# The Mavs and their Title Quest



## hOnDo (Jun 26, 2002)

I think that before the Mavs start to seriously talk about winning the title, they need to play some good team-D.

Sure, they can score 140 points, but if the other team can score just as much, it doesn't do any good. The need to play Team-D, not just individual D where one person can stop their man, but where the team helps out and does their job.

Dirk is one of the up and rising players in the NBA and in the international scene. He should do a great job this season, and may even win the MVP, but like the team, he also needs to play better D. 

I think that they will be a contender, but I dont think that they'll make it until they can play D.

What are your thoughts??


----------



## dirk16 (Jun 21, 2002)

i totally agree that they need to play better d. but i think they are still strong contenders. and they will be better this year on the defensive end, but the scariest thing for opponents is that they will be better on the offensive end too.


----------



## harper time (Aug 24, 2002)

The Mavs need to sign somebody like Bruce Bowen to provide some aggresive D.


----------



## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

They have some great defenders. Tariq Abdul-Wahad and Adrian Griffin are two of the leagues best. Greg Buckner was good to but always injured. They good shot blockers in Bradley and LaFrentz as well.

Part of the problem is that Del Harris is their defensive coach and he's a idiot.


----------



## TheRifleman (May 20, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Jemel Irief</b>!
> They have some great defenders. Tariq Abdul-Wahad and Adrian Griffin are two of the leagues best. Greg Buckner was good to but always injured. They good shot blockers in Bradley and LaFrentz as well.
> 
> Part of the problem is that Del Harris is their defensive coach and he's a idiot.


:laugh: You caught me on that one, Jemel, as I didn't see that coming! I agree, Del is not what I would categorize as a defensive guru either. If they ever get someone like Dick Harter (or better yet - Pat Riley!), they might have a chance at getting into the elite 4 and contend for the WC title.


----------



## Petey (Aug 23, 2002)

I think with time, Dirk will improve. I don't think Nash is a bad defensive player, nor is Finely, so when Dirk develops look out.

-Petey


----------



## Wiggum (Jul 29, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>TheRifleman</b>!
> 
> 
> :laugh: You caught me on that one, Jemel, as I didn't see that coming! I agree, Del is not what I would categorize as a defensive guru either. If they ever get someone like Dick Harter (or better yet - Pat Riley!), they might have a chance at getting into the elite 4 and contend for the WC title.


They're already in the elite four, even without great defense.


----------



## harper time (Aug 24, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Wiggum</b>!
> 
> 
> They're already in the elite four, even without great defense.



Yeah we kinda figured that.


----------



## TheRifleman (May 20, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Wiggum</b>!
> 
> 
> They're already in the elite four, even without great defense.


Sorry, I meant the elite 4 in the entire NBA, meaning contending in the west for the conference finals and the east has their own 2 finalists = 4

They haven't made the western conference finals yet(under Cuban ownership), and until they do, to me they are not part of the elite.


----------



## Wiggum (Jul 29, 2002)

Yeah, I see what you're saying...

But I bet if you were to make a poll asking people to list the top 4 teams in the NBA, most people would put the Mavericks in there. I see what you're saying though.


----------



## TheRifleman (May 20, 2002)

Yes, nobody would like it more than me to see them in the WCF! I really want for them to learn how to play tight team defense - because until they do, they just won't crack that barrier of the conference finals. There are too many good defensive teams will take them out in that 2nd round.


----------



## robyg1974 (Jul 19, 2002)

Seems like people used to say that the Kings couldn't play defense, and look how close they came to winning it all last year!

Also, I think that team defense has as much or more to do with players being familiar with each other than it does with individual defensive ability. What needs to happen is for Cuban to keep this nucleus intact, and add the occasional supporting member.

What a lot of people don't realize about the Mavs is that two of their Big Three are going to be at or near the dreaded age of 30 at the end of next season. When the playoffs begin, Michael Finley will be 30 and Steve Nash will be 29. Most players are entering the decline stages of their careers when they hit 30.

In other words, this team's window of opportunity to win it all is NOW, not LATER. Although, if this team miraculously comes up with Rashard Lewis, and if both Lewis and Raef LaFrentz "live up to their potential," I suppose that the team will have a brand new Big Three (Dirk, Raef, and Rashard). STILL.

I like the Spurs' chances of knocking either the Lakers or the Kings out of the WCF next year more than I like the Mavs' chances, anyway. Tony Parker will be only 20 YEARS OLD when the playoffs begin, and the team added a major piece to the puzzle with Emmanuel Ginobili. Tim Duncan will be playing for a contract extension, so expect his best year yet. And David Robinson will want to go out in style. Speedy Claxton is also a major upgrade at backup PG over Antonio Daniels and Terry Porter, as well. I'm tempted to predict a Spurs-Lakers Western Conference Finals, in fact.


----------



## Petey (Aug 23, 2002)

Nash's game relies more upon experience and skill then hopes and speed, I think he will be good for a long time, I also think Finely can adjust easily, and I think he will be a hell of a player for the next 6 years or so... (until he is 35)...

-Petey


----------



## remy23 (Aug 15, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>robyg1974</b>!
> Seems like people used to say that the Kings couldn't play defense, and look how close they came to winning it all last year!


The old Kings could not play defense. 

But the Kings last year played very good defense. IN fact, that is why they came so close to winning the title.


----------



## RollWithEm (Jul 16, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>robyg1974</b>!
> Seems like people used to say that the Kings couldn't play defense, and look how close they came to winning it all last year!
> 
> Also, I think that team defense has as much or more to do with players being familiar with each other than it does with individual defensive ability. What needs to happen is for Cuban to keep this nucleus intact, and add the occasional supporting member.
> ...


The only thing that stops me from picking those two teams in the Western Conference finals is one man's toe. I think Shaq's early season injury trouble is going to put Sacramento so far in front of the rest of the West that the Lakers won't be able to catch them. If San Antonio wins their division, regardless of if the Lakers have a better record than the Spurs, the Lakers are the 3 seed. This means that they play the Spurs in the 2nd Round and Sacramento plays Dallas(or the Clippers) in the second round. Clearly, Sacramento has a pretty good shot of meeting the winner of San Antonio and Los Angeles in the Western Conference Finals. 

But because of the reasons that you point out in your post, I think a Sacramento/San Antonio WCF is not out of the question.


----------



## <<<D>>> (Jul 15, 2002)

The Mavs will improve on their D, They have no choice, but to do so.
They have a lot of talent on that team, and Defense this off-season should be their main focus. Nellie has always been known as the Run & Gun type of coach, I'm sure they're working on some defensive structure, that will involve all the players. The other weakness I noticed, is they do not have a consistant low-post inside threat, how far will the perimeter game take any team?? Not to far that's for sure, You live by the shot, you Die by it. To be successful you need to Bang and pound it inside, from scoring to hitting the boards. They're a very exciting team to watch and I'm sure they'll be much better next year. We'll just have to wait and see, if the "d" in dallas will be a CAPITOL "D" for once.


----------



## <<<D>>> (Jul 15, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>remy23</b>!
> 
> 
> The old Kings could not play defense.
> ...



That's exactly why the Kings were a complete team last year, they really improved on their overall Defense and it paid off during the season.


----------



## Hitman (Jul 16, 2002)

I'm a big Mavs fan (I'm from New York and became disenchanted with a franchise that refuses to rebuild...), and I think the personnel of the team is great. Dirk, Fin and Nash make as good a threesome as there is in the league. Plus, supporters like LaFrentz, Van Exel, Wang (if hes around) Najera, and even Bradley come in useful. I think the problem is Don Nelson. Think back to the GS years. Mullin, Richmond, Hardaway, and a supporting cast. A coach MUST stree defense, even if he has great offensive minded players...I don't think Nelson realizes this fact....

Hitman


----------

