Crown Jewel of the Autotune Era

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

Video via the greatest in-house entertainment crew on the planet.

Yes.

Forgotten Dance

Posted by Rob Mahoney on March 10, 2011 under xOther | View Comments

Video via Shaky Ankles.

The Difference: Sloan.

Posted by Rob Mahoney on March 7, 2011 under xOther | View Comments

Just a programming note for now: I attended the M.I.T. Sloan Spots Analytics Conference this weekend in Boston, and didn’t have a chance to catch either of the Mavs’ games this weekend as a result. There won’t be any recap per se, but I’ll be back later tonight or tomorrow with a look at Dallas’ recent performance. Stay frosty.

A Glutton for Gluttony

Posted by Rob Mahoney on February 9, 2011 under xOther | View Comments

Video by your very own Dallas Mavericks.

This is probably worse than a pantry full of chips. Everyone freak out!

Rabbit Stew

Posted by Rob Mahoney on February 3, 2011 under xOther | View Comments

Videos via NiuBBall.

Happy Chinese New Year, from your friendly neighborhood PEAK endorsers.

Mr. Dream

Posted by Rob Mahoney on January 31, 2011 under xOther | View Comments

From the glorious, glorious individuals with the Mavs’ in-house entertainment.

Starkiller

Posted by Rob Mahoney on under xOther | View Comments

Video from Get Banged On.

Marion’s leaping ability seems significantly more impressive this season than last. I don’t know if lingering injuries were the cause, but he’s been throwing down some impressive jams of late.

Also, a programming note: apologies for the lack of a recap treatment from the Hawks game; had some cable issues. Recaps return tonight for those of you craving bulleted posts. For those still looking to relive the Mavs’ latest win, I highly recommend you check out Bret LaGree’s recap over at Hoopinion.

You Know the Rules, and So Do I

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

Video from the great minds responsible for the Mavs’ in-house entertainment.

I Dreamed a Dream

Posted by Rob Mahoney on January 10, 2011 under xOther | View Comments

Video via James Herbert, @outsidethenba.

How a Team Chooses to Fail and Succeed

Posted by Rob Mahoney on December 29, 2010 under xOther | View Comments

Not all teams are created equal, nor are they created equally. Though franchises look to emulate successful models or mimic particular elements of other teams’ strategies they find to be palatable, the construction of each and every roster in the N.B.A. is a unique process. So few team centerpieces fit into a convenient mold, which makes building around them a challenge specific to their strengths, weaknesses, and tendencies.

So the effects of removing such a centerpiece -– whether due to injury, suspension, or some other misfortune -– differ greatly depending on the particulars of the team’s construction. Take Kobe Bryant out of the lineup for a night, for example, and the Lakers may still be competent due to the empowerment of the triangle offense. Certain systems are more accommodating to personnel losses than others, and the players surrounding a superstar differ in their ability to carry on during times of star-less turmoil.

Typically, teams that fail without one of their top players suffer from a lack of diversification in a particular skill. When one player is required to dominate a certain dimension of the team’s play, they become far more valuable than merely the extent of their abilities. Dwight Howard is Orlando’s only competent rebounder/interior defender, Steve Nash is Phoenix’s only truly productive, playmaker, and as was made painfully apparent last night, Dirk Nowitzki is Dallas’ one true source of shot creation.

Over at the New York Times’ Off the Dribble blog, I wrote a bit on the structure of the Mavs’ offense, and why — as we saw last night — losing Dirk Nowitzki for any given period of time does greater damage to the Dallas offense than the Lakers losing Kobe Bryant, for example. The Mavs beat out the Thunder with their defense, but on those nights where the D isn’t rotating as it should, the Mavs have to have Nowitzki.