The Mavs 12-step Program
By:  Gary Adornato
11/18/01


It's the day after Houston blows out Dallas 124 - 87.

I've slept (well, almost - up at 4am to try to see the Leonid meteor 
shower, resulting in observation that clouds are pretty at night)

I've washed up, and rambled over to my computer.

I'm ready to solve the Maverick problems in my own version of a 12 step 
program.

You're welcome, Nellie.


1) Put this loss, and the early season, in perspective.

The Mavericks lost their third blow-out game in their first four losses. 
The games were embarrassing - one against a mediocre team off to a good 
start, one against a strong team that was starting to roll, and one 
against a bottom level playoff team featuring one of the great guards in 
the game. 

The team, having undergone several additions in the off-season, wasn't 
gelling.  Frequent reports called for change, and questioned the team's 
leadership and makeup.

That was last year.  In '00-'01, the Mavs were 5-4, having lost to 
Vancouver (101-74), Sacramento (109-84) and Phoenix (99-78) in the first 
nine games.  They handled it, going 15-6 before their next big loss (to 
Houston, 114-99).

That team lost by more than 15 points only one more time in the whole 
season, a 103-86 fall to Phoenix seven games later, en route to 53 wins. 


Regardless of what we want to believe, the Mavericks are a finesse team. 
And like all finesse teams, finding a rhythm and tweaking the system is 
always a painful process.  The messy pre-season, the sloppy start (aided 
by the usual nicks and bruises) are symptomatic, and not specifically 
signs of a deeper problem.

Now, if we're saying this a couple of weeks from now... there's only so 
much patience a fan can, or should have.


2) Address the problems.

The Mavs are failing on defense - it's not only the numbers (which have 
been at times horrific) but it's the lack of communication and support.  
The Mavs have supposedly put in a couple of wrinkles this season... 
can't say they're working yet, as repeatedly we see players talking to 
each other on the way upcourt, victimized by another easy dash to the 
basket. 

The failure of the defense to gel is a huge part of the problem.  It 
affects the rebounding, as constantly the Mavs are behind their 
offensive responsibilities and out of position for the board.  It 
affects their getting loose balls, as their tentative play keeps them 
thinking instead of doing, and that split second hesitation is fatal.  
It affects their defense, as they have fewer opportunities in transition 
and are held to a half-court offense, they're weaker form. 

The teams that have whipped Dallas are speeding up the game... and as 
anyone that's played a game knows, if you're thinking about what you're 
doing in a fast environment, you've lost.

Dallas needs to get whatever defensive system that they are going to 
play into their subconcious, and out of their heads.  They need to 
simply do it, rather than evaluate it... and if they can't absorb 
whatever system is being installed soon enough, then the coaching staff 
has to find one that they can. 


3)  The Mavericks need to smell the urgency to get better. 

Sure, they can futz their way around and make the playoffs on talent 
alone... but the difference between fourth place, and a home series with 
team five, and sixth or seventh seed, with an ugly trip to a two or 
three seed's house, is likely to come down to four losses or less.  
Wander too long in mediocrity, and those losses will be too tough to 
overcome.

Nellie seems to get that.  I don't suspect that the short trip back to 
Dallas was a pleasant one, and the rotation for the next game on Tuesday 
should be interesting.  But Nellie isn't the one on the court, and until 
the rest of the team gets it, they won't improve.


4)  Speaking of rotations... find one.

The Mavericks are reasonably healthy.  They aren't playing any better, 
but they're all there.  In both halves of last season, the Mavs took off 
when their rotation solidified, and the players knew what to expect.  
Finesse teams need that consistency, and so far it hasn't been there.

The first nine seem obvious:  Nash, Finley, Dirk, Howard, Bradley, 
Hardaway, Buckner, Manning and Griffin in some order and combination.  
The tenth is a place for movement and experimentation - Harvey? Najera? 
Martin? Eshmeyer?

Find a rotation, start the same five, come in with the same players, and 
let everyone concentrate on performing their roles effectively.  It took 
a month last year, but the team responded to the stability by reaching 
their potential.


5)  Settle Hardaway down, or up, or whatever...

The idea that Hardaway was going to have to find his way on a new team, 
in a new role is hardly earth-shaking.  But it's time to help him do 
that by giving him an identity.  I wrote earlier that the reliance on 
him for heavy minutes would confuse his understanding of his place on 
this team, and retard his progress... I believe that has happened.

My suggestion:  Start Hardaway in the second quarter of every game, with 
the challenge of making the quarter a plus one for the Mavericks.  
Rather than teach him to be Nash's backup, get him focused on being the 
starting point guard of the period, and task him with motivating that 
unit to attack and acheive.  A player like Hardaway will find it easier 
to respond to specific challenges than to simply react to Nash's need 
for rest... give Hardaway one player - ideally Manning - that he can 
bring along consistently to work with, and turn him loose.

Hardaway has seemed subdued for the past three or four games - and 
that's not the player that this team needs.


6)  You don't have a second center.  Deal with it.

Bradley is being exposed.  Last season, he didn't play particularly well 
in many games in the early going, but with Laettner there, it wasn't a 
noticeable problem.  Later in the season, he had Booth taking some of 
the load, with Nellie praising Booth so much that some here called for 
Booth to replace Bradley... but Shawn never was "the man" by himself in 
the middle.

Go get someone.  It almost doesn't matter who - a Felton Spencer, a 
Rooks, a Clark or a Potapenko would do fine.  Just as soon as possible, 
get someone into the mix that can play enough to make Bradley's 
participation at any given moment optional. 

For now (I can't believe that I'm saying this) consider using Eschmeyer, 
regardless of skill or fit.  His value wouldn't be his own play, but 
would more be allowing Howard and Manning to get out of the pivot, to 
where they have a better chance to succeed, and in allowing Dirk to 
spend time at one position so that he can find a defensive rhythm to 
work with.  If you won't use EE, then annoint Manning as the only backup 
center, and leave Howard on the wing... Juwan had demonstrated a 
willingness to work the boards - freeing him from the center slot will 
allow him to go baseline, his most effective route to the basket.


7)  Nash is a great shooter.  Forget that you know that.

Nash can shoot.  He's a legitimate 50% perimeter shooter that can punish 
teams for dropping off of him.  The temptation to tell him to find more 
shots ignores the fact that his best chances come when he's finding 
others with laser beams, and forcing the defense to hustle into 
mistakes. 

Nash looks like he's forcing opportunities to shoot.  To his credit, 
he's making it work on an individual basis, but reality is that the team 
plays better when he passes aggressively.  This team is not going to go 
far based on his one-on-one skills... but under his court leadership, 
they can be very good. 

A number to chew on: 

In the 6 Mav wins, Nash is averaging 14.0 pts on .426 shooting... but he 
is also handing out 8.3 assists against 1.8 turnovers.  In those games, 
he's fourth on the team in shots taken.

In the 4 Mav losses, Nash is scoring 17.8 pts on .537 shooting (.533 
from the arc) but his assists are 5.5, and his turnovers 2.5 per game.  
In those games he's second on the team in shots, and gaining on Finley.

Nash needs to play to the flow of the game, and then to dictate that 
flow in the Maverick's benefit.  Turning him into a baby Marbury doesn't 
help the team, or ultimately, Nash, reach their potential.


8)  Dirk is a great player with a thousand tools.  Make him put most of 
them away, and focus.

Dirk has a better post-up game.  Dirk has a better handle.  Dirk can 
rebound well.  Dirk is confused.

When a player like Dirk begins to mature (if there are any other players 
like Dirk) the challenge is to limit his game, not to expand it.  Yes, 
Dirk can play all three positions.  Yes, he has a unique inside, outside 
combo game.  But ultimately, Dirk is an intuitive player who enjoys 
letting go on the court.  Right now, Dirk seems to be unsure of himself 
while playing, tentative on defense, and only really special offensively 
when he's in transition.

The coaching staff has to find a way to allow Dirk to flow on both ends 
of the court.  I haven't a clue what that means, btw - I just know what 
I see.  Maybe it's simply holding him to one or two positions at a time. 
Maybe it's bringing him back to the perimeter to do more two-man games 
with Nash (he's done less screening this year than last).  Maybe it's 
giving him the ball more, or less... whatever.  Find Dirk's flow;  he's 
good enough to carry a team for a long while.


9)  Finley is going through a weak stretch.  Go to him more.

Strange request... but Finley came out this season like a true all-star. 
Offensively sound, Finley added a defensive intensity that I haven't 
seen in three years, truly reminding of his success on that end in his 
early days.  As a total player, Finley of the first week was a wonderful 
cog in this machine, a big guard that could make problems for opposing 
players on both ends. 

It feels as if the coaching staff might have pushed that button too 
soon... having Finley work on Francis, for example, took away his 
strengths and focused on his weaknesses - lateral quickness and 
footwork.  Keeping Finley in positions where he can succeed defensively, 
and forcing the ball in to him early in order to get his rhythm working, 
seems from here to be the key to enhancing his focus and maximizing his 
contributions.


10)  You need boards?  I'll give you boards...

Name is Harvey.  Can't play too many minutes, can't help too much on 
offense, will screw up more than once... but he'll move players around 
underneath, and he'll keep the ball alive.  There aren't a whole lot of 
players on the bench of this team that can say the same thing.  Finding 
a place for him to spike a game or two seems like a priority, and games 
like Houston have to be confusing as heck to him. 


11)  Buckner - this year's Strickland.  Not necessarily a good thing.

The love affair with Buck is understandable on one level - hard worker, 
good defender, surprising interior presence.  But ultimately, Buck is 
what he is - a 6'3" small forward that overachieves.  Neat when you have 
a scrappy team that's climbing, but that's not supposed to be the Mav's 
place right now. 

Buck should be a nice change of pace, not a main course.  Allowing him 
to start the second with Hardaway is a neat combo, allowing for his 
defensive intensity and interior penetration to compensate for some of 
Hardaway's lesser strengths.  A second quarter starting squad of 
Hardaway, Finley or Dirk, Buckner, Manning and Bradley is an interesting 
combination... just a thought there.


12)  Break something.  Preferably something expensive.

The battle for public opinion is still important to this team.  They're 
intelligent, they read, and they care...

All the public really needs is a little fire - a small reason to 
understand that the losing by a team so highly regarded isn't accepted 
with a shrug.  The single most damaging moment in the Houston blow-out 
might have been the accidental panning of the camera to show a laughing 
Dirk late in the game... John Q. Public doesn't like that image one bit, 
even though it's silly to question Dirk's commitment to winning and 
working. 

The fans and media feed the team, and vice versa.  This is a time when a 
little theatrics would be appreciated, a couple of well placed screams 
into the night heard as caring, rather than immaturity.  Nobody wants 
panic... everybody wants intensity and emotion. 


For any of you who have made it this far, thanks for the patience.  And 
for you, Mr. Nelson... you're welcome.  I know how badly you want and 
need this kind of instruction from the peanut galleries.

Reality is that I - and most fans - trust that this is a temporary 
abberation, and that the team and staff are good enough to get the job 
done.  That we care enough to write long posts should always be taken as 
the ultimate compliment, and as a sign that our own passion hasn't 
waned. 

Go Mavs.