Hopefully Paul Allen Will Learn Something from Mark Cuban

More uptempo, not GS or NY uptempo. I'm not bitching either, just pointing out what I think the problem is. My solution is simple, ballance out the roster by deciding what style this team is going to play onboth offense and defense. Nate screams push and run throughout the whole game, but we finish last in pace and fastbreak points every year. If they want to push then get rid of Brandon and do it. If they want to be a more controlled offense that finishes towards the bottom in pace then get rid of Aldridge. The sets we have for the players we have don't equal a lot of success in the playoffs.

As for a different coach, a different coach might not win, but I do know Nate has been an NBA head coach for 11 seasons now and been out of the first round once.

 

That's great and all, but Dallas played at a 88.9 Pace through the playoffs.

http://espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/teamstats/_/sort/paceFactor/seasontype/3

Portland was at 90.5 for the regular season, and Dallas was at 93.5.

http://espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/teamstats

I guess I don't understand your complaint. Dallas played at a slower pace winning a title than NateBall did in the regular season.

 

I wonder if talent, not pace, wins titles. We should explore that theory more.

 

#DuhWeining!!

 

The lesson to learn here isn't "let's build our team like the Mavs did!" The lesson is that there is more than one way to win a championship. Last year at this time, no one thought Dallas would win the title and no one was trying to copy their blueprint. So let's not copy the Spurs, Lakers, Celtics, or Mavs. It will get us nowhere. Look at the Heat! They tried to copy the Celtics. Didn't work. We have lots of talent. Let's go win a title our way.

 

I think this is bullshit. The uptempo 2005 Phoenix Suns probably would've won the title if they didn't get hurt. The Lakers did it in the 80s. One day, an uptempo team will win a championship again and then everyone will be trying to copy them. Mark my words.

 

The soft Mavs weren't taught defense. They were replaced. Marion, Chandler, Stevenson, and Haywood were recent additions that improved their defense.

 

The Mavs MADE the Lakers implode and Butler was a VERY serious injury. How is it fortunate that they ONLY lost their second leading scorer?

 

Cuban is at every game and in the locker room, micromanaging. He got into a personal vendetta with Don Nelson and Nelson sued him. You seem to want a dignified, absent coach. If so, Allen has nothing to learn from Cuban.

Just like Canzano your hero, you always make mysterious remarks about Allen out of the side of your mouth and no one can interpret exactly what your problem is.

 

I think you're trying to read my statement far too finely, that "talent beat pace in the Finals," which wasn't my intention at all. Both the Heat and Mavericks are extremely talented, so no matter which team won, "talent" was the reason they were in position to win a title and, ultimately, did so.

I wouldn't want to say that. However, if the Finals had been three-on-three, I think the Heat would have won. Which team was more talented overall is a bit harder to say. The Heat unquestionably had the best three players, but whether they had the best seven or eight is quite a bit closer.

Not that it's relevant, given what I said above (that being, I wasn't arguing that talent was the difference between who won and lost the Finals series).

I do think coaching matters, largely in figuring out how to optimally leverage the talent of the players you have. I don't think the pace the team plays at matters (insofar as it doesn't undermine "leveraging the talents of your players").

 

Dallas just kept improving over the years and the Blazers didn't. Dallas

1) changed coaches frequently, as you're supposed to do in the NBA until you get a good one. Portland fans don't like that. They want the stability of mediocrity.

2) changed players frequently, as you're supposed to do in the NBA until you win it all. Dallas fans have no moralistic agenda like Portland fans and the stupid 25-point pledge. For example, for several years Blazer fans have disliked Chandler because he got mad during a couple of Blazer games, so Dallas picked him up and he starred for them. Fans here want unemotional nonghetto choirboys. That's why we can't get anywhere.

 

Portland should never have cut Chandler, allowing Dallas to acquire him.

 

Przybilla was good at getting Tyson Chandler out the game on technicals when we played against New Orleans. Chandler was never a Blazer.

My overall point in this thread is that PapaG is wrong when he says that Allen should imitate Cuban's stability. The facts are the opposite. 1) We need faster changes, not fewer, and less worship of stability and fear of change. 2) Cuban won because he made those constant changes, while Allen preserved too much stability, not too little.

 

Blue Cross/Blue Shield?

 

Now that's funny... I don't care who ya are!

 

I just hope we do not get the "Super Bowl" syndrome. Seems like every team in the NFL tries to copy the last team to win a championship.

To respond to your quote, everyone would probably still be saying the same things if Boston had not traded Perkins, the Lakers had not had an off year, or the Spurs had their run late in the year instead of early. I would say the lesson is that there is no fool proof way of winning a championship, but having a horse in the race is the first requirement.