<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">I love this game Its only 1 game. We hopefully have more than 100 to play this year. But what a great way to start the season. Who cares if its 4am and we just got to Utah and I know I wont be able to sleep for awhile. I hope the guys can. We didnt do a whole lot right the first 3.5 quarters. We didnt seem comfortable at all. It wasnt completely suprising. The Suns run and gun style is at a gear higher than anything the Mavs have done over the past 5 years, so its hard to prepare for and takes some time to get used to. Big time Kudos to Darrell Armstrong (or BC as he prefers? dont ask), for coming in and providing a huge energy and veteran spark. BC told me last year that his goal was at least 2 charges per game, no matter how many minutes he played. He got em last night and they were the turnovers we needed. BC knows how to play. He got the ball to Dirk and JT where they needed it and both came through. DIrk hitting 3-3 3pointers in the 4th. KVH ,now officially known as Keith Van Halen for making everyone on the bench ?Jump? with that big 3 (Ok, he actually got that name when he was guarding David Lee of the Knicks in preseason , and JT realizing he couldnt be stopped and could get to the basket whenever he wanted, turned the light bulb on . Then the defense took over. An insider note. The thing our guys noticed in the first OT, their guys seemed more tired than we were. Maybe because it was the first game. Maybe it was our imagination. Maybe it was making their defense work with longer offensive possessions. Will know for sure when we get our stat. But it gave us some confidence in OT. What a fun night. We win. I get to wear my blue sportscoat again for the first time since 1992. You know how everyone has a closet with stuff you pretty much forgot about, but never got around to throwing or giving away ? Well completely by accident I noticed the coat , and decided to have some fun. Now i have to decide whether to wear it again, do it again with another jacket?..or come up with something new. Only downer of the night was listening to the idiots on TNT after the game. Its not unusual if we win a TNT game for us to turn it on in the locker room and hear what Charles, Kenny and co have to say. They havent gotten any better. Let me just say this. There is a reason why Kenny and Charles havent gotten head coaching jobs. THere is more to running a team these days then thinking you know what you are talking about. Kenny, if you want to bust on us for switching on the pick and roll, get some stats to back it up. We track conversion rates on everything we do. High pick and roll, elbow pick and roll, whatever, we track it. If its not working Kenny, we adjust. I know that is probably a new concept to you and Charlie B, but thats the NBA of 2006. With all that money you guys make (hey if you are going to talk salaries, lets see how you like it), go out and hire some kids to track what actually happens in a game rather than having TNT bring in kids to go out and get donuts. Here is a little test. How many deflections did we have last night versus our season average last year. Do you remember what a deflection is guys ? Its a nice indicator of defensive effort. And rook..I mean Reggie Miller. Remember this rook. Every year TNT brings in the guy who was good, but retired last year, and puts them in that same seat you were sitting in. You may have noticed that they arent there any more. Do something more than just try to be another guy who tries to fit in and trade nonsensical barbs with the boys. Charles has earned the right to be the comedian who has some insights. Kenny wants to be the coach, but wont do the work, so never will be more than a sidekick. Rook, you need to add some value, or in a few weeks we will see someone else sitting in that seat. Maybe Derrick Coleman can come in and give us a Whoop De Damn Do? But I digress. After listening to some of the idiocy, we just turned it off.</div> This was taken off of Mark Cubans blog. And TNT just got a hold of it and on the Halftime show of the Heat/Pacers matchup, Barkley and Smith responded. Barkley calling us a cream puff team, and The Jet saying he forgot more basketball than Cuban knows. Barkley and Kenny never give the Mavs any credit, whenever we win on TNT, it's always the Spurs were "tired", or the Suns were "distracted". Kiss my ***, Thank you Cuban for saying what us fans have been for a long time. Thoughts???
I've noticed that too; Barkley and Smith never give us the credit we deserve. All those 50+ win seasons mean nothing nowadays I guess. I think Barkley is the biggest idiot of them all, but they all should step back and realize that we are a top-tier team and should be treated like one.
Cuban finally spoke up on behalf of the Mavs fans for the bad treatment TNT gives for this team. Barkley and Kenny just talk about the poor defense the Mavs have and not the positives the Mavs are known for. I'm just tired of listening to them really. Time for the Mavs to step up and prove them wrong.
I love Mark Cuban, I wish more owners were outspoken like him. I don't agree with everything he says, but he is great for basketball. Kenny Smith is a Houston Rocket fan first, so he's always going to take jabs at a rival team. Charles Barkley is also great, he called the Mavs a soft pastry team, and built for the regular season. There's some truth in that, but the Mavs have taken steps to get better defensively. The Phoenix Suns can make any team look foolish on defense.
but, they're not a great defenseive team not only against the suns, but other teams too. They can't play D well
Which is why they went from OPPG of 101 last year to 96. after Averyjohnson took over. Barkley also said we have the same team as last yeat. How? No more finley... We got Christie....Who scored 0 points and basicaly did nothin the first game after starting off. And Nash Wouldnt have scored 30 if Amare or another starter was there. The Mavs won give them the credit and dont critize them because you saw them come back and win.
I don't think having the same team as last year is a problem anyway.. as we won 58 games. But you know, i guess winning isn't what matters. Personally, I'm happy that Cuban didnt overhaul the team. We've seen what has happened when he has done that; it's a good thing that he left the team to mesh this year
I disagree with you guys. I'm more tempted to side eith the TNT guys, but overall I feel like the personal attacks, such as calling Kenny Smith nothing but a sidekick and saying they won't get coaching jobs etc., are what make this article tough to swallow. It's not like they said "Wow, Mark Cuban sure does suck at owning a team!" Cuban really doesn't have a right to personally insult the guys. That's just my take.
I really like Cuban, but TNT is right. Mavs are built for the regular season, all flash and no substance. Dirk doesn't know what Defense is, and he is a crybaby. (maybe I'm biased because I live in Houston)
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting side45wayz:</div><div class="quote_post">I really like Cuban, but TNT is right. Mavs are built for the regular season, all flash and no substance. Dirk doesn't know what Defense is, and he is a crybaby. (maybe I'm biased because I live in Houston)</div> Maybe you're talking about past Mavs teams, because they're getting better on defense and I think they'll do just fine in the postseason. Josh Howard is an excellent defensive player, and as a team they've made much more of a comittment to D since Avery Johnson took over. Dirk isn't much of a defensive presence, but he's an MVP candidate if you ask me. I really like this team, even if they aren't a great defensive squad. They are getting better, its just that previous versions of the Mavs are what people remember when they think about them. I think they'll be just fine this year.
You have to understand - Barkely does know way more basketball than Mark Cuban, but when it comes to going out on a limb - he says some pretty stupid things. Barkely is all about the obvious - we know the Spurs and Heat will be good. He predicates his predicitions off the big, strong big men in the L - Shaq and Duncan. Mark Cuban may be upset but until the Mavs make it the finals - the Mavericks as talented as they have been have made no more ground than any other team that has been outest in the playoffs before getting to the finals. Btw - you should be used to it, Wolves don't even get talked about each year they are so bad. We get mentioned once for the sake of CB liking KG - and then Barkley calls the rest of the team crap. Are we complaining - no because hes stating the obvious.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting side45wayz:</div><div class="quote_post">I really like Cuban, but TNT is right. Mavs are built for the regular season, all flash and no substance. Dirk doesn't know what Defense is, and he is a crybaby. (maybe I'm biased because I live in Houston)</div> C'mon, theirs no reason for those attacks when your coming in our form. Have some class man. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Btw - you should be used to it, Wolves don't even get talked about each year they are so bad. We get mentioned once for the sake of CB liking KG - and then Barkley calls the rest of the team crap. Are we complaining - no because hes stating the obvious.</div> Well you guys were favored to win the title last year, I thought KG was gonna rip through the league again and slap anyone who stood in their way. Even though i'm mad at TNT i know that we havent accomplished anything in the big picture. But when we win a game can we get a "nice win for the Mavs" by somebody.
those guys were good players but as people they ain't exactly geniuses. The ESPN NBA team are light years ahead of those clowns in terms of insight and professionalism
I think both Charles and Kenny are a little biased. Mark Cuban is obviously biased. Theres no reason to think either side has to be right or wrong. Trust me, not many teams get props from the crew at TNT and they try to make edgy comments to keep the viewers watching TNT instead of ESPN. For the most part sports analysts/writers/ reporters/etc. seem ignorant to the diehard basketball fan. Once your team doesnt make the playoffs for more than a decade you can complain about the media making fun of your team. Until you guys fail to make the playoffs there isnt much to complain about IMHO.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting side45wayz:</div><div class="quote_post">I really like Cuban, but TNT is right. Mavs are built for the regular season, all flash and no substance. Dirk doesn't know what Defense is, and he is a crybaby. (maybe I'm biased because I live in Houston)</div> I guess the Rockets are built for the regular season even more than the Mavs, since we beat you last year in the playoffs? Anyway, I agree with most of the comments in here. The only reason we might come off as complaining is because the TNT squad takes more jabs at us than the teams who havent been to the playoffs in years. I hardly consider being a perennial playoff team a failure. But thats just me
If the exact Mavs team was part of the Eastern conference, they would've been in the NBA finals 3 or maybe 4 times in the past 5 years. Wonder what Kenny and Chuck would've had to say about them being built for regular season then. The opening night's comments by them was the least the mavs fans would've liked to hear from them after the team rallied to win in OT. Marc Cuban may have went a little too far with his comments, but he did make attention. I'm OK with it..
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting H.ayes:</div><div class="quote_post">I disagree with you guys. I'm more tempted to side eith the TNT guys, but overall I feel like the personal attacks, such as calling Kenny Smith nothing but a sidekick and saying they won't get coaching jobs etc., are what make this article tough to swallow. It's not like they said "Wow, Mark Cuban sure does suck at owning a team!" Cuban really doesn't have a right to personally insult the guys. That's just my take.</div>Exactly. Nothing was like exactly said at Cuban and there is no way he should personally insult them.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting samoan-maverick:</div><div class="quote_post">C'mon, theirs no reason for those attacks when your coming in our form. Have some class man. Well you guys were favored to win the title last year, I thought KG was gonna rip through the league again and slap anyone who stood in their way. Even though i'm mad at TNT i know that we havent accomplished anything in the big picture. But when we win a game can we get a "nice win for the Mavs" by somebody.</div> Barkley is what I would like to call - Say the obvious and look good doing it. He's not the greatest NBA Head and you don't see anyone claiming (beside him), not even Kenny that he is. Hes a great source of entertainment - and hes good for a good laugh. Any team that doesn't have Shaq or Tim Duncan isnt really in his plans to win a championship - so us fans of those playerless teams should only turn in for commedic value - because we look at more than 1 player on our teams.
I agree with most of the points shared by those who replied to this thread. I really think Mark could have addressed the TNT crew in a more "professional" manner. I do agree that Kenny and Charles aren't examples of an ideal basketball analyst but they don't deserve to be called idiots. Yes they need to work on their commentary.. perhaps be more constructive in the way they criticize teams. After all, it would be more beneficially if they point out areas where teams could improve on and acknowledge strengths and weaknesses in a more detailed and not generalized manner. Hate them all you want but these guys can always use the fact that the Mavs have never won a championship or made it to the finals as a reason to pick the Spurs, Rockets or others over 'em. About that pick and roll defensive switching issue, both of them are correct in saying that the Mavs should work on that aspect of their D. I do hope to see improvements come playoff time.
