With starting big man Tyson chandler out, due to an injury, and the recently traded away Brandan Wright now donning a Boston Celtics jersey, the Dallas Mavericks were limited in the front court in a recent game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Can’t say anyone who followed this trade and the teams didn’t see this one coming.
So your listed, viable options going into the day, you would assume, would be the youthful Greg Smith or the veteran Charlie Villanueva, who are the only 2 other players on the team that got time at the 5. I’m not too sold on those options either.
So what did Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle do? Well he did what any other coach would do in this position, I assume. Start the greatest foreign born shooter at the center position, who’s only played 5 minutes at center all year and go small.
Here was the Mavs starting 5.
Point guard: Rajon Rondo
Shooting guard: J.J. Barea
Small forward: Monta Ellis
Power forward:Chandler Parsons
Center: Dirk Nowitzki
No wonder why Oklahoma City Thunder big man, Serge Ibaka, scored 26 points in the game. There was no inside presence to defend him.
So what do you think Dirk had to say about this?
Dirk said the following to ESPN Dallas’ Tim MacMahon:
When Coach came up to me and asked me if I wanted to start at the 5, I thought he had a few beers to come up with that idea.
Then Chandler Parsons told MacMahon what we all were thinking.
The least athletic front line we’ve ever had in the history of the NBA.
Well, at the end of the day, it worked and Dallas pulled off a victory. But i don’t think Carlisle can do this all the time against teams like the Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies, San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Clippers or a healthy Portland Trail Blazers team.
Dallas, you may need a big.
