dallas mavericks

[Tarheel Boy 0]

HOW 'BOUT THEM MAVERICKS!!!!

 

For us lifelong Mavericks fans this is awesome. What a huge win on the road against a gutsy Phoenix team. Four more wins is what they need but the Heat will be tough. I'm celebrating heavily tonight!!!!

[CurlyNight 0]

 

I do like Dirk, but I was rooting for the Mavs cuz of a nice ole bet I had with JK who swore the Suns were a much better team.

[yanko 11]

Even though I lived in Dallas for 6 years and Texas for 13 years it's a little hard rooting for any team owned by Mark Cuban. So I guess that makes me a Heat fan!

[Tarheel Boy 0]

Like him or not, Cuban is one of the best owners in sports. All the jokes about him constantly changing the team chemistry is now ancient history. The Mavs are in the NBA finals which many thought they would never do.

 

What a ride it's been this year so far!!!

 

[TyCobb 0]

Four more wins is what they need but the Heat will be tough.

 

I doubt it. Miami has two players and a bunch of washed-ups. No way they can keep up with the depth of Dallas.

 

Mavs in 6.

[Tarheel Boy 0]

I doubt it. Miami has two players and a bunch of washed-ups. No way they can keep up with the depth of Dallas.

 

Mavs in 6.

 

I don't know, Ty. Miami has been awfully impressive in the playoffs. They were just amazing at home against Detroit and to have 3 straight home games is tough. The Mavs really need to win both games at home.

[Strike 3,979]

That was an interesting game. All the foul calls early really made the first half ugly. I'm kinda glad the Mavs won as I think it will be a better finals. I think Phoenix would have gotten killed by the Heat. But what do I know? I predicted the Heat would never make the finals with Shaq lol. I think the finals will be interesting and competitive. These have been the best NBA playoffs in a good 10 years IMO.

[CurlyNight 0]

I doubt it. Miami has two players and a bunch of washed-ups. No way they can keep up with the depth of Dallas.

 

Mavs in 6.

That's what the Piston fans thought too!

[jerryskids 5,206]

 

I do like Dirk, but I was rooting for the Mavs cuz of a nice ole bet I had with JK who swore the Suns were a much better team.

I made no such statement; I was willing to bet you vs. the Spurs, just cause the Suns are my team, and took on this bet for the fun of it. I didn't realistically think they should win against either team. HTH.

[TyCobb 0]

That's what the Piston fans thought too!

 

The Pistons only play on one end of the court. They try to win every game 78-68. Dallas can win 78-68 ... but they can also win 128-98.

 

Trust me, Dalla in 6 if not quicker.

[CurlyNight 0]

The Pistons only play on one end of the court. They try to win every game 78-68. Dallas can win 78-68 ... but they can also win 128-98.

 

Trust me, Dalla in 6 if not quicker.

Ok I trust you. I guess I don't even need to watch then.

[TyCobb 0]

Ok I trust you. I guess I don't even need to watch then.

 

I guess not.

[Highway Robbery 0]

This will be a great series.

 

Miami in 7.

[BMoney 0]

devan harris go badgers!!..wait..dwyane.. we are marquette!

 

I wanted to do the token "bash the bucks because of the dirk trade" comment..but i didnt realize the trade for the picks was arranged ahead of time...

 

the mavs would take traylor at 6 as long as the bucks took dirk at 9 and garrity at 17 or so...the only risk for the mavs was the 7th and 8th pick..but they lucked out..no one took dirk..

 

yeah..THAT worked out...

 

i flipped the game on with 10 to go and dont think i saw more than 10 points by the suns...i had NO idea that the suns led by 13..you wouldnt have known watching the final 10..

[CurlyNight 0]

i flipped the game on with 10 to go and dont think i saw more than 10 points by the suns...i had NO idea that the suns led by 13..you wouldnt have known watching the final 10..

Eggsactly, which is why I don't get why folks call the playoffs boring unless they really dislike bball---especially this season. It will be great to see 2 teams who have never been in the finals before play!

[BMoney 0]

Eggsactly, which is why I don't get why folks call the playoffs boring unless they really dislike bball---especially this season. It will be great to see 2 teams who have never been in the finals before play!

 

 

well, you know ive always liked shaq and dwyane..

 

and west basketball is pretty high tempo and fun...

 

im no fan of Nike trying to push LeBron and the Pistons are incredibly boring..

 

there was no nhl tonight..if theres NO hockey, ill flip hoops on...

 

i think 1 reason people stay away is the officiating..theres no rhyme or reason to why fouls are called..Barkley commented on that, only because no else would..its gone on all playoffs and for ages..if these guys were officiating in the NCAA tourney, you wouldnt see them doing the games anymore..

 

either way..i WILL watch parts of this series..it should be fun!!

 

(i didnt realize del harris was an asst coach..quite a move to go from head coach to asst for a guy who is in his first full year)

[Cdub100 3,382]

Even though I lived in Dallas for 6 years and Texas for 13 years it's a little hard rooting for any team owned by Mark Cuban. So I guess that makes me a Heat fan!

 

[CurlyNight 0]

Does this mean you are going to post in the threads rooting for Miami??

[Voltaire 4,562]

I'm rooting for the Mavs because I greatly dislike Alonzo Morning and Gary Payton the only ring they deserve is the one they kiss all the time in the bottom middle of Shaq's ass.

[CurlyNight 0]

I'm rooting for the Mavs because I greatly dislike Alonzo Morning and Gary Payton the only ring they deserve is the one they kiss all the time in the bottom middle of Shaq's ass.

I can understand disliking Gary Payton, but why Zo? He's a cool guy.

 

And you missed my thread earlier today: are you affected by the S. China flooding they've been talking about?

[CantTouchThis 23]

If Shaq and Wade play like they did vs. Detroit, should be an interesting series. This is probably their last chance to win a championship, to be honest, it would be a shame if this duo doesn't come away with a championship. Shaq is 100% and playing like Shaq of old, and Wade is tearing it up, and ususally a role player or two are stepping up a game.

 

However, Mavs have just too many players, and Dirk has been strait up possesed these playoffs, no one on Miami can come close to slowing him down, he will average 30+ easy. I will admit the Mavs have the been the best team this year, and are the most talented and deep team. I agree they will win in 6, if that.

[Vince44 202]

I think it could go either way, but the Heat won't blow these big leads like the Suns did vs the Mavs, that series was a lot closer than I thought.

 

Miami gets much better/easier shots through their offense, so should be better suited to sustain a lead, something the Suns had trouble doing in the 2nd half in the WCF. Wade also is a great closer, if the game is tight.

[DBZFan2K 0]

Miami has two players and a bunch of washed-ups.

 

The Lakers won 3 titles in a row with that same formula.

 

Eggsactly, which is why I don't get why folks call the playoffs boring unless they really dislike bball---especially this season. It will be great to see 2 teams who have never been in the finals before play!

 

 

Good observation. This is actually the first time the NBA Finals has featured two teams in their Finals debut since 1978 when the Washington Bullets and Seattle Supersonics got the first of two head-to-head Finals matchups (their rematch coming in 1979).

 

I can't wait, this is going to be a fun series!

[Tarheel Boy 0]

I think a lot of Mavs fans think this Miami team isn't very good. They are a very good ball club that has more than Shaq and Wade. Walker is streaky, but when he's hitting from the 3 that opens a lot of stuff up. I think this is going to be a very hard fought series from Thursday until the end.

[Recliner Pilot 61]

If the Miami is counting on Walker to step up they are dreaming. They guy played (if you could call it that) in Dallas and threw up more junk than an addict with a bad load of smack.

 

Not a clutch player.

[DBZFan2K 0]

The Mavs may want to try an uptempo offense led by Devin Harris, since the Heat is slow outside of Wade and Williams. They will have their hands full with Shaq, as I don't think even Diop will be able to contain the big man.

 

Both of these teams are deep and with that in mind, this series has the potential to go 7 deep. Shaq is out on a mission to prove he can win without Kobe. Dirk is on a mission to prove he can carry his team to a title. In any case, I'm delighted to see these two franchise finally take the next step.

 

The storylines (at least the ones that catch my interest):

 

- Shaq going for the ring while Kobe watches at home

- Dirk putting the power back in power forward

- Old blood vs. new blood; Riley vs. Avery

- D-Wade making his case for best of class of '03

- Deep rotations for both teams

- Walker, Payton, Zo pursuing immortality

- Chemistry (and defense) finally exist in Dallas

- A whole lot of NCAA studs featured

- A first-time championship for one of these teams

 

If the Miami is counting on Walker to step up they are dreaming. They guy played (if you could call it that) in Dallas and threw up more junk than an addict with a bad load of smack.

 

Not a clutch player.

 

Walker was not a good fit for Dallas. He went from being a co-captain in Boston to being the 5th cog in the Dallas lineup. A big dropoff, and he wasn't ready for it. That, along with his experience in Atlanta and his return to Boston, helped him cope better with the reality that he's no longer an All-Star. He's been an excellent addition to Miami's roster and has helped them more than he's hurt them. Shot selection is shaky, but I guess that's his style. I'm always going to be a fan of Walker, so I wish him the best.

[JT 137]

Good analysis of the Walker situation. Additionally, he was ill suited to the running style the Mavs were using at the time.

 

Walker has given Miami 13 pts and, even more important, 38 minutes per game in this post season. Coming into the playoffs one area of concern was whether he'd be able to stay on the floor with younger, more athletic wing players (ie Prince, Jefferson, Deng) without getting blown out on the defensive end or being in perpetual foul trouble. He's held his own. Maybe most surprising, his habitually poor shot selection hasn't been a factor: 41% overall, a very strong 34% from 3 pt range. But he better show early on that he can make some FT (a horrid 58% so far) or Dallas will force the perimeter and make him put the ball on the floor.

 

At first glance, the key to Miami for me is Jason Williams. Wade is such a special talent that the Heat are willing to live with the high number of turnovers resulting from him initiating the offense. Williams is the only true PG that gets significant minutes for Miami. Like Walker, the guy has a bad rep based primarily on his early years in the league. His assist to TO ratio is far better than most would suspect from a player labeled too flashy. He's a real liability on the defensive end. Miami kept Detroit from capitalizing on it too much by bringing help, making Billups give up the ball and waiting to see if the other Pistons would hit shots. For the most part, they didn't. Terry isn't the kind of physical player that usually causes problems for Williams, but if the young Mavs guards, especially Harris, can make a few, it limits Williams minutes. If the bright lights spook them and Williams can run the offense for longer stretches, it really saves Wade for late in the game.

 

For Dallas, Dampier MUST bring something to the floor. Van Horn at his best (and he's nowhere near that now) can't guard Shaq for 30 seconds. Asking Diop to play O'Neal and show high on the pick & roll as they do is too much. Dampier has to be able to buy them some time. I also think the suddenly invisible Marquise Daniels could play a role here. It's a funny spot for Dallas. Against Phoenix, they had to make themselves be patient and control tempo, forcing a half court game. Against Miami, the youth and numbers are in their favor. They'll look to get out and run, and the extra set of legs can help keep the pressure on Miami.

[Cdub100 3,382]

Does this mean you are going to post in the threads rooting for Miami??

 

 

I've liked Miami for a while. Hell I've even gone to one of thier home games when I was down there. Of course knocking out my team doesn't help, but my hate for Cuban out ways my hate in the heat right now. So....

 

 

GO HEAT!

[Tarheel Boy 0]

Good analysis of the Walker situation. Additionally, he was ill suited to the running style the Mavs were using at the time.

 

Walker has given Miami 13 pts and, even more important, 38 minutes per game in this post season. Coming into the playoffs one area of concern was whether he'd be able to stay on the floor with younger, more athletic wing players (ie Prince, Jefferson, Deng) without getting blown out on the defensive end or being in perpetual foul trouble. He's held his own. Maybe most surprising, his habitually poor shot selection hasn't been a factor: 41% overall, a very strong 34% from 3 pt range. But he better show early on that he can make some FT (a horrid 58% so far) or Dallas will force the perimeter and make him put the ball on the floor.

 

At first glance, the key to Miami for me is Jason Williams. Wade is such a special talent that the Heat are willing to live with the high number of turnovers resulting from him initiating the offense. Williams is the only true PG that gets significant minutes for Miami. Like Walker, the guy has a bad rep based primarily on his early years in the league. His assist to TO ratio is far better than most would suspect from a player labeled too flashy. He's a real liability on the defensive end. Miami kept Detroit from capitalizing on it too much by bringing help, making Billups give up the ball and waiting to see if the other Pistons would hit shots. For the most part, they didn't. Terry isn't the kind of physical player that usually causes problems for Williams, but if the young Mavs guards, especially Harris, can make a few, it limits Williams minutes. If the bright lights spook them and Williams can run the offense for longer stretches, it really saves Wade for late in the game.

 

For Dallas, Dampier MUST bring something to the floor. Van Horn at his best (and he's nowhere near that now) can't guard Shaq for 30 seconds. Asking Diop to play O'Neal and show high on the pick & roll as they do is too much. Dampier has to be able to buy them some time. I also think the suddenly invisible Marquise Daniels could play a role here. It's a funny spot for Dallas. Against Phoenix, they had to make themselves be patient and control tempo, forcing a half court game. Against Miami, the youth and numbers are in their favor. They'll look to get out and run, and the extra set of legs can help keep the pressure on Miami.

 

Dallas will be facing the same type of team they faced in Round 2. Miami has a dominant big man, a great PG, and good role players. Duncan is probably slightly better than O Neal, but Wade is playing better than what Parker did. Ginobili came on late in the series, and I think Walker will put up some good numbers. Like I mentioned earlier, the Heat will stay off of Harris and dare him to him some perimeter shots. If he can hit a couple early on that changes the entire complexity of what the Mavs could do.

[ellisonb11 0]

congrats to the mavs....but GO HEAT!

[TyCobb 0]

Dallas can win 78-68 ... but they can also win 128-98.

 

Trust me, Dalla in 6 if not quicker.

 

Well, I got the point spread exactly right for game 1. Who wants to bet I got the series prediction right too?