PGT: Chokers

[Kante]

Just a blatant choke. Not getting a call in the 4th did not help but still, team can't hold onto a lead.

Pathetic!

[markus1234]

Coaching loss at its finest.

[Kante]

Going with Blair over Dalembert when you needed stops, awesome.

Dirk, Ellis, Carter played like crap in the 2nd half!

[sefant77]

Braindead

[orphenn]

just want this season to be over

[Dim499]

Calderon injury was big of course. Larkin poisoned this game so badly for the Mavs both times he got in. 0-4 and 4 TO. Mekel was out of rhythm as well, so none of the three point guards were there to help execute late. Tough strech for Dirk and everyone else late.

[Skywalker]

The game in Denver and moreso this one should've been wins. Terrible execution down the stretch

[DevinHarriswillstart]

I defended Carter pretty much all of last season. He never complained and made the best of a bad situation by playing a good all-around game. Now his BBIQ seems to have left him with his inability to realize his limitations.

[markus1234]

Everything Carter does on the court is on Rick.

Imagine Kidd in the last 2min. Would he ever pass the ball to Carter ?

I do not think so.

On offense Rick makes mistake after mistake this year. There is no system no hierarchy. Marion with 8 threes. No excuses. That's d league. Marion's job should be defense till exhaustion. And Carter should make PLAYS not (missed)jumpshots.

[He15man]

Can't believe Carter took that shot

Ellis or Dirk take the shot no matter what

[He15man]

Hard to win games when you only score 12 points in the 4th quarter, and a huge choke to.

Now we know how Houston felt

[Popeye]

I don't like Dirk checking back in with 4 minutes left in the game. He's been horrible in 4th quarter lately and I think the stupid rotations are part of the reason.

[Melonhead]

Atlanta just pulled a Dallas on us.

[markus1234]

Originally Posted by Popeye

I don't like Dirk checking back in with 4 minutes left in the game. He's been horrible in 4th quarter lately and I think the stupid rotations are part of the reason.

Of course.

Dirk should be in the game with 7 minutes left.

[Vinsanity]

This team's inability to maintain a big lead is absolutely pathetic. I knew when we were up by 17 in the third that it was gonna be close. Just a sad, sad loss... No other way to put it.

[LonghornDub]

Carter has regressed, and the over-reliance on him end-game really does have to stop.

Of course, that's not where the game was lost. Awful fourth quarter by everybody (except Blair on the boards). Bad rotations and play-management by Rick. More bad fourth-quarter shooting from Dirk. Generally inept play from Monta. List goes on.

[sefant77]

[twelli]

Knee-jerking by fair-weather fans... What's new? We lost alright, but the defensive effort was there for most of the game. Vince is getting old and he missed that last shot badly, but he's still a nice piece to have. Play him less, OK, but he was certainly not the only one who missed shots in the last quarter. Dirk with little Teague on him should have made that shot in the last minute. Marion missed two open threes from the corner. Ellis took an ill-advised shot late in the game. We just went cold shooting in the forth. Again, I liked the defensive effort. Atlanta had to work really hard to get the lead in the final minute.

[sefant77]

Sure it was bad defense and no lucky bounce...but third time within two games that we blowing a huge lead?

[dude1394]

Poor bench play. Especially from the wings. Blair/Vince showed up okay and the rest is pretty bad.

[Cerberus]

Was Calderon injured or something?

EDIT: Just read it was a right ankle

[GhostOfAdamMorrison]

Originally Posted by dude1394

Poor bench play. Especially from the wings. Blair/Vince showed up okay and the rest is pretty bad.

Vince showed up...and proceeded to vomit all over the court.

[dude1394]

Blair/Vince score 9 points each. Rest of bench a big goose egg.

[GhostOfAdamMorrison]

Originally Posted by dude1394

Blair/Vince score 9 points each. Rest of bench a big goose egg.

Blair had 9 points on 3 shots and 18 rebounds.

VC had 9 points on 10 shots. Yeah, but they both brought it...

[dude1394]

What is your point. They could have had a big goose egg like the rest of the bench, would that be better.

The point is the mavs bench is none too good. You can rag all day on Vince but think what that bench would be without even him out there.

[GhostOfAdamMorrison]

Being the 2nd best scrub isn't a good thing. Yeah, he was better than Larkin...that don't mean he should be praised...

[Budapest Maverick]

We are a very average team this year, our win/loss record should be close to 50%. I mean, we can get our panties up in a bunch, but at the end of the day, we are what we are. Let's face it, most of us knew this before the season. That's the reality. They are going to win some games, and lose to good teams around 70%-75% of the time, and maybe make the playoffs as a 7-8th seed. We didn't have a team that was this easy to figure out in like a decade. We know they won't win 50-52 games, and we know they won't lose more than 42. We are the definition of mediocrity this season.

[Kante]

And boy, was Larkin awful!

[oilfieldtrash]

Originally Posted by Budapest Maverick

We are a very average team this year, our win/loss record should be close to 50%. I mean, we can get our panties up in a bunch, but at the end of the day, we are what we are. Let's face it, most of us knew this before the season. That's the reality. They are going to win some games, and lose to good teams around 70%-75% of the time, and maybe make the playoffs as a 7-8th seed. We didn't have a team that was this easy to figure out in like a decade. We know they won't win 50-52 games, and we know they won't lose more than 42. We are the definition of mediocrity this season.

This. And exactly what Cuban said before was the worst place to be. Yet here we are.

[JeffViggiano]

Originally Posted by oilfieldtrash

This. And exactly what Cuban said before was the worst place to be. Yet here we are.

for the second year...

anyway i think we are better than a 50% team...

[markus1234]

Well...3rd year already.

[CanadianMavsFan]

Heart breaking loss. I left before the start of the 4th quarter to go out thinking that the Mavericks were definitely walking away with a W (leading by 10+ points almost the whole game). This was a test of mettle on the road, and they failed quite completely. You just can't throw away games like that and expect to do anything significant in the NBA. This is a game that Dirk could have put on his shoulders in the past, but I think it is clear (after this game and the Denver game) that he is no longer capable of doing that consistently in an 82 game season at the age of 35.

Other notes:

- Vince Carter has looked miserable. He forces shots, is too slow to create his own against even average perimeter defenders. Again, you just can't have this production out of your sixth man

- Dalembert would work perfectly as a backup center. It is a small hope but if the front office can swing a trade before the deadline for a legit starting C this team still has a punching chance

- The poor decision making from the guards in this game was brutal (Larkin in particular). I really hope Carlisle tinkers with the lineups when Harris comes back, I'm not sure I want to see Jose and Monta together starting games anymore. Monta would be more effective in a heightened Jason Terry role IMO

[markus1234]

Originally Posted by CanadianMavsFan

I think it is clear that he is no longer capable of doing that consistently in an 82 game season at the age of 35.

Stop. This. Plz.

The 4th quarter had nothing to do with Dirk being 35.

If Kidd had run the show yesterday (instead of Rick), it would be an easy 10+ win.

Carter would not shoot the ball in the 4th, Marion would not have taken 8 threes and Dirk would be our go to guy no matter what. Kidd would have passed the ball to Dirk (in his sweet spots) till his arm falls off...and we go home with a W.

[DevinHarriswillstart]

I want to know why Ellington gets a measly two minutes but pet project Crowder gets 18 meaningless minutes. I think a minor trade to strengthen the bench will happen at some point. Harris and Wright need to get healthy.

[Melonhead]

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

I want to know why Ellington gets a measly two minutes but pet project Crowder gets 18 meaningless minutes. I think a minor trade to strengthen the bench will happen at some point. Harris and Wright need to get healthy.

I wish Wayne got more minutes than Crowder

[mac222b]

Originally Posted by oilfieldtrash

This. And exactly what Cuban said before was the worst place to be. Yet here we are.

The difference being that we finally have some nice pieces.
Dalembert, Blair and Wright will be a nice bigs rotation all on team friendly contracts. Add a legit starting Center next season and Dalembert goes from being average/mediocre starter to excellent backup ala Brendon Haywood(only paid half as much)
Trix, VC and Dirk's contracts are all expiring creating huge cap room.

Monta and Jose and Devin are on relatively fair deals. Shane Larkin, last nights meltdown withstanding, looks like at the very least a good rotation player and potentially valuable trade chip. Even Mekel has proven to be a good signing. I think we'll see Ellington moved if possible after the deadline so as to have even more room this summer. Ellington is really the only offseason move thus far that wasn't a "hit" and it isn't exactly a team crippling miss.

I think the MBT has rebounded about as well as they could all things considered. I mean we all wish that the Odom fiasco could've been undone.
It has hindered any slim chance we may've had of trading for another difference maker.

Hindsight being 20/20 they should've started stripping down even further post championship and acquired as many draft picks and cheap young assets as possible. Obviously the pick to LA-OKC for Odom hurts flexibility and there may have been an opportunity or two missed to acquire extra picks. More cap room could've been left to absorb contracts last season instead of signing the likes of Mike James. Otherwise considering that we missed out on Harden, Dwight Howard, CP3 etc. we're in about as good a place as can be expected

[oilfieldtrash]

Originally Posted by JeffViggiano

for the second year...

anyway i think we are better than a 50% team...

I agree. Probably a 6 seed if everything goes well to a 8 seed worse case scenario imo.

[GhostOfAdamMorrison]

Originally Posted by CanadianMavsFan

Heart breaking loss. I left before the start of the 4th quarter to go out thinking that the Mavericks were definitely walking away with a W (leading by 10+ points almost the whole game). This was a test of mettle on the road, and they failed quite completely. You just can't throw away games like that and expect to do anything significant in the NBA. This is a game that Dirk could have put on his shoulders in the past, but I think it is clear (after this game and the Denver game) that he is no longer capable of doing that consistently in an 82 game season at the age of 35.

Other notes:

- Vince Carter has looked miserable. He forces shots, is too slow to create his own against even average perimeter defenders. Again, you just can't have this production out of your sixth man

- Dalembert would work perfectly as a backup center. It is a small hope but if the front office can swing a trade before the deadline for a legit starting C this team still has a punching chance

- The poor decision making from the guards in this game was brutal (Larkin in particular). I really hope Carlisle tinkers with the lineups when Harris comes back, I'm not sure I want to see Jose and Monta together starting games anymore. Monta would be more effective in a heightened Jason Terry role IMO

Kind of hard to put the game on your shoulders when you don't get back in until there are only 4 minutes left...

Funny how your "notes" don't mention Monta scoring 12 points and 15 shots and his 7 turnovers. But yeah, we totally lost because Dirk missed one shot late after getting frozen out by "coach."...

[GhostOfAdamMorrison]

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

I want to know why Ellington gets a measly two minutes but pet project Crowder gets 18 meaningless minutes. I think a minor trade to strengthen the bench will happen at some point. Harris and Wright need to get healthy.

Hey, you actually made a cogent point! Ellington definitely should have seen more minutes. He's been playing well lately, but RC is notorious at playing favorites. He has a weird fascination with VC, and apparently his protege, Jae "fool's gold" Crowder.

[oilfieldtrash]

Carlisle is weird with his rotations. And if you get in the doghouse good luck getting out. I'm not going to doubt the guy though. He almost made the playoffs with some absolute scrub talent last year. He was a definite candidate for coach of the year with the talent he made due with.