The Sports Guy plays Fact or Fiction with the Mavs

[dirno2000]

FACT OR FICTION:You will never hear the phrase "Chess Match" during a playoff series involving Rick Adelman and Don Nelson.
That's a fact. This latest one was like watching Rupert and Big Tom strategizing on "Survivor," multiplied by 100. Have you ever seen two good teams make more mistakes during crunch-time? Do you realize that Dallas squandered not one, not two but three games on their final possession (all off-balance jump shots)? Or that the Kings slowed their offense down for most of the series, running everything through a hobbled C-Webb, when nobody on the Mavs could guard Mike Bibby? Why wasn't Dallas running more pick-and-rolls and taking advantage of the fact that Webber couldn't move? Why weren't the Kings running Bibby and Peja off more screens? We may never know.

Nelson took home the coveted booby prize in the end, which is why he's about to get canned (about four months too late). He spent the season yanking around everyone's minutes and trying different rotations, which never, ever, EVER works. NBA players need structure. Scroll through the champions of the past 40 years and I defy you to find a team that didn't have a set rotation. So what happens in the playoffs? He keeps tinkering. Nobody gets into a groove. They lose in five.

Other than trying to rush through a pick-and-roll in eight seconds at the end of Game 4, my favorite Nellie move happened in Game 2. Looking for a spark, he called on Najera -- only his toughest player and someone who could push the softer Kings around. So what happened? Najera predictably shoves C-Webb around, crashes the boards, keeps about 100 loose balls alive and wills the Mavs back into the game, just like he did in the Spurs series last spring. See, this is what Najera does. You would think he would play 30-to-35 minutes a game. You would think.

So Najera zooms around like the Great Cornholio. He's all over the place. You can't possibly play harder than this. Of course, Nellie never takes him out. Najera plays the whole second half at warp-speed ... by the end of the game, he's not even close to being the same guy. Amazingly, the same thing happens to Nash in Game 5 -- he's going all-out, never gets rested, then fades down the stretch and botches a couple key plays (including a crucial lay-up).

So I ask you ...

Is it a coincidence that Nelson hasn't coached in the Finals, and he doesn't abide by the rules of "Always settle on a rotation," "Put your best defensive players on the court when it matters" and "Rest your guys when they're tired"? I think not.

FACT OR FICTION: In retrospect, those Walker-Jamison moves didn't work out for Dallas.
That's fiction. They weren't winning a title no matter what happened last summer. It never hurts to stockpile quality players ... or in Walker's case, a salary that expires next summer (as opposed to Raef LaFrentz's albatross deal). Both guys had more value than what the Mavs gave up to get them. And Walker's contract, coupled with Finley or any of their young guys, gives them a major bargaining chip next season.

Here was the problem: The Mavs honestly thought they improved because of that "You can never have too much offense" crap. But Walker worked against them -- he didn't complement the other players or fill in any of the gaps they were missing. If anything, he took too many big shots away from Nowitzki and Nash, something that reared its head again in Game 5. They just didn't need him. They were always better off with Najera or Josh Howard out there.

Like Kenny Smith was saying Thursday night -- you CAN have too much offense. You only need two scoring options, three at most. You don't need four, and you definitely don't need five. What you do need are guys who can rebound, play some D and make Najera Plays (intangible plays that don't show up in box scores). That's basketball. There's a reason Bruce Bowen plays 35 minutes a game for the best team in the league.

(And if I'm discussing the Mavs too much, it's only because I liked watching them. Couldn't that series have gone seven? Would that have been too much to ask? Where was my man Dick Bavetta for Game 5? Is David Stern even in the country right now? What's happening here?)

[kg_veteran]

Nelson took home the coveted booby prize in the end, which is why he's about to get canned (about four months too late). He spent the season yanking around everyone's minutes and trying different rotations, which never, ever, EVER works. NBA players need structure. Scroll through the champions of the past 40 years and I defy you to find a team that didn't have a set rotation. So what happens in the playoffs? He keeps tinkering. Nobody gets into a groove. They lose in five.

Funny. This sounds familiar.

Is it a coincidence that Nelson hasn't coached in the Finals, and he doesn't abide by the rules of "Always settle on a rotation," "Put your best defensive players on the court when it matters" and "Rest your guys when they're tired"? I think not.

You have to have players, but these things certainly put you in the best position to get to the Finals.

[Fidel]

One of the better articles I´ve read about the Mavs.

Thanks for posting.

Nellie definitly should be gone. He screw up all season long.

[dude1394]

Dang, so who's moonlighting on this board. Nice stuff, read that this morning.

[Mavs Rule]

Very nice stuff. Thanks for posting this. I hope Mark sees this ... you think I ought to email it to him. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

[mavsman55]

They weren't winning a title no matter what happened last summer.

This statement is so incredibly flawed. The only reason we aren't still in the playoffs is because our talent wasn't utilized right.

It never hurts to stockpile quality players

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the exact opposite of this statement. At least when it comes to offense. Defensively, I wouldn't mind a bit of stockpiling but whoever said this was talking about Jamison and AW. Dirk, Finley and Nash were all slowed down this year because the offensive talent was spread out across the floor instead of running through them like they were used to. This causes chemistry problems. AW, Jamison, Nowitzki, Nash, and Finley all had significantly lower production this year because the focus wasn't really on any single player all year. Offensive stockpiling is not a good idea. Whoever spoke after this guy cleared it up.

[Chiwas]

Is it a coincidence that Nelson hasn't coached in the Finals, and he doesn't abide by the rules of "Always settle on a rotation," "Put your best defensive players on the court when it matters" and "Rest your guys when they're tired"? I think not.

Brilliant.

[Chiwas]

And Walker's contract, coupled with Finley ... gives them a major bargaining chip next season.

Indeed. We could go after another Nowitzki level of player. Dirk is very good, but it is not enough. We need 2 very good players, besides Nash. Who bets for T-Mac?

[dude1394]

Originally posted by: Chiwas

Brilliant.

Still would argue that last years san antonio, dallas series was the finals.

[ames7]

Thank you for posting that. I wouldn't have read it b/c Simmons hasn't been kind to the Mavs lately & I'm really not in the mood to read negative crap right now. That was actually a nice read.