Hornets.com’s 1-on-1: Dallas’ Jerry Stackhouse, Eddie Sefko
March 27, 2007
Hornets.com’s Cris Quintana and Jim Eichenhofer interviewed Dallas guard Jerry Stackhouse and Dallas beat writer Eddie Sefko, respectively, during the Mavericks’ visit to the Ford Center on Tuesday.
Now in his 12th NBA season, Stackhouse was one of the league’s most prolific scorers early in his career, but has settled nicely into a role in Dallas as one of the game’s premier reserves.
Sefko covers the Mavericks for one of the nation’s premier daily newspapers, the Dallas Morning News.
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Dallas guard Jerry Stackhouse
Q: What are your thoughts on tonight’s game and the season so far?
A: We were able to impose our will against this team early and they kind of stopped. They aren’t a playoff team; while there are teams that we are going to go up against that we’ll have to battle with throughout the game. We’re going to take positives out of this trip, and continue looking for ways to improve. We can’t get too high or low about anything and we’ve been doing a good job of that all season. We need to continue improving our transition defense, not allowing offensive rebounds and not allowing teams to get to the free throw line. We look forward to keep moving along at a steady pace.
Q: You are a candidate for the Sixth Man of the Year award this season. Do you approach games differently now vs. earlier in your career?
A: Man, I’m not gonna win an award. You have to adapt, things change during the course of your career. I’ve been able to extend my career, while there are a lot of guys that wouldn’t choose to change their mindsets and are no longer in the league. I just go out there and try to provide a spark off the bench.
Q: You posted a career-high of 57 points vs. the Bulls in 2001. Tell me a little bit about what it’s like to be in such a groove?
A: It’s just about opportunity; I still think that I can get 50 if I was taking 25 shots a game. With this team we have a lot of weapons, therefore I take five to 12 shots a game and am part of a great team.
It’s good to get gaudy numbers, and I’m proud of the 57 points I scored. It’s a great feeling knowing that I hold the record for most points scored by an opponent at the United Center. But playing for the Mavs is definitely a better situation for me at this point in my career. At the end of the day, I was dead tired and didn’t have the legs in trying to help the team advance (in the playoffs). In this situation I feel like I’m at my best. Avery does a good job of saving me. I’m looking forward to picking it up a little bit come the playoff run.
Q: What are your thoughts on Kobe Bryant and his string of 50-plus point performances?
A: I think it’s awesome. You don’t see things like that every day. He’s one of the greatest scorers that this league has ever seen. It kind of speaks for itself.
Q: What are your thoughts on the young Tar Heels losing this past weekend to Georgetown in the NCAA Tournament?
A: They’re young. Hopefully they’ll decide to stick around and go after the championship next season… they’re definitely capable. It was a game that they should have won. It was tough to see them get cold as they did going down the stretch. I look forward to talking to them this summer, beat up on them a little bit and encourage them to get back at it.
Q: You are very active in the community. What inspired you to give back to those less fortunate or suffering from disease?
A: Because I was one of those kids that was less fortunate growing up. I come from that environment. People don’t want a handout; they want an ear, someone that can relate and is willing to listen. Losing my sister to diabetes and my parents living with it are reasons why I spend a lot of my time in the offseason giving back to charities.
Q: What’s something that you learned from playing in the Finals last season, that you feel is going to help you make that next step?
A: The fact of getting there, we won’t go there with our eyes wide open, looking to cherish the moment. Instead, we’ll go in there ready to battle and win the games. It’s similar to a team that hasn’t made the playoffs before. As soon as they make it they have to continue looking to improve and making that next step to being a championship-caliber team. Once you get there, you want to get back and give it your all. We’re good enough to get there. We’ve seen what it’s like. If we get a chance to get back there, we’ll be ready.
Sefko
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Dallas beat writer Eddie Sefko
Q: The Mavericks won 60 games and reached the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history last season, but have been even better in 2006-07. How do you explain the improvements from a team that didn’t appear to have much room to do so?
A: It’s the hunger from getting beat in the Finals last year. Plus, it’s the value of experience. They got a little tougher, a little more battle-hardened, and got a few more scars on them. You tend to respond to that. All of those things combined so that they have played with a little chip on their shoulder this season.
Q: People frequently criticize Mark Cuban for some of his antics, but if you look at his era of ownership, the Mavericks have gone from one of the worst teams in the league to a club that is contending for the NBA title. What are some of the things Cuban brought that helped turn around the franchise?
A: He’s a master at promoting his businesses, especially the Mavericks. As they say, he’s the kind of guy who could sell snowballs to Eskimos. [grins] He’s an absolute genius as far as putting his product in front of people.
Plus, he spent the money. He went out and opened up his wallet, paid some players some big contracts who can get the job done. And he took a few chances. Also, Dirk (Nowitzki) and some other pieces were already here when Mark bought the Mavericks. It should be noted that he bought a ready-made team when he took it over.
Q: In most cases, the Coach of the Year goes to a head coach who takes a bad or mediocre team and gets more wins than expected out of it. With that said, should Avery Johnson win the award anyway based on what he’s done this season?
A: He’s got to be on the short list. Sam Mitchell in Toronto has done a terrific job and will get some support. I think the job Jeff Van Gundy has been impressive in Houston. But when a team (like the Mavericks) starts threatening 70 wins, I think that supersedes a lot. They still have a shot at that. This has been an absolutely ridiculous regular season, and he deserves to be rewarded for that.
Q: Should Dirk Nowitzki win MVP?
A: Yes. He’s got all of the credentials you need, and I think it’s just his time to win it. I think people are a little bit tired of Steve Nash as MVP – and of course, that’s not really fair to Steve – since he’s won two in a row. Kobe Bryant is playing at a high enough level to get it, but I think his team is going to prevent him from getting it. I think Dirk will win it.
Q: What are some of the areas of concern you see for the Mavericks as they enter the playoffs?
A: They still have to prove that they can take a really hard punch and keep standing. Last year when Miami won Game 3 (of the NBA Finals), the Mavs seemed like they were just shot mentally and that turned around the whole series. It snowballed on them. They still have to show that they can mentally get over the ultimate hump.
Q: When do you foresee this Hornets losing streak vs. Dallas finally coming to an end?
A: This Hornets team is getting better, so it’s not going to go on forever. It wouldn’t be a shock if it happened tonight, because the Mavericks are at the end of a long road trip and are running on fumes. Dirk hasn’t been feeling great physically and is fighting a head cold. Maybe the stars are lined up.
