Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said that his team needs more from star forward Dirk Nowitzki when it comes to the defensive end of the floor, via ESPN's Tim McMahon:
Mark Cuban wants better defense from Dirk
Mavs owner Mark Cuban challenged Dirk Nowitzki to play with more energy and effort on defense before Monday’s game.
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
"I think we've got to get a little bit more out of Dirk defensively," Cuban said before Monday night's game against the Boston Celtics, responding to a general question about the Mavs' recent performance. "I think [the Mavs need] a little bit more energy out of Dirk, particularly when things don't start well."
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Cuban said he mentioned his concerns to Nowitzki during a brief, sarcastic conversation Monday, asking the 16-year veteran how his nap was while he was on the floor against the Thunder.
"Dirk always goes through a little slump during the year when he needs to re-motivate," Cuban said. "I think we've seen that for a couple of games, and I think he's going to come back stronger, particularly after three days [off] and those naps he's gotten in the last couple of games other than Utah."
You almost never hear this sort of thing from Cuban, who has a great relationship with Nowitzki and has said the big man will be a Maverick as long as he wants to be. He joked that he’s allowed to call Nowitzki out once every 10 years, according to McMahon.
While it's a fair statement to make -- Nowitzki's never been a stopper, but he's capable of playing smart team defense and using his length -- Dallas has been doing just fine lately regardless. The Mavs have won five of their last six games after defeating the Boston Celtics 94-89 on Monday. They've also beaten the Portland Trail Blazers, Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder recently. They're seventh in the West, with a one-game cushion on the eighth-place Memphis Grizzlies and a 2.5-game lead over the ninth-place Phoenix Suns.
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