# Star Telegram: We're going backwards.



## Dre (Jun 20, 2003)

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/sports/11752939.htm



> In Phoenix, the Spurs simply outscored the Suns in two very entertaining road wins.
> 
> The Suns weren't going to beat these people anyway, not without Joe Johnson.
> 
> ...


It certainly has merit. Thoughts?


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

Having lived (and died) with this team for 25 years, let me say it felt good in the '80s. Then came the '90s...

...and no one saw it coming. Tarpley's suspension, Fat Lever's knee, poor draft choices...what was once a franchise worthy of envy, saw depths that no one other than Philly's 9 win season could relate to.

When good times are here, enjoy them - because they do indeed come to pass.


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## LionOfJudah (May 27, 2003)

Anyone with an idea of what the salary cap is knew we over paid Dampier and they are right. If you don't have Shaq or Yao your piviot ain't ****. 

Just wish we could of landed Sheed when he was getting shipped around the leauge. He's enough of a 5 for most of the leauge and we could of loaded up on crappy bigs to wear out Shaq and Yao.


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## Tersk (Apr 9, 2004)

We need a chemistry, as of right now we have 9+ good players and only a few really co-exist well

We need to get rid of some of the offensive firepower and get Swift here for the main backup role. We need another offensive talent at the 2, Sign and Trade for Ray Allen? Daniels, P-Pod, Finley for Allen?


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## KokoTheMonkey (Aug 4, 2003)

Don't be completely fooled by this. For one, Phoenix has a beast like Amare Stoudemire manning the paint. That's the difference between the "small" ball of Phoenix this year and the "small" ball of Dallas in the past. Dirk is a great scorer as well, but he's more perimeter oriented as far as scoring is concerned. Amare is a freak because he can score like Shaq in the paint, and he can run the break like a Wing. 


Small ball still isn't the trend IMO. 3 out of the 4 teams left in the playoffs aren't playing small ball, and the only team remaining that does play small ball is down 3-1.


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## Tersk (Apr 9, 2004)

The team left doing small ball also beat us 4-2


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## LionOfJudah (May 27, 2003)

Detroit plays small ball, they just have defensive minded players in a good defensive system. I'd like to see Avery get the players to build a similar system here in big D but we're going to need people who can rotate on D not just blow off assignments. :sour:


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## Dre (Jun 20, 2003)

KokoTheMonkey said:


> Don't be completely fooled by this. For one, Phoenix has a beast like Amare Stoudemire manning the paint. That's the difference between the "small" ball of Phoenix this year and the "small" ball of Dallas in the past. Dirk is a great scorer as well, but he's more perimeter oriented as far as scoring is concerned. Amare is a freak because he can score like Shaq in the paint, and he can run the break like a Wing.


Exactly. That's the biggest difference between the old us and them. They are not a doughnut team, so to speak, because they have a monster in the paint in Amare. We were extremely perimeter oriented.


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

The only course the Mavs are left with (assuming Dampier is here) is to surround him with athletic players. 

(Don't ban me from this site, but I've got to say it: If Dirk's value is as high as it ever will be - find out what he's worth. We could be a LOT better without him. There, I said it.)

With Avery, you kinda know the direction we want to go. Swift, Artest, players like that could be viscous in Avery's system. It seems that we have the system, but not the players.


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## Tersk (Apr 9, 2004)

*rubs eyes*

*rubs eyes again*

*bans bray*


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## Dre (Jun 20, 2003)

Theo! said:


> *rubs eyes*
> 
> *rubs eyes again*
> 
> *bans bray*


 I don't know Theo, Bray's Idea might not be (complete) blasphemy by next year. He might be untouchable in Cuban's eyes this year, but what about next year? 

I'm not going to to even utter the phrases "marketing" and "Dirk" right now, but next season will be one year further from our '01 run, the last time we got really close. All I'm going to say is you never know. If Shaq can be traded, anyone can. ( That declaration is teeming with irony considering what happened last offseason with Shaq and us.)


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

Theo! said:


> *rubs eyes*
> 
> *rubs eyes again*
> 
> *bans bray*


(hands Theo Visine)

Sorry, but I was raised that honesty is the best policy. :whoknows:


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## LionOfJudah (May 27, 2003)

bray1967 said:


> The only course the Mavs are left with (assuming Dampier is here) is to surround him with athletic players.
> 
> (Don't ban me from this site, but I've got to say it: If Dirk's value is as high as it ever will be - find out what he's worth. We could be a LOT better without him. There, I said it.)
> 
> With Avery, you kinda know the direction we want to go. Swift, Artest, players like that could be viscous in Avery's system. It seems that we have the system, but not the players.


 I wouldn't mind seeing Dirk going for an equal talent with more balls. Or in the offseason Avery beats some D into Dirk. 

KVH will be traded just because there will be tons of offers from teams with unhappy stars who would love the cap space next season.

BTW anyone know who are some of the unrestricted free agents in the 06 off season outside of KVH and Terry?


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## The Future7 (Feb 24, 2005)

I would be shocked to see Dirk go. Him and Nash were the reasons I became a Mavfan. We really need to find the right core of players though.


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

The Future7 said:


> I would be shocked to see Dirk go. Him and Nash were the reasons I became a Mavfan. We really need to find the right core of players though.


I have to wonder, if Dirk isn't the core - what is he ? If we are to address a major issue such as the direction of the franchise, the question of Dirk's role must be central to the equation.

That's why I brought it up. Do the Mavs need, simply, a little more "umph" to get over the hump; or is their problem lying below the surface ? If the apple has a bruise - you can simply cut it out, and get down to business; but if the core is bad, the apple must be discarded altogether. 

Now timing is an issue. Like the end of the Motta era, the Mavs were in position to make a run. They had the talent - all they needed was a coach with fire, because the old man was burnt out.

Sound familiar ? One problem has been addressed. The team's status, IMHO, is officially on hold until we find out the heart of the matter. That would be Dirk's heart, of course. :heart:


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## The Future7 (Feb 24, 2005)

Another thing with the Team is our inconsistency. We dont have one player that always has a good game. One game a player might play well then they play terrible in the next game. It really hurts the team. We have a lot of talent and there is always one player that steps up. We need a player that plays well all the time.
The biggest problem is still Chemistry.


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

The Future7 said:


> The biggest problem is still Chemistry.


That would mean keep the team's core together, and let them grow together.

That's fine, if everyone has warm feelings in the locker room, and will be sending Father's Day cards to each other.

I'm not sure, though. This team fired from the wrong exhaust port in the playoffs, and we're not sure if it was just competiveness, or frustration with each other. If the mood of this team doesn't improve over the summer, they truly are rolling in reverse.


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## aussiewill (Jan 20, 2005)

IMO, what we need to make this team is a better floor leader and I believe Brevin Knight could fix that problem. Whether we sign him as a FA or do a sign and trade, I am not too worried. He is a role player and could lead the Mavs around the court and give our offence structure. He isn't an offensive threat and we don't need that, what we need is a role player and he is an excellent example of that. Now he is amost 30, but I believe he could teach Harris a few things and then Harris will have the starting PG role. I just think that we need Knight's passing ability to get this team kick started for next season


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

aussiewill said:


> IMO, what we need to make this team is a better floor leader ... I believe (Knight) could teach Harris a few things and then Harris will have the starting PG role.


Then what the heck is Avery good for ?


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## aussiewill (Jan 20, 2005)

bray1967 said:


> Then what the heck is Avery good for ?


Umm isn't he coaching, or did you still think he was playing. AJ is there to call the shots, we need a PG who can lead the team on offence and find the open man. Our offence at times lacks structure and a specialist PG would solve our problems and Knight would fill that role perfectly IMO.


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## soulhunter (Nov 2, 2004)

aussiewill said:


> IMO, what we need to make this team is a better floor leader and I believe Brevin Knight could fix that problem. Whether we sign him as a FA or do a sign and trade, I am not too worried. He is a role player and could lead the Mavs around the court and give our offence structure. He isn't an offensive threat and we don't need that, what we need is a role player and he is an excellent example of that. Now he is amost 30, but I believe he could teach Harris a few things and then Harris will have the starting PG role. I just think that we need Knight's passing ability to get this team kick started for next season


I like that idea ALOT, it really comes down to the type of deal he'd want though. Probably small amounts of money for 2 seasons would be perfect. He's around enough to help out and rub off on Devin


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