What Do the Dallas Mavericks and Detroit Pistons Have in Common?

By Robert Wilonsky Wed., Jan. 7 2009 at 6:21 PM

Categories: Sports

A good Friend of Unfair Park says I missed something while perusing this week's issue of Sports Illustrated: the magazine's poll of 190 NBA players. In it, the question was, "Which is the most overrated team in the NBA?" I think you can see where this is headed. Answers after the jump. --Robert Wilonsky

Dallas Mavericks 11%
Detroit Pistons 11%
Boston Celtics 10%
Houston Rockets 10%
Phoenix Suns 9%

Write Comment

Email to Friend

Print Article

Related Content

More About:

Nash's stats this year (14.6 ppg/8.5 apg) are almost exactly what they were during his last season in Dallas (03-04) - when he was 29. Of course, you're probably right. I'm sure his drop in production from last year is simply due to the fact he turns 35 next month... Could you please get back to writing about baseball where your opinion actually does carry a little weight?
Sam, last I checked Cuban wasn't playing during the Miami chokejob. David, where are you getting the rock you smoke, because you're obviously high.
how are the Pistons overrated? They get absolutely no respect or media attention whatsoever. They got credited for having great defense 4 years ago but for a team that made the conference championship 6 years in a row you would hardly even know they're still playing.
What offends even more about the Mavericks that--they had the man to take this team to the top, and that man was Avery Johnson, and tried to build a bastardized version of the San Antonio Spurs! After trading Devon Harris for a soon to be has-been point guard, and firing Avery Johnson because everyone seems to listen to Dirk a little too much, and don't like being pushed into winning! I'm glad the Mavs are going to suck, and never win a title in this league. Thank god for the San Antonio Spurs!
Nash is looking more ordinary because he�s getting older -- he turns 35 next month. And, no, he didn�t win a championship in Phoenix, but that wasn�t my point. My point was that Cuban gets credit for turning around this franchise when the facts are the franchise was on its way up regardless. All Cuban has done is sit behind the bench with his Bruce Lee haircut and MFFL T-shirt, bitching at the refs and micromanaging the team. He�s an embarrassment, which is why baseball was smart to tell him to keep his clown act in the NBA.
And how many titles did Nash win in Phoenix? MVPs are fine, but championships are better. I also think Cuban has made mistakes, but he has been better for the team. How highly rated are the Mavericks right now?
Nash looks very ordinary again now that D'Antoni has left Phoenix. Nash's success was as much a reflection of the system D'Antoni ran than a reflection of his value as a player. Cuban's decision-making can be questioned at many points, but this is one place where I think he made the right call based on what was known at the time.
When Cuban purchased the Mavs, the big three (Dirk, Nash and Finley) were already on the team. Cuban later allowed Nash to leave for Phoenix, where he won two MVPs, and he signed Finley to a ridiculous contract that later led to Dallas paying him $15 million to win a championship in San Antonio. Sure, Dallas got better when Cuban bought the team, but the pieces were already in place. Had Cuban not effed everything up, perhaps he could have worked in a championship in those years.
OK, piling on Cuban is really fun, but I remember the 90s. It's been a lot more fun watching the Mavs in the playoffs every year than when they challenged for the worst record in history on an annual basis.
The Mavs are indeed overrated. The only thing that can soothe the pain is looking at that sweet, clean former logo. Changing it might be the worst thing Cuban has done to the organization, and that's saying a lot.
Great success!