Well Done

Posted by Rob Mahoney on June 29, 2011 under xOther | View Comments

There are a lot of reasons to be proud of this team and its owner right now, but nothing even comes close to this.

Why Now?

Posted by Rob Mahoney on June 24, 2011 under Commentary, News, Roster Moves, Video | View Comments

The Mavericks have acquired Rudy Fernandez (and the draft rights for 2007 selection Petteri Koponen, a footnote which may or may not have relevance) in exchange for the 26th and 57th picks in yesterday’s draft. As far as draft day trades go, this one isn’t horrible; the Mavs aren’t the Kings, who somehow talked themselves into acquiring John Salmons while losing Beno Udrih and trading down in the draft at the same time. But if you’re looking for the logic in a move like this one, I see little.

It all comes down to what Dallas surrendered. Selected with the 26th pick was Texas sophomore Jordan Hamilton, a player who can functionally perform a lot of the same roles that Fernandez can. He doesn’t come without his own faults (Hamilton looks at the rim almost lustfully with each catch on the perimeter), but Hamilton eclipses Fernandez’s utility while still holding that infinite potential of youth.

In Rudy, the Mavs have acquired a streaky shooter who, for the most part, comes up errant. Fernandez shot 37 percent from the field and 32 percent from three last season, and though 2010-2011 was without question the worst campaign of Fernandez’s three-year NBA career, he doesn’t exactly have a healthy body of work to rule that year as an aberration. We know Fernandez can be better (particularly from three-point range; Rudy connected on 40 percent of his threes during his rookie season), but there should be legitimate concern over whether he’ll be able to return to his previous shooting marks.

Unfortunately, that kind of pessimism is what clouds discussions of Fernandez’s basketball strengths. Offense is supposed to be the side of the ball where Fernandez makes his living, and yet over the last two seasons, his offensive performance has been wholly underwhelming. Things only get worse on the defensive end, where Rudy scrambles plenty without accomplishing much at all. He has a pretty worrisome gambling problem; he’ll abandon good defensive position in a second to chase a pass he has no business chasing — and that’s when he’s even in the right defensive position in the first place. Fernandez isn’t a replacement for DeShawn Stevenson, but an even more limited stopgap, capable of possibly replicating Stevenson’s three-point shooting while falling well short of his defensive performance. Fernandez just isn’t anywhere near the defender that Stevenson is, and though Jordan Hamilton is similarly lacking in defensive ability, he’s 20 years old, long, and athletic. I have more hope for Hamilton finding religion as a defender than Fernandez, and while that hope could ultimately prove to be misplaced, I think the “he is who he is,” perspective on Fernandez is tough to refute.

Plus, Fernandez withered when he wasn’t handed the minutes he expected and was forced to compete for playing time in Portland. Based on Rick Carlisle’s rotational habits, why exactly should we expect any different result in Dallas? Fernandez has a fresh start, but he may find that Carlisle and Nate McMillan share in some particularly inconvenient elements of their coaching philosophy. “Stay ready,” which became the mantra of the Mavs’ role players last season, doesn’t quite seem to fit with Fernandez’s understanding of the team concept.

Maybe Fernandez will find new life in Dallas, but at best he’s an active offensive participant, a three-point threat, and a defensive liability. Couldn’t Hamilton be capable of the same, while giving the Mavs another interesting piece for the future? Dallas is rightfully looking to maximize on their current core, but the drive to acquire veterans has led them to one who holds all of the weaknesses of the prospect they could have had without any of the potential long-term strengths.

They Smell Like the Future: A Sampling

Posted by Rob Mahoney on June 23, 2011 under Commentary | View Comments

Even though this year’s draft isn’t all-important to the Mavs given the strength of their rotation and the number of quality young players already in waiting, their impending decision in tonight’s festivities still deserves a bit of consideration. Here’s a closer look at a few of the more intriguing options likely to fall into Dallas’ draft range.

Davis Bertans
Union Olimpija Ljubljana
6′10”, 210 lbs.
18 years old

Nikola Mirotic
Real Madrid
6′10”, 210 lbs.
20 years old

To those of us who lack the resources to properly evaluate international prospects, Bertans and Mirotic are symbolic of a particular draft strategy more than they are standalone assets. Right now, they mean little to us outside of what we can find in second-hand scouting reports and scrounged video; though DraftExpress and similar sites are invaluable resources, when it comes to Bertans and Mirotic, DX and the like are describing physical realities to the blind. We may be able to conjure what some of the descriptions mean, but we’ll never be able to grasp them in their full context, much less be able to create informed opinions for ourselves.

So, should David Stern announce that with the 26th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, the Dallas Mavericks select David Bertans (or Nikola Mirotic), we’ll know little more than the Mavs’ immediate plans to keep a player developing overseas while the current core runs its course. Dallas doesn’t need a rookie to step in immediately, and even if that were for some reason preferred, I’m not sure where in the rotation a rook would even be able to squeeze in. The D-League and Europe are the two most practical solutions for grooming whichever player the Mavs end up taking, and while it would be nice to develop that prospect under the watchful eyes of Nancy Lieberman and her staff in Frisco, playing competitive ball for a few years in a good European league is a suitable alternative.

Josh Selby
Kansas
6′3”, 195 lbs.
20 years old

Selby is a pretty natural scorer, and could make a lot of sense for Dallas as a third or fourth guard in a post-J.J. Barea world. Securing Barea’s services for next season is hardly a given, even if both parties want to see a deal completed; Dallas won’t be in a position to offer Barea what he could probably make on the open market, and for a player who hasn’t seen any kind of exorbitant riches in his pro career, that kind of money could be rather enticing. Regardless, Selby figures to fill a similar role. He’s quick, a bit reckless, and a natural scorer. He has a lot to learn about running an offense (much like Barea did when the Mavs first found him, and much like Barea still does, in a way), but his aptitude as a scorer is obvious.

The biggest question is if Dallas really has room for another guard, particularly with Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, Caron Butler, Rodrigue Beaubois, Dominique Jones, and possibly Barea and DeShawn Stevenson on the roster. Selby’s athleticism makes him worth a look, but his inefficiency and positional redundancy are understandable concerns. There’s not much to like in Selby’s shooting percentages, and his shot selection seems largely to blame. That will have to change; Selby won’t have a ton of room for error in his efforts to carve out a place for himself in the league, and though his aggressive scoring is one of his more attractive qualities as a player, he’ll need to find that happy place where he can score sufficiently without derailing the entire offense.

Other People:

Marc Spears, Yahoo Sports: “A year ago, Rivals.com viewed the former McDonald’s All-American as the top college prospect in the Class of 2010 over the likes of Kyrie Irving, Harrison Barnes and Jared Sullinger. The 20-year-old had a tough freshman season that included a suspension and injuries.

An NBA scout’s take: ‘He was one of the top three players coming out of high school in his class. He can be a sleeper in the right system.’”

Kevin Pelton, Basketball Prospectus, on his statistical system’s comparison to Keyon Dooling: “Of the college players in this year’s draft, Selby has the lowest similarity score. His Kansas stats don’t appear telling about his NBA potential, either positively or negatively.”

Supplementary Materials:

Justin Harper
Richmond
6′9”, 230 lbs.
21 years old

Harper will likely be overlooked by many as a four-year college player who attended a mid-major, but he has a versatile offensive game that should translate fairly well to the next level. He’s known primarily for his work on the perimeter — Harper shot 44.8 percent from the college three in his senior season and is an effective cutter — but he’s also a competent rebounder and has the ability to create with his back to the basket. Harper isn’t a remarkable athlete, a fact which will undoubtedly work against him as a pro. Perimeter defense, in particular, is a bit of a concern, particularly when considering the variety of roles that Harper will likely be asked to fill in the NBA. He isn’t just a big or a wing or a power forward or a small forward; Harper will have to do a bit of everything, but without the physical tools that have allowed players like Shawn Marion to succeed. That limits his ceiling, but I still see good things for Harper — in the right system, he has the talent and skill necessary to become a regular NBA contributor.

The problem is that Harper doesn’t have much potential to be more than that. He has all the makings of a serviceable rotation player, but little more. For all of his offensive versatility, it’s hard to imagine Harper becoming a highly productive NBA player. He seems quite capable of having a successful pro career, but only if that success is evaluated on relative terms; Harper is a role player, and so long as he isn’t deemed to be more than he is, he should be a good value pick for a team late in the first round.

Other People:

Joey Whelan, DraftExpress: “‘The biggest difference with Justin is he’s doing all of this at 6-10,’ [Richmond head coach Chris] Mooney says. ‘It’s incredible that he has the kind of range and touch that he does at that size, in addition to all the other things he can do. He’s clearly one of the best shooters in the country, and again, it’s so unique given his size.’

And that’s where the tremendous intrigue of Harper’s game comes into focus. While the practice of evaluating international prospects with size and skill is an annual practice among NBA scouts, rare is the American college player that presents this kind of package at the high level that the Richmond senior does. While he certainly isn’t on the same level as Kevin Durant, it’s easy to make the argument that no college player has so closely resembled the current NBA star since he left the University of Texas four years ago.”

Matt Moore, Hardwood Paroxysm: “What do you have when you have everything? Justin Harper. Harper’s going to fit in well with the Mavericks as a versatile big. With Roddy Beaubois and Nique Jones, they don’t need backcourt help, and once Caron Butler gets back they have enough wings. Harper is positioned as a solid prospect that could turn into something special. He’s got good size, length, and frame, a nice elbow turnaround and a solid drop-step off-glass down low. He’ll get lost for a few years while this current core finishes its run, but he could also be part of the rebuilding plan for Dallas. He’ll likely spend time with the Legends.”

Supplementary Materials:

Tyler Honeycutt
UCLA
6′8”, 190 lbs.
20 years old

It’s hard to read too much into the statistical production of UCLA players, but Honeycutt’s collection of skills piques my interest. His slight frame will likely be made into more of an issue than it really is; Honeycutt is thin and lanky, but he’s also 20 years old. He’s still very able to compete on both ends of the court, and though he would have some initial troubles defending in the post, he likely wouldn’t see the court for Dallas for at least a season or two.

Honeycutt isn’t going to take the NBA by storm, but he has definite sleeper potential. He rebounds quite well, particularly for his positional standards. He can handle the ball in a pinch (though not well enough to really run an offense, despite what his passing ability may have you believe), and potentially alleviate some of he offensive responsibilities of a point-guard-in-training like Rodrigue Beaubois or Dominique Jones. He’s a nice slasher, a smart passer, and an active defender to boot. The Tayshaun Prince comparisons are more than just aesthetic; both players’ offensive skill sets are quite similar, and Honeycutt has the same disruptive defensive potential. Honeycutt is still finding his way as a scorer, though, and hasn’t quite grasped the value of shot discretion. He doesn’t strike me as a particularly selfish player, but one who simply oversteps his bounds on offense. The do-it-all nature of Honeycutt’s game has perhaps pushed him too far into a shot-forcing extreme, and with a slight adjustment in his approach, his efficiency marks should be much more palatable.

Ultimately, I don’t see much that should keep Honeycutt from becoming a really solid NBA player. The biggest question is if Dallas will have a chance to select him at all, given the likelihood that he goes in the early 20s.

Other People:

Derek Bodner, DraftExpress: “Perhaps the most intriguing part of his game, and the part that may not translate immediately to the NBA level, is his passing ability. Honeycutt shows very good court vision for a player of his size, and a willingness – perhaps to a fault – to setup his teammates. The problem is he often forces the issue, making high risk passes that may not be the best option. He’ll need to improve his decision making and ball-handling ability to fully utilize his passing ability at the next level, which may limit a team’s desire to use him in a point forward role initially.

The biggest concern watching Honeycutt over the course of the season is possibly his aggressiveness and consistency. UCLA overall suffered from inconsistent play at the point guard position, and Howland’s system through the years hasn’t always been kind to off the ball perimeter players as it can have a steep learning curve. That being said, Honeycutt often times passed up opportunities and was far too often not aggressive enough for someone of his skill level. He has a reputation amongst scouts for not being particularly tough either mentally or physically, and his passivity clearly doesn’t help in this regard.”

Royce Young, Daily Thunder: “He’s not really an NBA ready impact player right now. He needs some filling out, needs to improve offensively and needs to get stronger. But there’s a lot of talent there and with a system built in Oklahoma City for development that includes patience with young players — something not too many other organizations have — Honeycutt could be a terrific pick at 24. There’s a lot of people that see the Thunder going the draft-and-stash route (myself included), but OKC could sort of do that with a guy like Honeycutt. Just put him in the D-League. A lot view the D-League as a demotion and somewhere a rookie drafted in the first round should never be, but the Thunder is a franchise that really values it as a developmental tool.”

Patrick Hayes, Piston Powered: “The lesson Eastern Conference teams should learn after playing Miami: you can never have too many long, athletic defenders to throw at Dwyane Wade and LeBron James. The Mavs were able to beat Miami in the Finals primarily because they had a parade of active perimeter guys who were always fresh going at James and Wade. Honeycutt will need to get stronger, but he was extremely versatile for UCLA, a good passer and a long-armed defensive player.”

Supplementary Materials:

Waiting, Willing, Growing

Posted by Rob Mahoney on June 22, 2011 under Commentary | View Comments

The Dallas Mavericks have an odd history with the draft, largely due to their needs as a team failing to coincide with their position in the first round. That’s the price paid for being a perennial playoff team always on the brink of contention; Dallas has been very competitive over the last decade or so, but in exchange for that success, they’ve only selected a player earlier than the 21st pick (or acquired a player selected on draft night with a pick higher than No. 21) one time since 2000. It’s tough to find immediate help late in the first round, and though it can certainly be done (Josh Howard and Rodrigue Beaubois are two convenient in-house examples), those success stories will always be the exceptions to the norm.

Beyond the inherent difficulties in finding contributors late in the draft, Dallas has also long been a team without easily rectifiable weaknesses. The Mavericks have never been perfect, but their problems were more complex than mere positional defect; picks in the 20s (or even the late lottery) weren’t likely to produce players better than Devin Harris, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, Josh Howard, Jerry Stackhouse, Erick Dampier, or DeSagana Diop with the immediacy needed. The lineup was set, it just hadn’t been quite good enough.

That much has changed with the whole winning the championship thing, but the Mavs, as is the case with any defending champion, still need to find ways to improve. This particular draft is not a sufficient means to achieve that improvement. There are some serviceable players in the bunch (along with a pinch of debatable star power up top), but the 26th pick won’t give Dallas a piece that will amount to anything within the context of their current rotation. So long as free agency isn’t an abject disaster, this 26th pick will be temporarily irrelevant; the Mavs have a chance to draft a player to stash away overseas or to bring along slowly, but the potential for an immediately capable contributor so late in this draft is virtually nonexistent.

Yet Dallas, possibly more than any other champion in NBA history, is ready to improve regardless of any additions to the team. Caron Butler’s return to the court — provided that he re-signs to the Mavs as is expected — is a big reason why; Dallas won the title without their second best scorer and one of their top perimeter defenders playing a single playoff minute, and plugging in his production in place of that of DeShawn Stevenson/Peja Stojakovic should result in a rather significant gain. Beyond Butler, though, Dallas has three capable young players who watched the Mavs’ unbelievable playoff run unfold from their courtside seats. Rodrigue Beaubois remains a prominent piece in the franchise’s future, even if he never could quite find the right gear during his sophomore campaign. Dominique Jones is an effective slasher, a capable ball-handler, and a physical on-ball defender. Corey Brewer is a bundle of energy that simply cannot be contained, and his defensive effort has a funny way of making good things happen for his team, even if his jumper is still a work in progress.

It certainly wouldn’t hurt if Dallas were picking earlier in the draft, but Brewer and Beaubois are studs compared to the talent in this year’s class, while Jones would likely figure in as a late lottery pick. That’s an astounding amount of talent waiting at the kids table, and more versatile as a group than any one particular prospect from this year’s lottery would be.

There’s a lot to celebrate in the wake of winning the NBA title, but Mavs fans have the luxury of not only living in the moment. Sip on that champagne. Rewatch Game 6. Scoop up all of the commemorative memorabilia that your arms can carry. But know that even without the draft, these Dallas Mavericks are in a position to be even better than the team that won the title in 2011.

Reflections of a Champion

Posted by Rob Mahoney on June 17, 2011 under Previews, xOther | View Comments

Apropos of nothing, here are four vignettes of your NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks, some borrowed (and modified), some original. They may or may not have anything to do with basketball.

X: THE END

It’s hard to think three moves ahead as the entire planet collapses, but against a landscape of fire and brimstone, Rick plotted. He had never been the best, but he was always very good, and very much committed to his craft. He didn’t play chess. He was a chess player. The difference is even more profound than it would be with many other hobbies or occupations, if only because Rick’s endless obsession with the game within the game within the game within the game had made chess anything but a game.

He was not alone in that obsession; Rick wasn’t the only chess player. But he was always very good, and very much committed to his craft.

That commitment never wavered, but his relative status eventually did. Rick had honed his chess playing with careful study, long hours, and perfect practice. And then, as can occasionally be the case in all things, he went on a run. Every pawn he touched turned to a knight, as his already impressive army somehow transformed into an embarrassment of versatile riches. Sometimes a man can do no wrong, and for whatever reason — some cosmic return on all of his hard work, or maybe just flat-out luck — Rick’s sometimes came at a moment most opportune. He was the best, last; no matter how he might stack up to the great strategists of his time or all times, Rick had the talent and fortune to be the best chess player on the planet as Earth’s countdown neared zero.

E6. Portland crumbled under the weight of pounds upon pounds of volcanic lava. Bb4. The entire state of California drifted into the ocean. Bc5. The American Heartland was ripped to shreds. Qh4. Florida sank.

Qxf2.

This is the way the world ends: not with a bang, but a checkmate.

[Mahoney]

———-

11: INDUSTRY

Bee, my bee,
Your day and night
And your patience-industry
Have no respite.
Hard you endeavour
To bring the ball
To the hoop amidst the trees.
You always don
The robe of fruitful victory.

[Chinmoy]

———-

41: THE WINNING JOKE

It was his. After what seemed like an eternity, it was finally his. Dirk Nowitzki clutched the Larry O’Brien trophy in his hands. And against his chest. And rested it against his forehead. The cool metal offered relief to a weary warrior, though no more than simply holding that image of ultimate accomplishment ever could.

Dwyane Wade had put on a hell of a show, but it didn’t matter. This was Nowitzki’s day, and Nowitzki’s trophy. Doubt was no longer relevant; all of the trials and incredible comebacks were simply dramatic points leading up to the Finals’ ultimate conclusion. Nowitzki and the Mavs were NBA champions, even if they were crowned on the strength of a number of improbable victories. The Mavericks weren’t dominant, but they managed to stay alive. They milked their playoff lives for all they were worth, and took advantage of every point and every second and every step.

It was his. It was his champagne; Nowitzki didn’t drink during the season, but the taste of victory would dance on his tongue. It was his parade; the city of Dallas would scream his name as he floated by in exaltation. It was his moment; the criticism of his game wasn’t quite as intense as it had been earlier in his career, but there was nonetheless a satisfaction in silencing the endless questioning. It was his off-season in triumph; he was due an endless line of photo ops and high fives, and his phone would explode with texts from old friends. It was his trip to the White House; he and his teammates would head to D.C. to — fittingly — meet with a Texan president. It was his dream fulfilled; after all of these years, Dirk –

– found happiness…if only until he once again found consciousness. Nowitzki lay in bed, his eyes dried by the restless, blinkless hours. He wasn’t possessed by lost possessions, but driven to the very brink by the prize he had lost. Those summer months weren’t merely depressing, but tormented; Nowitzki lost himself in those sleepless nights, and lost what had tethered him to the world outside. All he had were the shadows on the cave walls of his mind, those visions of a remarkable victory, those false images of a title that was his. Nowitzki’s head was cocked to the side every so slightly, as he held the same twitching smile for hours upon end. He laughed. Slightly at first but then almost maniacally, as the little moisture left in those tortured eyes welled and then fell.

2011 couldn’t come fast enough.

[Mahoney]

———-

2.31: A CLEAN, WELL LIGHTED PLACE

“No,” the player who was in a hurry said, rising from pulling down the metal shutters. He adjusted his headband, his armband, his six pairs of layered socks. “I have confidence. I am all confidence.”

“You have youth, confidence, and a job,” the older player said. “You have everything.”

“And what do you lack?”

“Everything but work.”

“You have everything I have.”

“No. I have never had confidence and I am not young.”

“Come on. Stop talking nonsense and lock up.”

“I am of those who like to stay late at the gym,” the older player said. “With all those who do not want to go to bed. With all those who need a light for the night.”

“I want to go home and into bed.”

“We are of two different kinds,” the older player said. He was now dressed to go home. “It is not only a question of youth and confidence although those things are very beautiful. Each night I am reluctant to close up because there may be some one who needs the gym.”

“Hombre, there are bodegas open all night long.”

“You do not understand. This is a clean and pleasant court. It is well lighted. The light is very good and also, now, there are shadows of the leaves.”

“Good night,” said the younger player.

“Good night,” the other said. Turning off the electric light he continued the conversation with himself, It was the light of course but it is necessary that the place be clean and pleasant. You do not want music. Certainly you do not want music. What did he fear? It was not a fear or dread, It was a nothing that he knew too well. It was all nothing and a man was a nothing too. It was only that and light was all it needed and a certain cleanness and order. Some lived in it and never felt it but he knew it all was nada y pues nada y nada y pues nada. Our nada who art in nada, nada be thy name thy kingdom nada thy will be nada in nada as it is in nada…

—

He smiled and stood at the free throw line.

“What are you working on?” asked a different player shooting at a different basket in a different gym than before.

“Nada.”

“Otro loco mas,” said the player and turned away.

“Just a few more shots,” said the old player.

He took them.

“The light is very bright and pleasant but the floor is unpolished,” the old player said.

The other player looked at him but did not answer. It was too late at night for conversation.

“You gonna hang around?” the player asked.

“No, thank you,” said the old player and went out. He disliked gyms such as those. A clean, well-lighted court was a very different thing. Now, without thinking further, he would go home to his room. He would lie in the bed and finally, with daylight, he would go to sleep. After all, he said to himself, it’s probably only insomnia. Many must have it.

[Hemingway]

The Difference: Dallas Mavericks 105, Miami Heat 95

Posted by Rob Mahoney on June 15, 2011 under Recaps | View Comments

Box Score — Play-by-Play — Shot Chart — GameFlow

You know the drill. The Difference is a reflection on the game that was, with one bullet for every point in the final margin.

• In professional sports, panic is easy. Identifying worries and overreacting to them quickly is the path of least resistance, false adjustments that feign activity. Throughout their entire playoff run, the Mavericks never were tempted into that panic; they took their path every time, even when the win-loss binary told them that path was faulty. Rick Carlisle never pushed a button for pushing’s sake, nor did any of the Mavs attempt to drastically alter their approaches in an effort to counter some real or perceived problem. They just ran their stuff. They ran their stuff in the house and with a mouse, they ran their stuff here, and there, and anywhere. They ran it in a box and with a fox, and then they skipped the green eggs and just went ham. True commitment to a system or strategy often seems a lot easier than it is (case in point: Miami’s willingness to abandon their pick-and-roll game with a single kick-ball in the fourth quarter of Game 5), and I’m convinced that perseverance within their system is among the most crucial reasons for Dallas’ first ever NBA title. Carlisle could have easily rewritten the book after Game 1 of the Finals, or drastically changed his team’s defensive strategy once Dwyane Wade began to really go nuts. He didn’t and the Mavericks thrived from the strength of their minor, precise adjustments.
• Strictly as an observer, I haven’t decided whether there was more narrative power in the actual outcome of Game 6 or in an alternate reality where Dirk Nowitzki finished the series as dominant as ever. Both are suitable finales, but there would have been a clearly established satisfaction in seeing Nowitzki grab the Larry O’Brien trophy by its personified throat. That wasn’t quite the way it turned out, but is that a fair conclusion to the tale of Nowitzki’s historically incapable supporting cast, or an anticlimactic finish for the man who always did it all?
• Tyson Chandler scored five points and grabbed eight rebounds in Game 6, and I still wouldn’t have been opposed to him being named the Finals MVP. Nowitzki was an offensive juggernaut in the Finals, but Chandler was the primary deterrent against a formidable Heat offense. He wasn’t an anchor, but a pillar; Dallas unveiled a beautifully crafted defensive structure in the Finals, and though Jason Kidd and Shawn Marion really brought it together, Chandler was the critical support that allowed the entire thing to exist in the first place. (Plus, offensive rebounding was pegged as a definitive Heat strength going into the Finals, and yet the Mavs won the offensive rebounding rate battle in three of the six games. That’s essentially all Chandler.)
• For the record, my mom, soothsayer that she is, predicted that the Mavs would win the title this season. Then again, she’s said the same thing every season since 2000, so I guess hat makes her 100% right this year, and about 9% right overall. Still, even grasping at straws deserves a tip of the hat, so long as she gets the straw.
• J.J. Barea (15 points, 7-12 FG, five assists) was unbelievable. It seems like it’s been ages since I was forced to defend Barea’s presence by outlining his unique strengths within the context of this team, but in reality, Barea was painted as a scapegoat as recently as a few months ago. He’s come a long way in terms of focus and efficiency, mind you, but the strength of his game is the same: Barea’s handle, speed, and creativity give him an inlet to the basket that few players are able to access. Barea has made clear his intent to stay with the team that unearthed him, but strange things can happen in free agency. If Barea ends up on another team’s roster, Dallas will be the worse for it.
• There’s always room for more in Maverick Nation, and in principle, I’m not opposed to accepting refugee fans from other teams that have been bounced in the playoffs. Still, I won’t miss the bile. I won’t miss the abject hatred. I won’t miss the inescapable stink clouding what was a brilliant series with a fantastic ending. Fans are free to love or hate whoever they’d like, but the way they conduct themselves can always disgust me, even if their agency doesn’t.
• DeShawn Stevenson dropped nine points, as did Eddie House. Brian Cardinal had three, and Ian Mahinmi four. In the closing game of the NBA Finals. It’s a mad, mad, mad, mad world.
• Oh, there’s this cat named Jason Terry — he’s turned the pull-up jumper in transition into an art form, and was the dynamic offensive star Dallas badly needed to finish out the series. Terry (27 points, 11-16 FG, 3-7 3FG) has been maligned as any Maverick over the years, and to an extent he’s deserved the criticism. His defense used to be quite poor. In the past, Terry’s offensive contributions could be teched against too easily, leaving Nowitzki to carry the entirety of the scoring burden on his own. But this year’s offense wasn’t Nowitzki-and-JET-dependent so much as it utilized both as investments in the system. Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion, Tyson Chandler, J.J. Barea, and previously, Caron Butler, rounded out the offense and balanced the floor. No player benefited more from Dallas’ offensive flow than Terry, who was able to finally benefit from the creation of others. Just having Kidd set up Terry was never enough; the entire offense had an oddly stable codependency, in which Kidd needed Nowitzki, Terry, a more involved Marion, and Chandler to really do what he does best, and each of those players needed one another in order to create the perfect swing to their offense.
• LeBron James didn’t perform as he could have or should have, and yet somehow, I don’t think anyone in Dallas really minds all that much. James has been story 1A in the postseason’s aftermath, but frankly, I was more taken by how Dallas held Dwyane Wade to 17 points on 6-of-16 shooting (with five turnovers) in Game 6. Wade’s injury likely played a part in his underwhelming line, but the Mavs used some quick doubles to chase him out of his comfort zones. Wade in the post had been the most consistently effective weapon for either team all series long, and yet the Mavs were able to completely neutralize it in Game 6 while keeping the rest of Wade’s game in check and keeping LeBron James producing on a reasonable level.
• Do you believe it yet?

A Beautiful Construction

Posted by Ian Levy on under Commentary | View Comments

Ian Levy is the author of Hickory High, a contributor to Indy Cornrows, and a part of The Two Man Game family. You can follow Ian on Twitter at @HickoryHigh.

Even with two days to process the end of the NBA Finals, I’m still in amazement. I’m amazed at what happened and how it happened. Most of all, I’m amazed at the composure displayed by the Mavericks’ throughout the series. At no point did they allow the circumstances to change what they intended to do or how they intended to do it. Inserting J.J. Barea into the starting lineup was not a rash decision or a frantic pushing of buttons. It was a calculated move that changed nothing except when certain player combinations were utilized. In a moment of weakness, I told my wife before Game 6 that I thought Dirk Nowitzki would need to score 40 for the Mavericks to win. Even after all I had watched the Mavericks accomplish this season, by constantly moving the ball until an open shot materialized, I still felt that at some point said formula would fizzle out, that it wouldn’t be enough to push them to their ultimate goal. The Mavericks were able to win, because for several stretches, Dirk Nowitzki was clearly the best player on the floor, and accomplished it without dominating the ball. I kept waiting for the “Dirk needs to touch the ball on every possession” offense, but it never happened. The Mavericks’ attack never wavered from their template, and they consistently got the job done.

Equal to my amazement at what the Mavericks were able to accomplish, has been my frustration at how the series is being described by many in the media. I was particularly infuriated by a post-game discussion between Magic Johnson and Mike Wilbon; both described the Mavericks’ victory as 10 players beating 3. Even as a Mavericks’ fan, I find that characterization incredibly offensive. In the most literal sense, this was a case of 11 beating 10, the actual number of players used by each team. To describe the Heat as a three-man team is unbelievably demeaning to the efforts of their entire roster. It’s true that their team is constructed so that the majority of their offensive production will come from LeBron, Wade and Bosh. It’s true that the Mavericks received greater contributions from a larger variety of players. But there is more — much more — to the Miami Heat than just those three players. Mario Chalmers and Udonis Haslem both had strong performances across the Finals. The Mavericks victory was an example of one team beating another. Every player, on both teams, had a hand in pushing their team to the NBA Finals.

The thing I think is most important to understand, is that this is true, independent of the outcome. Even if Miami had won the series, it still would have been a case of one team beating another, not a case of three star players overwhelming a patchwork arrangement of very good players. The Heat and the Mavericks were each built in different ways, but they are both teams, with five players on the floor at a time and seven reserves on the bench. The Mavericks’ victory is a victory for their players, organization and fans, not a victory for a template of roster assembly. They won because, for six games, they were the better team; not that their methods or motivations were more pure or virtuous.

Before the Finals started I wrote that this series represented a chance at redemption for several Mavericks players, ones who had no personal involvement with the letdown in 2006. Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion and Peja Stojakovic each achieved a goal they’ve been chasing for years. I hope that this championship was made sweeter for each by the way the playoffs unfolded and the title was earned. A championship on a player’s resume is often viewed as tainted if it was won in mercenary style by an aging veteran. Kidd, Marion and Stojakovic each earned their jewelry; they didn’t sign with a team only to provide vocal support from the end of the bench. They may have had to change teams (in some cases several times) to win their first championship, but they didn’t tag along or catch a ride on anyone’s coattails. The Mavericks simply aren’t in the Finals, let along raising the Larry O’Brien Trophy, without the contributions of those three.

Most of my contributions to The Two Man Game this seen have been statistical in focus and flavor. I’ll leave you with a few statistical nuggets to chew on over the summer.

• DeShawn Stevenson was absolutely lights out in the Finals, making 13 of 23, or 56.6% of his three-pointers. Who could have possible seen that coming? Oh, that’s right. I did.
• Brendan Haywood’s injury opened up a hole in the Mavericks’ frontcourt rotation — a hole that was filled admirably by Brian Cardinal. He gave Dallas 30.3 minutes in the series, over which they outscored the Heat 71-68.
• Tyson Chandler has received plenty of well-deserved praise for his efforts in the Finals. His performance, particularly on the offensive glass, was remarkable. When he was out of the game Dallas rebounded just 18.6% of their own misses. When Chandler was on the floor that number jumped to 27.0%.
• One of John Hollinger’s Finals recaps mentioned that one of the reasons the Mavericks pursued Rick Carlisle was that statistical studies showed he had a tendency to give the most minutes to the most effective lineups. Seems like an obvious idea, perhaps one someone should have shared with Jim O’Brien. I wanted to see if that held true for the Finals. The easiest way to do this was to a run a correlation between the Net Rating for each unit and the number of minutes they played together. However, this creates some sample size problems for units that only played together briefly. To weight the totals I just multiplied the Net Rating for each unit by the minutes played, then ran a correlation between that total and the minutes played. The Mavericks had a 0.692 correlation between the effectiveness of the unit and their minutes played. For the Heat it was a -0.177. Saying Carlisle managed his rotations well is a huge understatement.

On a personal note, it’s been a pleasure to write about the Dallas Mavericks this season at The Two Man Game. I’m a Pacers’ fan at heart, and adopting the Mavericks with Rob’s invitation to start contributing here, felt strangely unnatural. However, watching a team on a nightly basis gives you an appreciation and attachment that can be gained no other way. I’m thrilled for the Mavericks organization. They earned everything they’ve accomplished this season, and it was a joy to watch. I’m also thrilled for Mavericks’ fans, a group of which I am proud to be a part of.

Print is Dead, Long Live Print

Posted by Rob Mahoney on June 14, 2011 under xOther | View Comments

Following the Dallas Mavericks has been an insane ride over these last few weeks, and really, over this entire season. Maybe I’m just a loon swayed too easily by the validation of a title, but I see narrative intrigue in Dallas’ regular season that most of us had a hard time discerning as the events unfolded in real time. There’s a story there. There are likable characters, an interesting plot line, and for those on this side of the tracks, a happily ever after in which legacies were re-written and all of that rigmarole.

But I’m thrilled to announce that although many will surely attempt to capture that story in print, one of the many will be yours truly:

You can now purchase my first book, a retrospective look at the Mavericks’ incredible run through the regular season, the playoffs, and those amazing NBA Finals. It’s admittedly not a heavy read; there’s a lot of beautiful, glossy photo work filling the pages, pairing my imagery with, y’know, actual images. But it’s still a journey well with your time, and I hope, your hard-earned dollar. The book should be coming into Barnes and Noble and other select stores by week’s end, particularly for those in the Dallas area. Otherwise, consider buying the book online and reliving Dallas’ run from start to glorious finish.

UPDATE: You can also purchase the book through Amazon and Barnes and Noble, both of which should help out international buyers who hit snags with Triumph’s shipping options.

Reach

Posted by Rob Mahoney on June 13, 2011 under xOther | View Comments

Dirk Nowitzki will never hear the end of the question. In the ensuing days, weeks, months, and even years, he’ll be posed the same inquiry over and over, so many times that his answer will grow repetitive but never robotic. The very thought will always invoke the same emotion he felt on this night, this perfect June evening in Miami, when the work and the effort and the torment and the perseverance all manifested itself into something undeniably beautiful.

“Dirk, what does it feel like to finally win an NBA title?“

Over at ProBasketballTalk, I wrote a piece on Dirk’s moment, and the empathy of sports fans.

Apologies for how barren this space has been today — that will be remedied soon. The Mavs deserve better, but there’s a decent reason for the silence, I assure you. Stay frosty.

Never Waking Up

Posted by Rob Mahoney on under xOther | View Comments

Give it up for your 2011 Dallas Mavericks: NBA Champions, Masters of the Universe, Brothers in Awesome.