Van Exel's Trade Ends Our Playoff Hopes - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

Captain Disaster · 09-14-2003, 09:46 PM

The Mavericks have really blown it! Nick Van Exel was the heart of the Mavs during the playoffs. The Mavericks will still be a good team because of the big three, but they don't have a prayer in the playoffs because they have no one on the roster like Van Exel. Dirk seems to choke in some way, Nash runs out of gas, Finley can only dominate in the right situation, Jamison is more of a Keon Clark opportunist player. There is no one who can carry the team when the big three either struggle or are guarded closely which is what happens against the other 7 good teams in the west: Lakers, Spurs, Kings, Wolves, Blazers, Rockets, Suns.

I've really wanted to feel good about this trade; I've been pondering it for a few weeks now, and it will not result in the Mavericks going deeper into the playoffs. In fact, they will be lucky to get out of the first round!

UNLESS, Nowitzki suddenly develops a killer instinct, or Nash can stay fully energized, or Finley goes to the hole relentlessly (and the to the line), or Jamison becomes a "go-to" player.

The Mavs need two more players: an aging "ice-water-in-the-veins" veteran who can score, & a genuine center. If they get that (unless one of the new big four takes another step), they will win the championship with this lineup. If not, we may never win, barring lucky cicumstances.

Bayliss · 09-14-2003, 09:52 PM

Amazing how a player that has one good series against Sacramento can become the the Mavs best playoff player.

What did Van Exel do against Portland? What did he do against SA?

But yet you call Dirk a playoff choker? As I recall... Dirk won us the Portland series... he was our only rebounder against Sac... and was the biggest reason why we won game 1 against Sa. How is that choking? He is more efficient in the playoffs than he is in the regular season. Not too many superstars can make that claim. The vaulted Kobe Bryant... he can't make the claim. He's less efficient. So how is it that Dirk choked?

(And if our hopes rested on small ball and NVE... then we really did have no hope. Btw, your monikker is extremely right for your post.)

Captain Disaster · 09-14-2003, 10:05 PM

I must have hit a nerve if you're resulting to personal insults! There's a difference between a player who is on the verge of greatness and one who is truly great; Dirk is on the verge. He still hasn't taken us over the top in decisive games. Even if his personal stats have been great, he has not developed what Van Exel displayed on multiple occasions: a "willing" of the team to win in pressure situations IN THE PLAYOFFS. Kobe has it, Kidd has it, Duncan has it, Van Exel has it. It is a rare quality, and we traded it away for youth. I don't like small ball at all. I also hope that somehow this season proves that this trade will work in the playoffs when it counts; I just have my doubts.

Bayliss · 09-14-2003, 11:06 PM

You didn't hit a nerve. But explain to me how scoring 40+ points in 2 games... and being the guy who literally won thos 2 games... not having it?

How is it that defending the MVP, and forcing him into a tough shot at the buzzer not having it? And then icing the game with 2 free throws...?

Seems to me that Dirk does have it. The problem is that Dallas as a team did not have the personnel to combat the inside of their foes.

This year will be different.

Quote:

He still hasn't taken us over the top in decisive games.

You do realize that he has averaged 30+ points and 11+ boards in game 7s.... right? If that isn't "having it" then I don't want him to "have it" for every game 7.

Tarzan · 09-14-2003, 11:08 PM

Captain, I disagree with you. Dirk averaged more than 30 points and about 14 boards in the game 7s in last year's playoffs. He has also done very well in the playoffs in previous years. He is a clutch player in pressure situations. What are you basing your opinion on?

EricaLubarsky · 09-14-2003, 11:08 PM

Why play chicken little when Dirk and Nash won many of the games on their own in the Portland series, and Finley and Najera refused to lose in the San Antonio series. We got bigger, we got younger and we still have the same leadership we had last year. Losing one sparkplug will not "end our playoff hopes". Have a look at a post from a while back

Quote:

Originally posted by: Hitman
I admit it. I was one.

I was one of the people who got pissed at Nick during the regular season last year, when he would come off the bench and start taking ridiculous shots. I would yell at him to stop taking these shots, fully aware that he could not hear me. There were so many times that he would force shots up in key moments, and I would wonder out loud if Nick understood that he was a career 40% shooter and he was playing with three all stars, one of whom is perhaps the best all around offensive player in the world.

I also sat there in somewhat awe as Nick played great during much of the playoffs. There were several times that he was so hot he could have thrown the ball up blindfolded and the ball would have swished through the net. I found myself yelling "No Nick, No!!!!!!.....YES!!!!" on many occasions in the playoffs.

However...

It has become popular to see people stating that Nick was the bes player of the playoffs for the Mavericks last year, or even that Nick was the only reason that the Mavericks got past the first round. I have seen writers writing about it numerous times since Nick was traded, and I have seen posters here post the very same thing. However, I simply don't think we were watching the same games.

Game 5 vs. the Blazers (Mavs looking to close out the series as Dirk had pretty much won 2 or the 3 wins singlehandedly) , the Mavs were up late in the game, and within the last minute and a half Nick took 2 early, covered, three point bricks that were converted into scores by the Blazers. No writer ever brings this up, do they? Instead of closing out the Blazers in 5, we were forced to go back to Portland where Nick (and the rest of the Mavs) stunk the joint up something fierce. But the point is without Nick's HORRIBLE decisions in the waning moments of game 5, there never would have been a game 6 or 7. In game 7, Nick showed up big with 26 points, but we all know who was the MVP of that game was, don't we?

In the Sacramento series, Nick was brilliant. He was the Mavs leading scorer, he was hot as lava. But lets examine his true value, shall we?

In game 2, about 22 of his 36 points came in the second half, when the rest of the starters were resting and the game was out of reach. He lit it up, and he was on fire, but the majority of his damage came with the Mavs up 20+ already. Nick didn't start his barrage in that game until the Mavs were already up big.

Game 3...he was the Mavs MVP. No question about it. He lit it up something fierce.

Game 4...5 points. Nowitzki was not great either, but he did come up with a double-double. Moot point, Mavs loss.

Game 5...he took 17 shots to get 18 points. Dirk had 16 points, 15 rebounds and 9 assists and the Mavs win.

Game 6...Nick notches 35 points...Dirk has 21 points and 12 rebounds and the Mavs lose.

Game 7...Nick gets 23 points, Dirk has 30 points and 19 rebounds and the Mavs win.

So this was Nick's LONE great series of the playoffs, and I'm not sure that Nick was even the MVP of this series.

I am not going to go through the Spurs series, but consider that after Dirk went down, Nick averaged 20 points, brought very little in the way of defense or rebounding and shot about 42%. Sorry, that is not good. Dirk was averaging 30 points and 13 rebounds in the first 2 games of that series before his knee injury forced him out in the 4th quarter of game 3.

It has become so commonplace for writers to talk about (a) defense being the Mavs biggest weakness, and that (b) Nick was the Mavericks best player in the playoffs.

However, the reality is that rebounding was the Mavericks biggest weakness (and they have addressed that), and Nowitzki was the Mavericks best player in the playoffs. (and they still have him.)

My point is not to disparage Nick. While he may have been the emotional and mental leader of the Mavericks at times in the playoffs, he was not their best player, anymore than Troy Hudson was the best player on the Wolves in their six game series vs. the Lakers.

MFFL · 09-14-2003, 11:14 PM

And NVE literally shot us out of a game in Portland. The Mavs had a great chance to win out the series earlier but NVE decided to force the issue and bricked up some truly horrible shots. NVE had a lot of value but he could hurt us as quickly as help us.

I did like his attitude in the Sacremento series and I agree that Dirk needs to develop that attitude. This is a big year for Dirk - he has to learn to rally the team by attitude not just by actions.

MavsFanFinley · 09-14-2003, 11:48 PM

This has to be one of the most dramatic posts I've read on this board. And I was a big supporter of NVE being the man in the playoffs. I said that because we knew what to expect from Dirk and he delivered. NVE was a question mark going into the playoffs and he stepped up his game and made some clutch shots.

In the last weeks, I've been watching the playoff games again and the one thing that stood out is that no matter who had the hot hand, NVE would force shots up. I was frustrated as hell. He would ignore Finley in a post up situation and would take forever to get Dirk the ball in a mismatch situation.

Dirk is more than capable of taking games over, I think he's proven that. What he hasn't proven is that he must demand the ball and tell the others to follow him. I have no doubt we'll see Dirk do that this year. Last year he started showing the attitude, there is no reason to believe he won't continue that this year.

I think Finley, Dirk, and Nash have all shown that they'll take that big shot. I think Jamison will do the same if given the oportunity.

I'm surprised by all those that think we're going downhill now that NVE is no longer part of the team.

EricaLubarsky · 09-15-2003, 12:21 AM

No one can deny that Dirk has it. He has gotten better and more dominant every year that I am sometimes breathless. Some people complain that he isnt a leader or he isnt "tough" enough, but the only shortcoming Dirk Nowitzki has is confidence. He doesnt have the confidence yet to admit to himself that he really is the best option for scoring on that team. The reason Nick Van Exel was so flashy is that he was the anti-Dirk. He had toomuch confidence and would take shots whether they were the right ones or not. I think Finley and Nash have learned when to give up the ball and when to call for it, and I think Jamison will fit nicely into the system. Nowitzki knows when to give it up, but he doesnt know when to just say, "gimme the ball. It needs to be in my hands and I will win the game." yet. Dirk is one of the best players in the world and he can control games. The only difference between Dirk and Duncan is that "give me the ball" attitude.

dirno2000 · 09-15-2003, 12:57 AM

In Nick's defense, Don Nelson told him to shoot the ball. When good players play with people they respect, they will cut down thier shoots. A.I. even passes in all star games. When Nick got herd he was averaging 8 assist per game, Nash has never done that. Nicks first few games, he was passing quite a bit, but Nelson kept exhorting him to shoot.

Sure he took bad shoots, but all big time players do at times. There were also times (Laker comeback) when teamates hid from the ball.

Still, the trade was a no-brainer.

Razor · 09-15-2003, 01:07 AM

I think we should rename the title to this thread to:

"Van Exel's Trade Ends Van Exel's Playoff Hopes"

Lvubun1 · 09-15-2003, 06:22 AM

Talk about a lobing up a softball, the Bayliss and Murphy's of the world are going to knock this out of the park. This almost seems like a troll post just to get people to rag on Nick and to get respondes. True or not you can't say that a traded player is going to end a team's "playoff hopes" you have to expect people to be on the defensive and even marginalized a player's impact because its pretty much saying the rest of the team can't get the job done. And who cares what people say the Mavs will have a chance to prove everybody wrong in a couple months.

Dooby · 09-15-2003, 07:41 AM

Murphy3 · 09-15-2003, 08:16 AM

well, unfortunately..no need for me to knock it out of the park. it was an ignorant post that started the thread and it's thoroughly been ripped to shreds before I showed up.

anyways, the garbage about NVE being told to shoot. that doesn't fly. you don't shoot if you don't have a good shot. This has been a knock on NVE all his career. It's why he's a 40% shooter.. he takes horrible shots. (this isn't a knock on NVE in the playoffs, just a knock in general).. sure, nellie wanted him to look for his shot, but nellie wanted him to play under control as well. you can look for your shot AND play smart at the same time.

dirno2000 · 09-15-2003, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by: Murphy3
well, unfortunately..no need for me to knock it out of the park. it was an ignorant post that started the thread and it's thoroughly been ripped to shreds before I showed up.

anyways, the garbage about NVE being told to shoot. that doesn't fly. you don't shoot if you don't have a good shot. This has been a knock on NVE all his career. It's why he's a 40% shooter.. he takes horrible shots. (this isn't a knock on NVE in the playoffs, just a knock in general).. sure, nellie wanted him to look for his shot, but nellie wanted him to play under control as well. you can look for your shot AND play smart at the same time.

Yes Nick takes bad shoots, I acknowledged that in my post, that's why he's a career 40% shooter. But once again look at the coach’s roll. I've heard Nellie in various interviews saying that Nick was a volume shooter. He knew what he was getting. Nick was a 40% shooter when he traded for him. I've also heard Nick, when he had his show on the ticket talking about Nellie getting mad at him if he didn't shoot.

Bad shots are sometimes subjective. What you would call a bad shot, others may not. I would say that guys that take bad shots are usually guys with the confidence to want the ball in crunch time. I'll take a player who takes an occasional bad shot over one who's supposed to be a big time player, but manages to hide from the ball when a big shot is needed.

Lastly, you didn't address the assist issue. If Nellie didn't change Nick's game, why did his assist numbers get cut in half when he came to a team with better scorers? People view Nick as chucker, yet he averages more assist over his career than Steve Nash.

Once again, I’m not saying we can’t go further without Nick, because I love the trade just as much as everyone else. It’s also natural to highlight player’s warts when he’s gone. I don’t think this is the case with you Murphy. From what I can tell, Nick wasn’t one of your favorites when he was here. I just think you belabor the point about his shot selection.

Murphy3 · 09-15-2003, 09:03 AM

i understand that nick is a "volume" shooter. that's why i had a problem with Nellie AND NVE.

nve often took the ball out of the hot player's hands so that he could take a low percentage shot... it falls on nellie and NVE. you can't have a "high volume", low efficiency shooter taking the ball out of dirk's hands when he's hot..or nash, or fin.

nellie as a coach must be smarter than that.. NVE as a player must be smarter than that. you don't take low percentage shots regardless of whether or not the coach wants you shooting.

TheKid · 09-15-2003, 11:31 AM

Captain,

I see where you were going with your post but I don't think I can fully agree with you. To say Dirk choked or could be considered a choker is simply put, WRONG!!!!! Now maybe you have a point on your other assesments but to think the Mavs couldn't count on Nash or Fin in the playoffs once again is wrong. Now did NVE step up in the playoffs last year? YES! Would the Mavs have advanced as far as they did without NVE? NO! However I think the Mavs let go of NVE at the right time. Last year during the playoffs while NVE stepped up, I started seeing that Van Exel that would take ANY SHOT ANY TIME HE FELT like it. The only time NVE should shoot like that is when he's hot and no one else is (granted that happened a few times in the playoffs last year). I could only imagine him coming into the season this year with that attitude that he is MORE of a focal point this year than he actually was. I could see him disrupting the teams offensive chemistry too, so I think it was time to let him go. If he had what it took to get them to a championship last year, I still think it would have been time to let him go.

NVE needs to be on a team where he is the first or second offensive person on a team. That wasn't going to happen here unless the Mavs were hit with alot of injuries and it would take two of the big three to go down for that to happen. If that did happen, the Mavs wouldn't be a playoff caliber team either. So to say the Mavs blew it, I don't think so. I think they got what they needed out of Nick and they saw FINALLY that adding more points isn't what's going to get them over that hurdle, it's rebounding and defense. So they got that without losing out on an offensive threat in Jamison.

MavsFanatik33 · 09-15-2003, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by: Razor
I think we should rename the title to this thread to:

"Van Exel's Trade Ends Van Exel's Playoff Hopes"

Well said Razor. What the hell is CaptainDisaster thinking? How has Dirk choked?

Jeremiah · 09-15-2003, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: Murphy3
well, unfortunately..no need for me to knock it out of the park. it was an ignorant post that started the thread and it's thoroughly been ripped to shreds before I showed up.

anyways, the garbage about NVE being told to shoot. that doesn't fly. you don't shoot if you don't have a good shot. This has been a knock on NVE all his career. It's why he's a 40% shooter.. he takes horrible shots. (this isn't a knock on NVE in the playoffs, just a knock in general).. sure, nellie wanted him to look for his shot, but nellie wanted him to play under control as well. you can look for your shot AND play smart at the same time.

It flies for me. Nellie was quoted a few times as saying that he wanted Nick to shoot much more, same as he did with Nash back in '01. NVE resisted and then finally started chucking shots. Nellie never retracted on his statements, at least not publicly. NVE shooting the Mav's out of games? I put a lot of that on Nellie.

Murphy3 · 09-15-2003, 12:23 PM

just because your coach wants you to shoot more DOES NOT mean that you take low percentage shots.

it's really not that hard to understand. i know that nellie told him to shoot more but i'm sure that nellie would rather see more high precentage shots than low percentage ones..

but, i put part of the blame on nellie..why? because NVE is what NVE is..a 40% shooter. Why is he a 40% shooter? Mostly because he plays out of control, taking too many poor attempts..not because he's not a good shooter.

but as a PG, you have to realize when there's better options..taking poor shots just isn't acceptable when you have much more effective and efficient shooters

TwoDeep3 · 09-15-2003, 12:42 PM

Quote:

UNLESS, Nowitzki suddenly develops a killer instinct

I think the Mavs future hinges on this sentence, frankly. Until Nowitzki understands the team is his and he has to take his game to another level and carry the team, it has the potential of failing. Carrying the team is not neccessarily point production. It's leadership.

Nick showed some of this in his attitude during the play-offs. I believe the term f 'em was characteristic of his in-your-face attitude. Dirk needs to get the fire in his belly and the desire to win it all. And not defer to Finley or Nash as the leaders but be the leader himself. This inspires others.

But having said that I realise the high brows here will attack it and not actually debate that idea. Because it's easier to call names than carry on an intelligent conversation.

By the way bayliss...the word you groped for but missed entirely is vaunted, not vaulted.

Murphy3 · 09-15-2003, 12:45 PM

i'm not exactly sure what he needs to do to prove that he's willing to carry the team.. he carried the team on his back for most of the second half and for a good part of the playoffs..

Jeremiah · 09-15-2003, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: Murphy3
just because your coach wants you to shoot more DOES NOT mean that you take low percentage shots.

it's really not that hard to understand. i know that nellie told him to shoot more but i'm sure that nellie would rather see more high precentage shots than low percentage ones..

but, i put part of the blame on nellie..why? because NVE is what NVE is..a 40% shooter. Why is he a 40% shooter? Mostly because he plays out of control, taking too many poor attempts..not because he's not a good shooter.

but as a PG, you have to realize when there's better options..taking poor shots just isn't acceptable when you have much more effective and efficient shooters

Sure, logic would dictate that, wouldn't it? But the Mavs take plenty of low percentage shots, plenty go in, which makes them higher pct shots for the individual mavs that take them, but still low nonetheless - and they shoot them nonetheless. What makes Nick different? His career shooting pct, or his season, or his game shooting pct? Nellie several times would say in press conferences that he was trying to let his guys, or in this case, Nick, shoot out of his game slump. That tells me that Nellie encouraged Nick to take HIS shots. Again, if Nellie wanted Nick to stop, he would have made Nick stop by either instructing him, or yanking him. You seem to already acknowledge that Nellie has fault. I think we disagree in how much fault Nellie takes in this. From what I can tell, I put more on Nellie than you do - that's understandable.

Again, I think there's only so much instruction he listens to before he actually does it. that is, if Nellie is telling him to shoot more, during the time that he is averaging 8 assists per game, at some point, he's going to ignore the habit or instinct that tells him to pass for the better shot, and take his shot.

Captain Disaster · 09-15-2003, 02:13 PM

Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley, Rasheed Wallace; what do these players have in common? Will Dirk be added to this list?

Captain Disaster · 09-15-2003, 02:13 PM

Van Exel's Trade Ends Van Exel's AND the Mavs Playoff Hopes! Is that better?

jayC · 09-15-2003, 02:21 PM

you are a dumbass. Please choke are you fing kidding me. Nick is inconsistent as hell you can't count on is scoring he can score 37 one night to five the next.

Nicks gone and we are better because we have a small forward that can dominate in the paint like nick can sometimes do. Forget the past we are in the here and know. I am sorry but a guard doesn't say you ended our playoff hopes or not. All you have become is antagonist with nothing logical to say end of story.

EricaLubarsky · 09-15-2003, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: Captain Disaster
Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley, Rasheed Wallace; what do these players have in common? Will Dirk be added to this list?

It's your choice. That's your list and no one else's.

Murphy3 · 09-15-2003, 02:59 PM

rasheed wallace is hardly in the same class as barkley or ewing..anyone that uses those three to make a point has serious issues with their lack of b'ball knowledge

FreshJive · 09-15-2003, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: Captain Disaster
Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley, Rasheed Wallace; what do these players have in common?

You got me there.

MFFL · 09-15-2003, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: FreshJive

Quote:

Originally posted by: Captain Disaster
Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley, Rasheed Wallace; what do these players have in common?

You got me there.

They haven't won an NBA championship. I think Stockton would be a better fit than Wallace (especially since Wallace is still playing and MIGHT win a championship - next year the Lakers for the MLE?).

Joey · 09-15-2003, 03:37 PM

QUOTE:
__________________________________________________ _________________________________
just because your coach wants you to shoot more DOES NOT mean that you take low percentage shots.

it's really not that hard to understand. i know that nellie told him to shoot more but i'm sure that nellie would rather see more high precentage shots than low percentage ones..

but, i put part of the blame on nellie..why? because NVE is what NVE is..a 40% shooter. Why is he a 40% shooter? Mostly because he plays out of control, taking too many poor attempts..not because he's not a good shooter.

but as a PG, you have to realize when there's better options..taking poor shots just isn't acceptable when you have much more effective and efficient shooters
__________________________________________________ ___________________________________

The fact that he tok so many shots allowed Nicks value to go up. I think Nellie knew what he was doing asking Nick to shoot. If He had not shot so much, his stock never would have gone up and therefore Antawn would not be a Mav!

rickydavis · 09-15-2003, 03:45 PM

rickydavis · 09-15-2003, 03:48 PM

captain is one of the few ppl making sense on this forum, van exel one the sac series, dunno what all u other ppl are thinking , u guys will never win a championship, and for all the van exel haters u all can kiss my ass, GS wins the first game on opening night versus mavs vanexel 40+

Murphy3 · 09-15-2003, 03:55 PM

rickydavis, there's really no excuse for someone such as yourself posting on a basketball forum

EricaLubarsky · 09-15-2003, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: rickydavis
captain is one of the few ppl making sense on this forum, van exel one the sac series, dunno what all u other ppl are thinking , u guys will never win a championship, and for all the van exel haters u all can kiss my ass, GS wins the first game on opening night versus mavs vanexel 40+

I havent been on Dallas-Mavs very long but I have never seen someone with so few posts, and such awful spelling and grammar, talk about kissing one's ass. Such language. The funny thing is, like Nick Van Exel on the Knicks or Warriors, the Cavaliers have no chance of winning a championship! Ha! There is a reason they got the first pick in the draft and it isnt because they are playoff contenders.

PS none of us are NVE haters. Im sure not; I love the guy. My point and the point of many others was that losing Nick did not dramatically hurt the Mavericks. Read the thread next time.

Murphy3 · 09-15-2003, 04:10 PM

as many have pointed out, trading NVE significantly helped the mavs..it might not be the final move that gets them over the top, but it gets them pretty damn close.

there's a place on this board for everyone.. captain disaster and rickydavis, you're probably best suited for the lounge. You're in a little over your head when you try to talk basketball.

EricaLubarsky · 09-15-2003, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: Murphy3
as many have pointed out, trading NVE significantly helped the mavs..it might not be the final move that gets them over the top, but it gets them pretty damn close.

there's a place on this board for everyone.. captain disaster and rickydavis, you're probably best suited for the lounge. You're in a little over your head when you try to talk basketball.

nice post.

Big Boy Laroux · 09-15-2003, 05:29 PM

van exel might go for forty when we play the warriors. and it'll be on 30% shooting, and we'll beat GS by 30.

DwD · 09-15-2003, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: Big Boy Laroux
van exel might go for forty when we play the warriors. and it'll be on 30% shooting, and we'll beat GS by 30.

May I add to that....while playing just our bench and resting the starters? [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

Drbio · 09-15-2003, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: Captain Disaster
The Mavericks have really blown it! Nick Van Exel was the heart of the Mavs during the playoffs. The Mavericks will still be a good team because of the big three, but they don't have a prayer in the playoffs because they have no one on the roster like Van Exel. Dirk seems to choke in some way, Nash runs out of gas, Finley can only dominate in the right situation, Jamison is more of a Keon Clark opportunist player. There is no one who can carry the team when the big three either struggle or are guarded closely which is what happens against the other 7 good teams in the west: Lakers, Spurs, Kings, Wolves, Blazers, Rockets, Suns.

I've really wanted to feel good about this trade; I've been pondering it for a few weeks now, and it will not result in the Mavericks going deeper into the playoffs. In fact, they will be lucky to get out of the first round!

UNLESS, Nowitzki suddenly develops a killer instinct, or Nash can stay fully energized, or Finley goes to the hole relentlessly (and the to the line), or Jamison becomes a "go-to" player.

The Mavs need two more players: an aging "ice-water-in-the-veins" veteran who can score, & a genuine center. If they get that (unless one of the new big four takes another step), they will win the championship with this lineup. If not, we may never win, barring lucky cicumstances.