How about those Mavericks?

cowboy · 03-21-2002, 02:20 PM

Dallas should have won 3 of the 4 matchups against the Lakers. 'Nuff said.

thegremmy · 03-21-2002, 03:20 PM

but didnt.

Mark · 03-21-2002, 03:49 PM

I like to occasionally check on the current playoff standings. Right now Dallas would be playing the Sonics, Lakers would be playing Blazers, San antionio vs. Minnesota, and Kings vs. Jazz. Obviously i think the mavs have the easiest matchup right now. The Jazz are always a great playoff team, since they have Karl and Stockton.The Lakers Blazers series would be really interesting. Whoever won that one would be on a real roll, since they are both perenial teams. The San Antionio Minnesota matchup would also be interesting, but i think San Antonio would be Minnesota in a close series. What do you guys think?

thegremmy · 03-21-2002, 05:01 PM

i agree. those are exactly my thoughts. the mavs deff have the easier goal but u cant be too sure cuz the sonics can have some surpirsing things up theyre sleeves. the laker blazer would be tough but i think LA would take it cuz they know how to play against those guys. the kings would beat jazz. sure malone and stockton r good, but they cant carry the team alone and thats what theyve basically been doing. san antonio over minnesota.

Old Newbie · 03-21-2002, 06:04 PM

Sorry, but as one of the FEW Laker fans here I'm gonna have to say the Mavs did show great potential in their win against the Lakers.

However ...

Come playoff time, the Lakers are a whole new team. Their playoff skill is double what they show during the regular season.

I'm sorry Mavs fans. But if push comes to shove with the Mavs and Lakers in the Western Finals, I'm going Lakers in 4 or 5.

cowboy · 03-21-2002, 06:12 PM

Dallas-Seattle:
Dallas wins. Not just because I'm a Mavs fan, but because of the fact that Seattle has to shoot 50% to win. I'm not kidding; look at the box score the next time they win.
LA-Portland:
These teams find each other every year don't they? They're joined at the hip! It would be a tight series, with as good as the Blazers have been, but I think LA would pull through.
San Antonio-Minnesota:
This is a great matchup of defenses. However, I think San Antonio would win it, because Chauncey Billups is just not doing the job at the point for the Wolves.
Sacramento-Utah:
Sacramento will win this series, probably with relative ease, but don't look for the Kings to go very far in the playoffs. As good of a team as they are at home, they hover around .500 on the road. In the West, you can't play that way and survive.

Oh yeah, to all the LAL fans out there:
You guys escaped two games, and got mashed in the fourth. If I were you, I wouldn't want to be facing Dallas come playoff time.

Old Newbie · 03-21-2002, 06:16 PM

As far as I'm concerned, it will be the Mavs who will need to be worrying come the playoffs.

You think Cuban is bad during the regular season ... hehehe

Don't be second-guessin' the Lakers just yet. Just because they're showin' signs of being human doesn't mean they can't come out playin' like supermen.

cowboy · 03-21-2002, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Old Newbie
You think Cuban is bad during the regular season ... hehehe

Actually, I don't think Cuban is bad. I think he's responsible for sending the Mavs into a 180 degree turn from where they were when he bought them.

SCCdcTFreak · 03-23-2002, 02:18 AM

Some of the same things that people said last year about the Mavs are being said again this year, and they're gonna be surprised, yet AGAIN.

Last year, nobody expected Dallas to beat Utah, the perennial "referee favorite" 3 games to 2 in the first round. Everyone was talking "playoff experience is huge in the NBA Playoffs, and the Mavericks have too many young faces to know how to handle the games" and stuff like that. Yeah, they sure played like they were a young team, huh??

Now this year, people are once again saying they just can't compete with the Lakers, and that the Lakers play a totally different game than the ones they've played against Dallas this year. Is this why Phil Jackson (Mr. Triangle Offense himself) said that this was a different Mavericks team than he's seen earlier in the season, that he actually was thinking like a playoff coach when they met on Sunday and Tuesday??? If Dallas is going to see something different in the playoffs, then please do me a favor and explain that one to me.

I'm just guaranteeing that Dallas will once again be another dark horse in the playoffs this year. Don Nelson is actually one of the greatest minds in NBA Basketball. He's finally just now getting to show it, 'cuz he's actually got some guys with enough talent to do what he wants.

Believe me, I watched some of those 9-75 and 12-72 teams play, and I was surprised he got that many wins with them. You'd know what I mean if you watched the lack of talent those teams had. Ross Perot Jr. knew absolutely nothing about basketball and had no business owning a team. Selling it was the best thing he ever did for the franchise. Now Cuban, on the other hand has an advantage over lots of other owners, and this is why did well so fast. He's an actual fan of the game and of his team. He keeps up with who's hot and who's not. He knows the game inside out, and he's in it to win, not to make money. Also, he treats the players like kings, which makes them want to play for him. Mark Cuban is a genius and does not get the respect he deserves.

Alrighty, well I'm off my soapbox for now. I'm sure there'll be a rebuttal coming, so I'll wait patiently for it. So long for now you guys.

In Him,
† <>< Stephen

Mark · 03-23-2002, 07:08 AM

I agree Stephen, the Mavs are a team that no one thinks will win. Think of it this way. We held Kobe to 9-30something shooting in the last two games. I'm not saying that the Mavs are gonna win in a rout or anything, I just think they have a better chance than Kings or SA. Duncan and Robinson are deadly in the playoffs, but their bench guys and shooters have to step up and hit bigger shots if they want to beat the Lakers. The Mavs just have to play SOME defense, shoot smart shots(one's they can make), and they'll have a chance come 3 minutes left in the 4th quarter. It would be an awesome matchup. I really couldn't tell you who I thought would win right now because none of us know who is going to be the hotter team going into the matchup. It would be VERY tight though.