Muhammad Ali: Remembering The Greatest

Rest In Heaven Ali. 

The Willie P Show Episode 3: Western Conference Finals

The Willie P Show Episode 3: Western Conference Finals

Chicago Sky Beat Dallas Wings 92-87

Chicago Sky Beat Dallas Wings 92-87. D210TV has all the highlights...

Wings Fall to Atlanta 102-93

Coach Fred Williams addresses the team as the Dallas Wings fall to the Atlanta Dream 102-93. Wings are now 3-2 on the season. Photo credit: Layne Murdoch

The Wings Fall to the Atlanta Dream 102-93

by Willie Pointer

 Atlanta Dream player Angel McCoughtry got the scoring started in the game with a drive to the hole in which she was foul by Erin Phillips of the Wings. The wings get on the board with 8:30 left in the quarter from two free throws by Erin Phillips. Courtney Paris fouls Elizabeth Williams  for a three point play with 7:45 left in the quarter. McCoughtry cans another jumper to put the dream up by seven midway through the period.

      

 Sims and the wings have turn the ball over three times in the first six min of the game, while the dream have capitalized off the wings miscues. Dreams Angel McCoughtry dazzles the crowd with one of her signature moves as she blow past sims to put the dream up by eight with 2:25 left in the first period. 

      

 Aerial Powers has come off the bench and put in 4 straight points, but McCoughtry has punished the wings this quarter with 13pts. Plenette makes two free throws to pull the wings within six points to end the first quarter.

     

Early in the second quarter Coutney Paris split a pair of free throws to make it a seven point game, McCoughtry continues her dominance in the second as she nails a deep three to put the dream back up by eight points with 5:56 left in the quarter. Pierson gets hit with her third foul of the half with 3:50, Plenette bangs in a corner three to tie the game at 38-38 for the wings with 2:52 left in the quarter.

      

Ruth Hamblin gives the Wings their first lead of the game as she knocks down two free throws with 2:26 to play. Pierson picks up her fourth foul of the half and has to sit late in the period. Jordan Hooper scores five straight points for the wings as they extend their lead to four points. Tiffany Hayes of the Dream splits a pair of free throws to end the half with the wings leading 49-48

Early in the third Tiffany Hayes puts the dream back up by three points with a steal on the inbound play. Paris gets the wings on the board with a driving layup and cuts the lead to one point with 8:40 remaining in the third. Hayes makes another driving layup off a wings turnover to put the dream up 63-57 with 4:31 left in the 3rd.

   

Powers connected on a short jumper in the lane to pull the wings within three points with three minutes left in the game. Atlanta’s Hayes knocks down yet another big three to extend the Dreams lead with two minutes remaining in the quarter. Phillips scores a quick four points off the bench and  blocks an attempt by Meighan Simmons of the dream to end the quarter, but Atlanta leads by four going into the fourth quarter.

    

 Aerial Powers picks up two quick fouls to start the quarter for the wings, McCoughtry pick up where she left off in the third by knocking down another jumper in the lane as the Dream pushes their lead to four points. Jordan Hooper has been big for the wings dropping another big three from deep in the corner to tie the game at 80-80 with 6:30 left in the game.

     

McCoughtry misses two huge free throws with five minutes left in the game, but the Dream's Elizabeth Williams get the offensive rebound and draws the foul. with the game in the balance wings Odyssey Sims connects on a big three basket to tie the game at 87-87 with 2:45, 

   

Atlanta’s Tiffany Hayes makes a driving layup to put the dream up by opts with 1:45 remaining, Powers foul out the game with 1:35and sends Sancho Little to the line and she makes both free throws to put Atlanta up by six points.

Layshia Clarendon scores 4 quick points to put the dream ahead by seven points with 48:2 seconds left in the game. Simms misses a driving layup that could have cut the lead to four. Tonight just wasn’t the wings night as they fall to dream 102-93

Dallas Cowboys Start OTAs: Inside Look

Tony Romo hands off to his new running back Ezekiel Elliott as OTAs begin at Valley Ranch. Photo credit Star-Telegram 

D210TV takes you behind the scenes as the Dallas Cowboys start OTAs before training camp begins.

Dallas Wings Win Home Opener

Odyssey Sims leads the Dallas Wings to a Win in Home Opener. 

The Wings Prevail in the Home Opener over the San Antonio Stars 82-77. Irving's own Odyssey Sims finished with a game high 23 points.

by Willie Pointer

Tonight is opening night here in Arlington, TX for the WNBA Dallas wings. The Wings are coming off a road win over the Washington Mystics this week and they are looking to come out strong in their home opener against the San Antonio Stars.

Odyssey Sims got the wings scoring started with  two free throws to start the game as she was very aggressive early, Plenette Pierson added a small jumper in the lane for two of her first quarter points as the wings take an early first quarter lead.

Hometown player Sims put the wings up by two with seven minutes left in the first quarter and Karma Christmas put the Wings up by eight with a three point play in the lane late in the opening quarter. Sims would knock down another big three and the wings end the first quarter with a seven point lead over San Antonio Stars.

The second quarter got off to a rocky start for the Wings as their lead was cut to only five points early in the quarter. Sydney Colson draws the San Antonio Stars closer with a three point play with five minutes left in the half. The games got a little chippy when Kayla Alexander of the Stars commits an offensive foul in the second quarter which sending her to the bench with three early fouls. Rookie Ariel Powers gave the Wings a spark off the bench with 10 tough points in the first half to give Dallas a eight point lead at the half. 42-34.

 The second half got started like the first half did with Sims connecting on a pair of free throws giving her 14 points so far in the contest. Dallas pushed the lead out to 13 behind Plenette Piersons layup. Both teams traded baskets as they battled through some tough calls from the officials. Meanwhile the third quarter ends with Sims making a strong move in the paint to score her game high 18 points through three quarters.

 Erin Phillips and the Wings started fast in the fourth quarter to push the lead out to 17 points with eight minutes remaining, but the Stars kept fighting. Pierson made a huge basket with four minutes to push the lead to double digits. Kayla McBride connected on a big three for the stars to cut the lead to six points with 3:02 left. Sims connected on a 15ft jumper to put the wings ahead by  four with 1:45 left. San Antonio turned the ball over with 4.2 seconds left in the game and the Wings hold on to win 82-77 in their first game in Arlington. Odyssey Sims had a game high 23 points. 

Jerry Jones Ready To Embrace Life After Romo

Jason Garrett, Charlotte Jones, Jerry Jones, and Stephen Jones discuss the 2016 NFL Draft picks. 

Jerry Jones has always stated that Tony Romo will be his quarterback for the next few years, but the recent draft shows his acceptance to prepare to move on.

by Rodney Fisher

The Dallas Cowboys started the draft with two main goals:

1. Take Ezekiel Elliott with the 4th pick.
2. Trade back into the first round and take quarterback Paxton Lynch.

After a proposed trade with the Seattle Seahawks was trumped by the Denver Broncos to draft Lynch with the 26th overall pick, the Cowboys set their sites on Michigan State QB Connor Cook or Mississippi State QB Dak Prescott. The selected Prescott in the fourth round.

When contemplating how to select the potential Romo-replacement, they sought the advice of legend Roger Staubach. His advice was to focus on the intangibles like leadership and self-confidence. Prescott was a team captain for the Bulldogs since he showed up on campus.

Jerry, the ultimate oil wildcatter, has made his bet. Even if Prescott turns out not to be the heir apparent, Jones has committed to begin the search. Romo's multiple injuries took their toll on the entire fan base last year, including the Jones family. The countless camera shots of a depressed luxury box started the process to think about the future.

The belief that Romo will return to action 100% should be taken with a grain of salt. Jones draft choice of Elliott with the 4th pick over Florida State safety Jalen Ramsay signifies that Romo needs help in the backfield. With DeMarco Murray leading the NFL rushing, Romo was able to audible out of the blitz more to protect his fragile frame. The hodge-podge mixture of running backs last year let him over exposed and his injury was inevitable.

Jones openness about pushing hard to get Paxton Lynch and drafting Prescott is the fresh thinking that fans have been craving. The Romo era is almost over.

Breaking News: Dirk Nowitzki Opts-Out of Final Contract Year With Dallas Mavericks

Dirk Nowitzki is now a free agent. 

The rebuilding process for the Dallas Mavericks 2016-17 NBA season will start with Dirk Nowitzki not officially on the roster.

by Rodney Fisher

In an interview with Dallas radio station 1310 AM/ 96.7 FM The Ticket, Dirk said the following:

"We're going to sit with Mark and Donnie obviously over the next few weeks and figure out how to improve this franchise again. Ever since after the championship, we've been basically a first-round exit. We've been a seven, eight seed. We've only won a few playoff games, and obviously the goal was to compete at the highest level in my last couple of years, so there is some moving to do, some thinking, some putting our heads together the next few weeks heading into free agency, heading into the draft. So this is just one move that hopefully starts a chain reaction for us to get better again, to compete really at a high level. We'll see how it goes."

Dirk took a giant pay cut two years ago to allow the franchise to be a big player in free agency, but they have not been able to secure a marquee player. Many fans have always just assumed that he would always be a Dallas Maverick based on his own words. He also been adamant that he wants to be as competitive as possible in his last two years of his career.

This news comes on the heels of Deron Williams electing to opt-out of his player option year for next season with the Mavs also.

Trading Justin Anderson is Dirk's Best Hope

Could trading Justin Anderson be the key to winning another championship? 

Dirk’s Hope For Another Ring Here is Anderson

by Daniel A. Nash (@dfwsportshub)

I will be accused of being a schizophrenic fan; and it will be on good grounds.  Not too long ago, before the Mavs were .01 seconds from being swept by the Thunder in the first round, I wrote a blog on how they need to cut Dirk loose in order to accelerate the rebuilding process and allow him to play out his days with a legitimate contender.  Reviews were mixed.  I also criticized the Mavs for mortgaging the future by shipping away picks and young talent in short-sighted trades.  While watching Westbrook and Durant put the final nail in the 2016 coffin a few nights ago, I must say, I saw a glimmer of hope–not as much for the Mavs, but for Dirk.

Rick Carlisle is notorious for waiting too long to develop young talent.  He makes guys sit on the bench and watch when everyone thinks they should be taking reps.  It’s probably his biggest criticism as a coach.  Throughout the season, fans and media alike were clamoring to see more of Justin Anderson, the powerful, athletic wing we drafted in the first round last summer.  It wasn’t until Chandler Parsons went down for the season that Anderson got any real attention from his coach.  By the time Dallas clinched a playoff spot, he had solidified a role on the team (many argue it should have been larger), and he used this playoff series as a coming-out party to the rest of the NBA.  Catching oops, hitting 3’s, earning trips to the line, blocking shots, soaring for boards, doggedly defending offensive stars, diving head-first (elbow-first at times) into scrums for a loose ball, Justin showed everything you want to see from a developing baller.

If they hadn’t already, front office execs and coaches across the league took notice of Anderson and are now curious about what he can become.  For Mavs fans, he’s brought excitement and hope for the future of the franchise.  So, if you’re one who wants to ride it out with the Big German and try to build a contender around #41, it’s time to take trade calls for Justin.  I know…fellow MFFLs…you’re disgusted.  “He’s one of the only young, dynamic players we have.  He may be the future of the franchise.  How can you talk about trading him?!”  I don’t think we should trade him.  My thoughts on what the Mavs should do are well documented in my last post.  But if you’re going to acquire a polished veteran who can help Dirk make another push to the finals, the time is now (before next season starts), and Justin must be a part of the deal.  His stock has never been higher.

In the 09-10 season, the Mavs had a promising rookie named Rodrigue Beaubois.  He had point guard height, with the wing span of a small forward.  He had quicks, hops, and handles–potential in spades.  On March 27, 2010, Roddy burst on the scene with a 40 pt game against the Golden State Warriors.  Fans and media alike went wild!  Despite that performance, Avery Johnson, another rookie-averse coach, kept a tight leash on Roddy B, limiting his minutes and benching him at crucial points in ball games.  An underground movement dubbed “Free Roddy B” swelled among the the Mavs faithful lobbying for a larger role for the rook–with impressive t-shirt and merch sales, I must say.

Even the king fanatic, Mark Cuban, fell in love with Beaubois’ upside.  So much so that when the Indiana Pacers offered their first round pick in 2010 for Beaubois, Cuban said “thanks but no thanks.”  That pick wound up being Paul George, who is now a perennial all-star.  Meanwhile, Roddy hasn’t played in the NBA since 2013.

Of course, hind-sight is 20/20, and we now know that was a terrible decision by the front office.  So what should the Mavs learn from this mistake?  Trust your coach, and don’t overvalue potential.  In basketball, there are three roles that are essential to a contender: the star player, the floor general, and the above-average big man.  Sometimes these overlap, meaning one player serves multiple roles, but all three must be represented.  The star player is self-explanatory.  Practically speaking, they’re the best player on their team.  LeBron, Steph Curry, Durant, Leonard, Dirk…the value of these players is undeniable.  The floor general is a facilitator, with great court vision, making split-second decisions that put his team in the best position to score.  He knows where his guys’ “spots” are and gets them the rock where they like it.  He runs the offense.  Chris Paul, Kyrie Irving, Rajon Rondo…these are floor generals on their squads.  Steph Curry and Damian Lilliard are examples of players filling both the floor general and star player roles.

Then there’s the above-average big man.  I would prefer to say “excellent”, or “superior”, but in this increasingly guard-driven league, above-average bigs are nearly as useful as their elite counterparts.  This guy’s job is to protect the rim, grab rebounds, and score from time to time.  Andre Drummond, Hassan Whiteside, DeAndre Jordan–great examples of this role.  In Boogie Cousins and Anthony Davis you again find the dual role.  When all three are represented, a team is ready to do work and chase a ring.  If you don’t have these in place, you either need to develop them or trade for them.  Back to Justin Anderson.  Can he fit into one of these roles?  He’s not tall enough to be a big, although he plays “big” for his height.  He is a decent ball-handler, and his passing will improve with time, but he doesn’t appear to have the skill-set necessary for a floor general.  So, can he be a star player?  He is obviously talented, able to finish at the rim with authority or hit from beyond the arc—but can he develop into a Paul George, James Harden, or even Klay Thompson?  I’m inclined to say “no.”  He could become an exceptional role player, like Jimmy Butler or C.J. McCollum; but I don’t think he has the talent to be anything beyond that.  And there’s nothing wrong with that.  Players like that are necessary to fill out the roster of a contender; but they’re readily available throughout the league.

If, in fact, Justin doesn’t fill an essential role on the team, and the front office is intent on keeping Dirk and chasing a title, Anderson has to be at the center of trade talks.  After high-flying for boards and buckets, frustrating Durant, and fronting Westbrook this last series, his star shines as bright as ever.  If he is traded, it needs to be in a deal that brings a floor general, an above-average big, or a potential star.  If he isn’t, and Dirk finishes his years in Dallas, get ready for more futility and frustration; just start designing the “Free Justin Anderson” gear now.

Follow Daniel A. Nash on Twitter @DFWSportsHub

Is Ezekiel Elliott the New Emmitt Smith?

Ezekiel Elliott joins a unique hall-of-fame class of top five running back picks by the Dallas Cowboys. 

The Dallas Cowboys selected Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott with the fourth overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. Now, the comparisons to other first round running back draft picks begin...

by Rodney Fisher

The Dallas Cowboys have only drafted a running back with within the first 5 picks twice: Tony Dorsett and Emmitt Smith.

Although Elliott is bigger, faster, and stronger than Smith was coming out of Florida, many fans believe that he will be the needed "triplet" piece to return the franchise to 90's dominance standards. More impressive than his stats is his leadership ability on a high ego team like Ohio State. When he did not feel he was being utilized enough on offense he spoke up. When the team needed someone to carry the load on or off the field, Zeke raised his hand first.That quality alone makes him more Emmitt-like than DeMarco Murray was.

NTXGame Podcast Network Hosts Needed

We are proud to announce our new NTXGame Podcast Network debuting this summer. Podcasts will be team/sport specific to North Texas.

We are currently looking for podcast hosts to add to our growing network. Please send all inquires by email to rfsportsradio@gmail.com

2016-17 NTXGame Podcast Lineup

• The Late Shift (Dallas Mavericks/NBA)
• Silver and Blue Nation (Dallas Cowboys/NFL) 
• The Ballpark (Texas Rangers/MLB)
• Stars on Ice (Dallas Stars/NHL)
• NTXGame Weekly (North Texas High School Sports)
• Football Club (FC Dallas/MLS)
• Wings Over Dallas (Dallas Wings/WNBA)

Maverick Fans Do Not Want Chandler Parsons

Chandler Parsons is not a fan favorite right now, but what injured player is. 

Regardless of what Mark Cuban and Chandler Parsons may say about his status with the team long-term, in a social media poll 73% of fans do not want him to stay with the team.

by Rodney Fisher

Human beings tend to live in the moment. MFFLs seem to be no different. In a poll conducting on social media this week 73% of 1,218 Mavs fans surveyed say they do not want to see Chandler Parsons remain with the team after this season for various reasons.

This comes off the heels of Mark Cuban's impromptu pregame press conference saying he wants Parsons to be here a long time if healthy.

"Everything presumes that he's healthy, and that's going to depend on his recovery and what the doctors say. I want him to be a long, long, long, long part of the franchise."

Parsons also joined the broadcast team during their home victory over the New York Knicks to proclaim the same, somewhat.

"I love Dallas...we will see this summer."

Chandler coming to Dallas over the summer of 2014 signified the turning point for the Mavericks franchise with signing free agents. Since winning the championship in 2011, the team had not been able to woe any notable free agents to join Dirk and the roster. Getting Chandler was supposed to open the gates for other young talent to come to Dallas.

Many Mavs fans that took our poll commented on the unwillingness of free agent DeAndre Jordan to join Parsons last summer as a bad omen for keeping him with the team.

"He can't bring anyone to play with him here. Look what happened to DeAndre Jordan changing his mind at the last minute."

Seems to be a stretch to blame Parsons for everything that happened with that deal, but fans have their own recollection of events.

The biggest reason fans give for not wanting Parsons is the money. If he opts-in to his last year of his current deal, the Mavs will have to pay him $19 million for next season. If he opts-out, he wants a max deal at 4 years $96 million which is doable because of the salary cap increase to $92 million net year $102 million the following year. All the while Dirk Nowitzki, still the team's best player, is making a paltry $8 million per season.

"He has to go. He is not worth the money! No player should make $19 million and never been an All-Star"

"Parsons can go. With where this team is (nowhere near contention), he's not worth that kind of over payment. Regardless of the impending salary cap increase, the state of the team and franchise don't warrant having him for that price."

The money is the hardest part to overcome when you talk about Chandler Parsons relative to Dirk Nowitzki. Fans could care less about the impending increase of money that all free agents will be making. They only see Dirk making peanuts and Parsons making steak.

His injury history was cited in the poll also. Parsons has had to end his season early this year due to a knee injury as well as last season after one playoff game. Dallas fans are accustomed to playoff basketball and he has not been apart of it since joining the team.

Wes Matthews has come back from a devastating Achilles injury to led the Mavs in total minutes this season. Fans see that and wonder why Parsons can not stay healthy.

"That doesn't mean he's worth it though this is two years in a row he's been hurt for the playoffs he's not worth it he didn't do anything in Houston"

Even though 73% or fans do not want him, nobody had a good plan if he was not with the team next year.

"For anyone that doesn't want him, the question is who can the Mavs actually get to replace him? No one ever wants to come to Dallas, sadly."

The Mavs have disguised signing hapless veterans to join Dirk for one last push as rebuilding. Other teams with hall-of-famers approaching the end of their careers like Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwyane Wade are all playing with young talent found in the draft. Their commitment to Dirk to build a championship caliber team gave them the leverage to have money to spend, but the current strategy is not working. With no draft pick in the first round due to the Rondo trade, this does not seem to be the offseason to change course.

If I am 27 year old Chandler Parsons then I definitely opt-out of the deal and get the Mavs to resign me for the max contract. He has already been promised a max deal from his hometown Orlando Magic. You take the guranteed money when you can.

As I mentioned, humans are creatures of the moment. It may hurt to see your team struggling to make the playoffs while Parsons sits on the bench with a designer leg brace on, but you have to continue to look big picture. One more year to evaluate the player and the league is the best option.

Barea Leads Mavs To Win Over Knicks 91-89 To Keep Playoff Hopes Alive

J.J. Barea to the rescue for the Mavs. 

J.J. Barea's 26 points on 10-18 shooting from the field to pull out a tough win over the New York Knicks.

by Rodney Fisher

Justin Anderson and Dwight Powell got the start for the second straight game looking to build off of their performance from Sunday's win over Denver. The night belonged to J.J. Barea again coming off the bench to score 26 points, his sixth 20+ game this season.

The Mavs will hit the road again to face the Detroit Pistons on Friday, but their next home game against the Houston Rockets may make or break their playoff hopes.

Mavs Youth Secure Big Win over Denver 97-88

Dwight Powell had a career-high 16 points to lead the Dallas Mavericks to a much needed victory. 

Dwight Powell and Justin Anderson lead the Dallas Mavericks to a critical win over the Denver Nuggets.

by Rodney Fisher

After losing 10 of the their last 12 games, the Mavs needed a big spark from someone. Coach Rick Carlisle has been going deep into his bench looking for someone to step up and provide the needed energy to get this team a win. Tonight, their youngest players on the roster in Dwight Powell and Justin Anderson delivered.

Anderson came alive in the third quarter with key defensive plays and shots on his way to 11 points shooting 5-8 from the floor. Powell put the game away in the fourth quarter going 5-5 on his way to a career-high 16 points. Both young players got the start tonight.

Dwight Powell on his career night:

"You got to always stay ready because opportunity is always around the corner...The guys keep telling me to keep shooting my shots and I did."

J.J. Barea led the team in scoring with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Deron Williams missed another game due to back soreness and David Lee played on 3:52 total.

"Both did a great job. Both grinding on defense and played within themselves. I felt that right now we had to make the point that anything other than your best energy or best effort will not be tolerated" - Rick Carlisle

Key State: Dallas tied a franchise record for turnovers with only four.

With the win the Mavericks move into the 8th and final playoff spot tied with the Houston Rockets who play the Cleveland Cavaliers tomorrow without Lebron James.

The Mavs will come back home to Dallas to face the New York Knicks in another must win game.

Video: David Lee Ring Ceremony and Comments

The Golden State Warriors present David Lee with his own 2015 NBA Championship ring during the pregame.

by Rodney Fisher

Warriors 47-1 On Fastbreak Points To Beat Mavs 128-120

Andrew Bogut and the Golden State Warriors improve to 65-7 beating the Dallas Mavericks with the

three-point shot and fastbreak points.

Mavs pulled close in the 4th quarter again, only to lose by 8 to the Warriors, 128-120.

by Rodney Fisher


On the night his former team gives him a championship ring, David Lee's 12pts, 9 boards, and 6 assists could not help get the win. Wesley Matthews led the Mavs with 26 points. JJ Barra added 21 points in the road loss.


Thompson and Curry combined for 73 points, including 14-28 from the three point line. Nine of the fourteen made three-pointers came from Klay Thompson on his route to his third 40 point game this season. The Warrriors now improve to 65-7 and only need to go 8-2 in their remaining games to surpass the record-setting Chicago Bulls 72-10 record.


The Mavericks decided to give their Dirk Nowitzki and Deron Williams the night off to prepare for a back-to-back road series that starts in Sacramento on Sunday. Without them, the Mavs slow defense was on full display.

Key Stat: The Warriors outscored the Mavs on fastbreak points 47-1.

Stephen Curry poured in 33 points on slow shooting night. Draymond Green logged his 29th double-double of the season with 19 points and 10 assists to go with seven boards.

With the stat line the Warriors had you would have thought the game would have been a blowout, but the old Mavs hung tough.

Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr:

“It was one of the strangest games we’ve had this year when you look at the stats. We beat them 47-1 in fastbreak points and had seven turnovers. If you tell me that before the game, I tell you win by 30. That is one of the best coached teams in the league so even when they are down Dirk Nowitzki, Devin Harris and Deron Williams they generate really good offense. We say it all the time, they have NBA players. Our defense was horrific. Dallas exposed us, they ran great stuff, they made shots and they deserve all the credit in the world, but our defense was horrific. We lost focus time-after-time. It’s strange because usually when we lose focus we turn the ball over, but we only had seven turnovers, a season low. We did a good job offensively, but defensively we were kind of a mess.”

Most of the postgame conversation centered around a possible matchup of both teams in the first round of the playoffs. Say what you will, but the Mavs have played the Warriors tougher than most teams in their 2-1 season series. Both teams and coaches took the high road to say they are not worried about who the play in the playoffs just yet.

Cowboys Actively Seeking Draft Trade

Dallas Cowboys looking to trade out of the fourth spot.

Sources within the Dallas Cowboys organization say the franchise is actively seeking trade partners to move down out of the #4 spot.

by Rodney Fisher

The Cowboys have been busy during the NFL free agency period locking up current players and adding new key position players like Alfred Morris at running back. As much as fans, myself including, have been salivating at the idea of drafting Tony Romo's replacement with the fourth pick, the team brass have been kicking the tires on a trade down to gain more late round picks.

There is no question. Not having Tony Romo and Dez Bryant for the majority of the 2015 season cost them big. There only reward was a high draft pick fueling the fire for Romo's replacement. Coming off yet another clavicle surgery in the offeseason, the team is content starting the season with him, Kellen Moore, and another veteran to be named later.

That leaves the door open for the Cowboys to add more depth in the draft versus the marquee player like Jared Goff, Carson Wentz, Ezekiel Elliott, Jalen Ramsay, or Joey Bosa.

Teams like San Francisco and Los Angeles Rams are speculated to be possible trade partners.

Why The Mavs Can Still Make The Playoffs

Pondering the possibilities of the Dallas Mavericks to make the playoffs.

Even with Chandler Parsons out for the rest of the season, the Dallas Mavericks can still make the playoffs.

by Rodney Fisher

Four teams all vying for the last three playoff spots in the Western Conference. What do the Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, Utah Jazz, and Portland Trailblazers have in common? They are all losing.

The Mavs high hopes for securing a #5 seed have collapsed since the All-Star break. Poor bench play, an experimental small lineup, and the poor play of their young nucleus of Parsons and Wes Matthews have been the biggest factors. The news that Parsons will miss yet another playoff run for the Mavs is not the death blow most fans think it is.

Looking back at how the Mavs played at the beginning of the season, you see them taking advantage of a jump-shot heavy league with Zsa Zsa Pachula surprisingly becoming an instant double-double. Keep in mind that he barely missed being the only Maverick to make the All-Star team by fan vote. For whatever reason, he has been relegated to the bench but with Parsons out the hope of running a small starting lineup with Dirk playing the five does not work.

Add in the emergence of one Saleh Majri, the 28-year old NBA rookie. He is not next great Big Man, but has shown enough flashes to twist Rick Carlisle's arm to start. This could get the Mavs back to playing the winning basketball they played prior to the All-Star break. Maybe.

Missing Parsons is not like missing Dirk. Sure they will have to rest Dirk a few games to preserve him, but he us playing great basketball right now. Now Wes Matthews can get back to playing offense on the perimeter and shooting the three. Deron Williams can put-up-or-shut-up if he wants to really reestablish himself in the league as an elite point guard. Everyone, including Javale McGee, will have to make a major contribution.

The other three teams in the hurt are facing their own problems. Houston, currently on a three game losing streak, is nursing their own injury plagued squad and dealing with a new coach with a fractured locker room. Utah has some tough games against San Antonio, Golden State, Clippers, and the Mavs to break the 1-1 series tie. The Blazers young squad led by Damon Lillard is fiery and quick, but how much can one man do.

This is the opportunity for the Mavs to galvanize as a unit and make the playoffs. An eighth seed, no matter the team, will be the sacrificial lamb for the Golden Warriors, but making the playoffs is the standard for Mavericks basketball.

Do you think the Mavs can still make the playoffs?

Mavs Release Official Statement on Chandler Parsons Knee

Chandler Parsons out for the Dallas Mavericks again...  

Sources have confirmed that Chandler Parsons will miss the remainder of the NBA season to have surgery on his right knee.
by Rodney Fisher

Here is the Mavs official statement:

MAVERICKS FORWARD CHANDLER PARSONS TO MISS ROAD TRIP

DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks announced today that forward Chandler Parsons will not travel with the team on the upcoming road trip due to a right knee injury.  Treatment options are currently being explored.

Chandler (6-10, 230) has played in 61 games (51 starts) and has averaged 13.7 points, while shooting .490 from the field and .414 from 3-point range in 29.5 minutes.  He also has averaged 4.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists.

© 2016 Dallas Mavericks

Anthony Davis is Being Too Nice To the Pelicans

Anthony Davis will miss the remainder of the NBA season and Olympic Rio Games. 

The news of Anthony Davis, the 23-year old basketball phenom, will mess the rest of the NBA season to finally fix his bad shoulder and knee disturbs me.

by Rodney Fisher

You draft a 19-year old freak of nature, NCAA champion, and Olympic gold medalist as your cornerstone building block for a franchise and a city to promote, but because you want to remain marginally relevant and stay in the conversation with free agents you allow your him to forego getting his torn labrum fixed for three years?

I don't see the rationale here by the Pelicans to let this linger so long.

"If I think about, 'Oh well, I can keep playing with my knee and all this,' I think that's just being selfish."

I commend Davis for playing through off-and-on pain in his left shoulder, but son you have to put your young body first when it comes to a team that can not make the playoffs or put adequate pieces around you. Don't wait for three more years to pass and you start to have knee trouble before you decide to finally do something.

With his partially torn labrum, Davis has still proven to be one of the NBA brightest young stars. We should all be more impressed today by his 21pts, 10 board career average.

Why do the Pelicans believe that now is the time to have this surgery done? Does it have anything to do with a $24 million bonus added to his contract extension if he makes an All-NBA team this season? Hard to do if you only play 61 games.

"Of course it came up. But nah, I told them, at the end of the day, I'm worried about my health. It it happens, it happens. I mean, it's gonna take care of itself."

This is what happens when there is no true veteran leadership on the team to guide Davis. I can't see Kobe, LeBron, Garnett, Duncan, or any of the All-Star players that he has played with telling him to let this linger on for this team. If you were a legitimate contender in the conference or a perennial playoff team, then maybe. But for the New Orleans Pelicans...a franchise that can't get him a solid coach?

This is expected to sideline him for five to six months, missing his opportunity to play for the Olympic team. This honor that only comes around every four years is too important to pass up for a young player looking to grow his brand.

"Twenty-three years old...A couple more Olympics, maybe? But it's definetely a tough situation. I love USA basketball, love when I was there in 2012, love when I played in the World Cup in 2014."

Maybe the change of heart by Davis and the Pelicans to finally make repairs will signify a postive change for both parties. Maybe the Pelicans will take their time and finally put together a team around their young star. For others in the NBA, be ready for a two-arm Anthony Davis to return...

Do you think Anthony Davis is being too nice to the Pelicans?