NBA Obsessed takes you into the hit and run game of NBA Basketball.

What is going on with these teams anyway? The Mavericks, Knicks, and Trail Blazers are fighting, that is right, fighting to sign Jason Kidd. Why? He will be a basketball grandpa age of 37 next year and how is he supposed to keep up with the speedy young guards if his team makes the playoffs?

Will Jason Kidd be able to keep up with the young guards, let alone the Tony Parkers of the world?

Jason Kidd will be in the Hall of Fame and there is no questioning that at all, but he will be there for piling up stats like the rest of us pile up our dirty clothes in the corner of the room. He is long past his prime and hardly worth the money to the three teams involved. These are all building teams.

Let us say, just for example, that you have a team with a superstar or two and all you need is a point guard to handle the rock and you are heading to the conference finals. Hey, Jason Kidd would be perfect, but that does not describe any of the above teams.

Kidd has enjoyed a fantastic career. A great deal of what he provides cannot show up in individual statistics, but individual statistics have also helped inflate his worth. He’s a bit of a liability to an offense if he isn’t dominating the rock, dishing out tons of assists. He has a reputation as a fast-break point guard, but I can’t tell you how many would-be breaks have been halted by Kidd chasing after rebounds, instead of leaking out and waiting for the outlet pass. And his jumper, though on-point in 2008-09, comes and goes.

This is the point where I have to point out that I’m not pointing toward denigrating this point guard’s skills. He’s a fine, fine player, even at this stage. He helps teams. I just don’t get where he fits into the plan for a team like the Knicks, or the Trail Blazers.

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Image: Zuma Press

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The Denver vs. Dallas series was not supposed to happen. If you roll the tape back to the beginning of the year and someone had told you that Denver would meet the Chris Paul Hornets and that Dallas would face the Tim Duncan Spurs, then the choice was easy. The Hornets and Spurs would advance.

But nobody told Dallas and Denver about the script. Not to mention a few other things.

Ok, let’s mention them.

No Manu Ginobili. Would the Spurs have won with him? Who knows, but their chances would have increased signifigantly.

Rick Carlisle. Rick has changed Dallas. They now play offense at a slightly less frenetic pace and they play defense. While Rick was in Piston land, before Larry Brown, he did an incredible job of making each player accountable. He loves to not double team and hold his defender accountable. It is working in Dallas. (On the flip side, Carlisle was very unlikeable to everyone right down to the janitors.)

The most significant different component in the organization is Carlisle, who has Jason Kidd running a well-coordinated offense and who has the Mavericks playing better defense than they ever did under defensive-minded Avery Johnson.

Carlisle seemed to make all the right moves, getting maximum effort from the bench, from Josh Howard, and, yes, from Erick Dampier.

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Jason Kidd and Chauncey Billups. Read more

NBA Obsessed takes you into the hit and run game of NBA Basketball.

Byron Scott in with the new.

Avery Johnson out with the old.

That was the swan song of the Coach of the Year award.

New Orleans 99 Dallas 94

Top 10 reasons Hornets eliminate Mavs

10. Chris Paul at beginning of a potential Hall of Fame career, while Jason Kidd near the end of potential Hall of Fame career.

Chris Paul had 24 points, 15 assists and 11 rebounds, and the Hornets held on for a 99-94 victory over the Dallas Mavericks to win their first-round series in five games.

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9. Dirk Nowitzki settles too often for jumpers, even when there is a mismatch on D.

8. Poor recognition of mismatches on defense by Dallas.

7. Poor defense by Dallas.

6., 5., 4., 3., 2., 1. No clue how to defend by Dallas.

Just in case you think the Mavs never played defense, there is proof that they did.

Dallas never led and was hurt badly by an 11-1 Hornets run after Nowitzki’s free throw had pulled the Mavs to 73-66 early in the fourth quarter.

Dallas played solid defense on New Orleans’ next possession, keeping the ball on the perimeter, but Pargo hit a deflating 3 at the shot clock buzzer.

Time to stop blaming Jason Kidd.

“We’re better than what we showed this series,” Nowitzki said. “The summer is going to be long. … You don’t want to say stuff when you’re emotional and disappointed. … You’ve got to look at what you can do to make the team better. We’ve got to look at it this summer again, but it’s not the time now.”

Nowitzki gave mixed reviews to the Kidd trade, which cost the Mavericks young point guard Devin Harris, a former first-round draft choice.

Dallas will probably be looking at firing former Coach of the Year Avery Johnson and adding some defense to their games.

Kidd and Johnson never found a rhythm together, never found a common ground to make this work. And Mark Cuban did nothing in the losing locker room to end speculation that an NBA Finals collapse and two straight first-round playoff blowouts would end Johnson’s run as Mavericks coach.

“Nothing to say,” the Mavericks owner said, throwing a fistful of popcorn into his mouth.

“I pass.”

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Yes, Chris Paul was brilliant and outplayed Jason Kidd, but do you think for a minute Chris Paul would not have destroyed Devin Harris?

Dallas needs Defense.

NBA Basketball special comment Chris Paul sure is fun to watch. Go Hornets.

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NBA Obsessed takes you into the hit and run game of NBA Basketball.

In a game of two awesome point guards, it was the lack of defense that stood out.

Dallas came back in the fourth quarter with a 16 - 0 run to take the game. A game that Phoenix led from the get go and had a 13 point lead in the 3rd quarter.

Dirk scored 32 points on one ankle as the Mavs won 105 - 98.

Dirk Nowitzki signals he can score on one ankle or two

“Every team we’d played so far we were right there, on the road or at home,” Nowitzki said. “So it feels great to get finally over the hump. I think everybody in t he locker room was pretty hyped up that we had finally pulled this one out. Hopefully this could build some momentum.”

Josh Howard added 24 points and Brandon Bass 19 for the Mavericks, who used a smothering defense in a 16-0 run that put them ahead for good in a game the Suns had led nearly throughout. Phoenix went scoreless for just under 8 minutes, missing 12 shots in the process.

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The disturbing part of this game was the lack of defense on the pick and roll. In the playoffs, you have to be able to defend the pick and roll.

It got so bad in the second half that my TV was switched to The Lord of the Rings II. Rohan used excellent defense to defend Helms deep from the invading Orcs. It was playoff defense at its best.

Anyway, getting back to the game, it seemed like either team could shake a man loose on the pick and roll whenever they wanted. There was no cut out or rotation or trap or any of the myriad ways to defend. Nowitzki and Shaq both looked helpless on pick and rolls.

How do these teams plan on beating San Antonio and Tim Duncan or Utah and Darren Williams without defending the pick and roll?

NBA Basketball special comment It still has to be San Antonio in the West until better defense is played by the other teams.

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NBA Obsessed takes you into the hit and run game of NBA Basketball.

The Warriors suffer the consequences of Dirk Nowitzki’s early return.

After being declared unfit to face the Golden State Warriors, Dirk played anyway.

Johnson used another “s” word—steel—to describe Nowitzki. The big German had 18 points and five rebounds in nearly 27 minutes, but there’s not a stat sheet anywhere that describes how the reigning MVP was most valuable against the Warriors.

A dejected-looking Nowitzki told reporters hours before the Golden State game that he didn’t think he’d be ready to go. Maybe he was sandbagging. Or maybe he had time to realize that a loss to the Warriors would have been the sixth loss in eight games with visits to the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix up next.

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From street clothes to uniform, Dirk Nowitzki gets it done

With this victory by the Dallas Mavericks, the Warriors dropped to the 9th spot in the Western Conference behind Denver.

This was a huge game for both clubs. Dirk Nowitzki came back to life, just in time.

NBA Basketball special comment Why is it some players like Dirk Nowitzki have a way of being larger than life?

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NBA Obsessed takes you into the hit and run game of NBA Basketball.

All the after the fact analysts are now claiming the Jason Kidd deal was such a dumb move by Mark Cuban.

The facts? No victories against above .500 teams and the West is loaded with above .500 teams.

Now they have all this analysis about what Devin Harris brought to the team or even, oh yeah, get this, DeSagana Diop.

Excuuuuse me? What a bunch of baloney.

The Mavericks lost to the Warriors in the first round last year. The out of control Warriors took them down.

Was Devin Harris a good young player? Yeah, and he still is for that matter, but that is not the point.

Dallas needed to do something. The team they had was not going to win.

Jason Kidd turns his back on the nay sayers

Is Jason Kidd the answer? We don’t know yet, but he is getting blamed for everything including the stale hotdog buns in section 129 at the last home game.

It has been a difficult transition for Kidd, although he has played better the last week, averaging 19.7 points, 11 assists and 3.3 steals.

He is a positive person who is emboldened by the challenge: “If you want it badly, you’ve got to go through this. You kind of have no choice but to produce. That’s the fun part. You’re going to have good days and bad days, where you feel non-existent and everybody is on your back. That’s when you have to keep pushing.”

The Kidd trade was supposed to have positive leadership implications because the Mavericks have long been considered too soft — “too fragile,” as Jackson says. But the offense has struggled to find its flow and the defense hasn’t displayed consistent vigor.

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Maybe the bigger question is when will Dirk Nowitzki be back. The Dallas Mavericks need to make the playoffs first and foremost and then worry about what Jason Kidd’s role will be.

The status for the Wednesday game against Golden State is not good.

There were hopes that Nowitzki could play Wednesday after the team upgraded his status to day-to-day following his 45-minute workout Tuesday. But that optimism faded after the shootaround session.

“I’ve got to be pain-free. If I can’t move out there and cut and try to defend and move my feet, it really doesn’t make any sense to try to get out there,” Nowitzki said. “Just hobbling around wouldn’t help anybody. I would rather have somebody out there that can go and give 100%.”

Nowitzki sprained his left ankle and knee March 23. He said his knee is fine.

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Ultimately the team will be about Dirk Nowitzki and how far he can carry them, not about Jason Kidd.

NBA Basketball special comment The early returns mean nothing. The final polls are the playoffs. That is when the Jason Kidd trade will be fully tested. Can Jason get it done?

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NBA Obsessed takes you into the hit and run game of NBA Basketball.

Dallas is hanging by a thread.

19 games after trading twice for Jason Kidd, the Mavericks are 10 - 9 in those games, but have zero victories against winning teams. Zero.

Now they are missing Dirk Nowitzki with leg and ankle injuries.

How ironic they had to face the Nuggets, the very team that may put them out of the playoffs. The Nuggets are the 9th team in an 8 team playoff bracket. They want in, bad!

Allen Iverson can feel it.

Allen Iverson added 31 points for the Nuggets, who are a half-game behind Golden State for the eighth and final playoff spot, and one game behind the Mavericks. The Warriors visit the Pepsi Center on Saturday night for another big matchup.

“That game’s bigger than this game,” suggested Anthony. source

Nene returns

In a rather important side note, Nene returned from his bout with cancer and played.

Your intrepid author is currently fighting cancer and it is an ordeal, believe me. For Nene to step back out on the floor is an inspiration for everyone. You cannot believe how much cancer saps your strength. Not just your physical strength, but your emotional and mental strength as well.

“Everybody was excited to see Nene back out there, just to see him back in his uniform, seeing him smile again after the stuff he’s been through,” said Carmelo Anthony, who scored 32 points and keyed the decisive run in the Nuggets’ fourth straight win.

Nene had been out since Jan. 11, and it’s been just over a month since he underwent chemotherapy.

Chemo wipes you out. Congratulations to Nene. He played for 77 seconds. It could be a long time before he is at full strength.

NBA Basketball Fan Question Is Dallas out of the playoffs without Dirk?

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The sweet J of Dirk Nowitzki will be missed

Dirk Nowitzki update.

Nowitzki met with reporters for about 10 minutes Monday to discuss the leg injury he sustained the previous day. He said he feels fortunate it’s only a moderate high-ankle sprain and a mildly sprained knee and he hopes to be back in a week or two.

But he also realizes it could be longer and the Mavericks might miss the playoffs without him.

“This is probably the most painful time to miss games,” Nowitzki said. “That’s very discouraging.”

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Yesterday you were told of Dirk’s leg injury and that on Monday we would know more. Well, the news was not good and neither are the Maverick’s playoff chances.

Hard to imagine not watching a Maverick-Spurs Tim Duncan battle or missing a Dallas-Phoenix Steve Nash shootout in the playoffs, but the West is just stacked with good teams.

Western Conference
Team GB
1. * New Orleans —
2. * LA Lakers -0.5
3. Houston 0.5
4. * Utah 2.5
5. Phoenix 1.0
6. San Antonio 1.0
7. Dallas 4.0
8. Golden State 5.0
9. Denver 5.5

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Dirk is just too much of the Dallas team. Can Jason Kidd turn it on and save them?

NBA Basketball Fan Question Can Dallas stay in the race until Dirk Nowitzki comes back?

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NBA Obsessed takes you into the hit and run game of NBA Basketball.

Dirk Nowitzki will know more Monday, while Dallas holds their breath

This seems to be an almost impossible scenario.

Who would have thought that Dallas could miss the NBA Playoffs? Dirk Nowitzki hurt his leg in a loss to the Spurs and Tim Duncan. Check out these standings with Dallas way down the list. Only 8 teams make the playoffs. Dallas has lost 3 in a row.

Western Conference
Team GB
1. * LA Lakers —
2. * New Orleans 0.5
3. Phoenix 1.0
4. * Utah 3.0
5. Houston 1.5
6. San Antonio 1.5
7. Dallas 4.5
8. Golden State 5.5
9. Denver 6.5

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You need more evidence?

How about the Jason Kidd trade?

Dallas hasn’t beaten a winning team since Jason Kidd arrived. The Mavs are 0-8, including their last three, all at home. They were 29-4 at home—without losing as many as two in a row—before falling to the Lakers, Celtics and now the Spurs.

Dallas is fourth in their own division trailing New Orleans and Chris Paul, the surprising Tracy McGrady Rockets, and the surging Tim Duncan Spurs.

Mark Cuban must be going out of his mind.

NBA Basketball Fan Question Will Dallas make the playoffs?

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NBA Obsessed takes you into the hit and run game of NBA Basketball.

Kobe Bryant gets Pau Gasol

Which teams benefited the most from the recent signing frenzy?

10. Kidd to Mavericks - This trade fell through, would still have been a great move for the Mavs.

9. Kidd to Mavericks - This trade worked after about a week, is taking longer than that for it to work for the Mavs. Dirk Nowitzki gets the ball in the right place.

8. Bibby to Hawks - Young team needed a scoring leader. Bibby is that man.

7. Ratliff to Pistons - Pistons needed defensive help in the post. Ratliff already pays dividends in Sheed’s absence.

6. Cassell to Celtics - Celtics worry about Rondo. Cassell will get some of his minutes.

5. Thomas to Spurs - Duncan gets some more power underneath.

4. Wallace to Cavs - LeBron gets some defensive help in the post.

3. Korver to Jazz - The Jazz get instant outside shooting off the bench.

2. Shaq to Suns - The Suns get half court defense for the playoffs. Nash assists can now go with Shaq rebounds.

1. Gasol to Lakers - The Lakers will have tallest front line when Bynum returns. Kobe has a second scoring punch.

NBA Basketball Fan Question Did your team make a deal?

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