The Mavs...

[MAD MAV MAN]

I know you guys have the Lakers on the brain, but how do you think you fare against the Mavs. Outside of the Spurs, I believe we made the best moves this summer. When I look at what ya'll did, the PF from Pitt is the only guy that truly concerns me. However, PF is our strength as you know so I don't know how much of an impact he will have against us. Anyway, I believe SAS and the Mavs are the 2nd and 3rd best teams in the West right now. We'll see how it shakes out.

[Donald Kaufman]

The Mavs are a 2nd tier threat in the West, IMO. I don't think they're better than Denver or a healthy New Orleans, or Portland.

I don't see the big deal with the moves they made. I hardly think adding Marion, Tim Thomas and Gooden is going to strike fear in their opponents. I think if the Magic didn't match the offer for Gortat, then maybe they'd have something. I think he could've blossomed in a starting role with the Mavs.

Who knows? It might all work, and all the added pieces might click with the current playing group. But I wouldn't get too excited if I were a Mavs fan. They're no real threat to come out of the West and will ultimately just make up the numbers in a tough Western conference race.

[LyMinh]

Is that you peppersquad?

[Lakeshow2417]

I think now that SA acquired bogans and hell even mcdeyess. now perhapos they can hanbdle Dirk differently then they did at the past.,

as a Spur fan I would of course know that the Mavs wont be an easy ought but right now when healthy SA is the better team and always has been. if manu woul dhave made a layup in that 7 game series then SA would have been 2 time defending champions

[LyMinh]

Uh, are you talking about the Dirk layup at the end of game 7 where Manu fouled him maybe?

[realfung]

Mavs = Spurs on paper.
But I think the experience and coaching of the (healthy) Spurs win it.

[McGrady2Head]

to the original poster...you think the mavs had the 2nd best off season of any team besided the spurs? you only added marion, gooden, and tim thomas, right? here are a few off seasons i would definitely put above the mavs off season....

Celtics: Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels
Magic: Vince Carter, Brandon Bass, Matt Barnes, and Jason Williams
Cavs: Shaquille O'Neal, Anthony Parker, Daquan Cook
Lakers: Artest

I think the spurs and the celtics are the two best teams in the league. lets just face it, the lakers would have gotten abused again last year if Garnett was healthy. There should be an asterik next to that lakers title

[SApuro_]

I don't really see the Mavs as too much of a threat. Outside the rivalary thing in which most games are close and exiting I didnt like there off season pickups all that much. If they could have gotten a big man they would be more competitive but yeck I fully expect them to make a blockbuster trade by mid season.

[joe.linnen]

to the original poster...you think the mavs had the 2nd best off season of any team besided the spurs? you only added marion, gooden, and tim thomas, right? here are a few off seasons i would definitely put above the mavs off season....

Celtics: Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels
Magic: Vince Carter, Brandon Bass, Matt Barnes, and Jason Williams
Cavs: Shaquille O'Neal, Anthony Parker, Daquan Cook
Lakers: Artest

I think the spurs and the celtics are the two best teams in the league. lets just face it, the lakers would have gotten abused again last year if Garnett was healthy. There should be an asterik next to that lakers title

this is for the statement in bold:

I'll have you know that the Celtics wouldn't have made it past the Cavs at all, so they wouldn't have the chance to take my Lakers on. Foolish poster, that you are!

[SashAlex]

to the original poster...you think the mavs had the 2nd best off season of any team besided the spurs? you only added marion, gooden, and tim thomas, right? here are a few off seasons i would definitely put above the mavs off season....

Celtics: Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels
Magic: Vince Carter, Brandon Bass, Matt Barnes, and Jason Williams
Cavs: Shaquille O'Neal, Anthony Parker, Daquan Cook
Lakers: Artest

I think the spurs and the celtics are the two best teams in the league. lets just face it, the lakers would have gotten abused again last year if Garnett was healthy. There should be an asterik next to that lakers title

What an idiot !!? Tremendous (Please Use More Appropriate Word) ! No words ! Then every team should have an asterik next to their title, as the Lakers didn't have too Ariza and Bynum back in 2008, and you know how far more superior the Lakers are with these two guys healthy, now add Artest instead of Ariza.

[Donald Kaufman]

I hate to backseat mod, but I think I speak for everyone when I say to take the pissing contest to the Lakers or General Board.

[co_laper]

Well, I personally do worry about the Mavs if we actually meet them in the playoffs. Dallas isn't a team that we've beaten every year and stuff like that. We know we have trouble with Josh and Dirk and none of our acquisitions change that fact. Dice may do a better job than Bonner did againts Dirk, but truth is Dirk is still gonna get his numbers and he'll still do it efficiently. Anyone who thinks Dice can make Dirk average anything below his averages is crazy. Dice is good and all but he's no defensive stopper.

Even if Manu was healthy last year, we'd still have a tough time beating Dallas (thou I think we'll beat them but it's not gonna be a sweep or anything convincing). So then you look at the acquisitions. For me, Marion is better than Jefferson. As a 3rd/4th option type, Marion has always been a guy that could get 20-10 without having any offense run for him. He'd get them by making smart cuts to the baskets and in the open floor. That's why when FA begin, I wanted the Spurs to bring Marion in.

I'll even make this bet, by the end of the season, Marion will have better averages than Jefferson. Both are 3rd/4th options in their team. Marion's probably not even their top 6 options since they're not likely to give him an ISO and let him create.

So then we go to the next guy. We got Dice and Blair. I'll take that over Gooden and Tim Thomas but fact is Gooden and Thomas aren't D-leaguers. Gooden didn't have a good year with us but we still expected big things from him when we signed him last year. The guy is still a very good rebounder and showed decent offensive skills. He's not gonna be an allstar, but he's a decent starter in this league and he's not even starting in Dallas. Tim Thomas is past his prime but is still a good contributor in Dallas' offense.

So to the question of how I feel we fare againts Dallas, I'll say it'll be a very good game. Of all teams in the Western Conference, the 2nd team I'll fear most is definitely Dallas. Not teams like Denver, or NO, or Houston, or Portland. Those teams have never beaten us before and we matchup better with those teams than with Dallas.

[TAI8]

Eh the Mavs haven't been relevant in a while now (in over 2 years)..I'm not too worried about them..They sealed their fate when they traded away their young stud PG Harris for an over-the-top, washed up PG in Kidd..

[That Nicka]

Eh the Mavs haven't been relevant in a while now (in over 2 years)...

same could be said of the Spurs?

[the southern dandy]

History would indicate that the Spurs will struggle greatly with the Mavs. Both teams underwent major transformations during the offseason and at this point it's almost impossible to tell. The Spurs could potentially have three starters that weren't present last year in Manu, Jefferson and Dice. Not to mention the revamped bench which features a host of physical players.

IMHO, the Spurs won't struggle as much as they traditionally have with the Mavs. It would be ignorant for either side to claim dominance at this point in time.

[Donald Kaufman]

*edited* to avoid yet another Lakers-Spurs pissing contest derailing.

I chose the high road.

[Donald Kaufman]

Eh the Mavs haven't been relevant in a while now (in over 2 years)...

same could be said of the Spurs?

Your bandwagon is calling for you.

[myconsumerclub]

I think when Harris was on the team he was a Parker killer but now that Kidd is here Parker has his way because there was none as fast that could gaurd him. I hate to tell you this but I regret I must inform you the mavericks have a new rookie that is blowing it up at every chance and shows better promise than Harris had when he was a rookie.

He is a frenchy just like Parker and could be the thing that put's Dallas up that notch above San Antonio. Gooden had a good showing and seems to fit into the system that RC has better than ever and Dallas is getting even more lucky with the Marion trade as Humphreys seems to be blossoming as well. Marion has new life and will return to his defensive prominance as a result of this new life.

Dirk has the best team around him ever and that is the feeling in Dallas from those who have seen the lastest games. Only the 5 is a weak link over last seasons 2 holes at the 5 and 2. Howard Roddy Kidd Terry Ross JJB can all play the 2 Marion can gaurd it. That will not be an area of weakness and at the 5 the mavs have Dampier still a top 10 rebounder per 48 mins and Gooden seems to have a better fit here over Bass being a better defender rebounder and scorer with the #'s to prove it. Then there is Dirk at 7' Tim Thomas as a 40% 3 point threat able to play SF PF and C. The prior mentioned Humphrey at 6'9" is an energy guy but has Bass's knack to hit mid range jumpers and many are saying he alone is better.

The improvements won't be aparent readily with so mnay needing PT and deserving it however this team is far more improved than it looks on paper and if this Rodrique player is the real thing and from all impressions he is, it will be to the detriment of Parkers ability to do as he pleases. kidd can play the 2 with his 3 point accuracy and still function as a 1 on offense while Rodrique takes on the responsibility of shutting Parker down.

With Duncan in a brace and Ginobli ever a question mark of health the fates seem none too much aligned with the spurs. As a former Spurs fan I would hate to see you suffer so for lack of a good team to root for and invitist thou join us at our forum to become fans of the only team with a chance to improve enough to take out the hated Lakers.

[iamworthy]

to the original poster...you think the mavs had the 2nd best off season of any team besided the spurs? you only added marion, gooden, and tim thomas, right? here are a few off seasons i would definitely put above the mavs off season....

Celtics: Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels
Magic: Vince Carter, Brandon Bass, Matt Barnes, and Jason Williams
Cavs: Shaquille O'Neal, Anthony Parker, Daquan Cook
Lakers: Artest

I think the spurs and the celtics are the two best teams in the league. lets just face it, the lakers would have gotten abused again last year if Garnett was healthy. There should be an asterik next to that lakers title

[Blame Rasho]

The Mavs are a great team. They match up very well vs us and I expect them to be at the top of the west and eventually we will have to face them and beat them if we want to get to the finals.