The little Mavericks

Its time to admit the Mavericks are a fundamentally flawed team. We know they are flawed mentally, though not in the places the media likes to point, but I mean as a roster on paper. This team does not compliment each other well even though they have their fair share of talent. We have one player who can create his own shot but is not that great at creating shots for others. We have a center who is all rebounding and, occasionally defense, a point guard who can pass, but who can not shoot or attack the basket anymore, and we have a shooting guard who is old and hurt. And finally we have a small forward who can score early when no one is playing defense, can’t dribble, has no left hand, can not create his own shot, can not rebound, and is not a defensive stopper. Our first guy off the bench is a gunner with no conscience, which I love, but has not seemed to be the same player lately, and is a defensive liability. These pieces when put with other parts are very good but they just do not seem to fit well together anymore. If Kidd was younger and could still penetrate and attack the basket, if we surrounded him with shooters who could defend and attack the basket, we would be the Hornets. For Josh Howard to be an all-star in this league he needs to be on a team that does not depend on him as an option to run the offense through, he is a shorter Shawn Marion with a prettier, but not better, jump shot. Josh gets his points on attacking the basket, short runners, and the occasional made jump shot. He does not fit well when the offense is run through him in isolation situations he can not dribble with his left hand. Dampier is who he is, a backup center at this point in his career. And Dirk is an all-star no matter who you surround him with but he is a top ten player in this league when you have someone else who is also an all-star on the floor with him. Some one who you also have to game plan around. When the defense is allowed to have two men watch him all the time whether he does or does not have the ball you are putting him in a situation he can handle but not in his best situation.

As for tonight I do not believe the Mavericks will win both games in Dallas, they will win one or two and go back and lose to the Hornets in five. Unfortunately the Hornets are more athletic and faster at every position. They have 5 of the best 6 players on the floor. Paul is the best, Dirk is second, and otherwise there is not another Maverick who could make the starting five on the Hornets right now.

The best Line-up I feel that could stay with the Hornets is a team with Damp Dirk and Bass all in the game where Bass can work down low while Dirk can play on the wings where he is most effective, on defense Bass guards West and Dirk guards Peja so Dirk is not as involved in the pick and roll. Josh, Terry, Stack, and Kidd make up the other two spots taking into account who is playing the best and what half it is( Josh only likes to play in the first half). That line-up is the best chance we have to defend and attack them. I don’t know if we will see it because Anthony Catfish( Avery) does not read the Musings.

Check back for a stars preview post at half time and a mavs blurp as well.