Mavericks down 3-1

• hoops23

  

  A lot of people thought the trade that brought in Butler, Haywood and mr. Irrelevant was enough to put them right next to the Lakers in the West. I disagreed and didn't think the move was all that great, but in fact, could hurt them in the postseason.
  
  So far, I was right..
  
  But, this thread isn't about that..
  
  If the Mavs go down against the Spurs, does Mark Cuban break this team up? Dirks not a true leader and isn't good enough to get the job done as the main option... That's been proven.
  
  does Rick Carlisle lose his job?
  
  I mean seriously, this was Dallas' window right here, and being down 3-1 to the Spurs is NOT a good thing.
• sleeper

  

  Epic fail by the Mavs. They will be done in 5.
• devil1197

  SAS are a tough veteran team that knows how to win unlike the Mavs.
  
  Still some games left to be played, but its not looking good right now.
• jpake1

  

  I think the trade made them better. Never did I think it made them a threat. They're playing a #7 seed that is finally healthy. SA is just playing better. I don't think Cuban will blow them up. He doesn't like to give up and I think hes too confident to realize his guys are the best. Can't dirk opt out this year? Maybe he's the one that see's the writing on the wall. Or he stays loyal and never gets that ring.
• hoops23

  

  I don't think Dirk and Cuban will ever divorce, honestly...
  
  I'm just wondering about the other guys on the team. Cuban could pull off some moves with the guys he's currently got to try and make the team even better, but I don't think they know what the right formula is to succeed in the playoffs.
  
  (It's not Rick Carlisle)
• Trueblue23

  

  Yo Cuban:
  
  We'll give ya Bynum/Artest for Dirk
  
  -Jerry Buss
• wes_mantooth

  

  I actually thought that the Mavs would give the Lakers a run for their money coming into the playoffs...since LA has played like shit lately. It seems like the Mavs will never do anything with the current core that they have.
• Fly4Fun

  

  I don't make predictions on here, but I have a $50 bet with a friend for Spurs over Mavs...
  
  If you look at AVG margin of victory there is something that makes you go hmm.
• SQ_Crazies

  

  The trade definitely made them better. The problem is, they drew one of the worst draws ever with the Spurs getting 7 seed and Parker getting healthy. They would have been a higher seed if not for injuries this season, and now they're healthy. So I'm not at all surprised, I think the winner of this series can really contend with the Lakers unless they really pull their heads out of their collective asses. But the trade definitely helped the Mavs, just ran into the strongest 7 seed ever. I thought the Spurs would beat the Lakers if they dropped to 8--in hindsight, it really looks like they could have.
• hoops23

  

  Yeah, but the Mavs beat the Spurs last season 4-1 in the first round.
  
  I don't think the trade made the Mavs better at all, imo. Of course, when you're go to guy is a 7 foot jump shooter who is as soft as cotton, you're not getting very far in the first place.
• newarkcatholicfan

  

  The west is so hard.
• bases_loaded

  

  Goldhammer picked the Mavs to win this one easily = bet the house on the Spurs
• Trueblue23

  

  newarkcatholicfan wrote: The west is so hard.

  Settle down there Elton
• Swamp Fox

  It really pains me that Mark Cuban's team isn't doing very well. _Not!!!!!!
• I drain 3's

  I've told my friends all along that I believed either the Suns or the Mavs will come out of the West. Well, i'm not liking the looks of my prediction now. Watching the last game, the Spurs simply wanted it more. Terry basically got the Mavs back in it on his own, but it seemed the Spurs were winning all the hustle plays and doing the little things they needed to to win. Carlisle needs to find a solid rotation and stick with it. Butler was a key piece to that trade, and he sat him like the entire second half in game 3? Then in game 4 Marion played less than 30 minutes. Enough with the Berea and Kidd being on the court at the same time. Berea should only come in to give Kidd a rest.
• Midstate01

  

  I love the lakers fans who keep saying the west is just sooooo hard. Setting themselves up with an excuse when the lakers lose. It's mostly just ncf though.
• Fly4Fun

  

  Midstate01 wrote: I love the lakers fans who keep saying the west is just sooooo hard. Setting themselves up with an excuse when the lakers lose. It's mostly just ncf though.

  I would say the West has harder first round match-ups... but the second round they are about even if not the East being harder.
• burt07

  LTrain23 wrote: Yeah, but the Mavs beat the Spurs last season 4-1 in the first round.
  
  I don't think the trade made the Mavs better at all, imo. Of course, when you're go to guy is a 7 foot jump shooter who is as soft as cotton, you're not getting very far in the first place.

  You have to remember that San Antonio is different from last year as well, there's definitely no guarantee last year's Dallas team would have had as easy of a time with this year's San Antonio team.
  
  Like you, I don't really ever see Cuban and Dirk breaking up, I think they keep this core together for next year to see how they run for an entire season and then blow it up if it doesn't work then. However, I do see Carlisle definitely gone if they end up losing this series. Not really sure who they'd go out and try to get, I could see Cuban wanting to make a splash with a big name but not really sure who that would be given what would be available.