ESPN Insider: Chad Ford's take on the Mavs

[dirno2000]

Honestly, I haven't given the Wizards enough consideration to feel comfortable opining about their post-season chances and how AJ will fit, though it's obviously no secret that I think well of him as a player. I will say this: I doubt AJ will ever again be on a team that fits his gifts as well as the Mavs did last year, and if we'd had a healthy Raef instead of Walker I think the match would have been even better.

That’s possible. The bottom line as I see it is that we underachieved as a team. It’s easy to place all the blame on Walker but Dirk or Nash didn’t play up to their standards either and it was their team. All the while Jamison was putting up good stats and being the good guy, just like in G.S. How can you not think well of him?

But at some point, he’s going to have to step and show he can make a team better, otherwise he’s just a glorified role player. You don’t really have to study Washington, to know that the East is only three deep in good teams. He has the opportunity to prove me wrong. However, if he just goes out and gets his 20 every night while the Wizards stay mired in mediocrity it’s going to be hard to shake that label.

[Psychedelic Fuzz]

I think it's a understandable to be concerned about the players who've been on losing teams. On the other hand, it could be a big motivating factor.

What I don't understand is the concern about Terry and Harris stepping into "Nellie's complicated offense." Someone please tell me if I missed the memo that said Don Nelson sticks to one rigid system regardless of the skills of his players. The last time I checked, it was the exact opposite...to a fault.

There's also a quote in one of the training camp articles about changing the system, and needing two good passers on the court.

For all Nelson's faults, the last thing anyone should be worrying about is that he will plug in a new player without adapting.

[fifteenth man]

Nellie has a system. It's just that he puts a premium on letting his best players be who they are within the system, like he did with Nick, and like he does with Dirk. Being the starting PG with Nellie may be a little harder since he leans on his PG so much. He really molded Nash into the PG he wanted. A lot of coaching went into what Nash became, and I think the same thing is being done now with the two new guys.

The thing about 2 passers on the floor isn't new. They've always talked about that. They used to talk about it the context of getting Nash his shots off of screens. I think having at least two good passers has always been a part of what Nellie wants to do.

[Psychedelic Fuzz]

Originally posted by: fifteenth man
Nellie has a system. It's just that he puts a premium on letting his best players be who they are within the system, like he did with Nick, and like he does with Dirk. Being the starting PG with Nellie may be a little harder since he leans on his PG so much. He really molded Nash into the PG he wanted. A lot of coaching went into what Nash became, and I think the same thing is being done now with the two new guys.

The thing about 2 passers on the floor isn't new. They've always talked about that. They used to talk about it the context of getting Nash his shots off of screens. I think having at least two good passers has always been a part of what Nellie wants to do.

I didn't say he doesn't have a system. I said it's not a rigid system where Terry and Harris will be forced to ignore their individual strengths and do things exactly the way Nash did them.

The two passers thing and getting Nash more shots was talked about in the context of the reviled "point forward." It didn't work then, but it proves my point that Nellie will play to the strength of his players the same way he tried to capitalize on Nash's shooting and Walker's passing.

[fifteenth man]

No, the two passer thing is older than talking up Walker as a point forward. They've always talked about wanting two passers on the floor. It didn't always mean having two pgs or a point forward, sometimes it meant just making sure one of your 2 guards was a decent passer. I've been hearing Nellie talk about this aspect of his offense for a long time.

And as far as the point forward not working: Walker didn't work, but having the 3 swing up top to initiate the offense has been around for a long time too. Other teams even use it.

We've used Ced Cebollos, Greg Buckner, and Michael Finley, and even Dirk at that role.

Anyway. I agree with you that Nellie tries to use the strenths of his players.

[FineCubanCigar]

Ceballos has yet to pass a basketball, did you watch those games? In 98-2000 he averaged just under 1.2 assists per game with the mavs.

[fifteenth man]

That's true about Ced's passing. He never met a shot he didn't like. I was just pointing out some of the players that Nellie has used to pop up top and initiate the offense. I think I remember Ced doing that, but I could be wrong.

[madape]

I remember Ced picking up a bunch of garbage buckets by just being around the basket. He would get the ball passed to him about three feet away, or grab a cheap offensive putback... much in the same manner that Jamison scored the majority of his points last year. Ced could hit the three, but most of his point came in the paint.

[fifteenth man]

That's true. I remember he was even called a good "garbage man".

I think I was wrong putting Ced on that ball handling list.

[FineCubanCigar]

Dennis Scott, George McCloud....