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Damp, Josh, Devin and Stack are sitting on the pine. We have 3 out of 5 starters injured. This just keeps getting better and better. We wanted to be under the radar not under the ground. We are still holding our own record wise and should make the playoffs. But just making the playoffs is not good enough, remember? Just ask the Cowboys, heck just remember the last few playoffs.
I know we all hear the coach and owner saying we love our team, which is understandable. It is like having your own kids playing on the team, and it is a reflection on them also. But when is losing to teams we should be beating going to wake us up?
There is enough talent on this team to win. But when there is no motivation or focus it just doesn't matter how much talent is out there.
Avery has got to step up his game. He has got to get these guys prepared, motivated and in the right frame of mind. Don't forget the obvious,,,,get the team to attack the rim.
I can't remember Cuban ever saying he goofed on the Nash deal and so the trend is he won't say it now. So he likes his team and even if it goes down in flames he will like his team and say we could have won if........
A trade might hurt the ego but it could help the team.

The life is more difficult in the West.
If we can get anything going, it's wise to plan for years to come.

Maybe looking for a 3-year plan is wise at that point.
At that time, Kobe, KG, and co. are very old.
The championship opportunity is more wide-open at that time.

oldeagle wrote: There is enough talent on this team to win.

This team certainly has talent, but I don't think it's the right mix of talent to win consistently in the playoffs. Offensively, outside of Harris, all we have are one-on-one jumpshooters who don't create shots for anyone but themselves (Dirk being the lone exception, IMO). Defensively, we simply can't afford to play our best defensive players too much, because the offense tends to become even more one-dimensional than it is with an all-offense lineup.

Right now, I can think of at least two or three teams on which most of our players would have more success than they have here. For example, JET would be infinitely better next to a slashing wing than Dirk or Josh. Devin would be better where he actually use his talents to score rather than try to distribute. Josh would be better playing in a motion system, IMO. And Dirk would be better with a true PG or as a second fiddle.

So, yes, there's talent, but it just doesn't mesh well. The goal is for the team to be better than the sum of its parts, and we're not...and haven't been.

I dont care about their egos. Last I looked this is a team game, and this team is not performing well right now. I think this move is drastic, but would get their attention

who cares about the ego of this team? They have been playing inconsistent, uninspired ball and if they think they can just turn it on in the playoffs, they will be facing another early exit.

No use in glossing things over, the same holes that prevented us from winning the last two years are still present and even more glaring since the rest of the West is stronger.

BUT let's just stand pat and "we love our team"

DDansby123 wrote:So, yes, there's talent, but it just doesn't mesh well. The goal is for the team to be better than the sum of its parts, and we're not...and haven't been.

I like that.

catalyst wrote:I dont care about their egos. Last I looked this is a team game, and this team is not performing well right now. I think this move is drastic, but would get their attention

What move? The only move I read in this thread was Avery preparing his players.

There should only be one move to be concerned with, and that's the one that happens after the ASB when Devin Harris comes back. That's the only move we need to be concerned about. The little man is our MVP, damn it! He the fire starter! He's the charge taker! He's the take it to the hoop man! He's our frikkin' MVP and we will be awesome when he comes back. Everyone chill, this works in our favor. We're considered under the radar right now. Trust me on this, Harris will be on the ASG ballot next year...

Relax, Chill, and Breathe guys! We're all right!

^^^
And if we did not lose yesterday, we would haev the 27th pick come draft day. Now we would have the 26th. If we drop 2.5 more games, we would have the 22rd pick and still be in the POs.

Darren wrote:The life is more difficult in the West.
If we can get anything going, it's wise to plan for years to come.

Maybe looking for a 3-year plan is wise at that point.
At that time, Kobe, KG, and co. are very old.
The championship opportunity is more wide-open at that time.

Are you kidding? Have you heard of LeBron James? Dwight Howard? Chris Paul? In 3 years these kids will be far far better than any player on the current Mavs roster.

Once Dirk begins his decline, the window for this set of players is closed.

If a 3 year plan is what they have in mind, they should be looking to trade some of their best players to get a kid like Beasley or Rose in the draft and start over.

If the plan is to just be a decent team for as long as possible, realizing that another legit shot at a ring is not likley, then they should just stay the course (and maybe that is the plan).

If they really want to take another title shot, the time is now, and they need to make some fairly significant changes. Dirk and Josh are a real nice pair of forwards in their prime, but their supporting cast still look like ill fitting parts.

Is not sitting players down a move? It was the last time that I looked.

catalyst wrote:Is not sitting players down a move? It was the last time that I looked.

I'm sure this is a response to my question. Can you please quote what you are talking about. The only mopve I read is Avery changing his motivation. The only "sitting players down" I see is from their current injuries, not a coaching "move."

No major trades, we'll be fine once we get healthy.

I think a trade is definitely needed for the Mavs. Most of the guys, IMO, don't believe that they could win a championship this year because let's be honest, they got beat by the worst Western playoff team last year. That just takes your motivation away and breaks your heart.

Same thing with the Suns. They just didn't believe that they could make it to the next level with Marion because they were blown away by the Lakers in their home opener and then got beat by them again on Christmas.

I don't think it is the getting healthy issue. I think it is the confidence and "new energy" issue. They need to believe that they can win it all again and they need to be on a mission like last year's regular season.

I don't see it in the Mavs this year. IMO, the Suns, Lakers, Jazz, and Spurs are better teams and the Rockets are close.

Patterns wrote:I don't think it is the getting healthy issue. I think it is the confidence and "new energy" issue.

I would love for that "new energy" to be Ron Artest (assuming we don not trade our big 3).

Dampier
Nowitzki
Artest
Howard
Harris