How would you feel if Dallas missed the playoffs this year?

[creepingdeath]

Well, Kobe didn't do sh*t against Stevenson, so... And people always try to exaggerate the influence of Barea on the Mavs postseason run. At least be consistent with your arguments.

Keep on rationalizing it!

No need to rationalize anything. Better than your lame-ass excuses after the sweep.

[bigt]

lol @ people giving dirk a pass. i cant even remember the last time dirk missed the playoffs, but somehow losing chandler and butler is enough for him to excused.

I think you answered your own question there. I think the fact that under his watch the Mavs have made the playoffs for so many years is why he's getting a pass. He's carried the load for quite a while, and has proven that under his watch they can win it all.

Not saying he should be getting that pass (although I'm not blaming him completely for their lackluster season) but when you have done what a Dirk or Duncan or Kobe has done, you tend to get the passes (Kobe being the exception somewhat because you either love him or loathe him)

[lakerfreak]

I'd personally laugh my ass off at the worst title defense in history. Yes, worse than the 99 Bulls who lost their top three players. This team is mostly intact (at least, three of the top four playoff performers).

Doesn't make the least bit of difference to them. All of those guys have been in the league for years, none of them winning a championship until last season. The fact all those veterans put aside whatever they used to be, and molded their efforts together into one big functional organization made the championship last season all the more amazing. It was a great story. Dirk, Kidd, Terry, Marion, Chandler....all those guys will always have that one amazing season to remember for the rest of their lives.

[Balla_Status]

They weren't given a fair chance in defending their title with the new CBA and shortened season.

[DirkNowitzki41]

Well, Kobe didn't do sh*t against Stevenson, so... And people always try to exaggerate the influence of Barea on the Mavs postseason run. At least be consistent with your arguments.


No need to rationalize anything. Better than your lame-ass excuses after the sweep.

owned

[LA_Showtime]

I would love it. I hate the Mavericks. Their fans are crazy.

[Jasper]

SAD they played ex-Laker Odom ho hum ball.

THIS equals Carter ball.



Which would equal Cuban money ball.


Which equals my 2011 Dirk one ring prediction.

[SevereUpInHere]

I"d be pretty sad, Mavs are my 2nd favourite team and DIrk is my favourite player, I admit I didn't think Chandler would make such a big difference to Mavs and also to our defence.

[MavAlbert]

I"d be pretty sad, Mavs are my 2nd favourite team and DIrk is my favourite player, I admit I didn't think Chandler would make such a big difference to Mavs and also to our defence.

mavs defense was better than last year before all of the injuries... losing a key player (sometimes 2-3) every other week is tough enough in a normal season, let alone this condensed one.

[Kobe 4 The Win]

I'd throw a

And then



F U Dallas

[DMAVS41]

I"d be pretty sad, Mavs are my 2nd favourite team and DIrk is my favourite player, I admit I didn't think Chandler would make such a big difference to Mavs and also to our defence.

The defense has been slightly worse if at all really. In fact, a full healthy Mavs squad this year has played elite defense.

Its been the offense that has been terrible. Chandler did set a ton of great screens and was a great offensive rebounder, so we definitely miss him...but its not all him or anything.

The truth is that it was a combination of a ton of things....

no training camp
players a year older
shortened schedule/season
new players that lack time on court together
injuries

And finally of course. Odom sucking beyond belief. This Mavs team would be looking at the 3 seed right now if Odom played well or we had signed somebody else. We were 1 quality player away from being at least 5 to 7 wins better this year. We lost a lot of close games that we simply never would have if we had gotten what we thought we were getting when we signed Odom.

You never want to blame just 1 guy, but this is probably as close as you can to getting there. If we had a guy like Kaman (probably who we sign if not for Odom)...I would estimate our record at around 38-20 to date instead of 32-26.

Not only was Odom terrible off the court, but he was a huge distraction all season. Players and coaches constantly having to field questions about him. He showed up horribly out of shape, took a ton of time off, and was often late to team functions/games/practices. He was just in no place at all to be a NBA player this year.

Its the Mavs fault for giving him so many chances. We should have moved him or shut him down a month ago at the latest.

Like I said before, it would suck as a fan to miss the playoffs...but in terms of the future of the team or the players. Not a big deal at all. This team is going to be blown up no matter what. In fact, the worst thing that could happen would be the Mavs somehow making it to round 2 or the WCF and Cuban/Nellie thinking we should bring some of these guys back. We shouldn't.

[Shepseskaf]

I'd personally laugh my ass off at the worst title defense in history. Yes, worse than the 99 Bulls who lost their top three players. This team is mostly intact (at least, three of the top four playoff performers).

I'd personally feel that it was a fluke championship that Miami should have won, and would have, if LBJ didn't lose his mind for whatever reason.

[Balla_Status]

I'd personally feel that it was a fluke championship that Miami should have won, and would have, if LBJ didn't lose his mind for whatever reason.

Yeah, it's called Shawn Marion. Winning four 7 game series in a row is no fluke.

[Rake2204]

I would be sad. I am a Vince Carter lifer and much of my interest around Dallas revolves around that narrow bit of hope that perhaps VC can still squeeze out some semi-spectacular dunks (like his semi-solid one last night: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-f8XMDcBgWo). I also like Dirk, but I'm satisfied after watching his performance last year.

[miles berg]

Mixed bag for me. First round exit or shot in the lottery? It's too late now to rest Dirk for the season like I had hoped for, so better make the best of it.

Their legs aren't capable of another 25 game post season run.