I'm back!
I was so busy that I actually forgot to put up a going away post, but if you didn't figure it out, I've been in Napa the last week for my honeymoon. Yep, I got married. I also missed the first three Mavs games of the season, so that sucks.
Thanks to Jake for doing a great job filling in for me.
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Sefko has a short article about Avery yelling at Brandon Bass - in a good way.
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Ahead of tonight's game against the Rockets, Darvin Ham talks about Yao Ming.
"The one thing that impressed me in guarding him is that he's not passive at all anymore," Ham said. "He is taking the fight to you. There was a time a couple years ago in Detroit when I had him for four or five possessions and you could shoot him an elbow or get physical on him and he'd be leaning over or complaining to the refs.
"Now, he's so bottom heavy, when he gets post position, you're not going to move him. He understands now. He knows how big he really is. If they can be consistent with that and go through him, they're going to have a lot of success."
First time "bottom heavy" has been used as a compliment?"Now, he's so bottom heavy, when he gets post position, you're not going to move him. He understands now. He knows how big he really is. If they can be consistent with that and go through him, they're going to have a lot of success."
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Sefko's game preview | Art Garcia Preview
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Here's an article about The Rockets having a much better bench than the last few seasons.
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Jan Hubbard writes about the Rockets as title contenders.
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I can't believe I never noticed this. Tell me I'm not the only one...
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True Hoop found a translated German interview of Dirk Nowitzki. It's far more interesting than the usual Dirk interview.
SPIEGEL: Do you fail in key situations because you think too much?
Nowitzki: I take my sport damned seriously. Basketball is my life. There are other people who go into important games as if they were any other game. I'm a brooder and I spend a lot of time thinking about my opponent, about the things he can do and about what I have to do to win. I don't think I'll ever be able to change that.
SPIEGEL: Does that come from fear of failure?
Nowitzki: Hmm, I really can't let myself think that way. Actually, it's more like the opposite. I often dream about slamming the ball into the net in a situation where everything is on the line.
--------------------Nowitzki: I take my sport damned seriously. Basketball is my life. There are other people who go into important games as if they were any other game. I'm a brooder and I spend a lot of time thinking about my opponent, about the things he can do and about what I have to do to win. I don't think I'll ever be able to change that.
SPIEGEL: Does that come from fear of failure?
Nowitzki: Hmm, I really can't let myself think that way. Actually, it's more like the opposite. I often dream about slamming the ball into the net in a situation where everything is on the line.
This Day in Mavs History
2005 Devin Harris hit all 8 shots he attempted, tying the team record for most makes without a miss in a game.