# Mavs' offense has paint job to do



## Dragnsmke1 (Jul 29, 2002)

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/basketball/mavs/stories/100307dnspomavs.376b7d7.html

Point guard Harris is the key to improving inside game

12:12 AM CDT on Wednesday, October 3, 2007

By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News
[email protected]

Points in the paint can be a deceptive statistic. There are some bad NBA teams that routinely pile up baskets from point-blank range.

The Mavericks are not a bad team. But they were a bad points-in-the-paint team last season. They averaged 35.3 inside points per game. Only Minnesota at 35.0 averaged fewer.

That has to change, coach Avery Johnson believes. And it starts with one individual. 

"Points in the paint, that's my job, to get them and create them," point guard Devin Harris said. "I want to be among the leaders in points in the paint. And when you get that, that's when you open up a lot of things with the dropoffs to the big guys. When opponents fear you getting to the basket, it opens up so much."

The Mavericks are asking plenty from their point man this season. While the evaluation process about what to do at shooting guard started with Tuesday's two practices, there is no doubt what must happen at point guard. Johnson wants Harris to do the things Tony Parker does for San Antonio and Deron Williams does for Utah.

In other words, he must be the creative point guard the Mavericks haven't had since Steve Nash's departure.

"More than anything, decisions – and confidence," Johnson said of what he needs from Harris. "Make sound decisions and live with the results. Quarterback the team. I've seen flashes of it. Now I need to see more consistency.

"And also points in the paint. Because we're not a great post-up team, we've got to try to manufacture getting points in the paint in other ways. And he's one of the guys. As we've seen with somebody down south [Parker], a point guard definitely can get you some points in the paint. And we want to make teams pay in the paint."

Fast breaks will only get a team so many easy baskets, and the Mavericks have precious few players who can back down a defender and score over him. That leaves penetration as the primary option for getting into the gut of the defense.

If there's any doubt about the importance of points in the paint for this team, the Mavericks were 32-1 last season when they scored as much or more in the paint than their opponent. They were 35-14 when outscored in the paint.

As much as that will be a focus of Harris' development, more will be expected now that he has signed a five-year contract extension.

And, at times, there will be less expected, Johnson said.

The less part of the formula involves Johnson seeing fewer times when his floor general looks to the sideline for direction. If Harris spends too much time waiting for Johnson to call a play, he'll get an earful from his coach. Or worse. 

"I told him I'm going to cut his head off," Johnson said. "I'm only going to give him one a game, not 10."

The message is clear. The coach wants his point guard to be a play-caller in addition to a playmaker.

Harris has added 15 pounds since last season without sacrificing any of his quickness. At least, that's the hope. Getting past defenders has never been a problem for Harris. His jump shot is another matter, though he's worked on it.

Johnson can live without a knockdown shooter at the point. He was never blessed in that area in his playing days. But he must see penetration from his point guard and, of course, defense, something Harris is looking forward to playing more this season.

"I like not having to guard the two-guards," he said, a grin turning into a touch of sarcasm. "Obviously, I know my post defense is tremendous and all. But now I can stick with point guards."


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

Dragnsmke1 said:


> The Mavericks are not a bad team. But they were a bad points-in-the-paint team last season. They averaged 35.3 inside points per game. Only Minnesota at 35.0 averaged fewer.


That's absolutely unbelievable for a 67 win team.


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

Dragnsmke1 said:


> Harris has added 15 pounds since last season without sacrificing any of his quickness.


wow....


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

edwardcyh said:


> wow....


They're *hoping* he hasn't lost any of his quickness...


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## t1no (Jul 10, 2005)

way to ruin it xray.


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

Here is hoping that he has added a somewhat reliable jumpshot as well :whistling:


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

croco said:


> Here is hoping that he has added a somewhat reliable jumpshot as well :whistling:


That would make the difference between a ho-hum career and a few all-star appearances; a team that pretends and a team that contends.


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## Dragnsmke1 (Jul 29, 2002)

xray said:


> That would make the difference between a ho-hum career and a few all-star appearances; a team that pretends and a team that contends.


#5 picks dont get ho hum careers...they are called busts...


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

Dragnsmke1 said:


> #5 picks dont get ho hum careers...they are called busts...


You're right, but I guess I'm taking the kid from where he is now and going forward - forgetting the things in the past...

...as we all should do, no?


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

I do, but he needs to show it now (or never).


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

Dang..... the mavs fans are the harshest critics on the team.

Our comments are way worse than what the heat fans or the spurs fans are saying about this team....


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## Dragnsmke1 (Jul 29, 2002)

xray said:


> That's absolutely unbelievable for a 67 win team.


during the season I thought during games we would be shooting too much but when they would call the paint points/rebounds it seemed like we were always beating the other team. I guess it wasn't my imagination then...


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

Dragnsmke1 said:


> during the season I thought during games we would be shooting too much but when they would call the paint points/rebounds it seemed like we were always beating the other team. I guess it wasn't my imagination then...


Do you guys agree that when Avery was screaming "Take it to the hole", the players would jack it up anyway?

If so:

Bad coaching (no control), or uncoachable players?


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## Dragnsmke1 (Jul 29, 2002)

xray said:


> Do you guys agree that when Avery was screaming "Take it to the hole", the players would jack it up anyway?
> 
> If so:
> 
> Bad coaching (no control), or uncoachable players?


no matter how many times you scream take it to the hole, if a player is tired they are gonna revert to whats natural to them. We have maybe 2 people who feel natural in the post. Its bad coaching for not playing to your teams strengths...Its bad GMing for not getting the players that the coach needs to fit his style. We keep getting updates about players who although they wont play but 3 min a game reg season theyll bring a toughness to the team. How can you bring toughness if you dont play...especially in the playoffs?!! I'm not campaigning for more bench rotation or anything crazy like that...Just stop feeding me garbage about this new coach and this new acquisition when I already know this team can win 70 games(the DM organization, not the posters). What I also know is when it matters the most all these coaches and Eddie Jones'aint gonna be on the court. Its gonna be the same failures from the last couple of years and we may once again be just not good enough too win a chip and just not bad enough to get off season help...


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

I beg to differ. We do have Brandon Bass now!

When the game matters, yank Dirk and put in Bass. 

Oooooh..... we can yank JHo and put in Hassell while we are at it too.


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

I'd just tell them I don't give a **** about Cuban's money, I'll just bench their butts if they don't go to the hole.


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

xray said:


> I'd just tell them I don't give a **** about Cuban's money, I'll just bench their butts if they don't go to the hole.


I don't need anybody to tell ME to do that....


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

edwardcyh said:


> I don't need anybody to tell ME to do that....


Me either - when the shots aren't falling, any fool (and fan) knows what to do. 

(That's how MJ made his career.)


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