Mavs vs Thunder in the Western Conference Finals?

[CATCH17]

The Thunder and Westbrook are young. Give them time, they are going to be a very good time for a long time to come. If you've been a Mavs fan for at least the last ten years, you know the Mavs have been where the Thunder are today.

Dirk was always a great player in the NBA, but he is definitely taking steps today that can immortalize him in NBA history like so many other NBA all-time greats.

Agreed. That team is going to rule the NBA if they can just keep themselves in tact.

Heck if they could land an old Steve Nash somehow they would be great.


Westbrook just plays with his physical ability right now. Once he slows down and doesn't force everything he could be a Derek Rose lite.

 

[DallasGirl50]

Thank God for 7' Germans. I don't know much about BB but I know enough to be glad Dirk has DALLAS on his uniform...

 

[TheCount]

The Mavs worked to get themselves back but really the Thunder absolutely gave the game away. Mark Jackson said it, you had no clue what offense they were running. They looked very young trying to close out that game.

 

[juck]

Its good to see finally some of you are seeing the light with Dirk. He was always this good.

 

[The30YardSlant]

so your saying the stats prove the refs cheated for the team trailing in the series? that's BS and you know it.

Dude, an NBA ref is currently IN JAIL for fixing games. He wrote a book implicating several other refs by name (Including Danny Crawford, the guy who the Mavs were 2-17 with in the playoffs. Since the book came out, Dallas is 2-0 with him). Several legitimate sportswriters have written books and articles about how refs try and control and lengthen series in the postseason.

You're just ignoring reality if you don't even consider it a possibility.

 

[ZeroClub]

I tuned the game in with about 6 minutes left in the game (before overtime).

Dirk is truly exceptional. Hard to believe all that he can do at his height.

His attitude is great, too. (post-game comments are perfect)

I hope he gets a championship ... he's deserving.

 

[CATCH17]

Its good to see finally some of you are seeing the light with Dirk. He was always this good.

Truth.

 

[YosemiteSam]

I tuned the game in with about 6 minutes left in the game (before overtime).

Dirk is truly exceptional. Hard to believe all that he can do at his height.

His attitude is great, too. (post-game comments are perfect)

I hope he gets a championship ... he's deserving.

You mean how he deflects all praise and responds with comments about his team?

The guy is humble and a class act. You are definitely right; he deserves a championship, though we all know as William Munny put it in The Unforgiven, "Deserves got nothing to do with it.".

 

[YosemiteSam]

Its good to see finally some of you are seeing the light with Dirk. He was always this good.

Offensively yes, but Dirk is playing better now as a whole than he has ever played before.

 

[CATCH17]

Offensively yes, but Dirk is playing better now as a whole than he has ever played before.

He's been a solid defender playing zone for a few years now. Since about 06.

His rebounding is usually great too.


The only thing I would say has improved in his game recently is he is finally becoming more selfish.

 

[ZeroClub]

You mean how he deflects all praise and responds with comments about his team?

The guy is humble and a class act. You are definitely right; he deserves a championship, though we all know as William Munny put it in The Unforgiven, "Deserves got nothing to do with it.".

Yeah, he's a team-first guy.

I also really liked how he remained hungry and determined after the game.

He played like an all-time great last night, carried his team to a very dramatic win, but is not at all distracted by it.

It is clear that he is focused on winning the series and a championship. He shows that classic determination of a champion.

I hope he win it.

 

[DFWJC]

Offensively yes, but Dirk is playing better now as a whole than he has ever played before.

Agree....with both of you really.

Every offseason, Dirk has been committed to taking a part of his game and enhancing it or adding to it.
His passing has greatly improved.
Obviously, his post game has gone from almost non-exisitant to very strong.
He added the spin and pivot moves
He added the fade-away.
He is much stronger, and does not get pushed off of his spot as easily.
His handle is better.
(he has always run well for a 7 footer)
He always rebounded well too.
And yes, he is a much a better defender--especially within the team concept.

The one thing he could always do was shoot--with or without a hand in his face and at mutiple angles.
The guy has been All-NBA 10 straight years afterall.

He is insanely good. Funny to see the uproar when Magic even mentions him with Bird...and he did it again last night. Odd thing is that Magic knows Bird better than any sorts writer or fan (certainly anyone on this site). And all he said was that he was Bird-like at times, not that they were the same.

 

[DFWJC]

He's been a solid defender playing zone for a few years now. Since about 06.

His rebounding is usually great too.


The only thing I would say has improved in his game recently is he is finally becoming more selfish.

Great point....in a good way he has done that on the floor whe the time is right.

 

[Stautner]

The only thing I would say has improved in his game recently is he is finally becoming more selfish.

I think that's partly true, but not completely. It sure looks like his passing is much better now than it used to be - he is finding open guys under the basket and kicking the ball out to open perimeter players, and that's pretty unselfish. I just think he's recognizing that at certain points in games, particularly when things aren't going well, he has to become the man and take things into his own hands.

 

[YosemiteSam]

The only thing I would say has improved in his game recently is he is finally becoming more selfish.

No, his post game has improved greatly, he is better against more physical defenders than he used to be, and what you noted is true also. Though I don't think it's being selfish, it is he is finally understanding that when the game is on the line and the team is struggling, it's his job to put the team on his back. If he does that, his teammates will respond in kind as they did last night. Kidd hitting the three, Marion's block, and of course the rest of the defense stepping up.

Dirk is playing like an all-time great right now. Before he was just a great player. As I noted earlier, what he is doing today could immortalize him in NBA history as one of the all-time greats. What I mean by that is in the future when people are asking if "x" player is an all-time great, they will compare him to Dirk. There have been great players in the past that never really get compared to great players of today. They are players immortalize in the stat books, but not as all-time greats.

 

[DFWJC]

No, his post game has improved greatly, he is better against more physical defenders than he used to be, and what you noted is true also. Though I don't think it's being selfish, it is he is finally understanding that when the game is on the line and the team is struggling, it's his job to put the team on his back. If he does that, his teammates will respond in kind as they did last night. Kidd hitting the three, Marion's block, and of course the rest of the defense stepping up.

Dirk is playing like an all-time great right now. Before he was just a great player. As I noted earlier, what he is doing today could immortalize him in NBA history as one of the all-time greats. What I mean by that is in the future when people are asking if "x" player is an all-time great, they will compare him to Dirk. There have been great players in the past that never really get compared to great players of today. They are players immortalize in the stat books, but not as all-time greats.

Yes, yes, and yes.

He sees the prize and understands the opportunity.

Assuming they get past OKC, they are going to be on a giant stage with Lebron, Wade, and Bosh. So if he and his team pulls it off, it will be legendary.

It's the only missing piece for him.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Yes, yes, and yes.

He sees the prize and understands the opportunity.

Assuming they get past OKC, they are going to be on a giant stage with Lebron, Wade, and Bosh. So if he and his team pulls it off, it will be legendary.

It's the only missing piece for him.

If they take down LeBron, Wade (who beat him last time), and Bosh. He AND it will go down as legendary.

 

[CATCH17]

No, his post game has improved greatly, he is better against more physical defenders than he used to be, and what you noted is true also. Though I don't think it's being selfish, it is he is finally understanding that when the game is on the line and the team is struggling, it's his job to put the team on his back. If he does that, his teammates will respond in kind as they did last night. Kidd hitting the three, Marion's block, and of course the rest of the defense stepping up.

Dirk is playing like an all-time great right now. Before he was just a great player. As I noted earlier, what he is doing today could immortalize him in NBA history as one of the all-time greats. What I mean by that is in the future when people are asking if "x" player is an all-time great, they will compare him to Dirk. There have been great players in the past that never really get compared to great players of today. They are players immortalize in the stat books, but not as all-time greats.

His post game was really good when Avery was here though.

 

[CATCH17]

If they take down LeBron, Wade (who beat him last time), and Bosh. He AND it will go down as legendary.

Assuming we close out the Thunder I still think our bench + 3 7 footers will be too much for the Heat.


It's hard to get points in the paint against Dallas unless we get in foul trouble.

I imagine they would try Lebron on Dirk too.

 

[The30YardSlant]

Assuming we close out the Thunder I still think our bench + 3 7 footers will be too much for the Heat.


It's hard to get points in the paint against Dallas unless we get in foul trouble.

I imagine they would try Lebron on Dirk too.

They won't risk the foul trouble IMO