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Posts Tagged ‘Jason Kidd’

What’s Wrong With the Brooklyn Nets?

Friday, December 27th, 2013

by L.A. Sharp

Is KG too old to be an impact player? Is Pierce past his prime? Is Kidd too inexperienced to coach the highest payroll in the NBA? Is Deron Williams overrated?

Well, unfortunately for the new Brooklyn franchise, the answer to all of these questions is a resounding YES.

This past off-season when this team was first slapped together, I listened to so many talking heads as they spoke about this patchwork group of individual stars. People would go on and on about how the Brooklyn Nets would challenge the Miami Heat in the East. They said that the experience and talent of the Brooklyn Nets would be too much for most teams in the East, including the Pacers!

I listened and listened, until finally I had had enough.

When will fans and so-called experts learn that there is no fast lane to success in the NBA, especially when you are dealing with a team whose nucleus consists of aging stars such as Garnett, Pierce, Joe Johnson, and Deron Williams. Yes, Deron Williams.

Although Deron is only 29 years old, already his game is beginning to regress, and the decline is apparent, particularly in his mental approach to the game. This year I have witnessed repeated mental lapses in his game, consisting of a general lack of desire on both ends of the court.

If Deron was expected to be what Rondo was to KG and Peirce in Boston, this team was doomed from the very beginning. Because what Rondo was in Boston, was a tireless worker on both ends of the court, which is something Williams has never been. And as the years are beginning to add up, this lack of work ethic is becoming more glaring game after game. Recently Kidd has called out his entire team in public, challenging their character and work ethic, and so far, there has been no response, particularly from Williams – the assumed leader on the floor.

If the Nets franchise had any ideas of KG and Peirce being the saviors, they are sadly mistaken. The magic they once were able to muster in Boston is long gone. The countless wars of the past have taken their toll. At this point, it is quite evident that the NBA legends have seen better days. The mileage on their incredible careers is starting to add up; and both are looking more like broken down used cars, unable to get out of 3^rd gear on a nightly basis.

Quite frankly, Brooklyn will need an influx of young talent very soon if they are going to save this train wreck. Perhaps their first mistake was firing Avery Johnson; a proven and experienced coach who is used to handling aging stars. However, what’s done is done. Now this team will have to deal with the present. Fixing this mess will only take place in the off-season, as this current season will no doubt continue to drive in this slow lane to Nowhere, USA. Hello Brooklyn.

L.A. Sharp, for War Room Sports

Tags:All's Fair in Sports and War, Brooklyn Nets, Deron Williams, Indiana Pacers, Jason Kidd, Kevin Garnett, L.A. Sharp, Lormont Sharp, Miami Heat, NBA, Paul Pierce, Sports Talk Radio, The War Room, War Room Sports
Posted in General, NFL | No Comments »

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

Tags:A Fan's Point of View, All's Fair in Sports and War, Basketball, Dallas Mavericks, Deron Williams, Dirk Nowitzki, Dwight Howard, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, Mark Cuban, NBA, Sports Talk Radio, The War Room, Tyson Chandler, War Room Sports
Posted in General, NBA | No Comments »

2011 NBA Finals Preview

Tuesday, May 31st, 2011

By Brandon Pemberton

Well the NBA Finals start on Tuesday night and Lebron James and the Miami Heat will face off against Dirk Nowitzki’s Dallas Mavericks for the NBA title. I will break down the series from my point of view and give you who I think will win it all. I know everyone likes the Heat and believes Dallas will be pushovers, but don’t count them out that easily.

Coaching

Miami: Erik Spoelstra came into this season with the heavy task of getting his new players to mesh together offensively while earning their respect. Miami going through early season struggles and learning from them has paid off and he has his team in the NBA Finals. He is a very good coach, especially defensively and I look forward to seeing what schemes he hatches to stop Dirk Nowitzki. He has also been quoted as saying Lebron James will see time guarding J.J. Berea when the Mavs go to their small lineup, where they play Dirk at the 5.

Dallas: Rick Carlisle has the Mavericks back in the NBA Finals 5 years after their last appearance, a series in which the Heat defeated them 4-2. But this is a different team Dallas will put on the court in this series and Carlisle wasn’t the coach then as well. He has the Mavs playing with discipline, toughness and they now put forth effort on the defensive end of the court as well. This is clearly the best team Dallas has put on the floor in the time Dirk Nowitzki has played for the franchise and Carlisle is a big reason why. I’m looking forward to seeing how he defends Lebron James and the Heat, and how he utilizes Dirk offensively.

Advantage: Push

Frontcourt

Miami: Lebron James is playing out of his mind right now and he has taken his game to another level by finally deciding to be the lockdown defender we all thought he could be. His size, strength, speed, and agility is like no other we have seen in the NBA and that allows him to defend multiple positions effectively. Look for him to check J.J. Berea at times as well as Dirk Nowitzki. But now that Udonis Haslem is back in the mix and they have Chris Bosh as well, the Heat will try to use them more on Dirk to keep James out of foul trouble. We know what Lebron brings offensively and that’s a given, but Bosh’s production as the team’s 3rd scorer could be the difference in the series. He should have an advantage against Nowitzki and should look to be aggressive and get him in foul trouble. Haslem and Joel Anthony will do the grunge, dirty work on the boards and defensively, and Haslem’s championship experience will be big for the Heat.

Dallas: Dirk Nowitzki is playing the best basketball of his hall of fame career and a championship would put him in the class with the all time greats. The Mavericks need him to show up and carry this team if they have any chance of beating Miami in a seven game series. Shawn Marion will most likely draw the assignment of Lebron James and Tyson Chandler’s shot blocking, ability to run the floor, and offensive rebounding will be key for the Mavericks. Chandler brings a toughness in the paint that Dallas has never had in past seasons.

Advantage: Push

Backcourt

Miami: Dwayne Wade is a former NBA Finals MVP (2006) and is a stone killer down the stretch of games. Yes, Lebron James is the better player, but Wade has a proven track record in the finals. I expect Wade to play better than he did in the series against the Bulls. The Heat needs him to play much better than the 18.8 ppg and 40% shooting from the field that he produced against Chicago. Dallas is a way better team than the Bulls and they have the ability to put up points. Mike Bibby is the starter at the point and the Heat could use a better shooting performance from him as well. He will get plenty of open shots and he needs to make better than the 30% of his shots he made last series.

Dallas: Jason Kidd is at the end of his career, but is still a very effective point guard, playing off of guile and smarts as his physical tools aren’t what they used to be. He sets the table for this team, gets the ball to the right players in the right spots, and has become sort of a dependable shooter from the three-point line as well. DeShawn Stevenson is a good defender who will spend the majority of his time checking Wade. He is the Mavericks best bet to slow Wade down if it’s possible.

Advantage: Heat

Bench Play

Miami: After getting virtually nothing from their bench during the season, the Heat has gotten some solid contributions off of the pine in the last series. After missing most of the regular season with a foot injury, Udonis Haslem has brought back the toughness, leadership, rebounding, and hustle the Heat had been missing all season. Mike Miller has woken up and had a great game four against the Bulls, scoring 12 points and grabbing 9 rebounds as well. The more production and solid mistake-free minutes they give the Heat off the bench, the better.

Dallas: The Mavericks have firepower coming off the bench and knock-down shooters as well. Jason Terry is one of the best 6th men the league has seen and can get you 20 plus points off of the bench on any given night. J.J. Berea is very effective getting into the lane creating for himself and for others. When Dallas goes to the small lineup with Dirk at the center position, Berea is the key to that lineup working as well as it does. Peja Stojakovic has been coming off of the bench and hitting open three-point shots for the Mavs on a consistent basis. Brendan Haywood could start for most teams at center and provides another big active body for Dallas to throw at the Heat.

Advantage: Mavericks

My Prediction: When Lebron James decided to join Wade and Bosh in Miami, this is what they envisioned, playing for an NBA title. They are now four wins away from accomplishing this feat. Yes, Dirk Nowitzki is balling right now, but I don’t think Dallas has enough star-power to win 4 of 7 against Miami. People think Miami runs right through Dallas easily, but I don’t. I like The Heat in 6 games and Lebron James takes home the Finals MVP award.

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

Tags:All's Fair in Sports and War, Brandon On Sports, Brandon Pemberton, Brendan Haywood, Chris Bosh, Dallas Mavericks, DeShawn Stevenson, Dirk Nowitzki, Dwyane Wade, Erik Spoelstra, J.J. Berea, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, Joel Anthony, Lebron James, Miami Heat, Mike Bibby, Mike Miller, NBA Finals, Peja Stojokovic, Rick Carlisle, Shwan Marion, The War Room, Tyson Chandler, Udonis Haslem, War Room Sports
Posted in General, NBA | No Comments »

Mavericks’ Road Back to NBA Finals Reads Like a Hollywood Script

Thursday, May 26th, 2011

By Jason Parker

Mavericks vs Heat (2006 NBA Finals)

You can’t make this stuff up. Death Wish, The Crow, Gladiator, Man on Fire, nothing gets a guys’ heart pumping like a good revenge flick. Could Mavs vs. Heat 2011 join the list of great payback pictures?

After five years of exile to a barren wasteland, a trio of men returns to avenge the loss of their collective manhood at the hands of the evil NBA Empire. Sounds like the tagline for a movie, but it’s befitting the scenario that has unfolded in the last forty-eight hours of playoff basketball in The Association. Make no mistake, Mark Cuban, Dirk Nowitzki, and Jason Terry have been in playoff purgatory for the past five years after being emasculated by the Miami Heat in the 2006 NBA Finals. For those that have been stranded on a deserted island for half a decade or so, the Mavs were up two games to none over the Heat, and were well on their way to a three-game lead when Dwayne Wade (and maybe an official or two) went out of his mind and carried his team to four consecutive victories to steal the championship. What followed was a downward spiral of epic proportions: four out of the next five seasons ending in first round flameouts, and the other ending in the second round. Inevitably, Nowitzki and Terry were painted as good, but soft players that wilted under playoff pressure. And now here we are, five seasons later, and the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat (pending the formality of their inevitable close-out win over the Bulls), are preparing to cross swords for the right to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy. It’s Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd leading their band of role players and refugees from the island of misfit hoopsters against the heavily-favored tropical triumvirate from South Beach. It’s David vs. Goliath, Rocky vs. Apollo Creed, and Luke Skywalker vs. Darth Vader. Most of those outside of Florida will be rooting against the Heat after Lebron’s unceremonious dumping of his hometown hoops bride, Cleveland, for better-looking trophy wife, Miami, last off-season. Thus, we have our hero and our villain that everyone loves to hate.

Darth Vader vs. Luke

Rocky Vs. Apollo

You certainly won’t hear Nowitzki or Terry verbally acknowledge their thirst for retribution, but have no doubt, that fire burns within them. It has forged them into a strong, polished blade with a keen edge that, in all honesty, was lacking in other deep playoff runs. But will that edge be sharp enough to sever the grip Wade, James, and Bosh already seem to have on the NBA’s greatest prize? Most will say no, but this Mavericks team has been proving us all wrong throughout the postseason; first by beating the younger, more athletic Trailblazers in the first round, then sweeping the two-time defending champion Lakers in the second round, and finally by vanquishing the up-and-coming Thunder in five games. Only time will tell if Dallas’ new-found mettle will prove strong enough to carry them to a championship, but we can all get our popcorn and soda, and enjoy watching the underdog Mavericks try to defeat the villainous Heat in a good, old fashioned grudge match. This writer can’t wait to see how the story ends.