Thoughts On Dez Bryant...

Dez Bryant could be a number 1 receiver in a year. He's a phenomenal specimen with unlimited potential...his attitude would be the one thing that could keep him from reaching great heights and from what I've seen so far, he's started out on the right track. So, here are some things we know about Dez and some things that I'd like to see him do in his first season with the Dallas Cowboys.

1) 60+ Catches this year. I know, thats a tall order but, seriously...if he's as good as advertised why not? He's got the height, the length, the speed, the quickness, the athleticism, and the confidence! I think he could be an asset out wide and in the slot...thats versatility that if utilized could create a ton of opportunities for the kid. Plus if he stays healthy thats only 3.75 catches per game over a 16 game season. Not out of reach.

2) To stay out of trouble off the field. I don't want him to get too big of a head and decide that he doesn't have to follow the rules. Too many times young guys that are stars on the field or court get the idea that they have a right to do whatever they want without consequence...not the case. If young Dez figures this out and does things right it would not only be refreshing but good for his future as well as the Cowboys.

3) I'd like to see at least 7 touchdowns. Heck, if he catches 60 balls why not have at least 7 of em be for points? I think its doable especially if Roy Williams can finish with 7TD's on only 38 catches. Thats why I said 'at least'...I think he could grab 10 or more if he really tries!

4) I want him to be a game changer. Much like Miles Austin became last season I want Bryant to be the guy that makes the play that turns the game in favor of the Cowboys. I think he can be that guy with his exciting style and flashy grabs. In college he was the guy that made the catch that sent the game in favor of Oklahoma State and that was their one year of playing really great ball...the next year after he was suspended for being friends with Neon Deion, they played much worse and didn't seem to have that edge that they had with Dez on the field. So, my wish is that Bryant would bring that edge and for him to be there when Dallas needs a first down or game changing play or a small lift of momentum or emotion!

5) Be reliable. The knock on Roy Williams is that he has not been reliable...therefore Romo gives him less and less opportunities to catch the ball because he cannot be trusted. Dez needs to establish trust early and keep it there. The only real way to do that is to catch the ball. Its a very complicated concept..catching the ball is. But he is a "receiver" therefore...CATCH THE BALL!

Guess Who's Coming To Dallas...?

Lebron to the Mavs'? 

You think I'm crazy? Well, maybe I am. But maybe, just maybe...its a lunatic your lookin' for! I can't say for sure that Lebron will be a Mav by the end of July, but I can tell you this: contrary to popular belief the Mavs' have way more than enough assets and financial ability to make a legit play for Lebron in the coming weeks/months. Dallas has the tools, and has the lure. All that remains is to see if Dallas is Lebron's destination of choice. If Lebron says; "I want to be a Maverick!" The Kings will be done. Simple as that! 

Dallas has a 13+ million dollar instant expiring contract with Erick Dampier (which gives the team he's traded to that much in salary savings) to bargain with. Along with prospects, and role players of sorts. The really only unfortunate thing would be having to give up guys like Caron Butler or (especially) Roddy B. But if it were to bring Lebron James to Dallas...how could the Mavs' pass that one up? They couldn't! And I don't think that anyone here will criticize them for doing so. 

Is it likely that Lebron wants to play for Dallas? I can't read his mind, but I can give you a list of reasons why (anyone, but especially) Lebron would love to play for big D. Here are my reasons: 

Reason #1: Dirk Nowitzki. My question to the media and the people around the league that have this notion that Lebron is going to New York is this: "Why would Lebron want to start from scratch again and rebuild a franchise?" Honestly, he just got finished doing that in Cleveland and in the end it didn't really pan out quite as well as he'd hoped. The problem was, Cleveland was never able to surround Lebron with quality guys who took pressure off of him. Heck, there were times when other teams could put 3 guys on Lebron and not have to worry about the other Cavilers players because they weren't any kind of threat. Put Lebron on a team with a guy like Dirk to help shoulder the load...why is there any reason to assume they can't go all the way together. Besides, Dirk has a positive attitude and is probably THE most humble athlete of all time, he would never try to take the spotlight away from Lebron.

It also makes sense because Lebron is a guy who creates his own shots. He can drive, penetrate, spot up, or do just about anything else he wants...the problem with him going to Miami is the fact that D-Wade wants the ball on every possession. When would Lebron get his shots? And if he does take shots, how many will he take before D-Wade gets cranky about someone else stealing the show? He'd never have that problem with Dirk. Nowitzki has been and always will be a very humble and gracious teammate. Letting Lebron do what he does best and then taking his opportunities to do what he does best is just the ticket for Dirk, and he knows this! 

Reason #2: Jason Kidd. Is there anyone in the NBA who would say "No I do not want to play with Jason Kidd." The list of those guys is very very short. And Lebron is not on it. Lebron and Kidd won a Gold Medal together in the Olympics...remember? The next season when Kidd was trying to get out of Jersey Lebron was begging Cleveland to make a deal to land Kidd there! Instead Dallas was lucky enough to have Dirk and Kidd both wanting to play with each other enough so Kidd came here. But that doesn't mean that Lebron isn't still dying to play with a pass first point guard, who will be a hall of famer, who is unselfish,  and wants to win NOW as bad as anyone in the NBA. Why would Lebron turn down the opportunity to take passes from one of the greatest passers in the history of basketball? Right now Lebron leads his team in assists. Thats really mental. Why does Lebron lead the Cavs' in points, rebounds, and assists? Because the next best thing they've got up there is Mo Williams. Not what you'd call pass first and not what you'd call a great shooter. He's developed ok, but take Lebron away from Mo, and your left with a guy who probably shouldn't be the starter on a championship contending team. 

Reason #3: Money. The common misconception is that Dallas can't pay Lebron as much as other teams can. And quite frankly thats total bull. See, Dallas not only has the ability to pay Lebron as much as other teams, Dallas can pay Lebron the maximum any team can pay Lebron. I'll run through it really quickly: Dallas has Erick Dampier, Damps final year of his contract is 'not' guaranteed, therefore Dallas can offer him to Cleveland for Lebron along with some other baggage and when the Cavs' receive big Damp they can Waive him...in the end saving the Cavs' about 13.8 mil. from their salary. Its an "instant expiring" contract. Its ingenious and Donnie Nelson and Mark Cuban have been working this angle for years...and its been paying off well, and this year it just might pay off enormously. The thing that Damps contract does is give the other team an incentive while also clearing salary room for Dallas to pay Lebron because of this: The Cavs' would in the situation above, sign Lebron before they traded him to Dallas hence the term "Sign and Trade". The reason for this is the NBA rules say that any trade made via Sign and Trade must include both parties receiving "near" equal amounts of salary in return. In other words, you couldn't send a 2 million dollar player to one team for a 15 million dollar player. So Dallas sends Damps 13.8 to Cleveland for Lebrons fresh new 16.2 (give or take a hundred thou) which keeps Dallas from breaching any salary cap issues. Therefore, Dallas has more than enough money to pay Lebron. The max he can get is 125 million over 6 years and Dallas can give him just that! 

Reason #4: State Income Tax. Speaking of 125 million dollars...why not have all of that (state) tax free? When Mark Cuban is on the phone with Lebrons people don't you think he's going to say, "hey by the way, the money that I'm paying you is free of state income taxes...which means you get to keep more because you live and work in Texas". Trust me, that is a selling point. And it will be discussed by Lebron and his people. 

Reason #5: The Dallas Cowboys. Turns out, Lebron is a huge Cowboy fan. And it also turns out that the Cowboys have a brand spanking new incredible house to play in. Wait...wouldn't it be just awesome if Lebron was able to attend almost every Cowboys game? Oh, and wait...wouldn't it be even more awesome if Lebron got to play there himself? On the biggest Sports stage in the world Lebron could bask in the glory while playing IN Cowboys Stadium? Apparently there are several games scheduled to be played in Cowboys Stadium. Lebron wants to be center stage for that, doesn't he? Plus, in his spare time he can chill with Jerry Jones and Mark Cuban and they are two of the richest people you can find, they know how to make money and market things better than anyone...Lebron would be surrounded by billionaires who want nothing more than to market him. 

Reason#6: Championships. The biggest reason that Lebron should come play for the Mavs is this: Dallas has a team already built to win and built to win NOW. My biggest complaint is the fact that if Lebron goes to New York he's going down a road that he's already been down. Rebuild a franchise from the bottom...again? Didn't he just try that in Cleveland? It didn't work! Why waist the rest of your career trying to teach kids to play again? He's not going to New Jersey, they suck! He's not going to New York...they SUCK! He's not going to Miami...They aren't that good, and D-Wades a spot-light hog (not to mention a ball hog)! He's not going to the Clippers...why would he want to be the second best player in LA??...oh and THEY SUCK! He wont go to Sacramento, he wont go to Golden State, he wont go to Philly, and he wont go to Milwaukee or Minnesota! Why? BECAUSE THEY ALL SUCK! I believe this: I've said it a million times...Lebron wants to stay in Cleveland. Heck, he's from Akron! Its his home state...his home states basketball team drafted him and he's always been close to home and loved it. I believe that getting ousted from the playoffs so quickly and easily will make him think twice about re-upping with Cleveland. I think he wants to win a championship and I think this year he thought they were going to...and last year and the year before they had a legit shot and heck, the year before that they were in the finals (they got swept by San Antonio)...but the problem now is that they still haven't won. Lebron wants his legacy to be that of MJ's and Kobe's and Shaqs and Magics and Bird's and Oscar Robertsons and Bill Russells. He wants to be spoken of in that group of greats. In his heart thats what he wants. He wants to be there and win there. But I think he's starting to believe he will never win in Cleveland. Therefore it is time for a change. A change that will allow him to win now.

I think he will consider the Bulls. Chicago is a place that has carried the greatest legacy of all time and he knows winning there could be incredible. However, the only problem with that is...Chicago IS and ALWAYS will be someone else's team. Jordan owns that town and Lebron would only be playing in Jordan's shadow. Unless Lebron would go on to win 7 championships there, he would never even be considered the greatest player in Chicago, let alone the world. He doesn't want to play in someones shadow. 

The more I think about this and the more I truly look at the situation...the more I feel and believe that Lebron will somehow be drawn to Dallas. I can't help but think that its something that nobody expects him to do, but if he leaves Cleveland and everyone is expecting him to go to Miami or New York or Chi town...wont he want to create some breaking news that will shock the world? Think about the outcry if he came to Dallas. People would be so confused and fascinated...he'd be the talk of the sporting world for a long time. But aside from that aspect I keep going over the numbers and the situation and Dallas could be the perfect fit for Lebron in every way. He'd play with Dirk, Kidd, Marion, and Terry...Guys that are as thirsty and hungry to win as he is. He'd get to be a part of a franchise that has the reputation as one of the best and most well run franchise in all of sports...a "players franchise". He would be a part of a city that is big and comfortable and is home to the greatest and most recognizable football team in the world. 

Look, the reasons are endless and the Mavs DO have the ability to go after Lebron. The only question is, can we persuade Lebron to want to come here? Many have already took notice of the opportunity and gotten started on the persuasion process. Check this out: http://www.lebrontothemavs.com/ 

I don't know how it will work out, although I've got some speculation coming soon. But I do know that its possible so keep your fingers crossed and toss up a Hail Mary...and maybe, just maybe...Lebron James will be in a Maverick uniform by the end of the summer. 

Romo Watch: Golfing Again?

There has been much criticism the last few years directed at Tony Romo due to his love for the game of golf. I personally do not have any qualms with Romo playing as much golf as he wants. It is in fact a great way to clear one’s mind and rejuvenate yourself. The golf course is a great place for a man to think and figure things out. Even if Romo did make the PGA and had an opportunity to play in a tournament during the NFL off season...why does that have to mean that he "isn't focused" or that he's "never going to win"? 

Tony Romo is a competitor and competitors compete! "I'm a football player. I love football. It's fun to play football," Romo said. "Once in a while, I get out, and I love competition whether it's golf, basketball or ping pong. Whatever it is, it's enjoyable to compete. On a daily basis, I'm always competing with myself, but it's nice to be able to beat someone else once in a while. That's what we get when we get out here in practice in football today.”  I fancy myself a "competitor" of sorts, although I do not possess the natural physical ability to compete at a high level of the sports I dearly love...I will pretty much get into a fistfight over a staring contest. But in all seriousness, I hate losing! And I love a challenge, and I'd do almost anything to win at just about anything. I know a lot of people that are like this...why is Romo different? Because he's the quarterback of the most recognizable football team in the world? (American football...no offense to World Cup people...hurray, score more than a goal a game and I might be interested!) 

Look, Romo is as competitive as anyone and golf is very challenging and apparently he's quite good. Good enough to almost make the cut a few times. O and by the way, you don't get to be the starting QB for the Dallas Cowboys by being a chump so we know he...wait, I'm sorry...let me rephrase that: you don't get to be the starting QB for the Dallas Cowboys unless your as good as names like: Meredith, Staubach, White, Aikman, and (I believe) Romo. There are the Quincy Carters, and Clint Stoerners, and the Glenn Caranos, and Ryan Leafs, and Bernie Kosars...but no one really remembers them right? 

Anyway, the point is that Romo is no chump. He know how to play football and a little offseason golf isn't going to make him forget how to throw a football or read a defense. Just like throwing a football or reading a defense doesn't make him forget how to swing a golf club. He's got just as much right to be on the golf course as anyone, and its hipocritical of anyone to criticize him for it just because he's never won a Super Bowl. Peyton Manning was in the league for almost a decade as a starting QB before he won the first of his two. O wait..I forgot, he blew it in the second won and LOST THE SUPER BOWL!! Romo has only been a starter for 4 seasons...only 4, but he didn't win the Super Bowl yet because his mind was on golf!?!

Romo is criticized for playing golf in the off season and for losing big games during the season. The fact is that he actually plays pretty well in "big" games. Actually, he plays pretty well in most games. He's had a few slip ups, and he's had a few dumb mistakes, but is that really because he played a few rounds of golf in his free time? NO! Just wait till I go off on the people that think he doesn't win because he wears his hat backwards...that'll be epic. But listen, the point I'm making is...cut the guy some slack, maybe show some support to guys like Romo and Dirk Nowitzki so that they will want to come back and play in YOUR HOME TOWN! They are some of the best in their respective businesses, it'd be a shame if they ever opted out of a contract or said "to heck with these unappreciative honks" and went and played somewhere else! 

The fact is, Romo decided to skip the qualifying rounds for the Byron Nelson PGA Tournament. Instead he chose to attend the not mandatory OTA's. That means that instead of playing golf, Tony Romo went to his Organized Team Activities! His tee time was scheduled for 9:57 Monday morning, but his teams OTA's were from 11 to 12:30. Patrick Crayton skipped, Miles Austin skipped, probably quite a few other recognized names skipped what was probably nothing more than a glorified meeting. But Tony Romo didn't skip. "It's enjoyable to play and compete [in golf], but football is the funnest thing I do by far," Romo said. "On a day like today, there's nothing else I'd rather do than be here at football competing, and that's what we get to do when we're out at practice. It's not like I missed out on something today.... There was really no decision there. For me, it was just this is what I love to do. Why would you not choose that?"  Romo honored the Dallas Cowboys and every fan that has ever criticized him for golfing...by showing up as the leader of his football team, instead of playing in a very important round of golf. 

Sunday Six Pack: Easter Sunday Edition

So It is Easter Sunday, time for celebration and rejoicing and what not. So here's my attempt to entertain a bit; Basketball, Football, Hockey, Baseball, Golf, and Clash of the Titans...enjoy!

EGG 1) The Spurs beat the Lakers today...honestly this was the battle of the two evils. Who did I root for? The lesser of two evils...Hades! I But, with the Spurs win it keeps them in seventh place (for the moment anyway) where they would meet Dallas if the playoffs would get here already. I could care less what happens with the Lakers. As long as they win their upcoming game against the Nuggets, I'll be happy! The Spurs however...will probably end up winning 50 games (again) which I was hoping they wouldn't. But if they don't they will surely fall to the 8th seed it seems leaving the Blazers or Thunder to be dealt with by the Mavs'...unfavorable! Especially since the Mavs' have played those teams a total of 7 times this year and won only the first two meetings with the Thunder and have one more to go against Portland who can't seem to lose to Dallas. Yikes...for once I'm pulling for the Spurs to stay wherever they will have to play the Mavs'. And since the Mavs' cannot really move up to the number 1 spot...we're hoping the Spurs end up 7th or 6th if Dallas falls to 3rd.

EGG 2) It seems this years NHL playoffs will be without the Dallas Stars once more. They lost last night to the Blues effectively eliminating them from playoff contention. Better luck next year? Better owner next year? Better management next year? Will Mike Modano retire? He's played 20 seasons...does he have anything left in the tank? I believe he will retire. I think he's come to an end that many players get to when they hit 40 years old. He produced modestly this year compared to his career with only 28 points but he played in only 56 games. There are only 3 games left this season. Modano is an all time great, his number will be retired and he will go down in history as the greatest Minnesota North/Dallas Star to have ever played. Neal Broten was great, but Modano is on a different level. He had 12 seasons in his career where he had 70 points or better. Even some of the better players only have a couple of those. He helped the Stars win The Cup in 99, and has been the only player to have been with the Stars since the 80's when they were the North Stars. It will be a very sad day for me to watch my favorite hockey player of all time, the guy I grew up trying to mimic, retire. I can't wait till Dallas gets back to being the hockey team it once was.

EGG 3) Odd moves from Jerry Jones and the Cowboys. They announced this week that they released safety Ken Hamlin which was obvious and needed...but then they did something I didn't expect and I think most people were caught off guard by this. They released left Tackle Flozell Adams. This is an extremely odd move because...false start or no false start, this guy has been a very very good lineman in the Cowboys organization for a very very long time. 12 years that Adams had been protecting Cowboy QB's...and I don't care how terrible they were...they probably looked a little better thanks to him protecting their blind side. Since swearing at Flozell for jumping off sides became a Sunday ritual the past decade I'm not sure how I'm going to vent my frustration anymore. I mean, lets face it...he's a 35 year old lineman and he was set to get paid alot of money until 2013. But I'm not sure cutting him is the right move. Don't you want to keep him there until you have a solid backup? Doug Free is not a "solid" backup...yet. He's pretty much untested. I will say this though, Jerry Jones has been getting better and better at cutting players or getting rid of guys. Remember when he used to hold on to every player he possibly could because he thought that maybe in their old age they would come on strong and win one more big one? And remember how he used to WANT to sign the "badguy" types? Like T.O. and Pacman Jones. But the last couple years he's had no problem doing the right thing, cutting old guys in favor of new talent. Like letting Miles Austin take over for T.O. and Mike Jenkins take over for Anthony Henry, and he tossed Greg Ellis in favor of Anthony Spencer. Plus he rid the team of those "badguys". So, I hope it all goes well, and I hope that Jerry has finally learned a thing or two about putting together winning teams. But one thing is for sure...they had better draft a left tackle and he better be good enough to start this season because one twisted ankle...and Tony Romo may look like David Carr for a few games.

EGG 4) The Duke Blue Devils are this years NCAA National Champions. I couldn't say that I knew it was going to happen, because my bracket this year was literally the worst ever! I had Duke in my Final Four but losing to Kentucky, and I had Kansas to win it all. How sadly I was mistaken. The fact is, I am a Duke fan, and I have always rooted for the Blue Devils. Aside from Texas A&M, Duke is my favorite college basketball team. But when the Final Four were announced I went against my better judgement and picked Butler, the underdog. And the game was quite close...they had their opportunities and let it slip away. Therefore, congratulations Duke University for winning their fourth National Championship!

EGG 5) Time for Baseball? Yes! Time for Rangers Baseball? Hopefully...! But we would be blessed on opening day as the Rangers would find a way to pull a rabbit out of a hat to beat the Blue Jays. Even though pitcher Shaun Marcum pitched a beautiful first 6 innings for the Jays, Vladamir Guerrero would play spoiler to his no-hitter attempt, followed by a three run game tying homer in the 7 from Nellie Cruz. The Jays however would take a 4-3 lead to the bottom of the ninth. But Micheal Young wouldn't go down without a fight. I mean, it was opening day in front of the 8th largest crowd in Ballpark history at 50,300 people. The Captain would double to lead off the comeback, followed by Guerrero getting on base and pushing Young to third. But Nelson Cruz would be the hero again; with only one out he hit an RBI single sending Young in to tie it up 4-4. Then a couple batters later Saltalamaccia hit his first career walk-off shot to satisfy fifty thousand fans. Good times at the Ballpark. Perhaps this was an indicator of things to come...hopefully!

EGG 6) This weekend brings with it 28 of the final 47 NBA games, 14 of which should be extremely meaningful and exciting, 9 of those impact the Mavs' and their playoff seeding directly, 2 of those are Mavs' games; one @Portland on Friday night and the other Saturday night @Sacramento. The Mavs' have lost all three games to Portland so far this season and have not faired well playing in Portland in years. This will be a must win, as will all coming games from this point on, and this one could mean the difference between playing Portland in the first round of the playoffs or playing San Antonio...

Really Good Ad:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfMKShIh8Bs&feature=player_embedded


BONUS EGG: Catch the Masters this weekend at Augusta National where Tiger Woods comes in as the "favorite" to win it all. We'll see, he did turn in an impressive interview today in front of over 200 members of the media. Although some thought it was Oscar-worthy. I guess we'll see who Tiger really next weekend.

MONEY EGG: Clash of the Titans. How's that saying go...? The one about how "nothing is as good as the original". Yea thats it. And that is my feeling about the remake of the 1981 classic. I found it to be very unimpressive, dry, and empty. Although it had the potential to be one of the finest Epics of our generation...it fell far short in the hands of unexperienced Director Louis Leterrier. Although, lets give the man credit...he did direct "Danny the Dog". Oh and the most recent attempt at "The Incredible Hulk". So you see, perfectly fit for handling an Epic of this size. Actually, I found the story to be quite lacking in certain characteristics that have proven to give rise to movies that have become more than just film. This one however, will not find its way to the halls of greatness. And it is a shame too, because...if the task to create this film were laid in my hands, we'd be speaking of some special kind of Epic, never before seen on the silver screen. Full review to come soon!

Mavs' Fall To Thunder 121-116

Dallas beat the young Thunder team twice this season, the problem is they also lost to them twice. It would be very easy for these teams to meet in the first round of the playoffs. I am not a big fan of playing them at all. I would avoid them at all cost. I think they are too good of a road team and are too talented to take for granted. However, they are very young and very inexperienced which would obviously favor the Mavs'. But Dallas has struggled this season with the younger teams. In fact a couple times these young guns just blew by the Mavs' as if they weren't even there. That is why I really would prefer to avoid Oklahoma City and Portland. These teams are too young and talented and are very problematic for the Mavs'. Heck, I'd rather play the Lakers than either of those teams. A prime example of what can happen when the Mavs' match up against a young talented team is the events of last night. Events that led to the Mavs' losing to the Thunder in one of the most frustrating games I've watched this year.

Dallas opened the game looking very crisp and very dominant. At one point in the 1st quarter they had a commanding 8 point lead and it appeared as if they were going to take that and ride it home. They could hardly miss in the first, as they shot over 80% at 14 out of 17 from the field. But it was as if their lead evaporated all in one moment as the Thunder came roaring back. The score was 37-30 Dallas nearing the end of the 1st when the Thunder run started with a Kevin Durant bucket followed by a 3 from Eric Maynor with 1.9 left. Then to open the second quarter Nick Collison had a quick 8 points and just like that the Mavs' found themselves on the bitter end of a 16 to 3 run that left the Mavs' trailing by 8 at halftime.

When Dallas comes out from halftime they are usually coached up and ready to play. But the last couple games against the Magic and Thunder it seemed to me that the Mavs' weren't ready to come out play hard. What happened was Dallas lost ground in the third and even though they started shooting better and getting more aggressive they could not play defense. Every shot taken by the Thunder seemed to fall home without even thinking about the rim. But to the Mavs' credit they played hard enough to fall behind by 16 and only trial going into the fourth by 9.

It was the 4th quarter that really was the most frustrating. I mean, don't get me wrong, Dallas should never fall behind by 16 at home EVER...to any team. And it was extremely frustrating to watch them let the game get out of hand the way they did. It didn't take long for the Mavericks to fall behind by as many as 19 midway through the final quarter. It was tough to watch...I found myself flipping between this beatdown and the beatdown that Duke was giving to West Virginia. But I flipped back to the Mavs' and saw an incredible spirit arise that just hadn't been there since the beginning of the game. With 6:26 remaining and the Mavs' down by 19 Dirk Nowitzki hit a jumper for his 24th point; then Jason Kidd applied full court pressure on the inbounds pass and stole it for a Najera layup; then with more full court press Kidd took the ball away from Hardin one more time and with 6:17 left the Mavs' had just cut the deficit down to 13...in 9 seconds. Pretty impressive. But I would have been more impressed if the lead was cut from 12 to 6 or from 8 to 2...but 19 to 13 isn't going to help you that much...they needed a great deal more.

The problem was they actually got a great deal more. Thats what made it so frustrating. Over the course of 3:46 seconds the Mavericks played unbelievable basketball. It was unreal. Starting with the sequence above the Mavs' went on a 17-2 run and cut the lead to a mere 4 points at 110-106 with Dirk free throws. And pretty much every possession during that time was run through Dirk. They got him the ball in the post and let him work his magic. He scored 8 of those 17 points and 10 in the 4th overall. He also had an assist during the run and a couple of great rebounds and defensive plays. But then something happened that troubled me and frustrated me. They stopped running the offense through Dirk. I was confused when I saw Dirk calling for the ball and then not getting it.

The score was 112-106 with 2:30 to go. The play they decide to run, isn't "get Dirk the ball" play...but get Eddie Najera the ball and let him drive into the paint only to commit a most heinous turnover by throwing the ball out of bounds over Caron Butlers un-expecting hands. So instead of pulling to within 4 or even 3 they gave the Thunder more free throws. Their lead swelled back up to seven. Then Dirk had a really nice pass again to get them to within 5 at 113-108. But then J.J. Barea went 1 of 2 from the line leaving the Mavs' down 4 instead of down only 3. There is a huge difference at this juncture in the game between 1 possession and two. See, instead of Barea making the free throw and forcing the Thunder to either call a timeout to advance the ball and set up a play, or just inbound the ball and give the Mavs' time to set up their defense; what happened was they took the rebound from the missed free throw and with 28.9 seconds left Eric Maynor hit a clutch 3 to pretty much finish off the Mavs'. Although Dallas would push and try really hard to get this one...even when Roddy B scored and then Durant missed 2 free throws giving them another opportunity to make it a one possession game, Roddy B turned the ball over. From there Durant makes the free throws and Kidd hit his patented toe on the line 2, and then Collison made free throws and Najera hit a 3...but time would be against them. Down 5 with 7.4 seconds left is hard to overcome, and the Mavs' had no timeouts to boot.

So in the end they could not pull off another 4th quarter comeback even though they tried extremely hard to. I believe if they had started the comeback with another minute on the clock they would have been able to pull this one out of the hat. But it wasn't meant to be. Therefore the Mavs' after winning 13 straight a couple of weeks ago have fallen to 5 - 6 in their last 11 games. 4 of those losses have come at home...not cool. This leaves Dallas in a 4-way tie for second place in the Western Conference with Denver, Phoenix, and Utah. Dallas holds the tie breakers over Phoenix and Denver, and Denver has the tie breaker over the Jazz; therefore the Mavs' would remain at the 2 if everyone stays tied. Utah is the only team that can dethrone the Mavs' in a one on one tie breaker. So for the Mavs' to remain on top of the West and avoid falling all the way down to the 4 or 5 spot will need to play at their best the next couple of weeks. With only 5 games remaining and one of them @Portland, which lately has meant a for sure loss for the Mavs', things are going to take shape and Dallas does not want to get stuck in the Middle of the pack. They MUST separate themselves into that top 2 spot to ensure their playoff hopes will be given a chance. And the time is now, they play Memphis next Wednesday...after three full days rest. Do you know what the Mavs' record is after three days rest this season? At last glance...11 and 3. 11 and 2 before last Wednesdays win over Memphis. So time to start the playoffs...for Dallas every game from here on out needs playoff intensity.

Game Notes:


Nowitzki ended up with a great game, 30 points, 13 rebounds, and a catalyst for the rest of the guys. Jason Kidd also had a great one with 24 points, 6 assists, and 3 steals. But the guys who really needed to play well tonight other than the two above did not. Jason Terry was almost a non-factor, he stunk it up with a 2-10 shooting night, and 0-6 from three-point land with only 4 points. Caron Butler had only 8 points on 3-11 shooting. Not good. He really needs to pick up his game around here. Shawn Marion was limited tonight due to an injury to his oblique muscle in the first half. He only played 15 minutes. Brenden Haywood had a solid 9 points on 3-3 but couldn't rebound the ball whereas Damp was rebounding well, but not scoring. These guys need to come together and start playing well...Dirk cannot score 30 a night alone. He will score 30 a night in the playoffs, thats just who he is. He will elevate his game when the time comes, but he's going to need Butler and Terry to pull their weight on the offensive end. Kidd cannot be asked to score more than 10 points a game. But lately he's had to put up alot of shots because he and Dirk are the only ones capable of hitting anything but air. Butler NEEDS to find his groove and Terry needs to take the mask off and start playing consistent basketball if this team wants to get a good seed in the playoffs and make a run at a Championship. No one believes anyone other than the Lakers and Cavs have a shot this year. But I believe Dallas could win the West because I think the Lakers are beatable...problem is, Dallas needs to play solid night in and night out...this Jekyll and Hyde crap cannot be the identity of a Championship team. They need to get things right...and they need to start now!

Breaking News: Another Dirk Nowitzki Milestone

The Uberman, Dirk Nowitzki has once again accomplished something that no other NBA player in the history of the league has ever done. Not Bill Russell, not Wilt Chamberlain, not Magic Johnson, or Larry Bird, not Cousy or Havlicek, and not even Tim Duncan. And this isn't just a small or random stat that some stat geek dug up in the bowels of NBA stats, this is a major deal that puts Dirk in a league with the elite players of NBA history. He will go to the Hall of Fame, and he will be remembered by (at least) Mavs' fans as the greatest player in Mavericks franchise history. There's no doubt he is that already. The only thing he has not accomplished is bringing home a Championship trophy to Dallas. But he's got some years left to do this, and like he said: "We've got as good of a shot this year as we've ever had, I think, we've just gotta go for it and see what happens." And I believe they will go for it this season. And I believe that Dirk has been going for it for at least 10 straight seasons now...

I know he doesn't have the Championship rings to show for his efforts and believe me when I say that it is the largest current travesty in sports right now that he hasn't won yet. I'd say that Phil Mickelson having never won a Major was the last terrible occurrence of "not winning the big one"...but he remedied that. Unfortunately some of the all-time greats like John Stockton, Carl Malone, Charles Barkley, "Pistol" Pete Maravich, Reggie Miller, Dominique Wilkins, Patrick Ewing, and Elgin Baylor have not been remembered properly because they failed to win a Championship during their careers. All of those guys deserved to win at least one. If Dirk falls into that group of men who aren't remembered as well as the guys who have rings it would be a true sports tragedy. ESPN would have to devote a "top 5 reasons you can't blame..." to why Dirk didn't win the big one.

But the fact is that Dirk Nowitzki has done things that no other NBA player has ever done. And this is a big one...so, courtesy of the great David Lord of dallasbasketball.com I bring you the incredible accomplishment of Dirk Nowitzki.

I mentioned yesterday that the Mavericks had just become the 4th team in NBA history to win 50 games in 10 straight seasons. I also said that Dirk was around during that entire 10 year period and that he had been the catalyst that really made this machine work. Using that analogy, when pieces of a machine get old or worn or used up they are replaced and upgraded and refurbished...that is what the Maverick organization has done these past 10 seasons. Mark Cuban and Donnie Nelson have really thrown out the old parts and upgraded at times and at other times used lesser pieces to make the machine go. But for the last decade they have made the machine work no matter what parts are being used, and on the court there has been only one constant during this great run; Dirk Nowitzki. The thing is, Dirk has never been replaced. Dirk has never needed to be replaced. The only thing the Uberman has changed is his style of play...he's improved it and become a more well rounded player, he has evolved as the game has evolved and as the new younger players in the league have come and upped the tempo, Dirk has brought his game to higher levels year after year, always practicing, and always improving.

These are the reasons that Dirk Nowitzki has become the first and only player in NBA history to lead his team to 50+ wins for 10 straight seasons while being the leading scorer on that team.

Think about that...maybe read it again so it sinks in...now you get it, right? I know what your saying..."whatever, Larry Bird led his team in scoring and so did Magic and so did Russell...?" Well, yes...but not the way Dirk has. Let me explain and give you the stats.

Player	Consecutive 50 win seasons	Years as leading scorer
Dirk Nowitzki	10X50	10
Larry Bird	9X50	9
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar	10X50	7
Tim Duncan	10X50	6
Tom Heinsohn	7X50	3

This is a testament to Dirk's ability to sustain success over a period of time. He's played 911 games in his career and only missed 30. His longevity is nearly unmatched especially for a guy of his size and ability. He is durable and is extremely consistent and he knows how to win. There are numerous reasons that he has not won a Championship and perhaps one day I'll devise my own list of the "top 5 reasons you can't blame..." Dirk Nowitzki for not winning an NBA Championship. But I'm not going to rant about it today. The fact is that despite those few devastating post-season set backs Dirk flat out wins. He plays in almost ever game possible and wins at a very high percentage. 

He is the reason that Dallas has a good basketball team. Without him the Mavs' may have been an average team for this entire decade with maybe a couple seasons standing out. But because of Dirk the Mavs' are an accomplished and successful franchise that has won more games and had more success in the regular season than every other team except the San Antonio Spurs. But the Spurs are on their way out, they are not the contender they used to be. Dallas is. And Dallas will be for at least a few more years while Dirk is still here. I'll leave you with a quote from the Uberman himself after Dallas clinched that 10X50 status this is what he said (and it kinda makes you sad): 

"That's something special," Dirk said of 10X50, "and I'm glad I was basically a part of this last decade. Won a lot of games, had a lot of fun, had a lot of great playoff runs. But, you know, like I've said, I'd rather trade that for a championship ring any day...we've got as good of a shot this year as we've ever had, I think, and we just gotta go for it and see what happens."

Even though Dirk says he was "basically a part of it"...we all know that he WAS THE PART! 

Mavs' Dominate Nuggets

The Mavericks knew this game was the game of the year. It would decide the season series between these two team that hate each other, and would give the winner any tie breakers for home court advantage. I told you to mark your calenders because it would be an awesome game that you wouldn't want to miss. And in case you missed it...I was right. I'll give you the highlights.

I'll start with the big one...Dirk Nowitzki recorded his 2nd career triple-double with 34 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. He really put his stamp on this game and played extremely well. He got his 10th assist on a set play with a couple of minutes to go, he passed to Jason Terry off the screen and roll and Terry knocked down the jumper from the free throw line. It was really exciting...and that was really the only thing at that point that kept everyone at the stadium because the Mavs' never really trailed in the game. They ended up winning by 16 when it was all said and done. Here's the video replay: http://www.nba.com/games/20100329/DENDAL/gameinfo.html

I liked the edginess that the Mavs' showed in this game. They did not back down ever from their opponent and every time Denver came at them and got within striking distance the Mavs' hit the gas and put distance between them. The thing that I liked most out of this game was the Dallas defense. It was...great? Or at least the kind of defensive intensity that a "great" team would play with. For instance, Jason Terry (who is not known for defense) picked up his defensive mentality and played solidly. Roddy B was given big minutes (almost 15) in a big game. And he played well during that time on the defensive end. He only scored 5 points, but he guarded rookie Ty Lawson very well and even recorded 3 steals. Brenden Haywood played a good game and had 4 blocked shots.

But here is the greatest part of this game. Shawn Marion. His was the task of guarding Carmelo Anthony who is one of the leagues top scorers with 28.5 points per game. Melo is a phenomenal scorer and really gets whatever shot he wants most nights. But, on this night he would be given the shots that Marion said he is allowed to take. Not only did Marion push the ball on the offensive end and force Melo to do alot of work defensively, but Shawn Marion held Melo to only 10 points on 3 of 16 shooting. He made 1 three, and shot 3 free throws. Other than that, his impact was non-existent. Marion scored 21 points, and held Melo to 10! That is amazing.

Here are some stats for you to chew on.

Against the Mavericks in three games this season, Carmelo Anthony has averaged only 15.0 points per game. That is his lowest against any team. Another cool thing...how the Mavs' have done against the leagues top guys?

Mavs vs top scorers this season
            Season    vs Mavs
1. Lebron     29.8        25.0
2. Durant     29.6        22.3
3. Melo        28.9        15.0
4. Kobe        27.1        16.3   


Especially against Melo and Kobe, Shawn Marion has done a phenomenal job! Thats why we brought him here and thats why he's such a big part of what the Mavericks are doing this year. 


Here's a couple quotes on the subject of Marion shutting down Anthony. 


"I thought the player of the game was Marion, He did a really fantastic job on Melo. … Carmelo is one of the best scorers in the league and he did a phenomenal job on him. … to me, the game ball really belongs to Marion." - Dirk Nowitzki


"I was just making him take hard, contested shots and making him work on defense, too. The thing I've noticed about this league, though, is that most scorers in the league don't want to play defense.  So if you make them play defense, man, it's that much harder for them." - Shawn Marion


And by the way, Dirk moved up past Bob Pettit on the NBA all-time scoring list to number 28 with 20,912 points. That is incredible. And coming up in another couple of games Dirk will attempt to pass Walt Bellamy who is at 20,941. Can't wait to see where he ends up...by my calculations he's been averaging 1,860 points per season for the past 11 seasons (which excludes his rookie year)...if he continues close to that pace for the next 5 seasons which would make him 37 years old he will be somewhere in the ballpark of 29 thousand points leaving him 5th behind only Wilt Chamberlain, Micheal Jordan, Karl Malone, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. I'm not saying that will happen, but I'm saying even if he falls off more than I put into my calculations, we could be looking at Dirk amongst the top 10 scorers in NBA history when all is said and done. That is amazing! 

Mavs' Rolling To 10X50

The Dallas Mavericks have now completed the incredible feat of becoming the 4th team in NBA history to win 50 games in 10 straight seasons, hence the 10X50. It is unprecedented that a team can sustain success on that level for that amount of time. It is a testament to Mark Cuban and Donnie Nelson as well as the only player that has been here for the entire time...Dirk Nowitzki.

The other teams to win 10X50? 

The Magic Johnson led Lakers from 1979 - 1991 won 50 games 12 straight times and won 5 titles. 

The Bill Russell led Celtics from 1958 - 1968 won 50 games 10 straight times and won 8 titles (in a row).

The Tim Duncan led Spurs from 1999 - present won 50 games 10 straight times and won 4 titles. 

The spurs are currently in jeopardy of ending their current streak. They are 45-29 with 8 games remaining. Their final game of the season...@Dallas. How awesome and ironic would it be if Dallas was the team that prevented them from getting to 11X50? 

The Mavs' clinched a playoff birth for the 10th straight season as well. Dallas needs to keep winning, they have seven games remaining and four of those are against quality playoff teams. If the Mavs' slip they could fall out of the top three in the West which would be a tragedy. Whoever ends up in the 4 spot will have to play the Lakers in the second round of the playoffs. staying in the 2nd or 3rd spot keeps the Lakers off your radar until the Western Conference Finals. My best case playoff scenario for the Mavs': they end up with the number 2 seed which plays the number 7 seed which hopefully will be the Spurs. I think the Mavs' match up well with the Spurs and could easily win that series in 5 games like they did last year. Then depending on the way things work out I would pray that the Mavs' got lucky enough to play the Nuggets in round 2. Yes, I know, I'm nuts. But hear me out. Last season the Nuggets ruined the Mavs' in the 2nd round and pretty much humiliated them. I believe that this years Mavericks are better, and can beat the Nuggets. I want the chance for them to prove that. There was alot of animosity last year between these two teams and neither are the same as they were then, but I want revenge this year. So, hopefully they will get that chance. I'd rather not have to play Utah, or Oklahoma City, or Portland at all in the playoffs. I'll take San Antonio, Phoenix, or Denver. But all I can do is hope...they have to play the games. 

Texas Stadium Demolition...

The Cowboys home for 38 seasons will be demolished! On April 11 you can pay 25 bucks to get a second row seat (front row is reserved for former Eagles players) to watch memories get blown to bits! Oh, and Roger Staubach is not the guy they asked to do the honors...nope this great honor goes to...drum roll: Casey Rodgers! An 11 year old from Terrell. Yay...I guess.

Kraft Foods is behind this travesty, they held an essay contest to determine the young person who would do the honors. They are also calling this "Cheddar Explosion"...wow! And by the way, isn't Kraft Foods owned by Robert Kraft...the owner of the New England Patriots? Why would Jerry Jones allow another owners company to demolish TEXAS STADIUM? If this isn't wrong than neither is grand larceny...which what they've done to Cowboys fans! Robbed us of the opportunity to see one of our heroes do the honor.

NFL Changes Overtime Rules!

Well, the NFL has officially changed the rules regarding how the overtime's are played in the playoffs. Alot of people are happy with these changes, but I'm not sold. Honestly I think the changes were made only to appease the people that were upset about Brett Favre and the Vikings not taking the field in their overtime loss to the Saints in the NFC championship game. Funny thing is, the Vikings were one of 4 NFL franchises that voted against the changes. ??? Here are those changes...

The team that wins the coin toss in over time in a playoff game will get the ball, if that team elects to kick a field goal and makes it then the opposing team will get 1 possession to match or better that. If the opposing team succeeds in matching that field goal then for the remainder of overtime the rules revert back to sudden death. However, if the team that wins the coin toss scores a touchdown on their possession, overtime is over and the opposing team does not get the opportunity to match them. 

Here are the positives about this rule change:

1) It gives the team that loses the coin toss an opportunity to win the game, therefore the coin toss no longer "decides" the outcome of the game.
2) A teams overtime strategy will be more complex and more encompassing than "get into field goal range".

Here are the negatives about the changes:

1) The team that wins the toss can score a touchdown and still keep the other team off the field.
2) The rules revert back to sudden death after/(if) both teams kick field goals.
3) The new rules only apply to playoff games, not regular season games.

There are several major problems with the rule change...and its only a matter of time until other people start to realize this! Everyone I talk to and everyone I've heard in the media keeps telling me how good a thing this is, and how great it is that they finally did something about the awful overtime rules! Blah blah blah! What exactly did they do? What exactly did they fix? I'm not so sure that this rule change has much effect on anything at all. In fact...here is a breakdown of just how little this change will mean.

In 1965 the first (true) overtime playoff game was played between the Baltimore Colts and the Green Bay Packers, this is a famous game and everyone knows the Packers won 13-10. This of course was before the NFL was under the current system with the NFC and the AFC. At that time there was only two Divisions, an Eastern and a Western Division, the winner of each Division played against each other in the NFL Championship Game, not yet the Super Bowl. This system started in 1933 and lasted until 1967. Under that system there were no "playoff" games. However, if there was a tie at the end of the season between two teams in the same Division, there would be a one game playoff held to determine the team that would advance to the Championship Game. During the 34 years that this system was in place, only 9 times was it necessary to play that one game playoff, and of those 9 games only the final one went to overtime.

From 1967 to 1969 there were NFL Championship games before the Super Bowl, none of which were overtime games. Then the set up changed again to a more current form of playoff brackets. The Wild Card round was not inserted until 1978, therefore this is where we'll begin...

From 1978 to 2010 there have only been 7 Wild Card games that have gone into overtime out of a possible 110 games played. This means that in the history of Wild Card playoff games only 7.7% of the time is an overtime even relevant. And by the way...5 of those 7 have been played in this decade!

From 1970 to 2010 in the Divisional round games there have only been 9 overtime games out 180 games played. That means that there is 1 overtime game for every 20 played in this round of the playoffs. Again, 5 of those have been played this decade.

From 1970 to 2010 there have been 80 Conference Championship Games played...only 4 overtime games. That is an extremely low amount of games that have gone to overtime, in fact it is only 3.2% of the time that a Conference Championship round game ends up in overtime.

There has never been a Super Bowl go into overtime.

There are quite a few regular season overtime games. In 2002 the NFL set a record with 25 overtime games in one season. But here's the problem with this "rule change"...us fans have been waiting for years and years and years for the sudden death overtime rule to be changed to "fun and entertaining" overtime rules! And this is what we get? This is such a tease...I feel like the league/Roger Goodell rushed to get this done this year and is just forcing this on the rest of us. I do not believe this is the best thing for the NFL to do, and the only reason that something is actually getting done about it right now is because the Vikings didn't get their shot last year. It was a travesty, but at the same time, isn't it a travesty when a team loses in the regular season and doesn't step on the field in OT? Does that not affect the standings and the win/loss column too? Why is this change exclusive to the playoffs? Why is this change only for field goals? And why does it only last (maybe) a maximum of three possessions? How come the Vikings...the main driving force behind the 'something getting done' attitude DID NOT VOTE FOR THE CHANGES?!

The changes should have encompassed all NFL games, pre-season, regular season, and post season! And the "touchdown wins it" thing should not be! Each team should get a possession...the coin flip should determine which team gets the ball and which team gets the ball second. Whoever wins can pick, which would lead to the gamesmanship of, should we kick and get the rebuttal or receive to make our statement? Then, if the first team scores they have to kick-off to the second team, and if the first team doesn't score then they can punt, or kick a field goal, or go for it just like in regulation. But if both teams score a touchdown or kick field goals, just keep it going until some defense makes a play and changes the outcome! How much more exciting would that be? The intensity and the coaching would be great TV and great football, especially in the playoffs.

Hockey has an awesome overtime situation, it makes for exciting and very compelling games. Basketball is fun to watch because its 5 more minutes of the most exciting part of a basketball game! Especially college basketball, great stuff! I just watched Xavier and Kansas State go Double-OT yesterday, and it was awesome! And I could care-less who won, but it was fun to watch. Baseball, its not as exciting but at least it can't end in a tie and its not whoever gets the first run wins. Each team has a shot. College football is probably some of the most exciting with their system, which would not work in the NFL but is unbelievably satisfying to watch in college games. My point is, that the NFL really did a disservice to its fans and to its teams; this change is not satisfying, does not fulfill the needs, and quite frankly is disappointing.

I believe that this was done not for the good of the NFL or the good of the sport, but for hastily appeasing the critics. This thing was thrown together to shut people up and get it off the agenda for the rest of Roger Goodell's dictatorship. I believe we've seen the last of overtime rule changes for a very long time, but you know what? I don't think we've seen the end of complaining because the outcomes of games were tainted, un-fulfilling, and not quite fair.

Mavs Win...Roddy B Was Freed, And Dirk Gets Ejected?

As I watched the first half unfold of Dallas' game Tuesday night I kept a close watch on a couple things. First, if and when Roddy B got playing time. And second, whether or not Dirk could get hot and have one of those 28 points + games. These two things along with the Mavs' ability to play solid defense were my keys to a victory. So, how did things unfold?

Well on the Roddy B situation, it has been accurately chronicled that statistically he is way better than JJ Barea. No offense to JJB but Roddy has light-years more talent and potential. Its just the way he was born! Statistically, Roddy B's numbers are very good compared to JJB's. Roddy plays only 12 minutes a game while JJB is playing right up near 20 per game, and the fact is...their scoring numbers are almost identical. JJB is scoring 7.7 in his 20 minutes a game while Roddy is 1 point less at 6.8 per 12 minutes. see the problem with that is Roddy B is scoring about 14 points per 23 minutes while JJB is still only scoring 8. 

But aside from the scoring comparison, JJB is a LIABILITY on the defensive end of the floor every time he is on the basketball court in the NBA and that will never change. He is the worst +/- guy on the Mavs' roster right now. He struggles to have +1 games this year whereas Roddy B played for 15 minutes Tuesday night and was a +14. The nice thing is...Roddy B has shown flashes of great defensive play. His main rookie mistake is an all too frequent reach in foul. But the thing about that is...he's trying to create turnovers and make something happen. I personally think that a "reach in" foul is nothing less than a guy trying to hustle around and do something positive. Discipline on defense is key, but if the other guy knows that your going to be attacking instead of sitting back and waiting for him to make his move; wont that weigh on his mind and maybe make him force something quicker than what would be "ideal"? Whether he passes the ball, shoots the ball, or picks up his dribble at an awkward moment. Any of those are better than JJB getting pushed around and run around and scored on. And that is what I see every time Roddy B is in the game. A defensive spark that ignites the offense. 

Roddy B likes to run and he is a PHENOMENAL finisher at the rim. Every time he is on the court I come out of my seat 2 or 3 times to marvel at some kind of incredible show he puts on at the rim. Quite frankly its unbelievable at times. But the point is he needs more playing time...he needs to be the 7th or 8th guy off the bench. The legit back up PG to J Kidd. He is no doubt the future of this franchise at the PG position and JJB is and always will be the situational spark plug guard. So there is my case for why Roddy B should be getting more than 12 minutes a night. There are actually T-shirts that say "Free Roddy B" out there! Awesome! 

Here's what I saw last night. Roddy B came in the game with 2:55 seconds left in the third quarter. At that time the Mavs' were down 4. Ten minutes later...the Mavs' are UP by 19. Thats a 23 point swing in ten minutes. I'm not saying Roddy was the reason for that but...RODDY B WAS THE REASON FOR THAT! Within seconds of entering the game he hit a big time three, followed by a sweet lay in with the left hand, and finally to begin the fourth quarter they ran "the lob" play which is where Roddy B takes the ball at the top of the three point arch, then gives to Kidd who steers right for a moment during which the pick set by Haywood (or whatever big is in the game) on Roddy's man gives the speedy Roddy B a sprint to the hoop where he finds J Kidd's alley oop lob pass waiting for him to go up, get, and slam it home. It works nearly every time...and boy can Roddy B fly! By the way, the Mavs' also created 5 turnovers and got alot of stops while playing the 2-3 zone during this stretch. 

So during the 14:55 seconds Roddy B played he had 10 points, 3 boards, a steal, and the Mavs' took the lead and won by double digits at home; which unfortunately has not been easy to do this season for some reason. All in all, I like what I see from this kid. And I'm going to continue to monitor his playing time and stats because I believe that come playoff time he deserves the opportunity to relieve Jason Kidd from time to time and can be effective in those minutes.

On to the subject of Dirk. Let me start by saying that Dirk Nowitzki is incredible. But, what I wanted from him was a statement game, because of the Mavs' sloppy play of late I needed Dirk to come out and put his stamp on this one and pretty much play like the MVP he is. And he was on his way to doing so. His game was interrupted by a couple of bogus calls by a young and whistle-happy referee. Dirk was shoved in the back and they did not call a foul, then Dirk contested a shot and didn't make too much contact with the guy but they called the foul on Nowitzki anyway. So naturally Dirk talks to the ref about it and maybe said a little too much at first so the ref T's him up, and then, frustrated and confused probably Dirk turns and continues to not bite his tongue and the ref immediately gives him a second Technical and throws Dirk out of the game. This is only Dirk's 3 ejection in his career. I'm not so sure that he deserved it, I and many others think that the ref was a little quick on the draw this time but hey...Dirk may have alluded to his prescription specs or something, who knows? 

Fact is, Dirk got thrown out of the game only a couple minutes into the 3rd quarter, leaving the rest of the dudes to fend for themselves. Which they did. But I said I wanted one of those monster games from Dirk, and he was giving it to me before his ejection. Check out these numbers and keep in mind that all of his stats are from only one half of this game. 

19:18 minutes, 18 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and he was 8-11 from the floor. That's efficiency! If he gets his normal 35+ minutes we would be talking about Dirk shooting 14-20 for 34 points and 7 or 8 rebounds. I like it. So his impact was huge even though he was stuck in the locker room for the second half. 

The other thing the Mavs' needed to do was play defense and they did that pretty well last night. They forced 11 turnovers and didn't commit 18 as they had the previous two games. And their bigs played well...Haywood had 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 blocks; while Damp in limited time had 3 points, 2 blocks, and 6 rebounds. This is a vast improvement over the last few games. Keep that up. 

Also, it was Jason Kidd's birthday yesterday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! He turned 37...and he played like he was 27. He had a phenomenal game...it was a thing of beauty to watch him dominate the game in the fourth quarter the way he did. He ended up with a season high 26 points to go along with 12 assists and 6 rebounds. But he also played a monster 41 minutes and only turned the ball over twice! That is great. Plus with Dirk out the second half, someone had to step up, and why not Kidd? This is what J Kidd said about his game: 

"Since Dirk was gone, I thought I'd play (like) Dirk today!"

That's funny stuff, but its also true! It is worth mentioning that Kidd has transformed himself into an incredible and legitimate three point threat! He was 6-11 for the game and is shooting 42% from beyond the arc for the year! Awesome! Coach Rick Carlisle had this to say about Jason Kidd after the game: 

"He willed the team with his energy and his enthusiasm. He got guys engaged and you know, it wasn't just play-making, it was shot-making, it was assists, it was defensive plays, it was, you know, giving guys confidence out there. ... He is just phenomenal."

Here is a great little statistical tribute to J Kidd, courtesy of Fish of dallasbasketball.com: http://www.dallasbasketball.com/fullColumn.php?id=2763