Quick Releases (Dec 03/Feb 9 04)
 The DallasBasketball.com staff - Posted: 2004-02-20 00:00:00.000


By The DallasBasketball.com Staff
What is ‘Quick Releases’? Throughout the day, every day, members of the DB.com staff throw up against the wall to see if they’ll stick assorted smart-alecky thoughts, non-linear takes, reflections on the news and ear-to-the-ground rumor milling. We’ll update as we go, newer stuff on top, a little now, a little later, 24 hours a day, as ‘Quick Releases’ come across our minds and our desks:



HAWKS 102, MAVS 96: You can make the rather weak argument that Atlanta has, on occasion, shown itself to be capable of something like this. After all, of the Hawks’ wins this year (which number only a few more than you can count on your hands), three have come against the likes of the Lakers, San Antonio and Minnesota.
And now, the Mavs.
Like we say, you can make that argument. But it is weak. Atlanta is a team without a point guard, without multiple inside scorers, without much of a reason to fight once its knocked down.
Too bad, then, that on Monday in Atlanta, the Mavs allowed the Hawks to get in the first punch (scoring 36 first-quarter points) and the last punch, too (scoring 33 more in the final quarter).
Dallas made Stephen Jackson look like an All-Star (which seems familiar after last year’s WCF, when Jackson toiled for the Spurs), allowing him to score a career-high 30. Part of Jackson’s success was the result of the Mavs’ defensive attention on Shareef Abdur-Rahim, who does have All-Star credentials. But part of it was simple sloppiness, a problem throughout, save for some moments in the third quarter when the Mavs forced nine turnovers and allowed just 15 points.
But otherwise? Steve Nash played sloppy. (Funny exchange on the TV broadcast: Matt Pinto makes note of how Nash wasn’t performing at the same level evident on his birthday on Saturday. Bob Ortegel deadpans, “Well, he’s older.’‘) And Antoine Walker played sloppier. The late-game moment when he received a pass while positioning himself with a foot out of bounds? Sloppy. The earlier moment when he attempted to dribble between his legs only to watch and the ball caromed off his calf and out of bounds? Sloppy.
Much will be made of Dallas’ 5-of-26 inaccuracy from the arc (and don’t be fooled; most of those misses came way before the final hopeful launches). Should Dallas recognize that they aren’t falling and therefore try fewer? Nonsense. Should they feed Michael Finley, the only guy capable of making them? Nonsense.
Most of the 3's came within the flow of the offense, so no worries there. But chasing down the misses was a problem. And securing the ball in order to take another shot was a problem, too.
This is a nasty habit, this losing on the road to inferior East teams. But it has nothing to do with their geography, and nothing to do with their potential on a given night, and nothing to do with “tired legs,’ another fake reason starting to gain a little momentum in the Mavs camp.
It has to do with sloppiness. That’s all. And that’s inexcusable. - Mike Fisher 9:55 pm 2/9/04

TRADE WINDS BREWING IN DETROIT: The following item has popped up in the Detroit press, and it contains honest-to-goodness trade news.
"The NBA trading deadline is Feb. 19. Joe Dumars, the Pistons president of basketball operations, says to pay attention because he expects to make some news. "I don't want to say anything to create a stir,'' he said coyly, "but I would just stay tuned to February 19.''
It is well known that the Pistons are trying to clear cap room to resign Mehmet Okur this summer, and they also need another scorer to increase their title chances this year.
Could they be getting into the Rasheed Wallace hunt? That's just a guess (and notice how we're careful to frame it that way), but Wallace would fit what Detroit is looking for - a salary reducer, plus an upgrade in talent - and Detroit probably has enough trade ammo if they want to head in that direction.
Another possibility is Atlanta. The sale of the Hawks has been delayed, but NBA reports continue to say that the Hawks' sale will be approved and they will be "open for business" before the trade deadline. The fact that Dumars expects to wait til the last minute would put credence in Atlanta as the upcoming trade partner.
Or maybe Dumars has found a "dumping ground" for Chucky Atkins and his contract. Atkins is a decent player but the Pistons reportedly will give him away to reduce their payroll, if they can.
What about the Mavs? Detroit's strong supply of big men would seem to make Dallas a potential player as well, but Dallas lacks the expiring contracts Detroit covets, and Dallas has already landed a bit of big man help in Williams. However, if the Pistons abandon the salary cap motive and are willing to offer a better quality big man, there is no doubt Dallas could be a potential player in a trade that swapped some of the Mavs' surplus in scoring for some of the Pistons' surplus in big men. Atkins ability as an uptempo PG would be a welcome fit on the Mavs also, if a deal is discussed.
Something is happening in Detroit, that part is certain. For now, we can only make educated guesses as to the details. - David Lord, 02/09/04, 4:45pm

DAMPIER TO THE MAVS?: And here we go again – another story that requirss us to trace its roots while we play our heroic role as “SportsMedia WatchDog.’’
More trade rumors, but this time they are at least ones that sound fun for the home team. This time, the heart of the gossiped-about deal is Antoine Walker (plus a little bit more, for cap purposes) going to Golden State, and the Mavs getting back big man Erick Dampier plus playoff hero Nick Van Exel. This began to be reported as an active trade discussion by "The Musers" on The Ticket early Friday, and the merits and possibilities have continued to be expanded on by old pal and DB.com colleague Norm Hitzges.
Could The Musers have gotten their tip from the Newshound Norm? And doesn't Norm have some ties to Nellie? Logically, perhaps Nellie whispered a few tips to Norm about an impending major move. Doesn't Cuban regularly make big moves at the trade deadline?
Norm spent a lot of time discussing how Dampier would help the Mavs, and how Dallas would be the perfect place for Dampier to re-sign this summer after he opts out. Obviously, whispered Norm, Dampier and Van Exel are both pushing the Warriors for a trade to Dallas, and this is on the table and could happen.
And then Norm told us the source for this breaking news.
It came from a tip from Nellie, yes? Well, no.
Oh.
Well, then was there must have been an email or call from Cuban that leaked the impending news. That was it, yes? Ummmm, that wasn't it either.
Then who at the Mavs let the cat out of the bag on this huge story? Norm told us that the station got its tip from ESPN.COM!
ESPN.com? Wow, when I heard those words, I rushed to their site, to see what news I had missed. And there it was, in the ESPN insider section this week on trade possibilities in the NBA:
"Dallas Mavericks. Every year about this time, Mark Cuban and Don Nelson begin preaching the virtues of sticking with the roster they have. And just about every year around this time, the Mavs end up making a huge trade. "The Mavericks need a tough big man, and everyone knows it. They tried to land Rasheed Wallace last month, but talks went nowhere. Attempts to land Zydrunas Ilgauskas also have fallen short. What they'd really love to have is the package Golden State is offering right now -- Nick Van Exel and Erick Dampier. Problem is, the Mavericks don't have any expiring contracts to give up unless ... Antoine Walker decides to opt out if traded to the Warriors."
From there, the article goes in other directions.
So the entire basis of this scoop is essentially ESPN's two-fold observation that the Mavs have pulled off deals at prior trade deadlines, plus the Mavs need a big man. And then Golden State 's RUMORED willingness to trade Van Exel and Dampier is tossed into the ESPN discussion, and voila the Mavs are in the middle of making a trade with the Warriors, according to a radio station.
Sheesh. ESPN tosses out a GUESS of something that could make some sense and then shoots it down. It was not a news report, there were no sources; it was only chit chat. And chit chat that the author himself shoots down! And then THAT turns into "the Mavs are in trade discussions" and more?
Gimme a break.
As we play our self-appointed role of “SportsMedia WatchDog’’ here, not necessarily ripping The Ticket here. Norm was honest in finally framing his source for the information as being another media outlet. We’re glad to have The Musers talking about the Mavs, in whatever context. We’re just saying that as you listen to The Ticket and others pick up on this "breaking story" (and again, you watch, this thing could really get legs now), keep in mind the eternal caveat when it comes to evaluating what you hear from the media: consider the source. - David Lord, 02/06/04, 12:15pm

VAN EXEL ERA II?: A simple phone call has mended the fences between Nick Van Exel and Mark Cuban. Now, for Nick, comes something more complex: a way to eventually leave Golden State and return to the Mavericks.
"After next season, I'm playing for a team in Texas," Nick said Tuesday. "If it's not for a team in Texas, I'm done."
OK, so he means any of the three teams in Texas, not just the Mavericks. Nick wants to someday be with a contender again, and he also wants to be close to his son, who lives in Garland. Van Exel also has a home in Houston.
Now, a geography lesson might be due here: Nick might as well include New Orleans on his list. Isn’t the Big Easy as close to Garland as San Antonio? And salaries being what they are, affording a quick plane ride back to the Metroplex from a number of other cities seems an option.
Oh, and a contractual lesson might be due here, too: Van Exel’s contract with the Warriors technically goes through 2006. There are opt-out wrinkles for both the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons, but Van Exel would be giving up millions in the event those are exercised.
One more issue (and not to be too cynical here): As much of a Mavs hero as Van Exel is, he’s 32. It’s possible folks are getting all excited about the possibly eventual return of a guy who already is starting to show some wear. … and might be stumbling back here looking for a job at age 35.
It’s fun to think about, anyway. And fun for Nick to again bond with the Mavs and Cuban, who phoned him to let him know he would always be there for him. Van Exel suggested he might want to borrow a million bucks or be an investor whenever Cuban invents “a robot that can feed us food in bed.’’ -- Mike Fisher 11:29 pm 1/3/04

BOOBYLICIOUS: Am I the only Super Bowl watcher on the planet who isn’t offended by the Justin Timberlake-Janet Jackson Breast Exposure Halftime Show?
Reports have the FCC, CBS, MTV, the website for Janet (Miss Jackson, if you’re nasty), and the NFL all being flooded with calls and letters of protest thanks to the semi-scripted exposure of Jackson’s right breast while she and Timberlake performed in Houston.
I guess I’m just immune to it now – maybe because of the hypocritical nature of it all.
Let’s start with the coverage of the incident. That word, ‘boobylicious’? It appears in the second paragraph of a Monday night story issued from the usually staid, by-the-book Associated Press. Boobylicious!
Oh, and speaking of the news. … Gee whiz, of all the Jackson action in the papers, Janet’s may be the closest to G-rated!
But beyond that, we’re talking about CBS and the NFL agreeing to go into business with MTV, which produced the halftime show. Offended viewers are lucky Timberlake simply exposed Janet’s balloon, and that Britney Spears didn’t make a surprise appearance in order to suckle at it.
I mean, the NFL didn’t think this thing might get a little risqué?
I love the announcement from commissioner Paul Tagliabue, who called the conduct "offensive, embarrassing to us and our fans, and inappropriate. … We will change our policies, our people and our processes before the next Super Bowl to ensure that this entertainment is far more effectively dealt with," he said.
Cool, Tags. And while you’re stationed in that lofty ethical chair regarding people and products being peddled during the Super Bowl, please order the Coors Light Twins to put some clothes on. And please tell the Budweiser horses to quit farting. And please beg Mike Ditka to keep his penis problems to himself, OK? Mike Fisher, 10:52 pm 2/2/04

A SURE BET?: OK, not even a home game against Golden State is a sure bet. Not with this Mavs team, not in this season, and not against this Warriors bunch.
But. …
Three trends to consider for those of you with Super Bowl office-pool hangovers trying to make your dollar back on Tuesday:
1) When the Mavs play the Warriors, the Mavs score 100 points. A fluke occurred on Oct 29, in the first matchup of the season, when the Mavericks won 95-87: It marked the first time both teams had scored under 100 points in 12 games. Both teams have scored 100 or more in eight of the last 11 meetings.
2) Dirk Nowitzki’s against-GS numbers this year: 26 points, 13 rebounds. He’s a nice bet.
3) Dallas has won the last 19 games in the series.
Now go ahead and bet at your own risk. Mike Fisher, 3:22 pm 2/2/04

JAZZ 91, MAVS 88: Time to put Utah in the rear-view mirror, and to look ahead in the standings to the T’Wolves, except. … Will the Mavs need a telescope to see them?
Dallas’ impressive streak is over, sliced at the throat on Wednesday in Utah, 91-88, by a Jazz team that has a knack for dictating the pace in meetings with the high-powered Mavs.
MAVS-JAZZ BOXSCORE
Too bad, too, because the Mavs – winners of nine straight going into this second of a back-to-back roadie – did a decent job of hanging on, hanging on, hanging on. … until the final four minutes.
Dallas got crushed on the boards, going down 45-24 in that department. (That 24 ties a franchise-low. Ick.) The Mavs even found themselves down by 13 on the scoreboard at one point in the third quarter. Yet they fought back to make it tight to open the fourth, and when they did so with a lineup that did not include point men Steve Nash, Antoine Walker or even Travis Best, it was clear Nellie thought he could rest some of his top guns for the closing moments.
Problem: From the time there was four minute left in the game to the time there was one minute left in the game, Dallas lost a nice eight-point lead while being outcored 14-4 during that stretch.
There were opportunities for late heroics; both Michael Finley and Walker launched desperation 3-point tries in the final ticks, and both titillated by hanging around the rim.
But the inevitable end to a brilliant run had to come sometime. Now, time for a glance at what the nine-game streak has accomplished:
Since Dallas last lost, on Jan 11, the Mavs have leapfrogged over San Antonio into second place in the Midwest. The Mavs’ record is superior to the Lakers. The Mavs’ winning percentage is superior to all but three NBA teams.
Let’s put together another little streak, beginning Saturday at noon at American Airlines Center against the young Nuggets, and it’s just a couple more leaps away from catching Minnesota, right?
Might not be that easy.
Minnesota has played at a 22-4 pace in the last few months, after starting the season slowly. If the T'wolves continue at the same pace, the Mavs can catch them with another hot streak—a hot streak that must add up to 26 more in a row!
The Kings are slowing down, as their schedule is finally starting to toughen up. The Spurs have already slipped below the Mavs and still haven't beaten any of the top teams in the West. The Lakers are strong when healthy, but lately their MVPs are their doc and their trainer.
Therefore, the target? The T’Wolves.
The strategy? Keep within striking range, kind of like the Mavs did in Utah.
The goal? Grind, grind, grind, and eventually overtake them. Kind of like the Mavs didn’t do in Utah. By Mike Fisher and David Lord, 11:16 p.m. 1/28/04

VECSEY VIEWS: For those who think we overdo things in criticizing and correcting Peter Vecsey and his regularly made up rumors and lies, whenever they touch on the Mavs, the folllowing item might make you understand the breadth of the problem and think again.
Mark Monteith is a longtime NBA beat writer for the Indianapolis Star. In one of his Q&A columns with Indy fans, he responds to a question about supposed trade demands (which only Vecsey "reported") made by an Indy player, demands that the player says are totally untrue. Monteith says:
"What surprises me is that people still pay attention to anything Vecsey says or writes. He's wrong almost every time. He just got a TV gig on Fox, though, so I guess he feels he has to come up with a few wild rumors to get attention. After all, he can't very well go on and say, 'I don't know of anything going on at the moment.'
"He'd be better off commenting on what's happening than guessing what might happen. He's written or spoken dozens of trade rumors involving the Pacers in the eight seasons I've been on the beat and I don't think he's been right yet. How many times must a boy cry wolf before people stop listening?" For those who want to see the full column:
INDY WRITER BLASTS VECSEY
And again, we’re not just taking random shots here. We just believe it’s important for you to have an understanding of where this stuff comes from, thus keeping you from losing another handful of hair every time Vecsey launches into another anti-Mav or anti-Cuban salvo.
Vecsey could, of course, lessen the criticism of him by doing what good beat writers do, every day in every sport in cities across America: Break a story. Maybe even with ON-THE-RECORD sources. And then watch its truth unfold as your readers are every-so-pleased at your insights and connections.
As we note below, the Knicks and Nets have given Vecsey and other NY writers ample opportunity to show their wares. Until they do, we (and apparently others who are fed up, including the Star’s Monteith) continue to feel responsible for showing their flaws. - David Lord and Mike Fisher, 01/28/04, 2:45pm

ROAD TRAP?: Is this Mavs road trip a road trap instead?
It's a quick back-to-back on the road. Game 1 is is Seattle, where they didn't win a game last year. Game 2 is in Utah, where they got hammered a few weeks ago.
They are sky-high and relaxed from the big win Sunday over the Kings.
They are unlikely to be surprised in Utah. But tonight in Seattle is a key game, as we see it. Watch closely in the first half tonight, and see if the grittiness and defensive intensity has made the trip to Seattle or not. That should be the key. - David Lord, 01/27/04, 11:30am


A FIN-TO-HORNETS RUMOR: You can always tell when even the guy in charge of reporting a rumor is unsure of himself and his rumor’s validity. The New York Daily News’ Mitch Lawrence prints a rumor about a possible Michael Finley-to-New Orleans swap, and Mitch’s words almost stammer off the page.
FIN TO N.O: VERY LAME
“The Hornets,’’ Lawrence writes, “are interested in acquiring a slasher. Michael Finley is one name being mentioned, but the Mavs think he's far too valuable as a leader to move.’’
Geez, if all that is true (and isn’t it amazing how every basketball writer in New York, and only in New York, have their fingers on the pulses of every team in the league?), why even print it?
Item by item:

  • The Hornets want a “slasher.’’ Um, exactly what position is that? If by “slasher,’’ Mitch means somebody with a knack for driving to the hole, well, that skill may be the one Mavs fans wish Finley would most improve on.
  • Finley is one name being mentioned. By whom, and it what context? We wish that if a Hornets official whispered to Mitch that New Orleans wants Finley, he’d just tell us that. Instead, this level of vagueness takes all the teeth out of the thing. An unnamed guy from an unnamed place “mentioned’’ Finley?
  • The Mavs think he's far too valuable as a leader to move. Whoa. They do? Well, it depends on what New Orleans wants to give up! What does New Orleans want to give up, Mitch?
    Yes, folks, it’s another NY newspaper trade report that calls for the Mavs to give up a commodity for. … nothing. Another piece of incomplete reporting that details. … nothing. Another mainstream-media creation that is worth. … nothing. -- Mike Fisher 6:35pm 1/26/04
    MEET THE BEST AVAILABLE CENTER: The Fort Worth Star-Telegram on Saturday reports that “Backup centers and power forwards at the low end of the salary scale are the (trade) targets, according to league sources.’’ The paper throws out the names Jake Tsakalidis (Memphis), Joel Przybilla (Milwaukee), Primoz Brezec (Indiana), Loren Woods (Miami), Michael Doleac (New York), Scott Williams (Phoenix) and Brendan Haywood (Washington).
    Which is fine and all, but DB.com would like to point out that of Jake Tsakalidis (Memphis), Joel Przybilla (Milwaukee), Primoz Brezec (Indiana), Loren Woods (Miami), Michael Doleac (New York), Scott Williams (Phoenix) and Brendan Haywood (Washington), none of them can carry the jock strap of Shawn Bradley.
    “The Shawn Bradley Patience Club’’ lives. - Mike Fisher, 01/24/04, 12:22pm



    MAVS 106, LAKERS 87 Here's a quick test for the stat experts out there.
    Look at this list of NBA stars: Allen Iverson, Latrell Sprewell, Jason Richardson, Steve Francis, Derek Fisher, Antoine Walker, LeBron James, Lamar Odom. What dubious shooting distinction do all of these stars share?
    Give up?
    Believe it or not, EVERY player on that list is shooting worse than 30% on 3-pt attempts for this season. Note it, Mavs fans: Antoine Walker is not the only star that regularly shoots 3's and draws far too many blanks.
    Here is the full list of players who have attempted more than 100 3's this year and have been successful less than 30% of the time:
    Iverson 41-137, 29.9%
    Joe Johnson 38-128, 29.7
    Sprewell 44-150, 29.3
    Richardson 43-147, 29.3
    Francis, 40-137, 29.2
    Fisher, 29-100, 29.0
    Walker 57-205, 27.8
    James 36-132, 27.3
    Odom 35-130, 27.3


    Now, how many of those guys are capable of doing all the plus-side things that ‘Toine is bringing to the table, as he did again Thursday at American Airlines Center in Dallas’ win over the hobbled Lakers?
    Walker’s line vs. LA: 23 points on 9-of-16 shooting, with nine rebounds, seven assists and a steal. During this six-game winning streak, Walker has given the Mavs a grab bag of excellence: 23 points and 22 points in back-to-back wins; 13 rebounds in a game here, 17 rebounds in a game there; an 11-assist game and a 13-assist game; oh, and just to show he plays a little defense, three steals and three blocked shots during the streak.
    ‘Toine’s line for the season is also starting to settle in. He’s no longer the Mavs’ leading scorer; rather, he’s right where he should be, third on the team (at 16.4 points), with Jamison and Nash closely behind him. At the same time, he’s pitching in with 9.5 rebounds and 5.4 assists per.
    For a guy who’s rep is that of a gunner only, that’s not bad.
    Walker, Mark Cuban and others are now going public with the idea that Antoine’s role here is to be a distributor and rebounder first, a sound notion (though it conflicts with Nellie’s early-season call for Walker to “shoot more 3’s).
    Walker still does that, at a rate that puts him in the top 10 in the NBA in attempts. But it is part of the nature of his role as a “point forward. It is interesting to note than on our above list, both of the "point forward" players in the league (Walker and Odom) are featured. We have noticed that a regular part of Walker's errant hoists come due to forced shots as the shot clock is winding low. Maybe the ease for a taller ballhandler (such as Walker, Odom, Sprewell, James) to get off a shot also eventually hampers the shooting percentage for such a player, in the form of undesired shots when the clock is tight.
    Whatever the explanation for the statistical quirk, we think it is more than offset by these other statistical quirks that have made Walker so pivotal during this run. - David Lord and Mike Fisher, 01/23/04, 1:00am

    K-MART TO DALLAS?: It seems like a lot of time is spent here squashing goofy rumors from inventive out-of-town writers, who take answers to routine questions and spin them into "possible trade" or "possible free agent signing" scenarios.
    We took some to task early in the year for asking Nash if playing for Toronto might be fun, and then making it to be as if there was some suddenly revealed desire by Nash to sign with the Raptors rather than Dallas in the summer. That twisted interpretation still wanders by again from time to time, and no doubt will continue to do so until Nash re-signs with Dallas in July.
    Now a Dallas writer is doing it, and we are calling him on it too. In response to an after-game question, local boy Kenyon Martin, whose contract with New Jersey expires after the season, was asked if he had any thoughts about signing with Dallas. As reported in the Dallas Morning News, he replied non-committedly, "I'm in Jersey right now and whatever teams come forth in the summer, I'll deal with that then. It would be fun [to play at home], but I haven't thought about it."
    Playing on that innocuous reply, the DMN headline read, "Martin's dreams include Dallas" and the article led off with this provocative statement: "It seems as if there's always a big-name New Jersey Net who is on the verge of relocating to Texas....Now, it could be Kenyon Martin...."
    "Dreams"? "On the verge of relocating"? “Could be’’? Come on guys, he said he hadn't thought about it, and offered an obvious and expected opinion about the Mavs.
    No doubt we will be besieged by weeks or months of baseless speculation now, in all the various national outlets, about K-Mart's "dreams" and "plans" to play for the Mavs. Look for the talk outlets and websites to toss this one back and forth endlessly, thinking there is some actual truth to it.
    Only it is just silly nonsense. Come on, Eddie Sefko, we have always appreciated your hard work and developing relationships with the Mavs. Please don’t start burying us in twisted junk, okay? - David Lord, 01/21/04, 8:00am

    K-MART TO DALLAS, PART 2: On second thought, maybe we don't mind the overplay on Kenyon Martin that much after all.
    If this shifts the focus a bit onto Martin and allows the overhyped trade jibber-jabber about Rasheed to die down, won't that be a plus rather than a minus? - David Lord, 01/21/04, 8:00am

    CHICAGO’S WORST: Now that we all know how Chicago Tribune columnist Sam Smith works (he doesn’t), we can consume his tripe with more than a grain of salt, taking it in for entertainment value only.
    It is in that spirit that we quote directly from this weekend’s edition of Sam The Sham’s fiction:
    “Let's make a deal: Dallas plays the Bulls here on Friday. Maybe the Mavs would be willing to talk about trading for Antonio Davis. They need a role-playing, front-line defensive player, and the Bulls need to get rid of Davis as quickly as possible.
    Davis is all wrong for the Bulls. He made some sense when there was some chance to support Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler in a playoff run, but that's over. Every minute Davis plays puts the Bulls that much further away from truly finding out about Curry and being able to move on with him and Chandler or to begin making trade plans for them.
    The deal to make now is Davis for Jamison.
    Truly stunning logic: Davis is wrong for the Bulls, so Dallas should give up for him a guy capable of scoring 50 in a game. Oh, and it’s especially logical because “Dallas plays here’’ in Chicago this week. Thrify, because that way Mark Cuban can save the 35 cents and wait to do the deal in person. No truth to the rumor that Smith wants Chicago natives Michael Finley and Antoine Walker thrown in, too. -- Tim McDarby 2:39 p.m. 1/19/04

    NICK’S A PITH: Old friend Ray Ratto from the Bay Area has a cool take on old friend Nick Van Exel, labeling him a ‘PITH.’
    WHAT IS A PITH?
    Ratto, however, makes the unfortunate mistake of throwing out a Nick-back-to-Dallas trade scenario that establishes again “The Telephone Game’’ phenomenon of sports journalism. Where did Ratto’s Van Exel trade idea come from? As near as we can tell, from no where else than the clueless mind of another writer named Dave Del Grande, who made it up a few days ago – and who writes for the Oakland Tribune, to which Ray Ratto no doubt subscribes.
    Mark my words: It goes from being made up by the Oakland Tribune to appearing on ESPN.com courtesy of a Bay Area writer to being mentioned on SportsCenter and the next thing you know, the Morning News, the Star-Telelgram and 1310 The Ticket will be tracking down Cubes and Donnie for quotes about the impending return to Dallas of Van Exel – because they have “sources’’ who told them it’s happening. - Mike Fisher, 01/18/04, 12:30pm


    NO 'SHEED TO DALLAS: In a post-game TV interview from Portland, Donnie Nelson described his pregame talks with Portland's GM Nash as an effort to see if the media had discovered "something we were missing" in the frenzy of rumors. When all was said and done with the talks, Donnie said he discovered nothing new, and the whole thing can be put to bed. From his whole tone, the 'Sheed rumors have proven to be "much ado about nothing" and the Mavs are treating that issue as all but a closed case. - David Lord, 01/17/04, 11:30pm


    TRADE WINDS I wonder, if the Mavs do find a manageable way to acquire Rasheed Wallace, it isn't it more a case of them feeling a change of scenery is what he needs. (Look at Bonzi Wells and how well he's fitting in with the Grizzlies. Suddenly, he's a defensive stopper who accepts a role on a winning team.) Cuban is saying Rasheed is a “sweetheart,’’ and Donnie is saying he’s anxious to sit down face-to-face with Blazers management. Fine, but it’s rather interesting intentional double-talking by the previously close-vested Mavs 'management team' which is now walking an incredibly thin line. Never a dull moment, and we’ll do our best to be a fly on the wall of whatever discussions the Mavs do have with the Blazers this weekend.- Tim McDarby 01/16/04, 3:27pm


    DALLAS D’S UP IN DENVER A few hours before Friday’s tipoff in Denver, Don Nelson appeared with host Randy Galloway on ESPN 103.3 radio and bemoaned his roster’s lack of defensive talent.
    MAVS-NUGGETS BOXSCORE
    The team’s big five, Nellie said, “couldn’t guard you or me.’’
    And then, guys who are allegedly incapable of covering an overweight 60-ish coach and an aging journalist who learned all he knows about basketball at the horsetrack (just kidding, Gallo) went out and guarded Carmelo Anthony and Nene and Marcus Camby and the rest of the Nugz, topping the hot young team, 91-88.
    "It was a pretty darn good defensive effort by both teams," Nellie said afterward. "Baskets were hard to come by. We were as lucky as we were good.’’
    The only misfortune: an aggravation of Steve Nash’s hip problem, which will keep him out of the Saturday nighter in Portland.
    His replacement, Travis Best, again gets some credit here, because he is working on the defensive end. So was a very active Shawn Bradley, who helped limit the Nuggets to 39.2 percent shooting. - Mike Fisher, 01/16/04, 12:29am

    CUBAN’S FASHIONABLE CHECK-IN At 12:20 p.m. on Friday, Quick Releases received a correspondence from Mark Cuban, with a photo of Jazz owner Larry Miller prominently noted.
    WHAT IS LARRY MILLER THINKING?
    Check out the link and Miller, who was celebrating Utah’s throwback night, but still earns a friendly poke from Cubes, who tells DB.com, “You guys can never make fun of the way I dress again.’’ - Mike Fisher, 01/15/04, 12:21pm

    NOW IT’S TARIQ AND ANTAWN: Word out of the Portland media has the Blazers officially confirming that a Rasheed Wallace trade is on the table – and unofficial gossip from the Portland media has Wallace coming to Dallas in exchange for Antawn Jamison and Tariq Abdul-Wahad.
    Does giving up Tariq – who clearly does not fit into the Mavs plans, ever – allow such a deal to fit into Mark Cuban’s “sweetheart of a deal" criteria?
    Stay tuned. By Tim McDarby 9:14 a.m. 1/15/04

    WHY NOT T-MAC?: Now that Tony Cubes and Nellie have combined to nip in the bud all the gossip regarding the allegedly cancerous spread of their occasional head-butting, it will soon be time for the organization to do the same regarding all the trade rumors – or at least the ridiculous ones.
    Mark Cuban said it right there on national TV on Wednesday – ‘I like our team,’’ he said in response to trade questions. And he and Donnie Nelson have both mouthed the same ‘we’ll-always-answer-the-phone’’ responses to similar questions.
    And specifically regarding Rasheed Wallace, both men have made it clear that it isn’t going to happen unless Portland offers fire-sale prices.
    Still, the Portland Oregonian on Thursday tried it again, pushing the Wallace-to-Dallas thing as an almost-done deal, and the Portland media is convinced Wallace’s DNP’s due to an ankle injury is actually a DNP due to an impending swap. OREGONIAN STILL WANTS JAMISON
    Enough already.
    Still, there is another intriguing rumor out there, this one not involving the Mavs. Yet.
    In Orlando, there is noise about the Blazers calling to offer Wallace for Tracy McGrady.
    Now we’re talkin’!
    Let’s do the math: If the Mavs can acquire Wallace for Antawn Jamison and change, and meanwhile the league thinks Wallace and T-Mac are comparable players. …
    Why don’t the Mavs just skip the middle man and give Jamison for T’Mac!
    Well, because it’s all a fantasy, that’s why. All the product of the media’s misinterpretation of what it’s told, all the product of the media’s desire to play Bingo with the facts, as Cuban points out, reporting “scoops’’ in the hope that they might turn out to be true.
    As McGrady pointed out when confronted with the crap: “I did hear the Rasheed rumor. I think there would be a lot of disappointed Orlando fans if that happened."
    Still, T-Mac in a Mavs uni. … as completely irresponsible rumors go, it’s pretty sweet. -- Mike Fisher 1:36 p.m. 1/15/04

    A "NO TRADES" QUOTE?: "I never make predictions, but I like our team." So said Mark Cuban on national TV, at the tail end of an interview Wednesday amidst the speculation and controversies.
    He was firmly putting to bed the idea of the Mavs chasing trades, yes? So says Fish.
    Or because everyone "knows" he could NOT like this team, was he trying to mask desperate trade talks? So opine the muck-stirrers on local DFW talk radio today.
    So which is it? Well, actually, if reporters would learn to listen for a change, maybe they would have made note of the question that was asked that immediately preceded Cuban's quote. Might it have led them to a different conclusion regarding Cuban's meaning?
    Let's replay the question, as well as Cuban's answer.
    QUESTION: After making a hodge-podged question/statement about team make-up and the like, the reporter tossed it to Cuban with this ending lead-in: "Can you win, with this group, and make it to the Western Conference Finals or the Finals?"
    CUBAN: "I never make predictions, but I like our team." End of quote. End of interview.
    Is that a quote regarding impending trades, non-trades, or anything of the sort? I can't say for sure, but to me it sure sounded more like an optimistic upbeat quote regarding how he thinks the Mavs will do this year when all is said and done. You be the judge as to exactly what he was trying to say with these words, as you hear them referenced repeatedly in the coming days as to whether a trade is on the horizon or not. - David Lord, 01/15/04, 1:00pm

    UPDATE ON THE TRADE FRONT, INCLUDING RASHEED: In a radio interview Wednesday on The Ticket, Donnie Nelson (the Mavs point man on the trade front) was asked to characterize the team's current efforts to make some sort of trade.
    His response: "To me, [a trade would be] a bailout. We're going through tough times. The only way to get through it is to stay in there and fight it out: we love our pieces...The guys in the locker room, the hard times that we've gone through, its really galvanized us....
    "That being said, if somebody lays something in our lap, that's a no brainer, we're not afraid to make a change around here - but it's gotta have a good reason behind it."
    Alluding to the continuous rumors that Dallas is heatedly pursuing Rasheed (the latest: Jamison, Delk and Najera for ‘Sheed), this folllowup question was asked: "Well, the Portland paper every day insists that there's conversations. Would you like to say that rumor is ridiculous?"
    Donnie Nelson: "Well I'll tell you this: the last time I talked with John Nash [the Portland GM] was when we were in Portland [Dec 23]. I think that should pretty much say it all." - David Lord, 01/14/04, 3:15pm

    NELLIE SITUATION KINDA SAD: I don’t want to get too sappy here, but reviewing what Don Nelson had to say on his weekly Wednesday 1310 The Ticket radio show with DB.com colleague Norm Hitzges really does make me kinda sad.
    Kinda sad because Nellie talks as if failure is inevitable, and that therefore his departure is, too.
    Kinda sad because Nellie doesn’t guard at all what he says about his relationship with Mark Cuban, almost inviting listeners to make their own, possibly wrong, assumptions about the depth of the problems in the relationship.
    Kinda sad because if you review the comments in a certain way, it sounds like Nellie is willing to give up, or even mutiny.
    And by the time a truly innocuous quote from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram regarding Dallas’ practice habits makes it to the Chicago Tribune with Sam Smith’s spin, and then bounces back to Dallas talk radio, and then is offered by Norm to Nellie as a conversation piece – a classic He Said, She Said mess -- you’ve got yourself a conflict that never needed to happen in the first place, a conflict that, if kept at bay for a couple more weeks, might result in 7 wins in 10 tries or so. And then the conflict never happens.
    The way Nellie speaks in person doesn’t always translate to print; that is, he can make comments that come across in print as extremely volatile when, in fact, they were first uttered with the intensity of a guy in the middle of a morning nap. I feel that will happen here, that Nellie’s comments regarding his personnel and his relationship with the boss and his future will grow legs and take on a life they do not deserve. And then – barring that 7-of-10 streak – all hell might break loose.
    Norm asked the right questions. Nellie gave his usually goofy answers. And it still didn't add up to anything good for the Mavs. Kinda sad. -- Mike Fisher 11:36 a.m. 1/14/04

    SPORTSWRITERS SUCK: People who begin careers as sportswriters do so with the best of intentions. You should know that, and proceed with a forgiving spirit, as you are about to learn that Dallas should trade Antawn Jamison BACK to Golden State in exchange for Nick Van Exel.
    Oh, and the Mavs should throw in Josh Howard and $3 mil, too.
    So says Oakland Tribune columnist Dave Del Grande. “Dave Del Grande,’’ which is not Spanish for “Big Stupid Monkey’’ but is actually the name of a veteran Bay Area columnist.
    What are Del Grande’s facts here? Um, that Nellie has always liked Nick. Who are “Not Big Stupid Monkey’s’’ sources here? Um, he doesn’t even bother pretending that he has any.
    We thought about not even bothering to link to this story. After all, there are so many other bad rumors out there, so many other misguided guesses out there, so many other made-up sources out there (which Mavs employee is it, I wonder, who is willing to risk the wrath of both Cuban and Nellie by whispering secrets to radio hosts from Dallas to NY? He is either incredibly gutsy or, more likely, incredibly non-existent).
    GOLDEN STATE TRADE, REVERSED
    Anyway, that’s the link. Have yourself a good chuckle. And please, next time you see me, don’t confuse me with “Big Stupid Monkey’’ and angrily throw crap at me. -- Mike Fisher 6:36 p.m. 1/13/04


    THE RILEY RUMOR: I was watching Mike Francessa and Chris Russo (New York’s “Mike and the Mad Dog’’) on Yes Network today, and Francesa said:
    “It is widely know, with people inside the NBA, that a deal is already in place for Pat Riley to be named Mavs coach next season.’’
    Huh?
    No matter what Don Nelson accomplishes this year – and no matter what his loyal aides like Donnie Nelson and Del Harris accomplish – they’re all guaranteed to be canned? And nobody isn't asking Mark Cuban, who would tell them what he tells us, that he hasn't so much as had a casual conversation with Riles all season?
    So the world turns. -- Tim McDarby 4:36 p.m. 1/12/04

    LARRY BROWN ON THE MAVS: Taken from a story originating from Detroit:
    What does Pistons coach Larry Brown think of the jump-shooting Dallas Mavericks?
    ``They do have a better inside presence now with Antawn Jamison, Dirk Nowitzki or Michael Finley,'' Brown said. ``They can post any of those three up on the block as well.''
    Entering Sunday, the Mavericks had taken 684 three-pointers, the Pistons 389. However, the Pistons made six of 10 in the first half against Dallas, with Chucky Atkins leading the way with four in a 15-point first half. Meanwhile, the Mavericks were 2-for-14 from behind the arc.
    More from Brown: ``The thing about Dallas is you can't let Steve Nash break you down. If Nash breaks you down you have no chance of winning.''
    Allow us to translate:
    The Mavs CAN post the three big forwards inside. But when you add up all those 3-pointers, it’s clear they do not do so. And Nash getting inside – breaking down the defense by doing so – is also pivotal. But when he is stopped from doing it, nobody else does.
    Coach Brown is trying to tell the Mavs something here. Really, he’s doing Dallas a favor by offering the simplest of advice: Get easy shots! -- Tim McDarby and Mike Fisher 12:59 p.m. 1/12/04

    MAVS DENY ‘SHEED RUMOR: Combine the usual inaccuracies of the New York basketball media with the ups and downs of the Mavs. Throw in owner Mark Cuban’s passion for success and the Blazers’ desire for a fresh start, and what do you get? NY POST: RASHEED TO DALLAS?
    Another Rasheed-to-Dallas rumor, and another failed effort by DallasBasketball.com to find any truth in it.
    Mavs owner Mark Cuban and one other Mavs source both shot down another story out of New York that has Dallas ending up with the troublesome but talented Wallace. This time, it’s the New York Post claiming that the reason the Knicks can’t get Wallace is because the Mavs are nearing a deal that would see Antawn Jamison swapped for him.
    “Nope,’’ Cuban tells us simply when we ask on Saturday evening if there is any fire behind the smoke.
    We’ll consider that the end of the story – at least until Sunday, when the New York rags stir it up again. -- Mike Fisher 6:40 p.m. 1/10/04


    RASHEED AND REALITY = NO DEAL Rasheed Wallace is constantly being discussed in numerous speculative trade scenarios, including some that involve the Mavs. (The NY Daily Post reports that the Knicks' attempts to obtain him were foiled because "the Blazers' bad-boy power forward appeared headed to Dallas as part of a package for Antawn Jamison." See above.)
    But we don't think Rasheed Wallace is going anywhere this year. Not to Dallas. Not to any other team, either. We say to Mavs fans: if you think that 'Sheed can help this team, you need to hold those hopes til next year. There are several factors that, in combination, are likely to keep him planted just where he is, until his current contract expires at season's end.
    Before examining the things that seem to render him untradeable, let's briefly diverge to a somewhat related side issue that made the rounds regarding Rasheed in the past few weeks. Perhaps realizing that a trade is unlikely, some writers began to speculate that Portland will simply release him in mid-season, and eat the last half-year of his contract, in order to be rid of him.
    To that, we reply: Hogwash! Given his ability on the court, and the fact that Portland would then be paying him a princely sum without receiving any help in making the playoffs (and the playoffs are the primary places where NBA owners make their money), we see no potential for the Mavs (or anyone else, for that matter) to be able to get him from the waiver wire during this season.
    So back to the main issue at hand: with Portland so willing to trade him (by all accounts), then why won't he be traded? The answer is simple: money.
    But even though the answer is simple, the relevant issues that involve money in this situation are complex. They involve the salary cap, trading rules, and new contracts.
    The huge hangup involves the size of Wallace's current contract: for 03-04, he is being paid close to $17million. Obviously by today's standards he is significantly overpaid, although that was the going rate for a player of his caliber at the time he signed his deal.
    What difference does Wallace's contract size make, on a contract that expires in a few months anyhow? There are several ramifications to this specific situation.
    First: Portland isn't willing to accept any bloated lengthy contract in return. Rasheed's contract expires in 6 months, and if they can't get true value in the contracts they accept, they can just let Rasheed's contract expire and be done with it. And by so doing, they will receive the added benefit of removing $17M off their salary cap for future years. Paul Allen, the Portland owner, has reportedly instructed the club to reduce salary commitments to avoid luxury tax penalties, and this would result in a major reduction. Once his deal expires, they can then go forward with a clean slate. So if you are looking to acquire him, you won't be able to use it as an opportunity to send along borderline or overpaid players that you somehow want to be rid of, to enhance the value of the trade for you. The only possible exception might be a player whose contract expires at the end of this season - but the Mavs essentially have none of those to offer.
    Second: to obtain him in a trade, any team over the cap (such as the Mavs and almost every other team) would have to send the Blazers a similar amount of salary in exchange. The minimum that a team over the cap could send would be players whose contracts this year total about $14.7 million. That means a team must give up a lot of talent to make the trade - for the Mavs, they would have to trade Dirk, or Finley, or Jamison, or Walker, PLUS a 2nd player (like Najera or Delk or Best) and maybe a 3rd player, just to balance the salaries. That's a lot of talent to trade for a player with as many question marks as Rasheed has. And remember, Portland will only accept $15M of legit talent, not borderline or overpaid ones.
    Third: once you get him in a trade, there is no assurance that you can keep him and sign him to a new deal. The fact of the matter is, Mr. Wallace is going to have to take a HUGE pay cut, no matter with whom he signs for the future. His $17M a year salary will most likely be reduced to the $8-10M range (which puts him in the company of Brad Miller, LaFrentz, etc, who are lesser talents but with much better attitudes). His agent has reportedly floated an asking price for next year with a minimum that begins at about $10M, tied to a long-term deal.
    If you traded for him, given his volatile nature, how do you think he will react to you when you have to tell him you want to keep him but only pay him about 1/2 of what he was making in Portland? Will you be trying to keep an unhappy camper? And do you even want to try to make a $50-75M commitment, in a player who has been a constant headline-grabber in Portland for all the wrong reasons? (His asking price may be far over market, too, which could be a further source of contention if you trade for him with an intent to keep him: because of all the problems, some NBA insiders have speculated that he may have to play for the MLE of about $5.5M on his next contract.)
    There would be one small advantage in being the one to trade for Rasheed, if you want to try to ink him to the new contract. If you are his existing team, you alone will be able to be over the cap and still make him an offer for more than the MLE, without using a sign-and-trade. That flexibility could certainly be advantageous. But to obtain this advantage, you must send Portland almost $15M in talent, which is a hefty price.
    Fourth, if you traded for him and then he signed with a different team, you will be suffering a significant talent loss from your roster. Perhaps you would get a bit of talent back in a sign-and-trade, if he worked out a deal with another team for more than the exception - but you would only receive the amount of talent to match his new contract ($8M worth?) rather than the nearly $15M in talent you sent to Portland to acquire him. And if he signs elsewhere without a sign-and-trade, you will be getting NO compensation. None. Zero, zip, nada. So that means you sent major talent to Portland, and ended up with squat. Not good. Stripping your team of talent does NOT seem like a good way to build for a title, does it?
    Finally, when you acquire Rasheed in a trade, if you are willing to send away $15M in talent, and if you are also willing to take the risk of re-signing him, you are still left with the Knucklehead Problem. Given his history, will he bring legal issues and distractions to your team? If you can get him cheap, he might be worth a chance. But Portland is only accepting legit talent in a trade - and the $15M price tag according to the rules forces him to be expensive, not cheap.
    So once you add up all the factors that surround Rasheed's situation, it would seem that the costs to obtain him, compared with the risks and the possible downside, will be prohibitive to every team. And therefore we conclude that Rasheed will be going nowhere right now, even though the Blazers are willing to trade him.
    Accordingly, for you Mavs fans who (like me) love to dream up trade ideas, it is time for you to go to your Trade List and cross Rasheed's name off of it. Any possible trades to improve the Mavs will need to focus on someone else. And perhaps regarding 'Sheed, the best thing a Mavs fan can do – if he even wants Wallace at all -- is to adopt the eternal cry of the Red Sox fans: wait til next year. -David Lord, 1/10/04, 6:40pm
    NEWS FROM OUT OF TOWN: Here's an item you may have missed. It was reported in the LA Times yesterday that a local realtor there had recently sent out promo calendars with the Lakers' schedule imprinted on one side. On the back? First aid tips - for choking. David Lord 11:21 a.m., 1/9/04

    WHOOPS: In the recent column on potential centers that might be options for the Mavs, the name of Dale Davis was included, with the note that he is a FA at season's end. Nope, wrong, not true. Davis is signed with Portland for 04-05 at about $10M - so he can only be obtained this year via trade. We try to keep you informed with accurate information, but this time my clear blue eyes failed me. Chalk this one up to a rookie mistake by me, the new kid on the block at DB.com. And take Dale Davis off of your "FA shopping list" for the summer, if you are a Mavs fan playing amateur GM at home. - David Lord, 01/08/04, 10:45pm

    MAVS TO SIGN CENTER There have been brief moments in the NBA career of Mamadou N'diaye when he has performed like a real live basketball player.
    We’re about to see if the Mavs give N'diaye anything less brief than 10 days and zero minutes.
    Shawn Bradley returned to the floor on Monday and despite playing in his native Utah, contributed very little in a loss to the Jazz. Bradley’s back problems, Eduardo Najera’s knee problem and now the news that Josh Howard (hamstring) will miss 7-10 days, prompted a search for a big body who might help, a search that will net the Mavs the 7-0, 255-pound N'diaye, who has made occasional appearances with Toronto and Portland after being a late first-round pick of Denver in 2001.
    Mamadou N'diaye (pronounced MA-ma-doo EN-JAI), a native of Senagal and Auburn’s all-time leading shot blocker, missed half the season last year due to injury. But when he was given minutes, he contributed. He started eight games and averaged eight points and almost six rebounds per in those games. For the season, he averaged 5.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.45 blocks and 16.5 minutes in 22 games. In one game with Toronto, he blocked eight Chicago shots.
    Maybe, starting Wednesday against Golden State, the Mavs catch lightning in a bottle here, with Mavs scouting director Amadou Gallo Fall (also from Senegal) having some sort of inside track. Or maybe Dallas will keep looking for big-manhelp, and N’diaye’s NBA abilities, whatever they might be, will stay bottled up on the end of the Mavs’ bench.
    Mavs fans who would like some one to at least try to play defense consistently will be watching.
    DOWN GOES J-HOJust when the Mavs might have been finding a flow. …
  • Dirk taking more shots than Walker – and making all of them from beyond the arc. …
  • Jamison playing on the defensive end like he cares passionately. …
  • Nash posting a 13/1 assists/turnovers ratio. …
  • Finley overcoming a bad-shooting first half with a great-shooting second. …
  • J-Ho continuing to make his bid for first-team All-Rookie. …
  • And maybe most important of all, Nellie settling in with those six guys as his six best players, and the minutes handed out accordingly. …
    The Mavs lose one of the six.
  • Rookie Josh Howard played a brilliant first half Saturday against Minnesota, scoring all 13 of his points. But what he thought was just a back-of-the-knee cramp sustained early in the second half (as he was well on his way to another intriguing line with his 13 points, seven rebounds, three assists and a steal) became a hammy problem, and now he is unlikely to make this week’s road trip.
  • No Bradley. No Najera. No Howard.
  • Prediction: Nellie stays with his very tight rotation, with Tony Delk getting first crack at fitting in smoothly into Howard’s slot. -- Mike Fisher 1:23 a.m., 1/1/04
    NEW DEFENSIVE PRIORITIES? A newspaper quote. A radio interview. A rumor. Some history. A much-improved defensive outing against Milwaukee. Mix them all together and what do you get? Maybe you get Mavs' higher-ups beginning to work and worry about the club’s defense and how it can ever be good enough. And maybe you get the emerging formula for the next step in improving this mighty collection of talent.
    Several items have hit our consciousness lately that, added together, paint a compelling picture. The items:
    1) Let's begin with the history: Mark Cuban's background. Cuban is not merely a sports franchise owner and businessman - he is rooted in traditional basketball. He grew up in the Rust Belt. He attended Indiana. His internet-related financial success was keyed by his efforts to develop a way to follow Hoosiers basketball while living in Texas, to stay in touch with the hard-nosed efforts of Bob Knight’s boys.
    2) Next let's add in the rumor. Near the end of last season, it was suggested to us that Dallas’ practices seemed much more focused on offensive sets and plays and shooting drills than they did on defensive improvement - even though it was the defense that had been lacking.
    3) Toss in the radio interview last week, where Nellie offered the following to explain the Mavs' defensive struggles: "It doesn't matter what we do on defense. Our best players just aren't very good defensively, and never will be." This refrain, that he has players that are INCAPABLE of playing good defense, has long been a mantra regularly used by Nellie.
    4) Finally, top it off with a newspaper quote last week. Commenting on the Mavs' struggles defensively, Mavs owner Mark Cuban said: "I think, if anything, the issue isn't so much with our players as it is with our coaching staff just drilling them and drilling them and drilling them to death, so we know where we're supposed to be and what we're supposed to be doing, and do it to the level we're capable of. In terms of personnel, I wouldn't change it for anything. I know we're a better team than last year. Defensively, we've just got to learn to play like a team."
    What does it all mean? Here's our spin as we mix it all together.
    Last year, the Mavs had assembled a talented cast of offensive players that was winning games right and left. They were weak in the middle, didn't rebound well, and played mediocre defense. But their offensive prowess and cohesiveness, combined with some of Nellie's masterful and inventive uses of the new zone rules that perplexed opponents, enabled them to rack up an impressive record.
    During the year, the whole regime apparently went with the idea that the best path to success with the collection of talent on hand was to focus on maximizing the offensive skills and use smoke, mirrors, and hope for the best on defense. Nevertheless, behind the scenes, Mavs' management figured there had to be a way to retain Don Nelson's offensive style and marry it with some more “hard-nosed’’ play as well.
    So trades were made. Van Exel 's electric offense and weak defense were traded away for the monster rebounding of Fortson, plus the added rebounding and interior offense of Antawn Jamison. The finesse game of Raef LaFrentz, plus the outside Euro game of Jiri Welsch, were gone, traded for guys with some grit to their dazzle, Antoine Walker and Tony Delk.
    The roster was remade, with more of a rugged look to it. Maybe this was finally a roster that could please the sensibilities of both Nellie and Cuban.
    And then the 2003-04 season starts, and what happens? The defense is worse than ever. Nellie once again explains by proclaiming that he has players that are still incapable of playing any effective defense, ever.
    But this year, instead of changing the roster further, Cuban steps up with his can-do approach. "In terms of personnel, I wouldn't change it for anything,’’ Cuban says. "I know we're a better team than last year."
    Cuban knows that there is a world of experience and coaching skill possessed by Nellie. Rather than adding yet another new "final piece to the puzzle" it appears that Cuban now feels it is time to focus on improving this existing set of incredibly talented players. Pull out the bag of tricks, and have them taught by the old master how to play effectively at BOTH ends of the floor.
    And look what happens - the Mavs play at home on Saturday, then have a few extra practice days at home before their next outing. And lo and behold, they come out on Tuesday and limit the Bucks to 43% shooting and 92 points in a 101-92 victory, and run their winning streak to 3. in this game, Steve Nash seems to have turned up the heat as an individual defender, and Michael Finley seems to have responded to the barks from the coaching staff to do the same.
    Perhaps we are seeing a slight change of focus, leading to a much better team?
    A quote. An interview. A rumor. Some history. And then improvement in games to show that there is a way for both Cuban and Nellie to be right. -David Lord, 12/30/03, 11:30 pm.

    THE BIG APPLE It has taken Isiah Thomas only 8 days to begin influencing the way the Knicks are doing business.
    He's already questioned the 'guts' of his team for just allowing Latrell Sprewell to launch a profanity laced tirade on the team owner James Dolan. Now granted, I don't think he is advocating violence or a 'hit' but I also doubt he expected them to walk off the court the way Zeke and his teammates did after the Bulls ended Thomas' Piston championship run.
    Message sent.
    He has unloaded Clarence Weatherspoon for back court help in Moochie Norris from the Rockets. They will waive Don Amaechi who was thrown in to make the deal work.
    "With the way Don (Chaney) wants to play, we want to give him the luxury of having different guys that can play a different tempo," Thomas said. "As we continue to shuffle and retool our roster, at some point in time we may have an overload at one spot."
    Thomas now is considering bringing in Leon Smith to the Big Apple (yes that Leon Smith) in an attempt to add muscle to what he perceives as a soft front court. Smith has already been brought in, but can't be signed until after January 5th, when 10-day deals can be offered.
    "We looked at him and had a chance to talk to him, and later on down the road we'll probably revisit that," Thomas said.
    Thomas has already squelched any talk of bringing former 'Bad Boy' teammate Dennis Rodman to Gotham clearly isn't willing to wait to change the team's culture. The messages are there for everyone to see. – Tim McDarby – 9:54 am 12/31/03
    PICK-AND-ROLLING LA Could it be that Nellie, Donnie and Mark Cuban are right after all? After years of professing the way to take down the vaunted Lakers is to force matchups that compel Shaq to guard someone, comes this shocking revelation; the Lakers are blaming their recent troubles on defense (giving up 104+/gm in their last 6) on their inability to guard the pick and roll with their big men (i.e. Shaq)
    Coach Phil JackZen says it's not fair to blame Shaq because it has been this way for years.
    "It was what you ran against the Lakers when Wilt Chamberlain was playing with them, it's what you run against the Lakers with Shaquille playing in the center. It's as simple as that," Phil said. "Big guys that don't want to come out from the lane and protect the basket are vulnerable to screen/rolls, because it makes them have to come away from the basket and guard a small player.
    "That's one of the things that are problematic for us. It's been problematic ever since this team acquired Shaquille. It's a teamwork thing. That's what we're saying. As a team, guys have to get together and figure that out."
    Kobe Bryant goes fake deep with on why the Lakers can't guard the play.
    "It's coordination," Bryant said. "It's a rhythm thing. You have to have guards closing out, you have to have big guys stepping out and rotating. Especially pick-and-roll. Pick-and-roll coverage is all five guys out there on the floor have to be able to shift and adjust."
    And here I thought only the Mavericks couldn't play defense in the West.
    Oh, and by the way, something to file away for your next Dallas-Lakers meeting: It just so happenes that the Mavs employ in Steve Nash a very skilled trigger for the pick-and-roll and its variations, including Dirk on the pick-and-pop. Tim McDarby 11:15 p.m. 12/28/03
    You know about the success of young D/FW product Chris Bosh, having seen it personally when his Raptors recently visited Dallas.
    You might be surprised to learn that another D/FW product with a less sterling rep, Kurt Thomas, is part of the reason Bosh is so good.
    Tim McDarby's Shootaround, holiday style, at your service:
  • Yes, Thomas is getting a lot of credit from Toronto’s Chris Bosh for helping him make the adjustment from college to pro basketball.
    Bosh spent several months this summer working with Thomas and a personal trainer.
    "It was definitely a benefit because Kurt is an NBA veteran and he got me ready for a lot of things that he told me that I would be facing in this league," Bosh said. "We lifted weights and ran on the track and stuff like that. It was pretty vigorous."
    Raptors coach Kevin O'Neill witnessed many of the workouts between his rookie centre and Thomas and came away both impressed and also content that Bosh was in good hands.
    "I've seen Kurt go after Chris," O'Neill said, "I told Chris to have your head up, you know this psycho," said O'Neill, with a smile.
    The Raptors are said to be interested in trying to bring Thomas across the border. Tim McDarby -- 12 p.m. 12/26/03
  • I understand that Alex Rodriguez is so desperate to get out of town, he’s agreed to go to Portland for Rasheed Wallace! Tim McDarby -- 12 p.m. 12/26/03
  • Here’s something to at least consider about any deal to bring Wallace to town: Bonzi Wells seems to be flourishing just fine away from Rip City. Maybe a change of scenery and a different ‘culture’ is just what he needs. He’s in his walk year and needs a good stretch drive to increase his market value. We all know it’s about market value. Tim McDarby -- 12 p.m. 12/26/03
  • Only in New York can something that will make your team better lead to tumult and upheaval. When Antonio McDyess, finally recovered from two knee operations, the Knicks really thought things would turn around. Instead, Kurt Thomas got benched and was unhappy, McDyess volunteered to come off the bench again, the team started losing and the general manager got fired. Now that’s a week! Tim McDarby -- 12 p.m. 12/26/03
  • How long do you think it will take Isiah Thomas to fire coach Don Chaney and take over both roles? Zeke already has hinted he would consider such a move if things don’t change.
    "I hope he doesn't do that," Pacer GM Donnie Walsh (who fired Thomas over the summer) said. "I don't think you can do both. That would hurt him. He wouldn't do justice to both jobs. I think he can do a great job if he just sticks to one."
    Walsh says Thomas did a great job with the Toronto Raptors when he was just their GM from 1994-97.
    "If you look at Toronto, he started to build a team but it got cut short when ownership changed," Walsh said. "Having coaching experience now will help him in this job. He didn't have that before in Toronto."
    The Knicks may look more like the Thomas-bankrupted CBA if he tries to do too much. Being the GM of that team is enough of a mess to start with. Tim McDarby -- 12 p.m. 12/26/03
  • In an attempt to be on the cutting edge of jargon, there appears to be a lot of ‘chatter’ these days on the NBA trade front, the most in quite some time. David Stern has raised our level of awareness to code ‘orange’ whatever that means. Tim McDarby -- 12 p.m. 12/26/03
  • It didn’t take the Magic long to lose interest in former Mav Donnell Harvey. He has moved to his fourth team now in just under 4 years after being dealt to Phoenix.
    The kid has so much potential and ability, especially defensively, but is a human turnover with extremely limited offensive skills. After having his rebounding ability and tenacity compared to Dennis Rodman when he was in college, he might regret not sticking around Denver, the team he left last year as a free agent. Tim McDarby -- 12 p.m. 12/26/03
  • Just to show you that numbers can be deceiving, if you are a boxscore reader of the Sacramento Kings you might think that Vlade Divac is having a pretty good season.
    However, those who observe the Kings say that age is starting to get to Divac. He no longer has the ability to use his ‘veteran moves’ around the basket because he lacks strength and quickness with these kids today.
    He is turning into a set shot shooter.
    "Peja (Stojakovic) said the same thing to me," Divac said. "Because he is young, I told him I had worked on my shot the whole summer. I did work on my free-throw shooting over the summer," he said, "so maybe that is it."
    Only 7 active players have played more games than Vlade. But maybe he doesn’t have that many more games in him. Tim McDarby -- 12 p.m. 12/26/03
  • The Indiana Pacers are struggling and have asked Reggie Miller to become more assertive on offense. Teams are packing in the zone against Indiana taking away their ability to run the floor and use their athleticism. If Miller will look to use his jump shot more, it could open things up for them.
    "Even when Reggie isn't shooting the ball much, he still has an unmistakable impact on the game because you must guard him closely," Pacer coach Rick Carlisle said. "That alleviates other things for our team.
    "He knows the right time to be aggressive. And he knows when he's the ultimate decoy on the court. When he's playing that role, it allows Jermaine and Al to post up with single coverage or it opens up the floor for them to get the ball out to open guys. Because we're really playing four-on-three, and four-on-three is an easier game to play than five-on-four."
    The Pacers are 9-0 in games in which Miller has scored in double figures. But he's attempted 10 or more field goals in just seven games. Tim McDarby -- 12 p.m. 12/26/03
  • The Sixers have no clear-cut idea when AI will be back from his bruised right knee.
    "I don't know when,” Sixer’s coach Randy Ayers said. “He said it wasn't any better, but it didn't get any worse in the last 24 hours. So, to me, that's a positive sign. Maybe we are starting to make some progress."
    They hope AI can join them at some point on an upcoming West Coast road trip. Tim McDarby -- 12 p.m. 12/26/03
  • Fans in Detroit continue to clamor for Darko. Growing more and more frustrated that other rookie players are having an impact, the number 2 overall pick can’t get off the bench and is a balancing act that coach Larry Brown is constantly battling.
    Imagine Brown’s surprise the other night when he called Darko’s name late in a blowout and the kid told him ‘no’.
    “He’s improved so much and keeps getting better each day in practice,” Brown said. “What I didn’t understand was that in his homeland he was called into games late like that in an attempt to embarrass him. That was the furthest thing from my mind!”
    Once the culture shock wore off, Brown said any misunderstanding is behind them.
    “I told him I would never show him up, but that any minute in an NBA game is something of value and is necessary for him to develop into the player we all know he can be.” Tim McDarby -- 12 p.m. 12/26/03
  • The Spurs’ Tony Parker has been voted the French Sportsman of the Year by something called the Daily I’Equipe.
    `Since 1946 when l'Equipe named its first French champion of the year, no basketball player has won,'' l'Equipe said.
  • `Tony Parker is the first as he always was. Because on June 15 he became the first Frenchman to become NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs. That day, he walked on the moon.''
    Oh yeah. Parker beat out the French women’s handball team for the honor. Tim McDarby -- 12 p.m. 12/26/03

    MORE RASHEED FODDER In case there was more evidence needed of how Rasheed doesn't fit on this team, heed the words of Donnie Nelson in an interview Christmas Eve. Evaluating the team rotation in the previous night's loss to Portland, Donnie offered the following info on how the Mavs' defensive needs limited their rotation choices: "Wallace is a perimeter guy; we couldn't put Fortson on him."
    If Nellie and the crew see Wallace as a perimeter player at this point, he is not the answer to what this team needs. -David Lord, 12/25/03, 12:00pm
    DIRK UPDATE Alarming news: Nellie has been telling everyone how ineffective Dirk is, how he is playing like he is skating on thin ice, how Dirk is just going to have to gut it up and play through it, how he doesn't know when or if Dirk may recover, etc. The picture is a dire one, of a Dirk who may not be able to recover his previous form, and of a hobbled player being forced to play to help the team.
    However, before jumping off of any bridges at the impending demise of Dirk and the Mavs, listen to Donnie's evaluation of the same problem, when (in the same Christmas Eve interview) he was asked questions following up on this potentially catastrophic situation with Dirk:
    QUESTION: Dirk's shooting lately has been horrendous. Why?
    DONNIE: "Dirk is struggling through his ankle issue", an ankle "that's not 100%"
    QUESTION: Why is he still playing if he isn't healthy? Why don't the Mavs just sit him down?
    DONNIE: "Because he's a total team guy." Donnie added that this qualifies as one of those little sprain or bruise things that bother and slow players but that they have to play with at times, and continued, "If it was going to effect him long term, we would sit him."
    QUESTION: Why doesn't the team just sit him for 2 to 3 weeks to get him healthy? His play is obviously suffering badly due to his ankle.
    DONNIE: "It isn't totally based on his ankle." He added that part of the problem was the Mavs have faced some pretty good teams lately, which can take advantage of Dirk's weakness at the moment. But he implied that perhaps the primary part of the problem was Dirk's mental worry over future sprains, adding "It will just take some time. You gotta be patient." -David Lord, 12/25/03, 12:00 pm.
    TRAVIS BEST'S DIMINISHED ROLE I didn't know what to make of it when it happened, and I still don't.
    Travis Best was signed to be the backup point guard on this team. And Nellie didn't like his play, so he demoted him. All of that is understandable.
    But there are two parts that I do NOT understand in the whole situation.
    First, since when does Nellie make announcements that he is revising how he uses his subs? He has so much talent on this team that he is constantly tinkering with his backups other than Jamison. One day someone plays more, the next they play less. A player has a good game here, and then may sit out the whole following game. Matchups, intuition, mad scientist things, whatever - it never makes a lick of sense, but Nellie does it. But an announcement? Maybe it is the conspiracy theorist in me, but somehow that struck me as very odd. Is there more to the story that hasn't been made public? Hmmmmmm.
    Second, what was it about Best's game that Nellie hated so badly, that forced him to make a public demotion? Even though Nellie has been very public about his displeasure with Best's play, when I look at the numbers I see an entirely different picture.
    The PG numbers, just as numbers, seem to say he was doing a better job as a PG than he is being given credit for. Look at these numbers, through Tuesday:
    1. Assists/minute ratio - He has the highest number of assists per minute played of any player on the team. That seems to say that, when he plays, he looks for the open player and finds them.
    2. Assist/turnover ratio - He has the highest assist/turnover ratio on the team, which means that he does a great job of taking care of the ball, even while making lots of passes to others
    3. Shots taken - Does he shoot too much and prevent others from getting the ball? He takes less shots per minute than any other guard on the team.
    So – on paper -- he does the things a PG should do: he gets the ball to the open man in a way that creates baskets, he doesn't take more than his share of shots so that the whole team can be involved when he plays, and he doesn't turn the ball over.
    What is missing?
    If you look at the stats, the main thing that is missing is shooting at a good percentage. That can certainly effect the flow of the offense - if you cant make a shot, the other team can play the pass and force you to shoot. He has always been a much better shooter, though - you would expect the percentages to get better the more he plays.
    This whole team has been afflicted by the inability to make a shot, so Travis Best is not alone in that regard. From looking at the numbers, it appears to me that the Mavs got the PG they thought they did when they signed him. Are they desperate for shooters with their shooting woes so far? If that is resolved with the rest of the roster, could he re-emerge as a factor as the year goes along?
    Or is there more to the story than we know? Have the Mavs decided to go for the younger players this year, perhaps trying to get a feel for who to keep and how to head in the future? Or perhaps trying to decide who is most expendable in a trade or in the upcoming expansion draft? Stay tuned. - David Lord, 12/20/03, 11:45 am.
    ROAD WOES Sitting here in the wake of another disappointing road loss by the Mavs, this one in Boston, the thought again wanders through the mind: what happened? This team that looks so good at home, that played so well against LA, somehow once again lost a road game where it had a large lead and seemed in control throughout most of the game.
    For all the theories and observations and analysis offered about the Mavs from these quarters, for this one I have no clue. This Mavs team is good. In fact, they are STUNNINGLY good at times, and mostly play like it, both home and away. In this game, there was no real point when Boston took over, but rather the lead just seemed to slip away. Evaporated without notice. Like cotton candy, you go to take a bite of the win, but it wasn't there, after all, to eat. And they are now 3-8 on the road.
    Shooting woes, which have plagued this team all year, took over in the 4th quarter and were certainly a large factor. There were too many turnovers, and suspect free throwing by Dallas kept Boston from slipping too far back in the early going when the Mavs were clearly dominant. Nevertheless, the Mavs rebounded with a vengeance and seemed to play hard.
    This game looked like so many on the road all year have looked: games that appear to be very winnable, games that were won last year, and then the Mavs somehow end up with a loss this year. This team has an unworldly amount of talent, and should rarely lose games like this. Instead, on the road, it is becoming a regularity? Why?
    I wish I could figure out the answer and share it here. Then again, if I could, I suspect that Nellie or Cubes would hire me in a heartbeat to be Assistant Coach No. 15 (or however many there are), because no doubt if they knew what it was, it would be worked on and fixed. The problem isn't talent. It isn't lack of a Big Man. It isn't fatigue. It isn't inept coaching. What is it? Chemistry on the road? Rotations that wrongly assume the Mavs can turn it on and off, rather than having to play the stars ‘til there is a blowiout ensured?
    Whatever the reason, tonight looked like the same ole story on the road, and one that is unnecessary and frustrating to team and fans alike. Baffling. Life in the NBA. Hopefully someone soon can ascertain the cause, and fix it. - David Lord, 12/17/03 11:00pm
    PAYBACK TIME IN LA? Last week's Mavs victory in LA looked like true payback time from this vantage point.
    The Mavs got payback for all their losses over the years in LA, yes? Well no, not exactly. One solitary win doesn't atone for 26 losses - although, it is certainly nice to take a first step. And it sure does make a Mavs fan smile for a while.
    Steve Nash got payback on Karl Malone for the dirty elbow, yes? Well no, not exactly. Steve's mouth is still busted, and Karl with the snarl is still unrepentant. It was a nice little win to send a lesson that "we are not intimidated" but it didn't even the scales for the remorseless thuggery by Malone.
    Don Nelson got payback on his oft-questioned Hack-a-Shaq strategy, yes? Well no, not exactly. Although it was a noticeable part of the game, and perhaps was helpful, this game was won more by tough gutsy play for 43 minutes that created a near-20-point lead, rather than by Nellie's endgame that showcased Shaq's woes from the line
    Then if those are not the answer, what payback was there? The payback that seemed to jump out here was the payback administered by the NBA office to the Mavs for the horrendous way the game was called in Dallas. Calls went out far and wide in print and on the air that the officials appeared very biased for the Lakers in the prior meeting, to an absurd extent. In what would appear to be a non-coincidence, the NBA assigned Steve Javie to the rematch. Javie has a reputation as being anathema to this Lakers team, and he had no patience for the same antics that the Lakers employed with impunity in Dallas. His refusal to kowtow to the stars on the Lakers clearly seemed to have the effect of making them tentative, after getting several early technicals and an ejection. And it also seemed to be a message to LA that "no matter how many stars you have, you must play by the non-contact rules that govern the NBA" rather than being able to resort to physical bullying. Although the refs did not determine the outcome in LA, they certainly set a tone that allowed the teams to play on an even basis. Kudos to the NBA for evening the scales: we were pleasantly surprised by it. - David Lord, 12/17/03 11:00pm
    ROAD WOES, PART 2. A frustrating loss in Boston. You played hard and gave max effort, as evidenced by the sizable rebounding advantage. You lost a close game in the last seconds, a game you could have and should have won. You were lacking two players, Finley and Bradley, and by game's end your best player Dirk was hobbled a bit.
    Now you get to travel overnight to Minnesota, to try to fix your road problems against a talented Minnesota team that has been playing very well and has been resting and waiting since Tuesday. Yikes. - David Lord, 12/17/03 11:00pm
    NICE SCOUTING     After two summer trades and a lot of gushing by several teams over a little used player, it was interesting to see Jiri Welsch tonight in real NBA action. Now it is apparent what all the fuss was about during those trades. That looks like a player with lots of talent, and the ability to be a factor in coming years in the NBA. He movement and shooting style seemed to evoke mental images of Ginobili or Stojakovic, for some reason. - David Lord, 12/17/03 11:00pm
    NICE SCOUTING, PART 2? The Mavs "other rookie" Marquis Daniels got almost 20 minutes tonight. With Best officially in Nellie's doghouse, was Daniels being used to try to reduce minutes from others, in anticipation of another difficult game in Minnesota in 24 hours? Or is there a possibility, with Delk more suited as a 2-guard, that Daniels could develop into the primary backup for Nash as time goes along? He certainly seemed to be up to the task, so maybe this was an unannounced audition.
    And let me make a wild speculation here: perhaps one reason the Mavs were willing to trade Welsch, once they got into camp, was that they saw another young player besides Howard and Welsch (ie, Daniels) with loads of talent, who would need game minutes to grow as a player. With all the talented veterans on this team, it might have been impossibly difficult to find enough minutes to develop THREE young talented players all at once. - David Lord, 12/17/03 11:00pm
    ESPN PREGAME CRAP Nice job, ESPN. Way to turn your NBA pregame show into a crappy copy of Fox’s NFL pregame show.
    There’s Kevin Frazier doing his James Brown imitation. There’s Greg Anthony and Bill Laimbeer doing the fake hostility thing, just like Cris Collinsworth and Howie Long have done. And there’s Stephen A. Smith, in his past life a real live journalist, morphing into Terry Bradshaw (and at the same time, channeling Charles Barkley), waving his arms and trying to be quotable enough to work his way into a mention in Rudy Martzke’s ‘USA Today’ media column.
    What crap.
    Let David Aldridge and his ilk do their thing, and you get a nice angle on the Antoine Walker-vs.-Danny Ainge thing. That works. But when it comes time for Frazier, Anthony, Laimbeer and Smith to be insightful?
    You get tired old clichés – in the case of their Mavs-Celtics pregame show Wednesday, tired old clichés about what the Mavs cannot do.
    ‘Can the Mavs go to the Finals?’ Frazier asks.
    Anthony says something hysterical like, ‘Yeah, if they trade for Duncan or Shaq.’ Laimbeer says something about Dallas lacking 'rebounding and heart.' And Smith, who, if he’s going to steal shtick from Southerners Bradshaw and Barkley ought to at least twang his stupid opinions at us, says something like, ‘They’ll never win the Finals with Shawn Bradley in the middle.’
    Thanks for the insight, fellas. Can we hurry up and get to the game? -- Fish 7:00 p.m., 12/17/03
    CUBAN: NO ON Z So far, ‘Quick Releases’ is working nicely. We’re 24 minutes into the experiment, and we’ve got our first exclusive update of a news story.
    What does Mavs owner Mark Cuban say about the Zydrunas Ilgauskas-for-Antawn Jamison story coming out of Cleveland?
    ‘Nope,’ Cuban tells DallasBasketball.com at 12:13 p.m. 12/17/03. ‘No chance at all.’
    OK. Back to the ‘Quick Releases’ grindstone. -- Fish 12:13 p.m. 12/17/03
    Z FOR TWAN? New NBA rule: You cannot start a trade rumor without including the Mavs.
    The latest comes from Cleveland – it’s actually appearing in a newspaper there – and has Antawn Jamison being shipped to the Cavs in exchange for Zydrunas Ilgauskas, the 7-3 center who, if healthy, figures to be an upgrade for Dallas.
    We say that of all the zany trade gossip that has come down under Mark Cuban’s watch, this one at least makes some sense (for the Mavs, anyway.) And yes, as we write this, we are chasing our friends within the Mavs family for confirmation, denial, winking, scoffing, whatever. -- Fish 11:51 a.m, 12/17/03
    Z-FOR-TWAN RUMOR
    SHAQ FOR 50 So now Shaq is going to get serious about beating the Mavs? I contend that he’s always been pretty serious about it – but that no amount of his fake revenge talk is going to get him to his called-shot 50 points in the Jan. 22 rematch in Dallas.
    "I think it's chickensh*t, " said O'Neal, whose missed free throws were key to Dallas’ recent win in LA. "It shows you how much Nellie fears me. It won't work all the time and I will remember it. Next time I see Dallas, I will be going for 50."
    Sounds good. Except for two things:
    1) By my quick count, Shaq has scored 50 points in a game just twice. So suggesting he’s simply going to snap his fingers and get it done makes it seem like he’s believing his own superheroic hype.
    2) The whole point of Hack-A-Shaq is to prevent O’Neal from taking over a game. Quite possibly the only way he’ll score 50 is if Nellie sends the 50-percent free-thrower to the line 100 times. - Fish 11:51 a.m, 12/17/03
    SHAQ TARGETS 50
    WALKER ON AINGE Antoine Walker’s latest diatribe against Celtics boss Danny Ainge, the man who traded him, leans a little too far toward the conspiratorial for me. Suggesting that Ainge made the deal because he wanted ‘Toine to fail elsewhere is irrational. Now, saying that is was ‘personal,’ Walker is onto something there. If Ainge surrounds himself in Boston with guys like Raef LaFrentz, there will rarely be any ‘personal’ conflicts. There also won’t be very many wins, but at least folks will get along with the boss - Fish 11:51 a.m, 12/17/03
    ANTOINE VS. AINGE
    LAKERS' CEASE-FIRE The Lakers are wise to request a cease-fire in the Jumbotron Wars. It started innocuously enough, on the Lakers’ recent visit to Dallas when, in the final minutes of a lopsided LA win, a short ‘Shaq Albert’ illustrustation popped up on the screen, complete with PA announcer Humble Billy Hayes shouting out ‘Hey, Hey, Hey!’
    Shaq laughed. A lot. And for quite some time while he was on the floor. He issued a thumbs-up to Mark Cuban. And then he laughed some more, getting the American Airlines Center crowd laughing with him.
    Apparently as retaliation, the Staples Center big-screen people tried their own clever video piece: putting Karl Malone’s vicious elbow to the face of Steve Nash to music.
    Not exactly funny.
    LA coach Phil JackZen is the one ordering that the Jumobtron Wars be halted, and that’s probably wise. Not only does the Mavs organization have within it an especially clever wit when it comes to these things, but the Lakers organization – from Phil’s relationship with the owner’s daughter to Kobe’s relationship with concierge girls – is ripe for satire far more biting than making fun of Shaq’s bulk. - Fish
    Around the plush DB.com offices, we’re taking no pleasure in seeing Raef LaFrentz’s season come to an end because of knee surgery. But we are amused that there are some in Celtic Nation who think somehow the Mavs should be punished for shipping damaged goods to Boston. After all, Celtics boss Danny Ainge openly admits he knew Raef had knee problems before he pulled the trigger on the deal – which earns Danny credit for honestly, if not for wisdom. - Fish 11:51 a.m, 12/17/03
    RAEF’S FINISHED
    FIN-BASHING Hey, we love Josh Howard. The energy. The maturity. The length. The vertical headband. J-Ho recorded his second straight double-double with 14 points and a game-high 14 boards against Toronto after going 17/13 vs. the Lakers. Over the past 9 games, Howard is averaging 10.4 points and 8.8 rebounds. Which is great.
    But how does it add up to people thinking Michael Finley is more expendable?
    For years, we’ve wanted Dallas to add rebounding and defense. If it was someone who could play defense inside and on the perimeter, all the better. And if the guy could score? Geez, we didn’t even ask for that!
    We toyed with Strickland and Griffin and Bell, and this summer with the idea of Pippen – and, we remind Fin haters now, none of those acquisitions or attempted acquisitions meant Finley being replaced. They meant him being supplemented.
    So there. - Fish 11:51 a.m, 12/17/03