“Surprise is the greatest gift which life can grant us.” -Boris Pasternak
Well…did you see that one coming?
You could attribute the Mavs’ biggest (and, well, only) win of the young season to a variety of factors. The first, and in my mind this is almost undeniable, was some favorable refereeing. I hate to play this card and hate even more to have it leave the preview, but the Mavs caught a break or seven last night.
Now, that, in and of itself, wouldn’t have even come close to securing a Mavs’ victory. The more telling display was the aftermath of those…interesting calls. The reigning champs completely unraveled when the balls and calls weren’t bouncing their way, and barking at officials soon became the Lakers’ transition defense of choice. It’s entirely too early in the season to start diagnosing teams, but if I’m a Lakers’ fan, that worries me. There are going to be tough games and there are going to be impossibly tough games, even for the premier squads in the league. You’d like to know that Kobe, Lamar, Ron, and Bynum can keep their heads on straight when the going gets tough. Needless to say, that didn’t happen. And more than anything, that lack of composure is what derailed any chance of a late Lakers comeback.
That, and, oh I don’t know, a completely dominant stretch run by Shawn Marion. In just over two fourth-quarter minutes, Marion alone went on a 8-3 run. As Jason Kidd and J.J. Barea found Marion for an array of runners down the middle of the lane, the Lakers turned the ball over three times and managed just one shot attempt. If I didn’t know better, I would’ve naturally assumed that Jason and Shawn had been long-time teammates, especially when considering that their offensive chemistry elevated them to first offensive option status down the stretch. For a team that has long relied on the dark two man game arts of Jason Terry and Dirk Nowitzki, that level of confidence and offensive consistency is a godsend. To have it come from Marion, who has been a Maverick for all of a few months, is even more so.
That’s the difference between the two teams who stayed pretty close for an entire half. Whenever the Lakers needed to dig in and find something on offense, their very visible frustration prevented them from operating at their usual level. Whenever the tides turned against the Mavericks, they either held strong on defense or responded with timely offense. The Mavs played far from a perfect game, but it’s nice to see a bit of resourcefulness translate to a huge victory when Dirk and JET couldn’t quite find the bottom of the basket.
Speaking of Dirk, he had a bit of an interesting night. Though his final numbers aren’t awful (21 points, 10 rebounds), his shot clearly isn’t in regular season shape. Dirk warned us that he may start slow, and he’s done just that, shooting just .385 from the field over his first two games. That’s shocking for a super-efficient star like Dirk, who hasn’t shot worse than .459 since his rookie year. But there’s no reason for alarm; it’s no more than a temporary slump, a slight delay in Dirk’s true arrival for the regular season. Plus, with Dirk totaling 55 points over those two affairs (and 24 FTAs!), there’s no real sense of urgency.
In theory, Kobe Bryant should have completely eclipsed the Mavs during Nowitzki’s time in the shadow. But for whatever reason, Bryant disappeared during the game’s crucial third quarter. Kobe went 1 for 6 in the frame, with a whopping zero assist, despite playing all twelve minutes. The Mavs’ defensive efforts in that quarter were a huge reason why Kobe Bryant was sufficiently shackled to just 20 points (6-19 FG), which just so happens to be Kobe’s lowest scoring output against Dallas since 2003. (For the record, Kobe missed all five of his shot attempts while being guarded by Shawn Marion).
Closing thoughts:
Kris Humphries (8 points, 7 rebounds) had a productive 20 minutes off the bench. That’s exactly what the Mavs need from him until Drew Gooden (2 points, 0-4 FG, 1 turnover) figures out how to be a Maverick. J.J. Barea also continues to impress, and he continue to put pressure on the defense with 12 points (3-7 FG) and 2 assists.
There was an interesting exchange to end the first half, where Humphries appeared to be talking of big game to Kobe Bryant. I fully expected Hump to talk a big game out of Kobe Bryant, but it may have actually added to the frustration that turned out to be Bryant and the Lakers’ downfall.
Two games in, the Mavs are making a considerable effort to get the ball inside and to the free throw line. I know it’s been a theoretical point of emphasis for just about every Mavs squad passed, but for 96 minutes it’s been put into practice. If that doesn’t put a smile on your face, I don’t know what will.
Jason Terry isn’t taking any of the point guard minutes, but he’s playing like more of a point guard. His shot also has yet to show up for the regular season, but JET is moving the ball as deliberately and effectively as he ever has during his time with the Mavs.
GOLD STAR OF THE NIGHT: The Gold Star of the Night goes to Shawn Marion, for essentially ushering the Mavs into the W column. Shawn’s combination of interior offense and lockdown defense meant all the difference in the fourth quarter, when the Lakers attempted some semblance of a last ditch effort.
For those of you that are new around here, “No Game Is an Island” is the game preview feature here at The Two Man Game. Here’s an excerpt of my explanation from the very first installment:
“No [game] is an Island, entire of itself; every [game] is a piece of the Continent, a part of the main; if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friends or of thine own were; any [game]’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in [Fan]kind; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee.”
-John Donne, with a little help from yours truly
No Game is an Island will be the gameday previews here at The Two Man Game. The goal is to establish context for each contest; after all, “every game is a part of the main.” Rather than focusing on each individual contest, the emphasis will be on identifying the importance of games in larger contexts, identifying symbolism and archetypes, and declaring the trends and implications of each of these “almost meaningless” regular season battles. Enjoy.
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The Dallas Mavericks visit the Los Angeles Lakers
9:30 CST
Ready or not, the Mavs are hitting the big stage tonight against the reigning champs. Early prediction: Dirk Nowitzki will score, JET will bounce back, Rodrigue Beaubois will not play.
You guys have the distinct privilege of reading Mavs-centric musings on this blog, but let me take a minute to wax Lakers. They are, without doubt, among the most talented teams in the league. But even more interesting than the superlative displays of athletic skill is how that team came to be assembled, and how they operate within the context of that particular team.
Two young guards, with very different stories. Shannon Brown and Jordan Farmar don’t typically lead pieces about L.A., but I find it both baffling and awesome that what is probably the best team in basketball doesn’t have a point guard that could even be considered average. Derek Fisher hits corner threes and doesn’t turn the ball over too much, but only finds success these days because of his familiarity with the triangle offense, and with the wants and demands of both Kobe and Phil. Meanwhile, Brown and Farmar share minutes at the back-up point, with the long time L.A.-er Farmar being marginalized by the day. He clearly has talent, and for a spell he seemed the heir apparent for the point guard position based on his ability to hit the open three, swing the ball, and dribble just the right amount. But sometime between his semi-emergence and Adam Morrison’s grand entrance to the City of Angels, Farmar fell out of favor. It wasn’t a drop in his level of play or a public trade demand, but as if some internal cauldron of dissatisfaction had finally boiled over. A decently talented point guard prospect was suddenly going by the wayside, and no one managed a second glance.
Enter Shannon Brown. Brown was a B-lister in the swap of mega-stars Adam Morrison and Vladamir Radmonovic, and it wasn’t until he stood on the STAPLES floor that he was truly appreciated for what he is: a high-flying, tough defending point guard that may seem limited in most basketball contexts, but could actually be remarkably good within Jackson’s (err, Tex Winter’s) triangle. He’s already greatly improved as a 3-point shooter, and Brown’s status as a defensive stand-out is what earns him brownie points with the coaching staff. Oh, and by the way, the dude can rock the damn rim. But from the perspective of Farmar, who by all indications is hard-working, well-serving, good guy athlete, Brown has to play the villain. There can only be one main man (even if, for the moment, neither qualifies), and Los Angeles just isn’t big enough for the two of them. Both are very talented, but they couldn’t be more different, and the powers that be have aligned those two teammates firmly in opposition to each other.
Just for fun, contrast with Lamar Odom and Ron Artest. They’re a couple of old pals, but their paths have taken them across the league and back. For Lamar, he’s faced a lifetime of disappointed fans who were looking for the all the wrong things. On top of that, his personal story may be one of the NBA’s darkest but also brightest, as a guy so undeserving of tragedy was written into the middle of one with a smile on his face. But Lamar’s basketball story has long echoed with the natural resentment of the “talent gone wrong” theme, if for no other reason than versatility upstaging dominance. He took a lap around the league by going coast to coast from L.A. to Miami, and his career came geographically full circle with his “return” to the Lakers. But as these stories are ought to do, Lamar’s career didn’t turn up roses the second he suited up purple and gold. There were trials. There were troubles. There were trade rumors and fights, quotes tossed here and there, and emotional responses. It seems so trite to say that Odom is happily ever after with a championship trophy, but that ‘Ship was redemption for him more than anyone. We’ve known that Kobe Bryant was good, and that if he had more talent around him, he could win. Boom, Pau Gasol, game-set-match. We knew that Pau was good, but some questioned his toughness after his disappearance in the Finals prior. He proved that and then some against the beastly bigs of the playoffs, but that was less a narrative than a one-line argument. L.O.’s story is much more complex, but he came up in a big way against Orlando. The reason the Lakers won wasn’t merely because they were a better team, but because Lamar Odom’s versatility overcame the powers of conventional wisdom. Andrew Bynum represents that wisdom, and as a traditional center, Bynum faltered. He was borderline useless. It was only through Odom’s characteristically off-kilter game that the Lakers were able to take what was rightfully theirs.
It’s only fitting that in the aftermath of Odom’s ultimate redemption, his friend Ron Artest is there to share in the glory and maybe earn some of his own. Artest, too, has seen his way around the league, with the Bulls and the Pacers, the Kings and the Rockets. He’s been labeled a stopper, a scorer, a winner, a malcontent, a lunatic, and a million other things in between. Ron’s basketball story has long echoed with the natural resentment of the “talent gone wrong” theme, if for no other reason than unpredictability upstaging dominance. Ron’s story with the Lakers obviously has yet to be written, but to me it smells eerily like Odom’s. But rather than crafting a L.A.-centric novel, Ron opted to begin his story elsewhere, building up to the climax in cities and systems around the league before taking a final act in the best way he knows how: with all eyes on him. Like Farmar and Brown, Odom and Artest are the same. They more or less play the same position, and they share characteristics if not outright struggles. But these guys are friends. Los Angeles has always had room for one more, even if people thought the Lakers did not.
J.J. Barea, on Rick Carlisle’s plan of attack during Howard’s absence (via Eddie Sefko): “Coach is going to try everything until Josh gets back,” Barea said. “Some guys [have] got to step up. There are going to be some weird lineups out there. He’s going to try different stuff until we get comfortable.” Jason Kidd affirms (”We’re going to have some funky lineups out there at times.”)
@MrMichaelLee (of the Washington Post): “Mark Cuban on Agent Zero Words’ self marketing[:] ‘The best way to get media attention is to have gone from talking a lot to not saying a word[.]‘”
Jason Kidd, post-game: “[Dirk] would be dead by Christmas if we’re going to let him be the offense.”
Kyle Weidie from Truth About It.net on the Wizards’ (and Gilbert Arenas’) knack for timely responses in last night’s game: “There are certainly many different types of swagger, just ask Dan Steinberg. What was seen last night was ‘Sustainability Swag’. Every time Dirk started heating up, every time you thought the Mavs might make a run, the Wizards’ veterans came together and withstood oncoming water like a brick wall. The Wiz didn’t dazzle and amaze. They simply looked good.”
Rick Carlisle points to the second quarter defense as the problem (the Mavs allowed 35 points in the frame, and would’ve allowed 38 if DeShawn Stevenson’s last second three pointer wasn’t waved off).
Kelly Dwyer on the last night’s bottom line: “It really was a lay-up line — a line toward easy open shots from all areas, really - on both ends. Dallas’ problem is that it couldn’t make shots. Couldn’t nail open, easy shots that usually go in. Lots of hard luck misses as the Mavs clanged 14 of the team’s 18 three-point attempts. This could have been a close, high-scoring affair, but Dallas just wasn’t up to it. The panache was there. The makes were not.”
I’m not sure I agree with exactly how he arrives at his conclusion (nothing “work[ed]” last night…especially not on a level I would consider “fascinating”), but Shoals IDs the Mavs as one of this year’s “League Pass Teams.” They will definitely be worthy of that designation, just not based off of their opening night performance.
Zac Crain claims that whole affair had a preseason vibe, and he isn’t wrong. The offense was sloppy, even if the turnover numbers tell a different story, and the defense was worse, ranging from lazy to technically flawed to.
“The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are.”
-Anonymous
The mantra of the Mavs’ off-season was finding more help for Dirk Nowitzki. If you were to evaluate the fulfillment of that goal solely on last night’s performance against the Wizards, I don’t see how the assessment could be anything aside from “huge, embarrassing failure.” But hey, guys, this is the first game of the season. That means we’re grading on a curve, and “huge embarrassing failure” just so happens to round up to “pretty terrible, but I’ll get over it.”
There are far worse things than losing your home opener, and the Mavs’ offensive struggles against the Wizards should not be construed of anything more than a one game aberration. We know that this offense works, and we know that these players are more capable than they’ve shown. Jason Terry is simply better than 4-15 FG, and Shawn Marion is definitely more impressive than his largely invisible offensive performance. Jason Kidd and J.J. Barea should be held responsible for the rest of the crew, as the shots need to come easier for the Maverick bigs. None of that happened, and Dirk was left to his own devices. He didn’t disappoint (34 points on an atypical 10-25 FG, 12-13 FT, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks ), but it was far from enough to stave off a shockingly effective Gilbert Arenas (29 points on 10-21 FG, 9 assists), empowered by the surprise contributions of Randy Foye (19 points on 8-14 FG) and Andray Blatche (20 points on 8-14 FG, 7 rebounds). Dirk isn’t a bad guy to back, even in a one on three shoot out, but the Maverick guards were only slightly more effective perimeter defenders than, say, a chair.
The Mavs were clearly confused by the pick and roll, as Arenas and Brendan Haywood abused the Mavs for almost the entirety of the first half. Haywood responded with three thunderous first quarter dunks, resulting in a giant metaphorical wagging finger in the general direction of Erick Dampier. Damp knows better and the rest of the Mavs know better; if Dampier was too busy preventing Arenas from taking a quick jumper, someone else (ANYBODY else) should have stepped up to prevent Haywood from waltzing down the lane, untouched. That kind of defense is just unacceptable…unless, of course, you’re playing in the regular season opener and shaking off an inch-thick coat of rust.
Gilbert deserves more praise than the cursory treatment I’ve already given him. Considering everything he’s been through physically and mentally, he was a revelation. He fully compensated for the absence of Antawn Jamison with a deadly pull-up jumper, and Gil’s forays into the paint emanated both creativity and resolve. Plus, Arenas had a way of answering every would-be Maverick run with a huge play of some kind, either with a dagger of his own or a perfectly placed pass. Maybe he wasn’t yelling “HIBACHI!”, but Gilbert Arenas was back in almost every other sense. As a basketball fan, that excites me. As a Mavs fan, not so much.
There were a few bright spots to help mask a pretty disappointing effort. For one, J.J. Barea was a key reason the game didn’t get out of hand sooner. He dominated the second quarter, creating scoring opportunities off the dribble against an opposing team clearly unable to combat his speed and craftiness. Also, the Mavs were set on getting to the basket to start the game. The result was 23 first half free throw attempts, which is just an ungodly amount for the Mavs.
But if you absolutely must take away something from the Mavs’ flub against the Wizards, take this down and circle it: The Mavs were just…off. Dirk Nowitzki hit an unexpected dry spell in the first half, when he shot just 3-12 from the field. Jason Terry’s jumper went half-way down on more than a few occasions. Erick Dampier and Drew Gooden were just slightly out of position to receive an entry pass or challenge a shot. The team defense, the rebounding, and just about everything else was a step slow and a bit flat…and yet the Mavs were still within a stone’s throw of winning this game. Had Foye and Blatche not channeled their inner demi-gods, we could very well be celebrating one in the win column. The Mavs still have a lot of work to do, but they also have nothing but time.
Closing thoughts:
The only Mavericks to post a positive +/- were Quinton Ross and Kris Humphries.
It wasn’t a great day for the newcomers. Shawn Marion biffed a dunk attempt and horribly airballed a corner three. Drew Gooden airballed a midrange jumper, and found most of his attempts ended up clanging off the rim.
Marion’s night wasn’t nearly as miserable as Gooden’s, though. Shawn was able to post up Caron Butler in on the block, and easily converted a few flip shots turning over his left shoulder.
In the second quarter, the Mavs surrendered three consecutive and ones to the Wizards, courtesy of Blatche and Fabricio Oberto. Yeah, that sucked.
DeShawn Stevenson had no place being on the floor. His three point stroke was miserable, and he could not stay in front of Jason Terry.
Rather than the expected small ball lineup, the Mavs fielded a unit of Barea, Terry, Kidd, Marion and Dirk with mixed results.
GOLD STAR OF THE NIGHT: The Gold Star of the Night goes to Dirk Nowitzki,who was unquestionably the best Maverick on the floor. Not only was Dirk the offense’s only net positive, but he was also aggressive on the defensive end, competing for rebounds and blocking a few shots. We even saw glimpses of a few new toys, as Dirk busted out his running hook (it was very short) and a hesitation move off the dribble that froze Brendan Haywood where he stood. A great all around night for Dirk, who managed to salvage a poor start with a fine second half performance and a parade to the free throw line.
It light of the exhaustive season preview, I’ve opted against putting together a game preview for tonight’s affair with the Wiz. But it’ll still get the full recap treatment for tomorrow.
Also, check back later on tonight for a link to a live chat for those looking for company on opening night. You can shout through your keyboard, chant for Beaubois to get playing time, or ask for Shawn Marion’s address so you can send a fruit basket.
Don’t be fooled into thinking that Gilbert Arenas isn’t physically capable of playing well against the Mavs. The question is a matter of want: Will Gil be in attack mode? Or will his new basketball philosophy preclude him from going beserk?
Rick Carlisle, via Eddie Sefko: “I believe in playing a playoff-style of basketball…That’s the consistency and the intensity we strive for, but it’s got to be tailored to your personnel.”
Marc Stein on Rodrigue Beaubois: “The Mavs quietly believe Beaubois would have been a Rookie of the Year contender — in a race that might prove more open than anticipated in the wake of the fractured kneecap suffered by prohibitive favorite Blake Griffin — had he been drafted by a lottery team. His gifts are obvious: Beaubois has “Tony Parker-like speed and can change games with it,” in the words of one veteran scout; he also has a 6-foot-10 wingspan and a build reminiscent of Boston’s Rajon Rondo.” Stein does indicate that despite his incredible potential, Beaubois could end up spending some time in the NBDL.
Donnie Nelson on Beaubois, as per the same Stein piece: “We are in the business of winning games…And playing rookies big minutes is not always conducive to winning games…With any young player, you’ve got the instructional component and you’ve got the practical component…You’ve got to be able to use what you’ve learned in the heat of the battle…Roddy has gotten off to a real good start, but you never want to close the door on any playing opportunity. We feel real good about the development he’s getting and being with Jason every day, but you never know. There might come a time or a stretch of games where it makes sense to give him a chance to have the ball in his hands with five seconds to go in the game.”
For those of you that are too lazy to click through and find each of the preview posts, here’s the whole shebang put in a box and gift wrapped with a bow. It’s your birthday, darling, and we all love you very, very, very, very, very much.
This is a part of the multi-part season preview, Once More, With Feeling. To read an explanation, click here. To read Act I (the Network preview), click here. To read Act II (the Four Factors), click here. To read Act III (the Coach), click here.
Defining and maintaining a rotation is a bit of a delicate process for some folks, and a simple measure of brute strength for others; it’s either a continued exercise in tinkering and ego-stroking or a desperate attempt to jam fifteen square pegs into one giant round hole. As I discussed in the last segment, Rick Carlisle usually opts for the finesse approach.
But on top of the difficulties that come with appeasing the egos of professional athletes, Rick Carlisle also has the distinct privilege of fitting many multi-positional, versatile players into a series of coherent lineups. What is Josh Howard’s true position? Or Shawn Marion’s? Or Drew Gooden’s?
It doesn’t matter. The designation doesn’t matter so much as their contextual place within lineups and within the rotation. With a team that boasts such an atypical power forward and superstar, we shouldn’t expect each player to fall into neat little roles based on the expectations of their position. The reasons why Dirk Nowitzki is so brilliant are exactly because he’s not what you’d expect from a power forward. So when I say that Josh Howard will have no problem filling in as the starting shooting guard, I want you to grasp my full meaning. I don’t think that Josh Howard will be able to fulfill the ball handling and distributing responsibilities normally assigned to a 2 guard, but in my mind that doesn’t mean he can’t start alongside Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion, Dirk Nowitzki, and either Drew Gooden or Erick Dampier.
Photo via ESPN.com.
The Maverick offense is fairly unique in that even though it’s come along way since the plodding isolations of the Avery Johnson era, wing players have rarely had a role of the playmaking part of the offense. Aside from Jason Terry’s two man game with Dirk, the 2 is a position of scoring through cuts and jumpshots. Wings still create shots in one-on-one situations or the additional drive and kick, but the majority offense goes through the expert management of Jason Kidd or the high post savvy of Dirk Nowitzki.
With that in mind, why would Josh Howard and Shawn Marion be unable to coexist peacefully on the perimeter? Each is able to both shoot and slash, but in ways complementary of the other; Josh would rather shoot than slash, and Shawn would rather slash than shoot. But both are (at least) passable from three point range and fine finishers around the basket, which offers the Mavs a plethora of options in the half-court offense. Rare are the teams with two capable perimeter defenders, meaning in most cases either Howard or Marion will have free rein to do what they do best.
The other big question for the Mavs comes on the inside. Carlisle has opted to go with Dampier and Gooden as “co-starters,” with matchups determining the starter at center. That, more than anything, is reflective of the underlying theme of this year’s Mavs: flexibility. Gooden and Damp not only afford the Mavs a versatile approach to the inside game, but their unique contracts (Gooden’s unguaranteed contract and Dampier’s virtually expiring contract) will ultimately dictate the Mavs’ roster changes over the next year.
But while they’re both in Dallas, Gooden and Dampier will give the Mavs two very different looks in the middle. We know what to expect from Dampier: rebounding, on-ball defense in the post, the occasional dunk. But Gooden is more or less a wild card. We know that he’s a more gifted offensive player than Damp, but how will Drew fare on the defensive end? Determining when Gooden is the appropriate matchup will be Rick Carlisle’s first big test of the season, and assessing his offensive contributions relative to his expected defensive limitations. I’m not convinced that Gooden will give up all that much at center, but only time will tell how he will function within the Mavs’ scheme.
Photo by Jennifer Pottheiser/NBAE/Getty Images.
You have to love the depth that comes with the Mavs’ new additions. Shawn Marion will fill many of the minutes as the Mavs’ back-up power forward, particularly in the rumored small ball lineup featuring the top five players in the rotation (Dirk, Kidd, JET, Howard, Marion). Quinton Ross also gives the Mavs a defensive stopper on the wing, either to neutralize particular perimeter threats or possibly to fill in as a starter for the injured Howard. Kris Humphries is poised to build on his solid preseason by playing as either big, and James Singleton/Tim Thomas fill the role of utility big based on specific need. I’d be remiss not to mention the excellent J.J. Barea, who proved against the Spurs that he’s capable of being a big-time difference maker. Rodrigue Beaubois will get some burn as the third point guard and occasionally as an off-guard, but he won’t get enough minutes to appease the Roddy-hungry MFFLs. I’m already salivating while we wait for Beaubois to actualize his potential, but for now we should all take deep breaths and try to be comfortable with the idea of limited minutes and some DNP-CDs for Rodrigue. All of his hopefully translates for more opportunities to thrive for the big names in Dallas. It’s so much easier to succeed in the NBA when surrounded by a decent supporting cast, and Dirk, Kidd, JET, and Josh have quite the ensemble.
I’m interested to see just how reliant the 2009-’10 Mavs are on the small ball approach. Putting Dirk at center certainly has its perks, but he does give up a bit defensively. We won’t really know for sure until Josh Howard returns from injury, but if last year was any indication (where Brandon Bass was a part of the Mavs’ most effective lineups), it could be Dallas’ trump card.
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GOLD STAR OF THE NIGHT: The Gold Star of the Night goes to Shawn Marion, for essentially ushering the Mavs into the W column. Shawn’s combination of interior offense and lockdown defense meant all the difference in the fourth quarter, when the Lakers attempted some semblance of a last ditch effort.
