05/19/09 Dallas Mavericks

Not Being Okay with Mediocrity
By Albert Nguyen

What a wild ride this year. Although the Mavericks endured countless ups and downs throughout the season, some would have to consider that the team ultimately exceeded expectations. The so called "experts" predicted that Dallas would miss the playoffs this year. However, not only did Dallas continue their streak of 50-win seasons and a playoff berth to 8 years in a row, they managed to advance out of the first round. Of course, they ran into a much more talented and deeper team in the Denver Nuggets in the second round, but they still averaged 107 points a game while shooting 48% from the field. The numbers suggest that Mavericks are still potent offensively mainly due to Dirk Nowitzki's brilliance and Rick Carlisle's play calling coming out of time outs, but their shortcomings defensively became even more glaring during the series.

With three of the four players who averaged more than thirty minutes this year above thirty years of age, it is quite apparent that the Mavericks are in desperate need of some youth and athleticism. Many will argue that the championship window of this current core of Mavericks have long been shut, so it is up to Mark Cuban and the rest of the front office to decide whether or not that is true or not. If they genuinely believe that it is time for a drastic change in the personnel, then the braintrust must be firm in what they want and what they are willing to give up. I am a believer in if you have Dirk Nowitzki on your team, you will always have a chance, so I want to see the team build for now instead of loading up for the future. Here are some of the moves that I would love to see this offseason that goes along with this point:

1. Get Chris Bosh
Toronto is allegedly in salary dump mode. With the economy the way it is, owners are rushing to get under the luxury tax for the next couple of seasons. However, the biggest reason why this dream might come true for the Mavericks is because of how public Bosh has been on wanting to come back to his hometown of Dallas to play. Bosh would be a great move for the present as well as the future.

2. Get Richard Jefferson or Gerald Wallace or Rudy Gay
The Bucks are looking to move one of their big salaries (Jefferson or Redd) before they commit major dollars to Ramon Sessions, so if Dallas can package a deal including Jerry Stackhouse's 7 million expiring contract and other assets, Milwaukee would have to at least look at what Dallas offers if they are seriously looking to get rid of their inflated contracts.
The Bobcats' head coach, Larry Brown, has been a big fan of Josh Howard ever since he entered the league, and when you couple that with the fact that Howard is from North Carolina, there could be some substance to the rumors. Realistically, it may be a stretch because Charlotte's biggest issue coming into the offseason is deciding what to do with the DJ Augustin and Raymond Felton situation; Michael Jordan and company are not going to do anything until they get that sorted out first.
Nobody has really talked about acquiring Rudy Gay, it may be because of my personal bias towards the ex-UConn star, but I feel he would be the perfect compliment for Jason Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki. OJ Mayo clearly took over the leadership role on the Grizzlies during his rookie season, forcing Gay to frequently defer to the young point guard. Thus, it may be smart for Memphis to use Gay in a deal to bolster their front line. I would give up Josh Howard and Brandon Bass in a deal for Rudy Gay. Most importantly, this would mean that Dallas would still hold their most valuable trading asset (Jerry Stackhouse's contract), to work with to improve the team.

3. Get Rasheed Wallace and Allen Iverson
They are both free agents coming into the off-season (so one or both would have to be acquired via sign and trades) and both are clearly on the downsides of their careers. However, if they are teamed up with Dallas's tandem of Kidd and Dirk, that might be the push to encourage a renaissance in their respective careers. Iverson gives Dallas a legitimate scorer to play alongside Dirk while Rasheed gives them the defensive toughness and offensive repertoire at the center position that Erick Dampier has never provided.

4. Get Chris Kaman
It is no secret that Donald Sterling, the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, is always in a cost cutting mindset. And with their bottleneck at big man with Zach Randolph, Marcus Camby, and Chris Kaman, Kaman may be the odd man out. I am not as high on Kaman as most, but he is a talented big man who can be more than serviceable on both the offensive and defensive ends of the court. His biggest downfall as a player so far in his career is trying to stay healthy. With the Clippers winning the lottery, and Blake Griffin being the projected #1 pick overall, this makes Kaman even more expendable.

5. Get Ron Artest
I would offer Mr. Artest the entire Mid-Level exception if I were Mark Cuban. Ron Artest has publicly expressed his desire to re-sign with the Rockets so maybe this deal was over before it even began. But, if there is any chance that the Mavericks could acquire such a talented and physical player, they must seriously look into what they can do.

Of course there are many more rumors ranging from guys like Vince Carter to Chris Paul, either way Dallas is in dire need of infusing new talent and blood into their lineup. You cannot be standing still when your team is clearly mediocre, it is now Cuban's time to put his money where his mouth has always been, especially since so many owners around the league are scrambling to clear up cap space for the summer of 2010.

Copyright © 2009
Email: alnguyen84@gmail.com

11/25/07 Dallas Mavericks

Wait and See
By Albert Nguyen

The Dallas Mavericks have elected to enter the new season with basically their core intact. Jason Terry, the center of trade talks throughout the summer, have been moved to the bench where he will be the first offensive option as the team's 6th man. Will this particular approach be successful in the end? We will not find out until April comes rolling around. However, in the mean time, the Mavericks have come out and managed to win nine games before earning their fourth loss this season compared to zero wins a year ago and nobody inside the Dallas braintrust feel that they are playing close to their potential, which is encouraging.

The 2006/07 NBA MVP, Dirk Nowitzki, seems to be somewhat off with his shot in the first 13 games, which includes an astounding 12% drop in his free throw percentage from a year ago. After being front and center in Dallas's epic collapses the last two years in the playoffs and playing for his country again this past summer, you can't help but wonder if Dirk is emotionally and physically drained at this point. A lot was made about his trip to the Australian Outback where he literally shut out the rest of the world, but there is nothing on earth that can make him forget about what has happened to him, each time he steps back onto an NBA court. Although, Dirk is not playing up to the standards we are all accustomed to so far this season, we have fortunately seen other players step up in his stead:

Devin Harris
He is unquestionably playing the best basketball of his professional career. It is funny what happens when talented young players get more playing time in this league. After being named the starting point guard for the Mavericks, Devin is averaging career highs in minutes (31.6), points (16.0), assists (5.3), and rebounds (3.2).

Brandon Bass
What a pleasant surprise. Basketball experts always point out the fact that it takes big guys a longer time to figure out the NBA game and being only 22 years old, he is well on his way to becoming a solid professional for a long time. Scoring 9.8 points and grabbing 5.6 rebounds a game, Bass may potentially be the answer to the Mavericks' long-time search for a complimentary backup for Dirk.

Jason Terry
The first thing out of his mouth when asked about Coach Johnson's decision to utilize him as the team's 6th man is the National Championship he helped Arizona win in 1997 playing the same role. JET seems to always say the right things and you can't help but agree with him thus far this year. Career highs in field goal, three point, and free throw percentages, makes Terry a lethal weapon off the bench taking full advantage of playing against the opponent's second team.

Despite the fact that the Mavericks are only a few games into the season, the team has managed to come out victorious in some pretty big statement games. Dallas is 1-0 against the Warriors, the team who knocked them out in the first round a year ago; 1-0 against the Spurs, the defending champions; and 2-0 against the Rockets, the other inner-state rival.

As stated earlier, fans will not know if this particular core of players have what it takes to win it all in the end, but it is definitely too early to tell. Let's wait and see what happens.

Copyright © 2007
Email: alnguyen84@gmail.com

07/24/07 Dallas Mavericks

No Storybook Endings in Dallas
By Albert Nguyen

Two years. Two playoff meltdowns. Two tragic endings.

It's been a pretty rough time for the Dallas Mavericks nation to say the least. There are obvious holes and glaring weaknesses that the Mavericks must address; outside shooting, a legitimate low post threat, point guard play, and back court defense to name a few. Even though they shattered the previous franchise record with 67 regular season wins in their 2006/07 campaign, many of you know that the success of this team should not be graded by how well they do in the regular season but how they finish in the playoffs.

A first round defeat is always tough to swallow no matter how you spin it, but being the #1 seed makes it historical and embarrassing. Winning 67 games was and still is fools gold for Dallas, because it gives the organization the false impression that the team does not have much left to do and are not far off from finally winning that elusive first title. However, with the improvement of the teams in the Western Conference--again, Dallas should look more closely with what is going on around them.

• San Antonio Spurs - Re-signed all of their veteran pieces for another run and Parker looks like he has reached a whole new level after his NBA Finals MVP performance. And oh yeah, they still have the best coach/player 1-2 punch in the game with Popovich and Duncan.
  
• Phoenix Suns - Added a more than capable Grant Hill for basically nothing to an already stacked roster full of talent. They have at least eight players that can start on any other NBA team.
  
• Houston Rockets - Vastly improved their bench this off season, which was their biggest flaw from last year. They still managed to win 52 games with injuries to both Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming in 2007. No doubt, they will be better this year.
• Utah Jazz - Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer are riding high after their splendid playoffs catapulting them into stardom, they might even end up being better than Stockton and Malone.
  
• Denver Nuggets - Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony will have a training camp and a full year to play together which gives them a lot more opportunities to coexist.

Not to mention the bottom teams of the Western Conference improving, Portland and Seattle picking one and two in this year's NBA draft respectively have put them back on the basketball map. Greg Oden is a solid pick and will be a legitimate center in this league averaging a double double, but watch out for Kevin Durant. Once his body catches up with his skills, he is going to be an offensive machine, just look at Team USA's scrimmage this past weekend for evidence.

It gives me a sick feeling in my stomach watching other teams improve while Dallas stands pat and ultimately does nothing. Sure, the re-signings of Jerry Stackhouse and Devean George should not be taken lightly but they were already on the team from last year. Looking at the big picture, if the summer ends with Dallas only making lateral moves, then I don't see how it can not be considered as a failure especially considering the fact that it is widely known there are big name superstars on the trading block.

For the Mavericks, the core of players have been together for a few years now, which means they all know one another well and have good chemistry on the court, so it won't be surprising if Dallas has another 60-win season. However, when it comes to playoff time, the NBA is built around superstars and superstars receiving superstar treatment. Unless the Mavericks add another legitimate superstar to team up with Dirk, I see another season that will fall short of expectations in 2008.

Copyright © 2007
Email: alnguyen84@gmail.com

11/02/06: Dallas Mavericks

Unfinished Business
By Albert Nguyen

Last season ended in heartbreak--there is no sugarcoating this fact. But, the question is can blame really be put on one single player or coach or play?

Dirk's missed free throws.
The terrible officiating.
Wade's legendary performance.
Avery Johnson's inability to adjust in games 3-6.
Josh Howard's "timeout".
Even David Hasselhoff chants from the Miami hopefuls.

There were so many factors that led to the Maverick's ultimate demise in the Finals. However, everyone closely tied to the organization feels strongly on the basis that it was Dallas who lost the championship and not Miami who won it. This can easily be picked up by the moves, or lack there of, Dallas had made during the offseason. Maybe the signings of Devean George and Greg Buckner are enough to put the Mavericks over the top. Maybe the continuing growth of the core players (Nowitzki, Howard, Terry, Harris) will finally put Dallas into the basketball promised land. We will soon find out.

Copyright © 2006
Email: alnguyen84@gmail.com

01/31/05: Dallas Mavericks

So far, So...
By Albert Nguyen

The midway point in the NBA season consequently brings forth countless questions and answers to each franchise and their respective front offices, players, and fans. For the Dallas Mavericks, such questions include:

1. Should ownership have re-signed MVP candidate and beloved all-star point guard, Steve Nash, this past off-season rather then letting him go and join with the surprising and high scoring 36-10 Phoenix Suns?
2. Can Erick Dampier improve his play and be the "true" center that Dallas has desperately needed for many years to reach their championship aspirations living up to his 70-million-dollar deal he signed this summer?
3. Will lingering injuries be an on-going problem for the two second-year standouts, plaguing the rest of Josh Howard's and Marquis Daniels's seasons and ultimately their potentially great careers?

Last season was definitely a forgettable one for most Mavericks fans across the country, thus, the summer offered management the opportunity to fix what ultimately went wrong, resulting in only six of the fifteen players from last year retaining a spot on the Mavericks roster entering the 04-05 season. Although Steve Nash may have been the most popular player on the team, Mark Cuban and others decided that it was time for Nash to leave the organization and for the team to strive towards a different direction in terms of personnel and playing style. The Dallas Mavericks are now a bigger and more athletic team with the acquisitions of Erick Dampier, Calvin Booth, Jerry Stackhouse, Jason Terry, Alan Henderson, Devin Harris, DJ Mbenga, Pavel Podkolzin, and the recent addition of Darrell Armstrong via trade providing coach Don Nelson with the most "conventional" roster since he's been a part of the team. The team has clearly been built around emerging superstar, Dirk Nowitzki, providing him with the necessary tools to blossom and take it to the next level in this league. Many believed that the loss of Nash was going to hinder Dirk's improvement as a player, feeling that the seven footer from Germany was incapable of excelling without his running mate. However, this has arguably been his best year so far in the NBA taking his all-around game which includes offense, defense, and rebounding to new heights. The synopsis of Erick Dampier's play in the first half of the season have been somewhat of a disappointment averaging just 8.8 points and 8.1 rebounds in 27 minutes a game and it is quite evident that he must step up in order for the Mavericks to be taken seriously in the playoffs and be considered as a real contender for the O-Brien Trophy. After 42 games into the season, Marquis Daniels have missed fifteen of them because of his severely sprained ankle and Josh Howard have missed six due to various injuries including his on-going back problems. It would be wise for the Dallas coaches to allow these very talented and gifted young guns to completely heal and be ready heading into the playoffs before throwing them back on the court which can be jeopardizing the rest of their bright careers. Although, it is apparent that there are a considerable amount of questions to be figured out, the first half of the season have also vindicated and administered many answers as well for the Mavericks and their fans:

1. Dirk Nowitzki can and will take his game to the next level and lead his ball club in times of need.
2. Jason Terry is more than capable of running Don Nelson's complex offensive system and being the on-court general for the squad as witnessed in his NBA Western Conference Player of the Week award.
3. Jerry Stackhouse has been a very pleasant addition to the team and the current front-runner for 6th Man of the Year award in the NBA plays for the Mavericks once again this year.
4. Devin Harris has shown flashes of brilliance in his limited time on the court and will be a key cog in many years to come for the Dallas Mavericks franchise.

As shown in his 53-point outing against Tracy McGrady and the Houston Rockets at the American Airlines Center, Dirk Nowitzki will and at times just simply take over and carry his teammates on his back, parallel and reminiscent of his games for the German National Team. Because of the drastic changes in the lineup and the loss of Nellie's long-time quarterback, it was widely forecasted and predicted that it was going to take a lot of time for the team to develop good on-court chemistry and to gel together as a unit. Dallas has exceeded expectations up to this point in the season due partly because of the improving play and the effectiveness of Jason Terry running the point. At the start of the season, Terry had lost his starting job to rookie, Devin Harris, and was set to accept his duties as a role player coming off the bench. However, after 18 games since being inserted into the lineup as a starter in the game against Atlanta, the Terry and the Mavericks have flourished and hold a 13-5 record averaging almost 106 points a game. With the Antawn Jamison departure, there was a huge offensive void left behind, and it was extremely vital for the Mavericks to replace him with someone capable of instant offense off the bench. Jerry Stackhouse has filled that vacancy quite nicely pouring in fifteen points a game for his ball club. As their swing players continue to get healthy, Stackhouse's minutes will decline but he is the type of the player that can light it up on any given night. Rookie point guard Devin Harris, began the season as the starter but was quickly pulled by Nellie because the offense was not being ran as smoothly as he would have liked. Harris gives the Mavericks a very talented and quick player at the one position, who can apply full court pressure on the opposing team's guards. This defensive pressure is a welcomed asset the coaches have never had the luxury to have before with Steve Nash. Harris has been used sparingly in limited minutes after being benched; however, when the coaches do decide to call his number, he has given them plenty of energy and quality play. No team ever wants to peak too soon in the season; therefore, it is not how you begin the marathon, but how you finish it. Let's see what questions and answers arise in the second half of the year for the Dallas Mavericks.

Copyright © 2005
Email: alnguyen84@gmail.com