Post Up: Dirk With the Dagger
And Jax has been freed!
How many of you turned on the Bucks/Mavs game thinking it would be a bust?
I was hoping for a good one and I certainly got it. After seven seconds of anger over the Mavs knocking down Milwaukee, I was able to appreciate the ridiculousness of Dirk’s shot. How can a man who is that tall be that smooth? And how can a man that smooth be so horrifically awkward at doing everything else but dominating in basketball? While the shot was great –and I think we all kind of knew it was going in as soon as he got the ball– his celebration afterward was even better.
The whole game was awesome. Jennings finishing with 25/7/8, but having it in his head that he was shooting three-pointers down the stretch was a page straight out of a former ROY’s personal playbook, but eight games in, I’m still beyond impressed with his game. I also loved seeing Coach Skiles go over to console Jennings after a missed three late. It was an impressive game from Milwaukee who fell behind by as many as 18 in the third, then cut their deficit to three at the end of three thanks to a long ball from Jennings. The fourth and overtime periods were fun, with each team going back and forth and then Dirk saving the Mavericks as his shot bounced, up, up, up and then finally through the net.
Shoutout to J. Kidd for the wild line he threw up, finishing with nine points, 10 rebounds and 17 assists. The Mavs lost Shawn Marion to a sprained ankle in the second quarter. My favorite quote from the game was Jennings as he explained his missed shot in regulation that would have won it for the Bucks:
“I wanted the ball at the last second. I didn’t know Ersan’s man had doubled me. When I looked back at the tape I saw he was wide open for the jump shot. It’s something I’m going to learn from. It’s a long season.”
He will learn. As he learns, so will Ersan Ilyasova who was fantastic, finishing with 19 points and 12 rebounds, hitting 4-for-7 from beyond the arc. He’s snuck up on me, but I like him.
Rashard Lewis was back for the Magic last night. Stephen Jackson was in uniform for the Bobcats as well. I tuned in just in time to catch his first three points as a Bobcat, then flipped over to NBATV to watch the Bucks/Mavericks. The Magic won that game, but I’ve got to say: I drafted Dwight Howard in my fantasy league and he’s not overwhelming me like he did last season. Due to a problem with my stupid firefox I also ended up picking Chris Bosh with my second pick when I was unable to “un-autodraft” and right now, Bosh is the fantasy stud. Funny how that works out sometimes.
Atlanta shawty, indeed. After finding themselves at the top of the power rankings this week, it appeared as though the Hawks didn’t know how to handle being number one, stumbling their way through their match up with the Trailblazers. The game went into overtime as Rudy Fernandez hit a three for the Blazers who outscored Atlanta 27-18 in the fourth. Atlanta woke up in the extra session and came back to take control of the game behind Joe Johnson’s 32 points, eight coming after regulation. Josh Smith pulled down 16 boards as the Hawks outrebounded Portland, 47-37, including a 15-8 advantage on the offensive glass.
As you know, Allen Iverson and the Grizzlies have mutually agreed to end their one-year contract. That’s all I can give you on that right now because I’m still feeling far too jumbled and I’m not quite prepared to work my way through my thoughts on that just yet. I will say, I do not believe Iverson is done.
Hearing Monta Ellis say he doesn’t know who will play defense in Golden State now that SJax is gone… That was funny. If you PLAY in the NBA but somehow have neglected to realize that Raja Bell has built a 10-year career on his reputation as a defender, I don’t even know what to tell you. Where have you been?! Have you read a scouting report? Do you watch your opponents play? I’m sure Monta wasn’t in a great mood after losing Jackson, but damn.
I’m really looking forward to the Denver/Toronto game this evening. Ty Lawson has been added to my must-see rookie list. Rookie point guards. They’re great, aren’t they.
ps… Rodrigue Beaubois….Rodrigue Beaubois…Rodrigue Beaubois….Rodrigue Beaubois.
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and Darksaber, it seems as if more and more people learn to appreciate Dirk’s game on this site now with all the hating attention to Kobe and Bron.
As I said before, if one or two possesions went different in the Finals in 06, we would be talking about an unstoppable 7-footer with a ring and one of the best 5 to 10 players in the last decade without people questioning that statement..
Z might have been right about their offense.
What are the biggest moments? Besides the Finals in 06, is it the first round in 07 against Golden State or the first round in 08 against NO because he didn’t retaliate against West (and yes, at least he shpuld have shoed him away)? Or are big moments the EPIC secound reound against San Antonio where he scored like 37 in Game 7 with the points to force OT. Or the Western Finals against Phoenix where he put up 50 points. Or the second round against Denver where he had the averages Darksaber already mentioned. Or the Semi-Final of the European Championship where he beat Spain in the last seconds???
@Jukai…”It should have gone in, rimmed out, and then bounced back in. It was a great freaking shot, pretty much on target.” …C’mon player, that was the exact definition of a lucky bounce.
Lucky it fell back in? Yeah. Unlucky it didn’t swoosh? Very. Not a dagger? That’s baloney.
Allow me to Quote you, if i may: “Lucky it fell back in? Yeah.” Theeeeeeeeerefore…….Lucky shot. and it didnt just bounce up and come back down, it rimmed out bounced high OFF THE GLASS and went it. Its still a dagger, because it won the game. Lukcy bounce none the less.
And I can say that he is not perfect amd missed some good oppotunities but who didn’t. Sometimes I’m missing that killer instinct with Dirk too but he did so much and had so much success that I don’t want him to be like someone else. He already is one of the best players in the world in the last ten years and that while being more down to earth than 90% of the other guys. Even though I like the skills of players like Kobe, Bron and Wade, Dirk makes it easier for me to root for him
The only way you get that kind of bounce is if you’re a good shooter.
And be honest, if you were watcing the game, which I was, you fully expected Dirk to hit that shot. I knew he was gonna hit before he even turned because of who was guarding him.
Dirk has failed in the past, and he hasn’t always been tough. But, dude has also hit a LOT of clutch shots. I think he’s a tad soft, but he can play with pretty much any forward in the league. He has his own moves that are unstoppable, and even if I don’t think they are the moves a 7-footer should rely on, he’s damn good at them.
Dude finished with 25, 8 and 7.
That’s damn impressive even in a loss. And he almost hit that late three, he was just a little short because he rushed his shot.
Luck is a combinatin of probability and best outcome.
Just because something is improbable doesn’t make it “lucky.”
It would have to be improbable and fortuitous.
Other than that, i’ve been pleasantly surprised with the Pistons so far. They are 5-5 but have not been blown out and seem to playing hard every night. Injuries to Tay and Rip haven’t helped.
My bad. I actually agree with you. I obviously misunderstood what you wrote.
Say it with me - MVP!
I kinda like how players are becoming more gully about getting traded and how they handle being traded. It started with cats like Alonzo, but now everybody is doing it.
You should read what Raja said. One, he doesn’t know whether the surgery is season ending. Nobody does. Two, he only opted to have the surgery because he decided he didn’t want to play for Golden State.
This is a power move by Raja.
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