By David Lord -- DallasBasketball.com
Many theories abound regarding the source of the Mavs' current woes. As Fish has so eloquently outlined (see ‘Reflections’), there are plenty of concepts to look at, plenty of people to point fingers at, and even more ideas as to the best solution. Is it a little of this, a lot of that, or none of something else? What's going on?
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In contrast to everything else you read, this is not written to ask questions but rather to provide an answer. The answer. Period. One thing. The central hub that is the root out of which all else is springing. One that has become so obvious that, once you see it, you can follow along at home, from quote to quote and game to game, and watch as it is exhibited over and over. It was, to a certain extent, even on display Monday in New York, as the Mavs allowed a 20-point lead to evaporate before taking charge again in OT to beat the Knicks. And perhaps you will be able to watch as it gets resolved, if the Mavs take the steps needed to do so.
For those of you who are musically inclined, this story is written in the key of C. Unfortunately, for the Mavs, the musical performance is currently quite flat. Here's why.
Like everyone else, I have been totally mystified by the Mavs' performance this season. At times they look like world-beaters, as exhibited by their ability to handle the Best of the West, even on the road. At other times they look like a team with no hope for success, as exhibited by their inept overall road results this year, even against the Least of the East.
Last week, with a trip to a Mavs practice, and with questions asked and answered, the cloud of mystery was lifted.
As the new kid on the block at a Mavs practice (more on that in a future article, by the way), I wandered around and listened. I got an earful hearing Jamison bombarded with questions about the Warriors, and about the state of the Mavs. Nellie offered a few minutes on Mamadou N'Diaye. I eavesdropped on Fish as he was being "mugged" by Rolando Blackman and educated by Del Harris, and caught a few enlightening words from Dirk once he finished his shooting practice.
But one thing caught my ear. It even prompted me to ask a few private questions, to get more clarification. And it opened my eyes.
Now before I reveal the details of what I learned, I will share with you some of the theories I had previously examined and abandoned, as the season has progressed, to explain the Mavs' Jeckyl-and-Hyde performances. I had examined the entire key of C, it seems, in looking for an adequate explanation. Was the problem one of Chemistry (with old and new players being asked to become a team)? Was it Cohesion (learning to play together on the court)? Continuity (building time together)? Coaching (rotation issues, proper training and repetition)? Captaincy (leadership to replace the loss of Avery and Van Exel)? Cuban (making too many trades, not enough trades, or the wrong trades)? Confusion (too many new players with too many different rotations and positions)? Centerlessness (the lack of that elusive big man)? Calamity (random injuries causing the loss of one player after another from the team)? Concern (players worried they might get traded)? Composition (team has too many all-stars and not enough role players)? Confidence (lesser teams now play harder, feeling they have a chance to beat the Mavs)?
In all of those issues, there are indeed kernels of possibility to explain SOME of what is happening this year. Some of them may even be minor causes, while others may be effects rather than causes - and some on close examination are entirely irrelevant and wrong.
But NONE of those items or theories can adequately explain two recurring issues seen with this Mavs' team: (1) how can this team be improved enough to win the hard games, yet be bad enough to lose what should be easy ones? and (2) why does this team not seem to be showing progress as time passes?
Until that Mavs' practice, it was a mystery to me as well. And then there were a few lucky questions, some honest answers, an overheard opinion, some random comments here and there, and there it was. The Answer.
And perhaps it is even an answer that the Mavs themselves are not yet aware of.
It began with comments by Jamison, the player with the big smile and the reputation for non-controversial quotes. As he answered questions for the hordes of reporters swarming him in a group, he subtly fell back into a refrain to explain the Mavs' problems on the road, especially against inferior teams. The term he used repeatedly was that the Mavs have "no sense of urgency" when they play on the road. Asked pointblank by a reporter if the Mavs had enough talent, this veteran of the NBA wars said, "There is no question we have the talent." Asked if he would say the Mavs are underachieving, he said "definitely." He said there is "no excuse" for the way they have been playing. He added that the Mavs are a veteran team that should be able to handle any situation. They were hard-hitting comments, to be sure, but nothing to explain WHY all this is happening.
As Nellie came by to answer a few questions, the crowd drifted over to Nellie, and eventually this rookie reporter was left one-on-one with a veteran star who seemed to patiently be waiting to answer anything I wanted to throw at him. So with no real clue where to go, I asked him, "Antawn, what's missing? Does this team have what it needs to win the seemingly easy road games it is losing? Or does it need something else?" I was wondering if he might mention a need for a big man in the middle, or for some other missing piece. Instead his answer was an eye-opener, and started my thoughts down a path of enlightenment.
He noted again that the problem isn't talent, not at all. But this time he went on to add: "Our focus should be at a different level" than it currently is when playing on the road. He outlined how even the lesser teams will play much better at home than on the road, and how the Mavs seem to be expecting other teams to merely play at home like they do in Dallas - rather than with the added confidence and energy that comes from a supportive home crowd. He observed that in his opinion, it didn't seem like the Mavs put in a full 48 minutes work when they play on the road against a team they should be able to handle.
Hmmmm. Interesting.
I knew that I was closer to an answer than I had ever been - but all these guys want to win a title, and they all recognize that they have the talent to be right in the mix. So assuming Jamison is correct, why is there such a baffling and recurrent loss of focus?
As Jamison heads to the locker room, I listen to Nellie expound for awhile and take some notes, then listen to Fish talk with Del Harris and then with Rolando Blackman. I hear Ro tell Fish that the problems stem from the fact the Mavs are missing a lot of continuity (having played together almost 2 years with the last set of players) and that it will just take some time to build things back up. Gotta be patient. This fits right in with the themes mentioned repeatedly by the coaches and many of the players, that it is just a matter of time, and don't worry. But as I walk away from Ro, I think: what about the apparent lack of progress that we are continuing to see?
Dirk finishes shooting, wanders over to the gang of waiting reporters, and is instantly swarmed. But he seems to have an easy smile and a willingness to answer a few questions for the group. When asked if Mamadou N'Diaye will be able to help, Dirk shrugs and says, "We'll see." When asked if he has a recipe for the Mavs' defensive problems, he says, "Our team defense is lacking. We need to get better at that." And the light bulb starts glowing in the brain as practice ends.
As the next few days go by, Nellie talks about continuity, and still needing some time to gel. Antoine Walker doesn't like losing but figures a bad performance falls in the category of "that's life" - just go on to the next game, no need to get down. Mark Cuban says don't worry, the playoffs are all that matters.
Now listen to the latest quotes, in the aftermath of Sunday's defeat in Detroit.
Nash: He noted that concentration often drifts, even in tight games. And when the Mavs lose focus, other teams are ready to strike. "It's two games in a row we played a good first half and fell behind in the second, and that was it. We're not the kind of team that can come back like we used to."
Finley and Nowitzki: They observed that other teams "get up to play us" and "come [into games] with attitude."
Nash adds: "We'll make the playoffs for sure ."
Finley adds: ""The answers are in this locker room."
Now what does it all mean? And why?
The "what" is getting easier and easier to see once you watch the games and hear the quotes - the "why" is what takes longer to explain. So first let me tell you the answer in a nutshell, then explain where it comes from so you can understand the nuances of the situation, as well as how it may be resolved.
What is going on? The problem is that, unintentionally I believe, the Mavs players and coaches have put this season on CRUISE CONTROL. In fact, I am not even certain that they are aware that is what they have done. But I have no doubt whatsoever that CRUISE CONTROL mentality is the very core of everything that is happening with the Mavs.
What is meant by CRUISE CONTROL? Simply stated, the Mavs are collectively drifting down the NBA road, awaiting the time when they are suddenly going to be transformed into a great team. The coaches assume it is just a matter of time before everything clicks. The players hear the same thing. Everyone just drifts along, waiting for the day when they will suddenly spring full-blown into a butterfly. Some even seem to think it will come from nowhere, once the playoffs begin.
In the meantime, they drift through practices. Games arrive and they play hard for awhile, then get a big lead and coast. They stop running the floor. They play defense in spurts. They settle into one-on-one and standing around variations of offense. There is no 48 minute effort on both ends. Mentally, they relegate the problems on defense to a lack of "team defense" rather than asserting individual responsibility to defend a man.
They bemoan the lack of their "hustle" players - instead of each undertaking to pick up the slack, for 48 minutes at both ends.
But don't worry - they will be great. It just takes time. Wait for the playoffs. No problem here.
And thus their accidental mindset is to just get through these seeming unimportant interim games.
And ultimately, their failure to play hard for 48 minutes keeps them from perfecting the very things from which their metamorphosis might arise. They fail to improve. Losses accumulate, in the most unlikely of situations.
What caused this problem of being on CRUISE CONTROL? Was it bad coaching, lousy team leadership, a problem with the players themselves - or was it something else? And how can it be fixed?
The root problem came by accident - through no fault of the coaches, or team leaders, or players. It slid in the back door, and no one really noticed. Here's what happened.
The last few years, the Mavs record got better and better and better. They were closer to a title each year. The talent base kept improving. They hit 60 wins last year, and were just a hair away from getting to title land.
Then in the summer, the big trades took place. Mentally, everyone did the math - they unconsciously thought: "We won 60 and were close to a title; now we added even more talent, so we have it made now. We will soon naturally rise to that next level, just like we have each of the last few years, and once we mesh together we will have a super-team."
So the players all gathered in training camp to start the season, and they all assumed that it was just a matter of time. The coaches did the same. Everything became based on the assumption that this is a great team, merely going through an introductory period. We all heard the quotes - heck, the fans believed it just like the players and coaches did.
But that wasn't true.
Instead, this was a team that needed to work to develop an identity, a way to win. And they didn't.
Now, as they drift through games, they are failing to create that identity and that way to win. This is not last year's team plus a few - this team has to work hard and struggle and persevere and mold itself into something special.
Instead, they collectively have been awaiting the "inevitable transformation" - one that is still no closer than when the season started. The players are all looking for someone else to lead the way, and for the whole thing to magically just materialize from nowhere, as they drift in that general direction. And as a result, they are NOT developing an identity, they are NOT learning what it will take to win, and they drift in and out of games as they play on CRUISE CONTROL. And it isn't just the players - the coaches too have bought into the mindset of "it is inevitable, we are a great team just waiting to suddenly appear." Cuban himself buys into the irrelevance of what happens now, when he says, "We will be judged by Game No. 83 and on. Not by today."
This is a great collection of skilled players. But the fire in the belly, to prove something every quarter, to dominate teams, has been replaced by CRUISE CONTROL that is just assuming something special will happen when the playoffs arrive. This team can play hard, and with urgency. Once it does that repeatedly and makes it a habit, the identity will develop and the wins will come. If it isn't learned, developed, and honed during the season, the playoffs will be a bitter and stunning disappointment.
Is the solution to get new players? Nooooooooooooooooo. There is plenty of talent here. From what I saw at practice and from all I hear, these are good guys who get along well, who are willing to work, and who have immense talent.
Is there a need for new coaches? Again, a resounding nooooooooooooo. Nellie can kick butt when he sees the need, and he has the experience to fit all these players into the right roles and develop this team.
If I am Cuban, I let these coaches and players learn as a team what happens when there is no focus and intensity. If it takes going down in flaming defeat in the regular season or playoffs, let them learn the lesson the hard way and keep them here with that ensuing fire in the belly. Preferably they will learn now, and start developing new habits. But in any event, either through hard work or through hard experience, this year can lay the foundation for great things to come - just as soon as something happens to take this team off of CRUISE CONTROL.