Choke kings

[maximilian]

There's a reason they don't give the ball to Dirk. Sorry Dirk fans, but he is the meltdown king(refer to Miami final). Team will only go so far as your leader. Mavs need an alpha wolf on the squad and their opponents know that. Can't give Dirk credit when they win and then blame others when they lose. If it's Dirk's team, then call it like it is. Looking at Kobe right now fight and scratch every sec in this game tonight. Don't see Dirk doing that.

You realize that Dirks' career playoff #s are better than his season averages, right? And, that he's shooting at the highest % of his career. The problem is giving the ball to Terry or Kidd for long jumpers instead of taking it himself.

We'll see. But if you think Dirk is a choke, then I don't know what to tell you.

 

[2themax]

Portland is ok with having a chance to extend the series with a home game, so game 5 is almost a moot point. It's over if they beat Mavs next game.

 

[2themax]

You realize that Dirks' career playoff #s are better than his season averages, right? And, that he's shooting at the highest % of his career. The problem is giving the ball to Terry or Kidd for long jumpers instead of taking it himself.

We'll see. But if you think Dirk is a choke, then I don't know what to tell you.

Dude, I don't have to think anything because I'm looking right at it. If Dirk's numbers are that good and they probably are, then why are they melting down? If his numbers are that important to you, then why are they not to him? He's basically standing around watching his team lose. Are you looking at the Lakers and Kobe? Is he standing around? It's 2 totally different mentalities.

 

[2themax]

And I can't stand Kobe, but he's a heck of a competitor.

 

[jake102]

I don't like Kobe much at all, but he is a competitor. Although he seems to be throwing up a bunch of 30 - 40% shooting games lately... like tonight.

But... if that game tonight had come down to a last shot, Kobe would have nailed it without a doubt. Dirk doesn't have Kobe's killer instinct.

 

[2themax]

I don't like Kobe much at all, but he is a competitor. Although he seems to be throwing up a bunch of 30 - 40% shooting games lately... like tonight.

But... if that game tonight had come down to a last shot, Kobe would have nailed it without a doubt. Dirk doesn't have Kobe's killer instinct.

And that's why the Mavs have 0 rings, becaue we're talking about team leaders. TNT studio is giving a clear definition of a superstar team leader.

 

[jake102]

And that's why the Mavs have 0 rings, becaue we're talking about team leaders. TNT studio is giving a clear definition of a superstar team leader.

Yep... exactly. tons of talent, no true leader.

I'm not as convinced of Rose as everyone else is... he's damn good, but I'm not sure yet.

Everyone needs to watch out for the Knicks once they get Chris Paul. That guy is absurd.

And the Lakers when they get Dwight Howard.

 

[masterfrog]

Not one post about how well the Blazers played down the stretch. The series is 2-2. I don't think anybody expected anything different. Everybody knew it would be a tough matchup for the Mavs. I think every series preview in the country that I saw had this as a 6 or 7 game series and at least half of them picked the Blazers. It is now best two out of three and two of the games are scheduled for Dallas. This is a lot better than when the Mavs dropped their first two at home to the Rockets a few years ago. They had to really battle back and win that series.

 

[mrhornedfrog]

Until coach player owner (Cuban) is gone it will be this way. Too much of a control freak to let the "real" coach and players play.

See cowboys also: same results, same owner style.

 

[Trelvis]

To blame it on Dirk is absolutely ridiculous. Are you really watching the game? Dirk is a baller. Dirk is the reason this team is any good. Dirk isnt the problem. Dirk is one of 5 players to average 25 and 10 in the playoffs EVER. The problem is the your 2nd best player is Jason Terry who is inconsistent as hell. The problem is not Dirk, its that Dirk has no Robin. You can win a championship with Dirk as your best player, but not when his sidekicks are JET, and Jason Kidd...

Go back and look at the players Dirk has played with. He hasnt ever had anyone to help him out. Go back and look at the NBA Finals team, that group of players completely overachieved. For a long stretch there Josh Howard was the 2nd best player on this team, and we know that isnt getting you anywhere. It drives me up a wall when people want to blame Dirk.

 

[maximilian]

Dude, I don't have to think anything because I'm looking right at it. If Dirk's numbers are that good and they probably are, then why are they melting down? If his numbers are that important to you, then why are they not to him? He's basically standing around watching his team lose. Are you looking at the Lakers and Kobe? Is he standing around? It's 2 totally different mentalities.

Wrong again. Dirks' recent career stats in the "clutch", if you wanna call it that, are better than Kobes'; source, NBA TV:

And for fun, here's LeBron & Wade too:

So Dirk has made a whopping 2 fewer "clutch" shots than Kobe since 06-07, and has done it in 13 fewer shots. Wade and LeBron COMBINED have made 14 out of 84 clutch shots.

So yeah, you're absolutely 100% wrong that Dirk Nowitzki isn't clutch. They need to get him the damn ball, end of story.

 

[maximilian]

Also, another fun fact from Inside Hoops:

Dirk career # elimination games: 28.4ppg, 12.2rpg, 49%fg, 39%3pt.
* According to Elias Sports Bureau, in the ENTIRE history of the NBA, in elimination-games, Dirk Nowitzki has 13 30+ point performances. Only Wilt Chamberlain, tied at 13, and Jerry West at 14, are at or ahead.

 

[dustinater@sbcglobal.net]

You can hide your flaws in the regular season, but not in the playoffs. The team was constructed in a tragically flawed way that they hid in the regular season with zone defense and jump shooting.

 

[jake102]

Dirk is obviously not the problem, but he's also not going to be a great leader.

Much bigger problems with other inconsistencies... No low post game either

 

[TCURiggs]

Good work on those stats, Maximilian. People who say Dirk isn't clutch or tough are out of their minds.

 

[Trelvis]

Dirk is obviously not the problem, but he's also not going to be a great leader.

Disagree. Dirk leads by example. He isnt going to be out there yelling and talking noise like Kevin Garnett. He lets his play speak for himself. Not his fault the rest of the bums on the team dont want to follow.

 

[maximilian]

Disagree. Dirk leads by example. He isnt going to be out there yelling and talking noise like Kevin Garnett. He lets his play speak for himself. Not his fault the rest of the bums on the team dont want to follow.

I would have loved to see this team play a whole year with Caron Butler as his 2. That dude won't let anyone punk him.

 

[frogtwang]

I would have loved to see this team play a whole year with Caron Butler as his 2. That dude won't let anyone punk him.

+1

It's a whole different series with Butler in the lineup.

 

[maximilian]

Going forward, their best hope is to keep feeding the ball inside to Chandler. He's been getting absolutely no calls this series, and they've gone away from letting him or anyone else operate down low. Same with Dirk; he's gotten whacked a few times inside with no call, so they opt to put him on the elbow or baseline. While he can make that shot just fine, I like his chances better closer to the bucket, as well as eventually getting a few foul calls.

The Blazers are the emotional team in this series, right now for better. It'd be nice for Dallas to get them riled up and angry at the refs, so they can be at their worst, and more mistake prone.

 

[satis1103]

I like many others had a nasty separation from the Mavs after the 2006 finals. That plain and simply broke my heart. I can no longer invest that type of emotion in these guys. However...

Anyone who's writing them off guaranteed at this point in the series is a fool. The gut check is now, tonight. Do they come out mad as hell that they allowed Portland to even the series? Or do they come out "woe-is-me" and drop a [ Finebaum ]. Either way, I betcha Dirk has 30, 10, 50% and 40% in those stats that are being discussed.