Pretty solid article about the mavs..

[dude1394]

I pretty much agree with what this dudes saying. I expect jet to really play better in a motion offense. Hopefully someone can get josh's head on straight, if they can we can compete, if not, katy bar the door.

http://www.bleacherreport.com/articl...up-next-season

By hiring Rick Carlisle as the new head coach, owner Mark Cuban has basically said he's not destroying his team's core...yet. What he doesn't want to see is another first round flame-out by the veteran Mavericks next season.

Carlisle running the show should mean Jason Kidd running more, pushing the pace for a Mavs team that is more athletic than it is reliable in a half-court game.

The change of pace will hopefully ignite the production of guard Jason Terry and forward Josh Howard, both of whom have a tendency to disappear from time to time when the team can't afford it.

This should also relieve Dirk Nowitski from having to create all the offensive production for Dallas, as he was forced to do against New Orleans in the playoffs. More production in a quicker tempo by Nowitski's teammates means less defensive attention on him, which has been nothing less than smothering the last two postseasons.

An issue Dallas faces is its mortgaged depth and youth from the Kidd trade last season. Gone is speedy point man Devin Harris. while Harris isn't (nor ever will be) the decision maker Kidd is, his foot speed gave opponents fits. That will be missed as Kidd's own engine wanes with old age.

Also involved in the deal was center Desagana Diop, who provided a young, shot-blocking presence the Mavs desperately missed against Chris Paul and the Hornets. Erick Dampier, slow-footed and overpaid, is Dallas' only remaining serviceable center. Acquisition and former all-star Jamaal Magloire turned out to be useless.

Unless Carlisle opts to go small the majority of the time, the Mavs will have to address their frontcourt depth, or lack thereof, in the offseason.

Offseason improvements won't be easy to come by, as Dallas has no first round picks in next month's draft. The only youthful improvement might be the offseason doings of forward Brandon Bass, who Cuban fell in love with after he became known for giving the Mavs a shot of energy and rebounding off the bench.

Other than Bass, the Mavs don't have many tradeable assets. It's doubtful they'll want to give up Jerry Stackhouse, who has provided consistent scoring off the bench for several seasons now. Other reserves aren't likely to garner much attention around the league, so other improvement through player movement would almost inevitably involved at least one of Dallas' core players.

Their best hope is that Carlisle is able to implement a system that allows Kidd, Terry and Howard to contribute consistently. That shouldn't be as difficult with a full training camp to integrate Carlisle's system and Kidd's talents with the rest of the team.

If those things happen and Nowitski maintains or improves his superstar production, Dallas will be yet another contender in the western conference.

If their play remains uncertain and inconsistent, however, the Mavs could very well find themselves out of the playoffs for the first time since 2000.

[Bayliss]

**IN fRANNK cOSTANZA'S VOICE**

"I'M BACK, BABY!"

[sike]

Originally Posted by Bayliss

**IN fRANNK cOSTANZA'S VOICE**

"I'M BACK, BABY!"

welcome back...

[wmbwinn]

The article does not address the issue that Carlisle repeatedly inferred a shake up in the roster. The article's thesis is basically: The Mavs can't change their roster and they are going to do what seems to fit the roster best which is to go small and run.

That thesis is not consistent with the interviews of Carlisle...

[ghazi]

Ever since the end of the season, I've been thinking whether the Mavs need substantial shakeups to the core or just small tweaks.

When you lose in the first round in 5 games, it seems like you're a long way from the top. but are you? we were only 6 games out of 1st this year, with way too many rotation tweaks, an inept coach, and adjustments due to injuries and trade. Before the Hornets series, many losses were close and down to the final minute and we weren't getting run off the court or anything.

Do we need shakeups, or just tweaks?

[sike]

Originally Posted by ghazi

Do we need shakeups, or just tweaks?

this sounds dirty...

[DevinHarriswillstart]

"It's doubtful the'll give up Stackhouse..."

Um...it's a whole lot more doubtful that Stackhouse has anything left to offer the team.

[Thespiralgoeson]

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

"It's doubtful the'll give up Stackhouse..."

Um...it's a whole lot more doubtful that Stackhouse has anything left to offer the team.

I was about to say the same thing. I'll actually be surprised if Stack is on the roster next year. He's got nothing left, and he's the only expiring contract we have. And frankly I hope to god he isn't on the team next year. I've just had enough of him.

[sike]

Originally Posted by Thespiralgoeson

I was about to say the same thing. I'll actually be surprised if Stack is on the roster next year. He's got nothing left, and he's the only expiring contract we have. And frankly I hope to god he isn't on the team next year. I've just had enough of him.

I love you.

[LonghornDub]

Keep Stack and give him some brass knuckles + a switchblade or two.

[ty]

I hate when people misspell Dirk's last name.

[nashtymavsfan13]

Originally Posted by ty

I hate when people misspell Dirk's last name.

Amen, I was thinking the same thing. One of my biggest pet peeves. As soon as I see it misspelled I don't take the article seriously.

[mqywaaah]

Nowitski? He said that more than once. Another player maybe?

[Dr.Zoidberg]

Yeah, after a decade of Nowitzki playing basketball, you should be able to spell his name right...

[LSMF]

This is a good article imo, we should be ale to make a comeback next season but in the meantime you guys should check this out : http://youtube.com/watch?v=TDubp5GqYfU

[horse900703]

Originally Posted by longsufferingmavsfan

This is a good article imo, we should be ale to make a comeback next season but in the meantime you guys should check this out : http://youtube.com/watch?v=TDubp5GqYfU

thats a good dunk

[Eman]

This guy totally overvalues Stackhouse. I think Stack will be traded this offseason. With only $2 mill guaranteed after this year, he is a good salary addition for a Michael Redd or somesuch player.

[jacktruth]

Originally Posted by Eman

This guy totally overvalues Stackhouse. I think Stack will be traded this offseason. With only $2 mill guaranteed after this year, he is a good salary addition for a Michael Redd or somesuch player.

Amen, halleluia! Stack is washed up. Guys like him make it on teams like the spurs by swithing to a defensive focus, which Stack has yet to grasp. He thinks way too much of himself. In my opinion, if he is in the top 9 on this team next year, it is a failure. If he is on any roster other than the mavs, it is a success.

[ghazi]

Something to think about. 8 of the 13 regular season losses after the Kidd trade where down to the final minute, 4 of them were with an absent Dirk, and the other was the first game after the Kidd trade.

WHen I think about things like this, it makes it seem like the Mavs aren't that far from the top. THese aren't excuses for losing, they're reasons for losing. Reasons that I think can be easily fixed. Is poor late game execution due to talent or coaching, or both? Can we conclude that SO many losses in the final minutes can be attributable to variance (1-2 shots, 1-2 bad calls, luck, etc?) So how far ARE we from the top of the west?

However in the playoffs I must say we looked absolutely horrible. Game 1 was arguably our worst offensive game of the year, game 2 was DEFINITELY our worst defensive game of the year, and games 4 and 5 were just "bleh".

[fluid.forty.one]

dude thanks for singlehandedly making this offseason less boring.

[sike]

Originally Posted by ghazi

However in the playoffs I must say we looked absolutely horrible.

I think a couple games into the series Avery had finally neutered Kidd beyond repair for this season....

[Kidd Karma]

Using Kidd in the right system, in itself is a new acquisition. Kidd changes your team, from an ISO 1 or 2 on 5, to basically a 5 on 5 game where everyone even Damp has to be accounted for. I would not mind one bit to keep this roster together. Add Diop and Miles with the MLE, even move Stack to upgrade the 1st wing position, but little else.