Brian Cardinal
Brian Lee Cardinal ( born May 2, 1977 in Tolono, Illinois ) is an American basketball player. Most recently, he played for the Dallas Mavericks.
Cardinal began his NBA career with the Detroit Pistons, who selected him in the second round of the 2000 NBA Draft at 44th overall position. After only 23 games and averaged 2.1 points in two years, he joined in September 2002 along with Jerry Stackhouse and Ratko Varda in exchange for Richard Hamilton, Hubert Davis and Bobby Simmons to the Washington Wizards, where his contract but after only five games was dissolved. Without NBA contract, he spent the rest of the season for the Spanish Valencia Basket Club, with whom he won the ULEB Eurocup. Due to the good performance in Europe he could get a contract with the Golden State Warriors, where he considered his statistics ago had his best year in the NBA. In 76 games, he scored an average of 9.6 points 4.2 rebounds. His Karrierebestleistungen of 32 points against the Phoenix Suns and 14 rebounds against the Chicago Bulls are also from this season in which he came into the final round for the Most Improved Player. After the season, he joined as a free agent with the Memphis Grizzlies, where he played the next four years. After he was able to maintain its values in the first year almost, he built in the following years, also handicapped by injuries somewhat. In the first two years he reached with the Grizzlies make the playoffs, but where the team was defeated each in the first round 4-0 the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks. In June 2008 he moved to a comprehensive eight players transfer to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
On 27 September 2010 Cardinal signed a contract with the Dallas Mavericks. In the 2011 season Cardinal won with the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA title. After he had next to a nearly five-minute appearance against the Lakers, only three other missions of a few seconds until the final series, he was employed here surprisingly often against the Miami Heat. He played in the last 5 meetings and was involved in the last three wins with game times of 7:24, 9:37 and 12:12 minutes. In memory it was above all his physical game on the defensive. He never stepped aside to protect yourself if an opposing player jumped to the basket. This led to the accidental injury to Dwyane Wade in Game 5, but also to some offensive fouls Miami Heat. After the season, he signed for another year.