Top 10 Mavericks This Decade

[Dirkadirkastan]

1. Devean George
2. Juwan Howard
3. Austin Croshere
4. Raef Lafrentz
5. Doug Christie
6. Tariq Abdul-Wahad
7. Jamaal Magloire
8. Anthony Johnson
9. Greg Buckner
10. Kevin Willis

[rabbitproof]

Where Shan Foster at?

[Mavericks Rockets Fan]

Originally Posted by Dirkadirkastan

1. Devean George
2. Juwan Howard
3. Austin Croshere
4. Raef Lafrentz
5. Doug Christie
6. Tariq Abdul-Wahad
7. Jamaal Magloire
8. Anthony Johnson
9. Greg Buckner
10. Kevin Willis

At least Lafrentz was good at knocking down those threes....

He should be #1!...lol...

[Kante]

What about Pavel Podkolzin?

[kg_veteran]

Originally Posted by mavsfan1000

Lafrentz and Bradley weren't much better defensively.

I can agree with LaFrentz, but you are completely misinformed regarding Bradley's defensive impact.

[mavsfan1000]

Originally Posted by kg_veteran

I can agree with LaFrentz, but you are completely misinformed regarding Bradley's defensive impact.

We always went zone when he was in the game because he couldn't guard his man. Yes he could block shots but there is more to defense than just being good at blocking shots.

[dalmations202]

Originally Posted by mavsfan1000

We always went zone when he was in the game because he couldn't guard his man. Yes he could block shots but there is more to defense than just being good at blocking shots.

Dallas had a turnstile at perimeter defense, and Bradley was suppose to be the defense. Nash, Fin, and Dirk when he was young couldn't guard anything.

Bradley was there defense, but he couldn't be everywhere at once.

[kg_veteran]

Originally Posted by mavsfan1000

We always went zone when he was in the game because he couldn't guard his man. Yes he could block shots but there is more to defense than just being good at blocking shots.

Talk about revisionist history (and just flat-out being wrong).

The reasons the Mavs went to zone so often with Bradley in the game were: 1)that they had several weak man-to-man defenders, including Nash, Van Exel, Finley, and Nowitzki (at that time); and 2) that it worked.

With Shawn Bradley anchoring the zone defense in the first half of 2002-2003, the Mavericks roared out to a 33-8 start and had a very impressive 100.7 defensive efficiency rating. (By way of comparison, the Mavs have never finished a season with a defensive efficiency rating that good.) Then, tragically, Nellie decided that it would be better to go small at the center spot and play the likes of LaFrentz, Najera, and even the freaking "Wizard" Walt Williams over Bradley. The result? A defensive efficiency rating of over 106, and a plummet in the standings that allowed the Spurs to catch them at the end. Even with the poor decision by Nellie to phase Bradley slowly out of the rotation, Bradley's impact was such that the Mavs finished with what is still the best defensive efficiency rating in team history.

And honestly, Bradley's defensive excellence wasn't tied to the zone defense. Before zone defenses were legal, the team registered an excellent defensive efficiency rating of 102.6 in the 2000-2001 season. Unfortunately, though, when LaFrentz was acquired in the 2001-2002 season, Bradley's minutes were reduced, and the defense suffered accordingly. In fact, those that followed the Mavs closely at the time will remember that it was only injuries to LaFrentz and Najera that fortuitously allowed Bradley back into the rotation in 2002-2003, and once they got healthy, the Mavericks defense went to crap.

Say what you want about Bradley, but don't say that he couldn't guard his man or wasn't a good defender. It's just not true.

[fluid.forty.one]

10. Stackhouse
9. Dampier
8. Harris
7. NVE
6. Howard
5. Kidd
4. Terry
3. Nash
2. Finley
1. Dirk

[AO41]

No one put Wang Zhi Zhi?? spelling

[Rick41]

Wang is the coolest name in the world.

WangMaverick.

[LonghornDub]

4. Mel Gibson (Blu-Ray release)
3. Tom Cruise (same)
2. John McCain
1. Dirk

[Five-ofan]

1. Dirk-the only absolutely clear cut answer in this thread.
2. Nash-Made 2 all star teams as a mav if i remember correctly and had 4 of the(not the best 4) best non dirk seasons of any mav this decade.
3. Finley-I know it didnt end well but he was still a 20 ppg, 5 rpg, 3.5 to 4 apg player early in the 2000s.
4. Josh Howard-He does have a pitiful bball iq but hes been a very good player for quite a while.
5. Jason Terry-Great sixth man. Has done a very good job of scoring but he does clearly have isssues that keep him above the others above him who also have proven capable of being 20ppg scorers while doing other things.

The makeup of 2-5 is also pretty clear imo even if the exact order isnt. 6-10 isnt quite so easy.

6. Erick Dampier-The problem with damp is that all of his strengths require studying to find while his weaknesses are readily apparent to anyone who casually observes. That said its no coincidence that the best years of dirks career came with damp beside him.

7. Jason Kidd-Great defense, great leadership and he renergized dirk. I wish he could finish but other than that i have no complaints.

8. Devin Harris-Was a very useful player while he was here but never anything special until he moved on(though how special he is now could also be argued since he decided to devote all of his effort to offense.)

9. Nick Van Exel-Ive seen him alot higher on several lists and to be honest, thats moronic. He played 2 seasons with the mavs and only averaged 12 and 4 in one of them. He was basically jj barrea in his second year. That said his first year in dallas 18.4 and 6.6 was huge and he did have the big playoff series(also i may be wrong but i think basketball reference's van exel page is wrong. I remember that trade being an in season trade because dirk put up 33 and 23 i wanna say against memphis the night that those guys arrived in dallas but werent able to suit up. Basketball reference shows him as only having full seasons in dallas. If that season is really a half season where he averaged around 15 in dallas and 20 in denver then it justifies ranking him this low even more.)

10. Antawn Jamison-He wasnt here very long but he did absolutely everything anyone could have possibly asked of him and then quietly asked for a trade rather than throwing a hissy fit like so many nba players who dont get their way.

Honorable mention-stackhouse(he wasnt all that good in dallas but he was here alot longer than jamison and nve so i did toy with putting him on the list instead of jamison) and marquis daniels(he should have been so much better.)

[AO41]

Originally Posted by Five-ofan

1. Dirk-the only absolutely clear cut answer in this thread.
2. Nash-Made 2 all star teams as a mav if i remember correctly and had 4 of the(not the best 4) best non dirk seasons of any mav this decade.
3. Finley-I know it didnt end well but he was still a 20 ppg, 5 rpg, 3.5 to 4 apg player early in the 2000s.
4. Josh Howard-He does have a pitiful bball iq but hes been a very good player for quite a while.
5. Jason Terry-Great sixth man. Has done a very good job of scoring but he does clearly have isssues that keep him above the others above him who also have proven capable of being 20ppg scorers while doing other things.

The makeup of 2-5 is also pretty clear imo even if the exact order isnt. 6-10 isnt quite so easy.

6. Erick Dampier-The problem with damp is that all of his strengths require studying to find while his weaknesses are readily apparent to anyone who casually observes. That said its no coincidence that the best years of dirks career came with damp beside him.

7. Jason Kidd-Great defense, great leadership and he renergized dirk. I wish he could finish but other than that i have no complaints.

8. Devin Harris-Was a very useful player while he was here but never anything special until he moved on(though how special he is now could also be argued since he decided to devote all of his effort to offense.)

9. Nick Van Exel-Ive seen him alot higher on several lists and to be honest, thats moronic. He played 2 seasons with the mavs and only averaged 12 and 4 in one of them. He was basically jj barrea in his second year. That said his first year in dallas 18.4 and 6.6 was huge and he did have the big playoff series(also i may be wrong but i think basketball reference's van exel page is wrong. I remember that trade being an in season trade because dirk put up 33 and 23 i wanna say against memphis the night that those guys arrived in dallas but werent able to suit up. Basketball reference shows him as only having full seasons in dallas. If that season is really a half season where he averaged around 15 in dallas and 20 in denver then it justifies ranking him this low even more.)

10. Antawn Jamison-He wasnt here very long but he did absolutely everything anyone could have possibly asked of him and then quietly asked for a trade rather than throwing a hissy fit like so many nba players who dont get their way.

Honorable mention-stackhouse(he wasnt all that good in dallas but he was here alot longer than jamison and nve so i did toy with putting him on the list instead of jamison) and marquis daniels(he should have been so much better.)

I was gonna let it go...but then I saw yo say that putting NVE higher was "moronic". I disagree, I remember NVE destroying the Spurs and a few other teams and after Dirk went down NVE was huge...yes we lost but the man was one of the "baddest" mofos to ever wear a Mavs uni and he plyed great.

Now Josh has been good, but putting him that high, or at least higher than Terry is kinda "moronic"

[Bayliss]

(also i may be wrong but i think basketball reference's van exel page is wrong. I remember that trade being an in season trade because dirk put up 33 and 23 i wanna say against memphis the night that those guys arrived in dallas but werent able to suit up. Basketball reference shows him as only having full seasons in dallas. If that season is really a half season where he averaged around 15 in dallas and 20 in denver then it justifies ranking him this low even more.)

Van Exel and LaFrentz were traded midseason. The Mavs only had like 7 players on the night of the trade. Dirk pretty much had to play the entire game. It was against Boston. He had pretty much what you said... a 30/20 night. Van Exel and LaFrentz's first game was on a Sunday... the Mavs played the Sacramento Kings on ABC. Dirk had a 20/20 game then too and they beat Sacramento.

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by Five-ofan

(also i may be wrong but i think basketball reference's van exel page is wrong. I remember that trade being an in season trade because dirk put up 33 and 23 i wanna say against memphis the night that those guys arrived in dallas but werent able to suit up. Basketball reference shows him as only having full seasons in dallas. If that season is really a half season where he averaged around 15 in dallas and 20 in denver then it justifies ranking him this low even more.)

Nick Van Exel played 27 games for Dallas in 01-02 and put up 13 ppg on 41% shooting. He was also really crappy in that year's playoffs.

His claim to fame for the Mavs was averaging 20ppg over 20 playoff games in 02-03. And he was huge in that playoff run, no doubt about it. But 20 games does not a decade make.

Van Exel is, to me, incredibly overrated by people look back on this decade. He certainly would be very, very low on any list I made.

BTW, that's a good catch on the Basketball-Reference mistake. What's really weird is they did that will all the players in the trade except Tim Hardaway. Hardaway is correctly listed as a split season between Dallas and Denver. Van Exel, Lafrentz, Avery, Wahad, Juwan Howard and Donnel Harvey are all listed as playing full seasons with the team they were traded to. Weird.

[kg_veteran]

I don't see how you keep Van Exel out of the top 10. Rating Jamison ahead of him? Seriously? What did Jamison accomplish in Dallas? I agree that many people overrate Van Exel (Hitman expounded upon this following the 2002-2003 season), but that is underrating him to put Jamison ahead of him.

Van Exel was a huge factor in winning the Sacramento series in 2002-2003, which propelled the Mavs into the WCF for the first time in the Cuban era. For that alone he deserves a top 10 spot.

[FreshJive]

1. Dirk
2. Nash
3. Fin
4. Jet
5. Josh
6. Kidd- hasn't been in as many big games as the 5 above
7. Damp
8-10. Anyone from this list depending on criteria: Devin, Nick, Bradley, Jamison, Stack

If it werethe best players to ever play for Dallas during this decade (regardless of what happened here)
1. Dirk
2. Nash
3. J Kidd
4. Jamison
5. Finley
6. Shawn Marion
7. Antoine Walker
8. Jet
9. Stackhouse
10. Josh

honorable mention: Juwan Howard, Raja Bell, Damp, Nick, probably forgot someone

[FreshJive]

Originally Posted by kg_veteran

I don't see how you keep Van Exel out of the top 10. Rating Jamison ahead of him? Seriously? What did Jamison accomplish in Dallas? I agree that many people overrate Van Exel (Hitman expounded upon this following the 2002-2003 season), but that is underrating him to put Jamison ahead of him.

Van Exel was a huge factor in winning the Sacramento series in 2002-2003, which propelled the Mavs into the WCF for the first time in the Cuban era. For that alone he deserves a top 10 spot.

He did win sixth man of the year I think.

[Five-ofan]

Originally Posted by AO41

I was gonna let it go...but then I saw yo say that putting NVE higher was "moronic". I disagree, I remember NVE destroying the Spurs and a few other teams and after Dirk went down NVE was huge...yes we lost but the man was one of the "baddest" mofos to ever wear a Mavs uni and he plyed great.

Now Josh has been good, but putting him that high, or at least higher than Terry is kinda "moronic"

nve never destroyed the spurs. He destroyed the kings.

[Five-ofan]

Originally Posted by Bayliss

Van Exel and LaFrentz were traded midseason. The Mavs only had like 7 players on the night of the trade. Dirk pretty much had to play the entire game. It was against Boston. He had pretty much what you said... a 30/20 night. Van Exel and LaFrentz's first game was on a Sunday... the Mavs played the Sacramento Kings on ABC. Dirk had a 20/20 game then too and they beat Sacramento.

i wasnt entirely sure what team but i knew it was in dallas and i know for sure it was 33 and 23. i also know he had anoth 20 20 game the next night because he was the first guy since ewing to have 20 defensive rebounds in consecutive games.(why i remember this random crap i do not know.)

edit- found it. he had 33-23 and 8 assists in 45 minutes on 02/21/2009 against the boston celtics. and the next game he had 26/21 and 3.

[AO41]

Originally Posted by Five-ofan

nve never destroyed the spurs. He destroyed the kings.

and played great when Dirk went down. I am pretty sure that was the year...unless am forgetting

[Dirkgreatness]

Originally Posted by Dirkadirkastan

1. Devean George
2. Juwan Howard
3. Austin Croshere
4. Raef Lafrentz
5. Doug Christie
6. Tariq Abdul-Wahad
7. Jamaal Magloire
8. Anthony Johnson
9. Greg Buckner
10. Kevin Willis

You forgot the awesomeness of Shawn Bradley.

[sike]

1. Dirk
2. Finley
3. Nash
4. Josh
5. JT
6. Kidd
7. Dampier
8. Bradley
9. NVE
10. Stackhouse

based on what they did in a Mavs uniform.

[MavsWiLLHaVeRinGs]

Dennis Rodman! (or does 00 count as last decade?)

[Five-ofan]

Originally Posted by AO41

I was gonna let it go...but then I saw yo say that putting NVE higher was "moronic". I disagree, I remember NVE destroying the Spurs and a few other teams and after Dirk went down NVE was huge...yes we lost but the man was one of the "baddest" mofos to ever wear a Mavs uni and he plyed great.

Now Josh has been good, but putting him that high, or at least higher than Terry is kinda "moronic"

the only time terry has been a better player than josh is last year/this year which is solely due to injuries. Josh has his warts but hes a better player than jason terry.

[Bathouse Bear]

1. Dirk
2. Nash
3. Finley
4. JET
5. Josh Howard
6. Stackhouse
7. Nick Van Exel
8. Devin Harris
9. Erick Dampier
10. Marquis Daniels

[Underdog]

1. Dirk
2. Nash
3. Kidd
4. Finely
5. JET
6. Harris
7. Howard
8. Damp
9. NVE
10. Stack