Re: Mavs' Griffin may be odd man out Mavs' Griffin may be odd man outMavs' Griffin may be odd man outGuard's return from injury no guarantee he'll be a starter againBy DAVID MOORE / The Dallas Morning NewsLOS ANGELES ? The Mavericks played some of their best basketball of the season when Adrian Griffin was a starter.That doesn't mean his job is waiting for him now that he's back.Jerry Stackhouse was expected to start his ninth consecutive game Monday night against the Los Angeles Clippers. Stackhouse stepped into the starting lineup two weeks after Griffin went down with a strained right hamstring and appears to hold the spot heading into the playoffs."I think we're just going to see how it goes," coach Avery Johnson said before Monday's game. "It all depends who we play and what situation we're in."Right now, what we have going is working out pretty good for us, especially when we have a healthy Josh Howard. We'll continue to see where we go, whether Grif [Griffin] is the guy or Devin [Harris] is the guy or Stack."He's been playing pretty good."Griffin wasn't on the team at the start of the season. He was signed Nov. 28 to add depth and to give Johnson a defensive option, someone to turn to when opposing perimeter players got hot. A rash of injuries thrust him into the starting lineup, the team started to click, and Johnson didn't want to disrupt the chemistry.But Griffin has been out for a month, and the chemistry has changed. One of Johnson's strengths in his first full season as coach has been adapting to the circumstances of the moment."We kind of evolved into this," Johnson said of the starting five that took the floor Monday. "We didn't plan on DeSagana Diop starting for us this year. We didn't plan on Grif starting for us this year. We didn't plan on Devin starting a few games for us."And Griffin can't plan on starting again this season. He might, but there is no assurance he will."I've been through this before," Griffin said. "They were winning before I got here, and they're going to keep winning. We have a great system."Our main focus is just to get ready for the playoffs. You never know what is going to happen. Everyone just has to stay ready."Easing back in: Griffin was in uniform for Monday's game. Johnson said he hoped to use Griffin a few minutes against the Clippers and build from there."I'm just glad to be back on the court," said Griffin, who hasn't played since March 11. "It's been a month. It seems like three months."I know he [Johnson] probably won't try to push it tonight. We don't want to jeopardize it. He will just gradually work me back in."First-round preference: Most coaches won't declare what team they want to face in the first round.Phil Jackson isn't like most coaches. The Los Angeles Lakers coach told reporters Sunday that even though the Mavericks may be the best team in the Western Conference, he would rather face them because his team has played well against Dallas.The Lakers took the season series against the Mavericks, 2-1. The Lakers went 1-3 against San Antonio and are 0-3 against Phoenix with one game remaining.
Re: Mavs' Griffin may be odd man out Man, I really wish he was injured, but you guys are right. Dallas needs a winning chemistry right now, but we all know Griffin can do the right things. Rarely makes mental mistakes.
Re: Mavs' Griffin may be odd man out Yeah true but being out a month definitely changes things and throwing Griffin in the lineup just before the playoffs is a risk. I think Stackhouse probably will start the rest of the way.
Re: Mavs' Griffin may be odd man out Okay, but what do we do when Harris returns? He's been out just as long, and "we wouldn't want to mess up the teams chemistry", right Mavsfan?I just think some guys on here have a double standard.BTW, I think just because he might not get his starting position back, it doesn't mean the guy won't play. He'll still get probably 20 minutes a game, or close to it.
Re: Mavs' Griffin may be odd man out <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Marvinmartian @ Apr 12 2006, 11:14 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Okay, but what do we do when Harris returns? He's been out just as long, and "we wouldn't want to mess up the teams chemistry", right Mavsfan?I just think some guys on here have a double standard.BTW, I think just because he might not get his starting position back, it doesn't mean the guy won't play. He'll still get probably 20 minutes a game, or close to it.</div>Double standard? How so? Griffin isn't as good as Harris so it is a bad comparison. Daniels and Stackhouse have been healthy and just as effective so the edge goes to one of those 2. Harris is the backup point guard and I am more comfortable of him running the point than Daniels. Define where there is a double standard?
Re: Mavs' Griffin may be odd man out It is a double standard.If we assume that Harris will fit back into the rotation nice and neat when he comes bac, than why can't we assume the same with Griffin.It's proven that guys that have missed lots of time, take a while to get back into the swing of things, and that it could throw off the teams chemistry.All I'm saying is that assuming that Griffin will come back, get no playing time because he MIGHT mess up the chemistry of the team, and then to say the Harris should come back and get all that playing time IS a double standard.And I know what you want Mavsfan, you want Harris to start...and that would be a disaster, no matter how good you think he is, especially right now coming back from an injury.So basically, give both guys the same chance, as both guys mean alot to this teams success.I'd actually go so far as to say, while Harris might have more talent, that Griffin has had a bigger impact THIS year than Harris, and that wouldn't be to far off.
Re: Mavs' Griffin may be odd man out The fact is Griffin isn't the best option at shooting guard even when healthy. Griffin could not stop anyone tonight and was constantly getting scored on. Harris though is a need for this team. Terry's defense is very weak and Dallas needs a point guard that can stop penetration like what happened tonight against Golden State. Harris is that guy. I can't believe you think Griffin is just as valuable as Harris.
Re: Mavs' Griffin may be odd man out See the only time we'll NEED Harris is in the series agianst the Spurs and after that.So I do think we need both guys, and I think you are seriously underrating Griffin. He's not the best option at SG? Who else plays there? Stack and Marquis? Both are best coming off the bench anyways, besides our bench has been weak as of late since we put Stack in the starting lineup.I just believe both guys are valuable to this team, and we wouldn't have almost 60 wins without either of these guys.
Re: Mavs' Griffin may be odd man out I think Daniels is best starting and Stackhouse is best coming off the bench. Griffin couldn't even do what he is known for last night. Harris is our only pure point guard or at least our best penetrator. Jason Terry is a shooting guard in a point guards body. The ball movement is terrible right now and Dallas relies on mismatches too much.
Re: Mavs' Griffin may be odd man out How many games did Griffin miss? And how many has he been back?Just like with Harris, I didn't expect him to be great when he came back.Besides man, I think you misunderstand me. I'm not saying Griff is more important than Harris, and not the other way around.All I'm saying is that both will be VERY important for us in the playoffs.
Re: Mavs' Griffin may be odd man out Griffin is important until Dallas goes to a smaller rotation. He brings no offense and his defense is not that great either. Harris was the 4th best player until the injury and a bailout to the mentally weak Jason Terry.
Re: Mavs' Griffin may be odd man out Man, I don't think we should've started Griffin last night, now. This needs to be the new depth chart/starting lineup:Center: DeSagana Diop / DB Mbenga / Erick DampierReason: Damp STILL got into foul trouble after he was settled into the game. Mbenga coming in before Damp could possibly help.Power Forward: Dirk Nowitzki / Josh PowellReason: Does several good things in limited minutes. Can rebound, be aggressive, etc.Small Forward: Josh Howard / Keith Van Horn / Adrian GriffinReason: You get good rebounding, perimeter shooting, inside shooting/dive-cutting, and efficient shooting.Shooting Guard: Jerry Stackhouse / Marquis Daniels / Adrian Griffin Reason: I know Stack might no be great, but for chemistry purposes.Point Guard: Jason Terry / Devin Harris / Darrell ArmstrongReason: Obvious reaasons, but Armstrong could switch with Harris. Armstrong is a TRUE veteran.
Re: Mavs' Griffin may be odd man out Daniels is a better option than Stackhouse. Sure Daniels plays retarded sometimes but he knows how to score off the dribble better than Stackhouse. Stackhouse's minutes should be limited due to his lack of efficiency.
Re: Mavs' Griffin may be odd man out Ha, nice to go back on your own word. You are fucken stupid, Damp is the best c of the three, and you have him third. Face it Waqas, the Dallas centers are useless against the Suns, they don't have enough offense to make Suns pay, and can't defend the smaller centers on the Suns. This is why Van Horn would have been useful against the Suns. I read something on another board that I totally agree with, and someone said Powell is too tentative now, think about that come playoff time. We can't have him playing hesistant. Van Horn's out til WCF or even Finals. Don't plan on him being ahead of Griff. Neither are good options to start. You just favor one player over the other. To me I see no dropoff from either in the starting line, so I don't care who starts. As long as they produce.
Re: Mavs' Griffin may be odd man out Daniels isn't that great either but both Terry and Daniels are better options than Stackhouse. I don't like Daniels in the lineup either but it beats Stackhouse. Dallas obviously has a hole at shooting guard right now. A blackhole who thinks he is better than he is. I would say the worst player on the team right now is Griffin. Stackhouse, Powell, and Mbenga follow (not counting Marshall or Pavel). When Harris starts getting healthy, he should eat up Stackhouse's minutes by putting Terry at the 2.
Re: Mavs' Griffin may be odd man out Putting Powell and Benga over Stack and Griff. I'm done with this topic.
Re: Mavs' Griffin may be odd man out Listen, Stack will be the first person off the bench, and you just have to live with that.No he's not the same old Stackhouse, BUT he's still a threat, and in most cases He's on the Court with Terry, Dirk, AND Howard...so tthat gives us 4 offensive threats...and if they put in Daniels, it gives us 5.Just like with you overlooking Griff, mavsfan, I think you like the young guys WAY too much, when you should be hoping the vets with experience(Stack, Damp, Armstrong, Griffin) will be just as important as those young guys athleticism in the playoffs.
Re: Mavs' Griffin may be odd man out I would put the best team available on the floor. Unfortunately we disagree on what the best team is. It is not as obvious as the spurs, which is clearly (Parker, Ginobili, Bowen, Duncan, and Mohammad). I think our best team talent wise is Harris, Terry, Daniels, Howard, and Nowitzki) and with a center (Harris, Terry, Howard, Nowitzki, and Dampier). Our young guys are our best players whether we like it or not. Griffin, Stackhouse, and Armstrong aren't as good.
Re: Mavs' Griffin may be odd man out See and that's your opinion.I dissagree with you. Yeah Griffin, Stack and Armstrong aren't as athletic as the younger guys, and Harris and Daniels may be more talented than Stack and Armstrong combined, but there is no substitute for experience, and lets face it, the young guys aren't nearly as experienced as the old guys.Let's face it, the vets are going to get tons of playing time, and that's a good thing, especially in the playoffs. I'm not thinking I want a bunch of young guys on the floor at the same time.I like the young guys, and like our future, but the reason the Mavs are good from year to year with completely different teams is due to Dirk and our vets, not our young players. We'd be in a rebuilding and learning mode if you got your way.Let's play all the young guys all the time, and put Stack, DA, and Griffin on the bench...since they aren't as good as the young guys anymore.Well experience is hard to judge, and might give those older guys an edge over the younger ones even if they have lost a step.
Re: Mavs' Griffin may be odd man out The stats don't back you up. Armstrong is our worst player on the team that gets minutes this year. He is very turnover prone, can't shoot, and at times is a step slow because of his age. Stackhouse you read about his efficiency already. This team lost 3 in a row because of using the vets like Armstrong and Stackhouse. It is already proven how much Dallas missed Harris. Much more than they missed Stackhouse earlier in the season.
