Smack / Dec 12, 2010 / 12:48 am

Mavs drop video-game numbers on Jazz; Wade dominates another day

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Jason Terry (photo. Dallas Morning News)

If Jazz/Mavs had been played on Xbox Live, Jerry Sloan would have shut the game off midway through the first quarter and switched to Madden. Running an absolute clinic in offensive execution and shooting, the Mavs were up 26-4 after six minutes, getting (and making) whatever shots they wanted while the Jazz were getting 24-second violations and bricking point-blank looks … But that was right around the time Deron Williams said “F*** this,” scrapped the whole “distributor” thing and went into get-buckets mode. Slowly chipping away at the lead, D-Will (34 pts) eventually tied the score with 4:30 left in the fourth quarter after he busted Jason Kidd’s ankles and shins with a crossover and got an and-one layup that fouled Tyson Chandler out … It looked like Dallas (14-26 from three) was officially falling apart when Dirk Nowitzki stepped over the line before making the inbounds pass to gave the ball right back to the Jazz, but Utah couldn’t capitalize. Dirk (31 pts, 10-12 FG, 15 rebs) gave Dallas the lead back with two free throws, then Jason Terry and Ronnie Price traded jumpers for a minute before Dirk stretched the lead to four with a spinning layup and-one. (“I think Superman lives in Dallas, not Orlando,” said one Utah announcer.) Down two with under 30 seconds to go, Utah chose not to foul, and Dirk found Terry (14 pts) in the corner for the dagger three … Play of the night: First quarter, Dirk went up for a straightaway three, changed his mind in mid-air and whipped a fastball to Shawn Marion on the left block, then Marion flipped an alley-oop at eye-level across the lane to J-Kidd, who tossed in a circus layup while being fouled just before the buzzer. Hard to describe, but you’ll see it on Steve Smith’s “Top Plays Under the Rim” soon enough … Toronto’s “defense” makes everybody look good. Pistons/Raptors could have been defined by T-Mac unleashing double-clutch dunks, 5-foot-Nothing Will Bynum boldly going into the lane and cramming on dinosaurs, and Ben Wallace — who would have a hard time scoring in NBA Jam — dropping 23 points. (No coincidence that Ben had 9 offensive boards and 10 made field goals.) But in launching a comeback from a 25-point deficit, the Raps actually got some stops …

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  • S.A.C.

    @Chicagorilla & Stunna

    Not to belabor this thread. And I won’t.

    But I think you’re slightly underestimating Rondo’s scoring ability. Anytime Rondo has been required or asked to score, he has done it and done it brilliantly for the Celtics.

    With his quickness, handle and physical gifts, I have no doubt he could average 20 pts, 12 assist, 5 rebounds and 2-3 steals easily.

    You said he’d average 15 pts a game? He averaged 14 a game, 10 assist and almost three steals last year as the willing 4th option. Remember? Now with Shaq there, he makes himself the 5th option (remember he calls his own plays).

    Rondo himself said recently he’d shoot more if he played on different team. You gotta remember Chicagorilla. Those guys want their touches and there’s no way that any point guard is gonna average 20pts a game with them (with out a bitter chemistry reducing fight). They all still think they can play (and they can with the right point guard).

    Even Ray Allen said recently “sometimes we got to remember to just get out of the way and let Rondo do his thing”. I agree. Rondo is never proactively assertive enough with those guys regarding scoring.

    As far as his shot. He’s hit his outside shot this year. If anything, I think he should shoot more and not less. He should definitely shoot more threes. Like John Barry said the other day; “Rondo is not a bad shooter, just a reluctant one”. I agree. If he played on another team he would of shot more, cause he would of had to (as Rondo acknowledges).

    And Chicagorilla; I no dog in this fight. Cause I’m not a Celtic fan; just a basketball one. But I’ve seen games where Rondo goes to the hole or stays aggressive with his penetration and jumps hard/high, no one can stop him. No one. He jumps over people, dribbles around them or finds the pass. The kid has a superlative handle and I very rarely see him ever get stripped or lose his handle (unlike Rose and others too often). He dribbles regularly right through traffic with out a problem. People who don’t watch him play regularly don’t realize those things and the Celtic system of passing the ball around and not taking quick shots.

    Playing in Boston has it’s advantages and disadvantages for Rondo and the same thing goes for Rose with Chicago.

  • S.A.C.

    @Chicagorilla

    As you always say to dime readers “you don’t watch the games”.

    Rondo gets his assist irregardless of who’s playing. I think your oversimplifying it. John Wall averages almost 10 assist (and dropping) playing with a bunch of nobodies.

    I really don’t think he’s a system guy. I just think he adapts to what ever system he’s in. I would like to see him shoot more from the outside though and always stay aggressive.

    If I remember correctly, these were the same things that Chicago fans and coaches wanted Rose to do as well.

    PS: I sent my above thread before your last one (#49), so it wasn’t in response. This one is.

    You guys watching Orland Vs Da Clip in LA?

    Orlando kicking their asses so far in the first quarter. But hey; it’s the NBA. Lol.

  • S.A.C.

    @Chicagorilla

    Lastly (and Stunna can attest to this).

    Doc Rivers hates playing Rookies. That was probably the reason you saw the potential but he didn’t enough for you to get a good look.

    Anyone that follows the Celtics or Rivers knows he hates playing rookies. So the fact that Rondo played as often as he did his first year was a good thing, not a bad thing. But I can understand what you’re saying and why.

    Hey! Rondo’s hard headed. Because people say he should shoot more, he doesn’t shoot as much. Lol. In his defense, he’s taking the open jump shot now quicker and hitting it. As a matter of fact, he’s shooting almost 50% on his midrange jumpers (a line you used to quote a lot on Rose). That’s the first step. Now he’s got to keep taking those shots more and proactively, as well as three pointers. Every three point shot he took this year (and through out his career) is when the shot or his options ran down. He doesn’t take them proactively. I like the fact that Rose is taking 4 a game. Sometimes he’s gonna have games where he hits 2-3 and other days he’s gonna have days where he hits 1 or none. That’s a good thing I think. But their in two different situations most games.

  • http://getyourishbusted.net Chicagorilla

    @SAc,

    you’re right that I don’t see a ton of BOs games, but they are on tv a lot. So I see them enough to analyze his game. I think you are severly underestimating Ray, KG, and Paul. Even Shaq. Those guys all were beast before Rondo. And would still be pretty damn good. Look at their counterparts. KG is around Duncans age, Timmy is still putting up 13 and 9 with 2blks in 28min with two scorers around him. Ray (96) and Paul (98) have Kobe to look at. Ray has the same milage on his legs as Kobe and all he has to do is come off screens to get his. Not really that difficult for him. Paul is probably the most crafty scorer in the NBA along with Kobe and Nash, and he can still get 20ppg easy. KG just put his head damn near at the Rim on an alley oop vs the Bobcats, he looks healthy again. They don’t need Rondo, Rondo needs them. But altogether they work like clockwork.

    You say you “have no dog in the fight” but you are a Rondo lover. Go back to your posts from the summer (I just did) and you openly admitted you are a rondo lover. Nothing wrong with that, but you trying to validate your argument by saying you have no favorite is BS.

  • Stunnaboy2K11

    @S.A.C

    Yeah that’s one of Docs things, rookies get no PT unless they HAVE to (ala Erden), and also Rondo had to deal with Telfair in his rookie year who was considered the franchise PG (hindsight 20/20)

    @Chi

    At least we see eye to eye on this, and watching the Rondo vs Durant HORSE contest lets me know that he at least HAS a J in him. He just has to find it. I also disagree on he needs the Big 3 for assists. I’ve seen him dish passes to Shaq, Erden, Bog Baby, Kg, Ray Ray and Nate with the same ease. He passes to whoever is on the floor and is one of the best in the league at that.

    You have your franchise PG, I have mine and its going to be a fun stretch of years watching them compete against each other.

  • http://freshouttatime.blogspot.com freshouttatime

    dimeguys

    a nerdy technical point, i’m not really feelin the 2 page links for the smack page… once we link to the main article, have it display as one page por favor

  • S.A.C.

    @Chicagorilla

    Funny on being a Rondo fan!

    In regards to our discussions from the summer, I told you it was from/because Rondo’s play, not because I loved him in Kentucky, knew his sister or was a Celtics fan. Lol. It was strictly from his play, that’s I’m unbiased.

    I like Derrick Rose from his play to. And I see the limitations or exaggerations that people make or don’t see in his game, just like they do with Rondo. I love Derrick Rose’s play. I just think he’s a certain type of point guard on a certain type of team.

    As far as the Celts. They are good! I just think Rondo makes them better. All of those guys (even pierce), has said that when Rondo’s on the court they all get their shots at their required spots and much easier. They just don’t have to work as hard to score.

    In case you didn’t know, The Big 3′s shooting percentages has gone up with age (instead of the usual gone down). All those guys are shooting at career high percentages now (don’t know about Shaq). That’s the Rondo effect.

    It’s a symbiotic relationship for all of them.

  • S.A.C.

    @Stunna

    Good Points to Chi-town

    Yeah Doc and his rookie playing time. Lol.

    Some people argue that the Celtics were actually showcasing Telfair etc. and that’s why Rondo didn’t start exclusively.

    I don’t know? But I do know that Danny Ainge wanted Rondo and had cut a deal with Phoenix to draft him, so they can trade him to Boston. So who knows.

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