Mavs

[Scallop Industry Thug]

Quietest off-season in a long time. It apperas they are happy with what they have and beleive that stability will help them go further this year.

I simply don't think they have what it takes to get past the first round this year unless Devin Harris turns into an all-star point guard overnight.
I'd love to proven wrong though.

 

[Osmodiar]

I think they still have an awesome team. Any team with Nowitzki is going to do well, he is a FREAK. Howard and Daniels will step up this year, the jury is still out on Harris. I still like Terry over Harris but Terry does tend to take more shots than he should.

Definately playoffs, unless something drastic happens.

 

[Booze Hound]

Jason Terry, who has been a good starting 'combi' guard in the League for a while, proved he could be a very effective point guard. If Harris develops, and not being under huge pressure will help him, they have good options there. Possibly as strong a 2 PG set up as any in the League.

Stackhuse is fine as a replacement for a fading Finley. Christie should be an excellent back up and Daniels will hope to bounce back from a poor ear..

Howard could easily have a break out season. He needs to control his emotions and increase his offensive production. If he does he maight be an All Star.

Nowitski - no need to add anything. Van Horn is an excellent back up.

Dampier - There's the problem. At his best a good centre but is unreliable. I thought they might have looked to try an aquire someone like Nene who had a two first two years but was slowed by injuries last season. At least you would get consistently good effort.

 

[Portmanteau]

Surely Mark Cuban has learnt that you have to give a line-up a season at least to shake out... that was why Sacramento had a 5 year period of sustained success. Obviously they didn't get the ultimate prize, but they didn't rejig for no reason during that time.

Having Daniels, Howard, Terry et al in the team gives them a bit more of an edge, as opposed to their finesse style of yesteryear.

 

[Stiffy_18]

They're still good. Make that VERY good.

Not sure that they can go all the way but they would be a smart trade or 2 away from being the best in the West.

The core and depth of Dallas is just about as good as any and as Bresh said, familiarity will be a good thing going into this year.

 

[Showbag]

I don't know about Dallas this season. There is a lot of intangibles. Nowitzki will be the star, no doubt. But, if the Mavs are going anywhere, they need Howard, Daniels, Harris and especially Erick Dampier to show something. I like the changes the Mavs made, getting rid of Finley won't hurt too much, he couldn't really do what the Mavs wanted him to do. With Stackhouse, they have his replacement (unless you look solely at FG%).

I think they will make the playoffs. But you rarely see a team completely change their playing style and make a big impression in the playoffs. Dallas' style has changed to a defensive style, it'll be interesting to see what else has changed.

 

[Portmanteau]

I don't think we should underestimate Dirk's off-season development, what he did at the Euros was a truly superhuman effort. If he can replicate that at NBA level... look out, boiii.

 

[Dingster]

It's an interesting proposition if you're team like Dallas where you're very good, but perhaps a level below the top few. Do you spend and try and keep up with the top few or position yourself for a crack at the next cycle?

I like what they've done this year. Howard is a quality player already, but if they can develop guys like Daniels and Harris, they will be better placed for a genuine crack at it in a couple of years.

 

[mattyc2422]

They have Beno Udih's bro at camp with em. Samo Udrih!

 

[Scallop Industry Thug]

Early indications would suggest Im right.

-Keith Van Horn is our leading rebounder

-Erick Dampier is putting up 6 pys, 6 rebs and a block per game (Phew, Im glad he's only got 5 years to run on that contract)

-Doug Christie is giving us 4 pts per game on 35% shooting in 30 minutes.

 

[Stiffy_18]

Early indications would suggest Im right.

-Keith Van Horn is our leading rebounder

-Erick Dampier is putting up 6 pys, 6 rebs and a block per game (Phew, Im glad he's only got 5 years to run on that contract)

-Doug Christie is giving us 4 pts per game on 35% shooting in 30 minutes.

Doug Christe was never much oif a scorer. Even in his prime. He was always a defensive specialist who could nail an open 3 and is a superb passer/playmaker. He can also play a bit of point.

If you are looking for some scoring from you SG position then Doug is not your man. Never has been and never will be.

 

[meatray]

Doug isn't cut out to be a SG wherever he goes to be top scorer

 

[Scallop Industry Thug]

Doug Christe was never much oif a scorer. Even in his prime. He was always a defensive specialist who could nail an open 3 and is a superb passer/playmaker. He can also play a bit of point.

If you are looking for some scoring from you SG position then Doug is not your man. Never has been and never will be.

He could always put up 10ppg and be a decent outside threat. But now he is nothing, other than an offense killer. Teams can routinely throw 3 or 4 guys at Dirk cos Doug and Dampier aren't a threat.

 

[Stiffy_18]

He could always put up 10ppg and be a decent outside threat. But now he is nothing, other than an offense killer. Teams can routinely throw 3 or 4 guys at Dirk cos Doug and Dampier aren't a threat.

I disagree.

Doug is far from the offence killer. He will hit an open shot. He was never a great shooter but he was good enough.

Problem isn't Doug. your problem is that you don't have the balance right (just like Sacramaneto at the moment). In our prime we had Webber as our anchor and you have Dirk. We had Vlade as our C and initiator who could do a bit of everything but above all he was a role player. Christie was a role player. Peja and Bibby were the boys that spread the defence by being very good outside shooters.

Problem is Dampier is a scrapper. He doesn't score well, he doesn't pass well, he is not a great rebounder nor a shot-blocker. Doug is someone who brings some defence to your wings. He disrupts the penetration. True he is not what he was in his prime and one of the reason we traded him.

Your problem is that you have too many average role players around Dirk. Howard is a solid player. Doug is probably your defensive anchor (even though he is a step slower than he was due to his bad wheel) and he is a worrior.

Your balance is all over the place IMHO. You have no inside/outside threat what so ever on offence.

 

[DoubleA]

Stiffy once again brings too much to the table in a Sac-town convo

 

[Colonel Matrix]

Mavs need a replacement for Dampier who is an low post offensive threat, obviously they are hard to come by.

 

[Scallop Industry Thug]

Wow lack of offense from the shooting guard and center positions. Im glad we have sorted that out.

But in all seriousness, I still think the Mavs can challenge.

Nowitzki is still at the top of his game (27ppg, 9rpg since Kidd arrived).

Terry still in his prime

Howard can get to his best again if his head is right.

The Damp/Diop combo is a good defensive middle.

Kidd has slowed, but was used poorly by AJ. Carlisle will run an offense that suits his strengths. I see a 12ppg/10apg/8rg season in Kidd.

Stack and Bass is a solid bench.

And we have young legs to run with Kidd (Gerald Green, Antoine Wright).

If we can aquire a legit 2 guard (Mike Miller type) we will contend for the chamionship.

 

[DoubleA]

Mavs will finish 7th or 8th at best if Kidd plays the way he did for them last season, can Carlisle change all this?

I just don't see how they got any better (infact I think they got worse) and all the teams around them got better or stayed as good, cept for San Antonio IMO.

Wow, Stiffy used to post in the Bball forum? Amazing

 

[Scallop Industry Thug]

Mavs will finish 7th or 8th at best if Kidd plays the way he did for them last season, can Carlisle change all this?

He can, and probably will.

Avery reduced Kidd to a weakside shooter. We have one of the greatest passers in NBA history and Avery persists with the iso offense.

Donnie Nelson and Cuban made it a pre-requisite that the new coach would have an offense that maximised Kidd's strengths.

Kidd put up 9-9-8 in a system totaly unsuited to his skill set.

I can see a 12-11-8 year in him still.

You chuck in Dirk, hopefully Howard, Terry, the defensive tandem at center, some bench production from Stack and Bass...and I see a championship contender.

 

[PVF]

You chuck in Dirk, hopefully Howard, Terry, the defensive tandem at center, some bench production from Stack and Bass...and I see a championship contender.

I can think of 5 teams better than them and that's just in the Western Conference.

 

[Scallop Industry Thug]

I can think of 5 teams better than them and that's just in the Western Conference.

Before the 06 season, lots said we wouldnt make the playoffs.

But I agree. LAL, Utah, SAS, NO are better at this stage. Houston havent proven a ****ing thing. Every offseason they look great, cue Yao/TMac injury.

Luckily, the championship isnt decided 6 weeks before the season starts.

 

[mdc]

Before the 06 season, lots said we wouldnt make the playoffs.

But I agree. LAL, Utah, SAS, NO are better at this stage. Houston havent proven a ****ing thing. Every offseason they look great, cue Yao/TMac injury.

Luckily, the championship isnt decided 6 weeks before the season starts.

Don't sleep on the Blazers. Everyone's going to use the same tired "OMG they got no experience11!!", yet if healthy they're going to be able to beat any team.

Fortunately for older teams like the Mavs, they should be able to get their players plenty of rest, as there's a wide gap between 8th and 9th in the West after the Nuggets blew it up and the Wazzas lost Davis & Ellis.

 

[peternorth]

Mavs need a replacement for Dampier who is an low post offensive threat, obviously they are hard to come by.

erm....

 

[Scallop Industry Thug]

Well technically, I am offended by his low post offense.