I saw this thread on another site and thought this would be an interesting argument about the mavs 02-03 team compared to this years team. Anyone got an ideas on the differences?
I was actually thinking about that comparison too. Let me tell you, this current Mavs squad are really organized on offense and DEFENSE. When Don Nelson coached this team, their main weapon in offense was transition. He made this team a run and gun team, but ya know what? Their defense wasn't soft at all. They held their opponents at 95 pts per game, which is pretty good stats defensively. But they've become even better. They had a nice team with nice pieces; they had Nowitzki, Finley, and Nash as their big 3. After that, they had a great group of solid role players, with Van Exel, LaFrentz, Najera, and Griffin. That team was good, but now they're even even better, without Nash and Finely. They have a pure leader in Nowitzki, a decent PG in Terry, underrated swingman in J. Howard, defensive stopper in Diop, playmaking rookie in Harris, good veteran in Stack, and a guy who should have been in the draft of '03 named Marquis Daniels. Dallas can definitely get 60+ wins this year.
Yeah for me the main difference is Dallas's rebounding and they don't run and gun as much anymore. They still had one weakness in defense in 02-03 and that is guarding low post players like Webber and Duncan. Nowitzki was not a good defender to any means at that time. Now you could say Dirk is respectable and Diop, Dampier, and maybe even Mbenga have the quickness and size to guard low post players.
Too easy, this Mavs team is more traditional, guys play their positions, smallball is rare, centers actually play. Defense is way better. Only thing I have to give 02-03 is great offense, one of the best in Mavs history. In addition, the Big Three, we had three guys compared to now one guy who the opposing team mainly concentrates on. Bench wise, this is one of our best, but I have to props for 02-03, who had guys who knew their role and played a part in the playoffs, Griff, Bell, Najera, Bradley, and of course the two bigger impact guys Walt Williams and Nick Van Exel.02-03 went to the WCF, this team is better suited for Finals.
Dirk going down in the wcf was so unlucky. Without him they still took a game off the spurs which were the weakest champions in decades.This team isn't the same run an gun offense. Don nelson even though i like him [and i don't know hy] didn't force his players to play defense. He just came to terms with some players not being able to play D.Avery johnson the little warrior is different. He forces his players to play defense, players who under don nelson would kick back are now playing defense. Still there are holes but there getting there. Lol, i remember the sequence when the mavs were up big and they gave up an open shot and avery called a TO and started lashing at them. That is a sign of a general in control of his army but sooner or later avery is going to blow, i can feel it. During the denver vs dallas game i was scared he was going to hurt his players.edit: Lol, i know this is off topic but did anyone see Dirk today? He couldn't back up Caron butler, a 6-7 swingman. I couldn't stop laughing.
This Mavs team is very unique, they have guys that used to be main weapons and are now accepting there roles as lower options. Two notorious selfish players in the past (stackhouse, van horn) are fitting in nicely in Dallas. I have hated Stackhouse in the past, but I like what he's doing in Dallas. I watched the Wizards, Mavs game last night and actually saw Stackhouse passing, when he could be shooting. He still can't improve that shot selection though, which means that bad FG% will still ring true.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>edit: Lol, i know this is off topic but did anyone see Dirk today? He couldn't back up Caron butler, a 6-7 swingman. I couldn't stop laughing.</div>I guess you missed the 4th quarter were he basically started to abuse the guards downlow. A key highlight was a spin off on Arenas into a hook.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rok @ Feb 16 2006, 04:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I guess you missed the 4th quarter were he basically started to abuse the guards downlow.</div>Maybe that's because he's like 7 or 8 inches taller than them.
This theory of putting a small on Dirk doesn't work. He is able to shoot over them easily or back them up a little to get a closer shot. The only way it works is if the help defense is there.
this years teams IMO is leaps and bounds ahead from the 02-03 team. Avery's got this team playing defense that is infinately better than the defense they played in 02-03 and the offense is still doing very well and the depth is just awesome. Watching their bench come in, you basically see little to no drop off and thats probably one of the best things you can ask for if your looking to make a run for the title.
Lol, backing down arenas isn;t something worth noting. He had a good 5 inches on Butler and has 30 pounds on him. Dirk should be abusing everyone down low who he has size against.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Lol, backing down arenas isn;t something worth noting. He had a good 5 inches on Butler and has 30 pounds on him. Dirk should be abusing everyone down low who he has size against.</div>Keyword I said abusing the guards, Butler was one of em in the 4th. I mentioned the Arenas one, because you act like Dirk can't back down anyone.
Whatever struggles Dirk had last year against guards he is embarrasing them this year in the limited time the other team experiments with a small.
I would stop bothering with Melo, all he talks about is Kobe/Lakers and the occasional disses at the Mavs.
Diss? Was i lying when he couldn't back Butler down?He should abuse them always but at that moment he couldn't back down butler. I'm not saying his any less of a player but it's humorous to me.Backing down arenas is an improvement but it isn't something people should get happy or try to prove a point with it. He's a a 7 footer. Period.
