15 Years.
I've been waiting 15 years for this moment.
That may not sound like a long time to some people. But it seemed like a long time to me.
The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Phoenix Suns 102-93 on Saturday, and won the Western Conference Championship. The Mavs will now play the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals.
That's right. The Mavs are in the NBA Finals.
I remember when I was in 7th grade, and became interested in basketball. I started to watch the Mavs on TV. This was not an easy thing to do: no one in my family watched--really watches--sports on TV. I was reduced to watching the 13" screen TV in Mom and Dad's room. I'm pretty sure we didn't get ESPN back there, so the only sports I could watch were the local channels--ie your Dallas Mavericks on what would today be the UPN.
This was in 1991. This was not a good year to become a Mavs fan. The Mavs won a whopping 22 games that year. Sadly, this would be one of the better teams I'd see for a while. In 1992 we won 11 games, literally winning the last two games of the season so as not to tie the mark of the worst record in the history of the NBA. Next year wasn't much better, as they won only 13 games.
However, I watched as many games as I could. I loved it. I loved cheering the home team on, and watching the players play, and learning how to play, and how not to play. I learned the evils of drug use as I watched Roy Tarpley kill our team through his selfishness. I learned the meaning of hoping against hope, as I got excited when the Mavs traded for dregs like Tony Campbell (he averaged 22 a game once!). I learned the meaning of the word "business" as I watched Jim Jackson sit out for over half a season. I learned how to play basketball, by watching a team desperate for any win try so many different styles of play, desperately hoping to find one that worked. I learned the value of hard work, guts, passion, and love, and I learned the value of talent.
I learned to love three things that would affect me for the rest of my life: basketball, my city, and my team.
I learned a lot watching that 13" screen TV.
Anyone who knows me knows what a huge impact the game of basketball has had on my life. That's the first thing that comes to mind if you were to ask me who I am: I'm a basketball player. Have been since 7th grade, and always will be. Watching those games not only helped teach me my love, but also helped me to love my city, my town, my hood. This was my home, and I loved it here, and I wanted it to be represented as well as possible. Which meant I rooted for my team, my club, my squad--they represented my city, they represented me, and I wanted them to represent us well.
Just like in life, there have been good times and bad times over the years with my Mavericks. And just like in life, there are those great times: those fantastic moments, the "once in a lifetime experiences" that you remember forever.
I'm grateful that I'm at a point in my life where I can appreciate such a moment as it happens now.
***
Of course, predictions.
Mavs in 6. To be honest, I'm surprised at the amount of pub the Heat are getting. I'm happy about that--as you know, I believe that if too many people think one team will win, it quite often doesn't happen. But seriously, let's just take a look at who's get the edge in probably lineups:
Devin Harris v Jason Williams: Slight edge to Williams. Very slight. Almost even.
Josh Howard v Dwayne Wade: Edge to Wade, of course, but not a major edge. Wade has said that no one in the league D's him up better than Howard, and Howard will make him work offensively.
Jason Terry v James Posey: Edge to Terry, possibly major. Even though Posey is bigger, he is not an offensive threat at all, so it's not a problem for Terry to stick him. And while he's a good defender, he's not near quick enough to hang with Terry.
Dirk v Antoine Walker/Udonis Haslem: I was reading someone earlier talk about Haslem would be the toughest matchup Dirk faced in the playoffs. The fucking media man...they amaze me sometimes. I love it when people try to talk themselves into something. So after facing Pau Gasol, Eddie Jones, Bruce Bowen, Tim Duncan, Shawn Marion, and Tim Thomas, you're telling me that Udonis Haslem is going to be Dirk's toughest matchup yet? Hey man, I had Haslem on my fantasy league team last year. But come ON. And I laugh in the face of Toine (as I always do). MAJOR edge Dirk.
Shaq v Eric Dampier: Major edge Shaq, of course. However, not near as much as it has been in the past, as people seem to be forgetting.
Bench: RIDICULOUSLY MAJOR EDGE to the Mavs. Wow. It's pathetic. Do the Heat have a bench other than Zo? No, Payton does not count--I'd rather have Darrell Armstrong than him, and I can't believe I just wrote that. Here's a good question: Does Shaq have a major edge over Damp/Diop/Mbenga (when he gets back)? Probably not. Who on the Heat matches up with Stackhouse (when he's on)? Griffin? Daniels, who I think should be playing more? What if KVH gives you something?
Sorry guys. I think Mavs in 6. Shaq and Wade can't carry a team that far by themselves. Remember, they haven't played a quality team yet, since the Pistons decided to just pee all over themselves instead of coming to play. So get ready Dallas...we should be celebrating our first NBA championship soon.
GO MAVS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That may not sound like a long time to some people. But it seemed like a long time to me.
The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Phoenix Suns 102-93 on Saturday, and won the Western Conference Championship. The Mavs will now play the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals.
That's right. The Mavs are in the NBA Finals.
I remember when I was in 7th grade, and became interested in basketball. I started to watch the Mavs on TV. This was not an easy thing to do: no one in my family watched--really watches--sports on TV. I was reduced to watching the 13" screen TV in Mom and Dad's room. I'm pretty sure we didn't get ESPN back there, so the only sports I could watch were the local channels--ie your Dallas Mavericks on what would today be the UPN.
This was in 1991. This was not a good year to become a Mavs fan. The Mavs won a whopping 22 games that year. Sadly, this would be one of the better teams I'd see for a while. In 1992 we won 11 games, literally winning the last two games of the season so as not to tie the mark of the worst record in the history of the NBA. Next year wasn't much better, as they won only 13 games.
However, I watched as many games as I could. I loved it. I loved cheering the home team on, and watching the players play, and learning how to play, and how not to play. I learned the evils of drug use as I watched Roy Tarpley kill our team through his selfishness. I learned the meaning of hoping against hope, as I got excited when the Mavs traded for dregs like Tony Campbell (he averaged 22 a game once!). I learned the meaning of the word "business" as I watched Jim Jackson sit out for over half a season. I learned how to play basketball, by watching a team desperate for any win try so many different styles of play, desperately hoping to find one that worked. I learned the value of hard work, guts, passion, and love, and I learned the value of talent.
I learned to love three things that would affect me for the rest of my life: basketball, my city, and my team.
I learned a lot watching that 13" screen TV.
Anyone who knows me knows what a huge impact the game of basketball has had on my life. That's the first thing that comes to mind if you were to ask me who I am: I'm a basketball player. Have been since 7th grade, and always will be. Watching those games not only helped teach me my love, but also helped me to love my city, my town, my hood. This was my home, and I loved it here, and I wanted it to be represented as well as possible. Which meant I rooted for my team, my club, my squad--they represented my city, they represented me, and I wanted them to represent us well.
Just like in life, there have been good times and bad times over the years with my Mavericks. And just like in life, there are those great times: those fantastic moments, the "once in a lifetime experiences" that you remember forever.
I'm grateful that I'm at a point in my life where I can appreciate such a moment as it happens now.
***
Of course, predictions.
Mavs in 6. To be honest, I'm surprised at the amount of pub the Heat are getting. I'm happy about that--as you know, I believe that if too many people think one team will win, it quite often doesn't happen. But seriously, let's just take a look at who's get the edge in probably lineups:
Devin Harris v Jason Williams: Slight edge to Williams. Very slight. Almost even.
Josh Howard v Dwayne Wade: Edge to Wade, of course, but not a major edge. Wade has said that no one in the league D's him up better than Howard, and Howard will make him work offensively.
Jason Terry v James Posey: Edge to Terry, possibly major. Even though Posey is bigger, he is not an offensive threat at all, so it's not a problem for Terry to stick him. And while he's a good defender, he's not near quick enough to hang with Terry.
Dirk v Antoine Walker/Udonis Haslem: I was reading someone earlier talk about Haslem would be the toughest matchup Dirk faced in the playoffs. The fucking media man...they amaze me sometimes. I love it when people try to talk themselves into something. So after facing Pau Gasol, Eddie Jones, Bruce Bowen, Tim Duncan, Shawn Marion, and Tim Thomas, you're telling me that Udonis Haslem is going to be Dirk's toughest matchup yet? Hey man, I had Haslem on my fantasy league team last year. But come ON. And I laugh in the face of Toine (as I always do). MAJOR edge Dirk.
Shaq v Eric Dampier: Major edge Shaq, of course. However, not near as much as it has been in the past, as people seem to be forgetting.
Bench: RIDICULOUSLY MAJOR EDGE to the Mavs. Wow. It's pathetic. Do the Heat have a bench other than Zo? No, Payton does not count--I'd rather have Darrell Armstrong than him, and I can't believe I just wrote that. Here's a good question: Does Shaq have a major edge over Damp/Diop/Mbenga (when he gets back)? Probably not. Who on the Heat matches up with Stackhouse (when he's on)? Griffin? Daniels, who I think should be playing more? What if KVH gives you something?
Sorry guys. I think Mavs in 6. Shaq and Wade can't carry a team that far by themselves. Remember, they haven't played a quality team yet, since the Pistons decided to just pee all over themselves instead of coming to play. So get ready Dallas...we should be celebrating our first NBA championship soon.
GO MAVS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
posted by Michael Pondrom at 6:06 PM
4 Comments:
Have you seen Jason Williams play defense? I would give the edge to Harris quickness and defence. I bet you will lose count of the times Williams 'ole's!' Harris and Terry on their way to the basket. This is why Shaq has been in so much foul trouble this postseason. Otherwise, your predictions look sound.
you should have kept your mouth shut. You should have let them win. You should NOT have just jinxed them by picking them to win in 6. You stayed silent in the Spurs series. But now? "We should be celebrating a championship in 7 days?" You've killed them. I hope I'm wrong, I hope the Mavs win and you don't have to kill yourself
Tone-Loc
Some thoughts while washing dishes last night.
You know...
There was a time when I thought the Nelsons were crazy for drafting Dirk over Paul Pierce. I was even more horrified that Cuban hired Nelson to coach period. To some degree, I still don't like his choice, but it did make for exciting basketball, even if it wasn't championship basketball.
Anyway, I was wrong about Dirk. He has turned into a great player. I don't think anyone would draft Pierce over Dirk with today's knowledge. I was also thinking about the rest of the roster. Its a great roster. All the talent is young. There are shooters, scorers, defenders, foulers. There isn't really a designated passer, but many are decent at initiating the offense. Most of them are pretty atheletic and long, guys that can defend when they put their mind to it. There are no defensive liabilities other than Van Horn. There are no offensive liabilities except Griffin and Diop. Its a very well put together team. And did I mention that they were young? Donnie Nelson has done an excellent job.
Like any basketball fan, I believe I could run a team better than half the GM's in the league. But I really believe that Donnie Nelson is one of the better talent evaluators in the league. He really doesn't get enough credit for what he has done. And Cuban doesn't get enough credit for hiring him.
And about Cuban...Anyone who doesn't like him as an NBA owner isn't fit to be a team owner. He does what every basketball fan would do if they were an owner.
First...Excellent point on JWill's D. I just don't like how Harris has periodically stopped to soil himself at times during the playoffs, and since this is the biggest stage, I worry he will do it again. If Harris is on, he has the clear edge. But if he starts freaking out and does that thing where he hits his head after he does something dumb, then White Chocolate has the edge.
Second...dude I've picked the Mavs to win in every series. I didn't want to talk about the Spurs series while it was going on, because that was the "monkey on the back" series. But I still predicted the Mavs would win before the series started. We're cool Tone don't worry.
Third...I absolutely agree with you Bo, and good for you and shame on me for not giving Donnie Nelson the credit he deserves. First of all, it was Donnie--not Don--who drafted Dirk. Donnie was the Mavs European scout back then. It was he who was over there all the time, and he who came home and told Dad, "We've got to draft this guy."
I've said it before: I honestly believe Don had a nervous breakdown after the Knicks debacle, and has never fully recovered. I think Donnie has been doing all the work while Don was getting the credit/coaching the team to the ground. I think Donnie is a fantastic GM who learned how to pick talent like his father can--Don is a good judge of talent--but doesn't get caught up in trying to reinvent the game like his father tried for years to do.
And yes, Cuban is a great owner. Can he be annoying? Yes. Does he say/do the wrong thing on occasion? Of course...we all do. But above all, Mark Cuban is committed to winning. That's the bottom line. He's a man who truly loves his team, is truly behind them 100%, and whose bottom line is bringing a championship to my great city. And you have to respect a man like that.
Even if he is crazy. :-)
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