About that timetable for Dirk Nowitzki to return

DALLAS, Texas - The addition of Derek Fisher to the Mavericks should give them some stability at the point guard - Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said Fisher will likley be the starter - but we are all kidding ourselves if we think this team is going to do a thing sans Dirk.

The good news is that Dirk Nowitzki's mentor, Holger Geschwinder, was at Mavs practice on Friday. Maybe that's a sign that Dirk is closer to returning.
The bad news is that it does not sound like Dirk is really close to returning after he had surgery on his right knee back in October.

"There is no timetable," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said today when I asked him whether anybody should evaluate this team without its best player. "It's too early for a Dirk update every day."

Carlisle said Dirk is doing some things and improving, but that he will be back when it's time and when mother nature gives the OK.

The Mavs were scheduled to play 13 regular season games without Dirk, but that timetable has already been shot. The team is 7-9 thus far.

This is what happens to 34-year-olds recovering from surgery - healing seldom goes as projected. Older guys just need a little bit more time.

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Breaking down the Dallas Mavericks schedule & march towards Dwight Howard

The NBA has released the full 82-game schedule for every club, even the Charlotte Bobcats. Unlike last season's 66-game sprint that featured back-to-back-backs, and double headers, this schedule will return to the normal pace. (Personally, I really liked the 66 game deal).

For Dallas Mavericks fans, circle these games:

10/30 at Lakers. Season opener where Steve Nash will laugh in the Mavs face as he rides Kobe Bryant's back off the court.

11/3 Charlotte. Home opener. Not sure if this counts in the standings, but this should be the ideal chance for Chris Kaman to go for 40 and 10 and OJ Mayo to score 50 points.

11/9 at NY Knicks. Tyson Chandler now Jason Kidd. That's a nice kick to the groin.

12/8 at Houston. The Jeremy Lin Show; the question is whether Lin will be starting the game on the bench by this point.

12/12 at Boston. Jason Terry will want this game so bad it may cause his head to explode.

12/20 Miami. The greatest team in any sport ever will come to town.

1/14 Minnesota. With Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio, the Wolves could be one of the sleepers in the West.

1/18 OKC. The Thunder should return to spanking the Mavs.

1/20 at Orlando. The Mavs are praying Dwight Howard is still with the Magic.

2/9 Golden State. My God; are the Warriors still in the league?

2/20 Orlando. Dwight Howard Bobblehead night at the American Airlines Center.

2/26 Milwaukee. It's the rare buy 1 get 3,000 free tickets promotion.

3/20 Brooklyn. Yeeeeah ... Deron Williams may want to sit this one out.

3/26 LA Clippers. Yeeeah ... Lamar Odom may want to sit this one out.

3/28 Indiana. Imagine the reception Ian Mahinmi will receive playing against his old team. Get chills just thinking about the indifference.

3/30 Chicago. If Derrick Rose is actually upright for this game and not hurt as a result of his endless attacks at the rim, a good ticket.

 

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Video: Chris Bosh tells Kevin Durant basketball tastes like chicken

You very likely have already seen this, but this is a worth a look at least "not two, not three, not four, not five, not six, not seven" ... in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Tuesday night in OKC, Thunder forward Kevin Durant served up a delish entree known as "Basketball" to Chris Bosh. Enjoy ...

 

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1 year ago today the Dallas Mavericks were NBA champions

The 2011-'12 Dallas Mavericks may have been Thunder food in this postseason, but one year ago today they were America's Favorite Team after they prevented Miami Heat G/F LeBron James, G/GM Dwyane Wade and F Chris Bosh from winning the first of their 15 consecutive NBA titles.

On June 12, 2012 the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Heat in Miami 105-95 to win their third consecutive NBA Finals game and end the series, 4-2.

It was Jason Terry, not Dirk Nowitzki, who led all scorers with 27 points. Dirk had one of his worst games of the playoffs; he was 9-of-27 from the floor, and 1-7 from 3. But he finished with 21 and 11, and was named the Finals MVP.

Of all the developments that occurred during these Finals, the most memorable was Terry calling out LeBron after the Game 3 loss and then out-playing the King the rest of the series.

Take a look at how dramatically different the box score from the Mavs' final game of the 2011 season compares to the final game of their 2012 season.

Mavs 105, Heat 95 June 12, 2011
Shawn Marion, F      35 min, 12 points
Dirk Nowitzki, F      39 min, 21 points
Tyson Chandler, C   30 min, 5 points 
Jason Kidd, G        36 min, 9 points
JJ Barea, G           30 min, 15 points
Bench
Jason Terry G       34 min, 27 points
Brian Cardinal      12 min, 3 points
DeShawn Stevenson 13 min, 9 points
Ian Mahinmi         11 min, 4 points
Peja Stojakovic  - dnp, coach's decision 
Brendan Haywood  - dnp, coach's decision
Corey Brewer  - dnp, coach's decision 

OKC Thunder 103, Mavericks 97 May 5, 2012
Shawn Marion, F        35 min, 9 points
Dirk Nowitzki, F         40 min, 34 points
Brendan Haywood, C   25 min, 4 points
Jason Kidd, G        38 min, 16 points
Jason Terry, G      43 min, 11 points
Bench
Vince Carter, G      20 min, 8 points
Delonte West, G     18 min, 3 points
Ian Mahinmi, C         14 min, 10 points
Brandan Wright, F    6 min, 2 points
Brian Cardinal  - dnp, coach's decision 
Kelenna Azubulke  - dnp, coach's decision
Yi Jianlian  - dnp, coach's decision
Roddy Beaubois - dnp, coach's decision 

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Kevin Durant & Vince Young: A tale of two Longhorns

Kevin Durant is 23, and on the verge of owning the NBA world. 
Vince Young is 29, and on the verge of being out of the NFL. 

The second overall pick out of Texas by the Seattle SuperSonics in the 2007 NBA draft, Durant is a physical freak of nature who was blessed with the dexterity of a guard and progressively improved his game to where he is one of the top three players in the world. He projects a calm, humble, nice guy image and is one of the rare athletes who is raising the image and profile of his entire community.

The third overall pick out of Texas by the Tennessee Titans in the 2006 NFL draft, Young is a physical freak of nature who was blessed with the frame of a linebacker, speed of a running back, yet never progressed after he left Austin. He tried to project a humble, nice guy image but it never seemed to work.

Tonight in OKC, Durant will try to become yet another player to stop LeBron James from winning the first of his "five, six, eight" NBA titles when Game 1 of the NBA Finals begins.

On the same day Durant plays in what should be many NBA Finals games in his career, the other former Longhorn doggedly tries to hang on to his time as a pro football player.

Young, who is hanging on by an NFL thread with the Bills as a backup to Ryan Fitzpatrick, is suing his former agent, Major Adams.

VY claims that Adams took a lot of money from him, and now it can't be accounted for. 

Was VY a bit arrogant when he came out of UT, and surrounded by a cast of enablers? Yes. But that does not mean this is a fun story, nor is it time to gloat. This is just sad, and another painful example of what can happen when people who don't "make it" the way they envisioned don't keep a close on their bank account. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Even with Deron Williams, here are the numbers why the Dallas Mavericks should fear the Thunder

The Oklahoma City Thunder made my earlier prediction of another Spurs' NBA title look stupid by winning four straight in the Western Conference Finals for their first ever NBA Finals appearance.

Seattle must be thrilled with these developments.

Watching the Thunder methodically destroy the Mavericks, Lakers and Spurs in this playoff run it seems that Oklahoma City could have the league's nexty dynasty.

David Stern must be thrilled with this development. His New York Knicks can't win a game yet the flea-market Thunder are rolling.

Even if your Dallas Mavericks can sign Brooklyn Nets guard Deron Williams this offseason and put him next to Dirk Nowitzki, we should all be scared to death of the Thunder for the next few years.

Here is why:

Kevin Durant, age 23, signed through '15-'16 (unrestricted fa in 2016)
James Harden, age 22, signed through '12-'13 (restricted fa in 2013)
Serge Ibaka, age 22, signed through '12-'13 (restriced fa in 2013)
Kendrick Perkins, age 27  signed through '14-'15 (unrestricted fa in 2016)
Thabo Sefolosha, age 28, signed through '13-'14 (unrestricted fa in 2015)
Russell Westbrook age 23, signed through '16-'17 (unrestricted fa in 2017)

Can the Thunder afford to keep this nucleaus together? Having Durant and Westbrook locked in are the keys, now the trick will be able to convince James Harden to stick around. It does appear, however, this team is loaded for an extended run at the top of the Western Conference.

 

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Mavericks' Shawn Marion gets no love: Not on any NBA defensive teams

Despite repeated lobbying efforts from both team owner Mark Cuban and head coach Rick Carlisle to convince the NBA nation otherwise, Dallas Mavericks forward Shawn Marion apparently isn't a good defender.

Never mind the fact that the league's defensive player of the year isn't even a first ballot all-league defensive player. What the what??!!!

The NBA released its all defensive teams today, and "Trix" didn't make either.

First Team
LeBron James, Heat
Dwight Howard, Magic
Serge Ibaka, Thunder
Chris Paul, Clippers
Tony Allen, Grizzlies

Second Team
Tyson Chandler, Knicks
Kevin Garnett, Celtics
Luol Deng, Bulls
Rajon Rondo, Celtics
Kobe Bryant, Lakers

The voting was completed by 30 head coaches, who could not pick players from their own team. This is the first time the league's defensive player of the year (Chandler) wasn't a first-team all-defensive player since 1995 when Dikembe Mutombo was a second-teamer.

As far as Marion? He was asked to guard as many as three positions per night and did it well. Apparently not well enough.

 

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Is Kevin Durant, not LeBron, the best player in the game?

After watching the OKC Thunder kick the defending NBA champion Mavericks to the curb in the first round of the playoffs it was quickly apparent the Thunder are all grown up.

While LeBron and DWade are getting killed nationally for their performance against the Indiana Pacers, Kevin Durant has become as clutch as any player in the league. He is a very bad, bad man.

On Saturday night in L.A. with the game tied at 98 against the Lakers, Durant calmly drilled this monster 3 against Metta World Artest to win the game.

 

Not sure if the Thunder will have enough to get past Los Spurs, but the series should be compelling.

 

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Whom to prefer less Dallas Mavericks - Erick Dampier or Brendan Haywood

DALLAS - There was some quiet scuttle going around the Dallas Mavericks' peeps immediately after the Game 4 loss to the OKC Thunder that the team may use their amnesty clause to make Brendan Haywood go away.

It's just talk.

Since signing a six-year, $55 million deal in July of 2010 with the Mavs his popularity has steadily dropped. The Mavs acquired Tyson Chandler not longer after giving Haywood that extension, which really didn't help his case.

When Chandler left to the Knicks it made Haywood the starting center that he wanted to be. But nothing he did made people not long for the days of Chandler.

Around halftime of the Dallas Mavericks' playoff finale against the Thunder a fan wondered aloud, "I was hoping maybe Brendan Haywood thought it was an 8:30 start so he would miss the game."

In 54 games during the regular season, Haywood averaged 5.2 points and 6.0 rebounds and 1 block per game. During the playoffs, he averaged 3.3 points and 3.3 rebounds in 15.3 minutes.

Hawyood will turn 33 in November, and despite his imposing frame - 7-0, 213 pounds - he really is a quality backup bruiser disguised as a starting center. He's a role player making big coin. 

But he is not Erick Dampier. Depsite both men projecting just an ish attitude towards the game itself, and fighting what appears to be indifference, Dampier was a far greater disappointment to the Mavs than Haywood. Dampier came to the Mavs in an Avery Johnson-approved sign and trade deal with the Warriors in 2004 and promptly frustrated both the Mavericks and their fans until he was dealt away for Chandler.

The Mavs acquired Dampier to be a quality starting center.
The Mavs acquired Haywood to be a quality backup center.

 

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The end: OKC Thunder close out the Dallas Mavericks, who now begin Deron Williams vigil

DALLAS - The Dallas Mavericks won the 2011 NBA title because they closed out games better than any other team. They were kicked out of the 2012 playoffs because they could not close out a single game.

Oklahoma City Thunder 103
Dallas Mavericks 97

Thunder sweep 1st rd series, 4-0.

OKC guard James Harden finished with 87 points ... that's not true. It just felt like it. Harden actually scored 29, including a driving layup with 10 seconds remaining that gave the Thunder a five point lead. The Mavs were out-scored 35-16 in the fourth quarter.

I blame the refs. And Lamar Odom.

"We knew with this roster it was a long shot," Mavs guard Jason Terry said. "It wasn't our year. It just wasn't our time."

The Mavericks led by 13 points - their biggest lead of the series - going into the fourth quarter on Saturday night. For the third time in this series, the Thunder closed out a close game in the final minutes whereas the Mavs were unable to create plays, get stops, or make shots.

Too bad; this was not the way for Mavs guard Jason Terry to end his career with this team. He can be a free agent this summer, and it does not look like the Mavs will re-sign him.

For the third time in this series it was not a lack of effort that did the Mavs in. The Thunder were just better.

The Mavs enter an offseason that is all about Deron Williams.

If the Nets guard signs with the Mavs as a free agent this summer, this flushed 2011-'12 season is justified as money well spent. If D-Will remains in New Jersey, or signs with a team other than the Mavs, then what were we doing?

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