Will Dirk be back for Sun PHX v DAL?

Will Dirk Be Back vs Suns?


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TheHopToad

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This is the Mavericks' first win against a team mwith a winning record. The Warriors are suddenly hurting now and have lost all possible tie-breaker scenarios with both Denver and Dallas.
 

capologist

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Miami just lost for the 16th time in 18 games, their fifth in a row, their fourth in a row by 16+ points, and their third in a row by 20+ points. Yeesh.
 

Lorenzo

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well there is nothing soft about dirk playing on that ankle. most people don't return from a high ankle sprain like that. However, it's clear that he's nowhere near 100 percent. he had a rough time....especially with defensive rebounding. it's remarkable that he was still able to play that long and score as many points as he did. but he doesn't look like his normal self. he's going to have trouble against the suns especially defensively if his ankle isn't a lot better.
 

nashman

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BS Dirk is still soft as butter! I don't care if his ankle hurts, better be careful or Amare or Shaq might step on it while dunking on his SOFT head!
 

Lorenzo

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BS Dirk is still soft as butter! I don't care if his ankle hurts, better be careful or Amare or Shaq might step on it while dunking on his SOFT head!
I've always said that dirk is as soft as steve nash....maybe a little tougher.
 

Lorenzo

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And less clutch...
how bout the clutch that knocked phoenix out of the playoffs. where was nash then? they are on equal ground as far as I'm concerned. As nash also knocked dirk out the year prior. people consider dirk a choke artist and soft because his team has faultered in the playoffs time and time again. but people fail to mention that steve nash has had the number 1 offensive team every year now for about 7 consecutive years and has been bounced out of the playoffs every single time as well. dirk choked in the finals thanks to dwade. nash has yet to make it to the finals thanks to mike bibby, bobby jackson, bruce bowen, tim duncan, dirk nowitzki, and a robert horry hip check. but dirk is softer and not as clutch. give me a break.
 
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nowagimp

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BS Dirk is still soft as butter! I don't care if his ankle hurts, better be careful or Amare or Shaq might step on it while dunking on his SOFT head!

Actually Dirk doesnt look soft to me anymore. Just before his injury in the game against the celtics(4 point loss), he was a monster on the boards. It looked to me like he totally outplayed KG, grabbed like 19 boards to KG's 11. He also checked KG for most of the game and KG shot 7-22. I thought it was odd that dirks length bothered KG trying to finish at the rim. I used to say Dirk was soft, it just doesnt look like that anymore. He is currently injured, whether he plays or not, so I dont expect him to be the same Dirk. I can say without reservation that Dirks D is better than amares on KG.
 

nashman

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Dirk is soft, Nash is clutch and tuff he doesn't shy away from contact. Dirk is less soft than he used to be as he takes it to the hole once in awhile now, but still mostly a soft euro jump shooter. He's no Amare for sure. Nash is a tuff little guy he gets beat up night in and night out yet he still doesn't shy away from contact and is argueably the best shooter in the NBA, oh and CLUTCH!!!
 

capologist

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how bout the clutch that knocked phoenix out of the playoffs. where was nash then?

Um... on a team with three starters injured? You think Michael Jordan could have won a championship with Pippen, Cartwright, and Paxon injured?
 
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Covert Rain

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Actually Dirk doesnt look soft to me anymore. Just before his injury in the game against the celtics(4 point loss), he was a monster on the boards. It looked to me like he totally outplayed KG, grabbed like 19 boards to KG's 11. He also checked KG for most of the game and KG shot 7-22. I thought it was odd that dirks length bothered KG trying to finish at the rim. I used to say Dirk was soft, it just doesnt look like that anymore. He is currently injured, whether he plays or not, so I dont expect him to be the same Dirk. I can say without reservation that Dirks D is better than amares on KG.

Dirk has always had big rebounding games now and then. Doesn't mean he still is not soft. He doesn't like to bang under the bucket. He doesn't like to engage guys with his back to the basket. He is the type of player that would rather step back and take a shot or shoot a fade away.

If Dirk's shot is off he won't make a living in the paint. He will just keep chucking them up or pass. That to me says SOFT. When Dirk makes a living in the paint and starts defending guys his own size...I will stop calling him soft.
 

Lorenzo

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Actually Dirk doesnt look soft to me anymore. Just before his injury in the game against the celtics(4 point loss), he was a monster on the boards. It looked to me like he totally outplayed KG, grabbed like 19 boards to KG's 11. He also checked KG for most of the game and KG shot 7-22. I thought it was odd that dirks length bothered KG trying to finish at the rim. I used to say Dirk was soft, it just doesnt look like that anymore. He is currently injured, whether he plays or not, so I dont expect him to be the same Dirk. I can say without reservation that Dirks D is better than amares on KG.
good to see someone noticed an improvement in dirk's game. he has really improved his defense over the last year or so. not all nba for sure, but better than he was in the nellie days....much better. dirk has really been the mavs' best defensive rebounder for a while now..at least from a consistency stanpoint. and in big games....especially the playoffs his rebounding usually increases from about 9 per game to like 12. one game in paticular he went 38 and 17 in a game 7 vs. the spurs. people forget about that because he hasn't led the mavs to a title. therefore he is labled.....and to some extent rightfully so. that's what happens win you don't win the big one. also in that game he got hurt vs. the spurs he had about 5 blocks and did a tremendous job guarding TD. duncan started like 0-7 with dirk guarding him the whole time.
 

nowagimp

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Dirk has always had big rebounding games now and then. Doesn't mean he still is not soft. He doesn't like to bang under the bucket. He doesn't like to engage guys with his back to the basket. He is the type of player that would rather step back and take a shot or shoot a fade away.

Dirk is not a classical PF on offense, but he is a matchup nightmare, he torches the pistons as well. WHen Dirk was defending KG, it was one of the more credible jobs I've seen on KG. KG kept trying to take it to the rack and Dirk was getting some blocks and near blocks. It looked plenty physical to me. No Dirk cannot guard amare, amare is too fast and strong, but very few NBA PF's can guard amare without alot of help.
 

Lorenzo

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Dirk has always had big rebounding games now and then. Doesn't mean he still is not soft. He doesn't like to bang under the bucket. He doesn't like to engage guys with his back to the basket. He is the type of player that would rather step back and take a shot or shoot a fade away.

If Dirk's shot is off he won't make a living in the paint. He will just keep chucking them up or pass. That to me says SOFT. When Dirk makes a living in the paint and starts defending guys his own size...I will stop calling him soft.
that's just it. dirk is a multipurpose guy. why are you going to tell a great shooter who is 7 foot tall not to shoot over people. when his shot is off he does attack the basket and obviously you don't watch much of dirk's game because he does a great job of putting his back to the basket and getting a high percentage shot. obviously he can't do that right now because of his ankle. but you don't tell a great jump shooter to stop shooting jumpers and only live under the basket. he has to be able to do both when needed. and if he can that will be the difference for the mavs. he was able to do it the year they made it to the finals. he had a great playoff run that year in scoring and rebounding. last season golden state stopped him....plain and simple.
 

Lorenzo

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Um... on a team with three starters injured? You think Michael Jordan could have won a championship with Pippen, Cartwright, and Paxon injured?
mike jordan yes.......steve nash dirk? no way. i'll just end there.
 

Lorenzo

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Dirk is not a classical PF on offense, but he is a matchup nightmare, he torches the pistons as well. WHen Dirk was defending KG, it was one of the more credible jobs I've seen on KG. KG kept trying to take it to the rack and Dirk was getting some blocks and near blocks. It looked plenty physical to me. No Dirk cannot guard amare, amare is too fast and strong, but very few NBA PF's can guard amare without alot of help.
I agree. and few PF's can guard dirk as well. It will be very interesting to see those two guard each other because it's going to happen. I don't think dirk can guard him at all....and I feel for him with his ankle trying to guard amare if thats the case. I doubt the mavs will let dirk guard amare with that bad ankle. but if they were to play in the playoffs dirk would have to guard him and vice versa. the funny thing about all of the dominant PF's in the game today....and there are a lot of them......no one can stop each other consistently.
 

Lorenzo

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Dirk is soft, Nash is clutch and tuff he doesn't shy away from contact. Dirk is less soft than he used to be as he takes it to the hole once in awhile now, but still mostly a soft euro jump shooter. He's no Amare for sure. Nash is a tuff little guy he gets beat up night in and night out yet he still doesn't shy away from contact and is argueably the best shooter in the NBA, oh and CLUTCH!!!
I agree....dirk is no amare never has been never will be. why people try to compare the two is beyond me. amare tries to go outside and shoot threes as well. and he might make one from time to time, but he's no dirk. dirk is the best big man shooter I've ever seen. and he is not as athletic as amare, but he is fast and can get to the hole and finish. he also has the best ball handling ability for any person his size in the nba. dirk plays more like a guard in a SF-PF frame. and because of it he's labled soft. because everyone expects him to stay in the low block and dominate the paint. I don't think dirk avoids contact any more than steve does. the guy got his teeth knocked out vs. the spurs and stayed on the court and finished the game out. I think he scored like 40 points in that game as well. not to say that nash wouldn't of as well. If you didn't get my irony i'll spell it out for you. I don't think either nash or dirk are soft. I don't think one player is tougher than the other. If steve nash were dirk's size he'd probably play the game a lot like dirk does. and then you'd be calling him a soft canadian/south african. but oh well. neither guy is soft IMO. I apologize to any suns fan that thinks that I called nash soft or a choker. because he's not. no more than dirk is.
 
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capologist

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amare tries to go outside and shoot threes as well. and he might make one from time to time

Generally, Amare shoots threes only with the shot clock winding down, and often forcing them up under pressure. I wonder what his 3P% would be if he only took “good” attempts.
 

LV-Suns

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Dirk is a good passer for a big man. I wouldn't go overboard and say the best ball handling ability for his size. KG, especially his early years.
 

capologist

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Dirk is a good passer for a big man. I wouldn't go overboard and say the best ball handling ability for his size. KG, especially his early years.
Shaq. Didn’t you see him leading the break Monday night? He was awesome!
 

Lorenzo

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Dirk is a good passer for a big man. I wouldn't go overboard and say the best ball handling ability for his size. KG, especially his early years.
kg is not a better ball handler than dirk right now. no 7 footer in the league can rebound the ball dribble up the floor and finish at the rim in one play........as consistently as dirk does. it doesn't happen everynight.....but people don't even stop to marvel anymore when he does it because they have grown used to it. KG does not do that....at least i've never seen him do it. not to say he's not a great ball handler at 7 foot.
 
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