I've been a Mavs season ticket holder since '83, so I'm dying for details on what to expect from the guys we're getting from you. I figured you guys would like details from someone who's seen most of the games played by your incoming players as well, so, here's my take.
I love me some 'Quis. We used to call him and Josh Howard the twins. Almost the same body, came in as rookies together, and Quis actually had the better year. He is great slasher with an uncanny ability to get open in the lane for a little jump shot. Not too good a shooter outside of 15 feet, but moves well without the ball, sort of a poor mans Rip Hamilton. A very poor man's. He had this great rookie season,averaged like 16 points against Sac in the playoffs, got a nice contract, then hurt his ankle in the off season. He didn't get well until January, then he had apendicitis. Just about the time he got back, the coach who loved him, Don Nelson, retired. New coach Avery Johnson demanded consistancy and Quis didn't really deliver. Still, in December of his 3rd season, he ended up starting about 25 games and was averaging about 17 points. Then Kurt Thomas tomahawked him in the neck and he must have misssed 20 games. The Mavs put in Adrian Griffin and went on something like a 13 game winning streak. When Quis returned, he never started again. The good news is, whenever he gets minutes, he's productive. And the injuries were mainly fluke stuff, not the kind you'd expect to recur. He does look like he's half asleep all the time. If he works on his jump shot, he can be a very good 2. He handles the ball well enough to play some point, but not against little quick guys like Speedy Claxton. In playoff game 6, our top 2 point guards got 2 fouls each halfway through the 1st quarter. As I started anticipating game 7, Quis came in, played point until deep into the 2nd quarter, when Terry and Harris each picked up their 3rd. Quis scored 12 points and saved the game. He's a good human being as well, which I guess after that incident is a good thing to have in Indy.
That being the case, Darrell Armstrong is a great guy to have. You'd think at 38 he's be gassed, and his shot is about shot. But his heart is as big as Texas. He is a great leader. We used him as an energy guy, when the team looked lethargic. He'd go out like a waterbug and draw a charge off of anybody, no matter how big. ANd when you see a 38 year old guy give up his body, you have to love him, and his devotion really challenges his teammates to pick it up. The consumate old pro. You really don't want to be depending on him, but if you can spare a roster spot, he makes everyone around him better, even if he's not playing. We'll really miss him here. There was one game last year, i think in Seattle, a couple of games after Kobe put up 63 in 3 quarters on us. The mavs were playing in slo-mo, down double digits. In comes the Super Spare. He dives for a ball out of bounds and hits a chair so hard with his head, I cringe just to remember. He didn't come back, but that play won the game. How coud anybody look an old man in the eye and say, "sorry about the concussion, but we still couldn't beat Seatte?"
Your team shoud be sure to bring Howard and Marshall to camp. The Mavs are very good at finding guys who get missed in the draft. That's how they got 'Quis. Rawle is a slasher who was improving quickly. The Mavs had a lot of injuries last year, so he started 9 games as a rookie. He was in a bit over his head but showed real promise. Powell is more of a banger. A true blue collar rebounder, works hard on D but the way they call fouls on rookies, its hard to tell how good he can be. He only takes shots he can make, inside 18 feet, but he has a very nice little jumper. With Van Horn injured, Powell got to back up Dirk a lot. I was prepared to have him as Dirk's main backup, I was so frustrated at Van Horns shooting. I'd rather have a guy like Powell who's not taking 3's than KVH missing 75% of them and shooting everytime he touches the ball. but I digress. If we had room on the roster, I woudn't mind keeping these guys.
But the Mavs believe Miami's maturity helped in the Finals, and the Mav's lack of it hurt. Hence the aquisition of AC and Johnson.
I'd love to hear your comments, and get some equal feedback on Cro and Johnson.
I love me some 'Quis. We used to call him and Josh Howard the twins. Almost the same body, came in as rookies together, and Quis actually had the better year. He is great slasher with an uncanny ability to get open in the lane for a little jump shot. Not too good a shooter outside of 15 feet, but moves well without the ball, sort of a poor mans Rip Hamilton. A very poor man's. He had this great rookie season,averaged like 16 points against Sac in the playoffs, got a nice contract, then hurt his ankle in the off season. He didn't get well until January, then he had apendicitis. Just about the time he got back, the coach who loved him, Don Nelson, retired. New coach Avery Johnson demanded consistancy and Quis didn't really deliver. Still, in December of his 3rd season, he ended up starting about 25 games and was averaging about 17 points. Then Kurt Thomas tomahawked him in the neck and he must have misssed 20 games. The Mavs put in Adrian Griffin and went on something like a 13 game winning streak. When Quis returned, he never started again. The good news is, whenever he gets minutes, he's productive. And the injuries were mainly fluke stuff, not the kind you'd expect to recur. He does look like he's half asleep all the time. If he works on his jump shot, he can be a very good 2. He handles the ball well enough to play some point, but not against little quick guys like Speedy Claxton. In playoff game 6, our top 2 point guards got 2 fouls each halfway through the 1st quarter. As I started anticipating game 7, Quis came in, played point until deep into the 2nd quarter, when Terry and Harris each picked up their 3rd. Quis scored 12 points and saved the game. He's a good human being as well, which I guess after that incident is a good thing to have in Indy.
That being the case, Darrell Armstrong is a great guy to have. You'd think at 38 he's be gassed, and his shot is about shot. But his heart is as big as Texas. He is a great leader. We used him as an energy guy, when the team looked lethargic. He'd go out like a waterbug and draw a charge off of anybody, no matter how big. ANd when you see a 38 year old guy give up his body, you have to love him, and his devotion really challenges his teammates to pick it up. The consumate old pro. You really don't want to be depending on him, but if you can spare a roster spot, he makes everyone around him better, even if he's not playing. We'll really miss him here. There was one game last year, i think in Seattle, a couple of games after Kobe put up 63 in 3 quarters on us. The mavs were playing in slo-mo, down double digits. In comes the Super Spare. He dives for a ball out of bounds and hits a chair so hard with his head, I cringe just to remember. He didn't come back, but that play won the game. How coud anybody look an old man in the eye and say, "sorry about the concussion, but we still couldn't beat Seatte?"
Your team shoud be sure to bring Howard and Marshall to camp. The Mavs are very good at finding guys who get missed in the draft. That's how they got 'Quis. Rawle is a slasher who was improving quickly. The Mavs had a lot of injuries last year, so he started 9 games as a rookie. He was in a bit over his head but showed real promise. Powell is more of a banger. A true blue collar rebounder, works hard on D but the way they call fouls on rookies, its hard to tell how good he can be. He only takes shots he can make, inside 18 feet, but he has a very nice little jumper. With Van Horn injured, Powell got to back up Dirk a lot. I was prepared to have him as Dirk's main backup, I was so frustrated at Van Horns shooting. I'd rather have a guy like Powell who's not taking 3's than KVH missing 75% of them and shooting everytime he touches the ball. but I digress. If we had room on the roster, I woudn't mind keeping these guys.
But the Mavs believe Miami's maturity helped in the Finals, and the Mav's lack of it hurt. Hence the aquisition of AC and Johnson.
I'd love to hear your comments, and get some equal feedback on Cro and Johnson.
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