DALLAS – Before any of his players get any brilliant ideas, Dallas Mavericks coach Rock Carlisle wants to make one thing perfectly clear.
Just because the Mavs have acquired one of the most dominant and dynamic defensive players in the NBA in center DeAndre Jordan, that doesn’t necessarily mean everyone else can sit back, chill out and relax on defense. On the contrary.
“DeAndre Jordan is a great safety net for us to have around the basket if we get beat,” Carlisle said. “But we don’t ever want to depend on him and think it’s OK to get blown by on the perimeter.
“One fact of life now is that with the 3-point shot being such a potent weapon, everyone’s closing out at the 3-point shooters more aggressively and people are getting beat, so having him in there is going to be very helpful for us.”
Wesley Matthews is the Mavs’ best perimeter defender and is generally regarded as one of the better perimeter defenders in the entire NBA. But even he took some gambles on defense in practice Saturday that he admitted he normally wouldn’t take.
But with Jordan behind him as a “great safety net,” Matthews figured he has the liberty of taking more chances at collecting steals out on the perimeter.
“I was reaching my (rear end) off today in practice,” Matthews said, while laughing. “It’s definitely an adjustment.
“It’s going to be an adjustment to have because as guards and as perimeter players, if and when we do get beat, our next move has to be. . .to find his man because he is coming to block their shot.”
Jordan, of course, is happy as a lark to be in position to block shots and patrol the paint like a traffic cop. That style of basketball is embedded in his DNA.
“I’m a defender, I’m a very vocal guy out there on the floor,” Jordan said. “Our defense definitely is something that we want to improve as a whole and as a unit.
“Our rebounding is something that we want to improve as a unit.”
Harrison Barnes believes Jordan will be able to assist the Mavs in a lot of different ways besides just his shot-blocking skills. He knows Jordan’s mere presence is intimidating enough to keep make would-be paint attackers have second thoughts about driving to the basket.
Barnes also isn’t minimizing Jordan’s innate ability to be a mega-force at the offensive end of the floor. Especially with those high-wire act gravity-defying lob dunks that he made oh so famous during his 10-year tenure with the Los Angeles Clippers.
“Just his ability to roll, to take up space in the paint, that’s been huge for us,” Barnes said. ‘And as we’ve seen, defensively, his ability to move, guard multiple positions, block shots and rebound, I think those are areas that we lacked last year.
“So I think immediately if he just comes in and does exactly what he did last year, he’ll help us a lot.”
Carlisle definitely knows the addition of Jordan will enable him to draw up more plays on the defensive end of the floor that will be impactful to his team.
“I can’t be more excited about a player that’s come on board in a long time,” Carlisle said. “He is a guy that brings experience, he brings amazing athletic ability.
“He’s really committed to diet and some other things, he’s trimmed down, he’s just in great condition, and I believe he’s going to be an important leader on our team.”
Jordan noted that he did slim down so he could become even more effective while playing for the first time with the only NBA team he’s played for besides the Clippers.
“I wasn’t fat or anything,” Jordan said. “I tried to do different things in the summertime to improve my body.
“Over the course of a long season I want to be able to be healthy and agile for these guys, and not only for these guys but for myself. And now being an old man at 30, I want to be able to be light, be quick and be injury-free throughout this season.”
In addition to taking advantage of Jordan’s massive presence on defense, Carlisle will utilize Jordan on the offensive end of the court more than the Clippers did.
“He needs to become more of a lane threat to catch the ball and attack the rim when people switch,” Carlisle said. “We’re entering a realm now where over 50 percent of the teams this year will be switch teams.
“And when small guys switch on DeAndre Jordan on rolls, we’re going to have to engage him, throw it up, and he’s going to have to attack.”
In other words, under Carlisle, not only will Jordan be a threat on the defensive end of the floor. But he’ll also be a major threat on the offensive end of the floor.
NOTES: Forward Dirk Nowitzki is not at full strength as of yet. Thus, the Mavs will be very careful before they throw him into a full workout session during training camp. Nowitzki missed the final four games last season due to left ankle surgery. And during Media Day on Friday, Nowitzki said his tendons were a little sore in his ankle. “He’s going to be very limited for at least the first few days,” Carlisle said. “He did a little light shooting and lifting today. He continues to make progress, but it’s going to take some time. He did very little today. So, we’ll just move this along slowly.”. .Guard/forward Wesley Matthews said getting healthy and getting back to where he can trust his body was his No. 1 priority over the offseason. Matthews fractured his right proximal fibula during a Mar. 10 game against Memphis and missed the final 16 games of the season. He also said after he recovered from his injuries, he started shooting deeper 3-pointers in order to extend his range and make it tougher on the defense. “It helps because I think I’ll get more open looks because guys will be hesitant to close out two or three feet behind the line, and it helps with our spacing out as well. So when ya’ll see me shooting from the coach’s line in transition, don’t look shocked and appalled.” . .Rookie point guard Jalen Brunson said everything went well for him Saturday on the very first day of his very first NBA training camp. “I’m just really excited to be here with this group of guys,” Brunson said. “I’m having fun, I’m working work and on to the next day.” Brunson said the main thing he wants to do is just get comfortable. “Get use to the pace, get use to the personnel and create chemistry,” Brunson said. “That’s really important.”…..Wesley Matthews said of the upcoming season: ”It’s not going to be about the offense. It’s going to be about the defense. With the starting lineup we’ve got guys that can throw it up, four guys that can bring it up, four guys that can create a problem, and then we’ve got a gorilla that can go anything off the backboard and protect the paint for us. So we’ve got to get the stops. It’s all going to start with our defense. Obviously, we’ve been saying that for years, but more-so now than ever.”
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