OK, setting aside the specific question of Dirk’s play, and whether he has the heart/guts to win a title, let’s talk about the Mavericks as a franchise during the Dirk era. If Dallas somehow wins a championship the next couple of years, this will all be moot, but let’s assume for the sake of argument that they just have three or four more decent playoff runs with Dirk, with maybe one WCF appearance, and that they won’t make it to the finals again.
If that’s what happens, I have two questions:
1) Who would you rather have been a fan of over these past few years and the next couple of years: Dallas or Miami?
2) Who will history have more respect for as a team?
First of all, this question is not about whether the Mavericks have done what they should have done. I think it’s safe to say all of us are disappointed or even angry with the past two seasons. Both Dallas and Miami appear to have been severely flawed, so saying the Mavericks have problems is irrelevant to this question unless you’re also prepared to say that Miami’s problems are no worse.
Of course everyone remembers the title, but Miami also has to contend with being known as one of the worst championship-winning teams ever. The year they won it, they came out of an awful eastern conference and won only because (1) Dallas choked and (2) Dwyane Wade put on one of the most spectacular finals performances that I know of (with some help from the refs, I think everyone would have to admit, but still spectacular). After winning the title, they promptly crumbled as a team.
Dallas, of course, shares part of the shame of Miami’s victory, so that goes against Dallas’ legacy. At the same time, though, Dallas has contended year after year, and just never had enough to get the title. Of course everyone would rather have been Miami the year they won, but I’m talking about the longer term.
So, will commentators 5 years from now speak fondly about a very good Mavericks team that just couldn’t get the title, while shaking their heads at a Miami team that had everything go just right once, but then crumbled? Or will they scorn the very good Mavericks team that couldn’t hold on when it counted, while wondering what might have happened if Dwyane Wade hadn’t gotten injured this past year?
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3 comments:
I think history will probably look more fondly on Miami because they got it done. When it comes down to it, it doesn't really matter how you get it done as long as you do.
Personally, I would rather be a Mavs fan. There is probably no good reason for it, though. :)
By the way, I didn't get to see the game tonight, but I'm starting to worry about Dirk. 7 points - not good.
Yeah, Dirk has put up some Adam Morrison shooting numbers lately.
I think a more interesting question, if a bit late, would be "Dallas or Sacramento?"
This is because though Sacramento never made the championships, and were contenders for fewer years, they (1) were probably better than Dallas during their peak years with Weber, and (2) they were probably practically closer to winning the championship that year they almost beat LA in the WCF than Dallas was in their finals run.
Any thoughts?
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