Subject: Re: Dallas Linenup
Date: 23 May 1994 10:29:02 -0500
Newsgroups: rec.sport.basketball.pro

In article <[email-masked]>, Randy Appleton <[email-masked]> wrote:
>I notice that Dallas, the team with the best shot of winning the NBA
>lottery, came in second.  Aren't they the only team hurt by the
>lottery this year.  Bad luck!

Actually, I got my wish!  I was hoping that the Mavs would end up with
the 2nd pick (Kidd) instead of the 1st pick (Robinson).  You should
have seen me hopping around my apartment say "We get Kidd!  We get Kidd!
We get Kidd! ..."

>In any case, can some kind soul take some time to describe the Dallas
>starting five to me.  I've found their stats and saleries on the WWW,
>but that doesn't really give the flavor of the team.  What's up with
>them.  More importantly, what do they need?

Starters:

Jamal Mashburn (Small Forward).  Cornerstone.  Will continue to improve
in his sophomore season and the turnovers should go down with the addition
of a pure point guard and hopefully his FG will improve.  Still needs to
mature some, but having a coach who makes stars out of his small forwards
should help.

Jim Jackson (Off Guard).  Cornerstone.  Team captain and leader.  Going
to be a solid star.  His turnovers will go down with the addition of a
pure point guard.

Sean Rooks (Center).  Good center, but not an elite one.  One of the
hardest working players on the team - plays with his heart on his sleave.
Has been plagued by injuries to his feet this past season.  Good passing
skills, can pass out of the post to the open man or to the slashing 
player.

Jason Kidd (Point Guard).  No question, he will be the player the Mavs
select with the #2 pick.  The Mavs currently have no point guard on
the roster.

Doug Smith/Popeye Jones (Power Forward)
Smith: Very inconsistent.  Some games he is so awesome you wonder why
he can't do that all the time.  When he is on, he has a good outside
shooting touch and can rack up the rebounds.  When he is off, go to
someone else 'cause he is not going to give you much.  One of the 
quickest power forwards running the court.  Has a tendancy to go up
soft inside (come on Doug, power it home; not a lay up or finger roll
that can be blocked!).  Can also fill in at center when needed.
Jones: Wonderful surprise.  Has a nack for the offensive rebounds.
Not much of an offensive threat, but can occasionally surprise you.
Good passing skills for a power forward.  Needs to keep his weight
down.  Should improve with a solid big-man's program in the off season.
Mavs have an option for the second year which they will use.
[New assistant Brad Davis loves him.]

Backups:
Small Forward, no one.  One of the Mavs' needs.

Tim Legler (Off Guard).  Blue collar worker.  Another player who 
gives it all on the court.  Deadly 3-point shooter.  Plays better
when he gets consistent minutes.  Mavs have a second year option
which they should use, but have not indictated yet whether or not
they are going to.

Lucious Harris (Off Guard).  Due to the team's lack of point
guards, has played point guard most of the season.  He's actually
a 'tweener.  I didn't see much promise there, but he has 2 years
left on his contract.

Donald Hodge (Center).  A waste of space.  Had a promising rookie
season two years ago and never showed anything since.  But it 
got him a long contract.  Has 2 years left on his contract.

Lorenzo Williams (Center).  Not much to say.  Performed well, but
nothing to write home about.  Can block shots.  Mavs have a
second year option for him.  He'll have to fight to make the team
during the preseason.  Could be a decent 11th man.

Point Guard, no one.  One of the Mavs' needs.

Terry Davis (Forward/Center).  The hardest working player on the
team and the toughest.  Can bang with the best of them.  Can play
solid defense, even against the big guys.  A blue collar worker.
Should be fully recovered from elbow surgery (his elbow was 
shattered in a car accident in May, 1993, but worked his way 
back and played some games this season before going back for more
surgery to remove scar tissue and a pin - the man's got heart).
Not much off an offensive threat.

?Roy Tarpley (Forward/Center).  He will be reinstated, but will
he be with the Mavs?  Apparently other teams are actually willing
to give equal value for him (much to my surprise).  If the right
deal comes along, he will be traded.  Else they will keep him.
Can't be trade though until the league reinstates him (late summer).
Played for coach Motta in '86-'87, his rookie season.  His agent
said that he would be "receptive" to playing again for Motta.
Will have to earn a starting position; could be a solid 6th
man (won the award in '88).  Can play both power forward and
center - depending on what Motta wants.  Can rebound and score.

Won't be with the team:
Tony Campbell (Small Forward).  $1,682,000 salary slot is why
we traded for him.
Fat Lever (Point Guard).  Played surprisingly well and would
love to have him back, but his $2,203,000 salary slot will be 
needed to sign Kidd.
Greg Dreiling (Center).  Didn't show anything.  Gone.
Randy White (Power Forward).  Never lived up to his potential.
Slight chance that he will be resigned, but I highly doubt it.

I see the teams needs as:
back up point guard,
star center,
back up small forward,
star power forward,
and back up center.

If Tarpley returns, then I'm not worried at all about the
center position.  I highly doubt that we could get a star
power forward and the power forwards on the team can do a good
enough job (Popeye may develop into a starter).  With Kidd
as the point guard, the team should get a veteran to back him
up and teach him the ropes (though assistant Brad Davis may
be able to do the job - Davis was a point guard for the Mavs
and tutored Derek Harper).  But the team would still need a
back up point guard and a back up small forward.

patricia
The futre looks very promising.

-- 
---------------------------------      Day 27
|  Patricia Bender              |      Full Games Watched 48 
|  [email-masked]  |      Total Hours Basketball 138.5
|  [email-masked] |      Total Hours Sleep 169