Rick Carlisle Visits Dirk in the Motherland
The Big GermanRick Carlisle knows that the Mavs success starts and ends with Dirk Nowitzki. That’s why he spent a few days in Wurzburg, Germany with the 7-footer last week, getting to know Dirk and the man who taught him his unorthodox style, Holger Geschwindner.
That might be the biggest difference between Carlisle and his predecessor, Avery Johnson. The Little General was not a proponent of Dirk working with Geschwindner, who is largely credited with helping Dirk revolutionize his position.
“After watching the things Dirk and Holger do in his training, I can’t imagine where anyone would say it’s not good,” Carlisle said.
What does that mean for Mavs fans? Will Dirk completely forgo stepping inside the 3-point arc next season? Geschwindner is considered one of the greatest basketball minds in Germany, and their work together is geared towards making Dirk as successful as possible, especially with the Olympics around the corner.
Carlisle came away really impressed with Dirk’s preparation for the ’08 games.
“To see his preparation for the Olympic qualifying – two or three sessions a day – you just get a sense for how important it is for him and his country to qualify.
“He doesn’t have to be doing this. But it’s a patriotic thing, a personal thing, and a dream. And I’m really pulling for him.”
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June 19th, 2008 at 9:45 am
yoda says:
who knows what are they doing there. maybe they are working on his inside game, or trying to make him more of a slasher (for 7 footer at least). dirk is improving every year, so i doubt he will take step back
June 19th, 2008 at 9:48 am
rangerjohn says:
it doesnt mater what dirk learns to do or works on he will always be soft. the best thing the mavs could do is to drop the hoff and look for someone with huevos.
June 19th, 2008 at 9:56 am
the_don_mega says:
@rangerjohn –
i guess his style of play is soft…
but to say that he’s soft as a player i guess is too much…
he did play hurt during the end of last season…
he also did show his fire during the 06 playoffs against the spurs…
June 19th, 2008 at 10:38 am
YOUNGFED says:
Dirk is far from soft.
June 19th, 2008 at 10:42 am
Sam I Am says:
He really is
June 19th, 2008 at 10:43 am
shake&bake says:
I would like to see him work on his post scoring since he is such a matchup problem. I’m not talking about fade aways out of the post, I’m talking about making a strong post move and finishing with contact. He would be even more unstoppable.
June 19th, 2008 at 10:46 am
Blue says:
physically he’s soft. like he can take a whole lot of bangin’ around. mentally, as much as his psyche can be warped with all the basketball heartache he’s been through (always a bridesmaid, never a bride) i think he’s pretty tough to take it all in stride. it’d be nice to see him get a ring…probably with another team though, i don’t like the mavs as a whole.
June 19th, 2008 at 10:47 am
Blue says:
i mean CAN’T take a whole lot of bangin’
June 19th, 2008 at 10:56 am
Amar says:
btw Dime . . . germany is called the fatherland, the motherland is africa. i’ve never heard of germany being called the motherland.
June 19th, 2008 at 11:02 am
yallallreadyknow says:
gotta agree with amar.
germany aint no motherland….
June 19th, 2008 at 11:11 am
Al Bowsprit says:
Motherland is one’s country of birth and can refer to any country. Fatherland is the country of one’s ancestors. You can look them up. Use of “motherland” in the headline is correct. It’s where Dirk was born and raised.
June 19th, 2008 at 11:13 am
doc says:
Its the motherland of them big ass sauseges.I wonder if Carlise will still be dickriding when Dirk doesnt step up on D next year.
June 19th, 2008 at 11:29 am
rangerjohn says:
dirk is soft, in his head, on the court. while he can play hurt and has been “durable” he plays a perimiter game where the banging is limited. let him get i nthe paint day in and day out and see if he doesnt turn into j oneal, hurt hurt hurt. then he has been let down or he did the letting down so much in the last couple of yrs in the playoffs that his head is cracked. 1st the heat got in and open a small crack, but the warriors opened that crack so wide you could drive a mack truck through it. the man is tainted goods and needs a new setting maybe.
June 19th, 2008 at 11:45 am
DO says:
if he’s one of the best 3 point shooters in the league and causes matchup problems with bigger defenders, why do people keep telling dirk to stop shooting 3′s? i’m not saying that dirk should stay behind the 3 point line, but why not take advantage of his strengths instead of discouraging it?
June 19th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
rangerjohn says:
DO see thats just it, while he is a good 3 pointer for his size, he is not one of the leagues best 3 point shooters. hell his career average is like 37% and he shot 35% this season. he is actually a very good 15-18′ shooter. i mean hell look it up dirk was ranked #75 in “qualified” 3 point shooters on nba.com
imo he needs to stay about 15-18′ from the basket then slash and drive more. pick and roll and so on.
June 19th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
dagwaller says:
Dirk is a very good to great player – definitely the best on his team. He’s not the problem. The problem is his supporting cast. Will Josh Howard resume the developmental arc he was on two years ago? Does Jason Kidd have another two good years in him (on both ends of the floor)? Will they get some good, quality, banging center play from anyone? Who will they draft? Will they sign a free agent or two? Make a trade?
Carlisle and Dirk are the two smallest question marks on the entire team.
June 19th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
YOUNGFED says:
@DO
Couldn’t have said it better. He’s probably top 5 though.
June 19th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
Rafa23 says:
according to ranger, rasheed wallace is also soft, because hangs around the perimeter.
and dirk was at 35% last season, but at 40% the years before. he is 38% for his career, which is very good.
and he doesn’t shoot that many threes anymore, only 3 per game, so thats not the problem.
June 19th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Dave says:
Dirk needs to add a damn low post game already. Nothing fancy is needed. Just learn how to shoot a hook shot. A little easy jump hook in the lane. Stop teams defending you with 6-7 forwards. That’s all.
Then when you get the big guy on you Dirk you can revert to your best skills. Use your incredible midpost game and brilliant shooting touch to torch the big guy.
Just one move …. please?!!
June 19th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
ash says:
rangerjohn is just an idiot. he calls dirk soft because he is white. how can anyone averaging 25 and 12 as career playoff averages be “soft”. how can anyone coming back from a high ankle sprain in 1 week be called soft?
yes dirk has weaknesses in his game, but they are not glaring. his team let him down this season, and he didnt have a good series against gs. but dont question his heart and his skill. the man can straight up ball and is top 5 in the league.
June 19th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
doc says:
ash rangerjohn is as white as they come I doubt thats the reason.
June 19th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
doc says:
And its 5 dudes in the league better than Dirk.
June 19th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
rangerjohn says:
1st, while i agree dirk is a good 3 point shooter for a 7 footer, he is nothing more then an average 3 point shooter in the league as a whole (league average this season was 35.8% which is actually a little better then dirks average this season.)
dirk is soft because he plays the WEAKEST DEFENSE of a 7 footer in the league, he is soft because guys like bruce bowen, and steven jackson guard him, hell 6’1″ tony parker guarded him pretty well in their season series this year. he is soft because he doesnt have an inside game at all NONE! a 7 fotter is supposed to have an inside game. dirk is soft because he let the warriors get in his head and his team got destroyed because of it.
but then i am the idiot remember, the guy who apparently knows nothing. oh wait i have the numbers and the history backing me up. and yes doc i am white as white can be. DAMN I NEED A TAN!
dirk averaged 27 and 12 this post season (all 5 games of it) and is averaging 25 and 11 for his career. he has not averaged better then 34% from 3 since 2004 and hell he shot .211 last yr in the playoffs (.333 this yr) and .383 fg% last season AGAINST A TEAM WHO DIDNT EVEN HAVE A 7 FOOTER ON THE ACTIVE ROSTER!
June 19th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
rangerjohn says:
@RAFA
the difference in rasheed and dirk, sheed plays defense, they shoot about the same % (except from the line) but sheed is not supposed to be the “#1″ scorer on his team. he is a very good defender and dirk play matador defense
June 19th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
Rico says:
Who’s better? Memo Okur or Dirk Novitz?
June 19th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
NYCBalla says:
I would say Dirk is better, but would rather have Okur on my team since he is younger and has more potential. Plus, he has shown a desire and the ability to take the ball to the hole diversifying his game.
June 19th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Rafa23 says:
okur or dirk? are you kidding me?
okur is younger and has more potential?
oh yeah, 1 whole year, hahaha
so tmac has more potential than kobe?
omg, im wet already…
June 19th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
purpleshoes says:
how come all the basketball pictures are out there to make the players look tough, we know dirk isn’t that type of guy.
i’ve had enough of those dull, i’m the toughest thing out there look photoshoots have players making. does it hurt to show their personality sometime?
June 19th, 2008 at 3:36 pm
doc says:
Dirk is soft but if you say you want Okur over him you are a asshole.
June 19th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
C-Rob says:
some of you guys are real funny. how many all-nba teams does he need to be on, or mvp’s does he have to win to get some respect? dude nearly averages a double-double and you say he’s afraid to bang inside? just watch the damn games…and comparing him to okur? seriously? was that joke? ask coach sloan who he’d rather have.