Get Nowitzki the Ball, a lot - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

Bayliss · 10-12-2004, 11:35 PM

(This is from the DMN. I don't think anyone else posted it before.

Get Nowitzki the ball, a lot

To be successful, Mavericks' play needs to revolve around Dirk

08:59 PM CDT on Tuesday, October 12, 2004

Some want Dirk Nowitzki to step up and say the Mavericks are his team.

Others long for the All-Star forward to become an in-your-face leader.

My response is get the ball in his hands as often as possible and don't worry about the other stuff.

Ask Don Nelson what he wants to accomplish in this training camp and the list is as long as Erick Dampier's wing span. The Mavericks must integrate two new point guards, a center and a sixth man into the rotation. The team is making defense a priority and altering its half-court offense as it opens the preseason tonight with a game at New Orleans.

It's a lot to do. And unlike last season, all of it revolves around Nowitzki.

"There is no question that Dirk is a hub for us from every perspective, defensive and offensive, because he's so exceptional," said Donnie Nelson, the team's director of basketball operations. "The more comfortable that hub is, the better our chances are."

It sounds silly to suggest a team that led the league in scoring last season lost its offensive identity, but that's exactly what happened. A big part of that came in how Nowitzki was used.

Forwards Antoine Walker and Antawn Jamison changed the complexion of the front line. Nowitzki was shuttled between power forward, small forward and center to accommodate those players. Not only was he touching the ball less than in previous seasons, where he got the ball varied.

The result: Nowitzki failed to improve his statistics for the first time in his six years in the league. His scoring averaged dropped by 3.3 points, his shooting percentage dipped to pre-All-Star levels and his three-point accuracy was the lowest since his rookie season.

"It wasn't Dirk's fault," owner Mark Cuban said. "It was an organizational issue. We didn't have a definition of who we were. The design was flawed.

"Dirk, on his own volition and by design, will get a lot more touches this season. When desire and design go together, hopefully good things will happen."

Let Dirk be Dirk. That's what the Mavericks are saying. Don't ask him to adapt his game to suit his teammates. Tell Nowitzki to play to his strengths and require the rest of the Mavericks to compliment him.

That meant trading Walker and Jamison so Nowitzki can play the majority of minutes at his natural position of power forward. It means surrounding him with quality defensive players on the perimeter and a strong presence in the middle in Dampier. It means not harping on Nowitzki to raise his assist total because too often that means giving the ball to someone who doesn't shoot as well as he does.

Nowitzki understands. He was disappointed in how he played last season, particularly the first two months, and will tell you, "the whole thing was messed up." He never found a rhythm and neither did the team.

He doesn't want that to happen again.

"I've got to be aggressive," Nowitzki said. "That's the thing I've learned. I can't let other people, other players on the court who are very good players, I can't let them affect my game.

"I can't pass up shots, I can't be worried about other teammates who might have been open at that point. I've got to play my game the way I've been playing. Be aggressive offensively. Take someone off the dribble or sometimes take a tough shot. That's part of the game."

Nowitzki is quick to defer to his teammates. It's an admirable trait, but one that can detract from stardom.

Don Nelson has a plan for that as well. Nowitzki is the only player the coach intends to play 38 to 40 minutes a game as he utilizes the depth on this roster. Nelson said he expects Nowitzki to respond with his best season.

"Hopefully, it will be a good year for me," Nowitzki said. "We'll see how it develops."

Mavs Maniac · 10-13-2004, 12:17 AM

Quote:

"I've got to be aggressive," Nowitzki said. "That's the thing I've learned. I can't let other people, other players on the court who are very good players, I can't let them affect my game.

"I can't pass up shots, I can't be worried about other teammates who might have been open at that point. I've got to play my game the way I've been playing. Be aggressive offensively. Take someone off the dribble or sometimes take a tough shot. That's part of the game."

Maybe last year wasn't a loss after all!!

dirk2003 · 10-13-2004, 12:33 AM

Talk, talk and more talk. I want to see this in a game. I want to see the ball being given to Dirk for 8 straight possesions... then I will know it wasnt just talk.

fifteenth man · 10-13-2004, 12:40 AM

I love the big German. I think he'll get 40 points and 20 rebounds a game this year. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

sike · 10-13-2004, 01:33 AM

I like the message of this article. Lets hope it is more than just camp talk

mary · 10-13-2004, 02:59 AM

This is with out a doubt, my favorite pre-season Mavs article.

Murphy3 · 10-13-2004, 07:53 AM

Mary, you're exactly right. I've been preaching the same thing for a long time. It's really about time common sense set in with the Mavs head coach.

Charlie Brown · 10-13-2004, 09:22 AM

i've printed this article and posted it on my wall . . .

what took so long for management to realize what I and many other posters have been preaching all along . . . geez . . .

Murphy3 · 10-13-2004, 09:34 AM

What did Dirk average the last half of the 2002-2003 season?....27-28 points with around 11 boards a game?

It just shows how literally brain dead the Mavs coaching staff was last season. I will make some serious noise this year and will encourage others to do the same if the Mavs do not hold true to this article.

irontoad · 10-13-2004, 10:55 AM

Quote:

"I can't pass up shots, I can't be worried about other teammates who might have been open at that point. I've got to play my game the way I've been playing. Be aggressive offensively. Take someone off the dribble or sometimes take a tough shot. That's part of the game."

This definitely does not sound like the Dirk we're used to, it actually reminds me of an article by a one 'Jeff Spicoli' a while back, haha... anyway, if Dirk plans to make true on this, and Nelson obliges, this obviously will be a great year for the big german, I can't wait. Anyone think that if Nash were on the team this year he'd be making the same statements??

FilthyFinMavs · 10-13-2004, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by: irontoad

Quote:

"I can't pass up shots, I can't be worried about other teammates who might have been open at that point. I've got to play my game the way I've been playing. Be aggressive offensively. Take someone off the dribble or sometimes take a tough shot. That's part of the game."

This definitely does not sound like the Dirk we're used to, it actually reminds me of an article by a one 'Jeff Spicoli' a while back, haha... anyway, if Dirk plans to make true on this, and Nelson obliges, this obviously will be a great year for the big german, I can't wait. Anyone think that if Nash were on the team this year he'd be making the same statements??

I hope it results into a big year for the Mavs.

sike · 10-13-2004, 11:29 AM

Quote:

what took so long for management to realize what I and many other posters have been preaching all along . . . geez . . .

it took someone very powerful (cubes) to clue Nellie in that he aint quite genius enough to ingnore his supertalented all star...and if he did...bye bye. I for one think Dirk proved he was ready for this move towards the end of the 02-03 season....Nash or no Nash, given the opportunity, Dirk has/could/will dominate the offensive game.

Male30Dan · 10-13-2004, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: irontoad

Quote:

"I can't pass up shots, I can't be worried about other teammates who might have been open at that point. I've got to play my game the way I've been playing. Be aggressive offensively. Take someone off the dribble or sometimes take a tough shot. That's part of the game."

This definitely does not sound like the Dirk we're used to, it actually reminds me of an article by a one 'Jeff Spicoli' a while back, haha... anyway, if Dirk plans to make true on this, and Nelson obliges, this obviously will be a great year for the big german, I can't wait. Anyone think that if Nash were on the team this year he'd be making the same statements??

I don't know what your talking about! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

Phil Helmuth · 10-13-2004, 05:12 PM

I wager we will be cheering MVP in April for the big German. The early line from Vegas (my own predictions) on his stats put him at 26-11-3 with 1.5 blocks and steals.

seal614 · 10-13-2004, 05:25 PM

dirk is sick

mary · 10-13-2004, 05:28 PM

edited for your pleasure

Simon2 · 10-13-2004, 05:32 PM

Wow! I guess last year's step back was really a step forward. Realistically, how much more can be squeezed out of the big German. Can he average more than 20 pts a game? Dirk doesn't need to really score more. What the Mavs need is a go-to-guy. Ala Duncan. When the Spurs need a basket, they go to Duncan. When the Wolves need a basket, they give it to KG. Dirk has been doing some of that but this year, when the Mavs are in an offensive drought. Dirk should be getting most of the touches. Take over big fella!

Day1MavsFan · 10-14-2004, 02:33 AM

What I don't hear is that Dirk is going to take the ball inside more. He needs to position himself closer to the basket, especially when smaller players are on him. Simon, is right. Dirk needs to be the go-to guy, and in order for him to be that, he needs to have more of an inside game.

grndmstr_c · 10-14-2004, 02:50 AM

Quote:

What I don't hear is that Dirk is going to take the ball inside more. He needs to position himself closer to the basket, especially when smaller players are on him. Simon, is right. Dirk needs to be the go-to guy, and in order for him to be that, he needs to have more of an inside game.

With Damp, and also with a bunch of 2/3's playing all the SF minutes, Dirk's not going to draw the small defender very often, and he's not going to need to post up as much.

jayC · 10-15-2004, 11:45 AM

25ppg 10rpg 5apg, the mavs went away from posting Dirk last year. No more center well at least for 30 minutes a night. I think we could see it at the end of games maybe. Two concerns no real true point and small forward. Otherwise this team is very explosive capable of lighting it up for 100 points and holding opponents to 95 points.