Here we are on the eve of the last regular season game before the All-Star break, and there's only a few things on my mind. One: how was everyone's Valentine's Day? I better not see one more commercial from Kay or Jared or some other jewelry company brainwashing women into thinking that their man is a putz if he doesn't drop 2 G's on an exquisite diamond necklace for a long, long time. Valentine's Day can go both ways, you know. You want that necklace, buy me season tickets in the lower level. But my Valentine's Day was great, thanks for asking. Two: doesn't it seem ultra-convenient that head coach Pat Riley bailed on the Heat when they weren't producing, then all of a sudden proclaims that he's ready to return to the bench now that Shaq's back and they have won 7 of their last 10 games. On a side note, Dwyane Wade did another "fall to the ground, grab a body part, writhe in dramatic pain like his innards are pouring out of an open shank wound, have teammates carry him to the locker room, then return later to a standing ovation and continue to play as if nothing was wrong and score 30 something points" kind of moment the other night. Wade has become the NBA's version of Kanye West, which means he's extremely talented and far too invested in his own hype and theatrics. Anyway, here comes Riley, ready to right the ship and guess who they just so happen to be playing the first game after the All-Star break? The Mavs. Three: I wasn't too far off in my last blog, predicting that Ray Allen and Deron Williams would be named as replacements for the All-Star team. Allen made it, and my logic for Williams was because Utah is the 3rd best team in the league (record-wise) and with Carlos Boozer out, would need a representative. Instead, they went with Utah big man Mehmet Okur, which is also a good pick. Basically, if you want to know your NBA, listen to three people: ESPN's Marc Stein, TNT's Charles Barkley, and 3 Cheers' The Dude. Four: this might be slightly off subject, but the soup I had for lunch isn't doing the trick. I could really go for some Panda Express right now. Or Firehouse Subs. (If anyone from Panda Express or Firehouse Subs is reading this and appreciates the advertising, I can be reached for compensation at brandon_may@msn.com.) Five: didn't I tell you that John Amaechi's coming out party would bring out the quotes? Check out former player (and briefly former Mav) Tim Hardaway on this little nugget here. He actually said in a radio interview that he hates gays. Can you believe that?!? Not to detract from the sensitivity of this issue, but it's quotes like that from athletes that just make my day. These guys have microphones shoved in their faces on a daily basis, and every now and then something comes out that just leaves you with hershey squirts in your tighties, thinking, "Did they really just say what I think they did?" Beautiful, ignorant stuff, Mr. Hardaway. Wonderful, bigoted stuff. So that's basically what's been on my mind. Let's get to the most recent Mavs game, shall we?
DIRK'S DIGITS!
You want your MVP, I got your MVP right here! With the Mavs trailing the entire game against a team that had no business beating them, Dirk pretty much decided that if he were to ever truly stick it to the team that traded him away on draft day, this was the time. 38 points on 15 of 28 shooting, 11 rebounds, 8 assists and 2 steals. Only Lebron James has surpassed that collection of numbers in all those categories in one single game in the last 6 years. Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, even Michael Jordan didn't win the MVP every year, but they were always in the discussion. Dirk gets overlooked by so many in the national media, and it's a shame. All these pundits talk about how the game has become too much about the highlight dunks and the 3 point shots and it's not teaching the kids how to play solid, fundamental basketball. Yet here you have the pinnacle of solid, fundamental basketball that happens to be harnessed in the 7' frame of one of the top 5 players on the planet on the best team in the league, and they forget all about him because he's not flashy enough. It's either hypocrisy, stupidity or both, but Dirk needs to be recognized worldwide as one of the best, if not THE best in the game right now.
1. Referees Ken Mauer, Kevin Fehr, and Rodney Mott - You guys were all over the map like Vasco de Gama. I'm not even mad at you guys because it made for such captivating theatre. What would happen next? Would they call a travel when it should have been a jump ball? Would they call the game according to the rule book, or would they make concessions as they saw fit? Oh, the drama! My favorite part was when they gave Stackhouse a technical for slamming the ball on the court. They had just called Stack for a traveling violation (it was technically a travel, but one you see 10 times a game without a whistle), and Stack, in frustration with himself and his team's losing, bounces the ball hard off the court and retrieves it back under his arm. Didn't throw it, didn't kick it, just bounced it (similar to what they call "dribbling"). Technical foul on Stack. My other favorite part was when they gave Dirk a technical near the end of what had become a close game so that Milwaukee could get a free shot, even though Dirk was questioning why he didn't get a foul called when he was bumped in the elbow on a jump shot and wondering why Stack got a travel call AND a tech but on the play immediately afterwords they let Earl Boykins get away with just as many steps as Stack took without a whistle. But my most favorite part was when the Mavs fouled one of the Bucks players early in the game, and you didn't call it. The Milwaukee coach runs from his bench down to the Mavs bench and then follows you guys back up the court screaming at you. He was screaming at you so loud that I could hear exactly what he said to you. He said, "I don't give a f***! That call was bulls***!" Ready for the kicker? Wait for it! You guys DIDN'T give him a technical! Tah-duh! And now for your next trick, you can explain quantum physics to me, which will be just as understandable as the method with which you call a basketball game.
2. Andrew Bogut - Second year Aussie has tremendous promise, but I personally don't think he'll ever live up the expectations of being the first pick in the draft. He just doesn't have that kind of game. He will be great, but not THAT great. Regardless, it's hard to argue with these numbers: 16 points and 17 rebounds. He gave Dampier fits and shut down the middle of the paint for the Mavs, which lead to us hoisting ill-advised jumpers for the first 3 quarters, which lead to us being down by 16 points during the 3rd quarter.
3. Josh Howard - I guess. No one was good tonight, but I guess that the best indicator that Howard has arrived is when 15 points on 7 of 13 shooting and 8 rebounds is viewed as an off night. Quietly winning is still winning.
RANDOM CRAP!
- Devin Harris is from Milwaukee, so the day before the game his high school retired his jersey. He also got tickets for 30 family members and friends to come and watch him stink up the joint with 2 points and 5 fouls in only 14 minutes. The best part about stinking it up in front of your friends and family is that they are your friends and family. They're going to love you no matter what, mainly because you scored them free tickets to an NBA game.
- Dirk and Stack are starting to work really well together, in a way that Dirk and Howard don't have. Howard helps Dirk by drawing defensive pressure away from him so that whoever winds up with the single defender can take the shot. Stack helps by switching with Dirk to where they wind up swapping defenders, leaving them both in a mismatch. Either Dirk is on Stack's smaller defender (meaning an easy, uncontested jumper from the elbow of the paint), or Stack is on Dirk's taller defender (which usually means slower defender, meaning Stack can power past him to the rim, usually drawing a foul). Pick your poison, opponents.
- Devean George dives to the ground after a loose ball and winds up coming down right on his knee. Turns out it's a strained MCL, which means that his timetable for return is any body's guess. Not good news, but not the worst news. G2000 is a very important part of this roster, having started the last couple of games in Harris's place. He allows the Mavs to go with a bigger lineup without sacrificing defense, speed and outside shooting. Here's hoping he gets back quickly.
- American Idol was on when the game started, so I asked my lovely wife Kim to Tivo the game for me. I forgot to tell her to add time to the recording. Totally my fault. I'm watching the game, taking notes, resigned to the possibility that we might lose this game. Then they mount a comeback in the fourth quarter! The Mavs come storming back from 16 down to finally take their first lead of the game with 50 seconds left and then . . . times up on the recorder. Next thing I know, I'm watching the post game show, hyperventilating with a look on my grill like I just came face to face with a very angry and blood-thirsty mule. You know that look, right? Scared because it's pissed off and hungry for human flesh, yet kind of confused because, come on, it's a friggin' mule, what's the concern? You don't know that face? Oh well, it turns out that I only missed the last few points of the Mavs putting away their 43rd victory in their first 52 games. That made it all better.
Tonight on TNT at 7:00 CST the Mavs visit the Rockets for the last game before the break. I will try to get back to you all soon, maybe tomorrow. I am still brainstorming what songs to do for Devin Harris and Devean George, but it will be soon. I promise. Until then, we can start up the new segment, Ask the Dude. Submit your questions, either by posting comments to the blog or emailing me at woodenswing@sbcglobal.net. Just send your emails with the subject line of "Ask the Dude", I will answer your basketball questions, general sports questions, or questions about your love life and overall well-being, and then post them all on this blog. If your question is embarrassing, don't worry. Discretion is the name of the game. I will simply change the first letter of your first name so that nobody knows who you are. For example, if, I don't know, Rob wrote me and said he was having trouble with erectile dysfunction, I would say something like, "Well, Nob, try a little cinnamon powder as a topical solution. You're welcome." Now nobody knows who you are, but they've all learned a valuable lesson. Seriously, shoot me a question, and the Dude shall provide you answers. Go Mavs!
If this will help put you over the top I aim to please.
Posted by: Sarah May | February 16, 2007 at 04:25 PM