Disclaimer:  This post deals with the topic of race within the NBA.  So before reading, please put your race card, whatever color it may be, back in your pocket, and attempt to objectively consider the analysis. 

Let me begin by stating that I am an American Caucasian male who enjoys watching NBA basketball.  In addition, I am color-blind, both figuratively and literally (seriously it’s a problem, I really struggle with colors).  I’m born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas and I could care less if the Mavs win a championship with players who are white American, African American, Hispanic, Spanish, German, French, or anything.  I do not care.  But that being said, one would have to be completely blind to not notice the ever-widening gap between blacks and whites in the NBA.  More specifically, the large difference between the amount of white American born players and African American players currently in the NBA.  I don’t think this is a problem; I just find it interesting and am curious as to why.  Therefore, I’ll present you my tentative answers as to why so few white Americans play in the NBA.

In case you haven’t been watching the NBA recently, white American players are increasingly dwindling in numbers.  In fact, the white American player has nearly transformed into the slow, bad at defense, 3-point shooter who shoots over 85% from the free throw line (i.e. J.J. Reddick, Jason Kapono, and Adam Morrison).  Or the option, the big, stiff, unathletic center or power forward who plays minimal minutes during the regular season and wears a suit while sitting on the bench for the post season (i.e. Brian Scalabrine).  Think about the 5 players you see on the floor during the 4th quarter of the playoffs this year.  Boston Celtics = Garnett, Rondo, Pierce, Perkins, and Allen.  Cleveland Cavaliers = James, Williams, Shaq, A. Jamison, and D. West.  Orlando Magic = Howard, Nelson, Carter, Lewis, and Pietrus or Barnes.  Trust me, I could keep going.  And the only white players you see in a “4th quarter 5” are Pau Gasol (from Spain), Dirk Nowitzki (from Germany), or Steve Nash (Canada).  The only white Americans with a chance are Kirk Hinrich or J.J. Reddick.

The best way to display discrepancy is to attempt to fill out rosters…except by race.  If the all-white American All Star team played against the all African American All Star Team or even the All International all stars, the white American is going to get their butts kicked.  Allow me to play this out.  (Spoiler alert!  The white American team is terrible…except for the coach).

White American Team:

 PG: Kirk Hinrich

SG: J.J. Reddick

SF: Mike Dunleavy

PF: David Lee

C: Brook Lopez

Bench:

Chris Kaman, Kyle Korver, Mike Miller, Steve Blake, Robin Lopez, Chris Anderson, Troy Murphy, Tyler Hansbrough, Adam Morrison, Louis Amundson (he’s from CA, I thought he was French.  Go figure.), and Luke Ridnour. 

Coach: Phil Jackson (even Phil can’t lead this team to a championship)

White International Team:

PG: Steve Nash

SG: Manu Ginobili

SF: Hedo Turkoglu

PF: Dirk Nowitzki

C: Pau Gasol

Bench:

Andrew Bogut, Mehmet Okur, Marc Gasol, Andrea Bargnani, Andrea Kirilenko, Omri Casspi, Rudy Fernandez, Marcin Gortat, Peja Stojakovic, Andris Biendrins

African American Team:

PG: Deron Williams

SG: Kobe Bryant

SF: LeBron James

PF: Chris Bosh

C: Dwight Howard

 Bench:

Dwayne Wade, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Rajon Rondo, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Amare Stoudemire, Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, and this list goes on and on.

 To make my point even more clear here are combined stats for the starting 5 of each team if everyone hit their 2010 average for points, assists, and rebounds:

 White American: Points = 68; Assists = 8; Rebounds = 27

White International: Points = 86; Assists = 26; Rebounds = 30

African American: Points = 118; Assists = 28; Rebounds = 39

 So in a game where the best white American players went up against the best African American players, and everyone hit their 2010 average, White Americans would lose 118 to 68…not good. 

 The answer as to why there are so few white American NBA players is just above this sentence in those fictional rosters.  Aside from David Lee, all of the best NBA players are on the International and African American teams.  I mean seriously, the African American team is bringing Dwayne Wade, Kevin Durant, and Carmelo Anthony of the bench!  The White Americans are subbing in Kyle Korver and Chris “Birdman” Anderson. 

 The talent level is not even close between white American, International, and African American players.  Which brings me to my question, why aren’t there more talented white American NBA players?  I believe the answer lies within the difference between the International and American development of white players, and the NBA’s style of play.  NBA basketball is most entertaining when teams are scoring over 100 points.  With a shot-clock only giving teams 24 seconds to score, emphasis has been placed on athleticism, quickness, shot-blocking, and jumping.  The NBA has purposefully evolved it’s style of play to promote the 100 to 115 final score, as opposed to the 78-86 score, because that is what sells tickets, merchandise, and gains higher ratings.  This style of play based on athleticism is part of why white Americans can’t get any playing time in the NBA.  A major reason is because white Americans grow up practicing and training in a style that is difficult for them to compete in.  In junior highs and high schools across America, white American players are attempting to out jump and “out athletic” other players who are simply more talented.  After always getting their shot blocked in the paint, they decide to develop a 3-point shot and never develop footwork or practice on any of the fundamentals of the game (this results in players like Reddick, Kyle Korver, and Mike Miller).  On the other hand, the International style concentrates on fundamentals such as shooting technique and footwork (this results in players like Nowitzki, Gasol, Ginobili, and Nash).  I don’t believe that Manu Ginobili or Steve Nash are quicker or can jump higher than Kobe Bryant or Deron Williams, but both white International players consistently compete on the same level.  White American guards, like Kirk Hinrich or again J.J. Reddick, never develop the higher basketball IQ, footwork, or overall fundamental skills that International players have acquired.  

 I’m pretty sure I will never watch a white player dunk like Lebron, play defense like Kobe, or fly like Dwight Howard, and that is why white American players need to concentrate on developing fundamentals.  Look at the White American roster; most the players are either outside shooters or big stiffs in the middle.  The International players have the same tools to work with, but they have developed their game by concentrating on the fundamentals.

To further prove my point about the NBA’s style of play and its effect on white American players, compare the NBA to the NCAA.  While the NBA has adopted the athletic/quick style of play, the NCAA hasn’t quite caught on yet.  Take for example this year’s champion, Duke.  The Blue Devils won a championship starting 3 white American basketball players (Kyle Singler, Brian Zoubek, and Jon Scheyer).  And the team with all of the NBA bound African American talent, Kentucky, (Wall, Cousins, Patterson, and Bledsoe) couldn’t even make the final four.  The NCAA has a longer shot clock, the games are shorter, and are typically played in the half-court set.  Consequently, winning in the NCAA is not as dependent on overall athletic ability.  That is why a team of older white American players who rebound and shoot 3’s is able to win a championship, while in the NBA, that will never happen.  In summary, the difference is in the style of play.  And until the NBA distances itself from its current style that emphasizes athleticism, white Americans are going to continue to sit the bench unless they adopt the training style of International players.

I think there also might be an issue concerning the overall popularity of basketball among white Americans.  If you are 5’10 and white, chances are you aren’t going to make the high school basketball team.  So what do you do?  You lift weights and play football, sign up for baseball, or develop footwork and play soccer.  African Americans care about basketball, it’s a part of their culture.  That is why they dominate the game, it’s because they love it more, and quite frankly, they are simply better at it.  

In the end, I don’t think we will ever see an NBA playoffs game where 5 white players are playing against 5 more white players, whether American or International, and I don’t think that is a bad thing.  While problems continue to exist, I think our country has evolved to look beyond the color of someone’s skin and appreciate athletic talent objectively.  A few months ago, ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” did a piece on the lack of white people in the NBA and suggested that the NBA needs white American players to succeed.  I disagree.  I know as a Mavericks fan, I’m going to cheer for the Mavs no matter who our best player is, and I think most fans would agree with me.  I don’t care if Dirk Nowitzki (although I do love Dirk), David Lee, or Kobe Bryant is holding the trophy at the end of the year, as long as the Mavericks have won a championship.

It does not seem so long ago that the Mavericks had won 13 games in a row and the Dallas bandwagon became overcrowded. I think it is fair to assume that a high number of bandwagon riders have jumped ship after witnessing the Mavs over the last couple of weeks.  I'm not a bandwagon fan.  I am a Mavericks fan after 67 regular season wins and I am a Mavericks fan after a horrible series with Golden State.  But after watching the Mavs over the last couple of weeks, I have to admit, the bandwagon jumpers seem to have the right idea.

Recently, the Mavericks have: squeaked by New Jersey, received a thorough butt-kicking from New York, beat Chicago by 7, had back-to-back losses to Boston and New Orleans, needed a 4th quarter comeback to beat the Clippers, and then followed that with a double-digit loss to Portland.  

After reading the previous paragraph, how do you feel about the fast approaching playoffs?  Excited? Positive about the Mavs chances of hoisting the trophy in June?  Maybe you are overly optimistic, but I am a realist.  After enjoying the 13 game winning streak, the MAvs have fallen back to traditional form.  The trade for Butler, Haywood, and Stevenson made the Mavs better, but not good enough.  If the playoffs started today, the Mavs would have home court advantage in a 7-game series against the "Durantula" and Oklahoma City.  If the Mavs cannot beat teams like Portland, New York, Boston or New Orleans, do you really think they can handle Kevin Durant and company?  I don't even know if the Mavs can get out of the first round.  Even with the trade, this is the same Mavs team we have seen since the epic failure known as the 2006 Finals. The Mavericks have a lot of talent, Dirk is great, but they still lack the toughness, defense, and overall mental fortitude to overcome and win the finals.  I have no problem guaranteeing that the Mavs will not win the championship this year, or even the Western Conference.  It makes me sad to admit it, but admitting a problem is the first step to dealing with it. 

Do you remember the overall panic surrounded with the changing of the millennium?  The 2k scare had families saving water and canned foods in preparation for the up-coming Terminator-like apocalyptic destruction.  Thankfully, it never happened and life continued as we know it.  Every year for the Mavericks it is the same thing.  Everyone gets excited and starts discussing parade routes through downtown Dallas.  However this year I am here to shed a little 2k fear onto your parade route plans.  Go ahead and start buying water and canned food because the Mavs are going to disappoint you again.  You'll feel better knowing you are prepared to watch Dirk and Kidd mope off the floor as an opposing team celebrates winning a playoff series.  Perhaps start dreaming of LeBron in a Mavs uniform dunking on Tim Duncan and Ginobli (that makes me happy).  Please take my advice.  Look at the Mavs history and their performance this year, it is not going to happen.  I hate saying it, but I think if you prepare yourself ahead of time, maybe this summer will not be as depressing.  Trust me, this team is just another form of your typical Mavs.

I'm having a hard time understanding how so many injuries can occur in such a short period of time.  First Delgado is out, than Reyes, than Beltran has to DH in the first game in Boston, and than tonight it is J.J. warming up for the 9th instead of K-Rod because he apparently was carried off on a stretcher due to back spasms.  I don't think injuries are contagious like the flu, so there must be an underlining factor that goes deeper than "bad luck".  I consistently read fanposts criticizing Jerry's in game decision making or line up cards, but I am starting to question his spring training.  This was his first year in Florida running the show and I'm starting to wonder if players are in good enough shape, or if the were worked too hard.  I give you the example of the Texas Rangers.  For years, Texas fans have been screaming "If we could only pitch!".  The Rangers are always a top hitting team, but starting pitching has always been their achilles heal.  However this year, Nolan Ryan took over and implemented a tough spring training work out program for pitchers.  So far, the starting pitching has been better than it has been for years, and that is with the same pitchers as the last few seasons.  The difference is, their in shape.  It's no secret that baseball players can be some of the most out of shape professional athletes (David Wells, C.C. Sabathia, I can go on for a while), and I'm staring to wonder if Jerry did not do a good enough job getting some of the veteran players ready for the season physically, or did he work them too hard.  We all heard of his 'swings drill', but did that really get players in shape?  It sounded like a drill I did in high school.  Were guys like Delgado, Reyes, J.J., and K-Rod, physically ready for a long MLB season?  A common denominator in this problem is that most of the Met players hurt played in the World Baseball Classic before the season, and I'm beginning to wonder if Jerry made one of two mistakes.  Did he work veteran players too hard after playing in the WBC, or did he not work them hard enough leaving their bodies in poor shape and not able to withstand injuries.  I don't know the answer to the injury plague, but it must be more than bad luck. 

So the Mavericks season ended.  I'm sad, but not depressed.  The last two years have been terrible.  From getting killed by New Orleans to the most miserable series ever, Golden State.  This year, the Mavs simply got beat by a better team.  Face it, Denver is better than Dallas.  It hurts to admit it, but it is true.  They play better defense, they have better scorers, and more depth.  They are more aggressive and better in transition.  And all these things, and more, contributed to ending the Mavs season.  While I am sad, I do love the offseason.  The trades, the draft, the free agent signings, and all the rumors keep me excited all summer long.  Here is my preview of what the Mavericks need to accomplish this offseason.

Goal Number 1:  The Front Office needs to wake up and do their job.

The reason the Mavericks have a top 5 NBA player in Nowitzki and can't win a championship is because the front office keeps making terrible decisions in the offseason.  The most recent and obvious being the impatient trade of Devin Harris for Jason Kidd.  You don't think Devin's 20 points a night and suffocating defense would have made a major impact on the Denver series?  Kidd was a turnover machine against Denver, and we have the front office to thank for it.  I'm not sure which direction the front office will take, either staying cheap and waiting for the free agent class of 2010 in an attempt to sign LBJ, Wade, or Bosh, or try to make a couple big moves to win a championship next season.  While watching the final game against Denver, my friend and I kept discussing how great the Billups trade was for the Nuggets.  There's no way that the Nuggets get this far with Iverson running the point.  Then we paused and both said, "why don't the Mavericks ever make a move that works like that?"  If the Mavericks are going to improve through trade, they better make sure it's going to work.  Because another Harris for Kidd would be disastrous.

Goal Number 2:  Have a good Draft!

The Mavericks have had terrible drafts over the past few seasons!  I can't stand watching the NBA Draft because I know the Mavericks will always do something stupid.  They either draft some European player I have never heard of and never see again, or they pass up on a good player and draft a complete bust.  Need an example to remind how dumb they have been, here is one.  Do you know who NIck Fazekas is?  You probably don't, because he didn't accomplish anything.  Dallas drafted him over Glen 'Big Baby' Davis who is currently a major contributor on the Celtics filling in for Garnett.  Other recent busts include the following: Shan Foster,Renaidas Seibutis, Maurice Ager, J.R. Pinnock, Vassilis Spanoulis, and so much more!  I believe a major reason that Dallas has not experienced a Championship Parade is because of the inability of the front office to scout and draft (Josh Howard being an exception but that was back in 2003).  How can that list of terrible draft picks not make you angry as a Mavericks fan?  I hope 2009 is different, and this is what I think they should do.

The Mavericks obviously have many holes to fill.  I hope Cuban can get Kidd to resign for a 1 year discount contract.  Than I would like to see the Mavs draft a PG that can learn under Kidd for a year than take over.  Dallas needs a young PG that can play defense and penetrate the paint.  Look who the successful PG's in the NBA are, Chris Paul, Rajon Rondo, Tony Parker, Derron Williams, Devin Harris, and Derrick Rose to name a few.  They all have one thing in common, quickness.  Dallas needs to draft a quick PG, and there are plenty available.  It's doubtful that Ricky Rubio, Stephon Curry, or Brandon Jennings will fall to the Mavs, but there are other starting caliber PG's available that Dallas could pick.  Patrick Mills(St. Mary's), Ty Lawson (UNC). AJ Price (UCONN), and Toney Douglas (FSU) just to name a few.  In this years draft there is a total of 19 PG's available, most of which can be immediate contributors.  If the Mavericks do not come away with a PG, I'm going to be furious.

If for some reason the Mavs don't go the PG route, I think either a big down-low force that can provide a defensive presence in the paint, or a scoring SG should be drafted.  Personally, I would like to see the Mavs draft a SG who's main ability is scoring, if a PG is not taken.  (I'm still mad that Mark Cuban didn't make a move for Ben Gordon when Chicago was trying to trade him.)  There are players like Sam Young (PITT), Marcus Thornton (LSU), and Tyreke Evans (Memphis) who may be available.

Nbadraft.net projects that the Mavericks will draft DeJuan Blair.  Apparently, they believe the Mavs will go the third route of big down-low presence rather than SG or PG.  I wouldn't be too upset with DeJuan Blair, I think he can be an immediate contributor, but I still would rather see a new quick PG in Dallas next season.

I have never been so angry.  Thanks to the blown call at the end of the game the Mavericks season is most likely over.  When will Dallas get respect from the NBA officials?  In 2006, Dwayne Wade shot what seemed to be a million free throws to steal a championship from Dallas.  And today, the referees are at it again missing an obvious intentional foul from Antoine Wright committed on Carmelo Anthony.  Now the Mavs are down 3-0 and its thanks to the refs.  I know the NBA officials hate Mark Cuban because he calls them out when they mess up (like they did today).  And Dallas is not a mecca of basketball that brings in TV ratings like Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, or New York.  But the bottom line is that the Dallas Mavericks, and Dirk, get no respect from the refs or the NBA. Maybe it's because Dirk doesn't have a million tattoos or endorsement deals with Gatorade, Vitamin Water, Nike, and State Farm Insurance.  In a game where 61 fouls are called, the ref decides to silence his whistle when Carmelo Anthony is shooting a 3 to win it.  You don't think the NBA protects its money making stars? Check again.  Players like LBJ, Kobe, D. Wade, and Melo are always going to get the benefit of the doubt in the final minutes of a playoff game.  Remember the Jordan push off before his final shot as a Bull?  Again, the NBA protects it stars!  And it probably ended the Mavericks season tonight.  Maybe Dirk needs to wear a headband, do some commercials, get sleeve tattoos, so the Mavericks and their MVP will get calls at the end of games.  It's obvious that referees call based on player reputation.  Last night, Ron Artest fouls Pau Gasol.  It was a hard foul, but only a foul.  Not a flagrant.  Even Kobe Bryant admitted that after the game.  But Artest is given a flagrant 2 and ejected because the name on the back of the jersey is "Artest".  The referee standing closest to the play in the final seconds of Game 3 most likely read "Anthony", and remembered David Stern's warning to assist stars in big moments, than proceeded to tuck the whistle.  I am angry and disgusted.  How can you not call that foul when you know the Mavericks have one to give?  Thank you NBA referees, for ending my favorite team's season.  The entire playoffs have been officiated terribly.  What's "amazing", unlike the NBA commercials, is the consistent blown calls in big moments against the Dallas Mavericks.  Whether its the Mavericks reputation of being soft, referees hatred for Cuban, or the protection of money making stars not named Dirk, the NBA needs to fix the problem of officiating and allow instant replay to adjust blown calls, because this one just sent the Mavs packing.  Enjoy thinking about Antoine Wright attempting to foul Carmelo Anthony all summer, I know I will.  

 Chaos is uncontrolled energy and aggression with no rules or boundaries to contain it.  The elements that help create chaos are usually complex and diverse, and what results is overwhelming.  Denver is a team that thrives on creating chaos, and the suffocating nature of their defense and transition offense is overwhelming the Mavericks.  The aggressive defense, passion, and transition offense has forced the Mavericks into a 2-0 hole going into game 3 in Dallas.  Chaos does not need much time to gain momentum.  In a matter of minutes, the Nuggets turned a close game into complete chaos forcing turnover after turnover as their transition offense finishes what the defense started.  Their fans scream, the birdman flies, and in minutes the Nuggets can turn a 2 point game into a 20 point blow out.  The stats prove this point.  In two games the Mavericks have turned the ball over 31 times resulting in 51 points for Denver.  Unfortunately for Dallas, the collateral damage typically associated with a chaotic style of play has not translated into points in transition.  Despite Denver turning the ball over 23 times, the Mavericks have only scored 13 fast break points in the series thus far.  The difference in the series is the unchallenged chaos created by Denver.  If the Mavericks are going to defend home court, they must control Denver's attempt to cause chaos in transition.  Limit turnovers, play smart, and play aggressive.  The Mavericks lacked aggression in the first two games, and the Nuggets chaos resulted in two blowouts.  Dallas needs to feed off the energy of the home crowd, block shots, get out in transition, and start an energetic chaos that will leave Denver wondering what hit them.  Dallas still has a chance, but they must control Denver's chaos in transition. 

Kidd vs. Billups.  Nowitzki vs. Martin.  Howard vs. Anthony. The upcoming western conference semifinals between the Mavs and Nuggets will feature incredible matchups.  Two savvy veteran point guards, two athletic small forwards, and a former MVP taking on a physical power forward.  Even the matchup of Dampier and Nene should be interesting to watch.  Dampier is coming off a solid first round series averaging 8.6 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, and Nene has traditionally caused problems for the Mavs.  With all these entertaining match-ups, none may be more important than the one that won't start until over half way through the first quarter.  Ever since signing with Dallas, Jason Terry has been the "energy guy" who brought the fans to their feet.  Since coming off the bench, the JET has been the spark that the Mavs rely on.  This year, Terry averaged 19 points a game and was an obvious choice for sixth man of the year.  His outside shot speads the floor clearing the paint so players like Barea can drive and kick out to open shooters.  But the Nuggets have their sixth man specialist too.  J.R. Smith is athletic, energetic, and can shoot the lights out once catching fire (see game 5 of DEN vs. NO).  He averaged 15.2 ppg. in the regular season and is averaged 16 ppg. in the first round against New Orleans.  Only Carmelo Anthony (120) and Chauncey Billups (113) scored more total points than J.R. Smith in round 1 (Smith scored 80).   Jason Terry was also third in total points for round 1 scoring 67 and, trailing only Nowitzki (96) and Howard (94).  The similarities are there.  When the JET gets hot and spreads his wings, look out.  When J.R. Smith catches fire, he can shoot from half court and it has a good chance of going in.  Nowitzki, Anthony, Billups, and Howard are going to score.  The difference could come from which teams dynamic sixth man brings more energy.  Jet vs. J.R.  The series could be that simple.

*Another interesting match up is Brandon Bass vs. Chris Anderson.  Both players are energetic and aggressive on the offensive and defensive ends of the floor.  They are relentless around the rim as the word "lay-up" is not in their vocabulary.  Their stats are similar like Terry's and Smith's for the first round.

Bass- 8 points per game, 3.8 rebounds. .08 blocks

Anderson- 7.6 points per game, 5 rebounds, 1.8 blocks

The battle between these two players should be exciting and important as the Mavs and Nuggets fight for loose balls and rebounds during close games.

I don't care if the series ended two days ago, I'm still celebrating.  And you should be too if you're a Mavs fan.  Haven't the playoffs been disastrous since the 2006 Finals?  I still remember Dwayne Wade shooting free throw after free throw as the trophy slipped further and further away.  I still remember Baron Davis, Stephen Jackson, Monta Ellis, and the rest of Don Nelson's Golden State Warriors making every single shot from everywhere on the court as a sea of yellow shirts saying "We Believe!" jumped up and down screaming.  I still remember Chris Paul, David West, and Tyson Chandler ending our season in the first round last year.  Feeling pretty sick?  Here's your medicine: Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Pop, Finley, and the rest of the most complaining whiny team in the NBA are sitting at home playing as much basketball as me, none.  Before we as Mavs fans get caught up in the Denver series, let's not forget what the Mavs just did in the first round.  Even in a league like the NBA that emphasizes the importance of star players, it still takes a total team effort to win big games.  And that was no exception in Dallas' victory over the San Antonio.  Until the Nuggets and Mavs tip off game 1, enjoy the memories of a whining Tim Duncan moping off the court for the final time of the 2008-2009 season. 

Here is the series in review.  In case you missed every game (how could you let that happen?) read this and you'll have a good idea of what happened.

Rick Carlisle- Do not under estimate how important Rick Carlisle was in this series.  Remember how frustrating it was to watch Avery Johnson run isolation after isolation with Dirk against New Orleans as Jason Kidd stood in the corner and watched?  Carlisle freed Kidd and allowed him to play to his strengths, and he did that with every player.  He emphasized defense and was a calming presence that gave a veteran team confidence it had lost after Avery left.  Carlisle made adjustments, like inserting Barea into the starting lineup, that worked and proved to a be a difference in the series.  

Jason Kidd- In a recent interview on "Jim Rome is Burning", Coach Krzyzewski was asked who he considered the MVP of his gold medal winning summer olympic team.  His answer, Jason Kidd.  Not Kobe, Lebron, D. Wade, or Dwight Howard, the MVP was Jason Kidd.  He went on to talk about Kidd's on and off the court leadership ability that played a major role in winning gold.  Kidd is a leader, and he helped lead the Mavs over San Antonio.  He showed poise under pressure in the final minutes of close games, and hit big shots like the 3 at the end of the third quarter that probably ended the Spurs season.  In a crucial game 3, Kidd matched up with Parker and held him to only 12 points, while scoring 17 of his own. 

Josh Howard- Most consider Howard the MVP of the series.  He played through pain and he played tough.  Don't forget how disastrous Howard was last year in the playoffs.  Taking jumpshot after jumpshot and than admitting on Dallas radio that he enjoys to smoke pot during the off season right before a game.  This year is a whole new story.  Howard is playing through the pain and aggressively driving the ball to the basket, getting fouled, and taking smart shots from the perimeter.  He's even playing defense, blocking shots that allow the Mavs to run their transition offense.  If this Howard shows up in Denver, I like our chances.  With the Spurs concentrating on Dirk and Jet, Howard stepped up big time.

Dirk Nowitzki- He was double and tripled team all series, but he came through when it mattered most.  In a previous blog, I criticized Dirk for not being aggressive on offense.  In game 4, Dirk only took 9 shots, and I thought a team's MVP should be more aggressive on the offensive end of the floor.  In game 5 he was, scoring 31 points on 11-17 shooting while bringing down 9 rebounds.  He came out aggressive in the first quarter and sent a strong message of "pack your bags" to San Antonio.  I don't want to hear anyone say that Dirk never steps up in a big playoff game, because he did in game 5.  Popovich set a defensive plan to stop Nowitzki and Terry at the beginning of the series, and with his team facing elimination, that plan failed miserably.

Jason Terry- He was the second half of Pop's defensive plan.  The Jet really couldn't find the runway for most of the series, but like Dirk, he did in game 5.  The Jet hit two big threes in the fourth quarter to destroy any hope San Antonio had of coming back.  He finished with 19 points.  But for the entire series, Terry got open looks and missed.  In game 4, Terry was only 3-17 from the floor and admitted in his post game interview that he could have made all 17.  His shooting needs to be more consistent against Denver, because until game 5, Terry was not the "jet" Mavs fans are use to seeing in the postseason.

Barea- Welcome to the NBA Barea.  The first round series against the Spurs was Barea's coming out party, and I would argue that he was as important as Josh Howard in winning the series.  Barea got into the paint at will causing the Spurs defense to collapse.  His consistent aggressiveness on offense (and defense) caused San Antonio fits.  Barea (along with Bass in game 1) was an X factor in this series that the Spurs never had an answer for. 

Erick Dampier- The man once called "Erica" proved he is a force to be reckoned with in the paint.  Typically referred to as a great pick setter and rebounder, Dampier showed that he can score and play defense too.  Dampier might have been one of the most underrated players in the series.  A stat you will never hear is that Dampier almost averaged a double-double for the series.  For the first round, Dampier averaged 8.6 points and 8.2 rebounds (and that includes the game 3 blowout where he only played 22 minutes).  The Mavs have always been better when Dampier shows up on the offensive end of the floor.  And I give a lot of credit to Coach C and Kidd for getting him involved.  "Erica" Dampier had a great series. 

For the past few years, Jerry Jones has had a "win now" attitude when it came to making personnel decisions for the Dallas Cowboys.  Jones's obsession with winning a Super Bowl led him to sign "bad locker room" players such as Tank Johnson, Adam "Pacman" Jones, and of course, Terrell Owens.  But who can blame him?  He had his celebrity pro bowl quarterback, future hall of famers at receiver and tight end, the barbarian plowing through defensive lines, and a defense that featured beasts like DeMarcus Ware.  The philosophy has been Super Bowl or bust, however, with the 2009 NFL Draft over I have come realize that the Jerry Jones might be rethinking the price of that "win now" attitude.

Personally, draft day is always an exciting time.  The combines, the projections, and Mel Kiper's incredibly flawless hair gracing ESPN every single day.  Plus, I have become spoiled by Jerry Jones moving up in the draft and doing something exciting.  Last year being the best when Jones moved up to take Felix Jones (excuse my bias I graduated from Arkansas).  However, this year the draft was horrible.  Maybe not from a personnel standpoint, but the edge of your seat anticipation was definitely lacking.  The only thing I had to look forward to was the Cowboys 51st pick, and than they gave that up!  According to ESPN, Jones instituted a new draft philosophy: trade down and collect picks in order to draft a high amount of players to fill back up positions.  I was shocked.  That's not the Jerry Jones I have come to know and love.  Where is the blockbuster trade to grab Michael Crabtree?  Why do I not see Mark Sanchez holding up a Cowboys jersey?  Just on entertainment value, Jones disappointed me.

In the days following the draft all I kept hearing and reading was analysis of the 'new Cowboys drafting philosophy'.  The overall argument was that the Cowboys are following the Patriots model of trading down in order to acquire a large amount of picks anticipating that most of the players drafted will be a bust.  I refuse to believe this.  Jerry Jones doesn't draft down!  Jerry Jones trades up to draft number one just so the Cowboys star is in its rightful place, next to the number 1!

In all seriousness, I'm starting to wonder if the economy is effecting Jerry's bank account.  The new Cowboys stadium is costing him over a billion dollars to construct, T.O. alone is earning millions from Jones to play for the Bills next year, and the naming rights to stadium have still not been sold.  Perhaps the 2009 draft isn't evidence of a shift in philosophy, but simply a result of tough economic times.  Jones needs to draft down so he doesn't have to pay big money for first round draft picks.  And the draft is not the only evidence supporting this argument.  For the past few years, Jones has acquired free agents like money grew on trees.  This year with players like Ray Lewis and Torry Holt available, the Cowboys remained quiet. Think about it, when did the Cowboys have this boring of an off season and draft?  It could be a new philosophy, and if it is, it will be interesting to see how it effects the win column.  But it could also be a direct result of a tough economic times hurting the amount of money a new stadium typically brings it.  Just look at the Yankees new stadium.  The entire bottom section is empty because people are not spending thousands of dollars to go see one game after their 401K has been destroyed.  Jones knows this, and his new philosophy might not be drafting down, but an attempt to save money. 

After their Saturday afternoon victory, the Mavericks took a commanding 3-1 series lead over the Spurs.  Two straight home wins have put the Mavs in the driver's seat to reaching the western conference semi-finals, however, that has not been because of the play of former MVP Dirk Nowitzki.  In Game 1, Dirk was plagued with foul trouble and managed only 19 points.  In Game 2, the Spurs defensively dominated Dirk holding him to 3-14 shooting and only 14 points.  Nowitzki appeared to have regained his regular season shooting touch going 8-12 from the floor and ended with 20 points in the Mavs Game 3 route of the Spurs.  But game 4 may have been Dirk's worst game of the series.  Nowitzki finished the game with 12 points on 4-9 shooting (although he did lead the team with 13 rebounds).

The thing I can't get past is how the Mavericks managed to put the Spurs in a 3-1 hole with Dirk converting on only 4 field goals.  Even more incredible is the fact that the face of the Mavericks for the past decade only shot 9 times in Dallas' most important game of the season.  How does Dirk win NBA player of the month for April, and than lose the ability to score 20 points in 3 of his first 4 playoff games?  I refuse to believe the answer to that question cannot be the "suffocating" defense of Matt Bonner.  Sure, the Spurs play great team defense and they consistently double and even triple team Dirk whenever he catches the ball at the top of the key, but that still should not shut down the NBA's 4th best scorer.  The Mavs may be able to get past an aging and injured Spurs team in round 1 on the backs of Howard, J.J. Barea, Kidd, and Dampier; but to win a 7 game series against either the Nuggets or Hornets, Dirk needs to get back to his regular season form (and for the record, so does JET).

Instead of accepting the double teams and deferring to his teammates, Nowitzki needs to make a scoring move to basket before the double team arrives.  Despite his poor shooting performance in Game 4, Dirk may have scored the biggest field goal of the season by doing just that.  With the Mavs only up 5 with a few minutes left, Dirk received the pass, spun, and drove to the basket finishing with a strong lay-up.  He didn't rely on his fade-away or attempt to shoot over 3 defenders.  For the remainder of this series, and if the Mavs march on to face Denver of New Orleans, Nowitzki needs to stay aggressive and not settle for the jumpers.  Double teams may slow down Dirk, but they should never stop him.  If the Mavericks want to get beyond the first round, Dirk needs to step it up.