SportsNation Blog Archives
Dallas Mavericks
Delonte West can be a bit strange at times -- like last night, when he gave Gordon Hayward a "wet willy" on-court. Is this more "ick" then "heh"?
- midniterebels: "I heard next game he is going to give him a Purple Nurple"
- BroncsAvsRocksNuggs: "I think it's funny.... I love how he talks about the competition level and going to war... he is a warrior... He was in an epic battle and got caught up in the moment and then.... tries a wet willy? "
- JustJohn07: "Wet Willy? What is this, a Harlem Globetrotters game?"
- HeelsBravesCowboys: "This classless clown should have been ejected for one,and be suspended a few games and fined a max amount.Things like this should not be tolerated."
- rrrr734: "it wasnt even a proper wet willy."
- lorax800032: "A "Wet Willy" This guy needs to grow up fast. He's on an NBA team, not in 3rd grade"
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Kobe Bryant will sit out of Sunday's game against the Mavericks, as he continues to recover from inflammation in his left shin that forced him to miss the past four games. How worried should Lake Show fans be about Bryant's injury? The Lakers are 3-0 against Dallas this season; will they make it a clean sweep?
- DJ Mbenga Has More Rings Than Lebron: "Starting to get a bit concerned now, Kobe hates to miss big National TV games, especially against teams he hates,wondering if hes hiding anything, the Lakers need the 3rd seed to avoid Memphis and OKC till the conference finals, should be a good race and hope hes fine!"
- jeterjones05: "this is simply Kobe resting up the knees, the legs, the shin and the wrist! and Kobe has the bball IQ to come back in and insert himself appropriately into the offense without disrupting the groove Metta/Barnes have sustained lately!"
- AceVenturaMavsCoach: "Kobe may be more hurt than we thought. Either he's trying to pull a hero act in the playoffs or he's done and don't wanna admit it"
- willis4mvp52: "This is a great boost of confidence for the role players while Kobe is down they are getting quality minutes and are playing very well if they keep up this strong play to end the season I think we have a strong chance to make a run to the finals"
- thechloisa: "I'm really worried about what happens when Kobe comes back. Feels like the Knicks when Carmelo was out for a while. The team took on a very different personality and can't just turn straight back to the old Kobe leads all approach."
- Texas Rangers Own the American League: "Now this definitely means the Mavs will blow out the Lakers"
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Charles Barkley is normally pro-player, but in the case of Lamar Odom's separation from the Mavericks, Barkley doesn't think Dallas should have to continue to pay him. Does he have a point?
- DontHaveAGrandsonWithADogCollar: "Whether you love or hate Sir Charles, you have to agree that what he is saying is 100% truth. NBA shouldnt allow this to happen again."
- Brian251978: "Ya know...it's sad that someone can quit on an NBA team and get paid, yet if I were to quit my job I don't get unemployment??!! That's how much of a joke sports are today."
- big1dunny: "problem is unlike NFL in the NBA contracts are guaranteed so he's going to get his money regardless. But it doesn't change the fact that Odom has been completely unprofessional."
- gambler1650: "It's a contract, so legally, Odom is justified in cashing the checks if Dallas doesn't want to waive him. I'd like to see Odom show a bit of conscience though and return the checks uncashed."
- 6thBoroTarheel: "no player should do what lamar did and be rewarded with a full paycheck. the mavs gambled on him, but that doesn't give lamar the right to simply not try."
- doubleb253: "I don't necessarily disagree with what Charles is saying, but did Derrick Rose earn his money this season or did Greg Oden for the last 3 seasons? Is not as simple as he makes it sound."
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Lamar Odom's time as a Maverick never really had a grace period -- he didn't seem to want to be there, and the Mavericks couldn't find a way to use him effectively. It's kind of a moot point now, as Odom and the Mavericks are severing ties, although Odom still will be under the team's control. He'll be inactive for the rest of the season, and the team probably will try to trade him in the offseason. All in all, a strange ending for a player who seemed so happy in Los Angeles and so miserable in Dallas.
Who's at fault?
Lamar Odom did an awful lot of sitting on the bench during his time in Dallas. Whether that was his fault or the Mavericks' is your call.
Back to Los Angeles?
Odom would be a natural fit for the Lakers, but changes in the team's composition might preclude him from rejoining.
Fate of the Mavericks?
The Mavericks have a tenuous grasp on seventh place in the Western Conference -- a badly timed skid could leave them out in the cold.
Mavericks in trouble?
For the Mavericks, both of their losses have been painful -- a shellacking at the hands of the Heat which wasn't as close as the final score, and a simple beatdown from the Nuggets.
Lakers in trouble?
The Lakers' losses have been more painful -- a close match against the Bulls and a nine-point loss to the normally-hapless Kings.
We can understand if you don't want to take the time to grade your tech-support help on the other end of the telephone, but when we're talking about the dollars and emotion you've invested in sports, we think it's worth the effort. It's time for ESPN The Magazine's Ultimate Standings, in which SportsNation grades organizations on everything from ticket prices and stadium experience to the talent on the field, court or rink. Which team will end up on top this year? It depends on what you say.
Take part in the 2011 MLB survey
2010 MLB Ultimate Standings
1. Los Angeles Angels (Overall: No. 3)
2. Tampa Bay Rays (Overall: No. 6)
3. Colorado Rockies (Overall: No. 13)
4. Minnesota Twins (Overall: No. 14)
5. Atlanta Braves (Overall: No. 15)
Take part in the 2011 NFL survey
2010 NFL Ultimate Standings
1. New Orleans Saints (Overall: No. 1)
2. Indianapolis Colts (Overall: No. 4)
3. Green Bay Packers (Overall: No. 9)
4. Arizona Cardinals (Overall: No. 19)
5. Baltimore Ravens (Overall: No. 20)
Take part in the 2011 NBA survey
2010 NBA Ultimate Standings
1. Orlando Magic (Overall: No. 2)
2. San Antonio Spurs (Overall: No. 7)
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (Overall: No. 10)
4. Dallas Mavericks (Overall: No. 24)
5. Oklahoma City Thunder (Overall: No. 25)
Take part in the 2011 NHL survey
2010 NHL Ultimate Standings
1. Pittsburgh Penguins (Overall: No. 5)
2. Detroit Red Wings (Overall: No. 8)
3. Washington Capitals (Overall: No. 11)
4. San Jose Sharks (Overall: No. 12)
5. Chicago Blackhawks (Overall: No. 16)
3. Is the championship window still open for the Mavericks?
In case you missed it -- and since only one came against the Heat, it's entirely possible you have -- the Mavericks won their 10th consecutive game Tuesday, knocking off the Warriors to improve to 17-4 this season. Dirk Nowitzki is 32 years old and Jason Kidd may be about 63, but is the championship window open? PollCenter.
- "Ok guys are we really getting excited for a Mavs team that has proven nothing to us these last 10 years. I have no doubt in my mind that we will make the playoffs but i wont celebrate nada untill we start winning playoff games." -- SN commenter AndrewM87
- Rank 'Em: Which teams are most likely to challenge the Lakers?
- Rank 'Em: Are Carmelo Anthony and Tim Duncan the top potential 2011 free agents?
A consolidation of player power in Miami is the talk of the offseason, for obvious reasons. But when do we talk about a diffusion of power in the Western Conference?
Phoenix moves on without Amare Stoudemire but with Hedo Turkoglu. Utah has to hope Al Jefferson and Raja Bell equal the departed Carlos Boozer and Kyle Korver. Dallas kept Dirk Nowitzki, no minor feat, but it's hard to envision Tyson Chandler as the missing piece of the puzzle. Will impending free agency distract Carmelo Anthony? Will Yao Ming stay on his feet for an entire season? Should we just let the Lakers skip ahead to the NBA Finals?
In following Horace Greeley's advice, Al Harrington said he picked the Nuggets instead of the Mavericks based on each team's potential (the extra money inherent in suggestions that the Mavs were loathe to give him five years probably didn't hurt). We say if Harrington can judge Western Conference potential, he's a better man than us.
jay (uptown dallas)
are the mavs seeking ant other trade scenerios right now
ESPN Dallas' Jeff Caplan
Jay, Donnie Nelson says the team will be as active as ever. They'll continue to probe New Orleans about Chris Paul. the Hornets just fired GM Jeff Bowers, so things are in flux there and Paul is getting increasingly uneasy about the direction of the franchise. Otherwise, the Mavs will keep calling clubs for trades, kicking around Carmelo, as if that's going to happen, but yes, they will be looking for trades, particularly a blockbuster to land a star to pair with Dirk. I think the percentages are low. Full transcript
“Great signing by Denver. Al Harrington was the only bright spot on a horrible Knicks team. He's young and from NJ so you know he has energy and toughness.
” -- mcbrinkosu
- Rank 'Em: How do you size up some of LeBron James' most likely destinations?
- Vote: Does LeBron really matter to an entire city's civic and financial health?
- Vote: For those more interested in the games, will the Celtics keep winning?
- More from ESPN.com: Chad Ford on LeBron rumors | TrueHoop collects Ohio reaction
With a Game 6 defeat at the hands of the Celtics, albeit one in which he posted a triple-double, LeBron James is now a free agent. What will happen next? Chris Sheridan reports on the increasing chatter about Chicago. Rank LeBron's destinations.
- "The latest talk making the rounds regarding Chicago is that the Bulls could be the best fit because they already have a top-tier point guard in Derrick Rose and an athletic big man in Joakim Noah, plus they have a coaching vacancy that could conceivably end up being filled by John Calipari, who is extremely close to both Rose and James confidante William Wesley." -- Read Chris Sheridan's full take in the Daily Dime.
- Vote: Will Mark Cuban ever win a title and will Dirk Nowitzki be back next season?
- Rank 'Em: Is Dirk Nowitzki one of the greatest NBA players of all time without a title?
- Podcast: Ryen Russillo joins Mike and Mike to talk best players without a ring
- More from ESPN Dallas: Jeff Caplan, Tim MacMahon and more on Mavericks blog
Karl Malone in a Lakers jersey. Gary Payton in a Heat jersey. Charles Barkley in a Rockets jersey. Patrick Ewing in a Sonics jersey. These aren't pleasant memories for most basketball fans (in most cases, especially fans of those teams). Could Dirk Nowitkzi soon join such a list of lost souls in search of a championship?
Nowitzki isn't exactly near the end of the line at 31 years old -- and let's face it, we all know German imports run forever. But after yet another playoff collapse by the Mavericks, Nowitzki wasn't ready to dismiss the idea he might pass on $21 million otherwise owed to him next season and join the summer's free-agent sweepstakes.
That's a lot of money to leave on the table, even with teams likely falling over themselves to sign stars this offseason, but being one of the greatest players never to win a title is also a label a lot of players will do just about anything to avoid. As it stands now, where does Nowitzki -- and teammate Jason Kidd, for that matter -- stand on the list of the best players in league history without at least one championship ring? Rank 'Em.
“i am not even a Miami Heat Fan but Dirk and D Wade would be a killer combination in the east.
” -- iamjovon
“I love Dirk. He's the only player many nights on this team worth a damn. I don't want to see him go, but I wouldn't blame him if he did. It's obvious that this thing doesn't work. Kidd can't guard anybody. Jet is unreliable. Damp has always been a stiff. Marion was a huge disappointment. The team is way over the cap, won't be able to sign one of the big names, and do the Mavs have a draft pick this year? Either way, without Dirk this thing goes into the toilet and fast, and there's not much of anything they can do to improve.
” -- owhi
“When your best player only asset is his jumper he will never win a championship, the only player that have done it was Larry Bird and he did it with defense and high basketball IQ too , Dirk really lack these qualities.
” -- baro41.53
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