"Tim Povtak"
Tough times ahead for Dallas
Published June 25, 2006
Mark Cuban and the Dallas Mavericks would like to believe this was just
a preview of things to come -- that they knocked on the door to a championship,
and they will kick it down in 2007 -- but they sadly are mistaken.
Their only real shot to win an NBA title was lost last week.
The Mavs -- not the Heat -- were the one-year wonders.
When they fell asleep in the fourth quarter of Game 3 of the NBA Finals in
Miami, blowing a 13-point lead and the chance to build a 3-0 series lead, they
never totally woke up again.They will be remembered as the team that spent too
much time worrying about the officiating, and too little time driving hard to
the basket.They are considerably younger than the Heat, but their foundation
isn't strong enough yet to last.
Their fame will be fleeting. They have only one real all-star in Dirk
Nowitzki -- and it usually takes two to dance an NBA title.The Phoenix Suns,
when Amare Stoudemire returns healthy to rejoin Steve Nash next season, won't
let them pass again. Neither will the San Antonio Spurs, who fell to the Mavs
only because Tim Duncan was struggling with a foot problem, leaving Tony Parker
to carry too heavy a load.
If Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady are healthy together in Houston, the Mavs
might be only the third-best team in the state of Texas next season.
Mavs guard Jason Terry, a free agent this summer, got a taste of real glory
during the playoff run, and he wants to be paid handsomely, either in Dallas or
elsewhere this summer. That will cause a problem. Josh Howard doesn't always get
the big picture, either. Their center combination of Erick Dampier and DeSagana
Diop is too much of an offensive liability to overcome in the future.The Mavs
had a wonderful run this season.
They should bask in their success as an NBA finalist. They overachieved,
but they will fade much like the New Jersey Nets did when they reached this
point in back-to-back seasons (2002, '03), then dropped into the pack of the
Eastern Conference.
Congratulations to the Mavs, but this is as far as you get.
You idiot. Tim Duncans foot problem????? Did you watch any of those games???
Houston next year??? Ming and Francis. Mavs the 3rd best team in TX???
What is this guy smoking?
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