Predictions??

[one long blue sock]

After this trade, that most people are happy with, what are your predictions. Where do yo think teams will end in the playoffs??

[Simon2]

Barring injury. I think the Mavs are third behind the Spurs and Lakers. If Shaq goes or is slowed down, Mavs move up the list. That first game is going to be exciting!

[MavsFanFinley]

I still think the Lakers and Spurs are ahead of the Mavs. I think we put ourself even with the Kings and certainly ahead of the Timberwolves.

A lot depends on what the Mavs do to fill the final two roster spots as well.

[MFFL]

I'm not really a big Jamison fan but the fact we have him means that we won't be playing small ball any more so I'm happy with the trade.

Our moves have been at least comparable to the Kings and Wolves so that means that we rise above them again. Third behind the Lakers and Spurs.

[Evilmav2]

The Lakers will stand high above us..

The Spurs will start up slow, but will begin to catch us toward our nightmarish March...

The King's season and window will be shattered as Webber's recovery drags into February and they struggle to hold on to the 6th seed...

The silly Timberwolves have always been hapless and terrible, and I have the utmost confidence that they will continue to shamble along that hallowed path this year for the entire season upcoming...

Watch out for the Mavs, Muthaf*ckas, cause with a pairing of Big Dirk and A.JAmes we are going to be potent and feared for many years to come...

[FilthyFinMavs]

I think we are ahead of the Spurs. If not now than we may be a Stepania away from being ahead of them. I think the Kings and Lakers are currently better than us. I fear those 2 teams. I'm no longer fear the Spurs at all.

[one long blue sock]

I see

Lakers before of course

Spurs behind, I just don't see them winning when they are out in 3, almost for spots.

then Kings, but they are injury prone, and don't have much depth anymore.

T'Wolves have too much conflict with Garnett, Cassell and Spree.

[nowitzki_prophecy]

We're BETTER than the lakers,i never been so sure of anything in my life.
I just dont see the lakers doing anything with their hall of famers line-up,too many issues.

Who i fear the most is SA and Sacto,but with a nice defensive minded Center,i'd see us as favorites.

[aexchange]

without kobe, we're on par with the lakers, probably a better team overall

we're probably a bit better than sacto assuming that webber struggles to recover from a serious knee injury.

minny is an afterthought.

i just don't really see how we're better than san antonio. they've gotten two nice swingmen in turk and mercer. got a nice but overrated young center in rasho.

i'll wait until tuesday to see if we're better than san antonio [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

[nowitzki_prophecy]

without kobe, we're on par with the lakers, probably a better team overall

I actualy think the lakers would be better without Kobe,at least this year.
Anyway,like i said,i think that we can be much better than the lakers,with or without Kobe.
I expected the more experienced posters to know that its not 1+2+3=6,you cant just throw in Talent and expect them all to get along,and i dont care if Malone agreed to 1.5,and GP to 4.9,they'll start feeling the difference when Kobe would want to lead the offense,and Malone gets pushed to play outside the arch.
Shaq and Kobe was too much for a line-up,fighthing all the time,now you'll add Malones huge ego and an hall of famer PG???
I say wait 'till the season starts to call them favorites,i think most of you would be surprised.

minny is an afterthought.

Minny wouldn't leave the first round again,and KG would sign elsewhere.

we're probably a bit better than sacto assuming that webber struggles to recover from a serious knee injury.

Sacto is actualy the team i fear the most,in full swing they could be extremly dangerous.
On paper,you could find a better team but they have an amazing team chemistry in their game.

i just don't really see how we're better than san antonio. they've gotten two nice swingmen in turk and mercer. got a nice but overrated young center in rasho.

So all in all they got two very very mediocre players,in not sure Mercer is even mediocre,and a Center not better than D.Rob in his final years??
They improved but not like we will after this trade,and if another one for Center follows?watch out

[mavsfanforever]

Originally posted by: MFFL
I'm not really a big Jamison fan but the fact we have him means that we won't be playing small ball any more so I'm happy with the trade.

Our moves have been at least comparable to the Kings and Wolves so that means that we rise above them again. Third behind the Lakers and Spurs.

MFFL, I have seen your post on kingstalk.com. You singlehandedly ripped the kings fans.

I feel Mavs ans Spurs are on the same level right now. I am highly positive about Twan and Dirk combo. Twan sparked GSW win against Spurs with 30 points.

If Shaq is healthy, I still think Lakers are the best team.

[dirkFREAKINnowitzki]

Lakers= 4 ball hawgs, they will implode. The lakers will be a press freakshow. Too many distractions. Kobe might have to shoot 3's from downtown. The downtown jail, that is.

Spurs=I think they caught lightning in a bottle last year. Too many new pieces and maybe they will have some undeserved "big head" this year. I hope.

Sac Queens= Miller is no Divac. Sorry Sacville.


Mavs will score alot of points, careers will be revived, and they will not play much D. But they will still be better than last year. Good enough, I hope so.

[4cwebb]

1. Lakers; 2. Spurs; 3. Kings; 4. Mavs - I think the separation b/w these four teams is very small

Lakers= 4 ball hawgs, they will implode. The lakers will be a press freakshow. Too many distractions. Kobe might have to shoot 3's from downtown. The downtown jail, that is.

Jamison took almost 20 shots a game last year. Now he is the fourth offensive option whose favorite spot is the block. Will Finely take a backseat to let Jamison get his shots? Will the Mavs use Jamison's post up ability? These questions will have to be answered, but, with the exception of the Spurs, the other top teams all have questions to answer as well.

Any chance of the Mavs moving Jamison or Finley for a real big man? Any reasoning why the Mavs couldn't get Dampier out of this deal?

[OutletPass]

I'll wait until we pull another trade or finish out the roster with a signing or two ...hopefully to fill the 5 more completely. Bottomline, we still have to find a way to slow down Shaq and TD just a bit....I fully realize that no one can do it that well...but if we just get a bit better at it...we're on the road again.

I'll say it again...the history of the NBA over the past 10 years or so...is that the team with the best player wins it all. Surrounded by good (but not necessarily great) role players, of course.

MJ, Shaq, TD....

and, 4cwebb, I don't think tawn will have a problem here...he was asked to be the "go to guy' in GS...and his "playing personality" just didn't fit that role...he was asked to be their savior...he'll fit very well here as a complimentary player...just think...we can now rest any of the big 3 and STILL have three 20ppg guys on the floor...while I do agree with your assessment that the top 4 teams are VERY, VERY close now (minny thinks they are...but they aren't, sorry)....I honestly think that the Mavs have passed the Kings. Call it being a homer, but we had more wins in the regular season, we beat them in the playoffs (and please...let's not argue the Webber injury, after all....he was on the court for the 83 point first half in game two...and didn't stop THAT from happening)...and I just don't think that the Miller move makes all that much difference. Vlade is going to fall over dead one of these days anyway. Enough of the nitpicking on my part.

Because, fundamentally, you're right...and it's going to be an amazing season in the west...the top 5 in the West are still better than anything the east can throw out there. It's gonna get wild in the West !!!!

F* em....Baby !!!

[steponhens]

I think the Mav's are the second best team in the West behind Sactown.

The Lakers don't really scare me this year. With all their new additions they don't make them better than the Mavs. At PG GP might be a little better than Nash, but not by much, and he has seen better days.

SG- will be a distraction all season long, definatly better than Finley, but when you have an all star caliber player at the position it is not dominated.

SF- Jamison is way better than whoever the Lakers play there. Devean George, nope, Rick Fox, Please.

PF- Karl Malone was an upgrade, but with Dirk Nowitzki continuing to improve this is a blowout for the Mav's.

C- Shaq blows away Raef in this category, but who doesn't he blow away? Raef Lafrentz is one of the few centers who can actually score against Shaq, as evidenced with the late season matchup. This, I think, is reason alone to keep Raef.

The Spurs are a question mark. They seem to have improved, but they got a player the Queens didn't want to play, and a player who was a backup on the Pacers. Questionable.

I just don't feel like this is the year we will win it, but watch out next year.

[MFFL]

Originally posted by: mavsfanforever

MFFL, I have seen your post on kingstalk.com. You singlehandedly ripped the kings fans.

I don't think that was me. I haven't went there in years.

[one long blue sock]

PG Nash Bibby/Jackson Mavs win
SG Finley Christie Mavs win
SF Jamison Peja Mavs Win
PF Dirk CWebb Mavs Win
C Raef Miller Kings win

The Mavs will beat the Kings anyday, the Mavs out match the Kings in for positions. With the Mavs having a superstar better then there superstar with better role players, with better chemistry, and a better end game coach. Not to mention the Mavs have alot more depth.

PG Nash Parker Mavs win
SG Finley Ginobli Mavs win
SF Jamison Turkyglue Mavs Win
PF Dirk Duncan Spurs win
C Raef Nesto Tie

Mavs still out match them, and if they hold Duncan to under 30 points, I can't see SA winning.

PG Nash Payton LA wins
SG Finley Bryant LA wins
SF Jamison Turkyglue Mavs Win
PF Dirk Duncan Mavs win
C Raef Shaq LA wins

Mavs have alot more depth, but this series all depends on Bryant.

[4cwebb]

Originally posted by Outletpass

and, 4cwebb, I don't think tawn will have a problem here...he was asked to be the "go to guy' in GS...and his "playing personality" just didn't fit that role...he was asked to be their savior...he'll fit very well here as a complimentary player...just think...we can now rest any of the big 3 and STILL have three 20ppg guys on the floor...while I do agree with your assessment that the top 4 teams are VERY, VERY close now (minny thinks they are...but they aren't, sorry)....I honestly think that the Mavs have passed the Kings. Call it being a homer, but we had more wins in the regular season, we beat them in the playoffs (and please...let's not argue the Webber injury, after all....he was on the court for the 83 point first half in game two...and didn't stop THAT from happening)...and I just don't think that the Miller move makes all that much difference. Vlade is going to fall over dead one of these days anyway. Enough of the nitpicking on my part.

No argument with you being a homer on your own forum. We could debate the Kings / Mavs series outcome with an uninjured CWebb until I'm purple in the face, but it wouldn't change the fact that the Mavs won the series. Still, Vlade may drop dead, yet even on his tired old legs he is a better center than anyone the Mavs can put on the floor. Miller qualifies as the same thing.

Originally posted by one long blue sock

PG Nash Bibby/Jackson Mavs win
SG Finley Christie Mavs win
SF Jamison Peja Mavs Win
PF Dirk CWebb Mavs Win
C Raef Miller Kings win

The Mavs will beat the Kings anyday, the Mavs out match the Kings in for positions. With the Mavs having a superstar better then there superstar with better role players, with better chemistry, and a better end game coach. Not to mention the Mavs have alot more depth.

I disagree with your assessments. Here are mine:

PG Nash/?? -- Bibby Jackson - if you still had NVE, I'd agree, but without a consist backup, I'd have to go with the Kings
SG Finley -- Christie - agree
SF Jamison -- Peja - Peja has been an all star twice, Jamison never. I'll take Peja any day, and so would the Mavs.
PF Dirk -- CWebb - push...both players kill the other on the offensive end, neither player plays consistent defense
C Raef/Bradley -- Vlade/Miller - Kings win here, hands down

That looks like a pretty big push in my opinion, if not an advantage for the Kings. As for bench, who are you pointing to on the Mavs' bench that is so high quality. I can't really think of anyone other than Najera.

[one long blue sock]

Originally posted by: 4cwebb

No argument with you being a homer on your own forum. We could debate the Kings / Mavs series outcome with an uninjured CWebb until I'm purple in the face, but it wouldn't change the fact that the Mavs won the series. Still, Vlade may drop dead, yet even on his tired old legs he is a better center than anyone the Mavs can put on the floor. Miller qualifies as the same thing.

I disagree with your assessments. Here are mine:

PG Nash/?? -- Bibby Jackson - if you still had NVE, I'd agree, but without a consist backup, I'd have to go with the Kings
SG Finley -- Christie - agree
SF Jamison -- Peja - Peja has been an all star twice, Jamison never. I'll take Peja any day, and so would the Mavs.
PF Dirk -- CWebb - push...both players kill the other on the offensive end, neither player plays consistent defense
C Raef/Bradley -- Vlade/Miller - Kings win here, hands down

That looks like a pretty big push in my opinion, if not an advantage for the Kings. As for bench, who are you pointing to on the Mavs' bench that is so high quality. I can't really think of anyone other than Najera.

Peja's 19 and 5, doesn't compete with Jamisons 22 and 7, sorry.
Unless Adelman plans to play small ball, which Finley ot matches Jackson so that situation the Mavs wold win, there will be 1 PG on the floor, Nash kills both, ecspecially Bibby.
Dirk is better then Webber, this past year i have read nobody saying CWebb was top five, and it is kinda hard to play when yo are sitting in street clothes
and the Mavs have Najera, Bradley, Howard, Welsch, Fortson, and they are no done signing.

[FilthyFinMavs]

Originally posted by: 4cwebb

No argument with you being a homer on your own forum. We could debate the Kings / Mavs series outcome with an uninjured CWebb until I'm purple in the face, but it wouldn't change the fact that the Mavs won the series. Still, Vlade may drop dead, yet even on his tired old legs he is a better center than anyone the Mavs can put on the floor. Miller qualifies as the same thing.

I disagree with your assessments. Here are mine:

PG Nash/?? -- Bibby Jackson - if you still had NVE, I'd agree, but without a consist backup, I'd have to go with the Kings
SG Finley -- Christie - agree
SF Jamison -- Peja - Peja has been an all star twice, Jamison never. I'll take Peja any day, and so would the Mavs.
PF Dirk -- CWebb - push...both players kill the other on the offensive end, neither player plays consistent defense
C Raef/Bradley -- Vlade/Miller - Kings win here, hands down

That looks like a pretty big push in my opinion, if not an advantage for the Kings. As for bench, who are you pointing to on the Mavs' bench that is so high quality. I can't really think of anyone other than Najera.

I give you everything but the small foward position. You named the backups out of the pg position but you didn't at any other position? Jamison, TAW, Josh Howard is better than Peja and Wallace or whoever the small fowards are on that team.

[DirkDiggler]

for the playoff time....the series between Dal-Sac...or Sac-SA will come down to who has homecourt...moresore for the Dal-Sac....cuz had we not had homecourt...sac wud be in th e WCF....so we need homecourt adv....

in WCF..spurs sucked at home...so it wudnt matter actually..but wud be nice to win the division!!!and become n.2

i think this year sac will play like how LA did last year...they wont start out too strong..and pick it up in the end..we need to capitalize on dat and build a huge lead in the standings..and baring injury we cud win the division...we wud've this year had fin not gone down...

then...it comes to nerves...who can hold their own in the playoffs...

[Nash13]

I'd hate to be the first one that'll label Dallas as the top seed, but i'll do it.

Let's break this down:

San Antonio- they should've kept S. Jackson. He's better than Mercer. They should've kept Claxton. He's better than A.C. Carter. Turk was losing a lot of rep as he was leaving the Kings, and he was sucking it up in the Dallas and Utah series. He was the most overrated player on the Kings, and there were a lot of them. He hardly played after Webber/Clark/Peja/J. Jackson. I don't know of any good players besides Ben Wallace that came from 3rd string to starter. Rasho is not a bad player, but he's no Robinson. The only was he fits in SA's type of play is his free throw percentage.

Sacramento- they are so hypocritical. Why were they bitching over the fact that Keon Clark's contract was so big, then go out and trade for Brad Miller's big contract? Why? Why? And then they won't sign the player that kept them alive against us, Jim Jackson. I think they had the worst offseason of the top 4 teams in the West. I personally think they should pray to see if they can re-trade Bibby for Jayson Williams, b/c he was more disappointing in the playoffs than Keon was.

L.A. Lakers- even if somehow the Famer Four do good, which one is old(shaq), one is older(Payton), the other is real old(Malone), and the young one could face jail time(Kobe), they have no depth. There is much more to say.

Minnesota- In my opinion, they will have more chemistry problems than LA. I'll put money that Garnett will fight Kandi, and Wally will Fight Spreewell. Plus, they have nothing beyond their starting 5 and Cassell.




We won't have any chemistry problems, considering the fact that we got classy player, and Mills. But Mills i think may be a bigger factor than everyone thinks if he stays.

[Psychedelic Fuzz]

If you're going to be the first, then I'm a quick second.
As for chemistry, we have it and LA/SA don't, not yet anyway. After kobe's ego ran NVE out of town, how will he coexist with payton? That said, I do like the combo of shaq and malone. However, they are getting up there in age and the mavs younger faster big 4 will be able to outlast them. without a decent bench, they're toast.
On to San Antonio. Rasho is pretty good but not the sheer physical presence D-Rob was, but given the added depth, SA has moved up and will give us some trouble. (I predict another 2-2 split in the reg. season) While SA has gained depth, Sac has lost it. Sure they got Miller, but lost pollard, turkeyglue and keon clark (who beat us on put backs in two games), and I think that by far the scariest thing about the kings was depth. So sac and SA switch places essentially.
Before, I was cautiously optimistic, but now i'm convinced this will be a huge year.

[kg_veteran]

I'll go with MFFL on this one. I think the trade puts the Mavs 3rd. I do think, however, that the additions make it very possible that Dallas could also pass San Antonio.

As for the notion that the Mavs are still not superior to the Kings, I'm not buying it. Sock makes a great point. If the Mavs don't go small, the Kings can't afford to put Jackson and Bibby on the floor at the same time.

Mavs win at PG because Nash is better than Bibby or Jackson, whichever is on the floor.

Mavs win at SG because Finley is better than Mrs. Christie.

Mavs at worst push at SF. But they probably win at SF with Jamison based on equal scoring ability and superior rebounding.

Mavs win at PF. Webber is no longer considered on Dirk's level.

Kings win at C.

The key to the whole thing is that the Kings now have to guard a SF. When we were throwing Griffin or Bell or Williams out there, you really didn't have to. Peja slides over to guard Dirk? That means Webber has to try and stop Antawn. That should be entertaining to watch. Peja tries to stick Antawn? That means Peja gets abused, AND Webber gets his knee ligaments ruptured by Dirk on the perimeter. It's a no-win situation for the Kings as they try to hide Webber's pathetic man-to-man defense, which is notably worse than Dirk's.

[Jeremiah]

I'll say third as well.

We have the talent to beat the lakers, but until we do, we won't know how.

Which is exactly why I think we're ahead of the Kings. Sure, they didn't have Webber, and we had Nick, but I think we've got the know how and confidence to beat them.

SA - tough one here. I think Mercer replaces Stephen Jackson easily, as he can score lots of points on any given night, just like Jack. Hedo also gives them something they didn't have, a big guy that can rotate from 2-3-4, and some point forward. He's not going to be stuck behind 2 other guys with another youngin' (Wallace) breathing down his neck. He'll get his minutes, and I suspect he'll do very well with SA. This could go either way, us 2, them 3, or us 3, them 2, just like last year in the reg. season .

I don't fear Minny at all. They should be better, and might even matchup better with la, sa or sac than we do, displacing one of them, but we've got their number. I think Spree will help with the killer mentality that they need, as will Sam, they both have very outspoken and aggressive demeanors, and they are somewhat accomplished, at least more (teamwise) than anyone else on that team. but they can't touch us.

I'll also echo the sentiment about the other now needing to guard both forwards, not just dirk. in the case of the kings, Peja won't be able to shift to Dirk or Nash. I think AJ will abuse him on the block just as much as dirk has, but more often. We'll still have trouble guarding him, but a stronger and taller AJ, even though he's not known for his defense, should at least give Peja different problems than your Bell's and Griffin's of the NBA.

one other thing I'd like to address: AJ's shots. I don't know how many shots Nick took, but I'm going to assume it was at least 12 per. So that means that there should be at least 12 more shots available for AJ. Take a shot or two away from Nash, and have him pass it to the post more often, and maybe a shot from Fin, and one or two from your Raef/Bradley combo, and all of a sudden, he's up to 15-17 shots per game. I think he'll get his shots just fine.