Sweatin' Bullets: The Not-So-Glorious Return

Last season we ran a feature called Sweatin’ Bullets in which I provided  observations, theories, and general points about the latest game. We got a lot of good feedback like, “You’re not as funny as you think you are” and “What are you, drunk?” So for tonight’s matchup with the Mavericks, we’re bringing it back. Enjoy.

• If side-by-side televisions were in your living room and one of them was airing this game while the other was airing Danny Granger and Dirk Nowitzki playing one-on-one, which one do you think you’d stare at more?

• Lance Stephenson was just a little 10-year-old when Vince Carter won the Slam Dunk Contest. Stephenson was probably more of a Gerald Green-era Dunk Contest type of guy.

• There seem to be some big guys in the NBA that are “fake tough” in the words of Kevin Durant. I wouldn’t include Elton Brand or David West on that list.

• One year of Chris Kaman for $8 million or four years of Roy Hibbert for $58 million? I’m not commenting either way, I’m just asking. Friday’s stats? Kaman: 8 points, 10 rebounds. Hibbert: 14 points, 8 rebounds.

• I had the pleasure of talking to Dahntay Jones last Wednesday before the Mavericks played the Washington Wizards. I took the liberty of speaking for all of you when I told him how much he was loved in Indiana. His response: “I think they appreciated that I gave my heart and soul and played hard every night.I tried to do the right thing, on and off the court. The people were really supportive and we did some special things together.”

• If Bernard James keeps playing well as a reserve big man then the Mavericks might be able to flip him to the Pacers for a starting-caliber point guard and a defensive specialist in a year or two. He’ll need to start committing more fouls though.

• It would surprise me if Nowitzki’s return solved the Mavericks’ rebounding problems (19th in the NBA).

• It would surprise me if Granger’s return solved the Pacers’ passing problem (29th in assists, tied for 4th most turnovers per game).

• Jae Crowder kind of seems like the remixed version of Hansbrough. Or maybe they just both hustle. Yeah, that’s probably the only similarity.

• Defense and rebounding are supposed to be the reasons that Paul George is more of a commodity than O.J. Mayo. Are they enough to make up for eight more points per game scored by Mayo? On Friday Mayo had 19 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists. George had 11 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists.

• Mavericks’ announcer Mark Followill tells a story of Lance Stephenson challenging O.J. Mayo to a game of one-on-one back in their AAU days. Apparently Mayo claims that he “handled his business.” No matter what the truth is, Stephenson’s side of the story would definitely be interesting.

• The Mavs’ Troy Murphy/Vince Carter/Roddy Beaubois/Bernard James/OJ Mayo lineup is not exactly a defensive juggernaut.

• Beaubois splits defenders just like Dwyane Wade, except he usually falls down and injures himself in the process.

• Mavericks played a ton of one-on-one in the second half.

• Hibbert straight murked Troy Murphy in the fourth quarter. NBA big men, you have been put on notice …

• In the first head-to-head matchup between Collison and George Hill these are the results. Hill: 15 points off of 5-for-7 shooting, seven assists, and five rebounds in a win. Collison: 10 points off of 2-for-10 shooting and four assists in a loss. Advantage Hill.

• This looked more like a game that Dallas stopped trying to win than a game that Indiana earned, but you still have to credit the Pacers’ defense. And don’t think that scoring 103 points won’t help this team’s confidence.

• Most promising sign to me: Lance Stephenson. The guy looked confident, which is no surprise. But he delivered against the Mavericks. He was efficient while avoiding bad shots and was great in transition. Scoring 12 points won’t exactly make headlines, but he kept the Dallas defense honest. Basically he did exactly what the Mavericks want from Vince Carter, but rarely get.