Texas Sports Fan Blog

The Mavs title defense went about as well as most Mavs fans expected. The front office let a lot of key pieces walk in order to free up cap space. Defensive anchor Tyson Chandler went to New York, JJ Barea went to Minnesota and DeShawn Stevenson went to New Jersey. These 3 key players helped to raise the banner in Dallas. Mark Cuban wants to bring in big names to take some pressure off superstar Dirk Nowitzki. With Cuban not resigning these key pieces the Mavs limped through the regular season and were swept by upstart Oklahoma City. However this was not the postseason the Mavs hope to win this year. The need to win the offseason. They have a long list of superstars on their radar. The number one target is Deron Williams of the New Jersey Nets. DWill would come in and be the explosive point guard that would take the scoring load off of Dirk Nowitzki. Other possible free agents Dallas has in their sights are Steve Nash, Roy Hibbert and Ray Allen as well as bringing back their own free agents Jason Terry, Jason Kidd and Delonte West. With a starting 5 consisting of Deron Williams, Vince Carter, Shawn Marion, Dirk Nowitzki and Roy Hibbert with Jason Terry being the Sixth Man the Mavs would return to the top of the Western Conference and have title number 2 in their sights.

Upon reading ESPN’s NBA summer forecast, I saw what I thought I would see. Out of the 93 panelists, 88 picked the Lakers to win the west for the 4th straight season. Who would have guessed right? They kept their core together while also adding veterans Steve Blake and Matt Barnes.

The other five panelists’ picks were what really surprised me. The Rockets and Thunder were picked to win the west by two panelists apiece. As I sat there looking at this, I was baffled. Sure, the Thunder made a monumental leap last year, but to make the Finals this coming year? That is a bit premature methinks. And the Rockets? Yao Ming has not been healthy for a full season in quite some time now. Even with him, they are not a championship caliber team. I’m not sure what makes them look so attractive.

One panelist picked the Dallas Mavericks. Yes, the same Mavericks team that underachieved yet again last spring by being ousted in the first round as the number 2 seed by the number 7 seed Spurs. Again I ask, what makes them a title contender?

Not only was I shocked to see those trio of teams as predicted Finals teams, but I also was shocked not to see a trace of the Nuggets, Jazz, or Spurs. Sure, the Nuggets have the Carmelo Anthony trade rumors to deal with along with an ailing head coach in George Karl, but they are still a great squad. Although the Jazz lost Carlos Boozer, they gained Al Jefferson to fill the gap. And the always potent Spurs could surprise some people this year. The rapid development of George Hill, DeJuan Blair, and the acquisition of the best big from Europe in Tiago Splitter could be enough to vault them into title contention again, provided everyone stays healthy and Richard Jefferson plays to his potential.

The west isn’t as narrow as everyone thinks. There could be a surprise or two left in the teams thought to be below the mighty Lakers.

By Josh Delp of the Sports Fan Blog Network

Will the Mavericks get LeBron James? No. But they certainly will try. Despite not having the essential cap room, Dallas is determined to get a meeting with LeBron James. And if not, they will explore sign-and-trade scenarios with other top free agents such as Chris Bosh and Joe Johnson. Dallas never haves cap room, and will not once they re-sign Dirk Nowitzki. But Dallas buying a pick last week for three million dollars was a way of showing the obvious: Mark Cuban is not afraid to spend money, and it is respectable.

by David at the Sports Fan Blog Network

The result of the Dallas Mavericks’ first-round series with the San Antonio Spurs will not affect the job security of coach Rick Carlisle, owner Mark Cuban said Tuesday night.

“I mean, it’s not something we’ll evaluate now,” Cuban said before the Mavericks’ 103-81 victory in Game 5. “It’s not something we’ll evaluate this summer. I don’t see what would change anything.”

The Mavericks trail 3-2 in the best-of-7 series. Game 6 is Thursday night at San Antonio.

The Mavericks have a 105-59 record in two seasons under Carlisle, extending the franchise’s streak to 10 consecutive 50-win campaigns. In 2009, Carlisle guided the Mavs to their first playoff series win since they advanced to the 2006 NBA Finals.

Click here to read the full article – By Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com

Dirk Nowitzki was amazed. Even after hitting nearly every shot he took, the San Antonio Spurs still weren’t sending more defenders at him.

So he kept shooting. And scoring.

Nowitzki made 12 of 14 shots and all 12 of his free throws, coming up with 36 points to carry the Dallas Mavericks to a 100-94 victory over the rival Spurs on Sunday night in Game 1 of their first-round series.
“Sometimes,” Nowitzki said, “you have one of those nights where the basket is big.”
The Spurs slowed Nowitzki in the first round last year by swarming him with two and sometimes three defenders. He was expecting it again this series and practically begged them to bring it on with the way he attacked whoever was covering him.

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

The Mavericks are one of the smartest teams in the NBA, thanks largely to Jason Kidd, but when it comes to finishing out the regular season tonight, there’s one thing they cannot do.

Don’t over think it.

They very well could be seeing their first-round opponent when San Antonio steps on the floor at American Airlines Center. At least, part of their first-round opponent, given that Spurs’ coach Gregg Popovich has been known to sit his heavy lifters in situations like this.

But for the Mavericks, they have been on such an impressive run lately, the last thing they want to do is change anything.

Oh, maybe the minutes get a little shorter for Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki. But beyond that, they would like nothing better than to finish the season on a five-game winning streak and head into the playoffs with a mountain of momentum.

Click here to read the full article – By EDDIE SEFKO of The Dallas Morning News

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Top scorer Dirk Nowitzki was struggling, and the Dallas Mavericks needed points from other sources.

Jason Kidd, Caron Butler, rookie Roddy Beaubois and Shawn Marion picked up the slack.

Kidd had 20 points and nine assists, hitting 5 of 8 from 3-point range, and the Mavericks recovered from a lethargic start to match the NBA’s longest winning streak this season with their 13th straight victory, 96-87 over the New Jersey Nets on Wednesday night.
Butler and Beaubois each added 16 points and Marion had 14 points and 13 rebounds, helping the Mavericks equal Cleveland’s winning streak from Jan. 10-Feb. 11.
Nowitzki, who’s had 16 games this season with 30 or more points and two with 40-plus, went 3 for 16 from the field and finished with 12 points.

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

Dallas Mavericks rookie Rodrigue Beaubois’ playing status is in question after the guard suffered a bruised back during a hard fall against the Utah Jazz on Monday night.


Beaubois soared to try to swat away a layup attempt by Utah’s Paul Millsap on a fast break. The Mavs’ first-round draft pick fouled Millsap but got the worst of the collision, crashing to the hardwood and landing with a thud.

Coach Rick Carlisle said Beaubois might have been able to return in the first half, but the rookie’s back stiffened up during halftime of the Mavs’ 104-92 loss. He’ll spend Tuesday getting treatment in Dallas.

“Hopefully by Wednesday, he’ll be OK,” Carlisle said.

Click here to read the full article – By Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com

Dirk Nowitzki became the 34th player in NBA history — and the first European — to hit the 20,000-point milestone.

The Dallas Mavericks’ perennial All-Star power forward passed the milestone at the 10:57 mark of the fourth quarter Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Lakers, the 876th game of Nowitzki’s career. He hit a 14-foot baseline jumper off a pass from Jason Terry, giving him 17 points for the game and 20,001 in his career.

Lakers star Kobe Bryant is one of five other active players with at least 20,000 points. The others are Cleveland’s Shaquille O’Neal, Philadelphia’s Allen Iverson and Boston’s Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen.

Click here to read the full article – By Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com

Win, lose or draw, the Mavericks’ fate lately always seems to come down to Dirk Nowitzki.

And as long as he’s on, the Mavericks can lack all the style points in the world and still have a great chance to win.

The game in Milwaukee proved it.

Wednesday night’s 99-94 victory over the Spurs reaffirmed it when Nowitzki tipped in the basket that ended up getting the Mavericks to overtime.

The Mavericks slogged around for three quarters, couldn’t find the basket with a GPS and basically looked like they should be losing instead of up by four points, which they were.

Click here to read the full article – By Eddie Sefko of dallasnews.com

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