A stinging critique of J.T. (For revisionists)

[Johnnybravo4]

Mavs must anoint new point and solve riddle of middle

June 21, 2006

By Gregg Doyel

CBS SportsLine.com Senior Writer

Tell Gregg your opinion!

DALLAS -- On the bright side, Dallas will be even better next season. Because Dallas can't get worse.

In a watered-down league that crowned the one-dimensional Miami Heat its 2006 champion Tuesday night, the Mavericks reached the NBA Finals without anything special at the two most important positions on the floor, point guard and center.

Dallas could re-sign point guard Jason Terry, who averaged just 3.8 assists in 2005-06. (AP)

That's praise. That's hope. Because if the Mavericks can reach the 2006 NBA Finals with DeSagana Diop and Erick Dampier at center, and with Jason Terry and Devin Harris at point guard, the Mavericks can win the 2007 NBA Finals if they upgrade either position.

And if they upgrade both positions? Start planning that parade route. Or use the route that city officials had prematurely begun considering after Dallas won the first two games of this series.

The Heat had Dwyane Wade at point guard (and shooting guard, small forward and power forward). The Heat had Shaquille O'Neal -- when he wasn't being hidden on the bench because of his inept foul shooting -- at center. That was enough in 2006.

In years past, it took more than that. The Spurs made a meal of the NBA behind Tony Parker and Tim Duncan. Detroit had Chauncey Billups and Ben Wallace. The Lakers? Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal.

Dallas started Diop and Terry. For Games 4, 5 and 6 the Mavericks also started Harris, mainly because they couldn't stomach the idea of any more starts for Adreian Griffin.

Diop and Terry, or Diop and Harris -- hell, Diop and Terry and Harris -- is a piss-poor excuse for a post-point guard combination. It's certainly not a championship combo. Dirk Nowitzki is good, and Josh Howard is good, and when Terry's scoring 35, he's good. But they're not good enough. That's obvious.

Understand something: Coming close to beating the Heat doesn't mean the Mavericks are close to greatness. The Heat's NBA championship doesn't mean the Heat have a great team. It does mean the Heat were the best team in the league this year, but the league doesn't grade on a permanent scale. The league grades on a curve, and this year, Miami happened to be at the top of the curve. Other years, before repeated expansions spread the talent so thin, this Miami team would have received a "B." Miami is above average, definitely, because of Wade's greatness. But a great team, the Miami Heat? Not even.

Which means the Mavericks have a lot of work to do, especially if true greatness -- the Spurs, Pistons or Suns come to mind -- emerges next season.

The happy part is, the Mavericks know exactly what weaknesses they must address. Terry is a great NBA scoring guard, but he's not even adequate at the point. He averaged 3.8 assists this season, and while it led the Mavericks in that category, it wasn't even among the NBA's top 40. How hard is it to break the NBA's top 40? Chris Duhon made it. Eric Snow. Anthony Johnson. Marko Jaric. Not hard, OK?

The Mavericks don't have a first-round pick in this week's draft, but they can trade for one. Or they can sign a point guard in free agency. Because there is a dearth of point guards on the free-agent market, the Mavericks could just re-sign Terry, a free agent, and hope he can again put up the 7.4 assists he averaged in 2003 for the Hawks.

In other words, they'd better trade for a point guard. Or hope Harris gets a lot better. Harris, the No. 5 overall pick in 2004, improved a good deal from his rookie season to this one -- from 5.7 ppg and 2.2 apg to 9.9 ppg and 3.2 apg. But his shooting got worse, and in the NBA Finals his decision-making was not starter-quality. He had three points, four assists and four turnovers in Game 6.

Like I said ... in other words, the Mavericks had better trade for a point guard.

While they're at it, they need to get a center, too. Diop has improved immensely since being taken too high at No. 8 overall in 2001 by Cleveland, but he's still not all that good. Diop averaged 2.3 points and 4.6 rebounds this season. Dampier was more productive at 5.7 ppg and 7.8 rpg, but his career arc is an arrow into the ground. At his current pace of diminishing returns, he will average three points and six rebounds next season. That's not a mean-spirited joke. That's what his career arc looks like.

How is Dallas going to make an upgrade at either of the most important positions on the court? Don't ask me that. Am I supposed to have all the answers? It's enough for now to identify the problem, or problems, and the problems are at center and point guard.

The solution is up to general manager Donn Nelson.

Talk Back!

[chillzatl]

anyone who has seen JT play knows he's not a PG, he's a SG who can handle the ball. Oddly enough, they had a true PG and couldn't make it either. They need a reliable post player and defender. JT isn't their problem.

[Guest]

Quote:

---

anyone who has seen JT play knows he's not a PG, he's a SG who can handle the ball. Oddly enough, they had a true PG and couldn't make it either. They need a reliable post player and defender. JT isn't their problem.

---

True, plus the Mavs don't really play with a PG. Marquis and Howard also spend a lot of time bring the ball up and setting up the offense. The Mavs don't need to make any changes, they just need an offseason of improvement. Diop and Harris will improve and hopefully Marquis will be healthy this year. The only thing that might change is KVH, who they desperately need when playing against the Suns.

[Johnnybravo4]

I am refering to those Hawks fans who are clamoring to bring JT back here to play point.

[Guest]

Quote:

---

I am refering to those Hawks fans who are clamoring to bring JT back here to play point.

---

I would still want him back. He would be a great compliment to JJ. JT has good handles although he isn't quite the smartest decision maker. JJ doesn't have the handles but he makes good decisions. Plus JT would return as an instant leader, something this team lacks. It also adds another three point shooter, giving us JJ, JT, Salim, and Lue as high 3PT% which spread the floor out which would open up passing lanes and allow Smoove and Chill to attack the basket. I really think if we brought in JT that we would be just like the Suns when they have Barbosa playing the point and Nash out of the game, and thats a pretty damn good team right there.

[Bulldog]

so who should the Mavs go for - Mike James? Sam Cassell? or trade for a distributor type ?

[Guest]

Quote:

---

so who should the Mavs go for - Mike James? Sam Cassell? or trade for a distributor type ?

---

None of them. JT and Harris are good enough. Plus Howard and Daniels play PG much like JJ did in Phoenix. Everyone on that team can distribute except for their Centers. I think this article is pointless JT/Mavs bashing.