Mavs 87 Hawks 95 (UGH UGH UGH) - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

ghazi · 03-19-2009, 08:25 PM

Oh how irritating this loss is, let me tell you.

Bottom line, our guys just could NOT hit our shots.

I've complained about it a few times now, how we're bottom 5 in league in 3-PT shooting yet were top 5 2 years ago. It's an element that our offense has lost causing us to go from top 3 in efficiency to 8th-9th, which we've been hovering around all year. The difference between a team that makes 34-35% of it's 3's or 37-38% of it's 3's is more significant than it sounds.

HEre's a microcosm of the game:

Down 69-63 in 3rd making a run

Wright misses a 3
Wright gets stripped while driving
Terry misses a 3
Dirk misses a 3
Josh Smith and 1 flagrant by Terry
Singleton misses a 3

Oh how our guys had their chances.

Tonight our guys went 6-31 from behind the arc. It's too many 3-PT'ers for our guys but my god even if we just make 1 outta 3 we win the game.

And to think DIrk/JET missed 3 FT's and we yielded 3 points via technicals.

Had our chances tonight, the shots just didn't fall

Great game for Hollins.

Terry was frustratingly off except for that somewhat LUCK 3 to end the 3rd.

Wright was good, although wide open missed corner 3's are a vexation.

Dirk had a solid game, nothing special.

Kidd was good.

Barea and Bass were good in doses, but inconsistent overall.

I thought the officiating was horrendous. Terry got mauled on one of his 3's. When Dirk complained of the And 1 it was legitimate, and same w/ Carlisle when he was complaining about Smith.

But alas, I thought it went both ways actually.

SIgh, vexing to lose a game in such a manner. Vexing. On to Indiana

I need a cigarette, and I don't even smoke.

fluid.forty.one · 03-19-2009, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghazi

I need a cigarette, and I don't even smoke.

you say this often... at some point occasional cigarettes means you *do* smoke.

Pretty crappy loss. Too many jump shots. Terry can't take nights off like this without Howard in the lineup.

blah

LonghornDub · 03-20-2009, 12:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fluid.forty.one

you say this often... at some point occasional cigarettes means you *do* smoke.

I think he was joking. As in, he doesn't really need a cigarette, he's just on edge and wants something to calm his nerves.

fluid.forty.one · 03-20-2009, 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LonghornDub

I think he was joking. As in, he doesn't really need a cigarette, he's just on edge and wants something to calm his nerves.

Well, he has said many times that he'll be "back after I have a cigarette". So either he really sticks to his jokes, or...

Not that it matters at all.. I was just pointing it out

jc1988 · 03-19-2009, 08:29 PM

8th seed

Underdog · 03-19-2009, 08:30 PM

Itachi · 03-19-2009, 08:30 PM

Can't make a shot down the stretch. It was nice to see more of Hollins. Not bad.

twistaeffect2004 · 03-19-2009, 08:31 PM

Did the Mavs lose to a team we're supposed to beat?

sefant77 · 03-19-2009, 08:31 PM

Call the Cowboys, they can expand the new Stadium with all that bricks.

Foul on Jet´s Three, Horford scores in the Fastbreak, 2-3 more FT from Dirk and Terry, 1-3 T´s less...and we would have won this freakin awful game.

Nothing more to say.

Dirks still out of gas and tomorrow a b2b, nice.

BGMaverick9 · 03-19-2009, 08:31 PM

This was a painful one but not a heartbreaking game, if that makes sense. It was just ridiculous the stretches we had where we were ice cold shooting. It stinks because this was the most alert I've seen our defense in quite a while.

Jet and Bass were big let downs tonight, if we got an average or better than average night from either one of them, I think we would've won the game. Jet was just terrible for the night and Bass was clunking some regular jumpers for him in the first half.

fluid.forty.one · 03-19-2009, 08:32 PM

Phoenix is within 3 1/2 games.

monty55555 · 03-19-2009, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fluid.forty.one

Phoenix is within 3 1/2 games.

A few days ago, I was worried about staying in the 8th seed and playing the Lakers in the playoffs.

Now, I'm worried about not being able to make the playoffs. Just last week, it was 5 games separating the Mavs and the Suns. Now, its 3 1/2.

dude1394 · 03-19-2009, 08:41 PM

Nice 31 3pta's.

bcrav4 · 03-19-2009, 08:32 PM

I'm worried about tomorrow's game. Dirk and Kidd both played 40 mins tonight and we are an older team playing on the road.

As for tonight. 6 of 31 on 3s is almost unfathomable. No free throws in the first half must have really gotten into our heads.

dalger · 03-19-2009, 08:40 PM

The odds weren't in our favor to win this game with two starters out and Atlanta on a winning streak. Yet we really could've had this one. It doesn't seem that Atlanta won it. We lost it by giving away numerous opportunities and having a bad second quarter.

This season just continues to be quite unsatisfying. I know that it will be alright after a good night's sleep, but right now after the game this loss is a real pain in the arse.

Anything better than 8th place looks more and more unlikely after tonight's game. Overall, the fact that another year of Dirk's prime, or at least one of his very good years, as well as a still-good year from Kidd are being wasted is the most frustrating aspect. I'm sure the front office tried, but we simply didn't get it done and have to look forward to having a few funny games against the Lakers.

ghazi · 03-19-2009, 08:46 PM

3PA's only seem to bother people when they don't go in though.

I'm sure nobody had a problem with 16 of JET's 19 shots being 3-POINTERS on Sunday against the Lakers, cause he made SEVEN of them!

Considering the guys' lack of slashers or a low post paint player, it almost compels us to shoot a lot of 3's... and we're just not as good at making them. Have trouble creating other looks... inefficiency indeed.

I'm more upset about the 3-PT makes than the 3-PT attempts.

dude1394 · 03-19-2009, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghazi

3PA's only seem to bother people when they don't go in though.

I'm sure nobody had a problem with 16 of JET's 19 shots being 3-POINTERS on Sunday against the Lakers, cause he made SEVEN of them!

Considering the guys' lack of slashers or a low post paint player, it almost compels us to shoot a lot of 3's... and we're just not as good at making them. Have trouble creating other looks... inefficiency indeed.

I'm more upset about the 3-PT makes than the 3-PT attempts.

Well quite frankly I did. It was fools gold...he made 'em but it's not anything you can hang your hat on.

Bayliss · 03-19-2009, 08:47 PM

Offensively, the Mavs just have no clue.

Terry had an awful night shooting the 3 ball. But the coaching staff must encourage Wright to shoot so many 3 pointers. They have to encourage him. Surely they can see he sucks at shooting them. Yet he continues to hoist them.

Fine his @ss every time he shoots one. At some point Cuban will be making money. Wright will be paying Cuban instead of the other way around.

Hollins was impressive. Why can't he get minutes? Bass is absolutely worthless if he can't make his 15 footer. Play Hollins. Dayum. This year is f'd anyway. Give the young guy some burn.

And tonight, they probably could have used Green out there instead of Barea. I realize Barea drives the ball better than any other Mav. But the coaching staff needs to quit slobbering all over him and park his worthless @ss on the bench. His defense was costly in the 2nd and 4th quarter.

Dirkadirkastan · 03-19-2009, 08:56 PM

We'll make a minor push over the next several games (except @CLE) and put PHX away.

Thomas86 · 03-19-2009, 08:56 PM

I'm kinda of getting used to this losing now...the Mavs had a very good chance of wining this game and still lost.

Bayliss · 03-19-2009, 09:00 PM

Quote:

We'll make a minor push over the next several games (except @CLE) and put PHX away.

I'm not sure that is the best course of action. The Mavs will get slaughtered against the Lakers.

Dirkadirkastan · 03-19-2009, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bayliss

I'm not sure that is the best course of action. The Mavs will get slaughtered against the Lakers.

Since when have the Lakers embarrassed us? I would expect four straight heartbreakers, kind of like the Astros in the World Series.

Anyway, if you don't want the Lakers, you move up, not down. Again, we'll put PHX away soon, especially since beating them at home would decrease this magic number by three.

mmmfast · 03-19-2009, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dirkadirkastan

Since when have the Lakers embarrassed us? I would expect four straight heartbreakers, kind of like the Astros in the World Series.

Anyway, if you don't want the Lakers, you move up, not down. Again, we'll put PHX away soon, especially since beating them at home would decrease this magic number by three.

The Lakers recorded the largest 4th quarter comeback in the history of the NBA against us if memory serves.
Garbage bag unis? Our record at Staples is atrocious as well.

LonghornDub · 03-20-2009, 12:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bayliss

I'm not sure that is the best course of action. The Mavs will get slaughtered against the Lakers.

Making the playoffs is always the best course of action over not making the playoffs. Losers whine about wanting draft picks. Give me four (or maybe more, if we're lucky) extra, high-energy games. I don't care about being "embarrassed"--it's much more embarrassing for miss the dance.

fluid.forty.one · 03-20-2009, 12:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LonghornDub

Making the playoffs is always the best course of action over not making the playoffs. Losers whine about wanting draft picks. Give me four (or maybe more, if we're lucky) extra, high-energy games. I don't care about being "embarrassed"--it's much more embarrassing for miss the dance.

This.

walter · 03-20-2009, 12:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LonghornDub

Making the playoffs is always the best course of action over not making the playoffs. Losers whine about wanting draft picks. Give me four (or maybe more, if we're lucky) extra, high-energy games. I don't care about being "embarrassed"--it's much more embarrassing for miss the dance.

I will have to respectfully disagree with this. Being the 8th seed and a sacrificial lamb to the lakers is beyond pointless; being mired in mediocrity is the nba version of hell.

That said, while I think the lottery would be better for this team than the 8th seed, they should not tank. They should play hard the rest of the way and let the chips fall where they may.

Out of the last 13 games I see 7-8 games that there would be no shame if we lost: Denver, @ Cleveland, Miami, Phoenix, Utah, @ New Orleans, and Houston. I want them to play hard, but I wouldn't sweat it if we lost any number of these games, and if that leaves us with the 9th seed so be it.

Just my opinion

LonghornDub · 03-20-2009, 01:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walter

I will have to respectfully disagree with this. Being the 8th seed and a sacrificial lamb to the lakers is beyond pointless; being mired in mediocrity is the nba version of hell.

That said, while I think the lottery would be better for this team than the 8th seed, they should not tank. They should play hard the rest of the way and let the chips fall where they may.

Out of the last 13 games I see 7-8 games that there would be no shame if we lost: Denver, @ Cleveland, Miami, Phoenix, Utah, @ New Orleans, and Houston. I want them to play hard, but I wouldn't sweat it if we lost any number of these games, and if that leaves us with the 9th seed so be it.

Just my opinion

Being the #9 team and missing the playoffs isn't appreciably more likely to take you out of mediocrity via the draft than is being the #8 seed and losing in the first round. Do you really think there's that much of a difference between, say, the #12 pick and the #16 pick?

But even if there was a big difference, I still say it's a loser's mentality. The draft is a cool thing and it's a way to build your team from the ground up (or plug holes, as the case may be), but as long as the team is good enough to make the playoffs every year (i.e. as long as Dirk is good), F a damn lottery pick.

walter · 03-20-2009, 01:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LonghornDub

Being the #9 team and missing the playoffs isn't appreciably more likely to take you out of mediocrity via the draft than is being the #8 seed and losing in the first round. Do you really think there's that much of a difference between, say, the #12 pick and the #16 pick?

But even if there was a big difference, I still say it's a loser's mentality. The draft is a cool thing and it's a way to build your team from the ground up (or plug holes, as the case may be), but as long as the team is good enough to make the playoffs every year (i.e. as long as Dirk is good), F a damn lottery pick.

Well, maybe not much difference between 12 and 16 but what about the 14th pick vs no pick at all? If I'm not mistaken, the mavs gave up this years pick in the kidd trade but it's lottery protected. So 9th seed= pick, 8th seed= no pick.

Call it a loser's mentality if you like, but i'll take a late lottery pick over no pick and the right to be crushed by the lakers in 4-5 games. Besides, I don't think sacrificing 4 meaningless games in the present for a chance at adding talent for the future is all that bad a trade. Besides, losing out on talent will only prolong the losing in the future. So, isn't it possible that losing now will actually yield more wins in the next, say, 5 years than making the playoffs this year would? Thats all im saying.

Even if we dont yield a ton of talent from a late lottery pick, it would still be worth it to me to at least have a chance at making an upgrade vs having no chance, which is what would happen if we made the playoffs this year. And make no mistake, we would have a chance: Thaddeus Young, Al Thornton, Jason Thompson, and Brandon Rush all were drafted between 12 and 14 the last couple years and all of those guys would be a big help to us right now. Sure we are just as likely to end up with Yaroslav Korolev as we are Al Thornton, but at least we would have a chance at a big upgrade; who knows, maybe we get lucky.

You got to see the big picture, there is a future beyond the next couple months. So as much as people like to say that we should only be concerned with the here and now, that really only works when you have a very good chance at winning a title in the next couple years, something this team simply does not have the potential to do.

The goal is to win a championship, not win every regular season game or lose in the first round.

walter · 03-20-2009, 12:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bayliss

I'm not sure that is the best course of action. The Mavs will get slaughtered against the Lakers.

To be honest, ive been thinking lately that we would be better off missing the playoffs. I mean everybody knows we will be destroyed by the lakers, so whats the point of being the 8th seed? If we missed the playoffs we would get a better draft pick, a late lottery pick actually. Plus, it may finally be the wake up call to cuban that this team as presently constituted will not win anything and force him to make some drastic changes.

Maybe trade howard and contracts for shaq (we all know how close they were to trading him at the deadline, they were even rumored to have offered him to miami for marion of all people, so maybe they will want a small forward), resign kidd for a reasonable sum, sign a free agent or 2, and ride it out for 1 or 2 more years; if it doesn't work out, shaq's contract will be up after 09-10 so we can blow the team up and start over.

I'll never root against our mavs, but they are simply a mediocre team right now, even with all the injuries.

Anyhow, tonight the shots werent falling, and we all know this team lives and dies by the jumpshot (and dirk playing like a superstar night in and night out). Atlanta is a pretty decent team so its not a terrible loss. Forget about it and look forward to indiana.

DevinHarriswillstart · 03-19-2009, 09:04 PM

Did you watch the game this time Ghazi?

Encouraging: Hollins....great trade for Diop for sure.

Discouraging: Refs as always and three pointers missed.

Ugh.

Bayliss · 03-19-2009, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Anyway, if you don't want the Lakers, you move up, not down.

Yeah. But the Mavs aren't going to move up. Their only options are the 8th seed or 9th seed. The 8th seed gets you the Lakers. The 9th seed gets you the lottery, and no national TV embarrassment.

I'll take the lottery.

Dirkadirkastan · 03-19-2009, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bayliss

Yeah. But the Mavs aren't going to move up. Their only options are the 8th seed or 9th seed. The 8th seed gets you the Lakers. The 9th seed gets you the lottery, and no national TV embarrassment.

I'll take the lottery.

Then just put "I root against the Mavs" in your signature and let's end this conversation.

MavsWiLLHaVeRinGs · 03-19-2009, 09:11 PM

We're not a very good road team and we're setting ourselves up to play the Lakers without HCA. Is there any more reason to be optimistic at all really?

tcat075 · 03-19-2009, 09:15 PM

So what the hell happened?

Missed the game. According to DMN Mavs blog, we showed energy but couldn't close it out.

According to you guys, we made stupid shots and the refs sucked.

Probably a combo of the two. Regardless, 31 3PTA is a stat that Orlando usually doesn't get, and they're a good 3PT shooting team. We're not. When I checked the box score to this game on my phone at the end of the 3rd, Wright was 7/12. He ended up 7/15, including two more missed 3 pointers. Nice game, but played poorly in the 4th? Heard he got stitches. Not going to come down too hard on the kid.

Hollins was beast? Box score indicates so. Dirk got his nightly 20+, but still only on low 40% shooting. Bass sucked, Barea sucked, we took too many 3's, JET was worse than awful...

I am curious: how bad where the flagrant foul and ejection and non-calls. From DMN, I sounded like the Mavs were pissed and angry and energetic and the refs had kinda had a bad day and weren't in the mood for the players b-ing at them. From you guys, it sounds like they were dumb and hurt us down the stretch. Which was it?

tcat075 · 03-19-2009, 09:18 PM

Oh, and I didn't watch the game, so I don't know for sure. But from what I saw?

FREE GERALD GREEN, for God's sake! We aren't getting anywhere without him; might as well not go anywhere with him.

nowhereman · 03-19-2009, 09:21 PM

why didn't dallas shoot any 3's to try to get back in this?

laughable performance by dallas.

nowhereman · 03-19-2009, 09:22 PM

Will people stop quoting bayliss? I mean I'm already blocking the guy but so much of his crap seems to filter through.

Dirkadirkastan · 03-19-2009, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nowhereman

Will people stop quoting bayliss? I mean I'm already blocking the guy but so much of his crap seems to filter through.

Ok, sorry.

Bayliss · 03-19-2009, 09:25 PM

Quote:

hen just put "I root against the Mavs" in your signature and let's end this conversation.

Missing the playoffs and reloading in the summer via a trade and draft pick is much better than being the 8th seed and not reloading.

Hoping that they miss, and reload is not hoping the Mavs fail. It is hoping the Mavs get better. The only way for them to get better is to reload.

If they wait til next year to reload, they won't have the draft pick.

Dirkadirkastan · 03-19-2009, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bayliss

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

You would prefer seeing them lose, correct? That's what I'm saying.