두 팀의 플옵을 가름할 늑대들과의 2연전(노비..아직 아프다. 하워드..글쎄?)

[BGRANT44]

주말이라 글을 많이 올리게 되네요. 다들 바브실텐데..

먼저..기사를

Just no hiding for Wolves
Finley can relate to struggles of defending conference finalists

By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News

MINNEAPOLIS ?In the old Dragnet shows, names were changed to protect the innocent.

In the case of the Minnesota Timberwolves, there's no such protection. They are out there for everybody to see ?Western Conference finalists last season; struggling just to make the playoffs this season.

The Mavericks will play the Wolves twice in the next three days. They have no sympathy and, they hope, no mercy.

"I know the feeling," Michael Finley said Saturday. "We've been there. We haven't struggled to the point where we were risking missing the playoffs the next year, but we've been there."

The Mavericks had been to the conference finals in 2003 and couldn't get out of the first round last season.

"One thing we kept preaching when we had that 60-win season is you never know when this opportunity will come around again," Finley said. "You have to make the most of the opportunity because next year is not guaranteed. And Minnesota has proven that."

Despite winning four of their last five games, the Wolves remain outside looking in regarding the final playoff spot in the West. With 19 games left, the clock is ticking.

Sam Cassell's injury problems, plus the carping of Cassell and Latrell Sprewell about their contracts, have helped sabotage the Wolves. The firing of Flip Saunders was unfortunate and, perhaps, undeserved.

"Before the season, they were still one of the favorites," Dirk Nowitzki said. "But their chemistry is not that great. And it shows on the court."

Of course, the Mavericks don't take anything for granted. As Finley said: "No team struggles against us."

Howard questionable:

Josh Howard did not participate in practice Saturday, resting his sprained left ankle.

"It swelled up," Howard said. "We'll just have to wait and see."

Howard said if he doesn't play today, he should be back later in the week.

Gray matter:

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has given media-relations director Sarah Melton directions for how players and coaches should deal today with ABC sideline reporter Jim Gray.

Those directions have been cleared with the league, Cuban said.

Cuban said Gray ambushed Dirk Nowitzki last week with a deceptive line of questioning when the Mavericks were in Houston for an ABC game.

"Jim was just being himself and trying to stir some stuff up, and Cuban just overreacted a little bit," Nowitzki said. "I think a boycott would take it a little far. But we'll see what the team decides."

Still not right:

Dirk Nowitzki hasn't been himself since returning from a sore left knee, although his numbers have remained impressive.

"I'm still a little stiff," he said. "The first step isn't there. But it can only get better."

Nowitzki said he had trouble getting by defenders because of the sluggish first step. Acting coach Avery Johnson said he saw improvement Friday against the Bucks.

"Dirk can't sit still," Johnson said. "He wants to practice for three hours all the time. Then, when he gets a bum knee, we're still trying to get him to understand how to manage his body. He's not that 19-year-old kid who flew in from Germany. We tell him to go eat some bratwurst, but rest your body."

Curses? Mavs get message:

Among things you just don't see very often is an NBA referee asking players and coaches on the basketball court: "You guys got the memo, right?"

The scene played out Friday night at Milwaukee when veteran ref Ron Garretson informed Michael Finley, Dirk Nowitzki and Mavericks coaches that some blue language would not be tolerated on the court.

"We didn't get that memo," Nowitzki said Saturday.

Owner Mark Cuban said the Mavericks had not received any directive from the NBA office regarding cursing on the court. The league, apparently, would like to keep front-row ticket buyers from hearing a stream of R-rated language.

The Mavericks, by the way, had no problem the rest of the evening with Garretson. In fact, they applauded him for reversing a clearly wrong call against the Mavericks late in the game.

이런데요.

일단 가넷의 대항마 죠쉬 하워드의 출장이 불투명하다고 합니다. 늑대전에는 확실히 긴팔
하워드가 필요한데요. 오늘(그러니까 월요일) 못 뛰면 이번 주내에 그러니까 다음 늑대전에는

돌아오려고 한답니다. 일단 뎀피어,하워드,스택은 전력외라고 쳐야겠죠. 음뱅가의 출장

예상합니다.

그리고 아직까지 노비의 무릎은 안 좋답니다. 어리버리는 노비가 아직까지 앉는 데 불편함

을 느낀다면서 그를 적절히 쓸 것을 얘기합니다.

그리고 큐반은 최근 피닉스전패배때부터 본격적으로 시작된 노비의 판정불만을 직접적으로

심판진에게 불만을 표하면서 변호하고 나섰습니다. 정치의 대가 달라스 운영진들 어떻게

대응할지 모르겠습니다. 플옵을 앞두고 언론 플레이하는 듯하는군요.

항상 게임 시뮬돌리면 여기서 2연패던데..한번 전부 이겨 봅시다!!

[Dirk Nowitzki[Deustland]]

이번엔 가넷을 누구에게 맡겨야 할까나......헨더슨?아님 노비가 그대로 가넷을 막는가?

[Dirk Nowitzki[Deustland]]

그나저나 큐반 옵빠 멋지십니다용~

[노비츠키and던컨]

열혈남아 큐반 .. ^-^;; 핸더슨이 가넷을 막는다.. ㅠㅠ.. 브래들리 포함 2-3 지역이 잘 먹혀야 할텐데.

[Dirk T-Manny Pedro★]

노비츠키가 아직 100%가 아니라... 걱정이네요. 앞으로 스케줄 잘 봐가면서 적당한 타이밍에만 노비츠키를 출전시켰으면 좋겠군요. 핀리의 노쇠화가 눈에 띄는 이시점에서 확실히 믿을 수 있는 선수는 이제 노비츠키뿐입니다. 팀의 확실한 에이스로써 보호해줄건 주고, 나설건 나서줘야 할듯. 믿는다 노비츠키!