Posts Tagged ‘Dallas Mavericks’

NBA Quick Takes: Southwest Division Dominance!

Wednesday, January 28th, 2015

by Kamal Hylton

Kamal Hylton Blog

 

 

 

 

Hello War Room Nation!

 

This is Kamal Hylton of NBA Nation Australia and War Room Sports blog back with your weekly dose of NBA Quick Takes.

 

This week’s column has a distinct Southwestern flavor to it, taking a look at the association’s toughest group of teams in the Southwest Division. Consisting of the Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, defending champion San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans, all you have to do is watch some of the divisional games and it’s clear there’s no sign of weakness.

 

They beat up on each other nightly and this only helps them develop a tough skin for when the playoffs roll around, matching up with any of these teams will be a tough test when we get down to the nitty-gritty. Looking at the standings we could be witnessing a rare feat of having an entire division make the playoffs, the only team really in doubt are the New Orleans Pelicans fighting to squeeze into the Top 8.

 

This leads me perfectly into my first Quick Take.

 

Pelicans Playoff Bandwagon

Since they’re not on national TV often, I’m not sure how often a lot of you watch the Pelicans play but when things are going well they’re one of my “League Pass teams” and a fun bunch to watch. I’ve watched quite a few of their games (including covering them once for NBA Nation Australia when they played the Toronto Raptors) and they are very underrated, showing resiliency and fight. A perfect example of this was on Sunday night, witnessing them go toe-to-toe on League Pass against the division foe Dallas Mavericks and coming away with a 109-106 victory on a key defensive stop by Anthony Davis. This is a team I want to see under the bright lights of playoff basketball.

 

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Even in the absence of star point guard Jrue Holiday, who’ll hopefully be returning from injury soon, they’ve had great performances by others holding down the fort. The main man in this regard has been Tyreke Evans, efficiently providing scoring punch and back court leadership. Evans has reinvented himself slightly from his Sacramento Kings days, showing an ability to guard multiple positions, be much more team oriented, and still have the capability to take over a game when called upon. Coach Monty Williams and the front office should also be given credit, securing two very strewed moves by adding Omer Asik in the offseason and the recent acquisition of Quincy Pondexter. Both have helped ease the burden on Davis defensively, Asik giving him a partner down low that will do the “dirty work”, allowing Davis to play his more natural power forward position (something he couldn’t do last season) while Podexter helps on perimeter defense. These players along with others like Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson are helping this team compete, but the main reason why I’m jumping on the Pelicans Playoff Bandwagon is to see the next stage of Davis’ development. He has quickly become one of the league’s dominant bigs, but we as NBA fans should hope he doesn’t get stuck in purgatory of a losing franchise (something his fellow University of Kentucky alum is experiencing in Sacramento).

 

Embrace Grit and Grind Basketball

Another team that doesn’t get much attention, despite being second in the Western Conference, are the Memphis Grizzlies. Most fans aren’t flicking through League Pass and landing on the Grizzlies, nor do they have the same “wow factor” as other teams. They aren’t nearly as exciting as those Golden State Warriors with their up tempo style and the “Splash Brothers” raining threes at the “Roaracle”, or as flashy as the Los Angeles Clippers high-flying act known as “Lob City”, but in its own way the style known as “Grit and Grind” basketball is a beautiful thing to watch.

 

Memphis

 

This team is built for the playoffs, displaying a defensively focused mindset that is anchored by its two bigs, Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. They take pride in stifling offenses, clog the lane, forcing bad shots, getting into the passing lanes, and being cerebral in half court sets. Grit and Grind is more than that though, it’s hard-nosed perimeter defense by players like Tony Allen, high basketball IQ from its point guard Mike Conley, and contributions from unheralded players.

 

Watching last night’s game against the Mavericks displayed just how deep this team can be, as they had players like Courtney Lee, Nick Calathes, and Beno Udrih step up seamlessly in the absence of Allen and Conley sidelined with injuries. Lee and Calathes combined for 5-for-7 from beyond the arc and Udrih managed the game without playing beyond himself, proving the system works and makes players better.

 

#TooMuchMonta

Do yourselves a favor the next time you watch the Dallas Mavericks, watch the effortless way Monta Ellis can take over a game. He has always had this ability, but this time it’s different. As mentioned on the latest episode of Court Vision, on War Room Sports TV, Ellis is showing that he has grown up from those bad Warriors and is far more efficient.

 

I recently wrote an article for NBA Nation Australia (http://nbanationaustralia.com/dallas-mavericks-masterminding-a-championship-contender-in-big-d/) on the Mavs masterminding a championship contender and my thoughts are now confirmed, that although Dirk Nowitzki is the face and leader of this Mavs team, Ellis’ role has arguably become much more important. During key stretches of tight games it’s the Jackson, Mississippi native that has the ball in his hands, his teammates knowing that he’s the first option on a pick and pop with Nowitzki.

 

ME

 

This is in no small part due to coach Rick Carlisle putting the ball in his hands and giving him the confidence and responsibility to create while at the same time not overburdening. Enter Rajon Rondo. While most people were quick to say a Rondo/Ellis back court wouldn’t work I was on the opposite side (if you don’t believe me you can check my Twitter timeline). It’s still early, and it won’t be truly tested until playoff time, but having a player like Rondo buy into Carlisle’s system has been essential. With two legit threats in the backcourt, it becomes a “pick your poison” situation for opposing defenses and Ellis has been the major beneficiary so far. At times he becomes too much to handle, which has led me to adopt the hashtag #TooMuchMonta.

 

I borrowed this from Nowitzki’s line in this Mavs parody video of Run DMC’s ‘Can’t Be Stopped’.

 

 

To catch all my NBA writing, photos and videos visit (http://nbanationaustralia.com) or on twitter @NBANationOz (https://twitter.com/NBANationOz)

 

Kamal Hylton of NBA Nation Australia, for War Room Sports

Mark Cuban Thinks the Lakers Should Amnesty Kobe?

Monday, February 25th, 2013

by LeRoy McConnell III

 

 

 

 

 

Leave it up to Dallas Mavericks’ owner Mark Cuban to provide his two cents on what the 16-time World Champions Los Angeles Lakers should do with their superstar Kobe Bryant.  I mean don’t get me wrong, Cuban just gutted his own team last season so he has some idea of what to do.  Maybe it’s his way of reaching out to the Buss Family during trying times.

Let’s play devil’s advocate:

Kobe is due a mere $30 million next season which puts the Lakers over the luxury tax threshold by $7 million.  That doesn’t even include the signing of the summer’s biggest free agent, Dwight Howard.  Howard will command at least $20 million a season on his upcoming deal, which even creates more chaos for the Lakers.  Once you pass $5 million over the luxury tax, it increases to $1.75 for every dollar over.  After that, every $5 million over goes from $2.50 to $3.25 to $3.75 and increases $.50 for every $5 million after that.  But we are talking about Kobe!  Kobe Bryant is Mr. Laker, he is the draw, the 5-Time NBA champion that is relied upon to lead the success of the franchise.  His legacy belongs in a purple and gold uniform.  Mark Cuban spoke about his reasons the Lakers should amnesty Kobe.

 

“If you look at their payroll, even if Dwight Howard comes back, you’ve got to ask the question: Should they amnesty Kobe?” Cuban said during an appearance on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM’s “Ben and Skin Show.  “So I’m just saying that hypothetically. When I say amnesty Kobe, I don’t think they’d do it, but they’ve got some choices to make. Now, they’re in a big market, but they’re still limited. The Knicks, the same thing. Boston same thing.”

Is Mark Cuban trying to use his Shark Tank skills into conning the mighty Lakers franchise into disrupting their team?  When was the last time the Lakers organization were hurting for money?  Did Cuban forget that the Lakers just inked a $3 billion deal with Time Warner Cable?

Message to the Buss Family:

If you have forgotten, the Dallas Mavericks swept your team and went on to win the NBA Championship just two seasons ago.  Then Cuban referred to his Shark Tank entourage in deciding the fate of Tyson Chandler, the backbone of the Mavericks and Defensive Player of The Year.  HE COULD HAVE KEPT CHANDLER AND AMNESTIED BRENDAN HAYWOOD.  He decided against that, allowing Chandler to walk and keeping Haywood for one additional season before using the AMNESTY CLAUSE on HAYWOOD anyway.  Giving up a team that won you an NBA championship for financial flexibility!  The 2012-13 season has been a disaster for the Mavericks.  Cuban got his wish for all the financial flexibility in the world but no NBA player seems to want to play in Dallas.  So take note Buss Family, ride the horse of the Black Mamba as long as you can and find a way to keep Mr. Howard, because Mark Cuban has put your team on notice.

 

LeRoy McConnell III of A Fan’s Point of View, for War Room Sports

Is Mark Cuban Really A MFFL?

Friday, January 25th, 2013

by LeRoy McConnell III

 

 

 

 

 

For those who don’t know what “MFFL” means: Mavs Fan For Life.  It was Mark Cuban’s, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, way of saying jump on board and I will take you to the promised land.  Well, I did.  In fact he made me a big believer, as soon as he took over a dismal team that was far from relevancy back in 2000.  He orchestrated a squad, led by future Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki to two NBA Finals, winning one of them back in 2011.  2011 seems like a distant memory now, especially when Mark Cuban did the inevitable.
He dismantled an NBA championship team.  Not since Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls teams in the late ’90s have we seen a such thing.  Instead of challenging for a repeat, he decides to render the services of Tyson Chandler useless.  Chandler, who played one season with the Mavs, is the best center in Dallas Mavericks history.  Cuban had an opportunity to use the amnesty clause on Brendan Haywood in order to keep Chandler, instead he elected to watch Tyson leave for free agency without compensation.  Funny thing about it, he held onto Haywood the year after the championship, only to use the amnesty clause on him during this past offseason.  Other intriguing pieces to the championship were Caron Butler (who was injured but still valuable), J.J. Berea (who was the smallest Maverick but added valuable points off the bench), Deshawn Stevenson (who provided toughness and gritty defense), and Jason Terry (who was the heart and soul, a true Maverick, who walked and talked an NBA championship for the Dallas Mavericks).

Amnesty Clause: The NBA’s next collective bargaining agreement may include some form of “amnesty clause,” allowing teams to eliminate bad player contracts under certain conditions.

Is the sky falling?  MFFL, take a deep breath and ask yourself, “WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON AROUND HERE?”  Has Cuban lost his mind?  YES!  Okay, deep breath taken.  What are you going to do MARK CUBAN?
Mark Cuban has been preaching that the most important thing today is financial flexibility; his plan was to be a central figure in the 2012 trade market.  Since he has owned the team, he has never had flexibility to land free agents because money is always tied up.  The team is getting old and it’s the first time the Mavericks can possibly add a superstar to play alongside Dirk.  “Okay, you have my attention”, intrigued Mavs fan.  On paper, it sounds like a slam dunk.  Grabbing Deron Williams who is from the Dallas area and  somehow luring Dwight Howard.  Now I understand why we would get rid of Tyson, to get Dwight, makes sense to me.  Jason Kidd already said he would sign back because of his relationship with Deron Williams.  The 2012 free agency period was to be an upbeat time for #MAVSNATION, as we were to start the season better than ever.  Only one thing; Cuban didn’t land that big fish, didn’t close the deal on a superstar free agent.

Excuse me, doesn’t Mark Cuban star on the ABC hit show, Shark Tank?  On his show he is an investor looking to capitalize on small business owners’ inventions.  He is pretty savvy and the show demonstrates why he is a shrewd business man.  Is Shark Tank  the reason why Mark Cuban couldn’t land a top free agent this summer?  Marcel Mutoni from Slamonline wrote an article about the top free agent Deron Williams being pursued by the Dallas Mavericks this offseason.

According to Deron Williams, one of the biggest reasons he’s not a Dallas Maverick today, is that Mark Cuban didn’t show up for a meeting.
Cuban was busy taping his TV show “Shark Tank” in California, and sent Mavs head coach Rick Carlisle and GM Donnie Nelson to meet with the free agent superstar point guard.
This did not sit well with D-Will, who felt that his questions about the direction Dallas was taking were left largely unanswered.

Deron Williams fell through and stayed with the Brooklyn Nets.  The Orlando Magic gave Dwight Howard up for a cup of coffee to the LA Lakers.  The Mavericks couldn’t even keep old man Kidd, who bolted to the Knicks to play with former teammate Tyson Chandler.  Flexibility; now that’s funny.  The Dallas Mavericks have all this flexibility in the world and can’t sign a single superstar to play with Dirk.  The only option for the 2012-13 season was to sign journeymen (Elton Brand, Chris Kaman, O.J Mayo, Dahntay Jones, and Darren Collison) to one year contracts.  As a MFFL, I am so ecstatic!  Watching a team with a record of 18-24 each night.  This is what the MFFL had envisioned for our big free agent season.  Just two years removed since the Dallas Mavericks’ fans witnessed their first NBA championship and now their beloved team can’t even compete for the 8th seed in the Western Conference.  So Mr. Cuban, why are you being so brass, and telling the basketball world you are ready to deal for players now?  According to Brad Townsend, a reporter for the Dallasnews.com, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban declared that there was a 100-percent chance that the Mavericks will try to make a trade before the Feb. 21 trade deadline.  Monday, Cuban practically stated his intentions in a Jimmy Johnson-esque three-inch headline, saying,

“We’re letting everybody know the Bank of Cuban’s open.  And if it’s the right deal, we don’t mind taking back money.  But we’re not going to do a trade just to do a trade.  It’s got to be worthwhile.”

Only one problem Mark Cuban… no one wants to come to Dallas.

 

LeRoy McConnell III of “A Fan’s Point of View”, for War Room Sports

 

The Dwight Howard Story: Superman Has Left the Building…or Maybe Not?

Monday, March 19th, 2012

By Brandon McConnell

The big story around this year’s NBA season has been what team will Dwight Howard play for in the future.  At the beginning of the year, Dwight told the Orlando Magic’s executives that he would like to be traded to the Lakers, Nets, or Mavericks.  The Orlando Magic listened to trade offers the first half of the season, turning them all down hoping Dwight would change his mind and stay with the team.  In the words of Jesse Jackson,  they were “keeping hope alive”.

The big rumor surfacing throughout the league was Dwight opting out of his deal and joining Deron Williams in New Jersey.  This was the obvious plan for the last three months.  Orlando even believed this was the plan since Dwight would not accept a max contract with them that would pay him $109 million dollars.

As the trade deadline approached, you heard a new rumor on Dwight every hour of the day.  Dwight wants to go to the Lakers.  Dwight is going to team up with Derick Rose in Chicago since they are both with Team Adidas.  Dwight is going to New Jersey with “D-Will”.  You never heard Dwight wanting to stay in Orlando.  He even told management that he was not going to stay.

So Orlando management starting fielding offers from the league to seek the best deal they could get for Dwight Howard.  In the 11th hour, Dwight Howard developed a conscience and decided to opt-in to one more year with the Orlando Magic for $19 million because he felt like he owed his teammates and the fans of Orlando since he showed such a lack of loyalty throughout the season.  What is he thinking?  Dwight Howard is that guy who breaks up with his girlfriend and asks her back at the end of the day because he started feeling bad.

People always want to give LeBron a hard time, even myself, but one thing I can respect about LeBron is he did exactly what he wanted to do and didn’t give a damn what anyone else thought.  By Dwight staying one more year for $19 million dollars, he risks being hurt and getting paid a whole lot less next summer.  If he wanted to stay in Orlando, in the words of DMX in Belly, “GET THE  MONEY YO”.  He could have signed a max deal for $109 million dollars.  If he is staying one more year to be nice to the people of Orlando, that is dumb since you will be a free agent next year and have to go through the same media circus again.

In concluding, Dwight, if you want be the “MAN OF STEEL”, start first by trying to be a MAN!

Brandon McConnell of  Respect Da Game, for War Room Sports

Lamar Kardashian A.K.A. Alice the Goon

Tuesday, March 6th, 2012

By LeRoy McConnell III

"Alice the Goon"

Yeah I said it, Lamar better known as Alice the Goon!  All he has done in a Dallas Maverick uniform is mope!  If you didn’t know any better, you would have thought he was traded to one of the bottom-feeders of the NBA such as the Bobcats, Wizards, Cavaliers, or Hornets!

The L.A. Lakers gave the Goon up for nothing, which now seems to be an ingenious move.  Maybe it was the Lakers’ plan to use Lamar as a sleeper cell the whole time.  Was it Lamar’s mission to sabotage the Mavericks?  He did ask for a trade.  I know Dallas isn’t L.A. but hey, the Mavericks are coming off their first ever NBA championship.  Although the Dallas Mavericks are not the same team they were last season, they are one of a handful of teams with an opportunity to compete for another championship this year.  For that to happen Dallas would need the services of last year’s Sixth-Man of the Year, Lamar Odom, not that wimpy scalawag Alice the Goon from the Popeye cartoons.

Mr. Kardashian, you have sickened my stomach ever since you’ve landed here in Dallas with all your  melodrama that is going on in your life.  I have to watch your damn show to get some insight on why you are playing so poorly.  Mark Cuban and Rick Carlisle have catered to you and your entourage ever since you have arrived in the Lone Star State.  Everyone gets a pass for not being in basketball condition this season because of the NBA LOCK OUT; but Mr. Kardashian you make a whopping nine million dollars a year.  I haven’t seen such filth on the court for that kinda money since we finally got rid of the second best center in the NBA two years ago in ERIC DAMNEER!

Dear Lamar,

I hope you enjoyed your vacation!  Just to let you know I am not interested in your personal issues that you have been dealing with the past ten days.  Earlier in the week the team threatened you, a thirteen year veteran, by placing you in the NBA D- League for a game or two.  I don’t know why the Mavericks went soft and cancelled your trip to the minor leagues but I hope it humbled you enough to get your act together.  There is still time to salvage this season.  It’s up to you.  Remember, you are auditioning for a contract at the end of this season because your team option is not guaranteed.  I can almost promise you will not be back in Dallas.  As a Dallas Maverick fan, all I want you to do is show better body language because it’s very poor.  Give better effort and act like you give a damn.  Believe it or not, you are in a good situation to help this team, so it is up to you.

Sincerely yours,

LeRoy McConnell III of A Fan’s Point of View, for War Room Sports

(Norris) Cole Not Affected By Pressure?

Wednesday, December 28th, 2011

By: Aquil Bayyan

Cole Directing Traffic in College

After watching Norris Cole light up the Boston Celtics last night I decided to post this Blog from statements I made on our show (Episode #71 at the 28:15 mark) last Thursday December 22, 2011 here.

(This is posted from the actual show statements)

I just wanted to take to the time to talk about one of the NBA Rookies this year out of Cleveland State. This young man averaged 22 pts, 6 rebs, 5 asts, and 2 stls during his senior year which included a 41 point, 20 rebound, and 9 assist performance. His name is, Norris Cole, and he has the rare combination of handles, passing ability, three point shooting, mid range shooting, and pure toughness that can lead to an NBA guard having a long career. After watching Cole give out work during the NBA preseason, in limited minutes, I became a believer. He averaged 10 points and 5 asts during the preseason, but I felt as if he may be the missing piece for the Miami Heat in those crucial situations when they need a bucket from someone other than the Big 3 (Wade, Lebron, and Bosh). Watching Cole on the floor, you could see that he was not in awe of the Big 3 and that he did not mind taking big shots. I envisioned Cole hitting crucial shots every now and then when the Heat’s offense breaks down. I also envisioned Cole being effective when teams institute a zone defense. We all remember how the Heat struggled with zone defenses in the 2011 NBA Finals. (Shout out to the Dallas Mavericks zone defense that slowed down the Miami Heat) What I found interesting about Norris Cole off the court, is that he was the salutatorian of his high school’s graduating class and he graduated from Cleveland State with a Bachelors degree in Health Sciences. He is also the cousin of Philadelphia Eagles DE, Trent Cole. So it seems that Norris Cole is a well rounded, highly educated, and down to earth athlete who does not shrink back in big moments. Well, it should be interesting to see how this young man’s NBA career unfolds, because at the end of the day, it has only been 2 NBA games.

Cole Going To The Basket

Aquil “Quil” Bayyan for War Room Sports

Dirk Nowitzki: The Purity of the Game in a Champion’s Mind

Tuesday, June 14th, 2011

By Bradley Anderson

2011 NBA Finals MVP

In the maelstrom of Reality TV and surreal comments that is the saga of the July 2010 Champions, the Eastern Conference Champions Miami Heat,  we are doing a disservice to the true NBA Champions and one man in particular…Dirk Nowitzki.When subtly comparing and contrasting stars and teams, Chris Bosh made a profound inference.  And if one reads between the lines, you know to whom he was really speaking: “There’s nothing extra.  There’s nothing super.  He [Nowitzki] was just himself.  And in these situations, I think when you’re yourself and you play your basketball, the best thing always happen.”

“He’s worked very hard, for a very long time and he deserves it.  I think we can take a page out of their book and really just pay attention to peoples’ work ethic and how much time they put into the game.  Obviously, what we did wasn’t enough.”

When the clock struck triple zeros and the horn sounded, and the Dallas Mavericks officially became 2011 NBA Champions, Dirk bolted for the locker room.   He didn’t join the growing group of elated celebrants at mid court…the team, coaches, cameras, and Dallas fans who had invaded American Airlines Arena as if it was the one in downtown Dallas.  He was overcome by emotion and tears, and wanted those moments to himself.

The Finals MVP had to be coaxed to take his bow…to even accept his award.  Dirk was humble and showed a measure of deference to his team and supporting cast.  The pinnacle of Dirk’s career, the culmination of all the millions of shots, countless hours, the ridicule of millions calling him soft, even more questioning his heart.  Dirk Nowitzki accepted all that from the basketball world and media, and in contrast to another gentleman at another press related event, he didn’t respond with a defiant, childish, brash, disrespectful F**K YOU, or even a “I Told You So”…or an HBC: “Y’all Musta Forgot”.  He merely accepted his station in history as a champion with humility and grace.

Dirk doesn’t seem to do much in the endorsement and advertising arena.  No huge sneaker contracts, no beverage deals, no shameless self promotion (shout outs to Chad and Evelyn Ochocinco).  He doesn’t want to be the billionaire baller.  There is no Nowitzki Brand, but now, there is a Nowitzki NBA Champion.

Here is the man that committed himself, along with his owner Mark Cuban to making the Mavericks a relevant franchise.  After decades of obscurity and laughing stock material, the Dallas Mavericks and Dirk Nowitzki “took their talents to South Beach!”

Bradley “B. Austin” Anderson of The War Room, for War Room Sports

LeBron James: Performance Befitting a King?

Monday, June 13th, 2011

By Brandon Pemberton

A dejected LeBron approaches the podium after Game 6 of the NBA Finals

Last night as I watched the Dallas Mavericks win their third straight game and capture the first NBA title in franchise history, I still couldn’t believe how LeBron James wilted under the pressure in the biggest games of the season.  James left the Cleveland Cavaliers to “take his talents” to South Beach and join Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh in what was supposed to be a super power this season and for seasons to come.  I had no real problem with him joining the Heat. He had no shot of winning with the Cavs the way they were constructed and I thought it was big of him to go to a team where he wouldn’t be the sole guy.  It’s a known fact that it was Wade’s team and he had a proven track record of clutch play as he was the finals MVP in 2006. The only problem I had was with the whole “Decision Show”, and the WWE- like celebration the next day, like they had already won something.  He asked for all of the ridicule and verbal thrashing he received because of these things.

Everyone who has followed my sports blog knows that after LeBron’s performance against the Celtics and Bulls en route to the NBA Finals, I finally thought James had ascended to “that level” of a player.  I even went out and said he was now better than Kobe Bryant (http://warroomsports.com/blog/2011/05/12/lebron-scores-10-straight-to-close-out-the-celtics-is-that-clutch-enough-for-you/).
First of all, I would like to apologize to the “Black Mamba” for spewing that blasphemy from my mouth before LeBron even won a single title.  But I really thought I had seen him take it to another level.  He was closing out games down the stretch by hitting killer shots and after watching the way he defended Derrick Rose, I was sold.

But then came the NBA Finals and the unexplainable, passive play of the most physically talented athlete I’ve seen in my life.  It’s just a flat out choke job, no other way for me to explain it.  D-Wade said last night after the game that the phrase “choke job” is used too often in sports, and he might be right in some situations.  But in this case, his homie, his teammate, was a flat no show when the Heat needed him the most.  The Heat had a chance to take control of the series.  They were up by 15 points in the fourth quarter with seven minutes and change to play and coughed up the lead, being outscored 22-5 to end the game.  LeBron scored two points during the fourth period of the game, and didn’t make a single basket during the run Dallas went on to steal Game 2.

In six games, LeBron James scored 18 fourth quarter points.  He seemed to defer to Wade and even to his other teammate when he could have forced the issue.  He just seemed disinterested, passive, and scared to take over the game when he clearly was the most talented player on the court.  Last year in the playoffs, James clearly quit on his team in Games 5 and 6 against the Boston Celtics and I couldn’t believe it.  I can’t say he quit on his team this time around, but he wanted no part in making a difference in the outcome of this series.  Watching him drive and dump the ball off to the likes of Juwan Howard and Joel Anthony instead of taking the shot himself was frustrating to watch.

Scottie Pippen’s (who played with arguably the best basketball player of all time) unmitigated gall to say that LeBron James was (or could be) better than Michael Jordan was irresponsible.  I don’t know what personal vendetta he has with “His Airness”, but you see he later took those words back the next day. The lowest point outcome in an NBA Finals game by Jordan was 22 and I’ve seen him carry the Bulls to a victory and nearly pass out coming off the floor due to the flu. People also want to compare LeBron to Kobe Bryant, who might be the closest thing to MJ we will ever see, but Kobe never disappeared in the fourth quarters of games.  And one thing I can say about Jordan and Kobe, they never loss for lack of effort.  Yes, D-Wade made some costly mistakes in the 4th quarter of last night’s game, but he made those mistakes playing his game and going hard.

The bottom line is this: a player with his talent, the hype, the self-given nickname, the cocky attitude and arrogance, should expect to get ripped the way he is today and will continue to during this off-season and until he wins a title.  And his post-game comments aren’t going to help him either.  His whole “I’m better than you at the end of the day” attitude and the “my life is still better than yours” thing is just going to get him more” haters”.  He acts like the fans are the reason why he was out-played by Jason Terry in a Finals playoff series.  “Prince” James has no one to blame but himself for the lack of testicular fortitude it takes to win a title.  He had more talent than he had in Cleveland and he still couldn’t get the damn job done.  So until he wins a title, don’t dare compare this man to the likes of Jordan, Magic,Bird, Shaq, and Kobe.  He doesn’t deserve it.  You know what LeBron is?  He’s the equivalent of having a 12-inch penis (pause) that doesn’t get erect.  Ok, I’m done with this guy.  I’m looking forward to the NBA Draft and hopefully a full 16-game football season.

Brandon Pemberton of Brandon on Sports, Blogger for War Room Sports

The King is Dead! Long Live the King!

Monday, June 13th, 2011

By Jason Parker

The King is dead.  Long live the King!

Or should I say The Kaiser?  King James, with a little boot in the backside from Dirk Nowitzki and a brand of defense the likes of which Mavericks fans have never seen, has abdicated his NBA throne to the “Ghost-Faced Drilla” from Wurzberg, Germany.  That’s right, the man so many had perhaps unjustly labeled soft and unable to lead a team to a championship now sits in the top spot of The Association’s monarchy. 

Mavericks’ legend Mark Aguirre paid Dirk perhaps the highest compliment, “Answer me this: If you switched Dirk with Wade, or Dirk with LeBron, would the Mavs be in the Finals?  No way.”

I must admit, during the first half of the series-clinching Game 6 victory, I was thinking I wouldn’t be able to publish this article; what with Nowitzki languishing in an unfathomable 1-12 shooting funk.  But like so many times before, when the stakes were highest, Dirk was at his best, shrugging off the slump to seal the victory with five clutch buckets in the last 7:22 of the game.

“We’re world champions,” Nowitzki said after taking a private moment to wipe away a few tears of joy in the locker room.  “It sounds unbelievable.”

It wasn’t always this way.  I’ve been an avid Dirk defender over the years, but there have been moments when he just wasn’t able to put this team on his back and lead them over the hump.  In the final three games of the 2006 Finals, Dirk went 20-55 and missed a number of key free throws down the stretch.  In 2007, his MVP season, Nowitzki shot 38% from the field (2-13 in the clinching Game 6) as the Mavs became the first #1 seed to fall to a #8 (Golden State) in a seven-game series.  2008 saw another first-round playoff exit against Chris Paul and the upstart Charlotte Hornets.  The next two seasons would end with second and first round losses, respectively.

This year, there was something different about Dirk.  Perhaps galvanized by past failures, Nowitzki would not be denied.  After a pedestrian regular season by his standards, Dirk turned it up a couple of notches once the playoffs started, playing his best basketball when it mattered most.  When the Mavericks needed a big bucket or clutch free throws to overcome a huge deficit or seal a victory, Dirk delivered.  He was clearly the best player in a postseason that culminated in a championship.     

LeBron's series was sub-par by his standards

Now on to the man Nowitzki supplanted as king.  Last season, in game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, Lebron James looked up and came to the perhaps premature realization that no matter how good he played, no matter how many spectacular dunks he threw down, he could never win a championship with the collection of talent around him in Cleveland—so he checked out of the series mentally, and the Cavaliers quickly followed suit.  Lebron will deny it, but if it looks like a duck, sounds like and duck, smells like a duck…

Fast forward a little over a year to the NBA Finals, and the situation is very different, but it’s also the same.  Lebron is a member of the most talented (if not the deepest) team in the league, yet he frequently distanced himself from the front lines of this pitched battle for the NBA Championship, deferring to Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh whenever possible. Actually, James’ fourth-quarter game of hot potato throughout the series was worse than deference, it was desertion.  Pat Riley, Wade and Bosh, are thinking of asking for a $14.5 million refund.  They’re thinking they recruited the wrong superstar.

James was not gracious in defeat, lashing out at his and the Heat’s critics:

“All the people that were rooting me on to fail, at the end of the day they have to wake up tomorrow and have the same life they had before,” James said. “They have the same personal problems they had today. I’m going to continue to live the way I want to live and continue to do the things that I want with me and my family and be happy with that.”

“They can get a few days or a few months or whatever the case may be on being happy about not only myself, but the Miami Heat not accomplishing their goal,” James said. “But they’ll have to get back to the real world at some point.”    

James’ latest big-moment disappearing act prompts us to reevaluate his motives for running out on his home-town-team instead of sticking it out through good times and bad, for better or worse (a-la a certain seven-foot German). Lebron claimed he joined Wade and Bosh in Miami so he could win multiple championships, but now there appears to be more to the equation than that.  It looks more like Bron-Bron couldn’t bear the burden of leadership, of being his team’s hoops messiah.  How else can you explain his habit of fading, no, sprinting into the background when the spotlight is squarely focused on him and him alone?

Compare this to the play of Nowitzki and his own teammate, Dwyane Wade, who combines physical brilliance with mental fortitude and inspirational leadership.  Wade demands the ball at the end of games and James is all too willing to give it to him, especially on the game’s biggest stage.  Confession:  I wrote two versions of this article; the one you are reading, and one proclaiming Wade king if the Heat had won the series.

To be fair, perhaps LeBron James never wanted this mantle that was foisted upon him at the age of 18.  He never dubbed himself “King.”  Whether he wanted it or not, as the most physically-dominant player this game has seen since Wilt Chamberlain, the crown was his to wear.  But now it appears that it was too heavy for those chiseled shoulders to bear.  Who knows, maybe by the time the Kaiser is ready to cede the throne in a few years, LeBron will be ready to take it back.  He need only look at the evolution of one Dirk Nowitzki to find a role model.

But until then, the Mavericks and their fans hope to win another title or two during Dirk’s reign.    

Jason Parker, Blogger for War Room Sports

What Can Dallas Do To Win Game 2 and Tie The Series Up?

Thursday, June 2nd, 2011

By Brandon Pemberton

The Dallas Mavericks lost game one of the Finals on Tuesday and there were plenty of reasons why they did.  The question is: what can they do to avoid going down 2-0 and tie the series up?  Here are a few things I believe they can do to have a chance to win tonight.

1. Rebound the basketball: They were out-rebounded 46-36 in game one and allowed Miami to grab 16 offensive rebounds.  Dallas held the Heat to 39% shooting from the field but they allowed too many extra possessions.  Part of playing defense is securing the rebound and ending the team’s offensive possession.  Tyson Chandler’s four rebound performance is a flat out joke and he needs to play better in the paint.  Dwayne Wade and Lebron James are great rebounders for their positions and the Mavericks’ guards need to commit to rebounding and not leaking out.

2. Better production from the bench: The Mavericks bench scored 17 points in the last game, 12 of them by Jason Terry who didn’t score a point in the 2nd half.  The Heat put Lebron James on Terry and took him right out of the game.  J.J. Berea went 1-8 from the field and had two points and 3 assists in 18 minutes of play.  The Mavericks need better production from him running the second unit against the Heat’s second unit.  The bench averaged 40 points per game during the season and 39 points during the playoffs and they are a big reason the Mavs are even here.

3. Stop Chris Bosh: Lebron and D-Wade are going to get theirs either way you put it, but if Dallas can contain Bosh and hold him under the 19 points and 9 rebounds he had in game one, they will have a way better chance to win.  Bosh had 5 offensive rebounds in game one and Dallas needs to keep him off of the O-boards tonight.

Yes, it’s easier said than done, especially when you have Lebron and Wade taking turns down the stretch making plays.  But hey, Dallas has to win this game tonight or they can chalk it the hell up.

Prediction: Miami is a 4 1/2 point favorite tonight and I like the Heat as a straight up winner tonight over the Mavericks.

Brandon Pemberton of Brandon On Sports, Blogger for War Room Sports