Najera fouling up Kings' hopes: Forward is punishing Webber, and Adelman doesn't like it

[MavsFanFinley]

Najera fouling up Kings' hopes
Forward is punishing Webber, and Adelman doesn't like it

By DAVID MOORE / The Dallas Morning News

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – When Sacramento talks about what it must do to win this series and focuses on the Mavericks' key players, the name Eduardo Najera never comes up.

That doesn't mean he hasn't gotten under their skin.

Kings coach Rick Adelman spoke about Najera after taking a 2-0 lead in the series, saying "the only reason he's in the game is to beat the hell out of [Chris] Webber," and added there was no place for that in the league.

When asked about Najera on Wednesday, Webber said the Mavericks forward wasn't on his mind. He then spoke his mind.

"I'm not going to call him a dirty player," Webber said after the Kings watched tape of Game 2. "I respect his work ethic. He's a guy you would like to have on your team.

"But he tries to bend the rules and do what he can. I think he goes overboard sometimes."

Adelman believes Najera went overboard in the second half of Tuesday's win. Twice Webber got past him, and twice Najera went for the hard foul. The Kings coach wondered why neither resulted in a flagrant foul since Najera didn't appear to be going for the ball.

"It's hard for me to figure out what the league classifies as flagrant and not flagrant," Adelman said. "You just don't know. He basically was out of position, grabbed him by the arm and pulled him down. That's the thing I didn't care for."

It's not the first time a player has gotten physical with Webber in an effort to take him out of his game. The 30-year-old veteran said all he can do is keep his head and keep playing.

Webber kept playing in Game 2. He just didn't play as well after Najera took the court.

The Kings forward dominated the first half with 13 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. That's when Mavericks coach Don Nelson decided to turn to Najera.

Webber had six points, two rebounds and three assists in the second half. He was 2-of-7 from the field and missed two free throws in the final 20 seconds that could have iced the game.

Five fouls in 20 second-half minutes shows the Mavericks wanted Najera to be aggressive. But this wasn't simply a mugging. Najera had seven more rebounds (9-2) than Webber in the second half and scored only two fewer points. Nelson praised Najera for helping keep Dallas in the game.

"I thought I played him pretty good," said Najera, who conceded his goal was to frustrate Webber. "I just tried to make him work for everything, especially on the boards."

Webber is less than one year removed from major knee surgery. He estimates his conditioning is only 80 percent of where it should be and talks about how he still doesn't have complete trust in his body.

The Mavericks have two options: they can either run Webber or beat on him. Dallas chose to beat on him in the second half Tuesday and was successful enough that the Kings expect to see the same strategy in Game 3.

"The key to being a good player is knowing your faults," Webber said. "I think a fault of mine throughout my career has been not using my emotions in the right way. Teams like the [Los Angeles] Lakers a couple of years ago, they would have a guy foul me, bang a little bit harder.

"I've never taken kung fu, but I'm told you use a person's force against him. Now, I'll let a guy fight me all he wants and try to stay in my position.

"I know that's something that they're trying to do. They may be smart doing it. But it's not going to work."

[dude1394]

Queens cry about everything. They always have, ever since they lost that last lakers series. That's why they are called "the queens".

[mavsman55]

"I know that's something that they're trying to do. They may be smart doing it. But it's not going to work."

Here Cry-Webb, let's clue you in on what he's trying to do: HE'S TRYING TO PLAY GOOD F'N BASKETBALL!!!! What the heck is he supposed to do? Go out on the floor and let your worthless hide score on him like nothing? NO!! He's playing good basketball for christ's sake!God dang it, this pisses me off beyond belief. They are nothing but worthless crybaby pussies. They just can't handle good defense. Plain and simple. Especially from a team that they're not used to seeing it from. Keep up the great work Najera, and keep frustrating the hell out of this fragile little fairy pussy. GO MAVS! DIE DRAG QUEENS!

[twelli]

the kings are so much used to open lanes and freebie layups against the Mavs that they can't handle a bit of defense

go eddie! get under their skin!

[Chiwas]

Ah, sweet read. Reading them, it is obvious that Eddie hurt them bad.

Guess who's going to play the next game.

[MavKikiNYC]

She-Webb only wants to play Globe-trotter ball.

She's nothin' but a big front-runnin', fake-scowlin', backboard-slappin', crunch-time free-throw missin', testicle(s)-shrivelin' , grand-jury lyin', dope smokin', NCAA cheatin', no time-out callin' pu$$.

Take a shot at Eddie. I dare you.

[MavKikiNYC]

Galloway gives tip of the sombrero to Eddie.

Mavericks need jolt from 'Eddie Energy'

By Randy Galloway

Star-Telegram Staff Writer

Not to overstate the obvious. But to obviously overstate the urgency. Nellie? Got a second. This won't take long. Just one word for you. Well, one word, and ...

Yes, then a few helpful observations along with constructive instructions on how to recover from an 0-2 hole against a Sacramento club that remains ripe to lose the next four. And the series.

Najera.

Eddie Najera.

"Eddie Energy," as Bob Ortegel likes to say on TV. Or at least as Bob used to say, last season, before Najera found himself buried on the bench since November.

But Nellie, an old forgotten favorite is now your new answer.

Najera.

Not since Nick Van Exel a year ago has one player totally changed a playoff game the way Eddie did Tuesday night out west. Even in an ugly game and an ugly loss, the Mavericks gained Game 3 ground for Saturday night when the series shifts to the arena in downtown Dallas. To see a Maverick, any Maverick, muscle and manhandle and absolutely take over the paint as Najera did in the Game 2 second half ...

To see Chris Webber, one-assist shy of triple-doubling at intermission, transformed into a quivering bowl of second-half jello because of a Najera defensive pounding ...

All of this is what we don't ever seem to see from a Maverick. And then Najera provided it in Game 2. That triple-double from Webber? It came on a pukey 6-of-19 shooting. Webber was a second-half ghost, thanks to Najera's muscle.

The Kings didn't win because of Webber. They won because Mike Bibby clutched up in the fourth quarter. And because Brad Miller, a non-factor in the first two games, pulled an 18-foot jumper out of his ying-yang, barely beating the 24-second clock.

The Mavs lost because of Michael Finley and Steve Nash. Just like in Game 1. And because this team can still not shake the hoo-doo voo-doo of road rot. The Mavs took an amazing 93 shots in Game 2, and missed an amazing 63 of them, many of them point-blank.

But it will be different starting Saturday. It always is when the Mavs are at home.

First thought:

Keep Antoine Walker on the bench, where he was for most of Game 2's second half after Najera replaced him.

Walker is useless. He couldn't defend Chris Evert, must less Chris Webber. And his offense has vanished.

Give the Walker minutes to Najera.

Second thought:

Nelson has to save Najera for a second-half energy spurt. In beating up Webber and charging the boards (five offensive rebounds out of nine in 20 minutes of Game 2), the whistles will come. Eddie can collect six fouls in a hurry.

Regardless, Najera must become a key component of this series. Nelson lost him in the shuffle of new talent for most of this season. Nelson found him again Tuesday night. Nelson can't afford to lose him again. Eddie gave the Mavs in Game 2 what they don't have.

Finley obviously has to give much more. It was shocking to see Nelson call a last-shot play for Michael in the final seconds of Game 2. Going head-up with Peja Stojakovic, Finley simply lost the ball on his way up for a jumper. Nelson will have to endure second-guess hell, and rightfully so, for making that decision. But Finley's immediate impact in this series was questionable to start with due to injury ailments.

Nash has no such excuse. He has shot poorly in the two games (11-for-34) and his offensive output is a must for the Mavs to survive.

The Mavs are also suffering because the two rookies, Marquis Daniels and Josh Howard, are playing extended minutes, which was certainly the case in Game 2 due to Antawn Jamison not being available most of the second half due to hamstring problems. Daniels and Howard have traded good plays for bad ones in both games, which is what happens with rookies in the playoffs.

Regardless, nothing about the first two games suggests the Mavericks are finished in this series.

To the contrary, the Game 2 kick-butt emergence of Najera brought a new dimension that can serve the Mavs well as they attempt to even up the score with the next two home games.

Nash and Finley need to do plenty of soul-searching during a couple of off days. But at the same time, Webber will be thinking about his next meeting with Eddie the Ax.

[Chelette]

Najera was a Team Leader back on his college years at Oklahoma.......you can ask his coah about it...maybe now is the time for Eddie to become a leader to this team, because that is one of the things this team is missing, "A Team Leader" someone who's not afraid to face a bigger opponent, neither to play on the road or in the playoffs........

Everyone needs a Hero, like Superman or Spiderman...welll to all the Dallas fans and players.....it is time for you to choose your hero, not because his high scoring, but for his contribution to the team on important, and I mean it..very important games.......

For me, based on what I saw on game 2...Eddie is the hero.......

Quees....better tell cryweeb to wear a space suit on, that is the only way I can think of keeping Eddie of your assssssskin.....
sorry about the word....

[Chiwas]

She's nothin' but a big front-runnin', fake-scowlin', backboard-slappin', crunch-time free-throw missin', testicle(s)-shrivelin' , grand-jury lyin', dope smokin', NCAA cheatin', no time-out callin' pu$$.

And soon-to-be, reading teacher. Poor children.

Give the Walker minutes to Najera.

Or to Jamison, or to Bradley, or to Fortson. NOT to Delk.

maybe now is the time for Eddie to become a leader to this team,

He plays well only in tough matchup's: Webber, Divac, Garnett, Duncan, Yao. He plays bad many other times, that's why he can't be a starter or a leader for the Mavs. Then it could be just a matter of motivation; he likes to play hard against hard oponents, stars; he seems to not care much in other games. I don't know if it is because Nelson taught him that way. We might know next season if the Mavs change the head coach and Eddie stays.

[Chelette]

Nellie does not give him the opportunitie to do it, at least not this year......I'm not saying he should be a starter, We all know that Eddie is better for this team coming from the bench....but even ffrom the bench he could be a big influence........not to mention as a spark.....he can shake the team attitude from the beginning.....anyway.....I hope he plays like the last time and finally We all can see thequenies out of our way.......