I'm Concerned with this Metamorphasis - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

birdsanctuary · 05-06-2005, 02:21 PM

I'm concerned with the change in Dirk Nowitzki. It appears Avery is asking him to forgoe open jumpers and drive to the basket on every touch. It appears that Dirk Nowitzki is becoming Tim Duncan. My only concern is that Dirk is a fantastically pure shooter, and this strategy is probably fine in the playoffs given that others take care of their end of things.

As much as Dirk is becoming the focus, because of his unusual playoff numbers I don't feel he is the root cause.

I personally believe the Mavs woes stem from the lack of a Nash-like playmaker.

Devin will be that playmaker in time he's showing signs.

Maybe turning into Tim Duncan isn't that bad of thing?

Cuban + Stern = **** · 05-06-2005, 02:39 PM

It's a good thing he's driving to the basket every chance he gets based on the way he's been shooting. If he's going to make an impact and his shots aren't falling, at least he can get to the line and get Yao in foul trouble. If he turned into anything like Tim Duncan I'd faint. You know that will never happen though because Dirk likes to shoot all of those 3's, and he doesn't have much of a post up game, aside from 1 or 2 moves.

A playmaker would be nice judging by the assist numbers in the last game. It always makes everyones lives so much easier to have someone like Nash getting you wide open looks. Without another superstar, or a true point guard Dirk is forced to make a lot of the plays on his own, and I think that is the main thing hurting him.

chumdawg · 05-06-2005, 02:53 PM

It is not at all uncommon in sports for a guy to have extraordinary success in one system and then look ordinary in a new one.

Captain Disaster · 05-06-2005, 06:19 PM

He's only looked ordinary in THIS series. He's not getting enough help now that Van Horn is out and Dampier is stinking it up, not to mention the lack of a TRUE point guard, and then of course, don't forget his having to guard Yao, the decline of Finley, a new coach, etc.......

nuggien · 05-06-2005, 06:33 PM

so many excuses from a team led by a man who claims his team doesn't make excuses.

mavsman55 · 05-06-2005, 06:54 PM

I, for one, am not a huge fan of Dirk driving it in rather than taking the open shot. First of all, he has a history of bad ankle problems. Second of all, he's no good at it. How many layups did he miss yesterday?

Thespiralgoeson · 05-06-2005, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: nuggien
so many excuses from a team led by a man who claims his team doesn't make excuses.

Shut the f*ck up. Who the hell made any excuses? Dirk is not playing well, period. Nobody here is denying that. That's what the thread was about, moron. "I'm concerned with this Metamorphasis" meaning "I'm concerned that Dirk isn't playing like he should."

Back to topic, I really think that AJ is part of the problem. All I see from Dirk is isolation. Just posting, and posting. AJ really needs to figure out how to run plays for him. Another part of the problem is the Rockets defense. We all know that Dirk has trouble with smaller defenders. Guys like AK47, Kenyon Martin, and especially Shawn Marion really give him problems. McGrady is about the same size as those guys. Dirk loves the perimeter, so when Van Gundy puts perimeter defenders like McGrady and Bowen on him, it sort of takes him out of his comfort-zone. He knows he has a size advantage over them, so he tries to post them. The problem is, his post game just isn't anywhere near as good as his perimeter game. This just isn't his series. If we get to the WCF against the Spurs, then I'll expect Dirk to play like his old self, because Duncan really has trouble guarding him. Until then, I wouldn't expect much bigger numbers out of him. I'm not expecting a breakout game in game 7, and if we win that game, I don't expect him to have great numbers against Shawn Marion either.

dude1394 · 05-06-2005, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: nuggien
so many excuses from a team led by a man who claims his team doesn't make excuses.

troll

dude1394 · 05-06-2005, 07:09 PM

I'm concerned as well, it looks like the coaching staff isn't helping him out here either. If you watch a guy continue to struggle you don't just keep putting him in the same role if he has skills to do something else.

I still don't understand why there is no pick and roll. Dirk can roll to the basket, pop out for an open shot or get a switch to a smaller guy. It's unfathomable to me that something that has been the staple of the mavs offense for 6 years now has been abandoned.

So avery took 1.5 games to figure out that small ball was hurting us. Has it taken him 6 GAMES to figure out how to get an advantage on offense?

Movie Phone · 05-06-2005, 11:35 PM

you houston fans are just....idiotic. mavs are the suck...haha i still cant get over that

The Miles · 05-07-2005, 02:57 AM

The lack of pick and roll really bothers me too. You would think that Coach Johnson would see that the pick and roll was getting McGrady off and that he would remember that it was the bread and butter of the Nash/Dirk game. I mean, Jet was supposed to be good on the pick and roll, and yet we never use it.

Still, I like the transformation, Dirk needs to become a low post guy with an array of great post moves and less of a jumpshooter. We were down 4-1 last year to an inferior team running the pick and roll, though Nash having 4 bad games out 5 really limted its effectiveness, and now we are tied 3-3 against a much better team heading home for a Game 7.

So it must be working.

DubOverdose · 05-07-2005, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by: chumdawg
It is not at all uncommon in sports for a guy to have extraordinary success in one system and then look ordinary in a new one.

Chris Webber is a perfect example.

Bookit · 05-07-2005, 10:02 AM

There was a hint in game 6 that Avery told Dirk to shoot more often and less from the low block. Dirk was still missing his outside shots but it appeared to be a slight change. Hopefully those same shots will fall in game 7. Dirk is at his best when he is just letting them fly...so to speak.

Ninkobei · 05-07-2005, 11:29 AM

I say we let Dirk shoot where ever he wants. Let the big guy loose. Let him take insane shots over T-Mac and Yao from mid-range. Once he hits a few they'll have to play out a bit and leave the base open for guys like Queesy. And if they don't, keep shootin Dirk they'll go in eventually!

freestyle · 05-07-2005, 11:52 AM

Dampier was supposed to be our dominating inside presence. Aside from a some offensive rebounding, however, he has been mostly a no-show in this series. HE especially is the one who needs some kind of inside game. If they wanted to play Dirk tight on the perimeter, we could just pass it inside.

Mavs4Life · 05-07-2005, 03:00 PM

if we're depending on dampier to come through, we might as well just give up now.

Thespiralgoeson · 05-07-2005, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: Mavs4Life
if we're depending on dampier to come through, we might as well just give up now.

What the hell are you talking about? Damp had a solid performance in Game 6. The guy always plays solid, so long as he can stay out of foul trouble.

Mavs4Life · 05-07-2005, 05:28 PM

and has he stayed out of foul trouble at all in this series?

Thespiralgoeson · 05-07-2005, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: Thespiralgoeson

Damp had a solid performance in Game 6.

Mavs4Life · 05-07-2005, 06:55 PM

sure, if getting 8 points and fouling out despite yao being out the entire 4th quarter counts as solid to you. Fine. $70 something million for that?

aexchange · 05-07-2005, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: nuggien
so many excuses from a team led by a man who claims his team doesn't make excuses.

stuff it troll.

say byeeeeee.

Thespiralgoeson · 05-07-2005, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: The Miles

Still, I like the transformation, Dirk needs to become a low post guy with an array of great post moves and less of a jumpshooter.

Dirk is one of the purest shooter's in the league. Sure, he needs to work on his post game and develop a few moves, but honestly, less of a jumpshooter? Saying that Dirk should be more of a post player, and less of a shooter is like saying that Duncan should become a jumpshooter and stop posting so much... That's the one thing that makes Dirk special; the fact that a guy his size can shoot the ball so well. That's the advantage he has over Duncan, Garnett, and other elite PF's. Yes, he does need to improve his post game, but c'mon, you wouldn't tell Peja Stojakavic to stop shooting 3's, or Steve Nash to stop passing so much. No sir, if Dirk has a good look, he needs to take that shot.