Looking into the offseason: Dirk Nowitzki for Kevin Garnett?

Print...the peope in Dallas are not going to turn on Dirk.
He did not lose this series by himself.
I'd say Avery Johnson being a spectator 3/4 of ther time had a lot to do with it.

 

Go on the talk shows in Dallas this morning on your computer if you're not there.

Doesn't sound like they won't, Spirited.

 

Mentally, he should be better. He has improved his toughness fairly continuously year-after-year, IMO.

Will that be enough to win the title? Will the rest of the guys still be around then? I don't know, those are relevant questions, to me.

I'll say this: If I wanted to win next year, forget about any other considerations, I'd rather have Garnett. He's an elite defender, he's at least as good of a rebounder, and he's much tougher, IMO. Plus, he doesn't have the same 'failure baggage' that Dirk is going to have after this year. KG has plenty of 'failure baggage,' but it's not as immediate, and he seems like the type of person who can use it to his advantage. I think Dirk will, too. But after all the "We should be champs" talk this year from him, and then this 2-13 showing, I'm not sure.

For a one-shot title, I'd take KG next year.

For the next 5 years, I'd take Dirk. Much less wear, as heyabbott pointed out.

Depends on what Cuban thinks he needs to do

 

Although they were merely trying to get to the elite level, the Mavs reached the conf. finals against the Lakers in the 80s then were swept out of the first round the following year, it seems against either Seattle or Portland. I remember Norm Sonju, the team's president (I think Rick Sund was the GM) appeared on TV and apologized to the fans after that game on the post-game show. You won't hear apologies from Cube.

My overall point: the Mavs were choking before last year's Games 3-6 of the Finals.

 

I loved those teams. Ro Blackman, Roy Tarpley (when he wasn't on drugs), Donaldson, D. Harper, Aguire, etc. They just couldn't quite get past LA and I think POR.

 

Diop's serviceable and Dampier's a turd.
Is there anybody available during the offseason at the 5 for them?

 

I love how a team's best player or coach is suddenly expendable once they're eliminated from the playoffs -- two weeks after being praised by the same people that want them dealt/fired. Forget about the tremendous 82 games he gave you this season.

Dirk is still one of the best players in the league and Avery Johnson is still one of the best coaches in the league. They just choked. No one should be traded or lose their job over this. This was nothing more than a classic upset. Those things still exist, right? The constant over-analysis makes me want to puke.

This "what have you done for me lately" crowd is growing more impatient every day.

 

Doesn't that contradict your previous statement about KG not winning a playoff series? KG hasn't exactly had a ton of help over the years.

 

Aaaaand he still led the league in rebounds.
But he might have some thug life in him heyabbott, so let's just say he sucks, ok? :

 

KG and the Wolves got to the Western Conference finals in 04 and lost to the Lakers 4-2. That's the year they had Cassell and Sprewell.

 

Knee-jerk reactions from fans need to go away. Take a month off. Then come back and think about it rationally.

 

The thought of that trade is laughable. Dirk had one bad series a year after he led the Mavs to the NBA Finals, that's no reason to trade him.