Offseason questions: Can Carlisle rekindle the Mavs' championship chemistry?
Earl K. Sneed continues his offseason questions series, taking a look at Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle's challenge of duplicating the team chemistry from the 2010-11 championship squad.
Offseason questions: Can Carlisle rekindle the Mavs' championship chemistry?
DALLAS -- Few teams – if any – have ever displayed the kind of chemistry and comradery that the 2010-11 Dallas Mavericks did en route to claiming the first NBA championship in franchise history.
Last season, however, with the departures of several key components like center Tyson Chandler and backup point guard J.J. Barea, the Mavericks lacked that same togetherness as their title reign ended after falling to a first-round playoff series sweep to Oklahoma City.
Now, after a near-complete roster turnover for the second straight offseason, the Mavs will again try to showcase the ultimate team game. But with the additions of five off-season signees and three rookies, Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle admits that the jelling process to again form a championship-contending squad will be easier said than done.
“Having to integrate eight new guys is very challenging, on the one hand. But on the other hand, our system is going to change some and we’re excited about getting started,” Carlisle confessed.
“You know, I had this same situation going into my second year in Detroit,” he added. “We had eight new guys on the 15-man roster, so I have experience doing this. I studied film on guys. Some of these guys I’m equated with just from competing against them in the past. Personality-wise and getting to know them, that can help a little bit; spending time with these guys and talking to them about their game and how they feel about the game. And then Day 1 of training camp it’s on. And to me, it’s always easier for players to integrate into a system when they’re on the court doing it and not just hearing you talk about it. And so, we’re big on the doing aspect. We’re down on the talking aspect, in terms of getting into long dissertations and film sessions, things like that. Guys need to do it. And then from there, we’re big into team building and getting guys together and doing things to get them to know one another, so when we get into those situations and it’s a foxhole and it’s two minutes to go in the game guys have got each others’ backs. Guys know that they play for an organization and a franchise that’s experienced in those situations, has always thrived in those situations, is not afraid of pressure but thrives on pressure and wants to be in those situations. So, all those things go into it, and it’s going to start soon. It’s gonna be on and we’re gonna be right into it.”
With training camp just two weeks away, Carlisle and the Mavs will have an opportunity to begin the "doing" process. The team should also benefit from a full training camp and 82-game schedule, after failing to come together during the shortened season in the ’11-12 campaign.
The former champs also plan to take advantage of added depth with several bodies available at Carlisle’s disposal. And after adding a mixture of young and seasoned veterans like Chris Kaman, Elton Brand, O.J. Mayo, Darren Collison and Dahntay Jones, the Mavericks will again try to become the ultimate team, hoping it adds up to more hardware in the trophy case.
“We really feel like one of the strengths of this club is going to be depth at all positions and we’re excited,” the coach concluded while looking ahead to the season. “This is an energetic group. These guys are enthusiastic about being here. We appreciate that and we’re really looking forward to getting going.”
