GDT|Game 56 | Mavs @ Spurs | 02/24/09 | 730 CST

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

I can't even believe that I'm watching the Mavericks with how little effort they give sometimes.

I think Josh has been sharing his stash...

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by eyedentifyme

This blueprint for success has failed when the master distributor can't score the ball himself. We need to surround Dirk with scorers in all positions to be successful from the way it's looking. We shouldn't be losing a lot of games if we plan on winning the championship even if Dirk is doubled or taken out of the game completely. Our holes presently are a scoring point guard, a scoring center, and a scoring shooting guard. Whether it's in 2009 or 2010, the Mavericks need to fill those spots. Ball movement and passing is part of the battle. But, if we have scorers in each position then we can pick and roll/pick and pop against any team without having to depend on Dirk all the time. Some players the Mavericks should look into further: Caron Butler, Raymond Felton , Elton Brand, Chris Kaman, Emeka Okafor, Kenyon Martin, Vince Carter, Allen Iverson, Ron Artest, Carlos Boozer, Shaq, Andrea Bargnani, Charlie Villanueva, Ramon Sessions, Richard Jefferson, Stephen Jackson, Corey Maggette, Josh Smith, and more.

I pretty much agree with this...

Although I think we could manage with Kidd's lack of scoring at PG for another couple seasons, it would be completely dependent on us getting a defensive-minded shooting guard who can score in the paint and shoot the lights out (basically a taller JET who can D-up) and we REALLY need a low post presence who can consistently punish teams for doubling Dirk (why does it seem like Mavs fans have been saying this same thing over & over for the past few years?)

Oh, and get rid of Josh Howard - this idea that he'll ever return to All-Star form is a pipe dream (a pipe filled with much stronger stuff than he smokes, no less...)


The front office has two seasons to remedy this or else we're looking at a decade of mediocre basketball in Dallas (if it hasn't already begun...)

[GermanDunk]

Originally Posted by Underdog

I think Josh has been sharing his stash...

wat ?

[MavericksFan5912]

Kidd was continually burned on the defensive end by point guard Tony Parker and was unable to keep up. Kidd will have to rebound quickly with Dallas facing Milwaukee on the second part of a back-to-back on Wednesday.

[dalger]

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

Effort is the team's biggest issue this season for me. I can't even believe that I'm watching the Mavericks with how little effort they give sometimes.

That's one of the bitter pills to swallow about this loss. The Spurs announcers were incredibly annoying, but at the end of the 1st quarter they seemingly rightfully pointed out their impression that the Mavs weren't even there. They believed that the reason for it could be Duncan's unexpected absence and the (subconscious) assumption that it would be an easy game against Duncan- and Ginobili-less Spurs.

That kind of mindset can be fatal and very hard to reverse as you never get a feel for the game and help your opponent get into it.

Now I don't know whether this is a problem or not. I can only hope it's not. Only a few days ago the Mavs faced the Rockets without McGrady, Alston, and Landry. These surroundings didn't make it a must-win, but it should have been easier to get a win with these three players out of the Rockets' rotation. Instead, the Mavs gave up a 16-point lead and invited the Rockets back in the game.

That game alone should have taught the Mavs a lesson and reminded them to bring the neccessary effort every single time. On top of that, it wasn't the first time that a lack of concentration and probably effort cost the Mavs a win.

The Mavs have had so many chances to improve in the standings and missed all of them. The playoff race is awfully close. They can't afford to lose many games. They played against teams without important players and thus better chances to win twice this week.

And all of that isn't enough to at least bring some freakin' effort? I hope not.

[TheMaverick]

no more GDT's for germandunk =p

[SMC0007]

Jesus, Dirk is a vagina! HE should not be shutdown or taken out of a game completly, at least not several games in a row. Superstars are not taken out of the game like that, especially by who has been guarding him. No Duncan or Ginobili and we get blown out. It's frustrating watching Dirk whining for calls and F-ing around at the top of the key and dilly dallying around the perimiter. You're not a guard. Mix it up some. Get in the friggen post and be a PF. Unbelieveable. That is why the MAvs are considered "soft" because our POWER forward is a jumpshooter and cries for calls, flailing around reaching and grabbing on D and not fouling hard when he gets beat or when someone comes flying in the lane.

Kidd has been as inconsistent as JHO it seems, at least as far as some of our expectations go. It was like he was on skates out there last night, he couldn't guard a pile of SHET.

Whats up with Carroll too? Seriously get him the outta here(off the floor), he has nothing. I've seen about all I need to see in him. How many times was Mason gonna burn him going to the left for a layup before he realized what was going on. Green is better than him and should be getting all of his minutes, at least he can create his own shots when need be. I hope no one is waiting around for Carroll to catch fire, forget it.

DGeorge wow, give up 2 consecutive 3's from Finley and falling down in front of the guy he's not even supposed to be guarding who was actually being guarded already,was embarrasing. How does he get any minutes? Blows me away.

Green doesn's see the floor again. Getting annoying, not because I think he can save the franchise or the game. Not because I like him and think he can be our SG. Not because he can dunk or shoot 3's. Because no one else aside from Singleton has played better than him. Come on RC, Carroll, DG are NOT better options, they are a beat down!

[Dtownsfinest]

Its looking like the Bobcats got the better end of the Diop deal.

[dalger]

Originally Posted by Dtownsfinest

Its looking like the Bobcats got the better end of the Diop deal.

After it was clear that we wouldn't be able to somehow get Felton in that deal for Diop (imagine we could have done something like Diop/Barea for Felton), it became more or less a move to get rid of Diop's horrible contract while hoping that Carroll would surprisingly be able to contribute.

If Diop continues to play the way he's been playing this season, the Bobcats will regret the trade sooner rather than later. His actions on the court don't justify his salary at all. He's averaging 1.7 points and 2 rebounds in his last three games while shooting 20% from the floor and 25% from the free throw line.

[Dtownsfinest]

Originally Posted by dalger

After it was clear that we wouldn't be able to somehow get Felton in that deal for Diop (imagine we could have done something like Diop/Barea for Felton), it became more or less a move to get rid of Diop's horrible contract while hoping that Carroll would surprisingly be able to contribute.

If Diop continues to play the way he's been playing this season, the Bobcats will regret the trade sooner rather than later. His actions on the court don't justify his salary at all. He's averaging 1.7 points and 2 rebounds in his last three games while shooting 20% from the floor and 25% from the free throw line.

I thought the Diop deal was pure salary dump. I didn't know Carroll's contract was just as bad. Atleast Diop is a body. Carroll.......he's lost it as a NBA player. I hope he gets it back but I could've sworn 2 seasons ago he was legit in this league.

[dalger]

I agree that Carroll's game isn't even slightly encouraging and he should be at the very end of our rotation or not in it at all.

With that said, Diop's contract is actually much worse than his. While both run through 2013, Diop will be making $26.8 million over the next four years. Carroll will "only" be making $16.4 million. That saves us $2.1 million per year. On top of that and contrary to Diop's contract, Carroll's salary decreases with every season. His last year will only be valued at $3,500,000 and thus he can easier be included in a trade. No team would ever be willing to take Diop's contract.