The Mavericks final game before the all-star break, a somewhat heartbreaking loss to the Boston Celtics (the Mavs were actually ahead by 15 points in the third quarter), proved a number of things:
1. The Mavericks are getting better. Their 6-2 record since the last time they played Boston illustrates this. It seems this unit is finally starting to play together as a team for the first time since the Jason Kidd acquisition. Which leads me to:
2. No matter how great the temptation, the Mavericks should refrain from making any trades. Don't disrupt the team chemistry that seems to be building.
3. The Boston Celtics are simply a better team than the Mavericks (which, I guess, should be obvious since they are the defending NBA champs). The Celts battled back without their coach (tossed after two technicals) and their all-around best defender, Kevin Garnett, who earned his fifth foul in the third quarter and largely rode the bench the rest of the way.
4. Paul Pierce is a better player than Dirk Nowitzki. I don't think there's ever been any doubt that Pierce is a better defender than Nowitzki, but last night, in the fourth quarter crunch time, Pierce scored more points than the entire Mavericks team.
1. The Mavericks are getting better. Their 6-2 record since the last time they played Boston illustrates this. It seems this unit is finally starting to play together as a team for the first time since the Jason Kidd acquisition. Which leads me to:
2. No matter how great the temptation, the Mavericks should refrain from making any trades. Don't disrupt the team chemistry that seems to be building.
3. The Boston Celtics are simply a better team than the Mavericks (which, I guess, should be obvious since they are the defending NBA champs). The Celts battled back without their coach (tossed after two technicals) and their all-around best defender, Kevin Garnett, who earned his fifth foul in the third quarter and largely rode the bench the rest of the way.
4. Paul Pierce is a better player than Dirk Nowitzki. I don't think there's ever been any doubt that Pierce is a better defender than Nowitzki, but last night, in the fourth quarter crunch time, Pierce scored more points than the entire Mavericks team.
What were people saying about Pierce before he was gifted Garnett and Allen???? Well I can tell you that the frequent arguments about Dirk were all there for Pierce too.
ReplyDeleteHard to win going 1 on 5, when the opposing team doesn't even bother to guard the likes of Wright, Dampier, Kidd.