Sports Radio Interviews

Rick Carlisle: “There is never going to be another Dirk Nowitzki”

If you are looking for the perfect win or the perfect way to win a basketball game i think it was figured out by the Mavericks. Sunday’s game against the Knicks was a blueprint for success for Dallas. They handed the Knicks their second worst loss ever. Not bad. Beating the Knicks by 50 points without Jason Kidd and Erick Dampier is something Carlisle would love to see while the Mavs get fully healthy and back at full strength.

For Carlisle he has his team atop the Southwestern Division at 29-15 and his team is playing well. Although Dirk Nowitzki is the “best” player on the team, they wouldn’t be anywhere without Jason Kidd. He is the leader of the team, the quarterback, the backbone. They have plenty of talent on the team, but need a guy like Kidd to take them to the next level. In the Western Conference it used to be all about the big guys, but I think now the leader or point guard can get you to the promise land. Carlisle has said numerous times that Kidd is the man, now with him leading the team and Carlisle kind of steering the ship, this could be the year of the Maverick. Or maybe they get close again and falter in the post-season, regardless they are on the path to the playoffs and if they keep the momentum, Carlisle might get back to the conference finals once again. Maybe even somewhere he hasn’t been before, the NBA Finals. Besides all the meaningful stuff on the season, Carlisle is also miffed because Dirk wasn’t voted into the All Star game in Dallas. Kidd wasn’t either and this has the coach all fired up on the way the voting happens. Even though Dirk will more then likely make the game, Carlisle is still not a happy camper.

Rick Carlisle joined ESPN Radio Dallas with Galloway and Company and talked about the voting process for the All Star game, the way Dirk handles everything the right way, and addressing any trade rumors going on with the Mavericks.

Asked if he even cares about all star voting with one of his guys getting the shaft:

“Well I think we all know there are some flaws in the system. I’d like to see it remedied. There has been a lot of talk about it; it becomes a very polarizing topic this time of the year because there are always one or two instances that are off. Hey lets come up with something that works, and if we come up with something that is a better model, I know that the league would adopt it. Two or three years ago there was a problem; there were some quirks with the seeding system, with the division winners. Hey this stuff that we complain about every year lets figure out a way to fix it.”

Asked about the drafting and play of Nowitzki despise criticism:

“You hit it right on the head, there is no question. There is never going to be another Dirk Nowitzki. This guy is seven feet tall, he is enormous. When I came to interview for the job a year and a half ago to interview with Mark (Cuban), and I had the chance to sit and talk with Dirk, when I walked in and stood up next to him, I was absolutely shocked on how tall he was. This guy is the tallest guy on the team. He is taller then Dampier. A guy like that of that size, that shoots the ball like he does and can do the things that he does, we are never going to see this again.

Asked about the trade rumors surrounding Josh Howard and if he thinks he will be a Maverick after the trading deadline:

“Yeah I do”

Listen to Rick Carlisle on ESPN Radio Dallas with Galloway and Company

Tags: Dallas Mavericks, Dirk Nowitski, Erick Dampier, Jason Kidd, NBA Finals, New York Knicks, Rick Carlisle