It's no secret that I'm a Dallas Mavericks fan, but that doesn't mean I don't recognize the quality of other teams in the NBA. The Mavericks start 0-2 with blowout losses against two very good teams then lose a tight game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. That was tough. The Thunder is considered to be one of the top two or three teams in the league. Meanwhile the Mavericks have plummeted in the rankings. I wrote an article analyzing why I, as a fan, wasn't worried. The article was well received by Mavericks Fans and reviled by Thunder fans. Go figure. This is my fan reaction and analysis of game two between the Mavericks and Thunder.
The Mavericks romp to a win at home against the Toronto Raptors. Well coached by the Mavericks former top assistant Dwane Casey the Raptors played hard. They even led at one point during the third quarter, but the Mavericks played better and pulled it out . Andrea Bargnani and Leandro Barbosa together scored 50 points . A win for the Mavericksâ€"finally.
The Mavericks then play the Minnesota Timberwolves and forget to show up. What can I say? The Timberwolves got their first win at the expense of the Mavericks. Kevin Love was just as good as advertised putting up five 3-point shots, 17 rebounds and 25 points. Ricky Rubio showed some good skill and J.J. Barea was the same old JJ from his Maverick days. Dallas players couldn't buy a basket and were generally pitiful. Stillâ€"I'm not worried. Yet.
Now we come to game two between the Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder. Dallas played well and won. The Thunder lacked intensity on defense and didn't shoot well. If you're playing against a veteran team who are clicking you can't do that. Dallas played better as a team. I'm hopeful we can see more of this. An important part of the Mavericks' win was points in the paint. I love points in the paint. Once again I'll do a driveway point guard's analysis of some individual players.
I still like what I'm seeing from Brendan Haywood and Ian Mahinmi. Both are playing hard, blocking shots, getting open for easy baskets. The loss of Tyson Chandler was big. The Mavericks can't play the same as when Chandler was there. It looks like Rick Carlisle and his coaching staff have come up with a plan to work a committee of centers on offense and defense. Now if we can get Haywood to consistently make free throws…
Dirk Nowitski started slow but picked it up in the second and third quarters. Dirk finished the fourth quarter strong. Dirk is one of the reasons I root for the Mavericks. Not to slight anyone.
Jason Kidd was ok, but seemed to have trouble when pressed on the dribble. When Kidd first entered the league I didn't like him. I thought he was a spoiled little kid. I like him now. He has earned my respect. I root for the old guys.
Shawn Marion played better in this game. I still think the broken little finger affected his ball handling. Shawn's defense is very good and he can move strong to the basket when needed. Ignore him and he'll score. I'm sure every coach Marion had wanted to work on that weird shot release, but he's been around a long time and has the championship ring. Why change what works?
I'm really liking the way Vince Carter is integrating with the team. Carter is aggressive, shows skill, scores, and plays good defense. Just about what you should expect from a veteran eight time NBA All-Star. I believe he is going to be huge through the season. Delonte West is another strong addition.
For the first time I saw some determination, grit, and effort from Lamar Odom. I know he is a good playerâ€"maybe even great. When he becomes part of the "team" we'll see that. I saw a little near the end of the game. He was not an asset in the early quarters. There has been some talk about Odom's condition. Analyst (and former Maverick) Derek Harper mentioned during the game that, "…as professional athletes there is absolutely no excuse for coming to camp out of condition." I don't believe this is the case with Odom. I think he's having a hard time finding a home on the team. I think he will.
I'm not worried. Yet.
Gerald is an outdoor sportsman who has followed the Dallas Mavericks since the mid 80s. He would like nothing better than to see the Mavericks win two more Championships with Jason Kidd and Dirk Nowitski.
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