Phil Jackson impersonation.

I saw that post over there too. The Spurs fans are some of the most ignorant around. They talk big and say its a cake walk to the Finals every year... Too bad they don't get there every year. They still think they will beat Detroit, eventhough Detroit has manhandled them twice this year. The Spurs weren't even respectable. Teams should atleast show up for big regular season games, Spurs didn't. And then the Spurs almost lost to the depleated Mavs. They only won by 2, but the Mavs were a mess. Did we even have a swingman? Griff and Daniels were the only guards, and we had just picked Griff up. Friggin DA started that game and the Spurs only won by 2. This isn't the Spurs year, and its pretty clear to see that. It will either be Detroit or the Mavs.

aexchange · 02-10-2006, 11:12 AM

richb is a complete moron and homer. i consider him the chef ed of the spurs board.

dude1394 · 02-10-2006, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DubOverdose

I saw that post over there too. The Spurs fans are some of the most ignorant around. They talk big and say its a cake walk to the Finals every year... Too bad they don't get there every year. They still think they will beat Detroit, eventhough Detroit has manhandled them twice this year. The Spurs weren't even respectable. Teams should atleast show up for big regular season games, Spurs didn't. And then the Spurs almost lost to the depleated Mavs. They only won by 2, but the Mavs were a mess. Did we even have a swingman? Griff and Daniels were the only guards, and we had just picked Griff up. Friggin DA started that game and the Spurs only won by 2. This isn't the Spurs year, and its pretty clear to see that. It will either be Detroit or the Mavs.

Mighty fine stuff dub.. I hadn't even realised that the mavs were in that much turmoil. DA started....wow..?? What a tiny team that was.... . DA, Jet, Marquis, Dirk, Damp... And you are right griffin had his first game with us.

Now I would normally yell scoreboard on this (and if they beat us twice more I'll have to) but it's a weak one for sure.

I have my tickets for the April 7th game in San Antonio! It outta be sweetness.

George Gervin · 02-10-2006, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MFFL

This from a representative of the fans who WHINED constantly how they didn't get their due after winning the championship during the strike year? How many fans were outraged at the suggestion that their championship deserved an ASTERIK?

Up until a couple of years ago the Spurs fans were just as whiney about respect as Mavs fans are currently. Get a clue.

AND WE WENT OUT AND WON 2 MORE.. NO MORE TALK OF ASTERICKS AFTER THAT..AS I STATED YOU NEED TO WIN BEFORE YOU SHUT THESE PEOPLE UP..

u2sarajevo · 02-10-2006, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by George Gervin

AND WE WENT OUT AND WON 2 MORE.. NO MORE TALK OF ASTERICKS AFTER THAT..AS I STATED YOU NEED TO WIN BEFORE YOU SHUT THESE PEOPLE UP..

You need to lower your voice.

dude1394 · 02-10-2006, 12:29 PM

Sheesh squirts fans are sensitive folk.

George Gervin · 02-10-2006, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dude1394

Sheesh squirts fans are sensitive folk.

.

sorry we're not the one's who are complaining about the lack of respect.. by the way kettle the pot is calling..

mary · 02-10-2006, 12:57 PM

There are so many Mavs-related threads at spursreport these days, we almost need our own forum over there.

Dirkenstien · 02-10-2006, 12:58 PM

I've said it before and I'll say it again. This Mavs team has a unique college-esque magical season feel to it...and the only fitting conclusion is one with a championship. Step aside Spurs, there's a new sheriff in town.

MFFL · 02-11-2006, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by George Gervin

AND WE WENT OUT AND WON 2 MORE.. NO MORE TALK OF ASTERICKS AFTER THAT..AS I STATED YOU NEED TO WIN BEFORE YOU SHUT THESE PEOPLE UP..

And until you "WON 2 MORE" your fans were as whiney as you accuse of us of being.

Five-ofan · 02-11-2006, 04:23 PM

Well to be honest he is right, we are a little oversensitive about respect. Would i like to hear people say the mavs are great and for us to get "respect" in the media? Of course. But if we dont it doesnt bother me much. As to barkley, the guy is just doing a bit. Ive said it before and ill say it again, his job is not to give insightful commentary and teach us the game of basketball. His job is to make people watch and we all do. If you dont like him dont watch him. I think he is funny though the rolling over in their grave crap was just stupid since 99% of the people he mentioned arent dead but he is funny. He is Tvs version of the ticket.

kriD · 02-11-2006, 04:23 PM

Another dis from TNT

By DWAIN PRICE
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

DENVER -- The Mavericks' seemingly season-long beef with TNT analysts Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith had a new highlight late Thursday night.

While tape of the Mavs' 112-76 victory over the Miami Heat was shown on the TV screen, Barkley and Smith were busy talking about the results of the Grammy Awards, which were shown Wednesday night on CBS.

As the highlights showed basket after basket by the Mavs, neither analyst mentioned the Mavs.

The slight by Barkley and Smith -- who believe the Mavs' 39-10 record after the Heat game is fool's gold -- touched off a firestorm on radio talk shows in the Fort Worth/Dallas area on Friday.

But owner Mark Cuban, never one to back down from a fight, took the high road.

"At some point they'll learn that if they talk intelligently about any of the teams in the league as opposed to the Grammy Awards, that probably keeps people more interested in basketball and they might turn back and watch some more," Cuban said.

"Otherwise, they'll just turn to the Grammy Awards. So, Charles will learn."

Although the Mavs are told what the analysts are saying about them, they have turned a deaf ear to it.

"Let them talk," point guard Darrell Armstrong said. "We're not worried about that.

"They can say we're built for the regular season. OK, yeah, we are built for the regular season, so we're going to be built for the playoffs, too."

Barkley and Smith have further infuriated Mavs fans by maintaining that the three elite teams in the NBA are Detroit, San Antonio and Phoenix. The duo are not buying into the 13-game winning streak the Mavs had going into the game against Denver on Friday night.

"That's funny," point guard Jason Terry said. "But everybody's entitled to their opinion.

"We're just focused right now on coming out and working hard and sticking to the system."

The Mavs have at least one national media member who believes they're for real. Mike Tirico, the ESPN play-by-play broadcaster who called the Dallas-Denver game, said the Mavs are as good as anyone in the league.

"They're on a level with San Antonio and Detroit, there's no doubt about it," he said. "It doesn't matter if you're on the radar or off the radar. It just matters if you can do it.

"What I like about the way they're playing is all the things that [coach] Avery [Johnson] wanted to do, starting with defense, they're doing. The guys are happy about their roles, they know what they're going to do, they do it, and that's why it's rolling right now."

Tirico has one surefire way for the Mavs to quiet the naysayers.

"Take this stretch of basketball and bottle it and show it again in April and May," he said, "because this is playoff-winning basketball."

Harris sits out

Point guard Devin Harris sat out Friday's game with a left quadriceps strain. He suffered the injury Thursday against Miami.

jayC · 02-11-2006, 04:41 PM

Damp/Diop v. Rasho/Mohammed advantage mavs.
Dirk v. Duncan even
Josh v. Bowen slight advantage spurs
Griffin v. Ginobli advantage spurs
Jet v. Parker

Bench
Stack, Van Horn, Harris and Damp advantage mavericks

7 games the winner has home court through out. .

DirkGoesNuclear · 02-11-2006, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mary

There are so many Mavs-related threads at spursreport these days, we almost need our own forum over there.

I was surprised that they had a Game thread of Mavs vs Nugs thats is 6 pages long either at spursreport or spurstalk

Thespiralgoeson · 02-11-2006, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jayC

Damp/Diop v. Rasho/Mohammed advantage mavs.
Dirk v. Duncan even
Josh v. Bowen slight advantage spurs
Griffin v. Ginobli advantage spurs
Jet v. Parker

Bench
Stack, Van Horn, Harris and Damp advantage mavericks

7 games the winner has home court through out. .

I'd say more like:

Damp/Diop v. Rasho/Nazr: advantage mavs
Dirk v. Duncan: advantage mavs
Josh v. Bowen: HUGE advantage mavs
Griffin v. Ginobili: advantage Spurs
Jet v. Parker: advantage spurs

Charles once against has no idea WTF he's talking about; Duncan CANNOT Dirk. Everytime we play the Spurs Duncan lights him up for 35 or more.

raefformvp · 02-11-2006, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DirkGoesNuclear

I was surprised that they had a Game thread of Mavs vs Nugs thats is 6 pages long either at spursreport or spurstalk

that doesn't surprise me at all because the Mavs struggled from tip off to the end. nothing could make them happier than talking about the streak coming to an end. if we were kicking the nuggets arse in that game, it probably wouldn't have warranted a thread.

dude1394 · 02-11-2006, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Five-ofan

Well to be honest he is right, we are a little oversensitive about respect. Would i like to hear people say the mavs are great and for us to get "respect" in the media? Of course. But if we dont it doesnt bother me much. As to barkley, the guy is just doing a bit. Ive said it before and ill say it again, his job is not to give insightful commentary and teach us the game of basketball. His job is to make people watch and we all do. If you dont like him dont watch him. I think he is funny though the rolling over in their grave crap was just stupid since 99% of the people he mentioned arent dead but he is funny. He is Tvs version of the ticket.

I don't honestly care if we get "respect" or not. But I would like objective journalism and analysis. If an idiot on TNT is going to say we won't be competitive because of our rebounding numbers, he's an idiot and needs to be called on it.

You hear that partner of the fat one, you are an idiot. Can't remember his name.

EDIT: Kenny something. jones? ??

Five-ofan · 02-11-2006, 07:20 PM

I understand and thats fine but i see all the we get no respect talk and i was like that for a while too but since i realized we arent getting it till we win the title i dont care. Smith isnt as much an idiot as he is a jackass. He knows bball though you cant always tell by his commentary. He shows like 4 plays of the mavs on d and says this shows they cant defend. You can find At LEAST 10 plays from any game by any team that make them look horrible defensively. I wish they would have honest coverage but what they are doing now gets ratings because honestly i think alot of mavs fans secretely like the way we are talked about now because it gives us something to bitch about.

On the other hand I like it because I want them to look like the idiots they are when the mavs win the title.

alby · 02-11-2006, 11:12 PM

I really want the Mavs to dismantle the Spurs in the 2nd round this year, I've never wanted to beat a team this badly to shut everyone up. Beating Detroit by 37 points is obviously not enough, people praise the Pistons and their great record in the REGULAR season thus far, but we get nothing. I never wanted our team to prove the haters wrong so badly.

F em all