Remember those three articles yesterday about what a shame it was that Garnett hasn't been on a winner. Well, Tim Cowlishaw chimed in today and has a totally different perspective.
Against Dallas, Garnett piled up his usual set of nice numbers - 19 points, 12 rebounds, three assists. I can't think of a single moment where he seemed like he was a factor in the game, even after Minnesota tied it with four minutes to play.
Garnett is the NBA's king of empty numbers. And that's not to say that it is totally his fault.
But when you are regarded as one of the league's top five players for much of your career and you have moved well beyond $150 million in salary earnings, you should have more on your resume than this: One trip past the first round of the playoffs.
--------------------Garnett is the NBA's king of empty numbers. And that's not to say that it is totally his fault.
But when you are regarded as one of the league's top five players for much of your career and you have moved well beyond $150 million in salary earnings, you should have more on your resume than this: One trip past the first round of the playoffs.
Art Garcia's game recap notes how the Mavs struggled when Minnesota went into the zone.
The Timberwolves (6-7) went into a zone and the Mavs began settling for long jumpers instead of attacking.
The jumpers weren't falling. The Mavs would miss 10 straight shots, and Minnesota tied it at 84-84 with 2:34 remaining.
Johnson promised today's practice would focus on zone defense.
"We never really figured it out," Stackhouse said. "At the same time, they were coming down and scoring on us."
This was painfully clear during that 0 for 10 stretch in the fourth quarter. Finally with about 2 minutes left Johnson called a timeout - the next two shots were made layups by Howard and Stackhouse.The jumpers weren't falling. The Mavs would miss 10 straight shots, and Minnesota tied it at 84-84 with 2:34 remaining.
Johnson promised today's practice would focus on zone defense.
"We never really figured it out," Stackhouse said. "At the same time, they were coming down and scoring on us."
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Jason Terry is a better person than you and I.
When the Mavericks guard woke up in his north Dallas home last Thursday morning, he was shocked to see that someone had stolen the four tires off his wife's SUV.
"It happened right in front of the house," Terry said. "That's pretty bold.
"It's very surprising to find that your vehicle had been tampered with. And on Thanksgiving morning."
Terry said he holds no grudge against the criminals, who haven't been caught.
"I'm thankful, and I'm not going to complain over anything little, and definitely not over something that can be replaced," he said. "Hopefully they needed them, and hopefully they fed their family and their kids with them, especially during the holidays."
--------------------"It happened right in front of the house," Terry said. "That's pretty bold.
"It's very surprising to find that your vehicle had been tampered with. And on Thanksgiving morning."
Terry said he holds no grudge against the criminals, who haven't been caught.
"I'm thankful, and I'm not going to complain over anything little, and definitely not over something that can be replaced," he said. "Hopefully they needed them, and hopefully they fed their family and their kids with them, especially during the holidays."
According to Dwain Price, both Pops Mensah-Bonsu and Barea might be sent to Fort Worth when George and Mbenga return. That should be soon because both have been practicing with the team.
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Mike Khan of FoxSports is a fan of the season Dirk is having.
Not content to settle for his ascension last season to first team All-NBA and a strong MVP candidate, Nowitzki is just one-tenth of a point shy of his career-high 26.6 scoring average of a year ago, while exceeding his best in field goal percentage (.518), free throw percentage (.909), rebounding (10.4) and equaled last season's (3.1) assist average as well. For all the talk of team productivity, it's still a superstar league and Nowitzki is right at the top of the list. The difference this time around may very well be a by-product of the disappointment he suffered at the end of last season.
--------------------Here's what Mike James had to say about his offseason connection with Dallas.
Mark Cuban, that's my boy," James said Monday. "I learned one thing. Mark Cuban is a Toys R Us kid. He doesn't want to grow up. You know what I'm saying?"
Ummm, okay.