I know some of you all hate him, but I think he's the best sports writer out there. Anyway, here's his ranking blurb on Dallas entering the playoffs.

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FATALLY FLAWED

10. Dallas Mavericks
If players were forced to argue their own MVP cases, here's what I would write for Dirk to say (add your own German hip-hop accent):

"Um, have you ever watched us? We were playing three-on-five offensively in crunch-time when Caron Butler was healthy. In every close game, we run every play for me. No, really. Watch us some time. According to 82games.com, I'm the league's best clutch scorer: in crunch-time, I make 49.5 percent of my field goals, get to the line more than anyone else and make 89 percent of my free throws. I have chunks of Kobe's crunch-time prowess in my stool. And that's playing with Tyson Chandler and Shawn Marion (who couldn't create shots for themselves if they were posting up Yi Jianlian's old chair from the 2007 draft) and Jason Kidd, who's only been decomposing since the All-Star Break. When I got injured in December, we went 2-8 while I was out, then 1-2 as I eased my way back into shape. We're 50-15 when I'm healthy even though Jason Terry is my second-best teammate -- he'd be the fifth-best Bull, fifth-best Celtic, sixth-best Laker and the fifth-best Blazer (a team that we're playing in Round 1).

"I thought for sure we'd make a deadline deal to help me. We didn't have much to trade because everyone on our team is between two and 12 years past his prime except Roddy Beaubois. Our front office decided Roddy was untradeable, which sounded good on paper when he was injured, but then he came back and started playing, and now it's just plain awkward. So far he's looked like either a poor man's Tony Parker or a homeless man's Tony Parker. The Dallas employee who decided Roddy was untradeable must have been the same guy who guaranteed those 1,400 temporary seats would be done for Super Bowl XLV. To be honest, I have no idea how we ended up with a 3-seed. We're going to lose in Round 1 or Round 2. Crap. Anyway, um ... vote for Dirk for MVP!"

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As an aside, even though I hate Dirk, it's hard to read that and think too poorly of him. The dude single handedly carries that team, night in and night out.

EDIT: I didn't post this to make fun of the Mavs. I posted it because I thought the mock-Dirk speech was funny.

[This message has been edited by atfarmer (edited 4/8/2011 8:47p).]

spot on about the spurs, imo.

I thought the Spurs bit was good, too. I want to believe he's wrong about SA's ability to beat LA, but I think SA, even more so than other teams, is vulnerable to LA's dominant front court. Duncan's only good these days, not dominant, Dice is old and not that great, I hold no hope for Bonner to do anything, and Blair is too short (though he's powerful enough and his arms are so long that this doesn't matter too much) and isn't all that great on D. Then there's the fact that Pop benched Splitter forever as soon as he started looking better...

The Spurs have more high caliber scorers in the backcourt than (probably) any other NBA team, but their front court is a weakness, which is a real shame because it wouldn't take all that much of an improvement for them to be the favorite over LA. Their backcourt is that good.

Here's hoping that whatever's ailing LA continues into the playoffs. I'm also hoping OKC grabs the 3 seed as I think they could take LA this year.

[This message has been edited by atfarmer (edited 4/9/2011 12:56a).]

Yea. I'm kind of changing my mind now and think that OKC at the three spot would be best for the Spurs. I really think they have the best chance to beat the Lakers out of anyone in the WC playoff field. And you never know; if OKC wins out and Dallas loses one more, the thunder would have the tiebreaker. With the way the Mavs have been playing as of late, there is a possibility.

Nails on Dirk and the Mavs.

I read that yesterday and it was spot on.

If you look at the top 7 or 8 NBA teams there is no team with a bigger gap between its Best player and 2nd best player then the Mavericks.

Its why they are fatally flawed.

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Its why they are fatally flawed.

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Well, one of the reasons, anyway.

spot on.

with the exception of dirk,

dallas is a team of has beens that have name value but does not translate to on court greatness.

simmons has said this before, but this current team would be awesome in 2007.

Dirk's best second option has been an incosistent Josh Howard or Jason Terry and best coach has been Carlisle? Maybe?

While Duncan/Shaq/Kobe/DWade have the likes of Gasol, DWade, Shaq, Odom, Ginobili, Parker, Robinson etc.

And Dirk's coaches don't even compare to Phil Jackson, Pat Riley and Poppovich.

Ohhh poor dirky!
If only he had good teammates and coaches. Or learned to play defense or post up.

Don't even try to argue with Guitarsoup. Little Tommy hates Dirk no matter what you say. If Tommy actually watched any Mavs games, he would know that Dirk actually posts up a lot. His go-to moves are the fadeaway jumper or the drop step to the baseline from the right block.

Dirk is not a good defender, I'll give you that.

i think dirk is one of the greatest scorers the NBA has ever seen, and i'm a spurs fan that HATES the mavericks.

having said that, doesn't that go to show you how bad he is in the defense and leadership departments?

if he could single-handedly win just one title by himself, he would make the jump from top 35 to top 15 all time of any position.

If Dirk played like a regular 7-footer, he wouldn't be in the NBA.

And he posts up now. I admit he didn't against the Warriors but he can definitely do it now.

And his defense isn't horrible...he's underrated at defense.

Dirk's defense is below average. Definitely not underrated, but not as bad as it was in 2003.

Dirk posts up some, but not like a real post. You can't count on his post game in crunch time, and that is what matters.

Dallas has no offensive post/paint presence. Don't try to argue without the facts.

Post presence for the Mavericks means either pick and roll or gay little floaters like the one Marion does.

I'm not sure we have anybody on the current roster with any legitimate post moves. I love Dirk and I know his back-to-basket game is one of his main weapons, but it's almost embarrassing watching him camp 4-5 feet from the basket, post up, and then instantly get pushed another 5-10 feet away from the basket before he gets the ball.

I think we're dead last in the NBA in PITP, but I'm not sure.

[This message has been edited by Judge (edited 4/11/2011 5:26p).]

Are baskets made by tall guy from 5 feet away worth more than baskets made by tall guy from 15 feet away?

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Are baskets made by tall guy from 5 feet away worth more than baskets made by tall guy from 15 feet away?

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not at all. but it's kind of sad that the tall guy with a ten foot cushion to get his lazy ass down the court and play some defense.

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Dirk's defense is below average. Definitely not underrated, but not as bad as it was in 2003.

Dirk posts up some, but not like a real post. You can't count on his post game in crunch time, and that is what matters.

Dallas has no offensive post/paint presence. Don't try to argue without the facts.

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All you do is prove the point of the article.

Dirk is not a 1st choice post player. Neither is Kobe but Kobe has always had 1 and Dirk hasn't.

He shouldn't HAVE to post up. His game is good enough exactly the way it is to carry a team with just a little help on the block.

Tyson Chandler is a decent option and I'm curious to see what he adds come playoff time.

I've always said 2 things about the Mavs and Dirk:

1. As mentioned above, what the Mavs have always missed in the Dirk era is a legit grinding post scorer to where the other teams bigs down.

2. Even though management never obtained that, I think Mavs management and coaching has been fantastic in the Dirk era and his supporting cast as a whole is vastly underrated.

Dirk's a great player, but he's a Robin... a really good Robin, but definitely not a Batman. He's the only prominent 'top 10' player of the last decade that has absolutely no effect or impact on games when his shots aren't going his way. In that sense, I guess what I'm saying is that while Dirk is one of the best of this decade, he's still vastly overrated.

[This message has been edited by ATM9000 (edited 4/11/2011 8:21p).]

WHO GIVES A FLYING **** how dirk gets the ball in the hole.

if tim duncan's jumper was as good as dirk, he would also shoot from outside. You get 25 and 11 from dirk in the playoffs consistently. thats his career playoff average, higher than the regular season.

its the mavs management job to complement dirk and they have failed to do that. dirk plays with as much heart as any warrior in the nba, but his teammates (jason terry, josh howard) have none. see how many games dirk has missed troughout his career as proff. he plays through pain, had probably the best playoff series agasinst denver averaging 35 when he was going through off the court stuff.

i guess lebron, nash, barkley, malone, stockton are all overrated since they havent won. garnett couldnt win in minnesota. pau couldnt get his team into the playoffs. dwight howard hasnt won anything.

so basically besides duncan kobe and wade, every other player sucks.

Nice posts longhorn.

And really, underrated supporting cast?

His best second option has been JOSH FREAKING HOWARD!!!

I mean come on.

btw, i am not underestimating the need for points in the paint. my post on dirk was meant to say that he plays to his strenghts. there is nothing in the rule book that says if you are 7 feet tall you have to play in the post. you score the best way your skills allow you to.

after 9 years, cuban and little donnie have not complimented dirk with another banger. the closest we ever had to one was brandon bass. thats sad. the mavs are a flawed team, but my post was to counter the notion that dirk is not a leading guy and is not a leader. not all leaders have to get in your face.

I said Dirk is overrated because he's a complete non-factor to any game where his shot isn't falling not because he hasn't won anything. Every one of those players you mentioned still found ways to be effective when they couldn't score. Dirk just doesn't. EVERY lead guy on great teams of the last 10-20 years can give you more than one thing to change a game... except for Dirk.

Aside from that, Dirk's played with lots of players better than Howard in his career. Finley, Nash, and Butler. None are awesome number 2's... that I won't dispute, but where I think the Mavs management doesn't get enough credit is that they've been one of the deepest teams in the NBA annually for about a decade without fail. That's impressive.

That said, annually, they've definitely been built for the regular season and not the playoffs. Doesn't change what Dirk is though. Your best player can play with as much heart as you can find, but in the NBA, if he's not really a multi-faceted player, that's a huge flaw and problem. In that sense, Dirk is a ridiculously flawed franchise guy and why I think he's overrated.

[This message has been edited by ATM9000 (edited 4/11/2011 9:26p).]

Jason Terry must REALLY want to play the Spurs again.

He missed what would have been the game winning free throw tonight in Houston. There was only 1 second left when he missed.

dirk does change the game even when is shot is not falling. he gets double and tripled team constantly. if thats not changing the game, not sure what is. dosent really matter when you are playing 3 on 5.

who should dirk throw the ball to? chandler?
terry cant shoot in the playoffs or in the clutch.
dirk has had butler for 30 games.
howard, well, is he still in the league?
marion at 34? kidd at 38?

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ATM9000
posted 9:23p, 04/11/11



I said Dirk is overrated because he's a complete non-factor to any game where his shot isn't falling not because he hasn't won anything. Every one of those players you mentioned still found ways to be effective when they couldn't score. Dirk just doesn't. EVERY lead guy on great teams of the last 10-20 years can give you more than one thing to change a game... except for Dirk.

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I don't get this. What are you basing it on? When Dirk's shots aren't falling he takes it to the rim and gets to the line. The past 6 seasons amongst lead guys only LeBron and Wade have shot more free throws per game. He crashes the boards - only Duncan and Howard average more rebounds per game amongst lead guys the past 6 years. He's one of 4 players all-time to average 25/10 in the playoffs. He protects the ball (TOV%) better than any other lead player. He is always near the top of crunch time stats. He draws double-triple teams in the high post, and in only 1 series the past 4 years did his 2nd scorer step up to take advantage (Howard 2009 Spurs).

Silver lining to the Mavs failed season (even though they could be the ****ing 2 seed it doesn't matter) is that Dirk returned to the MVP level spotlight and extended his prime. Maybe adds another 1st team All-NBA award. Thank you Bill Simmons for helping us feel better about being the 10th best team with the 3rd best record.

[This message has been edited by InternetFan02 (edited 4/12/2011 12:27a).]

Dirk has always needed someone who could either create his own shot, or be a legit post player. he's had steve nash as his best number 2 by far, other than that is a bunch of people who rely on jumpshots.

People who say Dirk doesn't affect the game when he's not scoring clearly don't watch games.

Teams have to double team him constantly, or suffer the consequences. The problem, for the longest time, is that his supporting cast doesn't pick up the slack.

Name one team that won a championship in the last 10 years without TWO superstars or at least TWO top 20 players.

Dirk's a non-factor on defense, not underrated and while he draws double teams, that's really not much of a factor when you aren't a good passer especially out of double teams.

I'll give Dirk props, he's got some skills and is a great player, but he gets way too much credit for being a player with way less facets to his game than almost every other superstar level player.

Here is how the playoffs have gone the last three years.

Against Norleans in 2008, dirk hurts his ankle, still has an incredible series. Josh howard decides to throw a birthday party after the loss, avery johnson gets his feelings hurt, disaster.

In 2009, as the 6 seed, beat the spurs in round 1 without home court. Dirk carries the mavs.

In round 2, all hell breaks loose with his convict fiance and possibly pregnant girlfriend (who wasnt pregnant) and dirk averages 35 and 10 against denver. zero support from Jkidd, Jason Terry or any of this teammates.

In 2010, Jkidd gets abused by george hill. Oh, roddy B scores 23 points in the 3rd quarter and helps the mavs come back in game 6. Genius carlisle sits Roddy B for 10 minutes of the 4th quarter for Jason Terry, who does not make a shot.

Again, dirk is the only one who plays. His supporting cast have name recognition, but they dont have any heart in the playoffs. Dirk's best teammates in the playoofs have been Nash and Van Exel in 2003 when dirk hurt his knee in the WCF, Josh Howard in 2006.

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He crashes the boards - only Duncan and Howard average more rebounds per game amongst lead guys the past 6 years.

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Shirley, you can't be serious.

Career(games, fg pct, 3pt pct, ft pct, rebounds, assists, pts) -- 103, 41.7, 0.459, 0.372, 0.882, 10.9, 2.6, 25.6



Career(170, 0.502, 0.167, 0.679 , 12.4 3.5 23.0)

Career(96, 0.474, 0.304, 0.784, 11.2 4.0 20.0)

these are the three greatest power forwards of the decade.

playoff career averages above.