Don't Mess with Tech

Texas Tech 80, Kansas 79 – 2 OT And as they say, one sports death is another’s re-birth. Too bad for hockey, but if hockey was playing right now, I likely would not have watched another college basketball game in its entirety last night. And it was greatness. Tech and Kansas dueled in a game that ended with the floor being rushed by thousands. It was a big night for that program in Lubbock. Incidentally, Kansas may be a top team in this country (although I am not sure they are very close to Illinois and the team I think is the best, North Carolina) but they will not go anywhere if they don't learn to shoot free throws. That is embarassing. Fort Worth's Keith Langford is a great player, but he should be better than 61% from the stripe...


It is time for my Dallas Mavericks 49-game checkup. Why 49 games? Because my next column for the Dallas Sports Page is due. Enjoy.


Without any question this team is better. I swear it is true. When I watch the Dallas Mavericks of 2004-05, I am positive they are better in so many ways. Ways that we have all called for and demanded, and now that they are true, we are all tickled to witness on a nightly basis.

Trouble is, it is not very easy to quantify. For instance, through 49 games the Mavericks sit at 33-16 this season. Last year, through the same number of games, they were 31-18, while two years ago, when they went all the way to the Western Conference Finals, they were an amazing 38-11 at this point. So, how could I possibly make the point that they are substantially better than that team despite having a substantially worse record?

Because I can. Because they are.

Explanation #1: They are better because they defend better. There is no question that when you watch this team play every night, they clearly defend better throughout the team. For the first time in forever, they can slam the door shut on their opponent when it is time to “D it up”. Look, they will not make you forget Bill Russell and the Celtics of the 60’s with the way they defend, but they are light years better than when Raef LaFrentz and Shawn Bradley were the best options on this defense. And at the end of a game, Josh Howard or Erick Dampier can even help you get a stop. Two players who are foreign concepts to the Mavs of recent years; they are primary defenders. Sure they can get you a hoop, but they specialize in keeping their opponent from doing just that.

Explanation #2: They are better because they can now get dunks. I know this sounds like a superficial reason from someone who grew up with Sportscenter, but trust me, old man, dunks are not all bad. It is a simple discussion of distance. When you dunk, that means you are getting a high percentage shot. The Mavs of 2003 were a great team. Any team that had that record had plenty of strengths, but let’s be honest here. They were not dunking with any regularity. They were settling for shots from the perimeter. They were built under the failed Don Nelson premise that maybe your center could draw their center out to the three-point line. Raef would shoot a 3, and Webber would dunk at the other end. Dirk would shoot a 3, and Shaq would dunk at the other end. Now, just maybe, the Mavs won’t have to trade 23-footers for 2-footers at crunch time. Maybe, when the game gets tough, they can actually get a basket in the paint. They look like a team that will not be defeated because their first, second, and third option is the 3 point shot.

Explanation #3: Our little German is “all growns up”. To steal the phrase from “Swingers”, Dirk is just flat-out, a better player. He is dominant, he is aggressive, he is vicious. He used to be so polite, and so ready to allow others to lead the way. He could be muscled away from the rim, and he could be intimidated. Not anymore. I think Steve Nash leaving was great for him. I also think being humiliated by how last season ended was great for him. Whatever the reason, the big German is amazing this year. He appears interested every night. He is not to be denied. He is now a legitimate superstar in this league and there isn’t a darn thing you can do to stop him if he is on his game. And he is on his game quite a bit. Not sure if he is the MVP, and I am not sure I care, but he is really the team’s leader, and all of us who were wondering if he had another level in his game got a resounding answer.

Explanation #4: The roster just makes sense now. Check it out, they have centers who like playing center. They have guards that can defend, too. No disrespect to Nash, but I have seen his routine enough to know he is always awesome in January. But will he do in Phoenix what he has done in Dallas for the last several years (get used up by an opposing point guard in the playoffs)? Time will tell, but I think we know his energy level peaks at Valentine’s Day, not Memorial Day. They had nothing but Power Forwards last season, and they finally sorted through this mess. I am still concerned about Point Guard, and they need Marquis Daniels and Howard to stay healthy for more than two straight weeks, but all in all, I love the look of this roster. Hey, Bradley is like the 12th man finally, a place where he actually looks great!

I cannot swear this team will get further than it did in 2003. That team was possibly a Dirk ankle sprain from the NBA Title, but this one just looks like a playoff-team. Not some experimental idea of Nelson’s to try to reinvent basketball to get his undermanned team as far as possible. This team really looks like a great team that could do great things. Now, does it happen this spring or next? Not sure, but at least we don’t have to worry about hockey distracting our attention.

Links:

Houston Chronicle’s game story from Tech-Kansas …What a thriller…

Wednesday press conference scheduled to put hockey to sleep …

My thoughts exactly on hockey …

Here is another column to consider …

Vikings fans rejoice (if you must)! it appears that the Red McCombs is soon to be a faded memory …Too bad for Cheeseheads…

Kansas Coach describes a Bob Knight team yesterday …

"They're the easiest team to prepare for and the hardest to play," Self said, "because you can't really say, 'These are their plays and this is what you have to do.' You have to play tendencies and principles as opposed to guarding plays."

Peter King catches up with Fred Mitchell …

"If you played this Patriot team 10 times, how many times do you figure the Eagles would win?'' I asked.

"Eight times,'' he said. "To me, the Patriots are not that good. We turn it over four times, and still they only beat us by three. We're the better team. But we turned it over too much. A good team crushes that Patriot team. I'm telling you, they're not that good. T.O. was hurt, and he still scorched them for over 100 yards.''

He called the Patriots a "well, well-coached team. But we'll see how good a coach Bill Belichick is after he loses those two coordinators. That Charlie Weis is a friggin' mastermind."

Speaking of Belichick, I told him Sports Illustrated had quoted Belichick this week as calling Mitchell "terrible ... We loved when he was in the game."

"Oh,'' Mitchell said. You could feel the steam over the phone. "I see. It takes a big man to talk after the game. Why didn't he say anything before the game? That shows what kind of guy he is.''

Gerrard surely leaving Anfield …I hope this dude is wrong, but…

Trevor Pryce to be traded …Cowboys? Hello?

Own your own Packers Super Bowl Ring …