Mavericks looking to solve Dirk Nowitzki’s minutes conundrum
Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle is constantly trying to figure out a way to decrease Dirk Nowitzki’s minutes without hurting the team’s chances of winning games.
It’s an issue that Carlisle has been pondering for quite some time.
The non-Dirk minutes are the biggest challenge we’ve had for eight years.
Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle
“The non-Dirk minutes are the biggest challenge we’ve had for eight years,” Carlisle said. “It’s not like it’s just a 2016 challenge. It’s been a 2008 through 2016 challenge, and I’m not joking.”
Nowitzki averages a team-high 17.8 points in 31.3 minutes per game. Anyone from Raymond Felton, Chandler Parsons, Charlie Villanueva or David Lee can enter the game when Nowitzki heads to the bench.
Nowitzki is the NBA’s No. 6 all-time leading scorer and commands added attention from defenders, and some slippage is expected when he’s not in the game.
“You’re taking out a guy who has arguably as great an impact as any player in the history of game without the ball in his hands,” Carlisle said. “You’re taking him out of the game. The guys coming in are really up against it because they don’t have that advantage. It’s a challenging time. We’re constantly studying that and trying to improve it and work with it.”
Marveling at Curry
The Internet was buzzing late Saturday night after Stephen Curry drilled a stunning 32-footer to help the Golden State Warriors beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 121-118 in overtime.
For a guy that doesn’t look super strong, the dynamics of his shot put him in a position to have great leverage on the shot and shoot from unbelievable distance.
Rick Carlisle on Stephen Curry
“I fully expect him to make the shot,” Carlisle said. “I’ve seen the clips of him practicing that before games. There’s just sometimes you just sense that this is it. For a guy that doesn’t look super strong, the dynamics of his shot put him in a position to have great leverage on the shot and shoot from unbelievable distance.”
Owner Mark Cuban was thinking about dollar signs while watching one of the most riveting regular season games in NBA history.
“I’m like, this is good for ratings,” Cuban said. “There’s nothing else on, nothing else to do. That’s what you call range. That was incredible.”
No worries on boos
Cuban didn’t sound all that concerned about the smattering of boos heard Friday night at American Airlines Center.
The fans started booing once the Nuggets erupted to a 55-32 lead late in the second quarter.
Dallas fans are demanding, and they should be. Sometimes I don’t like it, but sometimes we earned it, and I think it gets the guys’ attention.
Owner Mark Cuban on fans booing
“It’s not the first time it’s happened to us,” Cuban said. “We have gotten booed before.
“Dallas fans are demanding, and they should be. Sometimes I don’t like it, but sometimes we earned it, and I think it gets the guys’ attention. I think it got our attention.”
The Mavs responded by rallying to a 122-116 overtime victory.
Building homes
Former Baylor standout Isaiah Austin — through his foundation and with the help of Habitat For Humanity — is in the process of building a home in Waco for the less fortunate.
“Basically, what we’re trying to do is we’re trying to take a family who needs help and we’re going to put them in a house that’s going to be very low maintenance for them,” Austin said. “The cost of living there is going to be low. It’s basically just going to put them back on their feet.”
Austin played high school basketball at Grace Prep Academy in Arlington.
Dwain Price: 817-390-7760, @dwainprice
This story was originally published February 28, 2016 at 9:08 PM with the headline "Mavericks looking to solve Dirk Nowitzki’s minutes conundrum."