SilverPlayer
05-10-2006, 10:01 PM
Mavs sure they didn't see the real Spurs
07:30 PM CDT on Wednesday, May 10, 2006
By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News
The Mavericks had just shown a mean streak wider than Charles Barkley's backside. It was a few minutes after Game 2 in San Antonio, and neither the sweat nor the emotional high had dried up.
The Mavericks had out-bullied the Spurs, and coach Avery Johnson was trying to keep things in perspective while others were running rampant with enthusiasm.
"Hey," Johnson cautioned as he rapid-walked through the bowels of AT&T Center, "this is just a step in the right direction. That's all."
Having tied the best-of-7 series at 1-1 with a stunning 113-91 win late Tuesday night, the Mavericks have reason to be excited. They come home to American Airlines Center for Games 3 and 4 knowing that they can hit the curve that the Spurs always seem to throw them.
They also are aware that they may have to win again in San Antonio to advance past this series.
The Spurs haven't lost three games in a row all season. So it stands to reason they are real threats to win at least one of the next two games. They didn't have the best road record in the league in the regular season by accident.
Of course, in the regular season, they didn't have to play the Mavericks three straight, either.
"We're not 20 points better than the Spurs," Johnson said. "They're the champions. One win by a team in the Western Conference semifinals doesn't mean anything's been taken away from them."
Except maybe a little of their invincibility, a little of their swaggerand a whole lot of momentum.
If the Spurs are to regain the home-court advantage, they now are the ones who will have to come out with a remarkable effort like the one the Mavericks had Tuesday night. And they are capable. This San Antonio team is not so different from the one that won all three playoff games at AAC in the 2003 Western Conference finals.
"I know they're not going to play like this in Game 3," Johnson said of the egg the Spurs laid Tuesday.
President of basketball operations Donnie Nelson concurred.
"We don't think we found the key to the matrix," he said. "This is just one game. We played really well. Now we have to go from here."
Johnson gave the players the day off Wednesday. He said their style of play Tuesday night, when they showed more toughness than the Spurs, wasn't anything new.
"The times when our players don't show that mean streak, that's when I really get angry," he said. "I think we've pretty much had one. I've tried to bring it out of them more. A guy can miss a shot. That doesn't bother me as much as not really showing that meanness and that mental toughness. That's why we got guys like Stack and Damp. Those guys are pretty tough."
Johnson continues to get accolades for his decision to insert Devin Harris into the starting lineup for Game 2. But the harder edge with which the team played was every bit as crucial to the victory.
But, as Johnson was quick to add: "There's nothing rosy about this series from our point of view. I'm fully prepared to get back to practice, and hopefully our team will play well again."
DMM (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/basketball/mavs/stories/051106dnspomavslede.1bedb8fc.html)
07:30 PM CDT on Wednesday, May 10, 2006
By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News
The Mavericks had just shown a mean streak wider than Charles Barkley's backside. It was a few minutes after Game 2 in San Antonio, and neither the sweat nor the emotional high had dried up.
The Mavericks had out-bullied the Spurs, and coach Avery Johnson was trying to keep things in perspective while others were running rampant with enthusiasm.
"Hey," Johnson cautioned as he rapid-walked through the bowels of AT&T Center, "this is just a step in the right direction. That's all."
Having tied the best-of-7 series at 1-1 with a stunning 113-91 win late Tuesday night, the Mavericks have reason to be excited. They come home to American Airlines Center for Games 3 and 4 knowing that they can hit the curve that the Spurs always seem to throw them.
They also are aware that they may have to win again in San Antonio to advance past this series.
The Spurs haven't lost three games in a row all season. So it stands to reason they are real threats to win at least one of the next two games. They didn't have the best road record in the league in the regular season by accident.
Of course, in the regular season, they didn't have to play the Mavericks three straight, either.
"We're not 20 points better than the Spurs," Johnson said. "They're the champions. One win by a team in the Western Conference semifinals doesn't mean anything's been taken away from them."
Except maybe a little of their invincibility, a little of their swaggerand a whole lot of momentum.
If the Spurs are to regain the home-court advantage, they now are the ones who will have to come out with a remarkable effort like the one the Mavericks had Tuesday night. And they are capable. This San Antonio team is not so different from the one that won all three playoff games at AAC in the 2003 Western Conference finals.
"I know they're not going to play like this in Game 3," Johnson said of the egg the Spurs laid Tuesday.
President of basketball operations Donnie Nelson concurred.
"We don't think we found the key to the matrix," he said. "This is just one game. We played really well. Now we have to go from here."
Johnson gave the players the day off Wednesday. He said their style of play Tuesday night, when they showed more toughness than the Spurs, wasn't anything new.
"The times when our players don't show that mean streak, that's when I really get angry," he said. "I think we've pretty much had one. I've tried to bring it out of them more. A guy can miss a shot. That doesn't bother me as much as not really showing that meanness and that mental toughness. That's why we got guys like Stack and Damp. Those guys are pretty tough."
Johnson continues to get accolades for his decision to insert Devin Harris into the starting lineup for Game 2. But the harder edge with which the team played was every bit as crucial to the victory.
But, as Johnson was quick to add: "There's nothing rosy about this series from our point of view. I'm fully prepared to get back to practice, and hopefully our team will play well again."
DMM (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/basketball/mavs/stories/051106dnspomavslede.1bedb8fc.html)