why the mavs are so darn good - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

alexamenos · 03-07-2007, 04:41 PM

A really good article from an SI guy, Ian Thomsen...

A cut above
How are the Mavs this good? Let us count the ways

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...nce/index.html

highly recommended reading, and it ought to be required reading for visiting spurs or rockets fans and people with double digit IQs (but I repeat myself).

Julius · 03-07-2007, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Dampier and Diop are near the top in points per screen set. So they are productive in many ways most people don't follow.

nice stat

left texas · 03-07-2007, 05:47 PM

GREATarticle, thanks.
I really liked point seven:
7. They are hungry to fulfill themselves.

"I've always thought with this team that we're like the Island of Misfit Toys,'' Nelson says. "You've got Dirk, who we thought of as a top three guy but he slid all way to No. 9. Jet is a guy who, from what everybody says, can't play the point. Sagana Diop we picked up off the scrap heap; [Erick] Dampier was an 'underachiever.' Stack [Jerry Stackhouse] was seen as a troublemaker thrown in to that trade [to acquire the draft rights to Harris]. You've got this locker room full of guys who have been looking for a place to fit in, and here they are.''

And they all realize that they need each other to succeed.

Go Mavs

WraithXx · 03-07-2007, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by left texas

GREATarticle, thanks.
I really liked point seven:
7. They are hungry to fulfill themselves.

"I've always thought with this team that we're like the Island of Misfit Toys,'' Nelson says. "You've got Dirk, who we thought of as a top three guy but he slid all way to No. 9. Jet is a guy who, from what everybody says, can't play the point. Sagana Diop we picked up off the scrap heap; [Erick] Dampier was an 'underachiever.' Stack [Jerry Stackhouse] was seen as a troublemaker thrown in to that trade [to acquire the draft rights to Harris]. You've got this locker room full of guys who have been looking for a place to fit in, and here they are.''

And they all realize that they need each other to succeed.

Go Mavs

Love that point... freakin excellent

alexamenos · 03-07-2007, 06:05 PM

a lot of really good statements in the article -- loved this one on Dirk:

Quote:

Nowitzki has learned the NBA game backward. The more celebrated he's become as a scorer, the more willingly he's taken on the dirty work as his team has needed it.

dirk is the anti-diva, the anti-drama queen.

this is something knucklehead dirk dissers just don't get about dirk...

fluid.forty.one · 03-07-2007, 06:32 PM

To answer the title of the thread... Dirk.

craggmac · 03-07-2007, 06:54 PM

Its all about depth, chemistry, talent and thier emotional drive to win. (not to mention the fans

)

Dirkadirkastan · 03-07-2007, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by left texas

GREATarticle, thanks.
I really liked point seven:
7. They are hungry to fulfill themselves.

"I've always thought with this team that we're like the Island of Misfit Toys,'' Nelson says. "You've got Dirk, who we thought of as a top three guy but he slid all way to No. 9. Jet is a guy who, from what everybody says, can't play the point. Sagana Diop we picked up off the scrap heap; [Erick] Dampier was an 'underachiever.' Stack [Jerry Stackhouse] was seen as a troublemaker thrown in to that trade [to acquire the draft rights to Harris]. You've got this locker room full of guys who have been looking for a place to fit in, and here they are.''

And they all realize that they need each other to succeed.

Go Mavs

Not to mention Josh as the 29th draft pick. Dallas took a pile of rejects and made wonders out of them. Beautiful.

Janett_Reno · 03-07-2007, 07:57 PM

Great article and thanks for posting. I think number 1 is right and Amare is great and Marion is really good also but before i wrote Dallas off as just one all star. I really feel Josh Howard is the real deal. I think he can be in the class of Marion but yes i know Marion puts up huge numbers in all catagories. I have also looked closely at Terry's career stats and like Nash, Nash will put a dagger thru your heart bu so will Terry in crunch time, plus Terry's numbers over a career is very good. They are all stars on my team. I like those 3 i mentioned and think they play great together(and Dirk of course).

The biggest difference in the Mavs now of old is because of number 2. Avery basketball wins titles, Pop's style, Phil Jackson style and Pat Riley style. Don Nelson will never win a nba title and i like him and he is one of the most excitting coaches but all offense and no defense, equals a loss in the playoffs. Avery is a chip off the ole block(Pop) and Pop is great and we now play Spurs style and do it great. Pop and Avery demand defense.

I agree with 3 as Howard has reminded me of Pippen from very eary on and Pippen was so good. They do it all, like Marion. It is nothing they can't do. Along with Dirk and Terry, Howard is huge to how far we go.

Number 4, Terry was on a great college team and was on sucky teams before Dallas.

Number 5 is interesting. Remember Avery sitting Harris and making him watch Terry and the point guard we traded to Atlanta? Harris had the talent and more talen than most. He is blazing quick and fast but he had to learn the whole concept of the game. He is young and we had to have him hit his open shots where they would not play off him. Now he gets alot of time and we have this big time talent on the floor and getting time and look at what he is doing. He is unleasing this talent. He is growing up.

Number 6 about the 0-4 start scarred me but now i see it was a good thing.

Number 7 is so true because of the heartbreak of how close we was last year.

Number 8 is huge. If you take Dampier and Diop's numbers and compare them to other center's. I am saying we play two centers to make one, they are doing very good. I watch many games and Kerr has commented on this alot, if someone breaks us down, like Cavs game and their goes Lebron or anyone down the lane and now they see Dampier or Diop at the goal. I watch Dampier and Diop erase defensive mistakes when someone beats us and is going for a layup or dunk. We have never had a center so this is huge for us and our team as a whole is much better on defense. The talk is we will pick up another big center to fill that last spot because it will hurt us bad if Diop or Dampier went down.

Number 9, Stackhouse doesn't cry at being 6th man and this is team playing ball. My hat is off to Stackhouse and he is good.

Number 10, thank goodness we did not get Mike James. Buckner is a good defensive player and can make a 3 sometimes. He has to guard super stars and good players out front. George was a huge pick up with size. Croshere will be ok and thank goodness we have him as George is down and i like his play. Maybe his shooting will get consistent. We did not need anymore stars. It wouldn't be enough balls to go around in one game. I'll take Howard as a star, with Dirk and Terry.

11. True, we have had no major injuries but we are deep and we d need a 3rd string big man but we are alright.

12. Cuban in charge. We all know that and some say that is good and some say it's bad. I like Cuban myself.

I will finish on this, i thought the first half, Phil Jackson was coach of the year with that bunch but his magic is faltering the second half. Avery is putting together one of the greatest seasons ever. Now i fee Avery has lapped everyone and it will take a major change for him not to win coah of the year.

Nash was ahead of Dirk at half but Dirk was on his heels and now i feel Dirk has over taken Nash for MVP. You can't short change this record and streak. Dirk is at the head of it and yes Nash could come back and over take him but i feel Dirk has moved ahead pretty good and i don't see him and Dallas slowing down. I think Dirk will get his dues this year and now be MVP and i really feel he deserves it up to today. I know it is alot more ball left. Now if we can finish it all off with a title.

Great article and thanks for posting it.

wmbwinn · 03-07-2007, 10:29 PM

"Rebounding keys our fast break,'' Cuban says. "The Suns are the only team that can fast-break a made basket. Our centers are getting anywhere from 54 percent to 57 percent of contested rebounds -- that's top three in the league. They also are near the top in points per screen set. So they are productive in many ways most people don't follow.''

It would be great to have acccess to all of the stats that Cuban collects... I love those stats. I knew that our centers were more important than their basic numbers suggested and their basic numbers are good...

Nice post Janet. Good to see you back. Haven't seen you post in a while but I am erratic posting myself.

LRB · 03-07-2007, 10:46 PM

I'm highly offended that the article didn't mention the contributions of Dallas-Mavs.com posters.

Seriously great article and thanks for posting it.

V2M · 03-07-2007, 11:12 PM

Arguably the best article ever on our Mavs from the National writers!!

Thanks for posting it Alexamenos.

Tokey41 · 03-07-2007, 11:31 PM

Great read, one of the best Mavs articles i've seen in a long time.

mkat · 03-07-2007, 11:53 PM

excellent. i particularly enjoyed the part about howard.

Underdog · 03-07-2007, 11:56 PM

Brilliant article - it made my inner-homer smile!

Mavfreak · 03-08-2007, 12:26 PM

The players, the General, the owner, the fans. The Mavs know what they want and after last season, they know what it takes to get it. The guys are determined, focused, fit, and hungry. They are veeerrry good team.

DarenG · 03-08-2007, 04:05 PM

We should be thankful for a few things. The ownership cares and wants to win. The players chemistry is some of the best the NBA has ever seen. The coach is able to get players to buy into the system. The team is playing with a sense of purpose. So many teams fight for just one of those things to happen in a single season. How often to you get a team with all those things coming together in the same year?

nikeball · 03-08-2007, 04:45 PM

ive read the first page and im really happy now

bernardos70 · 03-08-2007, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lil' Whistle

That was a personal-friendship, motivational-buddy kind of blow as well.

Terrible, TERRIBLE!!! Good article though.

jayC · 03-08-2007, 06:57 PM

The unselfish approach is what makes this team unique. One night its Dirk, the next its JHO, Devin, JT on down the line.

Donnie GM of the decade. The foresight to draft Dirk and not Paul Pierce. Trading for Dampier, drafting Josh Howard. And trading Antoine Walker for Jason Terry. What a trade? The franchise goes from disaster losing Steve Nash to gaining a great scoring point guard like Jet. This year even minor moves have contributed. Adding Croshere, George and Buckner have all added experience and toughness to the team.

The best move of all adding Avery Johnson. The Lil general is no longer little he shall be known as the General catapaulting the Mavs to the best team in the league.