FanPost

State Of The Mavericks

The game for the Mavs present themselves a tough challenge against the Miami Heat. And since their season opener against them, the Mavs would seem a little bit up-and-down all season long. In commemoration of the Mavs' victory last playoffs in Miami, I have presented my own analysis of how Dallas fared up to this point, what kind of adjustments they must make in order to finish the season strong and prepare for their title defense in the playoffs.

In the 51 games the Mavericks they have played this season, they have established themselves as one of the best defenses in the game, with top ranks in defensive efficiency, rebounds and points allowed. These are stats that give credit to the great coaching of Rick Carlisle and the defensive orientation of the Mavs since their title run, with defensive specialist Tyson Chandler leaving a mark behind. Many critics and analysts have made assumptions of their defensive capabilities but in this case, the age and experience of the players may not make them stronger or quicker than other teams, but their court smarts and teamwork have compensated for that. This is a stand the Mavs should be proud of.

On the other hand, I think offense is what has hurt the Mavs most in the shortened season. A lack of the regular training camp and the tough schedule for older players have played a significant part of why the Mavs struggled offensively. Chip in the new faces on the court, tougher and younger match-ups and the whole league chasing after your trophy, it would seem like everyone wants to best the Mavs right now. Their offense to me seems a little off, but I understand that this would seem normal for an old and fatigued team struggling in a compressed season but hey, these are athletes and they understand the situation that they are in right now.

Looking at the perspective on offense and defense for the Mavs, I think these are the things that they should do in order to finish the season strong while maintaining that edge for the playoffs.

1. Play the young players more. With the season winding down, we could not afford more injuries up to this point to derail the performance of the Mavs. This would also help the young ones build their confidence come post season. Rodrigue Beaubois is very vital in this team since he would provide instant energy on both sides of the court. The more he plays, the more he learns and the more he will contribute when the playoffs come. Ian Mahinni and Brandan Wright will be really helpful in backing Brendan Haywood up to this point. Yi and Dominique Jones should be given time in order to give off-games for vets like Kidd and Terry. I say empty the bench and let them play through the fire.

2. Empty the bench. I know that coach Carlisle does balancing his players at best. And this is what I like in him. He plays all players according to the situation and utilizes their skills properly. This would give the other players to become more comfortable with each other despite playing through a tough schedule. Let us not forget that these players are athletes and they are mature enough to know what they are doing. For the remaining games with a tough stretch, I would want coach to play all of them. This gives rest to the core members of the team to make sure that they are rested come playoff time.

3. Give Odom more time. This is just the regular season. We have seen the prior seasons that most players who perform well in the regular season suddenly switches off when the playoffs arrive. Some others then struggle due to the adjustment they fail to make. Odom may have played subpar, but we don't know how he would really play in the playoffs. And that's where Lamar Odom counts. Let Lamar play through adversity and let him figure himself out.

4. Don't panic. Remember, the Mavs are the oldest team in the league. Old may mean slow, less athletic, even inferior. But old may also mean smarter, more efficient, wiser and calm. Many people would like to see young, athletic and high-flying players who enjoy making flashy plays and entertaining with really good highlight reels. But we have seen of these who becomes a champion. The Mavs may be old, but they are smarter, efficient and play better when the pressure reaches another level. The playoffs bring an intensity unlike any other and no one would debate that our guys like Dirk, J-Kidd, Jet, Vince Carter and those other veterans thrive in the clutch. Games get more mental in the playoffs, and this is where the Mavs will triumph against the 29 other teams.

The regular season in the NBA only provides a picture of how a team does well in all aspects of the game. But when the playoffs come, the match-ups determine how each of these teams play each other and win their competition. As for the Mavs, reaching the playoffs is likely, and making another title run is the challenge we all look forward to.

Reader submitted. Opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of our editorial staff.