Tough times ahead for Dallas

Blondie · by **Blondie** on Sun Jun 25, 2006 10:34 am

<a href="http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/basketball/magic/orl-nbainsider2506jun25,0,5309881.column?page=2&coll=orl-magic" target="top">Orlando Sentinel</a> 
Published June 25, 2006 
 
 
Mark Cuban and the Dallas Mavericks would like to believe this was just a preview of things to come -- that they knocked on the door to a championship, and they will kick it down in 2007 -- but they sadly are mistaken. 
 
Their only real shot to win an NBA title was lost last week. 
 
The Mavs -- not the Heat -- were the one-year wonders. 
 
When they fell asleep in the fourth quarter of Game 3 of the NBA Finals in Miami, blowing a 13-point lead and the chance to build a 3-0 series lead, they never totally woke up again. 
 
They will be remembered as the team that spent too much time worrying about the officiating, and too little time driving hard to the basket. 
 
They are considerably younger than the Heat, but their foundation isn't strong enough yet to last. Their fame will be fleeting. They have only one real all-star in Dirk Nowitzki -- and it usually takes two to dance an NBA title. 
 
The Phoenix Suns, when Amare Stoudemire returns healthy to rejoin Steve Nash next season, won't let them pass again. Neither will the San Antonio Spurs, who fell to the Mavs only because Tim Duncan was struggling with a foot problem, leaving Tony Parker to carry too heavy a load. 
 
If Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady are healthy together in Houston, the Mavs might be only the third-best team in the state of Texas next season. 
 
Mavs guard Jason Terry, a free agent this summer, got a taste of real glory during the playoff run, and he wants to be paid handsomely, either in Dallas or elsewhere this summer. That will cause a problem. Josh Howard doesn't always get the big picture, either. Their center combination of Erick Dampier and DeSagana Diop is too much of an offensive liability to overcome in the future. 
 
The Mavs had a wonderful run this season. They should bask in their success as an NBA finalist. They overachieved, but they will fade much like the New Jersey Nets did when they reached this point in back-to-back seasons (2002, '03), then dropped into the pack of the Eastern Conference. 
 
Congratulations to the Mavs, but this is as far as you get. 
 
Francis could benefit 
 
The biggest benefactor from the change of coaches in New York will be former Magic guard Steve Francis. 
 
The biggest loser in the mess will be Isiah Thomas, who now must coach this oddball cast of characters he assembled. 
 
If Larry Brown -- one of the all-time best coaches -- couldn't make it work, it's hard to believe that Thomas can, either. 
 
It also could be the end of the NBA line for Thomas, who has struggled to find success since his playing days ended. His previous coaching attempt in Indiana did not go well. 
 
He also struggled as part-owner and general manager in Toronto in the 1990s, then hastened the demise of the Continental Basketball Association under his leadership. 
 
What he did in New York is hard to fathom, building a $125 million payroll to win only a handful of games. 
 
If he doesn't win quickly -- which might be impossible -- he will be shown the door in Madison Square Garden. 
 
Francis will be given the chance to play big minutes alongside Stephon Marbury. He is likely to put up big numbers again. Thomas said he thinks they can play together like he once did alongside Joe Dumars in Detroit. 
 
Just the facts 
 
Excuse Magic General Manager Otis Smith if he doesn't pull out his pompoms and get all slobbery over his draft picks this week. Smith really is an old-school guy who showed little emotion as a player and even less as a front-office exec. 
 
He wants the facts, not the fluff. Give him substance instead of style. He wants to see results before he applauds. After his four years as a player for Jacksonville University, he was a second-round draft pick for Denver in 1986. 
 
"Back then, there wasn't much sugarcoating. There was no welcome-to-town, we're-glad-to-have-you stuff for a second-round pick,'' Smith recalled last week. "I remember [then-Denver coach] Doug Moe calling to say they had drafted me. He was like, 'I don't know if you can make our team, but we drafted you, anyway,' '' said Smith who played six seasons in the NBA before bad knees cut short his career. 
 
Rule changed draft 
 
The lack of enthusiasm by NBA people toward this draft might have been avoided if the NBA had not prevented the kids coming directly from high school. 
 
Instead of the No. 1 pick being a toss-up -- still any one of a handful of players -- center Greg Oden of Indianapolis would have been a lock as the top pick, according to a variety of experts. 
 
And according to School Sports Magazine, there might have been as many as five high-schoolers chosen among the top 14 picks. NBA rules now require a player to be at least one year out of high school before he can enter the draft. 
 
Around the Rim 
 
Some disgruntled Knicks fans are planning a draft-day protest at the ESPNZone in Times Square, where they will be wearing dunce-cap T-shirts with the likeness of owner James Dolan on the front. Lawyers for Dolan already threatened legal action if the sale of the shirts continues from the Web site selltheknicks.com. Organizers of the protest will try to enter the draft party at Madison Square Garden, although security will be tight. 
 
With Dwyane Wade dominating the NBA Finals, it's a sure bet that all four of the Heat/Cavs games next season will be on national television. Watch for a Christmas Day game in Miami between the teams. The league is making big plans to try to manufacture a Wade/LeBron James rivalry. 
 
It has taken three years, but Jay Williams is back on the court, working out for NBA teams and trying to resurrect his career. Williams, taken No. 2 in the draft by Chicago in 2002, crashed his motorcycle after his rookie season, almost costing him a leg. He averaged 9.5 points and 4.7 assists for the Bulls, who released him because of the accident. According to Celtics Coach Doc Rivers, who watched his workout in Boston, Williams doesn't have the athleticism he once did, but he still has a good feel for the game. 
 
A Final Thought: It's time for Isiah Thomas and the New York Knicks to win or part ways. 
 
Tim Povtak can be reached at tpovtak@orlandosentinel.com 
 
 
 
 
 
 
<div style="text-align:center"><img src="http://sahoops.net/jackie/blondiebanner.jpg" style="border:0;"/></div>

by **VoraciousWolf** on Sun Jun 25, 2006 1:11 pm

<blockquote>Quote:<hr>Neither will the San Antonio Spurs, who fell to the Mavs only because Tim Duncan was struggling with a foot problem, leaving Tony Parker to carry too heavy a load. 
<hr></blockquote> 
 
That doesn't sound right to me. Duncan was on fire in the playoffs. His foot injury slowed him in the regular season. The Spurs looked like the better team in that series, the breaks just all went the Mavs' way. At best the Mavs looked like they were even with the Spurs. 
 
The reason they won't get past the Spurs next season is that the Spurs will inject a little more youth and athleticism into the lineup (time to stop leaning on Robert Horry), and payback is a b****. The Spurs veterans simply will not let Dallas beat them in a playoff series next season.

Blondie · by **Blondie** on Sun Jun 25, 2006 1:57 pm

I agree - I read that part andwas thinking this dude didn't even watch teh WCF...... 
 
That was Tim's best sereis it jstu wsasn't enough. If he was going to comment about somene coming up short it should have been Manu. <img src=http://www.sahoops.net/smilies/frown.gif ALT=":("> <div style="text-align:center"><img src="http://sahoops.net/jackie/blondiebanner.jpg" style="border:0;"/></div>

Condemned2HelLA · by **Condemned2HelLA** on Sun Jun 25, 2006 4:54 pm

Tim had an AWESOME playoff series against the Geldings! 
It was just a shame that Tony and Gino were so erratic at the same time. 
All we can do is hope that their games are more consistant in the post season next year. 
Oh, and is it just me, or is the air a LOT cleaner in here these days without all the Mavs fans trolling around and generally making asses of themselves at every opportunity? Running & hunting & slashing & crushing & searching & seeing & stabbing & shooting & thrashing & smashing & burning destroying & killing & bleeding & pleading then death!

SpursNation · by **SpursNation** on Sun Jun 25, 2006 7:26 pm

<blockquote>Quote:<hr>It also could be the end of the NBA line for Thomas, who has struggled to find success since his playing days ended. His previous coaching attempt in Indiana did not go well.<hr></blockquote> 
 
When the season starts we need to have a prediction contest of how long it will take I. Thomas to get fired or quit. 
 
<img src=http://www.sahoops.net/smilies/explode.gif ALT=":explode">

Blondie · by **Blondie** on Mon Jun 26, 2006 12:48 am

I can't believe that anyone is still listening to Thomas much less letting him takeover as coach. Pat Riley he is NOT............ <div style="text-align:center"><img src="http://sahoops.net/jackie/blondiebanner.jpg" style="border:0;"/></div>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p220.ezboard.com/bsanantoniospurs62937.showUserPublicProfile?gid=blondie4spurs>Blondie4Spurs</A> <IMG HEIGHT=10 WIDTH=10 SRC="http://homepage.eircom.net/~bray/em/orose.gif" BORDER=0> at: 6/25/06 11:48 pm

by **Michael Bryant** on Wed Jun 28, 2006 1:27 am

I disagree, the Mavs will be good for a while. Whether or not they'll win any titles remains to be seen but, they'll be okay. The Heat on the other hand, will have to eventually cope with half their old ass team retiring and have to take a step back to build that team around Wade for another Finals run.

Mongo · by **Mongo** on Wed Jun 28, 2006 7:49 pm

I think Dallas will continue to be a top team in the West. 
 
Otherwise, won't be any fun when the Spurs beat em next season! <div style="text-align:center"> 
GO SPURS GO  
GO SPURS GO  
GO SPURS GO  
 
"It's officially the Playoffs when Mongo comes out of hiding." (The Blonde One)</div>

by **lonny23** on Sat Jul 08, 2006 5:44 am

I liked the part of the article that said all 4 games between Miami and Cleveland will be on TV. I believe that. 
 
As far as the West goes: 
 
I still don't think Amare comes back completely healthy and Robert Sarver is too cheap to keep players. That will affect the team. They'll be good and can be great if Amare is the man, but I have my doubts. 
 
Yao is getting better. Tmac hasn't stayed very healthy and just doesn't win. Battier is just a role player and they'll be the 3rd best team in Texas next year. 
 
The best in the West comes back to Texas next year. Dallas will be a definite favorite if they get Mike James next week. The Spurs aren't going anywhere, but need to get a center and the free agency and trade options just don't look great for SA right now. Dallas and SA will play in the Conf. Finals in 2007. Until I see otherwise, I'm taking Dallas.

Tough times ahead for Dallas