Mavericks at midseason: Great expectations

[kriD]

Mavericks at midseason: Great expectations

Mavs have a 1-track mind and are pointing toward a championship

By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News


Avery Johnson, acting coach, had an interesting assessment last week about the basketball team he's leading.

He was discussing the Mavericks' half-gone season and couldn't stop himself from looking at the half-left portion.

"The bar is set so high for this team that we're not even close to reaching our potential," Johnson said. "We show flashes. If we can do it on a consistent basis, that's going to tell whether we're going to be a good team. And I know we will be in time."

Question: When did the bar get raised so high? And by whom?

The Mavericks lost eight players off last season's roster via free agency or trade. They replaced them with nine new players. They have three new starters. They have new sixth, seventh and eighth men.

What reasoning was there to set the bar any higher than a first-round playoff knockout like the Mavericks suffered last season?

"The bar is high because our goal is to win a championship," owner Mark Cuban said. "You can't reach goals you don't set."

With that in mind, we examine the first half of a promising season.


Early to rise

The Mavericks have made a habit of having a morning practice on game days.

With rare exceptions (back-to-back situations, early starts, etc.) they have what is commonly termed a shootaround. Two years ago, when Avery Johnson was a backup point guard for the Mavericks, they did away with shootarounds.

“That team didn’t need them,” Johnson said. “With this basketball team, you have to do it [in the morning]. Not only do we need them, I like them. I like to get guys out of bed. Sometimes, if you know there’s a shootaround, you may go to bed earlier the night before.”

Having numerous new and young players is why the morning practices were revived. Has it helped build the mid-season record? “It sure hasn’t hurt,” Johnson said.


THE UPS

The defense

The defense is improved, pure and simple. The Mavericks make it tougher for the other team to score. It's not about blocks or steals, but about forcing a lower shooting percentage, which they have done.

Dirk Nowitzki

Nobody should forget Dec. 2, 2004. Dirk Nowitzki outscored Tracy McGrady, 53-48, and the franchise's best-ever individual point total was a sign that Nowitzki has come of age. He's no longer top-10 good. He's top-five great. Almost every analyst had him on his midpoint All-NBA team, ahead of Kevin Garnett.

Josh Howard

Josh Howard is a fixture for the future. He has become the perfect spinoff from Nowitzki.

Road work

The Mavericks recaptured their tenacity away from home, going 12-6, including wins at Miami and Minnesota. But the toughest journeys await.


THE DOWNS

The Spurs

The Mavericks are like bugs against the big windshield known as the Spurs. They can't get past San Antonio, losing three times, twice by double figures. The Mavericks might be second-best in the West. But they are not closing the gap.

Home-court play

Home is where the heartache is. The Mavericks tend to nod off on occasion when they should be protecting the home court. They were 7-6 at one point before coming alive.

Marquis Daniels

Injuries have been bothersome, but not debilitating. Marquis Daniels either has a soft side to him or a very mysterious ankle problem. No question, he can be a key part to second-half success if he's healthy.

Don Nelson

Don Nelson can be disarming, but not after shoulder surgery.


WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

The Mavericks finished with the third-best record in franchise history after 41 games. Here's a look at what happened to the best halfway Mavericks:

Year 1st 41 2nd 41 Total Playoffs
2002-03 33-8 27-14 60-22 L conf. finals
2001-02 29-12 28-13 57-25 L 2nd round
1987-88 28-13 25-16 53-29 L conf. finals
2004-05 28-13 – – –
1986-87 26-15 29-12 55-27 L 1st round
2000-01 25-16 28-13 53-29 L 2nd round
2003-04 25-16 27-14 52-30 L 1st round


WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

"After San Antonio, I think we’re right there with anybody else for second in the West. Certainly, we don’t have to be scared of anyone."

Dirk Nowitzki

"We’ve had peaks and valleys. We started high, then had a lot of growing pains in December, and now we’ve weathered the storm and we’re moving at a steady pace. People forget we were a whole new ballclub."

Jason Terry

"We still got a lot of work to do."

Avery Johnson


IN A WORD

'It’s time for our annual one-word takes on the Mavericks’ season, courtesy of the Mavericks. Hey, if a picture tells a thousand words, then a word can paint a thousand pictures, right? So here are selected Mavericks on the state of the team at the midpoint of the marathon. In some cases, we allowed an elaboration on what the one word really means.

Jason Terry: Determined

Devin Harris: Rebirth, because I've gotten new life after going through some problems

Michael Finley: OK

Mark Cuban: Chemistry

Darrell Armstrong: Unlimited, but for me personally, I’d have to say crazy

Dirk Nowitzki: Improving

Avery Johnson: Average


TRUE OR FALSE

The Mavericks should concentrate on winning a division title before they worry about an NBA title

True: I don't have a problem with anyone setting high goals. Look what it's done for Big Ed. OK, bad example. But the theory still holds. The problem is getting too far ahead of yourself. You know what happens when you start talking about contending for a title in late January? You get Philadelphia 93, Dallas 89. You get a team that focuses on the end result rather than the steps it takes to get there. Avery Johnson hasn't punched many wrong buttons this season, but he did last week with the championship talk. Set the goal, talk about it internally, but don't go public when you haven't even won a division title in more than 15 years.

David Moore

False: A great man once told me that you have to aim high before you can get high. Oh wait, that wasn't a great man, it was D-Moore. But he made sense, for once. While it's obvious that the Mavericks need to worry about winning a division title, think about all the times people have made fun of a team for hoisting a "division championship" banner the following season. It just doesn't mean much, except that it brings with it a home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. So, sure, why not? Win a division championship. But don't make that the ultimate goal. There have been numerous NBA champions who weren't division champs.

Eddie Sefko


COMING UP

vs. Miami 7:30 p.m. Tuesday

American Airlines Center (Ch. 21)

If you'd told the Mavericks' ticket salesmen two years ago that Miami would be the toughest ticket to get this season, they'd have laughed. That's what happens when you get Shaquille O'Neal. The Heat is running away with the Eastern Conference and selling out everywhere it goes. To some people, that smells like the work of an MVP.

at New Orleans, 7 p.m. Wednesday, New Orleans Arena (FSNSW)

Just because the Mavericks are a few days early for Mardi Gras doesn't mean they can't celebrate. They always do in New Orleans. They are 3-0 against the Hornets there. Of course, they never had to go against the dreaded Dan Dickau, traded by the Mavericks to the Hornets in December. As a Hornet, he has shown he can score but not defend.

at Indiana, 6 p.m. Friday, Conseco Fieldhouse (FSNSW/ESPN)

The cradle of basketball is a good place to visit these days because the Pacers have trouble beating anybody. Take away Ron Artest and the Pacers don't quite have the same defensive grit. They do still have Jermaine O'Neal, however, and Stephen Jackson is back from suspension. The Pacers are struggling but are not pushovers.

at Toronto, noon Sunday, Air Canada Centre (FSNSW)

Where else would you rather spend Super Bowl Sunday than in Canada? It's a good thing the NHL isn't playing or we'd have to go to a sports bar and sit in a dark corner with one television tuned to the big game while everybody else in the place cheers on the Maple Leafs. By the way, the Mavericks have lost two of their last three visits here.

[Max Power]

Marquis Daniels

Injuries have been bothersome, but not debilitating. Marquis Daniels either has a soft side to him or a very mysterious ankle problem.

This is the 2nd mention in the papers questioning Daniels toughness.

[Max Power]

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/sports/10757086.htm

What's wrong with Marquis Daniels' left ankle? Sprained last summer, it still hasn't healed. Daniels was expected to be a starter. Instead, he's on the injured list and, privately, his toughness has been questioned.

Is this a physical problem or a mental problem?

[FilthyFinMavs]

I started off thinking this was the Mavs stopping him from playing but lately it seems like Daniels is the only one stopping himself from playing. This guy was playing decent ball when he has played this season. It's not like the guy can't walk. Not sure what's going on with him.