one thing iv noticed, is that everyone is talkin about how horrible the mav's d is going to be now. but what i was thinkin, is that its not as if lafrentz was an all nba defence type player. he wasnt that good a defender really. he was alright but nothing special...the loss of lafrentz doesnt make the D on the team that bad, cuz all he really was was a shot blocker and a post defender, and they still got bradley for that, so its not THAT huge of a loss. certainly not enough to make their D that much worse. worse? yes. WAY worse? id say no. they got a lot better on offence, then they got worse on D, thats for sure. btw...last time i checked, nobody could stop shaq without a dbl team anyways.
at least lafrentz is decent. toine is horrible at defense. lafrentz i think had a lot of blocked shots(maybe that was when he was in denver), but i agree with inNetswetrust about how the hell are you gonna stop anyone. i still think the mavs will be an elite team, but i just don't think that they can reach the top with no defense.
as ive said in my last post...no one can stop Shaq...the key is to at least make him sweat for his shots...and make him work or at least force him to take the fadeaway or hook shot...they lost their last decent post defender in Raef...i'll repeat it again...offense will win you games (im sure Mavs will win a lot)...but defense will win you championship...the last time I checked, Duncan was the only HEAVY scorer on the CHAMPION Spurs...but they have a lot of defenders in Bowen (who almost couldn't score) and Robinson (who got contented with rebounding and defending)...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting dj_premium_plus:</div><div class="quote_post">btw...last time i checked, nobody could stop shaq without a dbl team anyways.</div> wow, you guys refuse to read and ACTUALLY COMPREHEND what me, and InNetsWeTrust actually post... thanks InNet. for actually understanding that they dont havta stop Shaq, but they cant just let him score every single time...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting purehoops:</div><div class="quote_post">thanks InNet. for actually understanding that they dont havta stop Shaq, but they cant just let him score every single time...</div> The Mavs don't do that either.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting InNETSweTrust:</div><div class="quote_post">ok so 5 guys who can all score... who's going to rebound? fortson? yes if he can keep himself in the game... who's going to dish off assists to keep ALL the scorers happy? and you guys are almost saying that defense is underrated...that you can trade baskets and win the game...purehoops is right...no one can stop Shaq...but at least make him work for his points and wear him down...the way i see it, Dirk will defend him, GP will feed Shaq on the block...one curl..SLAM on Dirk's face...no sweat....at least when you have a fairly good center, Shaq needs to dribble...or do a lot of pivots...or shoot the hook...and sweat... and who's going to defend the perimeter for crying out loud?! im seeing games here with the score of 120-110...dallas can be either one coz they can't stop the other team... and who's going to grab the lose ball or offensive rebound when they miss? surely you don't expect them to make every shot... oh and what will happen when Dirk goes down with an injury again? i read somewhere that Fortson will start at center...i think he's generously listed at 6'8...and Shaq has a term for these kind of undersized centers..."tree stumps"... im sure the Mavs are better in terms of scoring against the Nets..but who made it to the Finals? i still believe that the Nets defense brought them to the Finals...Jason Kidd as a perimeter defender and KMart an interior defender...they don't have a 20+ scorer...but they have one hell of a defense... sure they're in the East...but with the Mavs firepower, shouldn't you think they should be in the Finals as well? they weren't...because they can't shut down the other team...</div> Please read all of my post.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting BBall Guru:</div><div class="quote_post">You act like the Nets had the same type of offense as the Mavs. If Shaq doesn't gaurd Dirk, who is he going to gaurd? Antonie? No matter what, Shaq will be drawn away from the basket vs them. The Spurs can play zone all they want. They don't have the two big guys inside anymore. Yes, I know they have Rasho Nesterovic now, but he's not Robinson. I'm sure, it will be great to watch the Mavs & Spurs play - it will be a wonderful match up. The best defense in the world won't be able to stop the mavs. Three guys on the team can be having an off night, and they'll still have at least three other guys to pick up the slack.... Defense may win championships, but with an offense as potent as the Mavs; defense almost becomes irrelevant. Of course I'm not saying the mavs will win it all. But they have greatly improved their chances of doing so. If I am wrong - at the end of the season I will admit it.</div> read this post? nah..."The best defense in the world won't be able to stop the mavs." really now? "Defense may win championships, but with an offense as potent as the Mavs; defense almost becomes irrelevant." what?!?!?!?!?!?
So if the Mavs had Luc Longley and Greg Ostertag at center they would stand a better shot at beating the Lakers or Spurs? lol Had to go there.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting sportsrock37:</div><div class="quote_post">at least lafrentz is decent. toine is horrible at defense. lafrentz i think had a lot of blocked shots(maybe that was when he was in denver), but i agree with inNetswetrust about how the hell are you gonna stop anyone. i still think the mavs will be an elite team, but i just don't think that they can reach the top with no defense.</div> Walker is going to help Dallass D. You cant put anyone who plays under Jim Obrien and the phrase "horrible at defense" in the same sentence
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting olskoolFunktitude:</div><div class="quote_post">Walker is going to help Dallass D. You cant put anyone who plays under Jim Obrien and the phrase "horrible at defense" in the same sentence </div> oh come on...he couldn't even stop K-Mart...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting King James:</div><div class="quote_post">So if the Mavs had Luc Longley and Greg Ostertag at center they would stand a better shot at beating the Lakers or Spurs? lol Had to go there.</div> Greg Ostertag over Walker for the Mavs? Yes.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting purehoops:</div><div class="quote_post">Greg Ostertag over Walker for the Mavs? Yes.</div> That would be on you bro.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting King James:</div><div class="quote_post">So if the Mavs had Luc Longley and Greg Ostertag at center they would stand a better shot at beating the Lakers or Spurs? lol Had to go there.</div> i already replied to this...i don't know why it didn't show up...it was pretty long...i can't type it all again...to summarize: Luc and Greg had been in the finals, right? why? they helped their team grabbed rebounds...defend big guys...block some shots...or at least make them think again about slashing to the basket...even Earl Boykins will not be scared to drive thru the Mavs defense... you really don't get our point...you don't need to stop Shaq entirely...you don't need to score a bunch of points...you just need someone to make Shaq do his pivots...make him sweat...do his turn around J...or at least foul him really hard for him not to make an and1 play...at least make him earn his points from the line...that would be harder for him...it sounds like you guys gave up on Shaq..."since no one can stop him, let's just get another scorer and let Shaq do his thing"... someone here made a nice point...purehoops i think..we're all worried about the Lakers...having four superstars...like there wouldn't be enough touches for everyone...but GP and Karl made it vocal that they won't demand the ball...and will be contented as role players...and even made a pay cut just to play...now the Mavs have five scorers...oh well... you guys are making a point that the Mavs just need to score a bunch of points...and let the other guys score as well...and hope that you get the last ball possession for a game-winning shot...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting purehoops:</div><div class="quote_post">Greg Ostertag over Walker for the Mavs? Yes.</div> heck yah me too...they have more than enough scorers anyway...
