Dirk Nowitzki Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Mavs Notes: Deron, Chandler, Barea

May 1st, 2012 at 9:28pm CST by Sean Highkin

The latest news and notes surrounding the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night:

SportsDayDFW's Eddie Sefko has a mailbag column in which he outlines several reasons why Deron Williams should consider signing with the Mavs, most notably Williams' roots in the area and the opportunity to play with Dirk Nowitzki.
Sefko also notes that the contracts of Nowitzki and Shawn Marion expire the same year, which could potentially allow the team to sign another star to pair with Williams while the guard is still in his prime.
SportsDayDFW's Brad Townsend writes that the Mavs are feeling the loss of Tyson Chandler and J.J. Barea, both of whom left the team in free agency before the season.

Mavs Notes: Nowitzki, Terry, Carlisle

April 24th, 2012 at 8:00pm CST by Ryan Raroque

The last time an NBA Champion subsequently returned to the playoffs and repeated a title run without holding homecourt advantage in the first round was when the Rockets won as the sixth-seed in 1995. Currently, the Mavericks find themselves in a potentially similar scenario heading into the playoffs, as they can no longer finish higher than sixth this season. Dirk Nowitzki acknowledges that the significant offseason roster changes have had an effect on the team, and added that only time will tell if the decisions made this past off-season would have been worth it (Brad Townsend of SportsDay DFW reports). Here's more of the latest we've heard out of Dallas:

Mike Heika of SportsDay DFW quoted Nowitzki as he shed some light on teammate Jason Terry:"Hopefully, he'll play well, and we'll have a deep run. If I was in his shoes, that's what I would be focusing on, playing my best and helping this franchise ultimately win a couple playoff series." Terry, who will turn 35-years-old in September, is due to become a free agent this summer.
In a separate article, Heika documented coach Rick Carlisle's thoughts on Terry as the team's X-factor: "He's not just a scorer, he's a play-maker. He has the ability to be a difference-maker defensively for us, and when he's out there scrambling, and getting loose balls and putting himself into position to get steals, we're a different team out there. So we need his total game, and his focus should be a basketball player and not just a scorer.''

Barkley On Bulls, Thibodeau, Nowitzki, Odom

April 11th, 2012 at 5:51pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Charles Barkley has always remained an outspoken basketball analyst who minces no words. A co-author of a book called "I May Be Wrong, But I Doubt It", Barkley recently provided his take on topics surrounding the Bulls and Mavericks:

In an ESPN Chicago report, Barkley says that he liked what he saw from Chicago in their win over the Knicks on Tuesday night, and breaks down why he feels that they can beat the Heat if they meet in the Eastern Conference Finals.
According to Charles, Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau should be one of the top five paid coaches in the league. Thibodeau may soon get that opportunity, as his contract expires this summer. (ESPNChicago.com link)
He isn't sold on the notion that Dirk Nowitzki can return to form as a dependable go-to guy, and asserts that he is "never wrong on Father Time" (Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas reports).
SportsDayDFW highlighted a few notes from Barkley's visit with Galloway and Company of KESN-FM 103.3 in Dallas, most notably his feeling that Lamar Odom does not deserve to get paid for his disappointing lack of productivity this year.

Mavericks Notes: Title Hopes, Cardinal, Nowitzki

March 25th, 2012 at 12:54pm CST by Daniel Seco

The Mavs pulled off a stunning overtime victory Saturday night over the Rockets that saw gutsy play from the likes of Jason Terry (who apparently was signing autographs when Vince Carter was pulled for foul trouble) and Dirk Nowitzki, who seemingly willed the team to victory. In what is shaping up to be an incredibly competitive race for the bottom half of the Western Conference playoff picture, the Mavs would have dropped to ninth place with a loss against Houston. Instead, the defending NBA champions currently occupy the fifth seed with mere percentage points separating them from the slumping Clippers.

There are doubters who don't believe the Mavs have the ability to replicate the same success that they achieved last season against Miami, says ESPN.com's Marc Stein, who cites an NBA scout as his source.
In what can only be perceived as a bit of refreshing news, Mavs forward Brian Cardinal laughed off criticism about his rough play from newly-acquired Spurs forward Stephen Jackson by stating he was pleased to hear that Jackson actually thought Cardinal could actually once play in the league, writes Tim Griffin of Spurs Nation.
Beyond leading the charge in a must-win game over the Rockets, Dirk Nowitzki surpassed his hero Charles Barkley to become the 19th-leading scorer in NBA history, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com.

Odds & Ends: Trail Blazers, Mavericks

February 12th, 2012 at 1:57pm CST by Michael Pina

The Trail Blazers and Mavericks competed in one of the season's more entertaining games last night, with Dallas eventually squeaking out with a double overtime victory. Here's some developments regarding both those teams.

With the aformentioned loss to Dallas serving as their fifth in the last eight games, Portland Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan is looking into changing his starting lineup, says Jason Quick of The Oregonian. The team's most inconsistent player happens to be their starting point guard, Raymond Felton, who's in the midst of a slump so severe it may soon be referred to as a decline in skill. The seven-year veteran is averaging a career low 10.5 PPG on 37.3% shooting from the floor (20% from the three-point line), which is also a career worst. Replacing him with Jamal Crawford is a possibility, as is exchanging Wesley Matthews with Nicolas Batum.
The Mavericks will hold their 2012/13 training camp in Europe, according to Jeff Caplan of ESPNDallas. The official preseason schedule is yet to be finalized, but Dallas will spend about a week traveling through Europe, playing at least one game in Germany and another in Spain.

Odds & Ends: Nowitzki, 76ers, Hornets, Nuggets

February 12th, 2012 at 11:14am CST by Daniel Seco

With three of the top five trending New York Times stories involving Knicks guard Jeremy Lin (via tweet from NYT reporter Michael Luo), let's take a look around the rest of the league to see what else is happening.

Kevin Sherrington of the Dallas Morning News says Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki has responded to Charles Barkley's proclamation that the 11-time All-Star is in decline with a strong showing of vintage Dirk in recent play. Sherrington contends the 14-year veteran still has enough talent and drive left to challenge Jerry West's record of 14 consecutive All-Star nomations. Simply put, Nowitzki's slow start should be attributed to a long offseason rather than diminished skills.
The 76ers need to make a trade if they want to compete for a championship this season, writes Mike Missanelli of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Missanelli points to the erratic nature of the 2011/2012 season as a reason why the road to the NBA championship remains wide open just two weeks before the start of the 2012 All-Star Game. Paul Pierce and Monta Ellis are mentioned as two possible pieces that could take a young, balanced 76ers roster to the next level without having to sacrifice the future.
The departure of All-Star point guard Chris Paul via trade has led to a difficult path for Hornets head coach Monty Williams, says John Reid of The Times-Picayune. After losing Eric Gordon, the centerpiece of the Paul trade, to injury in early January, the Hornets have spiralled to the worst record (4-23) in the Western Conference. As such, Williams has turned to his peers around the NBA for wisdom including Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich.
Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post examines how the Nuggets can get by without having a true closer to win games for the team like the Lakers closer Kobe Bryant. Barring a trade, the Nuggets will have to continue to rely on Al Harrington toward the end of the game. Harrington is shooting 56% when there are less than five minutes to play in games separated by five points or less.

Southwest Notes: Kaman, Barea, Rockets, Hornets

February 6th, 2012 at 6:02pm CST by Daniel Seco

Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki doesn't feel his performance this season warrants a selection to the 2012 NBA All-Star Game in Orlando. Nowitzki, 33, is averaging 17.2 PPG and 6 RPG for a Dallas squad that is underachieving with a 14-11 record this season. If tapped to represent the Western Conference, Nowitzki would be making his 11th consecutive All-Star appearance. Let's take a look around the league to see what else is happening in the Southwest Division:

Chris Kaman was completely understanding when the Hornets shut him down last month in an attempt to find a trade suitor, writes Jimmy Smith of The Times-Picayune. Kaman, 29, returned to the team on Sunday morning for practice as the Hornets conceded that they were unable to finalize a deal.
Life after winning a championship with the Mavericks in June has not been easy for Timberwolves guard J.J. Barea. According to The Dallas Morning News, Barea, 27, blames his low FG% (.367) and 2.4 APG on a series of hamstring injuries that has led to the sixth-year player missing 15 games this season.
Rockets beat writer Jonathan Feigen suggests the team is comfortable pursuing a championship with superstar-less squad similar to the Nuggets. While a star-free locker room may do wonders for team chemistry, the Rockets should take note that only two teams have ever won a championship without an All-NBA player.
While the Hornets have struggled this season with the worst record in the Western Conference (4-20), Sam Amico of FoxSportsOhio.com points to three bright spots for the league-owned franchise moving forward.

Odds & Ends: Nowitzki, Noah, Heat, Wizards

February 1st, 2012 at 4:50pm CST by Luke Adams

This year's later-than-usual trade deadline means we shouldn't expect the same amount of February player movement we'd normally see. Still, flipping the calendar page from to January to February means we're that much closer to seeing a few deals go down. While we wait to see where Dwight Howard, Chris Kaman, and the rest of this year's trade candidates land, let's round up today's odds and ends from around the league:

Asked about his future in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, Dirk Nowitzki said he plans to play "at least two more years" in the NBA (hat tip to BallinEurope.com). I wouldn't read too much into that statement — even when Dirk's current contract with the Mavericks expires in 2014, he'll be just 36. I'd be surprised to see him retire at that point, barring a major injury or drop-off in the next couple seasons.
Joakim Noah admitted to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune that the pressure he felt after signing a $60MM contract extension with the Bulls contributed to his struggles early this season.
The Heat have kept their expectations for the Eddy Curry experiment in check, and still may look to add another center, according to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sentinel. Their first choice is presumably Joel Przybilla, who will reportedly decide between the Heat and Bulls this week.
Despite the team's struggles this season, president Ernie Grunfeld doesn't intend to abandon the Wizards' long-term strategy, as he tells Michael Lee of the Washington Post.
Chris Paul's departure has left something of a leadership void in New Orleans, writes Jimmy Smith of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
Marcus Banks has officially joined the D-League's Idaho Stampede, tweets Scott Schroeder of Ridiculous Upside. The eight-year NBA veteran signed with the D-League last week.