Game 5 showed a brief glimpse into how potent the Maverick offense can be when Caron Butler is attacking the rim, but in reality the Mavs were working the game from three different angles. In this installment of Moving Pictures, we’ll break down the three ways that Dallas succeeded in Game 5, and how those same factors should impact Game 6.
(EDIT: Video removed due to some technical problems with the audio. Plus, they lost anyway, what do you care?)
Apologies for technical difficulties; YouTube has been difficult all day, so I’m getting this up as I can.
Dallas and San Antonio will tip-off on Sunday night to begin the Mavs’ tenth straight playoff run, a remarkable accomplishment for a truly excellent franchise. In this installment of Moving Pictures, we’ll get totally pumped up.
Rodrigue Beaubois had himself a weekend. He absolutely went off against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night in a performance unmatched by a Mavs rookie save Mark Aguirre and Jay Vincent. He gave life to an otherwise boring affair, and for once allowed the Mavericks to dominate the guard match-up against the troublesome Warriors. The end-to-end speed, the quickness, and the shooting were all on display, and in this installment of Moving Pictures, we’ll look at what the 40-spot means in terms of the playing rotation, as well as appreciating Beaubois’ dominant performance for what it was.
Rodrigue Beaubois has had a season to remember, but unfortunately may be forgotten in the shadow of his draft classmates. He hasn’t been given the opportunities afforded to Tyreke Evans, Brandon Jennings, or Stephen Curry, and we can’t be certain of how Roddy would perform in those roles. But Beaubois has found a way to succeed in every situation he’s been placed in this season, which speaks to his incredible adaptability and promise. In this installment of Moving Pictures, we’ll take stock in where Beaubois is right now, and what he needs to do to take the next step.
Monday night’s game between the Mavs and the Jazz was a terrific showcase of high quality basketball…until Dallas completely broke down in the fourth quarter. Utah completely dominated the final frame, making those resilient Maverick performances from early in the season seem like a distant memory. In this installment of Moving Pictures, we’ll look at what the Jazz did well and where the Mavs folded.
You can watch the video on Vimeo for a much larger picture, which is in the original widescreen resolution the video was made for.
Note: Apologies on how late this is, but I don’t really feel that it’s dated. YouTube gave me all kinds of trouble on the upload, hence Vimeo.
Jason Kidd’s style of play does not border on the impossible. He doesn’t seek to make tough shots or difficult passes. Rather, Kidd has founded his Hall of Fame career on the prospect that simple is better. In this installment of Moving Pictures, we take a look at the passing skills and philosophy of Jason Kidd and perhaps just as importantly, what it means for the Mavs’ offense going forward.
As is the case every season, the Mavs’ success boils down to the health and effectiveness of Josh Howard. Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry, and Jason Kidd are rocks, stabilizing forces of consistent production. But Josh has always had a bit of unpredictability in his game, and it’s that unknown factor that puts the Mavs somewhere between very good and truly great. Dallas was gently nudged to the preferable end of that spectrum in Howard’s return against the Suns, as Josh scored 18 of his 20 points in the second half and provided a cornerstone for victory. In this installment of Moving Pictures, we’ll take a look at Josh Howard’s return performance, and assess what it means for the team going forward.
For three quarters of last night’s game, the Dallas Mavericks were pedestrian. They were hot at times, cold at others, and struggling to defend a sub-par New Jersey offense. But for the span one twelve minutes, the Mavs were soul-crushers. It’s an identity we’ve seen them take on time and time again this season — ending win streaks, surging for wins they have no business claiming, stifling comebacks with last-second heroics — and in this installment of Moving Pictures, we’ll recapture the magic of the Mavs’ 49-point second quarter explosion that doomed any hope of a Nets’ win.
When it comes to Erick Dampier, I’m a believer. I buy the company line that he means more to this team than most people realize. I watch him set perfect screens for Dirk, JET, or Kidd. I watch him go to work on the offensive boards, creating possessions where there were none. And perhaps most importantly, I watch closely to appraise and, in turn, appreciate what Dampier does for the Mavs on defense. In this installment of Moving Pictures (which is totally Nets-less, by the way — it focuses solely on Damp’s return to the lineup against Philly), we’ll examine Damp’s defensive values, in ways both subtle and overt.
The Mavs’ game against the Warriors may seem like ancient history at this point, but there’s still plenty to glean from the loss. Despite all of their defensive improvements, the Mavs have shown two different shades of defensive failure against quick point guards (Monta Ellis, Chris Paul). Though other speedy guards have been contained, Ellis’ performance against the Mavs was a reminder that there’s still plenty of work to be done on the defensive end. In this installment of Moving Pictures, we’ll examine exactly what went wrong against the Warriors, point a few fingers on who’s to blame, and hopefully take away some possible adjustments for the future.
View Comments