Who should start? I would pick Daniels. Griffin can't do much on offense and there isn't much difference between him and Daniels on defense or rebeounding. Daniels should be starting. If not now than eventually. Griffin is solid but teams will find ways in big games to shut down Dallas by forcing Griffin and Diop to make plays which they don't do much of. I think the biggest defensive improvement is Diop starting.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Griffin is solid but teams will find ways in big games to shut down Dallas by forcing Griffin and Diop to make plays which they don't do much of.</div> And if they happen to stop them, that is why we have tried to make the improvement in defense to stop the opposition. And we've done a great job especially in our last game when Memphis was up about 7 in the 4th. Plus that is also why theirs a thing called substitution. We aint scoring well maybe, Stackhouse, Harris, Van Horn, and Daniels can change that. We're mutha truckin' deep my fellow Mav Fan. And just to quote on Marquis, "if it aint broke than dont try to fix it." Start Griffin.
You're under estimating the value of Griffin. He's going to impact the game without scoring. Offensive boards, steals hustle, you name it. Even though he doesn't provide much offense, the team would have a more net +/- with Griffin on the floor than Daniels. Harris/Daniels/Stackhouse/Van Horn/Dampier is one heck of a second string and better than a few starting lineups in the league. Unless the mavs start losing a few in a row, don't even think about making any change..
Well there is more pressure for Howard to have big games with this starting lineup. I feel Daniels has way more room for improvement and the potential is enough to start Daniels. Griffin does some good things but so does Daniels. People are underrating what Daniels brings to this team. The injury might have slowed him up. Daniels actually is a little quicker than Griffin on defense as well. If we played San Antonio in the playoffs I would put Daniels on Parker and Terry on Bowen. I don't think Griffin could guard Parker so that would force Howard or Terry to guard Parker.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting mavsfan1000:</div><div class="quote_post">Well there is more pressure for Howard to have big games with this starting lineup. I feel Daniels has way more room for improvement and the potential is enough to start Daniels. Griffin does some good things but so does Daniels. People are underrating what Daniels brings to this team. The injury might have slowed him up. Daniels actually is a little quicker than Griffin on defense as well. If we played San Antonio in the playoffs I would put Daniels on Parker and Terry on Bowen. I don't think Griffin could guard Parker so that would force Howard or Terry to guard Parker.</div> Why not just put Terry on Parker? Griffin and Howard can switch on Ginobili and resting them on Bowen.
Daniels would be starting and some trades may not have been made or contracts bought if he'd been healthy for the past 24 months. He's a brilliant basketball player who was becoming a better rebounder and defender, but has been unlucky with his appendix, neck, etc. As things stand, unless you are the man with the 100 million dollar contract, there's an unwritten rule rooted largely in superstition that if you are winning don't change anything. With Daniels, Stack, Howard and Griffin you have such an array of weapons that you don't have to rely too much on a single player and increase his odds of wearing down and getting hurt. The Mavs certainly needed to reduce Dirk's minutes this year.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting mavsfan1000:</div><div class="quote_post">Well there is more pressure for Howard to have big games with this starting lineup.</div> I don't agree with that at all. This starting lineup is in there because this is the best mix of guys at this time to bring the intangibles that don't show up in the box score and this unit helps set the defensive tone to start the game. Even when the Mavs have gone down 6 or 8 early it's been no problem coming back with Stack, KVH, and Devin off the bench for firepower. Starting the game off right and setting your tone early should not be underestimated.
Agreed. I don't get the impression Howard is under pressure more so than he puts on himself to excel. And he pressures himself as does the coaching staff to learn from his mistakes so he can stay on the floor. This team cannot afford not to have Josh Howard on the floor. The rest comes naturally to him because he is talented, athletic and driven.
Daniels will get the same amount of minutes if he starts or come off the bench and I dont think Howard will be under any pressure to perform with this lineup. In fact Howard's been playing better during the winning streak. Most good teams usually don't have more than 3 players who can score and handle the ball anytime on the floor (San Antonio for example). It should also help Daniels coming off the bench to be free to take his shots, score more and make plays for the rest of the bench players.
