Inside the Mavs

[Max Power]

The Dallas Morning News' Eddie Sefko and David Moore answer your questions about the team and league each Thursday in this column exclusively for DallasNews.com.

Regular season ends with guessing games
03:13 AM CDT on Thursday, April 15, 2004

This is the ideal time to dissect the Mavericks’ playoff opponent and talk about the Western Conference race.

Well, it would be if we would have known who Dallas would face before Wednesday night’s late games.

Dallas has invested 169 days into this season but had to wait until the final regular season game to find out that the Mavericks travel to Sacramento to face the Kings in the first round of the playoffs. This sort of thing happens in the NFL but rarely in an 82-game NBA season.

This much we knew before the Mavericks’ final game: For the first time in six years, the Mavericks (52-30) will not improve their record. The team won a club record 60 games last season, so that’s no disgrace. But success is measured in relative terms, and by that standard, Dallas took a step back.

We have to wait to see how the Mavericks perform in the playoffs before passing judgment. But the thought now is this: this has been a disappointing season in many respects, but it’s far from a disastrous one. Dallas didn’t fall off the competitive map. The nucleus is intact. It gambled on some lineup changes and lost. But some nice bargaining chips are in place to alter this team and get it back among the Western Conference elite by next season.

— David Moore

MAVERICKS/NBA Q&A
Q: Do you think that in all the hype over the Mavs’ scoring and Dirk Nowitzki’s 30+ per game scoring average during the streak, his rebounding average has been overlooked? Not only is he hitting shots like Andy Capp in a bar, but he’s finally hitting the boards with some ferocity and attempting to play a bit of defense (I promise I’ve seen it). I realize that Nellie resorted to small ball and most (especially Charles Barkley) give them no shot, but what do you guys think the Mavericks’ chances are considering their recent success?

Rich, Dallas

MOORE: Let’s see, you found a way to work Nowitzki, Capp and Don Nelson into your question before even mentioning Barkley. Sir Charles will argue the order should have been reversed. But back to your point.

Nowitzki’s rebounding is often overlooked. His average is down this season because Antoine Walker and Antawn Jamison share the load. But Nowitzki can be dominant on the boards and has 18 games this season with 12 or more rebounds. And you’re right; he appears to be working harder on the defensive end lately.

But I’d point out that he worked so hard — and so ineffectively — in the opening minutes against Memphis that he picked up three quick fouls and spent most of the first half on the bench.

I can’t speak for Eddie Sefko — Eddie can barely speak for Eddie — but I’d say the team’s chances of getting out of the first round are slim and getting past the second round are virtually non-existent. Or to put it another way, I’m with Barkley on this one.

•••

Q: Is Steve Nash playing the best basketball of his career? I realize small ball and the extra scoring has something to do with the extra assists, but is he proving a point to Mark Cuban that he should have been re-signed by now? Or has Nellie just reiterated to him to play with abandon and let it ride?

Aneesh Dhodapkar, Chicago

MOORE: Don Nelson said this is the best, extended stretch he’s seen from Nash. Small ball helps, but Nash was having a career season in assists before the change.

I don’t think Nash is doing this to prove a point to Cuban. He’s proven himself enough through the years. He’s well beyond that stage. I don’t think it’s anything Nelson said or did. I think it’s just that Nash has had enough time to adjust to the four new pieces in the Mavericks rotation.

•••

Q: What would you think if the Mavs traded Michael Finley and Antoine Walker for Kobe Bryant? What if they traded Antawn Jamison and Shawn Bradley for Amare Stoudemire?

H. Chen

MOORE: I would think you should do away with the executive of the year award and declare Donnie Nelson the executive of the decade.

Neither one of these deals has a chance of happening. They won’t even be discussed because they are so lopsided in the Mavericks’ favor.

But I can tell you that Mark Cuban likes the way you think.

•••

Q: Do playoff teams have to trim down their rosters, or do they go with the roster they have at the end of the season?

Kathy Wilson, Irving, Texas

MOORE: Each team is required to have a 12-man active roster, just as it did during the regular season. The difference is there is no injured list. If a player on your active roster is injured, as Chris Webber was for Sacramento last season, you are not allowed to replace him.

The rosters at the end of the regular season are not necessarily the one each team will carry into the playoffs. Each club must declare a playoff roster before the first round begins Saturday.

•••

Q: I am so impressed with the job Hubie Brown has done in Memphis, especially his 10-man rotation. Why hasn’t Nellie tried such? The Mavs certainly have enough able bodies, and it would reduce the wear and tear on Nash and others. Egos be damned. Whatever is best for the team should be the bottom line.

John, Ontario, Canada

MOORE: Brown has done a great job of developing the Grizzlies’ bench. It’s the deepest and most diverse in the league. That doesn’t mean the Mavericks could pull it off.

The styles of play are different. Memphis is more athletic and a better defensive team than Dallas. They have more interchangeable parts.

The Mavericks stress offense, which is about timing and continuity. Distribute the minutes too freely, as Dallas did earlier in the season, and you can lose your offensive rhythm. That’s why Nelson likes to stick with an eight-man rotation and use other players less.

•••

Q: I hear that playoff seeding needs to be restructured. I say baloney.

Every team in the Western Conference plays the same schedule. Why do we even have separate divisions that require the so-called division winners to be seeded 1-2? In the NFL and MLB, a team plays the other teams in their division more often. Therefore, it’s correct to crown a division winner in those leagues.

Along those lines, how will the schedule play out next year with the addition of the Charlotte Bobcats?

Craig Terry

MOORE: I agree with you on this. I don’t really see the need to alter the format. But I must admit, I haven’t really heard a cry for change.

Next season, each conference will have three divisions. The three division winners will receive the top three seeds in each conference while the next five teams falling into line based on records.

The Bobcats will play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference with Miami, Atlanta, Washington and Orlando. New Orleans will move west, balancing the conferences with 15 teams apiece.

•••

Q: I think it is highly unlikely that the Mavs will make the finals anytime soon with the current team. They are unable to stop penetration, they allow too many fast-break points and they can’t stop anyone big.

Would it make sense to reload? For example, trade Antoine Walker for Kenyon Martin? Let Nellie go and pursue P.J. Carlesimo? What about the radical idea of trading Dirk Nowitzki for Ben Wallace and Darko Milicic? Let Steve Nash go and hope Gary Payton breaks his LA contract and let him tutor Marquis Daniels?

Richard Brandt

MOORE: It sounds like you want to do more than reload. You want to change the identity of the team.

There will be changes made this off-season, but it won’t be as sweeping as you suggest. Walker is probably gone, but it would take more than him to get Martin in return. New Jersey isn’t about to part with him. Carlesimo is a good coach, but I’m not quite sure why you would think he’s the best candidate to replace Nelson if Cuban makes a change. Nowitzki isn’t going anywhere, and Nash probably won’t, either. Payton would be a great addition but don’t look for it to happen.

I think it’s more likely that the Mavericks decide to keep the Big Three and the two rookies (Josh Howard and Daniels) intact while trying to build a more complete team around them.

•••

Q: Why does the league allow bush-league antics such as the knee from the player to Michael Finley’s ribs while Fin was walking up the floor? It’s one thing to miss a call. But when replays clearly show an obvious foul, can the league tack on a fine after the game?

Patrick Boyce

MOORE: Once the tape of a game is reviewed, it’s not unusual for the league office to come back and fine a player though there was no call during the game. These are rarely made public unless the player mentions it himself or the opposing team — which will lobby for something to be done — makes it an issue.

•••

Q: Everybody knows Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavs have no defense. Is it possible that they could get forward-center Chris Andersen from Denver in the off-season? He has a small salary, and he will bring at least some defense to the Mavs.

Kamaria Busby

MOORE: Andersen’s contract expires at the end of this season. He’s obviously athletic and a good defender, but I’m not sure how much he would help the Mavericks. Let’s just say pursuing him would not be a priority.

•••

Q: What has happened to Jon Stefansson?

Diane Smith, Dallas

MOORE: Stefansson was placed on the injured list with a sprained left ankle to start the season. He can be seen working out and spending time in the Mavericks locker room during home games. The development of Howard and Daniels makes Stefansson’s future with the club problematic.

[Max Power]

The Dallas Morning News' Eddie Sefko and David Moore answer your questions about the team and league each Thursday in this column exclusively for DallasNews.com.

Series shows Dirk is a serious threat
01:25 AM CDT on Thursday, April 22, 2004

The way Dirk Nowitzki has played early in the playoffs, you wonder just how good this guy can be.

From what he’s shown, it could be Kevin Garnett good. Or maybe even Tim Duncan good.

He’s hitting his jump shots, rebounding like a demon and even blocking shots. It’s enough to make you ask if perhaps the big German just needs a gentle push in the right direction to be all he really can be — maybe from himself, maybe from outside forces.

At 7 feet, Nowitzki shoots like no other big man in the league. He also rebounds well at the defensive end. And he is showing against the Kings that he can play defense when the stakes are highest. He has stayed in front of the Kings, and when they have penetrated, he has rejected shots or at least used his fouls wisely.

After a regular season in which he saw his scoring and rebounding drop slightly, there were doubts that Nowitzki was going to continue growing into one of the top five players in the league.

But these first playoff gams have proven that Nowitzki still deserves the designation as the player around whom the Mavericks’ success (or failure) is going to be built for the next five seasons.

The next step is for Nowitzki and his coaching staff to make sure he does whatever it takes to ensure his development continues by adding more defense and better passing options in the coming seasons.

Then, the Mavericks will have their version of Kevin Garnett.

– Eddie Sefko


MAVERICKS/NBA Q&A
Q: How much do you think the lineup will be changed next year? I’m a huge Michael Finley fan, but even he wouldn’t be untouchable. What do you think about sacrificing some scorers for defensive players?

Devon Brewster

SEFKO: I think it’s a great idea. Unfortunately, the team doesn’t consult me, and getting prime big men in return for role players is difficult, if not impossible. There will be some obvious changes to the roster. Antoine Walker will be on the trading block the minute the Mavericks’ season ends. Travis Best and Scott Williams will be free agents and likely will move on.

Steve Nash will opt out of his contract and be a free agent. The Mavericks can sign him for any amount, but that negotiation could become sticky.

Depending on the outcome of the playoffs, there are no guarantees about what the roster will look like next season. The Big Three even could be at risk.

•••

Q: All the Mavericks really need is a rebounder in the middle. Not a superstar, but a Roy Tarpley without the drugs. Could we move Shawn Bradley and Antoine Walker and Tony Delk for anybody?

Marty Glass

SEFKO: Of those three, only Antoine Walker has serious value, and that’s mainly because his contract expires after next season and his team is going to inherit a $14-million salary slot. The Mavericks are likely to trade Walker in the off-season. It’s not a guarantee. But they certainly will field all inquires with an open mind. But to get an impact center, they also are going to have to take back some riffraff. And probably at a high-priced salary for several years. And by the way, a Roy Tarpley without the drugs would be a superstar.

•••

Q: Does Mark Cuban wash the MFFL (Mavs Fan For Life) shirt he always wears or does he just wear it everyday since he’s changing diapers with a new baby?

David Bedford

SEFKO: We don’t know Mark Cuban’s personal laundering habits, but we do know that he has a closet full of Maverick gear and no suits that we’re aware of. It’s highly unlikely he wears the same shirt in consecutive games.

•••

Q: What is going on with Tony Delk? Will he be part of the future in Dallas?

David Bedford

SEFKO: Difficult to tell. If he’s healthy, he’s a good offensive threat. But he’s a small shooting guard, and the Mavericks are well-equipped at that position with the two rookies (Marquis Daniels, Josh Howard) and Michael Finley. Delk does not have a prohibitive salary ($3.15 million next season). He could easily be packaged as part of a trade to lure a big man.

•••

Q: What’s going on with the second-round draft pick for the Mavericks from last season, Mladen Sekularic? I never hear anything about him.

Brandon, Frisco, Texas

SEFKO: They no longer possess his rights. They took him as a project hoping that he would develop into an NBA player. It didn’t work. He’s destined for a career in Europe, it appears.

•••

Q: How is the expansion draft going to work?

SEFKO: Charlotte will get help from many NBA teams in the expansion draft. Each team can protect eight players. The Bobcats can choose a maximum of one player off of every team’s unprotected roster. Free agents will not be eligible. The Bobcats must take at least 14 players in the expansion draft and can take as many as 29, although it is not likely they will go much beyond the 14-player minimum.

•••

Q: I wish I could share your optimism about re-signing Marquis Danaiels. But I don’t see why a team like Denver with lots of cap room wouldn’t swoop in and take him. Please tell me your optimism is based on something substantial.

Mario

SEFKO: It’s based on the fact that the Mavericks can go up to about $5 million to keep Daniels. That’s the mid-level exception for next season. And they can sign him for up to six years. That would be a healthy contract by anybody’s standards. And if you’ve watched in the last few years, mega-contracts are only going to mega-players, not undrafted rookies, no matter how good they turn out to be.

Could Utah offer a maximum contract? Yes. But any team that does that is banking on Daniels being a superstar. As good as he’s looked, that’s bold thinking. The biggest problem with re-signing him is going to be that it eats up the mid-level exception that the Mavericks had hoped to use on a big man, perhaps Greg Ostertag or the like.

•••

Q: Why is Tim Duncan allowed to drag his pivot foot all over the court and nothing is ever called? It’s bad enough that a foul is called if anybody breathes on him.

Tracy, Jacksonville, Texas

SEFKO: Are you Mark Cuban’s cousin? This is the same rant that Cuban has had during the Sacramento series. Referees told each team before the playoffs started that the switching of pivot feet and making moves with either foot before putting the ball on the court would be watched closely in the postseason. Clearly, that hasn’t been the case with Duncan or Chris Webber. That’s the value of having a star player. Dirk Nowitzki has hit his share of elbows and wrists in slapping at shooters and has gotten away with it. That’s the way of the playoffs. But I agree with you that Duncan does that often and rarely gets called for it. It’s like fighting city hall.

•••

Q: I’m a Pistons fan and in response to one of your reader’s idea about trading Dirk Nowitzki to Detroit for Ben Wallace and Darko Milicic … Hah, hah, hah! In your dreams. I think everybody underestimates Wallace’s value and Milicic’s potential.

Ryan Gilbert

SEFKO: Not everybody. Wallace is an impact defender and San Antonio, Indiana and the Pistons are proof that those sorts of players can be as valuable as impact offensive players. But as much as you stick up for Milicic, you have to admit that the Pistons would look a lot more appealing if they had used the No. 2 pick on Carmelo Anthony last June. The NBA lives in the now. The future is uncertain for everybody. If Milicic develops in three or four years, the Pistons may have a totally different team by then.

•••

Q: Here’s a thought for you to ponder: Trade Dirk for Yao Ming and a player to be determined. Then bring in Pat Riley to coach. Just a dream thought.

J. Cisco

SEFKO: You’re right, it’s a dream. Potential superstar centers are like genies in a bottle. You treasure them, and do everything you can to keep them — unless you are Orlando. Then you watch them walk away.

•••

Q: Antoine Walker should be traded in some manner to bring in a center like Brendan Haywood (Washington) or Samuel Dalembert (Philadelphia). And an attempt to sign Greg Ostertag with the mid-level exception should be made.

Bob Parker.

SEFKO: To re-sign Marquis Daniels, however, getting that marquee big man might not be possible. They have to keep the kids to build this team for the future. If you can keep the Big Three together, keep Daniels and Josh Howard and Antawn Jamison, you should be able to fill the rest of the gaps in the roster with some grunt workers, of which there weren’t enough this season.