Dallas Mavericks Season Preview
…where we’re sure they’ll be just fine.
by Ben Collins
For every other season preview, go here.
This internal dialogue has happened to Dallas Mavericks fans twice over the past five months:
“Looks like we have a pretty good team going in. Oh cute, they’re winning. MATT BARNES!? REALLY!? Phew. At least it wasn’t Matt Barnes again. My God, Avery, will you switch it up? Please? No, don’t go older! Isn’t that just going to take more shots away from Dirk? Wait, what? He’s going on vacation? Kill me. Kill me now. I cannot wait until someone kills me.”
The above thought processes first happened over the course of two weeks, when the Mavericks were eliminated in six games by a Warriors team all hyped up on speed and horrified by Stephen Jackson’s moving, .44-wielding locker room speech (“WE WILL ADVANCE OR KELENNA AZUBUIKE IS NEXT! You think I’m kidding? Have you seen Dajuan Wagner lately?).
The dialogue was repeated when Mavs fans had to sit through the team’s offseason. After flirting with such mid-level exception disaster scenarios (Matt Barnes, Chris Webber, PJ Brown, Matt Barnes, Matt Barnes) that would make Jared Jeffries look like he’s picking up food stamps, the Mavs calmed down, collected themselves and did the smart thing: nothing. They sat on their hands and waited out the entire major free-agency period.
Small problem: they forgot they had to make some sort of move.
Well, I’m sure they didn’t forget – I think Donnie Nelson and Mark Cuban go on the RealGM trade machine to trade Erick Dampier for Gilbert Arenas, giggle and share stories about their crushes while they eat popcorn about 15 times a day – but they were too selective.
What Dallas needed in the offseason was a backup power forward who could score in the post and play a more physical game than Dirk Nowitzki. The interchangeable white power forward conglomerate from the past two years (Keith Van Horn, Austin Croshere) combined with hustle-players well-past their prime (Alan Henderson, Eduardo Najera, Danny Fortson) to backup the MVP clearly needed to stop. The offense would carry on like Dirk was still on the court but, alas, that was Keith Van Horn taking a 30-footer with a hand in his face — not Dirk Nowitzki — so the results just made you very angry at Keith Van Horn.
Now, the backups to Dirk are Juwan “Herpasaurus Rex” Howard and Brandon Bass, who has played in 50 games since going undrafted in 2005. Too old. Too young. Too bad.
The team also has thirty shooting guards, but minutes for only one or two. Dallas picked up Trenton Hassell, a solid wing defender who could provide some Kobe-stopper minutes when necessary, and somehow ducked out of Greg Buckner’s albatross contract in the process. But will Eddie Jones be of any help when Jason Terry and Devean George are playing minutes at the two this year? Plus, won’t riding around in that Jazzy scooter that he got free in his Medicaid package be a negative influence? Did they cut DJ M’Benga because he was jealous? These are all questions that need to be answered.
Plus, there was that argument that this team needed to be shaken up. Marc Stein, the Benjamin Franklin of the whole thesis, says that any team that goes through such a devastating, history-making loss in the postseason needs to make a big splash and blow up their roster. He’s been on the Kobe-to-Dallas bandwagon all along.
And, you know what? It might work. Kobe might come here, tear up the West with Dirk and we won’t be writing about Brandon Bass for the rest of this season. But here’s an important thing to remember:
This Dallas Mavericks team won 67 games last year. And we haven’t even brought that up yet.
Because, absurdity aside, there’s a point to all of this. Avery Johnson strayed from his season-long starting lineup in that tumultuous series against the Golden State Warriors last year because Erick Dampier was so hurt that he’ll miss the start of this season. Not because of incompetence. This was deliberately kept below-the-radar.
League MVP Dirk Nowitzki looked spacey during the final games of that series last year in part because of his Dad, whom he would call during half-time to get updates on the surgery that he had during the series. He recently went on vacation to clear his head. This was deliberately kept below-the-radar.
Mark Cuban and Donnie Nelson watched the Celtics and Rockets take enormous steps forward, even ahead of the Mavericks in some power rankings, and the Mavericks did essentially nothing. Reasons why are probably deliberately kept-below-the-radar.
But it’s easy to guess those reasons: when a 67-win team does nothing in the offseason but get a little more experienced, a little better, and somehow pressure is removed from them, then there is nothing more dangerous.
Especially since they didn’t sign that Matt Barnes guy. That would’ve been a complete disaster.
Estimated Record: 61-21. First in the West; first in the Southwest.
PG – Devin Harris/Jason Terry/Jose Juan Barea
SG – Jerry Stackhouse/Eddie Jones/Trenton Hassell/Mo Ager
SF – Josh Howard/Devean George
PF – Dirk Nowitzki/Juwan Howard/Brandon Bass/Nick Fazekas
C – Erick Dampier/DeSagana Diop
34 Responses to “Dallas Mavericks Season Preview”
Oct.31 at 4:12 pm
Co Co says:
Matt Barnes could have been the difference Ben.
Oct.31 at 4:13 pm
Co Co says:
oh, first.
Oct.31 at 4:20 pm
Tarzan Cooper says:
i wonder if ron mexico called juwan
Oct.31 at 4:20 pm
Tarzan Cooper says:
Oct.31 at 4:25 pm
Ben Osborne says:
Ben Collins lives! Nice work, my man.
Oct.31 at 4:29 pm
white hot eboy says:
Written like a true writer. Nice job, Ben. So a dip in wins, and a new attitude for the season….interesting.
Oct.31 at 4:29 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
I think they cut D.J. M’Benga because no one actually knew who he was. “I thought you signed him?” “No, I thought YOU signed him.”
Oct.31 at 4:34 pm
Darksaber says:
Dampier better do something this season, or i’m wishing him back on the Warriors. Wait, was that a long term strategy? Have him Play like a beast in his contract year, then pawn him off to Dallas, so that he can contribute less than 3 points and 3 rebounds in last year’s playoffs? aahhhh, cunning warriors, cunning. As for Dirk, super typ und sehr, sehr, sehr guter Spieler. Hoffe es geht dem Vater besser, Dirty!! Houston and the champs sure look strong (T-Mac looked like he was playing on cruise control last night and STILL scored 30) but i’m still rooting for Dallas.
Oct.31 at 4:36 pm
Darksaber says:
Oh and picking up Juwan was a plus. He’ll definetely contribute more than Eric Damp or even Desagana right away. Bet the Celtics are kicking themselves for not making that move ahead of Cuban.
Oct.31 at 4:39 pm
Sam Rubenstein says:
Excellent work Collins. The Dampier injury was a fact that was accessible to the world during the playoff series, but people refused to believe that an Erick Dampier injury could affect a playoff series.
Oct.31 at 4:40 pm
Bryan says:
I hope the mavs don’t do sh*t this year…Sam is logged into Myspace it’s a miracle.
Oct.31 at 4:46 pm
Bryan says:
I just don’t like the mavs players..Jason Terry got better since ATL though cause I remember going to Hawks games and just being appalled watching him play.I like Josh Howard but I can’t stand Devin Harris..and everyone knows how I feel about Dirk..Good player but not a leading superstar..Maybe he can change? but it’s a little late in the game so who knows.
Oct.31 at 4:55 pm
Ben Collins says:
Oh, by the way, with no backup and J-Ho and Damp tonight, Dirk might drop 50 over Z and Dwight tonight.
Oct.31 at 5:05 pm
H to the izzo says:
New banner?
Oct.31 at 5:14 pm
Sam Rubenstein says:
I logged on to myspace to see a photo of a friend of mine who is now apparently a boxer. Facebook is so much better. Back to the Mavs.
Oct.31 at 5:19 pm
ForzaMilan says:
Juwan Howard can injure one key superstar in a playoff series that’s in the balance. He’s good at that. Injury maker 3000.
Oct.31 at 5:30 pm
Bryan says:
I just want one comment Sam….Hater.I said what I needed to say about the Mavs..I guess I like Stackhouse ok too , he’s pretty tough minded.They’re gonna be no lower than the 3rd seed and they hopefully meet the suns in the WCF and Nash is gonna bust their ass and Amare is gonna go to work on whoever is gaurding him and Marion is gonna take a lesson from Stephen Jackson and get in Dirks jock all series.
Oct.31 at 5:30 pm
Daniel says:
“Blah Blah Blah Mavs are psychologically damaged Blah Blah Blah won’t know anything until May Blah Blah Blah Chokers Blah Blah Blah Mavs are psychologically damaged Blah Blah Blah…” Thank you, Slam, for not doing the same rote and facile cliches as everybody else. Dallas is going to be an afterthought and disrespected all year long, and that’s for the best. They’ll thrive in the role of underdogs.
Oct.31 at 5:32 pm
Daniel says:
Shawn Marion can’t guard Dirk, Bryan. Not that the Suns would get that far if their path includes San Antonio. Dallas is a favorable matchup for Phoenix, but the Suns are San Antonio’s bitch. After selling off Kurt Thomas and bringing in Grant Hill and his antler ankles, I don’t see how that’s changed.
Oct.31 at 5:34 pm
Bryan says:
You’re sick if you think Marion can’t gaurd Dirk , they had f*cking Matt Barnes and Al Harrington on him and he couldn’t do sh*t.
Oct.31 at 5:36 pm
Bryan says:
I think right now the matchup favors the suns against San Antonio also…Amare and Tim Duncan are gonna play each other to a stalemate.I think Steve Nash will outperform Parker..Ginonbli is obviously better than Bell but I think Bell can Disrupt him more than most can and Bowen may shut down Marion but he will contribute elsewhere and that leaves Grant Hill who I guess everyone forgot played very well in limited minutes last year and was an all star the year before that.
Oct.31 at 5:57 pm
Ken says:
Great write up. I loved the imagery of a gun wielding S-Jack giving a threatening locker room speech.
Oct.31 at 8:32 pm
Dyce says:
I have to say, I hate absolutely hate devean george and his game…..I cant think of a positive thing he does on the basketball court other than chuck up 3s……The only improvement needed was a power forward.
Oct.31 at 8:57 pm
Doug Brown says:
Amare and Duncan may both be able to score at will, but to say they will play to a stalemate just isn’t true. Duncan is an amazing defender and vocal leader. Just his help defence alone puts him above Amare, not mentioning his court presence and his superior passing skills.
Oct.31 at 8:58 pm
Doug Brown says:
Also D.George has a nasty game Dyce, I cannot argue wit that
Oct.31 at 8:59 pm
Young Chris #3 says:
If Scary Amare is officially back, then Timmy will only dream of playing him to a stalemate if they meet in the playoffs… I’m just sayin…
Oct.31 at 9:53 pm
Dyce says:
Nasty as in good or nasty as in bad?
Nov.1 at 8:47 am
Tarzan Cooper says:
ben, 15 isnt quite 50 is it? i think you meant drew.
Nov.1 at 9:00 am
Navid says:
Matt Barnes played six good games last year against one team. Overrated, no longer worrying about a contract… and did you notice how the pacers are behaving now? s-jack’s gonna take Barnes and other warriors out to the strip club, start a fight (which all teammates will join) and bring out the gun… it’s inevitable that trouble is coming Barnesy’s way
Nov.1 at 9:07 am
Daniel says:
You are such a homer, Bryan. Amare plays on one side of the court, Duncan is a much more complete player. Steve Nash has never outplayed Tony Parker…ever, whether he’s wearing purple and orange or blue and white. They don’t need Kurt Thomas when they’re running crap teams off the floor in January, but they DO need him against a team like the Spurs. I think he was a big reason why they put up so much more resistance last year against San Antonio than they did in 05. He allowed them to get away with not doubling Duncan all the time, and on offense, he consistently hit that midrange jumper when the Spurs sagged off of him and stayed home on everybody else. I don’t see Skinner having the same impact. They can still win a title if Dallas does their dirty work for them, but they did nothing this summer to narrow the gap between them and the Spurs. In fact, they most assuredly let it widen. D’Antoni says he plans on playing Grant Hill 30 mpg, which is ludicrous. Hill brings value, he will run the offense when Nash is on the bench and he’ll be a good veteran presence in that locker room, but he’s more of what they already have and he doesn’t bring enough of what they lack. As for Marion not being able to guard Dirk, last time they met in the playoffs, Dirk dropped fifty on him. Keep thinking that the Warrior series is typical Dirk, keep putting stock in those six games over the totality of his nine-year career. Last time I checked, he’s gotten his team past the Spurs and into a Finals, something his little buddy in the desert can’t seem to do to save his life. I love Nash, I love what he’s about, but if he wants a ring so bad, he can pull a Gary Payton.
Nov.1 at 9:26 am
Ryan Jones says:
I predict they’ll beat the Cavs by 20 on opening night.
Nov.1 at 1:04 pm
Dallas J says:
Ben FINALLY writes a Mavs article on slamonline. And to you haters - suck it.
Nov.1 at 6:56 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Jonestradamus over here.
Apr.2 at 3:09 am
hursty says:
HI