In case anyone was wondering how I've felt about the Mavs

[vonkaar]

The answer to this question pretty well sums up how I feel... it has been an incredibly difficult 2 years for a LONG-time Mavs fan like myself... but... I'm still here.

Q: In your opinion, what's been the biggest reason for the Mavericks' fall from a Western Conference champion to first-round fodder?

SEFKO: Maybe the best question of the year, and I saved it for last.

I won't use this as a cheap place to go back and rant about the Steve Nash departure being one of the worst basketball decisions in history.

What we're talking about here is a franchise that has been excellent at recovering from screw-ups. And let's face it, isn't that what life is all about?

If you're looking for one reason why the Mavericks have fallen off the peak, it would be that they have returned to their normal level of competence. This is who they are.

For one year, they rose above that level. Dirk was fantastic, Stackhouse was as effective as anybody off the bench in the league and the rest of the cast worked as hard as it ever has.

Since then, the stars have not lined up. The personnel has not changed that much, so it's hard to blame it on management. Coaching might be an issue, but was Avery Johnson any different last season than he was in 2006?

Sometimes, a team rises up for one great run.

It's called the one-hit wonder syndrome. And the Mavericks look like a perfect candidate to be poster boys.

[Zanchief]

Sup Vonky. When ever I see the mavs lose I think of you.

Any thoughts on the Jermain O'Neil to Toronto trade? I'm crazy excited about next year (for me).

[Hatak]

I'm excited about next year myself. Now that Oklahoma City is getting the Sonics next season, I'll actually have a NBA team in state. The Mavs will no longer be the closest team.

[vonkaar]

I think it's a really good move for Toronto... they pretty well realized that Ford wasn't the guard for their future like they had hoped, especially with Calderon coming alive so well... so it was a no-brainer. The draft wasn't *that* deep, so they gave up a 'might-be-a-stud-someday' point-guard and a middle draft pick for a guy that finished 3rd in MVP votes only 2 years ago. Intentional pun in that it was a slam dunk of a trade... I really want to see a healthy JO play ALONGSIDE Bosh because that would be scary. I really hope they do this like a Robinson / Duncan thing... that could do really well in the weak-in-the-paint East. Atlantic division should be easy (ier).

Sucks for Seattle... I can't imagine what I would be feeling if my fucking city exiled the Mavericks to Little Rock or wherever else... I know that there are a lot of long-time, diehard Sonics fans out there and this has to be an absolute heartbreaker. Oklahoma City Sonics? Las Vegas Kings? Aight, that's cool.

How are they going to chop that up, division wise? Put Oklahoma-City in the Pacific division? That sounds more than a little weird. Way too many teams 'around' the SW. Maybe move Chicago to the West and give Memphis to the East?

[Hatak]

I've been wondering what division OKC will be in also. I've also been wondering what the team's new name will be since the Sonics name will stay with Seattle as a part of the court settlement.

[Zanchief]

They'd never move Chicago to the west because it's just too big a franchise for them and they'd get their butts kicked there.

[recks]

omg Zan, we have another person who knows about Basketball! Rejoice!

Vonkaar... aren't you pissed that the Mavs traded their future in PGs for a washed up wife beater like Kidd? On top of that, they traded away there ONLY inside presence in Diop? ( although I'm sure they will make a run at him this off season). Firing Avery was complete BS. Mark Cuban fucked up big time (love the guy, refreshing change in ownership approach) but at least he might have the sense to put a coach in that will kick their asses... oh no wait... he hired Rick Carlisle...n/m.

I don't even see Dallas making the payoffs next year with how increasing stacked the WC is getting, Clippers are about to fight for the 8th as well.

[Zanchief]

I think the Mavs will make the playoffs. They just have too much talent (if they keep Howard) to miss the playoffs. I think some of the teams in the west over produced last year (Houston / Golden State) and could dip a lot. I'm not an expert on the West though like I am with the East (Saying Boston might not make the playoffs last year).

The Mavs, for me, have just become one of those teams I've lost interest in. Nowitzki is the only player that I care about. Howard is good but there's no flash, and all the other players are mostly rented. I think they just missed their window, which makes the 2006 all the more tragic.

[recks]

Houston over produced? They didn't even have Yao !

[vonkaar]

omg Zan, we have another person who knows about Basketball! Rejoice!

Vonkaar... aren't you pissed that the Mavs traded their future in PGs for a washed up wife beater like Kidd? On top of that, they traded away there ONLY inside presence in Diop? ( although I'm sure they will make a run at him this off season). Firing Avery was complete BS. Mark Cuban fucked up big time (love the guy, refreshing change in ownership approach) but at least he might have the sense to put a coach in that will kick their asses... oh no wait... he hired Rick Carlisle...n/m.

Well, I was always on Kidd's side with the whole wife-beating thing... and if you recall, when it was all said and done, it turned out that HE was the victim there no the wife... she was the 'abuser' and he just put up with it for far too long. I'm a big fan of his and I think he's got a lot left, I just don't think Avery knew how to coach him. IF he still has some greatness in his tank, Carlisle will be a much better coach FOR HIM. Don't take that to mean I think Rick is the better coach, but he IS a solid choice and has experience coaching a star 'high basketball IQ' point-guard like JKidd.

We just got Diop back, and signed Gerald Green. I really liked Gerald Green and thought it was crazy that the whole league valued him so little. He finishes r

haha... as I'm typing this, my goggle talk flashes up with an email, "Mavs dancer auditions" rofl

anyway... Green finishes really strong and might be the interior sparkplug that we need. I just hope he gets the playing time to develop... we seem to have a habit of getting young talent and then making them ride the bench while we pour playing-time on washed out has(or never was)-beens: Antoine Walker, Eddie Jones, Doug Christie, Juwon Howard (many, many more).

Avery didn't want to be here and the players didn't want to be coached by him anymore... it was a good decision. I was Avery's biggest fan... I'm one of Don Nelson's biggest fans... but in both cases, the coaches wanted to leave and the players agreed with the change. Avery Johnson will have an amazing career. He broke every 'new coach' record there is and I see him doing more of the same at the next team he goes to.

Mark Jackson said this a couple weeks ago - any team with Dirk Nowitzki on it will make the playoffs. I completely agree with that. Dirk is too much of a competitor and he is too talented to keep down. Elton Brand, Tracy McGrady, Carmelo Anthony and Al Jefferson are all amazing players, but they aren't Dirk. Sorry. And they each have about as much talent on their teams(or less) as the Mavs. In the west, it's Kobe, Duncan, Paul, Nash and Dirk... and Utah has the 'whole package' and dirty coach to bring them into the mix. Yao is a soft weenie. The future of the 5 in this league belongs to Dwight Howard.

As for the Mavs future... I think it all depends on Howard getting back the fire he had 2 years ago. He complimented Dirk offensively and he played hard on defense. We haven't seen that in a while.

Also, I've lost interest in the Raptors so

[Xaiveir]

I'm excited about next year myself. Now that Oklahoma City is getting the Sonics next season, I'll actually have a NBA team in state. The Mavs will no longer be the closest team.

Fuck you buddy.

Clay Bennett can die of something horrible. If i was OKC, i would raise a stink how they got an NBA team. Of course being a Sonics fan, and seeing it first hand up here, makes me want to throw up.

The NBA is dead to me now, i watched the finals to see Garnett and Allen get their rings (2 of my favorite players) and now i wont watch another game. Unless Nash makes it to the finals, would love to see him get one.

[Hatak]

Fuck you buddy.

Clay Bennett can die of something horrible. If i was OKC, i would raise a stink how they got an NBA team. Of course being a Sonics fan, and seeing it first hand up here, makes me want to throw up.

The NBA is dead to me now, i watched the finals to see Garnett and Allen get their rings (2 of my favorite players) and now i wont watch another game. Unless Nash makes it to the finals, would love to see him get one.

OKC has been so hungry to get a major league sports team, I don't think they care how they got it.

First they were trying their hardest to get a NHL team which obviously failed. Then they built the Ford Center and the Bricktown Ballpark to try and lure the NBA or MLB. After the success in ticket sales/attendance from when the Hornets played in OKC, Stern made it clear that it'd only be a matter of time before we got a team. Clay Bennett just put the two together. The handwriting has been on the wall for a long time now.

Now if OKC can just get a MLB team to use that ballpark they built. Seems kind of a waste for it to just be used on a AAA team. Maybe the Mariners can move out here too... I know you'd love that, Xaiv.

[Zanchief]

omg Zan, we have another person who knows about Basketball! Rejoice!

The name of the forum "Where everyone discusses football, and two dorks try to pretend people actually like the NBA and spam what should be in PMs." is because of me and Vonkaar back in the day~

[Zanchief]

Also, I've lost interest in the Raptors so

Hater...

I know I'm biased but the front court of O'neal and Bosh should have all die hard hoops fans at least interested.

[recks]

omg Zan, we have another person who knows about Basketball! Rejoice!

The name of the forum "Where everyone discusses football, and two dorks try to pretend people actually like the NBA and spam what should be in PMs." is because of me and Vonkaar back in the day~

And here I was thinking me and you were special Zan... *single tear while looking out the window, longingly.

O'neal and Bosh will be deadly, but one thing stands in the way. O'neal's health! The man can't stay healthy for anything...

Vonkaar you make some great points, I still don't like Kidd but I do respect him as a basketball player. I didn't know that Diop signed with Dallas? That's great for them. As far as "No-win"-ski, well... I'll just leave him alone, great, great player but he's no leader, doesn't have the mental toughness for it.

[vonkaar]

As far as "No-win"-ski, well... I'll just leave him alone, great, great player but he's no leader, doesn't have the mental toughness for it.

It's true though.

I was just listing the 'skill' players of the West who aren't on completely shitty teams. IMNSHO, if it was all about skill (and age wasn't a factor), I'd probably put Allen Iverson at #1 with Kobe at #2. But AI is playing for a horrible team and he's not the same anymore. But then, that's a big tangent... Will Dirk ever lead us back to the finals? I doubt it. We peaked with the win in San Antonio (which is where his leadership peaked) - highlight of my sports-fan history.

Ya ya... I love the Raps... Bosh is a native and I was really excited when he was coming up in these parts before the draft, so I've always followed him... I'll especially follow him when he comes down to San Antonio in 2010 to replace Duncan.

That's one of my long term predictions... along with:

Lebron the Knickerbocker
Dwight Howard leaving Orlando for basically anywhere
Chris Paul retiring in New Orleans but never winning a title (the city is cursed)
Carmelo Anthony as this generation's Starbury (team wrecking ballhog who plays for 5 teams before he retires)
Larry Brown taking the Bobcats to the NBA Finals (they are soooo much more talented than the Philly or Detroit teams he started out with and have $20m lower budget... he is going to have FUN)
and
Tim Donaghy scandal revealing uncontestable proof that the 2006 finals was rigged.

[Zanchief]

I still say Kobe's the best in the league. I've been saying it for the last 4 years.

I'm with you about Carmelo though. I liked him coming out of college but he's just not a guy I'd want on my team. Denver rolled the dice with some big name players but I'm not sure they can put it all together.

[recks]

AI is and always will be my favorite player, pound for pound the best to lace em' up... however I want him traded or Melo traded. I followed the Nuggets extensively and was honestly rooting for them to NOT make the playoffs so management would blow the team up. Now it looks like they aren't doing a fucking thing. How the fuck Karl still has a job is beyond me and if I have to look at Melo smile like a fuck after losing by 20+ points then... blah! They just don't mesh, AI needs to be surrounded by defensive minded players for his team to have any success (see the 03' 76's when they went to the finals). Now that KG and Shuttlesworth have their rings they should convince AI to sign for the Vet min! :D

I don't think Bronbron will be going to the Knicks, Im'a say the Brooklyn Nets when Jay - Z talks him into it. For some reason I think Howard will be with the magic his whole career, just like Paul.

I think LB is kicking himself for not waiting a few weeks and signing with the bulls

[Kramer]

being from Houston, i deeply appreciate any Dallas hating.... particularly knuckleheads from Dallas.

[Phlegm]

The Mavericks still are in better shape than the Warriors. Mullins is throwing money at anything that move.

Did Davis screwed himself now that Brand is going to sign with the Sixers?

[vonkaar]

Did Davis screwed himself now that Brand is going to sign with the Sixers?

Yes. He probably should have called Corey and Elton before he made the move because the Clippers now look like the worst team in the West. Brand+Magette+Davis would have been a potent and effective 'big-three'. Now? It's a 'rebuilding-time' team.

Not the best news for Zan though... another skilled 4 leaving the West slightly tarnishes the O'Neal/Bosh shine. Dalembert & Brand is a pretty good front court. If they manage to grab Josh Smith as well... that's a good team, and not just in the East.