139 replies to this topic

[jcisco loboe'77]

http://blogs.bettor....-success-a67622
21st highest average & 23rd highest scorer of NBA, Dirk Nowitzki: The Man behind Dallas Maverick’s success.
Posted By: Jorge Arce.
Category: Basketball News.



"The Dallas Mavericks’ superstar, Dirk Nowitzki, is flying high with his individual performance in this year’s playoffs. Nowitzki certainly spearheaded the Dallas Mavericks in all areas and also helped his team outclass the mighty Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference semifinals.

All across United State of America (USA), Nowitzki‘s brilliant performance has become a hot topic as he is steadily going in the right direction while gaining a positive momentum to be named as one of the all-time great players.

The Mavericks’ head coach, Rick Carlisle, is also a great enthusiast of Nowitzki and spoke to the media about him on Monday.

Carlisle said, “In my opinion, he's a top 10 player in NBA history because of the uniqueness of his game and how he's carried this franchise on his back for over a decade, He's just right. He's leading the team. His shot-making is great. He's passing the ball great. He's one of the guys that's directing traffic for us defensively. When he's on the floor, we feel like we can beat anybody, He's that good”.

Dirk Nowitzki and his talent proved that he certainly has a great prodigy in the basketball world. The National Basketball Association (NBA) gave him the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in 2006-2007.

Nowitzki’s hard-work and commitment to the Dallas Mavericks has earned him great respect.

Despite the fact that he was unable to win a Championship with the Mavericks, he never tried or gave an impression of leaving the Mavericks to attain the glory of winning a NBA title with another team.

Although, the Mavericks advanced to the NBA finals in 2006, they were unable to stop the Miami Heat’s thrust as they thrashed the Mavericks in six games.

Nowitzki’s recent brilliant performance against the Los Angeles Lakers has brought him in the limelight once again.

He performed exceptionally well while his team ousted the Lakers 4-0 in the second round clash. From game 1 to 4 against the Lakers, Nowitzki was the one who believed in his abilities and carried the Mavericks to the next round.

The Lakers’ forward, Pau Gasol, also admired Nowitzki’s extraordinary ball play, especially against his team.

While commenting on Nowitzki’s brilliant performance against the Lakers, Gasol said that it was undoubtedly the best performance of his career.

The Mavericks’ president of basketball operations, Donnie Nelson, also appreciated the ‘Nowitzki factor’ while talking to the media.

Nelson said, “He's got one thing missing from the mantel and that drives him, we’ve maybe been spoiled by how good he is”.

Nowitzki is averaging 26.5 points and 8.40 rebounds per game with a total of 265 points scored in his last 10 games for the Dallas Mavericks.

Nowitzki is currently at 23rd in the NBA’s list of highest scorers with 22,792 points so far and his brilliant career average of 23.0 points ranks overall 21st in the NBA."

[jcisco loboe'77]

http://www.nba.com/s...?topic=4&stat=1

All Time Leaders: Points
Player G FG FT PPG PTS
1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 1,560 15,837 6,712 24.6 38,387
2. Karl Malone 1,476 13,528 9,787 25.0 36,928
3. Michael Jordan 1,072 12,192 7,327 30.1 32,292
4. Wilt Chamberlain 1,045 12,681 6,057 30.1 31,419
5. Shaquille O'Neal 1,207 11,330 5,935 23.7 28,596
6. Kobe Bryant 1,103 9,712 7,026 25.3 27,868
7. Moses Malone 1,329 9,435 8,531 20.6 27,409
8. Elvin Hayes 1,303 10,976 5,356 21.0 27,313
9. Hakeem Olajuwon 1,238 10,749 5,423 21.8 26,946
10. Oscar Robertson 1,040 9,508 7,694 25.7 26,710
11. Dominique Wilkins 1,074 9,963 6,031 24.8 26,668
12. John Havlicek 1,270 10,513 5,369 20.8 26,395
13. Alex English 1,193 10,659 4,277 21.5 25,613
14. Reggie Miller 1,389 8,241 6,237 18.2 25,279
15. Jerry West 932 9,016 7,160 27.0 25,192
16. Patrick Ewing 1,183 9,702 5,392 21.0 24,815
17. Allen Iverson 914 8,467 6,375 26.7 24,368
18. Charles Barkley 1,073 8,435 6,349 22.1 23,757
19. Robert Parish 1,611 9,614 4,106 14.5 23,334
20. Kevin Garnett 1,195 9,338 4,479 19.5 23,323
21. Adrian Dantley 955 8,169 6,832 24.3 23,177
22. Elgin Baylor 846 8,693 5,763 27.4 23,149
23. Dirk Nowitzki 993 7,958 5,679 23.0 22,792

created: 05/10/2011 02:32:36




http://www.nba.com/statistics/default_all_time_leaders/AllTimeLeadersPPGQuery.html?topic=4&stat=0
All Time Leaders: Points Per Game
Player G FG FT PTS PPG
1. Michael Jordan 1,072 12,192 7,327 32,292 30.1
1. Wilt Chamberlain 1,045 12,681 6,057 31,419 30.1
3. LeBron James 627 6,173 4,153 17,362 27.7
4. Elgin Baylor 846 8,693 5,763 23,149 27.4
5. Jerry West 932 9,016 7,160 25,192 27.0
6. Allen Iverson 914 8,467 6,375 24,368 26.7
7. Bob Pettit 792 7,349 6,182 20,880 26.4
8. George Gervin 791 8,045 4,541 20,708 26.2
9. Oscar Robertson 1,040 9,508 7,694 26,710 25.7
10. Dwyane Wade 547 4,876 3,847 13,908 25.4
11. Kobe Bryant 1,103 9,712 7,026 27,868 25.3
12. Karl Malone 1,476 13,528 9,787 36,928 25.0
13. Carmelo Anthony 591 5,236 3,746 14,681 24.8
13. Dominique Wilkins 1,074 9,963 6,031 26,668 24.8
15. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 1,560 15,837 6,712 38,387 24.6
16. Larry Bird 897 8,591 3,960 21,791 24.3
16. Adrian Dantley 955 8,169 6,832 23,177 24.3
18. Pete Maravich 658 6,187 3,564 15,948 24.2
19. Shaquille O'Neal 1,207 11,330 5,935 28,596 23.7
20. Rick Barry 794 7,252 3,818 18,395 23.2
21. Dirk Nowitzki 993 7,958 5,679 22,792 23.0



http://www.nba.com/statistics/default_all_time_leaders/AllTimeLeadersFTPQuery.html?topic=4&stat=8
All Time Leaders: Free Throw Percentage
Player FTM FTA FT%
1. Steve Nash 2,804 3,102 .904
1. Mark Price 2,135 2,362 .904
3. Rick Barry 3,818 4,243 .900
4. Peja Stojakovic 2,237 2,500 .895
5. Chauncey Billups 4,356 4,874 .894
6. Ray Allen 4,056 4,540 .893
7. Calvin Murphy 3,445 3,864 .892
8. Scott Skiles 1,548 1,741 .889
9. Reggie Miller 6,237 7,026 .888
10. Larry Bird 3,960 4,471 .886
11. Bill Sharman 3,143 3,559 .883
12. Kevin Durant 2,193 2,487 .882
13. Jeff Hornacek 2,973 3,390 .877
13. Dirk Nowitzki 5,679 6,476 .877



http://www.nba.com/statistics/default_all_time_leaders/AllTimeLeadersFTQuery.html?topic=4&stat=9
All Time Leaders: Free Throws
Player FTA FT% FTM
1. Karl Malone 13,188 .742 9,787
2. Moses Malone 11,090 .769 8,531
3. Oscar Robertson 9,185 .838 7,694
4. Michael Jordan 8,772 .835 7,327
5. Jerry West 8,801 .814 7,160
6. Kobe Bryant 8,391 .837 7,026
7. Dolph Schayes 8,274 .843 6,979
8. Adrian Dantley 8,351 .818 6,832
9. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 9,304 .721 6,712
10. Allen Iverson 8,168 .780 6,375
11. Charles Barkley 8,643 .735 6,349
12. Reggie Miller 7,026 .888 6,237
13. Bob Pettit 8,119 .761 6,182
14. Wilt Chamberlain 11,862 .511 6,057
15. David Robinson 8,201 .736 6,035
16. Dominique Wilkins 7,438 .811 6,031
17. Shaquille O'Neal 11,252 .527 5,935
18. Paul Pierce 7,212 .805 5,808
19. Elgin Baylor 7,391 .780 5,763
20. Dirk Nowitzki 6,476 .877 5,679

[jcisco loboe'77]

http://www.star-tele...k-nowitzki.html
Like a true MVP, Dirk Nowitzki puts his teammates first.
Posted by Jennifer Floyd Engel.

"The Mavs' best player in Sunday's brutal and thorough evisceration of Kobe and his Lakers was as it always is: Dirk Nowitzki.

Do not argue. He was.

I realize in The Association, where raw numbers oftentimes determine reputations, this probably seems counterintuitive since Dirk's numerical impact fell somewhere beneath J.J. Barea and above Brian Cardinal in Game 4. And his name barely appeared in accounts of Sunday's sweeping carnage, column inches devoted to Peja Stojakovic love and bench happy-happy and the awesomesauce that was Jason Terry, a storyline Dirk happily contributed to when all sat down for postgame comments.

"You take the middle, bud; you were hot tonight," Dirk said to Jet.

And in that moment, Dirk underlined his argument for being MVP of the NBA this season.

His basketball cred has never been in dispute. His shot is lethal, his game flawless and his "weaknesses" vastly improved upon. What his critics for so long have nailed him on was the packaging -- not acting more superstar-ish, not leading vocally, not being Kobe.

He is not. He was better.

Do we not always say the best way to judge the best is how they do against the best, the big-on-big theory of sports. And what we saw was Dirk's drive to win fuel not only his performance but also that of his teammates. Kobe, while no doubt a great competitor and player, was not that type of catalyst for the Lakers.

So it is not remarkable to me, or at least not as remarkable as many have hinted, that the Mavs were winning without a monster game from him. Championship teams inevitably have to find ways to win without their stars. What is remarkable is he allowed them to do so.

Jet joked about not seeing the rim during his crazy stupid 3-point barrage Sunday, and how he probably missed a wide-open Dirk a bunch of times. Did anybody see Dirk waving his hands? Or Jet pulling back because he had to feed the beast?

Of course not.

It was in stark contrast to the Lakers who took turns whining about touches and each other and involvement. And, yes, it is easier to be a team player when your team is winning, but it is easier to win when your best player puts the team first.

There is a reason Dan Marino, as good as he was, never won a ring. He refused to take a step back for Jimmy Johnson to balance things with more of a running game. Dirk simply wants to win, and honestly does not sweat scoring 17 like he did in Game 4.

I admit Dirk used to drive me slightly insane. Not because I did not realize how amazingly talented he was but rather because I wanted him to grab the ball out of Michael Finley's hands. I wanted him to take the final shot every single time. I wanted him to hang from the rim and beat his chest. I wanted him to do the conventional things MVP types do to shut up those who doubted his inclusion.

What I finally realized is those are the very things that make Dirk Dirk and so amazingly good. And to try to change him and jam him into a cookie-cutter version of what a superstar looks like ruins it.

This is not to say Dirk has not changed; age and the sharpening angle of his window of opportunity have further honed his focus and drive. The appearance of what I call Dirty Dirk has been a welcome addition. I am not talking cheap Andrew Bynum antics, or other such silliness. We are talking about a willingness to go to the rim, to get animated, to play, while hardly great, really good, for him, defense.

Dirk had fun with himself via Twitter on Monday.

In congratulating Tyson Chandler on being named to the NBA's All-Defense second team, Dirk tweeted: "Congrats, my man. Very well deserved. Did me and Jet get a vote?"

Well played, sir.

And there is no doubt Chandler, his visceral way of rebounding and playing, has rubbed off on Dirk. It seems forever ago now, but toward the end of the season when the Mavs had that epic meltdown in LA, Dirk called out Jet and Jason Kidd and Chandler.

OK, called out is too strong. This was no Kobe drive-by on Pau.

He demanded more, and included himself in those needing to be better. This is not something he did or does a lot of and so it carried weight in the Mavs locker room. It helped.

It is not surprising that the national writers were focused on what this meant for LA, the pasturing of Phil Jackson, the crumbling of a dynasty, the tarnishing of the Kobe legacy.

I am not among the Kobe haters. He obviously is talented, and his rings speak for themselves. Nor do I hold him responsible for Pau Gasol going all mental or Ron Artest being more mental that usual.

The difference was their supporting casts.

Kobe had the better teammates. Dirk made his teammates better.

This is why, all statistical evidence notwithstanding, Dirk won the battle of big on big. He was as good in all the usual ways, and great in the unusual ones.

Kobe already viewed Dirk that way. It is time the stragglers caught up."

[jcisco loboe'77]

---1irst Round Playoffs---(4-2).
Sat 16 vs Portland First Round W 89-81
Tue 19 vs Portland First Round W 101-89
Thu 21 @ Portland First Round L 92-97
Sat 23 @ Portland First Round L 82-84
Mon 25 vs Portland First Round W 93-82
Thu 28 @ Portland First Round W 103-96

Conference Finals....
---2econd Round Playoffs---SWEEP (4-0).
Mon 02 @ LA Lakers Conf. Semi-Finals W 96-94
Wed 04 @ LA Lakers Conf. Semi-Finals W 93-81
Fri 06 vs LA Lakers Conf. Semi-Finals W 98-92
Sun 08 vs LA Lakers Conf. Semi-Finals W 122-86


Western Conference Finals....
---3hird Round Playoffs---
05/17 Thunder-vs-Mavericks-08:00 pm (CT).
05/19 Thunder-vs-Mavericks-08:00 pm (CT).
05/21 Mavericks @ Thunder--08:00 pm (CT).
05/23 Dallas @ Oklahoma City Conf. Finals 8:00pm
05/26 Dallas-vs-Oklahoma City Conf. Finals 8:00pm
05/27 Dallas @ Oklahoma City Conf. Finals 8:00pm
05/29 Dallas-vs-Oklahoma City Conf. Finals 8:00pm

[jcisco loboe'77]

http://espn.go.com/s...d=1&listId=1113

Rank 'Em: DFW Postseason Performances.
"Dirk Nowitzki's 48 points in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals on Tuesday night was nothing short of spectacular. And while we're sure that's not the only memorable postseason moment Dirk has provided, we wanted to put his feat up against the best of the best.

We want you to tell us what you think was the greatest postseason performance in DFW professional sports history. And we're limiting it to the Big Four: Cowboys, Mavs, Rangers and Stars.

Rank your favorites and see how they stack up against the overall vote. Who knows? Maybe Dirk or one of his Mavs teammates has another memorable performance to add to the list during this postseason run."


Troy Aikman throws four touchdowns in Super Bowl XXVII victory over Bills.

Dirk Nowitzki scores 48 against Thunder in Game 1 of 2011 WCF.

Chuck Howley has 2 interceptions and fumble recovery; wins Super Bowl V MVP in loss to Colts.

Dirk Nowitzki scores 50 against Suns in Game 5 of 2006 WCF.

Tony Dorsett rushed for franchise playoff-record 160 yards on 22 carries in 34-13 win over Rams in 1980 first round. Scored two touchdowns (one rushing, one receiving).

Dirk Nowitzki tallied 37 points and 15 boards against Spurs in Game 7 of second round in 2006.

Mark Aguirre scored 38, including 27 in third quarter against Rockets in 1988.

Rolando Blackman scored 29 points in the famous Moody Madness win over Sonics that capped the Mavs' first playoff series victory. His 15-foot jumper forced overtime.

Emmitt Smith carried 35 times for 150 yards and three TDs in the 1995 NFC championship game win over the Packers. Two of the TDs came during the fourth quarter of the 38-27 win.

Dec. 28, 1975: Roger Staubach hit Drew Pearson for a 50-yard touchdown to win on the road in Minnesota. Pearson had been shut out all day until catching four passes for 91 yards on the game-winning drive.

Juan Gonzalez hit two HRs in Game 1 of ALDS win over Yankees in 1996 for Rangers' first postseason victory.

Colby Lewis' dominant performance in Game 6 of ALCS to advance to World Series.

Cliff Lee strikes out 13 in an 8-0 victory in Game 3 of the ALCS at Yankee Stadium.

Marty Turco's 61 saves in Game 6 of Stars' 3OT second-round win in 2008.

Mike Keane's two goals in Game 7 against Colorado in WCF in 1999.







"Rank 'Em: DFW Postseason Performances...

Super Bowl XXVII

Game 1 of '11 NBA WCF

Super Bowl V

Game 5 of '06 NBA WCF

Dorsett runs over Rams

'06 NBA WC Semifinals

Aguirre rocks Rockets

Moody Madness

'95 NFC championship

Staubach's Hail Mary

Juan Gone

Game 6 of '10 ALCS

Game 3 of '10 ALCS

'08 NHL WC Semifinals

Game 7 of '99 NHL WCF."



"Rank 'Em: DFW Postseason Performances(#1 Votes)Points
1 Game 1 of '11 NBA WCF (477) 24,920
2 Super Bowl XXVII.......(568) 24,735
3 Staubach's Hail Mary...(449) 22,250
4 '95 NFC championship...(206) 21,576
5 Game 5 of '06 NBA WCF..(141) 19,677
6 '06 NBA WC Semifinals..(135) 18,154
7 Game 3 of '10 ALCS......(61) 16,837
8 Game 6 of '10 ALCS......(73) 14,706
9 Dorsett runs over Rams..(38) 14,446
10 Super Bowl V...........(44) 13,031
11 '08 NHL WC Semifinals.(106) 12,871
12 Game 7 of '99 NHL WCF..(48) 10,577
13 Moody Madness..........(14) 9,936
14 Aguirre rocks Rockets...(6) 9,095
15 Juan Gone..............(11) 8,788
Total SportsNation Votes:::::::2,377."

[jcisco loboe'77]

---1irst Round Playoffs---(4-2).
Sat 16 vs Portland First Round W 89-81
Tue 19 vs Portland First Round W 101-89
Thu 21 @ Portland First Round L 92-97
Sat 23 @ Portland First Round L 82-84
Mon 25 vs Portland First Round W 93-82
Thu 28 @ Portland First Round W 103-96

Conference Finals....
---2econd Round Playoffs---SWEEP (4-0).
Mon 02 @ LA Lakers Conf. Semi-Finals W 96-94
Wed 04 @ LA Lakers Conf. Semi-Finals W 93-81
Fri 06 vs LA Lakers Conf. Semi-Finals W 98-92
Sun 08 vs LA Lakers Conf. Semi-Finals W 122-86


Western Conference Finals....
---3hird Round Playoffs---
Western Conference Finals...Mavs wins the series 4-1.

05/17 Thunder-vs-Mavericks----Dallas wins 121-112.
05/19 Thunder-vs-Mavericks-------OKC wins 106-100.
05/21 Mavericks @ Thunder-----Dallas wins 93-87.
05/23 Dallas @ Oklahoma City--Dallas wins 112-105 in OT.
05/25 Dallas-vs-Oklahoma City-Dallas wins 100-96.


----Mavs wins the Western Conference Finals and advances to the NBA Championship!

[jcisco loboe'77]

FINAL ROUND 4our-Game 1ne.
May 31 Heat-vs-DALLAS MAVERICKS.


For the Mavericks, Game 1 of the 2011 Championship playoffs against the Heat.

May 31(Tuesday)----Opponent---Time-----Channel TV----------Radio.
---------Mavericks-vs-Heat---8:00 pm---8ight--ABC-----ESPN-FM (103.3), KFLC-AM (1270 in Spanish).


ABC has the TV broadcast rights for the 2011 NBA Finals. The schedule is as follows:

Game 1 May 31,2011 (8:00)(Tuesday)
Game 2 June 2,2011 (8:00)(Thursday)
Game 3 June 5,2011 (7:00)(Sunday)
Game 4 June 7,2011 (8:00)(Tuesday)
Game 5 * June 9,2011 (8:00)(Thursday)
Game 6 * June 12,2011 (7:00)(Sunday)
Game 7 * June 14,2011 (8:00)(Tuesday)
*If necessary for the Heat! !

[jcisco loboe'77]

http://www.slamonlin...ase-pick-dallas

Miami Heat Owner: ‘Please Pick Dallas.’
by Marcel Mutoni.
"More than the amount of world-class talent they acquired last summer, the Miami Heat almost seemed to be built on the hatred of their critics.

All season long, it seemed that everyone was rooting against them. And of course, that did nothing but fuel their run, all the way to the doorstep of an NBA title.

Great job, haters.

The Miami Heat know they’re widely disliked, which they’re more than happy to embrace. Micky Arison, the team owner, playfully dares fans and media to be on the side of the Dallas Mavericks in the title round, an encouragement they probably didn’t need.

From ESPN:
“We look forward to a fun couple of weeks now with a group of guys who are very deserving,” [Micky] Arison said Thursday. “The thing about this is, we knew when this all came together that we’d have a chance to really win big. We didn’t know if we were going to actually win it. But we’d have a chance.”

Arison said that hasn’t been the feeling around the franchise the past few years. Since 2006, the Heat have been eliminated in the first round three of the last four seasons. The one season they didn’t make the playoffs resulted in the team’s tying the franchise record with a 15-67 finish in 2007-08. That represented rock bottom for [Pat] Riley, who retired from coaching after that season to work solely in the front office. Now, the Heat are in position to finish back at the top of the league. Arison had one request of some national media members as he left the United Center on Thursday.

“Please pick Dallas,” Arison wisecracked, insinuating there might not be any room for critics to now congregate on the Heat’s bandwagon.

The Dallas Mavericks will undoubtedly be the sports-watching world’s darlings now, an underdog team looking to avenge its epic, heart-breaking 2006 NBA Finals collapse against these same Miami Heat.

One gets the nagging feeling, though, that people who hate the Heat shouldn’t expect to receive any sort of satisfaction from the upcoming series."

[jcisco loboe'77]

http://www.slamonlin...y-2006-failures

Dwyane Wade: Dirk Nowitzki Motivated by 2006 Failures.

"Wade knows that Nowitzki’s 2006 NBA Finals collapse, which Dwyane played a very large role in, is driving the big German as this year’s Finals loom. From the NY Daily News: “Dirk Nowitzki’s celebration late Wednesday was muted, and Dwyane Wade knows he is partially responsible. Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks are back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2006 when they lost to Wade and the Miami Heat after winning the first two games of the series. After the Mavs captured the Western Conference title on Wednesday, Nowitzki raised the trophy before retreating to the locker room while the rest of his teammates were still on the court. ‘Obviously Dirk is very driven by that,’ Wade said. ‘I noticed watching the game he didn’t even celebrate very long. He was the first one off to the locker room. He’s very focused. He has a goal in mind and he wants to reach it. The Miami Heat are always going to come up. He knows it. And that’s why he says he needs to get back there and try to erase that. But ’06 is ’06. We won it then, but they’re in the Finals now and we have to get there.’"

[jcisco loboe'77]

http://www.slamonlin...ophy-on-his-arm

Jason Terry Tattooed Championship Trophy on His Arm.

"Jason Terry was so convinced that it was his (and the Dallas Mavericks’ time) to win a title, he had the NBA championship trophy tatted on his bicep prior to this season. The Star-Telegram reports: “Before Jason Kidd, the only point guard to lead the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Finals was Jason Terry. Not Steve Nash. Not Derek Harper. Not Sam Cassell. Not Nick Van Exel. Jason Terry. That was in 2006, when Terry was the starting point guard who guided the Mavericks to the franchise’s first trip to the NBA Finals. Terry averaged 22 points and shot 47.8 percent from the field (54 of 113) in the ’06 Finals, which the Miami Heat won in six games. Since then, Terry has reinvented himself while becoming a standout sixth man. And now he and the Mavericks are back in the NBA Finals. Terry was so adamant about getting back to the Finals that during a team get-together before this season, he had a tattoo artist draw a picture of the NBA trophy on his right biceps. ‘Everybody laughed and thought it was a joke at the time, but then when they saw me actually get it they were like, ‘This boy’s serious,’ Terry said. ‘And our whole conversation was about right now, about us getting to this point and winning it all. ‘It’s been a great playoff run for us so far. But everybody knows what this next step means.’"

[jcisco loboe'77]

http://blogs.miamine...mi_takes_on.php

Miami vs. Dallas in a Cultural Seven-Game Series.
By Sebastian Del Marmol

"Ain't no Cuban.

​Tuesday the Miami Heat will battle the Dallas Mavericks for the second time in five years. While sportscasters debate exactly how LeBron is going to disembowel Dirk Nowitzki, Cultist examines these cities by their cultural sensibilities to uncover the real winner.

Riptide already did a good job of telling you why Miami is a better city than Dallas in general terms, but here's the cultural perspective: Dallas might be the shining star of Texas but Miami is the black hole of Florida. Wait. What? What we mean is that Dallas was the home of America's Team while Miami now has the team all America hates. Again, that doesn't help. Read on to see how Dallas matches us in culture.


7. Mark Cuban versus Miami Cubans
Both can be colorful, loud, with a penchant for complaining of mistreatment, and a paranoid habit of seeing conspiracies where there are none. Maverick owners Mark Cuban and Miami's Cuban community have some real similarities. And they both are known for their dancing, well, sort of. Cubans invented the mambo and can get down with the best of them. Mark Cuban, on the other hand, was on the fifth season of Dancing with the Stars.
Winner: Cubanitos


​6. Who Shot J.R.? versus Everybody Gets Shot in Miami
Dallas and Miami Vice were probably the biggest prime time television dramas of the '80s. Dallas was about a dynastic family who made their money in oil and cattle. Miami Vice was about Miami's vices: drugs and sex. They had Larry Hagman as J.R. Ewing we had Don Johnson as Sonny Crocket. They had ranches and cowboy hats. We had beaches and bikinis.

Winner: Despite having what was at the time the largest television viewership of a show ever, the "Who Shot J.R.?" episode, we think there is no doubt that the lasting cultural impact of Miami Vice was greater, even if people still associate Miami with crime and violence, which, let's face it, is accurate.


5. JFK vs. FDR
Not exactly the shining moment for either city. Dallas claimed JFK in 1963, whereas there was an attempted assassination of Franklin D. Roosevelt at Bayfront Park in the 1920s which failed although the gunman did kill the mayor of Chicago (yet another shot for those poor Bulls fans).
Winner: We're both losers.


4. Art Scene
Like with most things culture, it's really hard to rank art scenes. But that doesn't stop people from trying. Some people think Miami is a top three art scene destination, while others have Dallas and nearby Fort Worth both in the top ten. We'd say that Miami definitely tops Dallas with its contemporary art scene but that Dallas has an edge with its classic collections.

Winner: With the explosion of Art Basel over the past decade, there's no question Miami is a much richer cultural artistic destination.



3. North Dallas Forty versus Any Given Sunday
In case you don't' remember, North Dallas Forty was a movie shot in 1979 about a fictional football team loosely based on the Dallas Cowboys. Any Given Sunday, on the hand, was Oliver Stone's terrible football drama shot in the '90s about the fictional Miami Sharks. Both movies are bad but enjoyable cheese. In general terms Miami outpaces Dallas in terms of movie history, but not by that much. Put it this way, they have Robocop we have Bad Boys.
Winner: Miami


Ribs are good, but croquetas are deadly.
2. BBQ Ribs versus Croquetas
Without steppin' on Short Order's toes too much, we'd just like to talk about the cuisine in both cities. Dallas is in Texas, which means its heavy into barbecue. And while Cultist admits to have a weakness for some baby back ribs, really there is no comparison with the variety and quality of cuisine offered in the Magic City. Our heavy Latino, Caribbean, and even European influences make our cuisine more diverse and let's face it more complete. Sorry Big D.

Winner: Croquetas (Loser: Your arteries!)



1. Unrealistic television
Apparently, Dallas has a lot of reality television shows lined up to start filming in the city with Bravo, Style, and Logo channels all filming there in the near future. But stop it. The city has so far to go to try and catch up with Miami's lamentable reality history cache (Jersey Shore, Basketball Wives, Real Housewives of Miami, Miami Social, etc.), it's barely worth mentioning.

Winner: Miami wins, but that really means we lose."

[jcisco loboe'77]

http://bleacherrepor...-the-miami-heat

NBA Finals 2011: Do the Dallas Mavericks Stand a Chance Against the Miami Heat?
By Brian DeCandia(Member.)

"The Dallas Mavericks have been deemed one of the worst playoff teams of all time. The last time the Mavericks were in the Finals was 2006.

Against whom? The Miami Heat. The Mavs went up 2-0 in that series but then Dwyane Wade went off, and the Heat took the next four.

Over the last 11 years the Mavs have been one of the most consistent regular season teams in the NBA, posting a combined record of 620-282 (.680).

The playoffs have been a different story for this organization.

In 2006-07 the Mavs finished 67-15 (.817), garnering the No. 1 seed in the NBA Playoffs. The Mavs were upset in the first round by the Golden State Warriors, 4-2, in possibly the biggest flop in NBA Playoff history.

One short year ago Dallas finished up second in the West, but again was bounced in the first round of the playoffs by the No. 7 seeded San Antonio Spurs, 4-2.

Will this year be different?

This matchup has all the makings for one of the highest rated Finals in NBA history. Just look at the facts.

Dirk Nowitzki, possibly the best European player of all time, trying to capture his first NBA title. LeBron James trying to do the same. The Miami Big Three are looking to quiet the nay-sayers by winning a title. The Mavs are looking to get rid of their playoff demons and capture that elusive NBA championship.

Let's face it. The Heat are the younger, more athletic team, but who is the more talented team? This point can and will be argued all series, starting now.

Jason Kidd vs. Mike Bibby:
Kidd wins this matchup. He is the more prolific scorer and will make more of an impact on defense.

DeShawn Stevenson vs. Dwyane Wade:
Wade takes this matchup with ease. Offensively Stevenson is only averaging 5.3 PPG. Even if Wade struggles he will still get 15.

Shawn Marion vs. LeBron James:
When it is all said and done, James will be recognized as one of the best players to ever play the game. He takes this matchup over the veteran. James has proven over the last two series that he can make the big shot and he has never wavered from taking that shot at the end of games. Marion may be old and wise but LeBron is young and talented.

Dirk Nowitzki vs. Chris Bosh:
Nowitzki wins this matchup against Bosh. Although Bosh has shown shades of brilliance in this playoff run, Dirk has been amazingly consistent. Averaging 28.4 PPG and 7.5 RPG, Nowitzki has been a terror for any defender to deal with and will be a big problem for the Miami Heat with the ability to go off for 50 at any point.

Tyson Chandler vs. Joel Anthony:
When healthy, Chandler has been a dominate player. Both of these players do not show much poise on offense, but they are both great post defenders. This is the most important matchup of the series. Whomever can stay out of foul trouble and bang on the offensive boards will be the deciding factor in this series.

The bench of the Mavericks was without question more talented than the Heat's, but with the return of Udonis Haslem, Miami has become a deeper team. With Miami's Big Three being so young, the bench will not have to play as many minutes, so this will not be as big of a factor as people think.

Prediction:
The Heat will have to wait another season for that NBA title. Mavericks in seven."

[jcisco loboe'77]

http://bleacherrepor...over-east-champ

NBA Playoffs 2011: 10 Reasons Dallas Mavericks Should Be Favored over East Champ.
By Jesse Dorsey(Featured Columnist).

"It's been about a day since the Dallas Mavericks mounted a ferocious comeback against the Oklahoma City Thunder, erasing a 15-point deficit over the final five minutes of the game.

OK, so they may have had some help as the Thunder seemingly snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, committing five fouls in the final five minutes, four of which were on players not attacking the basket.

Dallas won the game despite being out-rebounded by 22 boards (OKC had 15 more on the offensive glass), shooting worse and having seven fewer assists.

They had an off-night by all standards and still were able to grind out the game.

We could go back and rehash all the events of last night's game and figure out why Dallas won, but the past is the past, and with Dallas on the brink of another trip to the NBA Finals, I'd rather go ahead and argue for them to be the favorite in those finals, regardless of the Eastern Conference Champion."



10. Mark Cuban's Silence
If there is one guy that has been a fixture in the news during Dallas' playoff runs it has been Mark Cuban.

He has always been there, every step of the way, criticizing officials, speaking his mind, racking up fines and just being in the public eye in general as much as possible.

As great as it is to have an owner who is so visible and genuinely effected by the outcome of each game, it tends to become a bit of a distraction with Cuban and the Mavericks when he does it as often as he has been known to in the past.

This year, Cuban has been the lite version of himself, still chiming in from time to time, but not nearly enough to become a distraction.

Sure, he still is one of the most insane people in the arena during the game, but afterward he is more reserved and quiet compared to 2006 Mark Cuban.



9. Ball Protection
You don't get into the playoffs if you can't protect the ball, so every team that is left isn't exactly turning the ball over 25 times a game (although OKC did turn it over 26 times Monday night), but you get to the championship by being one of the best at protecting the ball.

Of the four teams left, Dallas has the highest assist to turnover ratio at 1.7 assists per turnover, while Chicago is at 1.5, Miami is at 1.2 and Oklahoma City is at 1.1.

What's more, Dallas averages just under 13 turnovers a game, the fewest of any team left, and forces just over 13 a game, the second most of any team left.



8. Control of the Game
Something that can't really be measured in statistics is the ability of a team to adapt to the pace of the game, and even more their ability to control it.

Looking at the Mavericks' roster, you'll see that they have a variety of line-ups that they can run to play at a variety of paces.

Their starting line-up can be methodical and good in the half-court, with Shawn Marion, Jason Kidd and Tyson Chandler able to slow down the ball on both sides of the court.

Meanwhile, they have a second squad that can come in with JJ Barea and Jason Terry to pick up the pace and run a very good fast-break and transition offense, plus keep pace with an up-tempo offense on the other side of the ball.

Then you have Dirk Nowitzki, who is capable of doing almost anything on the court at this point in his career, as he is capable of being methodical with the ball, taking his time and picking apart the defense, or he can run on the fast break, as he still has the speed to keep pace with the young big men in the league.



7. Sinking the Free Ones
I can't tell you how much it bothers me when I see a team do everything right on the court, and then end up losing down the stretch because of missed free throws. That is something you usually won't say about the Mavericks.
Here's a surprising stat for you: The four teams left make up the four best free throw shooting teams in these playoffs.
Dallas leads the pack at just under 82 percent, just ahead of the Thunder, who are a tenth of a percent behind Dallas. Miami is third at 80 percent and Chicago is fourth at 79.
They may not have much of a lead, but they do have the edge in this category.



6. Bench Play
You can make the argument that Chicago has a good bench, and indeed they do, but it isn't nearly as good as Dallas' (I'm not even going to give Miami's bench any evaluation—they have Udonis Haslem and Mario Chalmers).
Chicago has Kyle Korver, Taj Gibson, Ronnie Brewer, C.J Watson and Omer Asik. They have an array of defensive specialists and a few shooters, which makes up a pretty good bench, but what Dallas has on their bench is special.
Dallas features Jason Terry, who can score 25 points on any given night, Peja Stojakovic, who could go shot-for-shot with Korver, a wildcard in JJ Barea and a defensive machine in Brendan Haywood.



5. Superior Team Play
When you watch Chicago or Miami play, there are stretches where you know who is going to be shooting the ball.
For some reason or another, either LeBron James or Dwyane Wade will take a possession or two where they dribble out the shot clock and put up whatever shot the defense gives them (they usually make them though), or Derrick Rose will take four or five possessions where he is definitely putting up a shot.
Sometimes it's just that they have the hot hand, other times it's because nobody else is making a move, or it may even be just because it's what they want to do, but it happens multiple times a game usually.
With Dallas, the only one who ever gets into this type of rut is Jason Terry, who will try to force things for himself if Dallas is down.
Otherwise, the rest of the team is pretty level-headed and knows to look for the extra pass before trying to push through the defense and jack up a shot.
Even Monday night, when Nowizki was blitzkrieging through the Thunder, he took his time to look for the open man, even dishing it out to Terry on one possession and Jason Kidd on another.



4. Past Failures
Nothing teaches a guy how to win like losing, so the Mavericks should be the smartest winning team in the playoffs.
Dallas has an array of guys who have failed at the highest level, giving them the motivation to stay away from that failure again.
Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry were both a part of the 2006 Mavericks team that got sent packing by the Miami Heat and a few choice referees.
Jason Kidd made it to the NBA Finals twice in the early 2000s, losing to the Lakers and Spurs in consecutive years.
Peja Stojakovic was a part of one of the best teams never to make it to the finals with the 2002 Sacramento Kings, who won 61 games, but lost in seven games to the Lakers and Tim Donaghy.
Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson didn't make it as far as the other guys, but they were bounced from the playoffs with the Washington Wizards when they had a very strong team in the mid-00s.
What's more, Jason Kidd is 39, Peja Stojakovic is nearly 34 and Dirk Nowitzki is nearly 33, so their window for championships are closing rapidly, giving them even more motivation.




3. Sneaky Good Defense
There has been a lot of talk in the past week that the Eastern Conference Finals is all about defense, while the Western Conference Finals is all about offense.
When you take a look at it, it's true as the average score for a team in the East Finals is 86.7 a game, while in the West it's been 104.5—a nearly 20 point swing.
However, when you take a look at what Dallas has done with what has been the highest scoring team in the playoffs (103 ppg), it looks a bit more impressive.
Dallas has held OKC under their playoff average, they have forced at least 13 turnovers in each game against the Thunder (26 in Monday's game) and they have held them to 3-for-30 from the three-point line in the past two games.
Dallas hasn't overwhelmed when it comes to bleals (blocks and steals) with just over 11 a game, but they are a pesky defense, and force teams to take outside shots.



2. Veteran Presence
You could make an argument that LeBron James and Dwyane Wade make up a good veteran presence for Miami, as they are savvy players, but they have nowhere near the experience that Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd have.
Jason Kidd has about five or six plays a game that remind you why he is still a starting point guard even though he is going on 39. He draws defenders off their feet, draws offensive fouls and just does things that get the opposing team frustrated.
Dirk Nowitzki does something that so few players in the NBA do these days. He doesn't dribble—right away at least.
Most players will use their dribble as soon as they get the ball (James and Wade are good at waiting, but they do get impatient at times), even if they don't have a plan.
Dirk will get the ball around the top of the key and just stand for four or five seconds. At first it looks like a waste of the shot clock, but after you see him do it a few times you realize he's like Peyton Manning using up all of the play clock before he calls for the ball.
Nowitzki can read the defense, subtly cue one of his teammates to cut to the basket or come back and help for the pick-and-roll, and then he will start his dribble, only after he knows exactly what he is doing.
Dallas has a veteran leadership that no other team can say they have right now.



1. Dirk Nowitzki
If they gave out a playoff MVP award, Dirk Nowitzki would be the favorite to win it right now.
Let's skip all the talk about him being unstoppable, because he was obviously stoppable in Game 3. While we're at it, let's stop all the talk comparing him to Larry Bird, because he is definitely no Larry Bird.
However, what he is, is a guy that is starting to look impossible to guard with a non-physical defender (I'm talking to you Chris Bosh and Carlos Boozer) who can make any shot that he attempts.
Seriously, when is the last time you saw a guy taking fade-away one-footers and making them regularly.
On top of that, he has ratcheted up his offense in the playoffs, getting more physical and serious on the defensive end of the floor.
He is a man on a mission now that he can see another shot at a championship in his near future, especially after what he went through back in 2006.
2006 was about Dwyane Wade, Shaq, Mark Cuban vs. David Stern and the referees. This year he is trying to make it about Dirk Nowitzki, and succeeding.
I actually think Dallas will be better off if Miami beats Chicago, because it will give the media another thousand reasons to ignore Dirk, and that's something that he doesn't seem to like at this point in his career."

[jcisco loboe'77]

http://www.usatoday....-carlisle_N.htm

Mavs' coach Rick Carlisle credits Thunder
By J. Michael Falgoust, Jeff Zillgitt, Mike Dodd, USA TODAY.

"The morning after the Dallas Mavericks had advanced to the NBA Finals for the second time in franchise history, coach Rick Carlisle could only take a deep sigh in reflection.
Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle called his team's Game 5 win over the Thunder "a real test."


"The Mavs closed out the Oklahoma City Thunder 100-96 in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals, but it wasn't as easy as that. Wednesday's comeback at home was from five points down with five minutes left. The Mavericks also rallied from a 15-point deficit in the last five minutes of Game 4 on the road.

"The comeback in Game 4 was an unlikely scenario. But (Game 5) was the hardest game. It's not even close," said Carlisle, who will be coaching in his first NBA Finals. "They kept attacking us, kept driving at us with their quicker guys. It was a real test."

The Mavericks got 26 points each from Shawn Marion and Dirk Nowitzki, who hit his only three-pointer with 1:14 to go to put them up for good. They overcame a game-high 31 points from Thunder guard Russell Westbrook and 40 points from Oklahoma City's bench.

Sixth man Jason Terry, who joins Nowitzki as the only Mavs left from the 2006 Finals loss to the Miami Heat, has the championship trophy tattooed on his right biceps. He's intent on getting the real thing.

"We're going to get it," Terry said. "We finally got back. The show is on now."

Injuries not new:
Heat guard Dwyane Wade missed dunk attempts in Game 3 and Game 4 vs. the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference finals and had struggled from the field, shooting 11-for-33 in those games.

Wade denied he was hurt. But during Game 5 on Thursday he was caught on camera having his left shoulder stretched.

Even teammate LeBron James said after the game that Wade was not 100%. And he praised his friend for hanging in.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said the physical nature of the series had a lot to do with players missing shots.

"It's taken a toll on everybody, on both teams," he said. "It's as physical a series as I've been around."

Heat forward James Jones is dealing with an injured toe on his left foot and did not play in Games 3 and 4 after getting two minutes in Game 2. Jones wore a walking boot on his left foot.

New face:
With backup center Omer Asik sidelined for the postseason with a broken leg, the Bulls activated 6-9 forward Brian Scalabrine for Game 5 on Thursday. It was the first time he had dressed for a game this postseason. Scalabrine hadn't played since March 15.

Kurt Thomas, who didn't play in the first four games of the series, did yeoman duty filling in and giving the Bulls a boost.

A vote for Brown:
Heat forward LeBron James played for soon-to-be Los Angles Lakers coach Mike Brown from 2005-06 through 2009-10 with the Cleveland Cavaliers. James had positive words for the coach.

"He always believed that in order to win basketball games and ultimately to win a championship, you have to defend," James said. "That's what he's really good at. He's great at that.

"He is great at also giving teammates and guys free speech. 'If you guys see something on the court, let me know, and if I feel like it works, then we can change it, we can go with it.' He's a great communicator."

Kings on target:
Sacramento Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof say they are optimistic the city can help finance a new arena after the release of a feasibility study Thursday at a special City Hall meeting. The Maloofs, in a statement, said "the political and public will are here" in Sacramento despite years of failed measures to finance an arena.

NBA Commissioner David Stern, who has said a new arena plan must be ready by March 1 or the franchise likely will relocate, also said he was encouraged."

[jcisco loboe'77]

http://bleacherrepor...ds-promise-land

Dallas Mavericks: Jason Kidd's Promise Land.
By Jess Matthew Beltran(Correspondent).

"The old captain sails the all so familiar seas…for 17 years Jason Kidd has been sailing the grueling waves in the NBA.

At 38, it seems his career has already seen the finish line, the final destination as he puts his anchor down as it settles in the seabed forever… It has been quite a ride so far but the journey has not ended yet.

For Kidd’s career, everything now depends on these last four games as the Dallas Mavericks clinched the Western conference finals last Wednesday, to get back to the NBA finals. This would be Kidd’s one last push for glory and one final wave to conquer.

The old captain will be sailing his team again to another championship round. He had been there before, but it never came closed. The Los Angeles Lakers and the San Antonio Spurs swept them in all four games for two consecutive years…He had done so much to stir the New Jersey Nets into a championship contender, but he could only do as much. He was the last man standing; the captain never abandons his ship, as he took all the blame and criticism for himself.

With tired legs, like an engine that had used up all its mileage, Jason Kidd keeps on pushing, hoping to get that one last chance of redemption. He never thought that this happenstance could happen in the twilight of his career. On the team that he first started way back in 1994 when Dallas drafted him as their second overall pick. Back to his first ship… his first voyage.

This time it’s something special. This team is different from any other…Sharing the same dedication and the same frustration that have bound them and made them different. Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry shared the same frustration when they were denied by Miami in the 2006 NBA Finals.

Shawn Marion had two Western conference finals appearance but failed to move on to the next level. Tyson Chandler, Peja Stojakovic and Coach Rick Carlisle also have their own share of losing. This is what made them stronger more determined and focus.

The old captain sails the all so familiar seas… It’s not his team or his ship anymore but his determined more than ever. He is confident they will make it this time with his team sailing on the same direction. Back into the finals, back into the promise land that has been elusive all this time.

The Ship needs to land."

[jcisco loboe'77]

(26,266)





http://bleacherreport.com/articles/714534-dallas-mavericks-jason-kidds-promise-land#/articles/712557-nba-playoffs-2011-8-reasons-the-dallas-mavericks-are-destined-to-win-it-all
NBA Playoffs 2011: 8 Reasons the Dallas Mavericks Are Destined to Win It All.
By Ethan S(Featured Columnist).

"The 2011 NBA Postseason has certainly been full of surprises. Among the biggest stories in the headlines is the improbable playoff run by the Dallas Mavericks.

This is a team that was supposed to be too old, too soft, doesn’t play defense and relies too much on outside shots. The Mavericks were a team that had players who always came up short in the playoffs and whose star athletes were not tough enough to bring home a championship.

Now the Mavericks are just one win away from an NBA Finals berth and have won nine of the team’s last 10 games. Included within this span is five straight road wins.

For those that have followed the team all season, this is hardly surprising, as Dallas had the best road record.

Yet, perhaps fans should be less surprised about the playoff success of this team. After all, when one takes out the 10 losses in 13 games midseason when Nowitzki was out injured and recovering, the Mavericks record stood at 54-15. That record (.782 winning percentage) would have translated into 64 wins over 82 games, which would have been the best mark in the league.

Nevertheless, the basketball gods are aligning and it appears that the team is destined to win its first NBA championship.

The following pages promote eight reasons why Dirk Nowitzki and company will win it all this season. Are these reasons the truth or am I living in a virtual reality world? "

[jcisco loboe'77]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/714534-dallas-mavericks-jason-kidds-promise-land#/articles/712557-nba-playoffs-2011-8-reasons-the-dallas-mavericks-are-destined-to-win-it-all/page/2

NBA Playoffs 2011: 8 Reasons the Dallas Mavericks Are Destined to Win It AllBy Ethan S(Featured Columnist)


"8. Maverick Fans Are Due
Since 2000, the Dallas Mavericks franchise has won at least 50 games per season 11 straight times. Three of those seasons featured rosters than earned at least 60 wins. With 620 wins over those 11 seasons and a .687 winning percentage, the Mavericks have been one of the most successful teams in North American pro sports during that span—at least during the regular season.

The postseason has been a different story. During this same time period, Dallas has posted a .462 winning percentage in the playoffs. This run has included first-round playoff exits three of the past four years, including an unprecedented first-round loss to the eighth-seeded Golden State Warriors in 2007 after earning a franchise-record and league-best 67 wins during the season.

Of course, Mavericks fans would also like to forget the 2006 NBA Finals collapse. With about six minutes left in Game 3 of the Finals, the Mavericks were on the verge of going up 3-0 on the Miami Heat. As conspiracy theorists would have it, Dwyane Wade went on a shooting rampage thanks to the referees by being sent to the free throw line nearly every possession. In fact, during the Heat’s four wins en route to winning the Finals, Wade averaged 18.3 free-throw attempts per game.

After a decade of nightmares and playoff collapses, it appears that Mavericks fans are due. For all of the basketball tragedy moments that these fans have had to endure, they deserve this win more than any other fanbase in the NBA.



7. Veteran-Laden Team
This Dallas Mavericks roster is truly one step away from booking a retirement house. The core of the team consists of Dirk Nowitzki (32), Jason Kidd (38), Shawn Marion (33), Peja Sotjakovic (33) and Jason Terry (33). Even if he returns from his knee injury, Caron Butler is 31 years old.

While many people would cringe at the notion that being in your 30s is old, NBA players age quickly after turning 30, as the athletic gifts of speed and jumping ability tend to decline. By age 40, many NBA players should be given a wheelchair (although unlike Paul Pierce and his Hollywood acting job in the 2008 Finals, these players would actually need one).

Clearly this team is not getting any younger. And this has been perhaps one of the biggest reasons why the players have been remarkable in their hustling throughout the playoffs. This group knows that next year won’t be any easier to win a title, as they will be another year older. This is their best and perhaps last chance at winning a championship.

The other teams left in contention (the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls) will have plenty of years left to contend with their star players. The sense of urgency to win now is the greatest with this Dallas team and the players are ready to cement their place in the annals of NBA glory.




6. Rick Carlisle Is Due for Some Positive Karma
Rick Carlisle has proven himself as one of the better NBA coaches in the league. Despite having a roster with limited talent, Carlisle led the Detroit Pistons to consecutive seasons of 50 wins in the early 2000s and won Coach of the Year in 2002. In 2003, Carlisle was fired, only to see the Pistons win a championship in 2004.

After his time with the Pistons, Carlisle coached the Indiana Pacers with mixed results. During the 2003-2004 season, he led the Pacers to 61-21 record, which was best in the league. Despite earning this record, his team would lose in the Eastern Conference Finals to his former team—the Pistons.

In 2005, Carlisle endured a season of injuries to key players and suspensions following the famous "Malice at the Palace" incident involving Ron Artest.

After his stint with the Pacers, Carlisle ended up with the Mavericks. With his record and success with various rosters, it is clear that Carlisle is a good coach.

Despite past failures, Carlisle seems to have learned from past mistakes. This current Dallas team has displayed tough defense and a high-powered offense featuring crisp ball movement on the perimeter. He has figured out how to open the floor for Nowitzki to operate in his favorite spots.

The ability for the Mavericks to play both ends effectively can be attributed to Carlisle's coaching. It's time for his coaching to pay off. With the bad luck given to him throughout his career, he is due for things to go his way.



5. Mark Cuban Has Been on His Best Behavior
Mark Cuban is one of the most brilliant entrepreneurial businessmen in the world. Unfortunately, he is also the most heavily fined NBA owner in league history.

In at least 13 incidents, Cuban has been fined over $1.6 million for criticizing the league and its officials. While he has obviously tried to support his team, such statements he made could have been used by opponents to motivate themselves.

Cuban has been noted by his players as being one of the best owners in professional sports, as he has provided state-of-the-art facilities and amenities for his athletes.

It appears that Cuban has also learned from his past mistakes in speaking his mind by refraining to mouth off after disappointing losses. While being on his best behavior, Cuban is less likely to further incentivize opponents or incur additional fines, hence being less of a distraction for his team.

Surely he is due for a nice reward for his behavior?




4. Eliminated the Back-to-Back Champs
By now, the story of the Dallas Mavericks sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round of this year’s playoffs is old news. However, it bears an enormous significance.
Before the second round, the Lakers were the favorites to repeat (or should I say, “three-peat”) as NBA champions. The team had one of the best playoff performers in Kobe Bryant, the best coach of all time in Phil Jackson, shutdown perimeter defenders like Ron Artest and Matt Barnes, a twin towers lineup of All-Star talents in Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol and Sixth Man of the Year Lamar Odom.
With the San Antonio Spurs exiting early from the playoffs, the Lakers would have home court advantage throughout the remainder of the Western Conference bracket. Sure, LA had an up-and-down season, but people looked at the 17-1 mark following the All-Star game as an indication that the team could still turn on the switch and be as dominant as ever.
Then a funny thing happened. Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom pulled a disappearing act. Kobe Bryant was stifled by the suffocating defense by the Mavericks. The Mavericks were draining threes from around the court, while the Lakers could not hit water if they fell out of a boat.
And of course, there was a guy named Dirk Nowitzki, who shot a fourth quarter true shooting percentage in the 80 percent range.
It didn’t matter that LA was up in the fourth quarter in two of the four games played against Dallas. The Mavericks team simply found a way to keep its composure and run the offense and defense.
So why does this all matter?
In short, the win against the Lakers gave Dallas all the confidence it needed to become champions. The team beat the best without home court advantage, and as the team kept rolling, the Mavericks were starting to believe.
Envisioning success and believing is half of the battle, and Dallas’ players have that part down.




3. Improbable Comeback Victory Against the Thunder
Christian Petersen/Getty Images If beating the Lakers didn’t give the Mavericks enough confidence, the improbable comeback victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals did.
While playing on the road, Dallas found itself down by 15 points with five minutes left in regulation. Then Dirk went berserk and hit amazing shots all around the court. Truth is, had some of the slaps on him been called as fouls, he would have won the game in regulation for Dallas with a few extra free throws.
Nevertheless, Dallas tied up the game at the end and continued to dominate through the overtime period.
Instead of panicking down the stretch, the Mavericks believed that the game was still within reach. After all, there were still five minutes left!
The clutch ability of Dirk Nowitzki and the leadership of Jason Kidd are proving to be a formidable combination.
It didn’t matter that Dallas was out-rebounded by 22 (only five teams have won playoff games while being out-rebounded by this margin), as Dallas willed its way to victory.
This comeback victory may be the most important win in the franchise’s history. Right now, the players’ confidence is extremely high and they know that if they keep playing the same way, they will be hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy in just a few weeks.



2. Jason Kidd: The Battery That Keeps on Going
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images As most NBA fans know, Jason Kidd is one of the oldest players in the league. While no longer a perennial MVP candidate, he still is better than most players in the NBA.
While his speed and athleticism have waned in recent years, he remains as one of the most knowledgeable players the game has ever seen.
Much of the reason that Dallas’ offense features crisp perimeter passing is because of Kidd running the show. While he isn’t the same scoring threat as in his early days, Kidd can still have his moments, such as pouring in 17 points in Game 4 against the Thunder.
In addition, Kidd is still proving to be as clutch as ever, as evidenced by his huge three-pointer in Game 4’s overtime period and converting some late game free throw attempts.
Yet, perhaps the most important skill Kidd has displayed is his defense. Over the last five games Kidd has averaged four steals per game. Each of these steals could potentially be a four or five-point swing in a game. Unlike other top thieves in the NBA, Kidd gets most of his steals by playing one-on-one defense, rather than taking risky gambles in passing lanes.
More important, Kidd has been a nuisance to players like Kobe Bryant, Brandon Roy, James Harden, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant.
Clearly, and perhaps against the laws of nature, he still has a complete game to make a significant impact in the game. With Kidd currently playing his best ball all season long, he is on the inevitable path to earn that long-coveted championship ring that has eluded his career.



1. Dirk Nowitzki’s Amazing Posteason Efficiency
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images It would be impossible to talk about the destiny of the Mavericks without focusing on Dirk Nowitzki.
I have long been critical of Nowitzki’s game. In the past, he settled for too many outside jumpers. In addition, he had a one-dimensional game with just average playmaking and defensive abilities. For a seven-footer, I argued that Dirk could have developed a better post game and have more of an impact closer to the basket.
While he still is not the greatest rebounder for his size, Nowitzki’s defense and playmaking have improved over the years. And even if he is still mainly a one-dimensional player, his scoring ability is so dominant in this year’s playoffs that he has risen several places on most people’s greatest all-time lists.
To score 48 points off of just 15 shots in Game 1 against the Thunder was unbelievable. He averaged over three points per shot when scoring 1.5 points per shot is considered dominant. In fact, according to ESPN and the Elias Sports Bureau, Nowitzki’s shooting performance was the most efficient of all-time in the postseason.
To average seven or eight points per game in the fourth quarter is considered extraordinary, but Nowitzki is putting up double figures in points nearly every game in the closing minutes.
The problem for his defenders is that Dirk makes shots that would be horrific attempts by other players, thus proving he is nearly impossible to stop.
Frankly, he may be displaying the best offensive performance of any postseason run in NBA history.
It is evident that Nowitzki is on a mission to avenge his missed opportunity at winning in 2006. He knows this is probably his best and perhaps last shot at winning a championship.
How symbolic the play of events is taking shape! With the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks looking for a rematch in the Finals, the tables will be reversed.
The Heat will have home court advantage and have been dubbed by Vegas bets as the odds-on favorite to win the title.
But this year will be different. Nowitzki and his teammates are more mature and represent a stronger cast of players. They will not let bad officiating calls take the opportunity away and even if calls go against the Mavericks, Nowitzki will not let his team lose. He relishes the opportunity and the sweet smell of victory is just a few made baskets away."

[jcisco loboe'77]

http://espn.go.com/b...inals-mavs-heat
Tale of two Mavericks: UT-Arlington vs. NBA.
Comments By ESPNDallas.com.

"Even 31 years later, there still is bad blood regarding the Dallas Mavericks' name. Danny Woodward of ESPN Page 2 caught up with Bill Reeves, the 71-year-old associate athletic director at UT Arlington who's been a student, coach or administrator there for more than 50 years.

Reeves will never forgive the local NBA franchise for what he considers identity theft.

This goes back to May 1, 1980, when officials from the NBA's new Dallas franchise gathered the media in Reunion Station to announce its name. A blue-and-green flip chart revealed what had been a closely guarded secret: Mavericks.

A good Texas name. A name another team in the area was already using.

The athletic teams at UT Arlington, whose campus sits 20 miles west of downtown Dallas, had been the Mavericks since 1971.

"I was very disappointed and upset with them that they took our mascot from us," said Reeves, who was the university's athletic director then. "We had already established the Mavericks mascot nine years earlier. I wouldn't have thought that they would do that to any university in the area."

It's unprecedented to be sure, the lone example of a major pro sports team sharing a mascot with a local NCAA Division I university.

Bill Reeves loves Texas. Mahogany boots, starched button-downs, comfortable drawls.



And Bill Reeves loves basketball. A blue-collar scorer in his prime, he is enshrined in the halls of fame of both the University of Texas at Arlington and the Southland Conference.



Given his two loves, he ought to be downright giddy about the Dallas Mavericks' remarkable run to the NBA Finals.



The truth is, he's anything but.



"I'm always for whoever they're playing," Reeves said, meaning that he's a Miami Heat fan for the week. "I've still never bought a ticket to a game over there. And I will not. I don't even watch them on TV."



Reeves, 71, is the associate athletic director at UT Arlington and a beloved fixture on the campus of 34,000 students that's located smack in the middle of Mavericks country. He's been a student, coach or administrator there for more than 50 years.



And he'll never forgive the local NBA franchise for what he considers identity theft.



This goes back to May 1, 1980, when officials from the NBA's new Dallas franchise gathered the media in Reunion Station to announce its name. A blue-and-green flip chart revealed what had been a closely guarded secret: Mavericks.



A good Texas name. A name another team in the area was already using.



The athletic teams at UT Arlington, whose campus sits 20 miles west of downtown Dallas, had been the Mavericks since 1971.



"I was very disappointed and upset with them that they took our mascot from us," said Reeves, who was the university's athletic director then. "We had already established the Mavericks mascot nine years earlier. I wouldn't have thought that they would do that to any university in the area."



It's unprecedented to be sure, the lone example of a major pro sports team sharing a mascot with a local NCAA Division I university. (The next closest: The Long Beach State 49ers are some 400 miles from San Francisco's NFL team. Plus, the pro footballers took that nickname three years before LBSU was even founded.)



It would be as if the other NBA finalists had called themselves the Hurricanes back in 1988. Except that UT Arlington -- which plays in the Southland Conference -- doesn't enjoy the same national prominence as the University of Miami.



Names like Hurricanes, Jayhawks, Boilermakers, Fighting Irish and Hoyas evoke college glory. But think of Mavericks, and it's not the University of Texas at Arlington that leaps to mind. It's a 7-foot German with flowing locks and an unguardable fadeaway.



The public embraced all things Mavericks after that 1980 announcement, and that included the university, said John Mocek, UT Arlington's associate athletic director for finance and administration and a 1977 alumnus. For a while. But today, "If we just drive off into Topeka, Kansas, and say 'Mavericks' to somebody, I would think that 9.9 out of 10 are going to think Dallas Mavericks."



Or, as Reeves says it: "I think it pretty much prevents us from having a national identity. It's made it more difficult to publicize who we are. There's still confusion when you see a headline that says Mavericks."



The Mavericks making headlines right now have ridden a pair of future Hall of Famers to their second NBA Finals in five years. Game 1 is Tuesday night in Miami. And those Mavericks assert that they didn't steal anything from their collegiate neighbor.



Nope, their name came from the radio.



When Dallas landed its expansion team, local AM station WBAP sponsored a contest to pick the mascot. More than 4,600 entries were handed over to general manager Norm Sonju and team owner Donald Carter (who, incidentally, had studied engineering at UT Arlington, then called Arlington State College, in the late 1950s.)



Besides Mavericks, the other finalists were Wranglers and Express.



"These all came from the radio contest," Sonju said. "None of our staff were involved, and it was not a name that we started the process with."



They chose Mavericks, in part to honor James Garner. Television's first "Maverick" was part of the team's original ownership group. And once they'd made their pick, they combed the region to make sure their name was unique.



Mavericks run alone, after all.



"We had one of our key staff members drive onto the UTA campus," Sonju said. "He went to the student union, bookstore, et cetera, and didn't find any banners, book covers or anything with the name Mavericks."



There was a reason.



Like many college teams (Ramblin' Wreck, Mean Green and War Eagles, famously), UT Arlington's nickname had its own nickname. In those days, its athletes were sometimes called the Movin' Mavs, a name that appears on school media guides and jerseys from that era.



What's more, Sonju said he spoke with UT Arlington basketball coach Bob "Snake" LeGrand, who "loved that we were considering Mavericks." (LeGrand, who works at an area high school now, said he doesn't remember such a conversation.) Sonju said he also got the go-ahead from local business leaders, including one who served on a governing board of the university.



"Before we launched our nickname," he said, "we felt pretty comfortable that there weren't any local or area teams that would in any way be confused if we chose the name Mavericks."



No one at UT Arlington was confused. But some were kerfuffled.



"Even if we were more of the Movin' Mavs at that time, we were still officially the Mavericks," Reeves said. "That was our mascot."



And they wanted to protect it. But the mid-major school felt powerless against the mighty NBA, so no lawsuits or brand infringements were ever filed.



Instead, the university responded with a sense of humor. It not only kept its Mavericks identity, it claimed ownership of the entire state by adding Texas' familiar shape to its logo. (That logo, which Mocek called "the weird offshoot of an identity crisis," has since been replaced.) But what stuck best was a simple blue-and-white bumper sticker that proudly proclaimed: "Mavericks, nowhere but UTA." School officials printed 10,000 and passed them out all over town.



"Those bumper stickers hung around for three or four years," Mocek said. "But five years after the fact, people were like, 'What's that all about?' … It was a tad puzzling at the time, but quite honestly, you saw how the name fit pretty well. They had the Western theme to go along with the Rangers and the Cowboys. We were a little miffed that they did it, but it made sense.



"But it would have been better if they were the Dallas Horned Frogs."



In time, the controversy faded. Sonju said he hadn't thought of it in more than 30 years.



If this town is big enough for only one Maverick, why didn't UT Arlington simply change its name? That story goes back to the school's Southern heritage. When UT Arlington became the Mavericks in 1971, it sacked the Rebels mascot. Students were divided over the issue but agreed upon "Mavericks" in a referendum. And they were just getting used to the name, which also had been the name of the Houston franchise in the ABA from 1967-69.



"I don't think anyone wanted to get into another mascot discussion," Reeves said.



For the record, one name rejected on the students' ballot back in '71: Rangers.



Good thing it failed.



A year later, another team came to town and liked that name pretty well."

[jcisco loboe'77]

http://frontrow.dmag...ainting-classes

How the Mavs’ Tyson Chandler Remains Focused: Painting Classes.
Author By Peter Sime-----------------------------------------------------------------------

"Finally, the art angle I’ve been waiting for to allow the Mavs hysteria to bleed into this arts and culture space: word dropped in my email that Mavs’ center Tyson Chandler is a student at Sofia Khunteyev’s North Dallas painting studio. Love this photo. The good guys keep getting better.


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

DALLAS MAVERICKS’ TYSON CHANDLER ALSO SCORES POINTS WITH HIS PAINTBRUSH.

Basketball star serious about taking art lessons from acclaimed Dallas art school.

DALLAS, TX–"Tyson Chandler of the Dallas Mavericks can really draw crowds with his basketball wizardry. But he can also draw a beautiful still life and still attract admirers. The Mavericks’ center—who has helped give the team a big edge in the playoffs—is also a student at Sofia Art Academy in north Dallas.

Art is, in fact, as much a passion for Tyson as basketball. It’s one of his favorite hobbies and his home is adorned with original art. In March, he contacted Sofia Art Academy because he had heard that each instructor at the school was as much of a perfectionist as he was. Owned by Russian-born Sofia Khunteyev and her son, Igor, the renowned school offers drawing and painting classes to students who range in age from 5 to 75 years old. Sofia is unique in that it takes an old-world European approach to drawing, much like the apprentice artists of the Renaissance who learned at the feet of their masters. Tyson couldn’t wait to begin.

So after that first day of class, he was so inspired that he went home and drew Bob Marley. His wife was very approving.

“When I paint, it’s the best feeling in the world,” says Tyson. “I am calm, not stressed, and am focused.” Now that the basketball season is about to end (hopefully with a championship ring on one of his fingers), he will be practicing his art techniques at Sofia and at home. “Even when I’m away for a game, I can work on my art.”

Sofia Khunteyev and her daughter, Charna (also an instructor), didn’t know who Tyson Chandler was when he first started classes. “We just didn’t watch sports that much,” says Sofia. “But now we are sold on his exceptional abilities, both on the court and on the canvas.”

Lately, Tyson has really excelled at his Sofia art classes, believes Charna Khunteyev. “Even his basketball game has changed for the better. In art, I think he has found a balance that works whether he is on the road or at home.”

When Tyson travels during the basketball season, he likes to sketch and paint in his hotel room, so Sofia packs him a traveling kit complete with pencils and paper. She explains how to set up or choose an image that he will be drawing or painting and tells him to practice doing what he did in class. “He learns fast,” observes Charna. “That’s because he definitely has talent. But he hadn’t had much previous experience in art technique or methods; taking classes at Sofia is a perfect way for him to finally fill the creative void that he has had for years.”

Sofia Academy is located at 14857 Preston Road, Suite 200 in Dallas, and the school’s phone number is 972-980-1717. Website is www.sofiaacademy.com.

Next time you see Tyson Chandler shooting for a 3-pointer in a playoff game with all his might and style, who knows…he might just be thinking, “Boy, when I get home, I’ll capture this moment with a painting!”

[jcisco loboe'77]

http://espn1420.com/...s-for-mavericks

Chandler & Stevenson Have Become Defensive Stoppers For Mavericks.
By: Steve Peloquin.

"One of the reasons the Dallas Mavericks are an improved basketball team this year, and have made it to the NBA Finals, is because of their improved defense. The defensive “stoppers” for the Mavs are former New Orleans Hornet Tyson Chandler, and DeShawn Stevenson. Billy Witz, of foxsportssouthwest, has the story, below.

“Eleven years ago, Tyson Chandler sat in a high school gym south of Los Angeles and watched DeShawn Stevenson take a couple of dribbles past half-court and launch jumpers from ridiculously far beyond the 3-point line. This was a prelude to jogging back and waiting for his teammates to get the ball back for him.

Afterward, it was Stevenson’s turn to watch Chandler, a reed-thin 7-footer take his turn trying to stop the nation’s most coveted high school player, Eddie Griffin. What Stevenson saw was a player who preferred to be camped near the 3-point line rather than the basket, a player who at times looked lost against Griffin’s refined game."