Nobody wants to hear the superstar on their team talking about how the team is not playing well at this time.  Sure, it might be true, but you still don’t want to hear it when the team has much higher aspirations than just making the playoffs.

Dirk says he’s concerned.  Now, I know part of that is him just being honest and giving credit to another team that he knows will play well. However, I still don’t think this is comforting.

“We’re not set to make the playoffs yet.  We still have a lot of work to do. I think Memphis is going to make a hard push when Zach [Randolph] comes back, and Houston is playing a lot better and some of those teams behind us are making a strong case. We’ve got our hands full and we know we’ve got to play better.”

Ok, you can say that you need to play better, and you can even give credit to the Grizzlies whom you know will play well when Randolph returns.  But, still.

The teams behind you are making a strong case?  That’s code for, “Teams that are not as good as us are about to step up here and kick our butts.”  That’s a pretty big problem.  Actually, that’s a really big problem.  You mean to tell me that Dirk thinks that the Mavs cannot beat teams that they are better than?

Ouch!

Sure, I’m all about doing some motivation through the media, but geez louis, people.

We’ve got our hands full.  Well, that’s code for, “We don’t see how we’re going to beat the teams that are as good or better than us.”  That’s not good either.  There should be some kind of belief of invincibility within the Dallas organization because they are the defending champions.

Shouldn’t there?

If you watch Phineas and Ferb, there’s a great episode where the family goes to London.  The arch-nemsis of Perry the Platypus (yes, the family platypus is a secret agent who kicks tail,) Dr. Doofenschmirtz, runs not only into Perry the Platypus, but into Agent Double O-O (voiced by the incredibly awesome and talented Damien Lewis from Life and Band of Brothers.)  Anyways, they’re talking, and Doofenschmirtz says that “If he’s P and you’re OO, together that spells” (of course he’s going for poo.)  Then, Double O-O gets all testy about it and says, “They’re not )’s, they’re zeroes, alright.”  Then, Doofenschmirtz counters with, “I think I struck a nerve therrrrre.”

Well, if I start talking about the third quarter, I think I’m going to strike a nerve, but this nerve needs to be struck.  When did this team fall apart in the 2006 finals?  Oh yeah, in the third quarter.  What’s happening now?  They’re melting down in the third quarter.

They’re basically back to where they were before they got Tyson Chandler.  Oh geez, there, I said it.  Tyson Chandler was a big deal and he’s not here now.  I’ve even said in this space that I thought that they could just make a new path without Chandler, but it’s looking like some old habits only died hard when he was around.

Surely, these are correctable problems, but if we don’t bring up the fact that there is some kind of odd coincidence going on here, then we’re not being honest with ourselves.

There is only one way to fix this.  We can’t fix it.  Rick Carlisle has to jump on the team.  Lose his grits on them.  Go CRAZY over the third quarter.  Scare the crap out of them, force them to do it right, and then all is well.  It’s not fun, but it must be done.

Rick Carlisle kicked a ball into the stands after a tough loss to the Thunder on Wednesday.  Cuban was fined $75,000 and Carlisle was fined $35,000.  Cuban was criticizing the officiating after the game because, well, they stunk.

I think we all know that pro sports officials, on the whole, are actually not very good.  Especially in baseball and basketball, they are usually very bad at their jobs.  So, I think it’s fair for an owner of a team (someone who has a major investment in the product the league puts out being good) to speak up.  Unfortunately, the league doesn’t see it that way.  Here’s what Cuban had to say after the loss on Wednesday:

“Look, I haven’t said a whole lot about the officiating in a long, long time, but I haven’t seen it this bad in a long, long time.  Guys miss calls; that’s part of the game. You’re not always going to have a great crew. Officials have got to learn that’s part of the game.”

“But these were officials that have been part of the league for years, and it was just off-the-charts bad. And if no one ever says anything, nothing ever happens.”

“If no one ever says anything, nothing ever happens,  We turn in stuff not after every game, but we turn in stuff all the time and we get ‘inconclusive; inconclusive; yeah, we missed this; yeah, we got it right.’ That’s all fine and good, but there’s nobody reporting to us on accountability. And that needs to change.”

“There’s a lot of guys and teams that aren’t having great starts to the season and there’s a lot of crews that aren’t having great starts to the season. The league needs to make some adjustments because you can’t have it like this all the time.”

Let’s go through this quickly.  True.  True.  The NBA doesn’t care.  True.

Cuban is the only voice of reason left, isn’t he?

Charles Barkley dished on Dallas’ ESPN 103.3 about Dirk, the Mavs, and beating the clock.  He talked about how Dirk’s age is starting to get in the way.  (I think we already knew this, but Charles knows about this first hand, so it’s fair to pay attention.)

“Dirk’s getting old bro. Father Time is undefeated. You know, Dirk’s been a great great player for a long time and he’s been in the playoffs pretty much every year. Father Time is catching up with him.”

“That’s the way it happens, you drop off the face of the earth. His days of being the man are over. I hate to break it to you. I lived it. When you’re a great player it hits you quicker, too, more than anybody because you have further to fall. You can be a guy like who’s a good solid player and you can hide it for a couple years, but when you’re a great player you have further to fall.”

“Mavericks aren’t going to win the championship bro, it’s over. They can’t beat Oklahoma City, I don’t think they can beat Denver or Portland, cause those are the three best teams I’ve seen in the West all year. They are too old and too slow. Losing Tyson Chandler and DeShawn Stevenson really killed them.”

I think, in some ways, Charles is right.  However, when you get down to the idea of Dallas not repeating, I think it is clear that while losing Stevenson and Chandler was a bad thing, it merely changed the course that this team would take to a title.  So, it’s not so much about pouting about not having the right people.  The Mavs moved on from that and came up with a new plan.

Charles would seem to be right on the face of it, but the Mavs aren’t playing like Charles has described right now.  Let’s hope it stays this way.

 photo credit: believekevin

Now Delonte West and Vince Carter have decided to step up.  In a 122-99 win over the Suns, the Mavs had Vince Carter putting down threes, Delonte West driving, and people coming out of the woodwork to make this team go.  As many times as the Mavs will have something happen (Dirk’s knee hurts, Jason Kidd is injured) they have people to step up and take charge.  I was very concerned that without Tyson Chandler they wouldn’t have as much heart, but I think that winning that title last year made them into believers.

Think of the true-believerism that was made when they won a title and they said to each other, “We can do this no matter what.”  Well, that sentiment is pervasive throughout the team and you can see it as they drain threes one night and play hardcore defense the next night.

When you’ve got Vince Carter bought in and just taking smart shots, you know you’ve done something right.  When you have Delonte West coming off the trash heap (being labeled as a guy who was only worth talking about because he played with LeBron) playing as well as he did last night, you know that the coaching and team atmosphere is amazing.

So, if people are stepping up all night, how can anyone beat the Mavs?  I don’t know.  They could have a problem in the regular season, they could not be the top seed in the west, but when they get in the playoffs, I don’t think I would want to play them.  Fans of other teams think to themselves, “I don’t want to have anything to do with them.”  I’ve thought that before, and I know you have, too.  Now, the Mavs fall into that category.  Who knows who will bite you the next time you play Dallas?

Dirk Nowitzki came back from his break to help lead the Mavericks to a win.  However, Jason Kidd will be out for at least a week with a strained calf.  Age is abounding in Dallas.  So, how can the team possibly have everybody healthy at the same time, at the end of the season?

Well, I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating.  Stop caring about the regular season.  As long as you’re in the top four in the playoffs, you’re all good.  It’s the Laker and Celtic philosophy.  You just need to get there.  However, how much rest is required when two older players have to be sitting in and out for a certain number of games because they are injured?

Plus, Dirk isn’t 100%, he’s just good enough to go in the game.  When you read his quotes about his first game back, you see that he’s really hurting:

“Moving better, got a couple of one-dribble, two-dribble-and-up pull-ups, which basically was nonexistent before I left.  It’s coming back. My legs are getting stronger, my base is getting stronger, so I just got to keep on working.”

I think he needs to keep working on it, too, but I do not believe that that is going to be enough.  Plus, when Jason Kidd isn’t in the game, there is not an extra facilitator and shooter.  Kidd is not a spring chicken, but he made critical passes and shots last season.  He cannot continue to do that if he is hobbled this year.

So, how long do you hold Kidd out?  Longer than a week.  You have to balance your time with him in with the amount of time you have left in the season.  You want the whole team to be healthy and ready all at the same time for the playoffs.

 photo credit: Bari D

The Mavs come into tonight’s game without veteran guard Jason Kidd, who will be out for around a week after straining his calf. Dallas will potentially be without Dirk Nowitzki, with his status set as questionable for tonight’s encounter with the Spurs.

On Friday night, the Mavs showed their great roster depth in overcoming the Utah Jazz in a very impressive performance. Roddy Beaubois and Lamar Odom got 22 and 19 points respectively, with Roddy starting in place of Delonte West.

The Mavs take on the Spurs tonight with tip-off at 6.30pm. In recent seasons, contests between the Mavs and Spurs have been fast, physical and entertaining, providing one of the best rivalries in the NBA.

The two teams met in San Antonio in early January, with the Spurs grabbing the victory over a struggling Mavs. However, with the Mavs starting to gel and gain rhythm, they have to be favourites going into the game tonight, especially as the Spurs are on the road where they have a record of 2-7 so far.

With an impeccable home record of 10-1 for the Spurs, they come into the contest with an overall record of 12-8, identical to that of Dallas. They continue to be without the services of Manu Ginobli, the Argentinean guard, who is still struggling with a broken shooting hand. The Spurs are 7-5 without Ginobli in the team, but young New York native Danny Green has been a bright spark for the Spurs whilst covering for the injured Ginobli.

As mentioned early in the article, Jason Kidd is not playing tonight along with Delonte West and Vince Carter. With decent guards out, Roddy Beaubois and Jason Terry are going to have to step up tonight and get the ball rolling for the Mavs going forward. Dirk Nowitzki is also most probably out, meaning Lamar Odom will see his minutes continue to increase. Although Dirk’s absence isn’t a good thing for the Mavs, it has brought positivity to Odom’s game as he has started to find some rhythm and consistency as he looks to become the player we all know he is.

Despite the respective injuries it should be a good game tonight, with the winner topping the division.

Dirk Nowitzki isn’t afraid of anyone in the western conference.  I’m not particularly sure why, but I just know that he said he thinks the Mavs can handle anybody who comes at them.  If that is the case, then I think we need to look at his comments and break them down to make sure he hasn’t lost his mind.

“I haven’t seen one team in the West that I’m scared of.  I really haven’t. I think we can compete with all of them.”

“Oklahoma City has probably the best record, but I think we’ve played them well every time we’ve seen them and everybody else has been up and down.”

“All we have to do is keep working and hopefully keep everyone healthy and be there when it counts and in the playoffs, but I’m not scared of seeing anyone I’ve seen.”

Ok, so OKC does have the best record, but that doesn’t mean everything.  The one seed in a particular conference does not always win the finals.  It’s just easier to get there is all.

If he’s not scared of anyone he’s played, then that means he thinks the Mavs can play up to the level they played at last year.  If that were actually the case, I think the Mavs would have started off better.  That doesn’t mean they suck, it just means they would have hit the ground running.  Without any ground running, it’s kind of hard to say that you aren’t scared of anyone because you are, presumably, confident that you can beat anyone who comes your way.

Frankly, I understand the ideal behind it.  You show no fear.  However, in reality, the Thunder are GOOD, the Mavs miss Tyson Chandler, and this is not 2011 anymore.  We need to be honest with ourselves, ok?

This team has changed.

It sounds like the title of a Michael Moore documentary.  ”Cuban for Dodgers.”  I can see it now.  He’s following around Mark Cuban as he tries to convince the EXCEEDINGLY old school baseball establishment that he’s good for baseball and he should be able to buy the Dodgers.  Michael Moore, I want residuals, ok?

Well, it appears that that movie does not end happily.  The Blackstone Group, which is handling the sale of the team for Frank McCourt, has narrowed down their list of bidders, and Mark Cuban is not on it.

Well, what does that mean for Cuban, Dallas, the Mavs, and sports in general?

Well, I think it first means that Cuban will simply try to buy another team.  He turned around the Dallas Mavericks.  Do we all remember how bad this team was?  Now, it’s been so long since they sucked that teenagers don’t even realize this franchise used to be a laughingstock and a punchline in the NBA.

So, who would he buy?  Who cares.  Listen, if you’re a Dallas fan, of any kind, you’re a Cuban fan as well.  You have to be.  The man has made this team relevant, they just won a title, and old school owners who have sucky teams despise him.  That’s enough to make me a fan right there.

However, don’t think that just because he would buy another team that the Mavs wouldn’t get any attention.  Listen, ya’ll, this is the best owner in sports.  If you could pick anyone to own two teams at once, it would be this guy.  He’s smart, he cares, and he makes the time to show up.

You will have to cherish your time with him when he’s in town, but your owner can change the face of sports, and you can say you were there when it all became reality.  Just because you’re in Dallas.

After a very tough start to the season with his new team, Lamar Odom received some good news as he made the final squad to represent team USA at the London Olympic Games in the summer. Odom takes a spot in the roster amongst huge amounts of talent in what is a sublime team, which should take the Gold medal.

The full roster for the 2012 Olympics is as follows;

LaMarcus Aldridge (Portland Trailblazers)

Carmelo Anthony (New York Knicks)

Chauncey Billups (LA Clippers)

Chris Bosh (Miami Heat)

Kobe Bryant (LA Lakers)

Tyson Chandler (New York Knicks)

Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder)

Rudy Gay (Memphis Grizzlies)

Eric Gordon (New Orleans Hornets)

Blake Griffin (LA Clippers)

Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic)

Andre Iguodala (Philadelphia 76ers)

LeBron James (Miami Heat)

Kevin Love (Minnesota Timberwolves)

Lamar Odom  (Dallas Mavericks)

Chris Paul (LA Clippers)

Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls)

Dwayne Wade (Miami Heat)

Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder)

Deron Williams (New Jersey Nets)

Along with being selected for team USA, it seems that Odom is also starting to settle in with the Mavericks. The 32-year-old forward scored a season-high 19 points in last night’s impressive 116-101 win over the Utah Jazz at the American Airlines Center.

Speaking about his solid performance last night, Odom said, “It feels good, there is a lot of support since I’ve arrived on this team from all the players and everybody, the city of Dallas. They’ve made the transition comfortable. I’m proud to be a Maverick. I had fun and just played the game, had fun and made some open shots.”

It looks like Lamar could start to show some of the form that made him a great Laker for several seasons. With Dirk looking a bit shaky this season, Odom’s minutes could start to rise and he could become an integral part of the team in their quest to retain the title.

The Mavs face a tough test on Sunday as they welcome divisional rivals San Antonio to the AAC for what should be a great encounter. Tip off is at 6.30pm.