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Five Guys Think…
Source: Hoopsworld.com
It’s comical that people would question Mavericks owner Mark Cuban’s moves coming off of his team’s first championship run. While everyone was panicking over the losses of Tyson Chandler, Caron Butler and Jose Barea, he went out and landed Lamar Odom, Vince Carter and Delonte West while preserving future cap space to go out and get a big-name free agent next summer. That sets the Mavericks up nicely to defend their championship. Rodrigue Beaubois is kind of a forgotten difference maker for them. He’s healthy and ready to play an increased role. Chandler’s defensive presence will be missed, but their frontline as a whole remains versatile and imposing. There’s no reason to think that the Mavericks will be surpassed as Southwest Division champs.
1st Place, Southwest Division
- Yannis Koutroupis
The Dallas Mavericks got their championship, and that is something no one can take away. The question is whether or not they can defend their crown, and as of this writing it seems doubtful. Their defensive catalysts – Tyson Chandler and DeShawn Stevenson – are gone, and the compressed 66-game schedule promises to test aging veterans like Jason Kidd, Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry. Lamar Odom is a nice pick-up, but if the Mavs can’t land a starting center better than Brendan Haywood they’re going to have a hard time repeating as champs.
2nd Place, Southwest Division
- Bill Ingram
While I do expect the Mavs to win their division, I do not expect them to win the championship in June. But then again, we said pretty much the same thing last year, and a roster with loads of talent ended up getting hot at the right time and taking the whole kit and caboodle. The Lamar Odom trade was brilliantly one-sided in Dallas’s favor, but signings like Delonte West and Vince Carter have me considerably less enthused. Still, as long as Dirk Nowitzki is healthy, this is a top-tier team with loads of depth. They’ll miss Tyson Chandler’s defense, but if nothing else Brendon Haywood will be given the opportunity to earn his bulbous paycheck. Expect another good year out of the Mavericks, just maybe not quite as a good a year as 2011.
1st Place, Southwest Division
- Joel Brigham
The defending NBA champions are geared up to make another strong playoff push with Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion and Jason Terry returning, but a championship repeat appears unlikely after losing defensive anchor Tyson Chandler, reserve sparkplug J.J. Barea and talented swingman Caron Butler via free agency. Dallas is apparently banking on center Brendan Haywood to fill their void in the paint, while the recently signed Vince Carter will be relied on to provide consistent scoring from the perimeter and Lamar Odom must add his versatility to the frontcourt. The Mavs are not nearly as strong, especially defensively, as last season’s group but they still have just enough talent to hold off the upstart Memphis Grizzlies for Southwest Division supremacy.
1st Place, Southwest Division
- Lang Greene
The reigning NBA champions have had a busy offseason. The Dallas Mavericks added Lamar Odom, Vince Carter, Delonte West and Brandon Wright, which gives them plenty of depth entering the season. However, they lost key contributors in Tyson Chandler, Caron Butler and J.J. Barea. Losing Chandler will hurt the most, especially on the defensive end. Dallas still has plenty of talent, but it’s hard to imagine them repeating this season. They’re still an elite team and they’ll likely win their division over the San Antonio Spurs, but they’ll need another incredible postseason run and more Dirk Nowitzki heroics to win a second consecutive title.
1st Place, Southwest Division
- Alex Kennedy
Source: Hoopsworld.com
It’s comical that people would question Mavericks owner Mark Cuban’s moves coming off of his team’s first championship run. While everyone was panicking over the losses of Tyson Chandler, Caron Butler and Jose Barea, he went out and landed Lamar Odom, Vince Carter and Delonte West while preserving future cap space to go out and get a big-name free agent next summer. That sets the Mavericks up nicely to defend their championship. Rodrigue Beaubois is kind of a forgotten difference maker for them. He’s healthy and ready to play an increased role. Chandler’s defensive presence will be missed, but their frontline as a whole remains versatile and imposing. There’s no reason to think that the Mavericks will be surpassed as Southwest Division champs.
1st Place, Southwest Division
- Yannis Koutroupis
The Dallas Mavericks got their championship, and that is something no one can take away. The question is whether or not they can defend their crown, and as of this writing it seems doubtful. Their defensive catalysts – Tyson Chandler and DeShawn Stevenson – are gone, and the compressed 66-game schedule promises to test aging veterans like Jason Kidd, Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry. Lamar Odom is a nice pick-up, but if the Mavs can’t land a starting center better than Brendan Haywood they’re going to have a hard time repeating as champs.
2nd Place, Southwest Division
- Bill Ingram
While I do expect the Mavs to win their division, I do not expect them to win the championship in June. But then again, we said pretty much the same thing last year, and a roster with loads of talent ended up getting hot at the right time and taking the whole kit and caboodle. The Lamar Odom trade was brilliantly one-sided in Dallas’s favor, but signings like Delonte West and Vince Carter have me considerably less enthused. Still, as long as Dirk Nowitzki is healthy, this is a top-tier team with loads of depth. They’ll miss Tyson Chandler’s defense, but if nothing else Brendon Haywood will be given the opportunity to earn his bulbous paycheck. Expect another good year out of the Mavericks, just maybe not quite as a good a year as 2011.
1st Place, Southwest Division
- Joel Brigham
The defending NBA champions are geared up to make another strong playoff push with Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion and Jason Terry returning, but a championship repeat appears unlikely after losing defensive anchor Tyson Chandler, reserve sparkplug J.J. Barea and talented swingman Caron Butler via free agency. Dallas is apparently banking on center Brendan Haywood to fill their void in the paint, while the recently signed Vince Carter will be relied on to provide consistent scoring from the perimeter and Lamar Odom must add his versatility to the frontcourt. The Mavs are not nearly as strong, especially defensively, as last season’s group but they still have just enough talent to hold off the upstart Memphis Grizzlies for Southwest Division supremacy.
1st Place, Southwest Division
- Lang Greene
The reigning NBA champions have had a busy offseason. The Dallas Mavericks added Lamar Odom, Vince Carter, Delonte West and Brandon Wright, which gives them plenty of depth entering the season. However, they lost key contributors in Tyson Chandler, Caron Butler and J.J. Barea. Losing Chandler will hurt the most, especially on the defensive end. Dallas still has plenty of talent, but it’s hard to imagine them repeating this season. They’re still an elite team and they’ll likely win their division over the San Antonio Spurs, but they’ll need another incredible postseason run and more Dirk Nowitzki heroics to win a second consecutive title.
1st Place, Southwest Division
- Alex Kennedy
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