Western Conference

Sporting News, The, Nov 29, 1999

Dallas

Up-tempo offense is off and running

Dallas was off to a better-than-anticipated start behind an up-tempo offense that placed the Mavericks No. 2 in the league in scoring after the first nine games. Coach/G.M. Don Nelson has put together a roster of mostly finesse players, and the league's crackdown on physical play has allowed it to get out and run. The Mavericks have caused matchup problems with their small lineup, using G Erick Strickland and PGs Robert Pack and Steve Nash on the same unit with 6-7 Fs Michael Finley and Cedric Ceballos.... Rebounding has been a glaring weakness. Dallas was beaten on the boards in each of its first nine games, although PF Gary Trent will give the Mavs a boost on the boards when he comes back soon from a slightly torn hamstring.

SEE A DIFFERENT GAME: The new rule forcing players with the ball below the foul line to pass or shoot within five seconds will make it more difficult for Trent to score in the low post. Trent used his backdown move to average 16 points a game last season. He was the team's MVP and one of the league's most improved players. Trent's low-post offense takes a long time to develop, however, much like Charles Barkley's. Trent says the new rules are for the good of the game and admits he'll have to learn to shoot quicker or come up with other moves to compensate.

--Ken Sins

Denver

Van Exel helps Nuggets use motion in offense

The Nuggets are trying to incorporate more motion into their offense. They still rely on set plays most of the time, but PG Nick Van Exel is pushing the pace in transition, and Denver is slowly starting to move the ball around more on offense.... The club has been able to erase deficits with 3-pointers; it was sixth in the league through eight games with a .406 3-point percentage. The success has come with its best 3-point shooter, F George McCloud, still searching for his shot.... As undersized as the team is against most opponents, its 9.1 blocks per game was best in the NBA through last Saturday. This is a product of the team's athleticism and defensive philosophy, which is to funnel players to the baseline, where PF Antonio McDyess, C Raef LaFrentz and backups Roy Rogers and Keon Clark wait to swat shots.

SEE A DIFFERENT GAME: The second unit needs McCloud to score. He has been too unselfish and does not force the issue once he realizes he is not shooting well in a particular game. It's hard to keep G/F James Posey off the floor with the way he has been playing, but coach Dan Issel should start McCloud a couple of times to give the veteran another crack at regaining his shot. Bringing McCloud off the bench gives him too much time to cool down after warmups.

--Michael BeDan

Golden State

A healthy Mookie makes a world of difference

The benefits of having PG Mookie Blaylock are obvious when he is playing at reasonably full strength; he pressures the other point guard, gets steals and pushes the ball up the court and creates desperately-needed easy baskets. On the other hand, the Warriors' youth and inexperience at the backup spots are hard to overcome when he isn't on the floor.... With SF Antawn Jamison becoming the team's top scoring threat, he has to be able to stay on the floor longer. Though his offense is better, tough defensive matchups often lead to foul trouble, which sends him to the bench and out of the flow.... G/F Chris Mills continues to play extremely well off the bench at two positions; defensively, he's more effective against some off-guards and small forwards than others.

SEE A DIFFERENT GAME: The team planned to respond to the new defensive roles this year by trapping and pressing more often in hopes of forcing more turnovers to protect its post defenders, who won't be allowed to be as physical. With Blaylock healthy and playing well in Seattle last week, the plan worked as well as it has all season; the Warriors were in the game until the final buzzer. If they can continue that kind of execution, they will be far more competitive and may steal some games.

--David Steele

Houston

Olajuwon's role must change to help offense

The coaches need to convince Hakeem Olajuwon to become a role player. He still can score, but the more the team goes inside, the more the game slows down. It gets to the point where the offense dies in the fourth quarter because the ball is going inside on every possession, where Olajuwon has the option of shooting or kicking it out to the outside shooters. Motion is the key, and it's not happening with the way Olajuwon is currently playing.... SF Walt Williams isn't playing horribly--the problem has been fouls. The moment he gets into the flow, he commits a couple of silly fouls and gets yanked. Williams isn't a defensive stopper, so he should just shoot the ball and call for Olajuwon or Kelvin Cato when his guy blows past him.

SEE A DIFFERENT GAME: For some reason, the team's first substitution is always Cato (or another big man) checking in for Charles Barkley, usually around the five-minute mark of the first quarter. You have to wonder if coach Rudy Tomjanovich might consider subbing out Olajuwon at that point, allowing the players a bit more freedom to run the floor and open up the game. Barkley hasn't been the most energetic runner, but he's more than willing to throw an outlet pass and let everyone else bum up the floor, something Olajuwon has not shown he is willing to do.