GDT: Mavs @ Jazz - 2/5/09 - 09:30 PM CST

[twistaeffect2004]

Originally Posted by fluid.forty.one

Perfectly said. Dirk gets rattled. When he does, we lose.

Yeah. I love the guy, always will. But when he sometimes faces adversity he becomes so frustrated and takes himself out of the ball game. Even the little things like when he never boxed out Okur on a Utah miss and it led to a wide open three. He just seems to let it get to him and it kills the entire squad.

[fluid.forty.one]

Originally Posted by twistaeffect2004

Yeah. I love the guy, always will. But when he sometimes faces adversity he becomes so frustrated and takes himself out of the ball game. Even the little things like when he never boxed out Okur on a Utah miss and it led to a wide open three. He just seems to let it get to him and it kills the entire squad.

It's almost like he subconsciously gives half effort once everything *seems* to go against him. That way he has another chance to throw his arms down, take out his mouth piece and complain.

[fluid.forty.one]

Originally Posted by fluid.forty.one

It's almost like he subconsciously gives half effort once everything *seems* to go against him. That way he has another chance to throw his arms down, take out his mouth piece and complain.

I'm not sure if I'm explaining this the way I'm meaning to. It's kind of like when I play madden online. If I'm having really, really bad luck (like a botched kick return that gives up a touchdown, or some ridiculous bobble catch by the opposing team) I make things even worse for myself. I think things are going unfairly and it seems like that's always when I try to force something and throw a pick... Throwing that pick almost solidifies the "fact" that it's me against the world.

[twistaeffect2004]

Originally Posted by fluid.forty.one

I'm not sure if I'm explaining this the way I'm meaning to. It's kind of like when I play madden online. If I'm having really, really bad luck (like a botched kick return that gives up a touchdown, or some ridiculous bobble catch by the opposing team) I make things even worse for myself. I think things are going unfairly and it seems like that's always when I try to force something and throw a pick... Throwing that pick almost solidifies the "fact" that it's me against the world.

LOL

That's a perfect way to explain it. It's all a confidence game. When the confidence wanes, then you'll do things you normally don't.

[chumdawg]

Originally Posted by fluid.forty.one

I'm not sure if I'm explaining this the way I'm meaning to. It's kind of like when I play madden online. If I'm having really, really bad luck (like a botched kick return that gives up a touchdown, or some ridiculous bobble catch by the opposing team) I make things even worse for myself. I think things are going unfairly and it seems like that's always when I try to force something and throw a pick... Throwing that pick almost solidifies the "fact" that it's me against the world.

If you'll think about it, in Dirk's case that says a lot more about the team around him than it does Dirk itself. It's easy to quit when it's just you out there. It's hard to quit when you are responsible for others.

[BGMaverick9]

Originally Posted by twistaeffect2004

Yeah. I love the guy, always will. But when he sometimes faces adversity he becomes so frustrated and takes himself out of the ball game. Even the little things like when he never boxed out Okur on a Utah miss and it led to a wide open three. He just seems to let it get to him and it kills the entire squad.

The only thing I would say to that, especially in tonight's case, what about guys like Jet? Damp? Wright? Some of them aren't needed for the scoring, but they were pretty off in their roles tonight.

Dirk DOES let it get to him, but that doesn't give everyone else a get out of jail free pass.

[twistaeffect2004]

Originally Posted by BGMaverick9

The only thing I would say to that, especially in tonight's case, what about guys like Jet? Damp? Wright? Some of them aren't needed for the scoring, but they were pretty off in their roles tonight.

Dirk DOES let it get to him, but that doesn't give everyone else a get out of jail free pass.

No it doesn't, but Dirk is our leader. He is our franchise. I'm sure guys look at him for leadership, and when they see he's not in the best of spirits, that can't help the team as a whole. Now, everyone is entitled to get upset. But Dirk tonight just didn't play hard. Another example was when he lobbed the in bounds pass in right to Deron Williams for the easy layup. You expect more of that from your superstar. It just comes with the territory.

[BGMaverick9]

Originally Posted by twistaeffect2004

No it doesn't, but Dirk is our leader. He is our franchise. I'm sure guys look at him for leadership, and when they see he's not in the best of spirits, that can't help the team as a whole. Now, everyone is entitled to get upset. But Dirk tonight just didn't play hard. Another example was when he lobbed the in bounds pass in right to Deron Williams for the easy layup. You expect more of that from your superstar. It just comes with the territory.

I can see that POV. I think he shows a lot of characteristics of a franchise player. I think Dirk would still come out ahead big time if you're counting games like tonight vs games where he's had to shoulder the load without any real help.

Everyone is going to have their games where it's just not there, it doesn't matter who they are. Dirk is Dirk and he finds a way to balance it out.

[twistaeffect2004]

Originally Posted by BGMaverick9

I can see that POV. I think he shows a lot of characteristics of a franchise player. I think Dirk would still come out ahead big time if you're counting games like tonight vs games where he's had to shoulder the load without any real help.

Everyone is going to have their games where it's just not there, it doesn't matter who they are. Dirk is Dirk and he finds a way to balance it out.

Oh I certainly agree. Dirk is the greatest thing to ever happen to Mavericks basketball, and it's not even close. It's just that he does have tendencies to lose his confidence really quickly, and it's hard for him to get it back. Tonight was just a tough one for him. The fans were on him from jump street, and it just never seemed he was able to get his head in the game. This is definitely not something that happens often. Dirk is money.

[BGMaverick9]

Originally Posted by twistaeffect2004

Oh I certainly agree. Dirk is the greatest thing to ever happen to Mavericks basketball, and it's not even close. It's just that he does have tendencies to lose his confidence really quickly, and it's hard for him to get it back. Tonight was just a tough one for him. The fans were on him from jump street, and it just never seemed he was able to get his head in the game. This is definitely not something that happens often. Dirk is money.

One thing I wanted to look at before I jumped the gun on my defense with Dirk v Utah. It's not like he's terrible vs them or that Utah owns him. In the games this year he has been effective. It's just like the bottom fell out for him with the sequence of events that happened in that game. He's had his fair share of good performances vs Utah and in Utah.

He probably put way too much thought into this one tonight and he played himself out of this one.

Plus...he was excited for his Dirkiversary

[dalger]

Originally Posted by BGMaverick9

The only thing I would say to that, especially in tonight's case, what about guys like Jet? Damp? Wright? Some of them aren't needed for the scoring, but they were pretty off in their roles tonight.

Dirk DOES let it get to him, but that doesn't give everyone else a get out of jail free pass.

As much as I love Dirk, I think that the last person to get frustrated and stop playing basketball should be the leader of the team. He sets a bad example and affects the rest of the team. It just happens.

Dirk has openly admitted to being a pessimist by nature. That's why fluid.forty.one's assessment is so dead on. A pessimist is just as likely to complain even more and just quit doing anything than to fight back.