Western Conference Playoffs - 1st Round Discussion Thread

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  • Boltman
    L.A. to S.D. to HI
    • Mar 2004
    • 18283

    #361
    Re: Western Conference Playoffs - 1st Round Discussion Thread

    It appeared as if Rondo sabotaged the Mavs smh.

    You couldn't possibly give a less inspired/concerted effort if you tried.

    Comment

    • ehh
      Hall Of Fame
      • Mar 2003
      • 28962

      #362
      Re: Western Conference Playoffs - 1st Round Discussion Thread

      The Mavs are a bit of a mess even if you disregard the Rondo situation.

      I felt like I was having war flashbacks last night watching Amare's defense lead to a ton of lobs, Felton missing layups and shooting deep 2's and Chandler getting dominated in the paint.
      "You make your name in the regular season, and your fame in the postseason." - Clyde Frazier

      "Beware of geeks bearing formulas." - Warren Buffet

      Comment

      • Vni
        Hall Of Fame
        • Sep 2011
        • 14833

        #363
        Re: Western Conference Playoffs - 1st Round Discussion Thread

        Mavs don't look like they have that special chemistry going this year. They're missing the Carter swag.

        Comment

        • Vni
          Hall Of Fame
          • Sep 2011
          • 14833

          #364
          Re: Western Conference Playoffs - 1st Round Discussion Thread

          Man Mavs D's got destroyed in the 4th. Wow.

          edit: That flagrant one on Dwight was ridiculous man.
          Last edited by Vni; 04-22-2015, 08:25 AM.

          Comment

          • Vni
            Hall Of Fame
            • Sep 2011
            • 14833

            #365
            Re: Western Conference Playoffs - 1st Round Discussion Thread

            Originally posted by Boltman
            It appeared as if Rondo sabotaged the Mavs smh.

            You couldn't possibly give a less inspired/concerted effort if you tried.
            From woj :
            Around Rondo, the energy is toxic. The Rockets' and Mavericks' interests intersect everywhere, including with the trade pursuit for Rondo in December. Rondo's agent never wanted Rondo in Houston, partly because it would've cost another client, Patrick Beverley, his job and payday to re-sign with the Rockets this summer. In the end, the Rockets kept bidding on Rondo to try to push the price higher for the Mavericks, which was ultimately unsuccessful.

            When Rondo realized his run with the Celtics was over this year, he planned to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers in the summer, league sources told Yahoo Sports. He expected a maximum contract. Once Dallas made the trade, he was open to re-signing with the Mavericks – only there are no max contract offers for Rondo on the market. Not in Dallas, nor Los Angeles. He's played his way out of that payday – not just this year, but since that terrible ACL injury two years ago.

            Everyone can insist that Rondo no longer cares, that he's stopped trying, and Game 2's debacle made a case for it. Rondo is the prince of moody, yes, but he's lost with these Mavericks – and they're lost with him. Nevertheless, Rondo hasn't given up on salvaging this season, nor his Mavericks career.

            On Monday evening, Josh Smith stopped over to the Toyota Center to take extra shots. There was a ball bouncing inside the arena, and as he ducked inside, Smith found a familiar face getting up shots: Rajon Rondo.

            Rondo always does the work, the preparation, but everyone could see again in Game 2 that his struggles with Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle remain an immense hurdle. On the court, there were those who believed Rondo's eight-second violation for failing to cross the midcourt line was an act of protest on the coach's calling of plays. Rondo played 10 minutes, picking up fouls for slapping at James Harden, and finally a technical to start the third quarter for shoving Harden out of sheer frustration.

            Carlisle banished him to the bench, choosing Raymond Felton over Rondo in the fourth quarter. Everything's pushing Rondo closer to his inevitable free-agent fleeing to the Lakers this summer. As long as the coach is back, Rondo's gone, sources told Yahoo Sports. The parting could be mutual.

            When Rondo and Carlisle had it out on the bench and again in the locker room in February, teammates heard Rondo ask him: "Why the [bleep] did you bring me here?"
            10 characters
            Last edited by Vni; 04-22-2015, 08:29 AM.

            Comment

            • Streets
              Supreme
              • Aug 2004
              • 5787

              #366
              Re: Western Conference Playoffs - 1st Round Discussion Thread

              I agree, that Rondo is not the sole problem in Dallas, but like I said it is definitely a distraction that isn't needed. I think the team needs to have a meeting where some leader steps up and reminds them that this is the playoffs, and everyone needs to set their egos aside and work towards a common goal.

              Watching this team unravel makes me even more excited to have Morey as a general manager. Since he and Cuban seem to have crossed paths a lot with Cuban constantly taking shots at Morey in the media. It is nice to see their last couple moves go in Houston's favor.

              - Houston nets Dwight when Dallas is pursuing him heavily

              - Cuban offers Parsons the most untradeable contract ever (I believe he's making more than Harden!), Morey says he's all yours, and Chandler plays nowhere near that contract.

              - Morey ends up getting Ariza/Brewer with the money saved on Parsons. Speaking of Brewer, he's an ex-Mav who said this gem after game 1

              Brewer: "You have to stay with it. It feels great, especially playing against a former team. They traded me away for a bag of chips."
              - Morey trades "a bag of chips" for Jason Terry years after Dallas doesn't even try to retain his services.

              - Both teams pursue Smith and Morey gets him for a bargain basement price. He gets a low-risk, high reward contract (2 mil) and comes into a good locker room/ situation where he even agrees to be 6th man.

              - Finally, Houston pushes up the price on Rondo, and Dallas has to give up multiple picks, players for what will likely be a summer rental and a net negative.

              He drafts well, trades well, offers great contracts, and really knows the value of players (no one thought Harden would be an MVP candidate when Morey got him). Just a really great asset for Houston.

              Comment

              • The 24th Letter
                ERA
                • Oct 2007
                • 39373

                #367
                Re: Western Conference Playoffs - 1st Round Discussion Thread

                Dallas writer went in, lol

                On the other side was a worthless waste of jersey filler. Rajon Rondo was useless.
                He was despicable. He was absolutely non-existent.
                With Chandler Parsons and Devon Harris out with injuries, seeing the pathetic excuse of an effort by Rondo in an every body on deck effort, was the biggest slap in the face to Dallas Mavericks fans, Mavericks ownership and those teammates who fought desperately.
                Missed shots? Sure.
                Beaten on the boards? Ok.
                You can give me a number of reasons the Mavericks lost this game, but a glaring void was on the front line with a wretched outing by Rondo.
                Absolutely mindless personal fouls.
                An 8-second violation.
                A complete cop-out in the face of adversity.
                He played 9 minutes and 55 seconds of insignificant basketball. I’m not even going to round up to 10 because if he wasn’t going to come out prepared to play, then why should anybody else give him the benefit of the doubt.
                If Rondo is trying to say “okay tough guy, you bench me and I’ll be a nipple on a wart-hog” then he won that battle, and he proved to be more of a child than anybody in the NBA, NCAA, UIL and 1st-grade church league.
                I never thought I would see a player check out mentally like Lamar Odom again, but at a critical time in the Mavericks attempt to steal one from the Rockets on the road, we saw the most cowardly performance Mavericks fans have ever been privy to.
                And nobody deserves to play with, coach or root for a spineless athlete giving that little back.

                Comment

                • JODYE
                  JB4MVP
                  • May 2012
                  • 4834

                  #368
                  Re: Western Conference Playoffs - 1st Round Discussion Thread

                  Jesus. Talk about ether.

                  I think the guys eluded to it last night but that might have been one of the best games I've ever seen Josh Smith play. Not from a statistical standpoint but just from a game management perspective. He looked so in control of his game. Took the right shots when he needed to, made the right passes, made the right reads on defense.

                  Morey da gawd at it again.

                  With Rondo being pretty much useless and Parsons most likely out for the series, this one is all but over. Unfortunate because I thought this would be one of the better series' in the first round.
                  Cubs | Bulls | Dolphins | 'Noles
                  The artist formerly known as "13"
                  "Heroes get remembered, but legends never die..."


                  Comment

                  • Streets
                    Supreme
                    • Aug 2004
                    • 5787

                    #369
                    Re: Western Conference Playoffs - 1st Round Discussion Thread

                    Originally posted by 13
                    Jesus. Talk about ether.

                    I think the guys eluded to it last night but that might have been one of the best games I've ever seen Josh Smith play. Not from a statistical standpoint but just from a game management perspective. He looked so in control of his game. Took the right shots when he needed to, made the right passes, made the right reads on defense.

                    Morey da gawd at it again.

                    With Rondo being pretty much useless and Parsons most likely out for the series, this one is all but over. Unfortunate because I thought this would be one of the better series' in the first round.
                    Far, far from over. Houston did what they were supposed to do at home. Now Dallas gets their shot. Like SF said, this isn't the first time Dallas was down 0-2 to Houston. And I remember well how that played out.

                    Comment

                    • Boltman
                      L.A. to S.D. to HI
                      • Mar 2004
                      • 18283

                      #370
                      Re: Western Conference Playoffs - 1st Round Discussion Thread

                      I remember some Boston fans warning Mavs fans about what they were getting.

                      That article someone just posted about Rondo wanting to come to the Lakers, please no.

                      Comment

                      • King_B_Mack
                        All Star
                        • Jan 2009
                        • 24450

                        #371
                        Re: Western Conference Playoffs - 1st Round Discussion Thread

                        Originally posted by Boltman
                        I remember some Boston fans warning Mavs fans about what they were getting.

                        That article someone just posted about Rondo wanting to come to the Lakers, please no.
                        Have fun with him and Kobe next year.

                        Comment

                        • Streets
                          Supreme
                          • Aug 2004
                          • 5787

                          #372
                          Re: Western Conference Playoffs - 1st Round Discussion Thread

                          Originally posted by King_B_Mack
                          Have fun with him and Kobe next year.
                          God that would be amazing. Dallas and the Lakers are my two least favorite teams in the NBA.

                          I just had a thought. It appears Rondo is now the scapegoat for all of Dallas' woes. Assuming Rondo plays next game, any chance he gets booed every time he touches the ball? Has that ever happened for a home team player? Should be fun to watch.

                          Comment

                          • JODYE
                            JB4MVP
                            • May 2012
                            • 4834

                            #373
                            Re: Western Conference Playoffs - 1st Round Discussion Thread

                            Far, far from over. Houston did what they were supposed to do at home. Now Dallas gets their shot. Like SF said, this isn't the first time Dallas was down 0-2 to Houston. And I remember well how that played out.
                            What was that, 10 years ago? Lol I know that is like the cliche' thing to say, but this one is really all but over. Last night was a pretty big indication of that. Dallas had Houston right where they needed them after 3 quarters last night, even after defending pretty poorly for that stretch, and then they come out and get dunked on for 12 minutes.

                            Rondo has completely checked out, Parsons is out for the series and Houston has too much front court depth. Impossible for Dirk to guard a combo of Jones/Smith all game and that leaves Chandler alone on an island as we saw last night.

                            For Dallas to even win a game it's going to take a Herculean effort from Dirk and they are going to need Rondo to be engaged on both ends of the floor. He's the one guard they have that can bother Harden in one on one situations defensively.
                            Cubs | Bulls | Dolphins | 'Noles
                            The artist formerly known as "13"
                            "Heroes get remembered, but legends never die..."


                            Comment

                            • 23
                              yellow
                              • Sep 2002
                              • 66469

                              #374
                              Re: Western Conference Playoffs - 1st Round Discussion Thread

                              I wouldn't want him on my team. That attitude is not going to magically get better.

                              Comment

                              • King_B_Mack
                                All Star
                                • Jan 2009
                                • 24450

                                #375
                                Re: Western Conference Playoffs - 1st Round Discussion Thread

                                I know Dallas' issues are deeper than JUST Rondo, but it's kinda funny to think how legendary his attitude problem is getting. He pretty much handed the Heat title number 2 of the LeBron era since he can take a large responsibility for running Ray Ray south and now this.

                                Comment

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