HoopsWorld Says PJ Likely A Sun

[azirish]

Pietrus had a great contract year: 11.1 ppg, 48.8% and 38.8% for three and 4.5 rpg. However, his three previous years his shooting percentages were not that great:

2003-04 - 41.6% and 33.3% for three
2004-05 - 42.7% and 34.4% for three
2005-06 - 40.4% and 31.8% for three

Even last season, he was inconsistent. He shot over 50% in Nov and Dec, then poorly in Jan and Feb, before doing better off the bench in Mar and Apr. In the Mav series he shot only 30.6% and 21.1% for 7.0 ppg. His percentages were up in the Jazz series, but only scored 4.8 ppg.

You can read his stats any way you want, but there is certainly a risk if he's signed to a long term contract.

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

Actually that is the point of the luxury tax rule, but when your a billionaire and will make the money back by uping ticket prices what's paying 7 million in taxes, heck guys like Jerome James might as well be considered luxury taxes as they burden their teams with their salaries while not producing or producing very little in return.

We may hate Cuban because he buys his players but unlike our owner it seems Cuban is doing what it takes to win rather than focusing on the business side of sports by willing to take a LT hit in order to get players that he feels will help his team. We can only hope Sarver becomes the same way.

Also, for the longest time Dallas was the joke of the NBA. How long were they on the bottom rung of the league and are just recently becoming contenders. Cuban and Co. has changed that place around significantly, and they had to waste a lot of money in taxes to do it.

 

[greensborohill]

The persistant (sp?) rumor is that Webber will be given some, if not all, of the Mavs MLE and Pietrus or Posey will be a sign and trade.

 

[Errntknght]

persistent

 

[greensborohill]

persistent

thanks my mane (sp?) man!

 

[nashman]

Dallas still doesn't beat phoenix in a series! The suns are gonna be a contender once again and the Spurs are the main obstacle. I am under the assumption the officiating will be closely scrutinized this season with the scandal and if they call games straight up we beat EVERYONE! I am still in the opinion if they don't let the spurs freakin molest Nash all series we win not even to mention the BS suspensions only handed out to suns players who leave the bench! The Mavs are who we thought they were...CHOKERS!!! The Spurs quiet frankly cheat and get away with it.

 

[greensborohill]

Dallas still doesn't beat phoenix in a series! The suns are gonna be a contender once again and the Spurs are the main obstacle. I am under the assumption the officiating will be closely scrutinized this season with the scandal and if they call games straight up we beat EVERYONE! I am still in the opinion if they don't let the spurs freakin molest Nash all series we win not even to mention the BS suspensions only handed out to suns players who leave the bench! The Mavs are who we thought they were...CHOKERS!!! The Spurs quiet frankly cheat and get away with it.

That's pretty harsh man. Uncalled for.

 

[nashman]

I didn't think it was that harsh? Sorry if I offended you just stating an opinion of a Suns fan on a Suns board. Dallas Vs. Miami finals result = CHOKE!! Dallas vs. G.S. FIRST ROUND result = CHOKE!! I am sorry from what they have shown they are Chokers its not really even my opinion its kinda fact until they don't choke!

 

[arwillan]

I didn't think it was that harsh? Sorry if I offended you just stating an opinion of a Suns fan on a Suns board. Dallas Vs. Miami finals result = CHOKE!! Dallas vs. G.S. FIRST ROUND result = CHOKE!! I am sorry from what they have shown they are Chokers its not really even my opinion its kinda fact until they don't choke!

i disagree on the G.S part. choking would imply that they crushed under the pressure or messed up in the clutch. that is not the case. the mavs have a hard time playing small ball teams because they do not have a good low post threat on offense other than dampier crashing the boards. they tried to beat G.S with shooting jumpshots, and they failed. you can't try to outscore a small ball team when your team is the 2nd slowest in the league. you gotta take it inside and make them pay, which dallas rarely did. the spurs did a fine job of making the suns pay for lack of a defensive inside precense, and dont you know it, they won the nba finals.

 

[Divide Et Impera]

0-8 in their last 8 playoff games....

 

[Bufalay]

0-8 in their last 8 playoff games....

who? the Grizzlies?

 

[nashman]

arwillan
i disagree on the G.S part. choking would imply that they crushed under the pressure or messed up in the clutch. that is not the case. the mavs have a hard time playing small ball teams because they do not have a good low post threat on offense other than dampier crashing the boards. they tried to beat G.S with shooting jumpshots, and they failed. you can't try to outscore a small ball team when your team is the 2nd slowest in the league. you gotta take it inside and make them pay, which dallas rarely did. the spurs did a fine job of making the suns pay for lack of a defensive inside precense, and dont you know it, they won the nba finals.

Thats exactly the point Dallas is supposed to be the better team so do what it takes to win like the spurs did to us. Did the spurs try to play 100mph with the Suns? Don't think so. Good teams do what it takes to win and I am sorry when was the last time the number #1 SEED in the entire NBA lost to a team that barely sqeaked into the playoffs I beleive on the last day of the season. I am sorry Dallas freaking CHOKED big time NEVER, EVER should the supposed best team in the league lose a 7 GAME series to a team like GS that my friend IS CHOKING!!!!

 

[azirish]

All last year there were those of us who looked forward to the Suns playing the Mavs in the playoffs. The reason was not that the Mavs aren't talented, but that they were ill suited to play against the Suns. It turned out their problem included playing the Warriors.

The problem with the Mavs is that they are designed to defense against big opponents with a strong low post oriented offense. That kind of team faces the duo of Dampier and Diop at the post, but has to try to stop Dirk using a big man. Most teams can't do it.

However, against teams like the Suns and Warriors; the Mavs bigs are forced to matchup with smaller, quicker guys like Stoudemire or Harrington. What's worse, it forces Dirk to defense much quicker guys like Marion or Pietrus.

Not only do the Mavs have a hard time stopping smaller teams, they are not equiped to attack the small lineup on the other end. This is because Dirk is mostly a shooter and the Dampier/Diop combo are not effective scorers. But it gets worse when the Mavs go small to get better defense because this leave Dirk as the only interior defender and the opposition has an open avenue to go to the basket.

The Mavs rely mostly on "team defense" built around having big shot blockers. Without Dampier/Diop, the fact that Jason Terry is only average as a man defender becomes a much bigger deal.

Obviously the Warriors did a good job, but it is a myth that they shot exceptionally well. The Warriors shot 46.4% and 36.7% against the Mavs. However, they ended up outscoring the Mavs from the line, 62 made free throws to 42 by the Mavs.

Another key was that the Warriors defense which held the Mavs to 42.3% and 31.6% for three. So while Josh Howard had a great series, 21.3 ppg and 51.5% shooting and 7 of 18 for three; the other main guys for the Mavs didn't:

Dirk 19.7 ppg on 38.3% and 21.1% for three (4 of 19)
Terry 17.0 ppg on 42.4% and 28.1% for three (9 of 32)
Stackhouse 14.3ppg on 34.8% and 35.5% for three (11 of 31)

Their bigs?

Dampier 1.0 ppg
Diop 3.5 ppg
George 3.5 ppg
Croshere 5.0 ppg

 

[Covert Rain]

i disagree on the G.S part. choking would imply that they crushed under the pressure or messed up in the clutch. that is not the case. the mavs have a hard time playing small ball teams because they do not have a good low post threat on offense other than dampier crashing the boards. they tried to beat G.S with shooting jumpshots, and they failed. you can't try to outscore a small ball team when your team is the 2nd slowest in the league. you gotta take it inside and make them pay, which dallas rarely did. the spurs did a fine job of making the suns pay for lack of a defensive inside precense, and dont you know it, they won the nba finals.

Anytime a team that is suppose to have the best record and compete for a title loses in the 1st round it's a choke regardless of the circumstances that caused it. It's considered one of the biggest choke jobs in history for a reason.

Having said that, I still think Dallas is going to contend. I just don't think adding C-Webb is going to get you any closer to a title next season.

 

[Bufalay]

I fail to see how losing to a team that is better than you is choking. GS was clearly the better team. Dallas tried to play like a jump shooting team because they are a jump shooting team.

 

[arwillan]

I fail to see how losing to a team that is better than you is choking. GS was clearly the better team. Dallas tried to play like a jump shooting team because they are a jump shooting team.

thank you. GS wasnt really an 8th seed, they were plagued with injuries. like i mentioned, dallas haso no inside attack so they rely on their perimeter game. Gs does too, and they do it better. that is why dallas lost, not because they choked.

 

[Covert Rain]

I don't buy it. I think Dallas just didn't match up well against GS. Regardless a 1 seed shouldn't lose to an 8th seed. Regardless the team with the best record in the NBA shouldn't get bounced in the 1st round (even if you believe that GS wasn't a real 8th seed). That's why it's one of the biggest choke jobs in NBA history.

 

[Sunsman44]

I really think the basketball heads in Phoenix should - and they prob did already - go over the tape of the GS/Mavs series to see exactly why and how the Warriors won.

Better yet, they need to disect, analyze, and carefully observe every single posession in that series to see how in the world the Warriors gave the Mavs so much trouble.

I have many theories, but only my opinions and nothing from a scholared basketball mind. I think the Warriors had this "pesky" element in their game that allowed them to win. Something the Suns don't have and something they need.

Fortunately, a lot of that "pesky" attributes left as Richardson and Pietrus departed hence making the Warriors less threatening this season.

Suns need to capitalize on last year's shocker by creating a run-n-gun team around a "pesky" philosophy of fantastic defense meshed with great 3-point shooting.....and PJ Brown alone is not the answer.

 

[Bufalay]

I really think the basketball heads in Phoenix should - and they prob did already - go over the tape of the GS/Mavs series to see exactly why and how the Warriors won.

Better yet, they need to disect, analyze, and carefully observe every single posession in that series to see how in the world the Warriors gave the Mavs so much trouble.

I have many theories, but only my opinions and nothing from a scholared basketball mind. I think the Warriors had this "pesky" element in their game that allowed them to win. Something the Suns don't have and something they need.

Fortunately, a lot of that "pesky" attributes left as Richardson and Pietrus departed hence making the Warriors less threatening this season.

Suns need to capitalize on last year's shocker by creating a run-n-gun team around a "pesky" philosophy of fantastic defense meshed with great 3-point shooting.....and PJ Brown alone is not the answer.

A lot of this peskiness came from the coach, but you must realize that they weren't really that good at it until Jackson and Harrington got there. Its all about who you've got in the game. They had a bunch of cocky dudes with a eff you attitude. Along with that overly aggressive play came total meltdowns in all of their playoff losses from both Davis and Jackson.

The reason that Dallas was so good last year was because of their incredible hustle. If you watch them over the course of the year, they would consistently outhustle their opponents. They would go on these 10-0 runs where they kept coming up with hustle points and would then Howard and Terry or Stackhouse would hit a few jumpers and their defense was solid enough to hold a lead.

Golden State played essentially the same way. Aggressive defense and good outside shooting.

Watching that series I'd say that Howard, Stackhouse and Terry did what they had been doing all season. That is make hustle plays and hit their jumpers. Diop and Dampier were worthless because of they style of play, but they Mavs should've been able to overcome that. The killer was the fact that Dirk was completely shut down. His spin move was taken away. He had no fallback move when he got into trouble and was therefore never able to find a comfort zone. Even at the end of game 5 when he took over, he was just hitting some big time forced pressure shots.

and that is why PJ Brown will sign with the Suns.

 

[Rab]

I don't buy it. I think Dallas just didn't match up well against GS. Regardless a 1 seed shouldn't lose to an 8th seed. Regardless the team with the best record in the NBA shouldn't get bounced in the 1st round (even if you believe that GS wasn't a real 8th seed). That's why it's one of the biggest choke jobs in NBA history.

You are dead on.

 

[nashman]

CHOKERS!!! Of course it was a choke job, you don't have the best record in the league and get bounced by a team that SQEAKED into the playoffs! Dallas should of destroyed them but they were in the WEAK minds of Dallas and it showed and was quite amusing actually. Fact is they lost to the 8th seed and Choked away the finals to Miami also!!!!

 

[azirish]

Back to the topic. I have to wonder if the Mavs are really a serious threat to give big money to PJ

http://startelegram.typepad.com

Is P.J. Brown really that important?
So you're wondering what the Mavericks are up to and various media outlets in the area are acting like someone like P.J. Brown is fascinating news?
Well, not really. The Mavericks are still interested in Brown, who is deciding whether or not he wants to play, Chris Webber and sign-and-trade possibilities like Mickael Pietrus of Golden State or Sasha Pavlovic of Cleveland.

But Mavericks GM Donnie Nelson makes it clear that whoever the Mavericks sign is going to add depth and not much more.
"The bottom line is guys we're talking about," Nelson said, "they are accent pieces. So what you don't want to do is add a piece, a guy that's going to play a support role, and all of a sudden he gets bent out of shape either because of money or attitude or playing time."

Translation: The Mavericks have a good group of guys and a deep team. They do not want to mess with chemistry. So they'd like to add one of the above, but if they don't, they'll be OK with that, too.

-- Jan Hubbard

 

[Bufalay]

CHOKERS!!! Of course it was a choke job, you don't have the best record in the league and get bounced by a team that SQEAKED into the playoffs! Dallas should of destroyed them but they were in the WEAK minds of Dallas and it showed and was quite amusing actually. Fact is they lost to the 8th seed and Choked away the finals to Miami also!!!!

I think Don Nelson said it best after they lost game 5 to Dallas:

"The Mavs are what we thought they were. They're what we thought they were. We played them in the regular season. I mean, who the hell takes the sixty-second game of the regular season like it's ********? ********! We played them the the third, sixty-second and eighty-first games, everybody played four quarters... the Mavs are who we thought they were! That’s why we took the damn court! Now, *hits microphone* if you want to crown them, then crown their ass! But, they are who we thought they were, and we let them off the hook!