Donuts: The Mavs' OKC Loss - Through Kidd's Eyes

  Wednesday Morning Mavs Donuts … in which I try to get you to be calmed by the soothing words of Jason Kidd, who spoke one-on-one with DallasBasketball.com in advance to explain everything … including some hints about the ups and downs that we would see last night in the Mavs’ 99-86 loss at OKC.

    These aren’t excuses … but they are reasons … a dozen-or-so explanations, seen mostly through the seen-it-all eyes of the future Hall-of-Fame point guard:

 

 

 

 

       DONUT 1: From the Associated Press coverage of the game in which the new players from the Wizards made their debuts: Inserted into the starting lineup, Butler seemed out of sync with the other Mavericks early on, with Kidd noticeably directing him around on one play before he missed his first shot from the right elbow. …

      Well, that’s a rather negative analysis of the on-court interaction of Kidd and Caron Butler. Kidd’s “noticeable direction’’ was part of the gameplan – a requirement due to the in-transition nature of a team that is integrating three new players (and two starters) into the club without the benefit of a practice.

    “We’ll have to do some things on instinct,’’ Kidd told me before the game.

    Translation: J-Kidd was going to be doing a lot of “noticeable direction.’’ With time to put in and work on only five-or-so plays, the rest was going to have to be very basic, very instinctive, and very much Kidd “noticeably directing.’’

    That’s not worth criticizing; Dallas had no other choice … and in fact, Kidd’s presence made it more smooth than it would’ve otherwise been.

     DONUT 2: I believe the new guys’ unfamiliarity of the system is the reason J.J. Barea jumped back into the backup PG role, ahead of Roddy Beaubois. I understand your ire, but think about it: Butler and Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson don’t know the plays, don’t know the calls, don’t know the signals. Is Roddy Beaubois – a rookie who himself is just now getting comfortable with the playbook, not to mention with English – fully equipped to handle the unusual requirements of this quarterbacking situation?

   Rick Carlisle’s decision was that he was not ready. That’s not a defense of the JJB results. Don’t even ask me to defend the long-term notion of a Jet/JJB backcourt pairing. Again, it’s just an explanation for the thinking on this night.

    I do want you to consider this, though: You do know, don’t you, that Carlisle WANTS Roddy to win this job, right?

    DONUT 3: From the Department of File This Away Department: What if Haywood and Butler don’t like each other?

    Two points here:

    First, one good thing about the way the Mavs locker room works: While there is no one in there (previous to Butler, anyway) who is a loud, boisterous, forceful, angry leader, there is a we-are-all-equals chemistry that seems to be part of the foundation of 9X50. Remember when I wrote the other day that while Josh Howard “isn’t a bad guy in the locker room, that doesn’t mean he’s a good guy’’? This locker room can have a hammock effect on a goofball or an outsider. There are a number of people responsible for that, from Cuban (the owner who travels with the team) to Dirk (who sets a goofball-friendly tone) to Jet (buoyancy) to assistant coach Armstrong, the sort of personality people are drawn to.

   But a big part of it is Kidd. Haywood and Butler will be fine here – they interacted beautifully on the floor a couple times in exchanging meaningful passes – because Kidd will direct them into being fine.

 

    DONUT 4: And the second point about Haywood’s relationship with Caron and everybody else:

    He’d better get used to them. He’d better like them. And fast. Because Erick Dampier just about tore a finger off his hand, and surgery will leave the responsibility fully on Haywood’s broad shoulders.

    The Damp update:

     That means Eddie Najera will plug in as a backup center. He surprisingly made an early appearance in OKC, scrapping on the floor for a loose ball, fighting inside for rebounds, and feeling bold enough to launch a 3 … and those modest accomplishments will have to do.

    Haywood, meanwhile, demonstrated a big-man athleticism and explosiveness that is a rare sight in these parts. He catches, he dunks, he jumps through people, he’s a fighter … nothing bad about this review. He even looked smooth on a non-play, when after a foul, he flipped the ball back over his shoulder up at the basket … and did it more gracefully than most 7-footers shoot normally.

    “The fact that myself and Caron didn't get a chance to practice with the team probably impacted us in a negative way," Haywood said. "But at the end of the day, we're professionals. We have to go out there and do our jobs, and tonight we didn't get it done."

    Dallas has the option of waiting through Damp’s injury for his return, or waiting through the spring to sign a released veteran (anybody from Kurt Thomas to Drew Gooden), or trying to swing a minor trade (minor, as in “cheap and stopgap’’) right now, or phoning Arizona and asking Jake Voskuhl to come take up a roster spot.

    But this is Haywood’s deal now – as it was going to be eventually, anyway – and there is simply no room for him to not “get it done’’ on a regular basis.

 

    DONUT 5: Here’s an opportunity to explain the difference between what I do for a living and what the honorable John Hollinger of ESPN does for a living:

    Hollinger has used his electronic abacus to determine things.

    I ask Jason Kidd about things.

    In Hollinger’s analysis of the trade (which he believes will make the Mavs only “one win better’’), he asserts:

     *The difference in performance between Butler and Josh Howard is much smaller than generally perceived. In fact, statistically, there's been virtually no difference between the two players over the past four seasons, including this one, in which Butler's numbers have been down just as sharply as Howard's.

    *How is Butler going to defend opposing shooting guards when he can't even guard small forwards?

     *How will the Mavs juggle minutes up front between Haywood and Erick Dampier, especially when they're likely to play extended stretches without a traditional center and Nowitzki playing the 5?

      So Jason Kidd, is there “virtually no difference between Caron and Josh’’?

      “Well, they are different players,’’ Kidd said politely.

      And Jason, what is the difference in your system between a “small forward’’ and a “shooting guard’’?

      “Nothing,’’ Kidd said. “On offense, they are both really just ‘wings.’ Interchangeable. And on defense, it doesn’t matter because Caron is good on defense, and I’ll sometimes guard the 2, and Shawn is usually going to guard him (the opponent’s best 2 or 3). So it’s all interchangeable.’’

     And Jason. … well, I stopped there. I decided to not waste the man’s time or embarrass myself with questions about “how Dallas will find time to play two centers’’ or “how Dallas so often plays Dirk at the 5.’’

    Hollinger may be right about the "one win better'' thing. ... except, how will we ever know? But he's wrong about the actual players, their actual roles and their actual thoughts.

    You can't milk that stuff out of a computer.

    

    DONUT 6: Dirk came away from the whole thing sort of upbeat, which is cool considering the fact that while he scored a team-high 24, he made just two of his 12 second-half shots.

    “I think we can see the potential, especially there in the first quarter,’’ The UberMan said. “Everybody was touching it and getting open shots. I can definitely see the potential.’’

    Maybe Dirk's elbow is still a nagging thing. ... but last night he did play for the first time since the Teeth-In-Elbow Incident without any sort of padding. Also, as of Monday, anyway, Holger was still in town to provide Basketball-Is-Jazz guidance.

    Calmed and soothed yet?

  

    DONUT 7: Where does that optimism come from? Check out Carlisle’s review of Caron’s night:

    “Caron didn’t shoot the ball particularly well. I like the spirit he plays with. He can do a lot of different things on the court. He battled and aggressive attacking the rim. We all know he is a terrific shooter and scorer. We want him to play his game.’’

     I find that calming and soothing. Are we there yet? 

 

   DONUT 8: Mavs tickets have never been hotter … and Mavs DB.com T-shirts are as cool as ever … so how would you like us to GIVE you tickets to the Mavs-Pacers game on Monday, Feb. 22 … FREE?

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   When you place your T-shirt order –  for “The UberMan,’’ the “DallasBasketball.com’’ essential, “The DUST Chip’’ or the throwback “Fish For Lunch’’ – make sure you write in the Paypal notes that you want these tickets! We’ll ship your T-shirt priority mail on the same day you order them. … and we’ll choose the winner via a random drawing and announce the winner via DallasBasketball.com and via email (to the winner) on the morning of Sunday, Feb. 21. (We'll have your tickets at AAC will-call on the evening of the game.)

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   DONUT 10: Rick Carlisle pulled out one of his favorite charming chestnuts. You know the one:

    "In the third quarter, we had looks,’’ coach said, “but we couldn't hit a bull’s ass with a bass fiddle.’’

     Not that I don’t enjoy it when Carlisle channels Foghorn Leghorn, but Kidd went a little deeper.  

 

    DONUT 11: “After halftime, we only scored 11 (points in the third quarter)," Kidd said after the game, which dropped Dallas to just a half-game above OKC for fourth place in the West. "We didn't make shots, we had some good looks. …’’

    And then Kidd said something else important:

   “To stop the bleeding,’’ he said, “I think we started pressing and we tried to do it individually."

    And when do teams and players try to “do it individually’’? Sometimes, they do that when the playbook is either misunderstood or exhausted.

    Can we agree that with a little time, this won’t be an issue?

 

    DONUT 12: Unfortunately, the Mavs barely even have “a little time.’’

  “As far as the new guys,’’ Carlisle said, “we'll get with them again (Wednesday). You know, it's work."

    The Mavs are back home tonight … hosting Phoenix. … and guess what? There is no Mavs practice. There isn’t even a shootaround. It’s a day of getting some rest … doing some studying … showing up at the gym in the evening for an 8 p.m. start. … and once again relying on Jason Kidd to offer “noticeable direction.’’

    "It's going to work,’’ Kidd said afterwards. "We didn't have a chance to get these guys any practice time, but you could see things out there. The future is going to be very, very positive."

 

 

 

 

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924am feb 17 2010

 

                                                     

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