"This is not like last year was," Cuban said. "Losing the finals was really painful.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

...This is just the first round."


I don't know, it's been a rough time for Dallas

[lefty]

What a fucking hypocrit

[RonMexico]

Yeah, right... the Suns made it to the Finals in 93 and lost, but the losses that hurt more were the 2 series in 94 and 95 against the Rockets where they had 2-0 and 3-1 leads, respectively, and then the Rockets went on to win the title both years.

As a Suns fan sitting there, you had to think that the Rockets were hoisting at least one Larry O'Brien trophy that belonged to you. After the Mavs had this championship or bust mentality all year, shoved phamplets for J-Ho's All-Star bid down our throats and inspired legions of fans to think 67 games meant something, being the first team EVER to win more than 65 games and not even ONE playoff series has to be killer.

Cuban must know this.

[SpursDynasty]

Ouch for the Mavericks.

The only actual All-Star on the team (Dirk, who is only good for jump shooting), didn't step up or even take enough shots in the series. Josh Howard was a fake All-Star and should never have made the All-Star team. He's not that good. Terry and Stackhouse round out the rest of the overrated supporting cast of the Dallas Mavs. You win 67 out of 82, then go on to lose 4 out of 6.

Like Charles Barkley said, the first of the playoffs is to get rid of the teams that can't play good basketball.

Make some big trades this offseason. Trade Josh Howard and Jason Terry. They suck.

[Amarelooms]

Ouch for the Mavericks.

The only actual All-Star on the team (Dirk, who is only good for jump shooting), didn't step up or even take enough shots in the series. Josh Howard was a fake All-Star and should never have made the All-Star team. He's not that good. Terry and Stackhouse round out the rest of the overrated supporting cast of the Dallas Mavs. You win 67 out of 82, then go on to lose 4 out of 6.

Like Charles Barkley said, the first of the playoffs is to get rid of the teams that can't play good basketball.

Make some big trades this offseason. Trade Josh Howard and Jason Terry. They suck.

You are a dumb fuck....what do you do for a living besides make stupid ass comments lol :elephant

[SAtown]

You are a dumb fuck....what do you do for a living besides make stupid ass comments lol :elephant

See ya next season you piece of shit. Hopefully you get a little more creative then...

[Amarelooms]

See ya next season you piece of shit. Hopefully you get a little more creative then...

Still gonna be here man....sorry to disappoint. Don;t worry I'm pulling for the other Texas teams so now we are on the same team :elephant

[THE SIXTH MAN]

You are a dumb fuck....what do you do for a living besides make stupid ass comments lol :elephant
Wow take the "high road" hypocrite. :rolleyes

[angel_luv]

Whatever you say, Mark. :lol

[Trainwreck2100]

Cry me a dirty canal you billionaire piece of shit

[angel_luv]

No, it's cry me a River Walk.

That, and/ or, come drown your sorrow in it.

[timvp]

Losing in the Finals?

What's that?

:smokin

[DannyT]

rack em.....boys on a roll tonight

[SRJ]

Sad how much perspective Cuban and the Mavs have on this issue. Every year they put out some damn good teams and every year they have to compare notes on the losses from the previous years.

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

I heard that Cuban was crying. Is there any video of that ?

[samikeyp]

..This is just the first round."

Which is exactly why its worse.

Go to your favorite glory hole Mark....maybe you can make some of your mavs fans feel better.

[Ronaldo McDonald]

I heard that Cuban was crying. Is there any video of that ?

:lol :lol :lol

I can't even imagine this being true it's so funny

[CubanMustGo]

Look at the bright side Mark. You can spend as much time on the River Walk during the playoffs as you want, now.

And you can wear a t-shirt that says "I paid $105 million in salaries in 2007 and the only guy still playing isn't even on my team"

[zrinkill]

You are a dumb fuck....what do you do for a living besides make stupid ass comments lol :elephant

Look another crybaby Mavs fan .....
:lol

[ponky]

actually, it's not as bad as last year...this loss is bad but we didn't go through so much like beating the spurs, suns, getting up two games on the heat only to get so close and lose it all in stupid fashion...in some weird way it's not quite so bad because mavs didn't do shit so they don't deserve shit and anyone who has followed the warriors/mavs series knew it was a nightmare matchup for the mavs, most just didn't want to believe it outside of oakland...had we gone to a game seven and lost to the spurs in the wcf or had we gone to the finals and lost again, i'd be very depressed for a long time. i thought i was depressed last night, i'm somewhat over that faze.

[bdictjames]

The Mavs were just unlucky they got the Warriors in the postseason first round, if they've gotten the Nuggets, they could (notice the difference) have advanced.

It seems like I dont know the Mavs anymore.

[ponky]

Yeah, right... the Suns made it to the Finals in 93 and lost, but the losses that hurt more were the 2 series in 94 and 95 against the Rockets where they had 2-0 and 3-1 leads, respectively, and then the Rockets went on to win the title both years.

As a Suns fan sitting there, you had to think that the Rockets were hoisting at least one Larry O'Brien trophy that belonged to you. After the Mavs had this championship or bust mentality all year, shoved phamplets for J-Ho's All-Star bid down our throats and inspired legions of fans to think 67 games meant something, being the first team EVER to win more than 65 games and not even ONE playoff series has to be killer.

Cuban must know this.


actually, the loss that should've hurt the suns most was the loss of amare last year since you guys were so sure you could beat us in the wcf considering we had dispatched that team that likes to bully up on you, the spurs. come back in about a week and a half when your team is bumped and i'll share my can of worms with you.

[picnroll]

Tell that to the Mavs' accountant Mark. Maybe Mavs fans will get really lucky next year and miss the playoffs entirely. Lottery's are fun too.

[ponky]

Tell that to the Mavs' accountant Mark. Maybe Mavs fans will get really lucky next year and miss the playoffs entirely. Lottery's are fun too.


nah, they'll just be sure to avoid the warriors and opt for an easier spurs matchup

[Doug Collins]

actually, it's not as bad as last year...this loss is bad but we didn't go through so much like beating the spurs, suns, getting up two games on the heat only to get so close and lose it all in stupid fashion...in some weird way it's not quite so bad because mavs didn't do shit so they don't deserve shit and anyone who has followed the warriors/mavs series knew it was a nightmare matchup for the mavs, most just didn't want to believe it outside of oakland...had we gone to a game seven and lost to the spurs in the wcf or had we gone to the finals and lost again, i'd be very depressed for a long time. i thought i was depressed last night, i'm somewhat over that faze.

The immediate emotion was probably shock more than pain, but this loss has to be just as disappointing as last year. To be the only 65+ win team to lose in the 1st round has to hurt.

[ponky]

The immediate emotion was probably shock more than pain, but this loss has to be just as disappointing as last year. To be the only 65+ win team to lose in the 1st round has to hurt.

i'm being perfectly honest as a hardcore mavs fan, it's not. i invested way too much energy in going to every single mavs/spurs game last season during the second round as well as all the home games of the first and third rounds and one game in the final. when we started losing to the heat, after the second game i have never felt worse about rooting for a team than i did then. i haven't invested anything in this year's playoffs, haven't had time to other than a week's worth of games...and while i enjoyed the regular season and talked smack about the warriors, i knew they would be trouble and that the playoffs were a different matter. i talk smack as a crazy blind fan, i breakdown games with a level head. i'm bummed but it's not anything like last year.

[picnroll]

nah, they'll just be sure to avoid the warriors and opt for an easier spurs matchup
A corpse talking smack. I like it.

[ponky]

A corpse talking smack. I like it.

you should, familiarity is comforting

[samikeyp]

For fans like Ponky...I feel for ya.

For dumbasses like Amarelooms....sucks to be you.

[ponky]

For fans like Ponky...I feel for ya.

For dumbasses like Amarelooms....sucks to be you.


thanks, i can't even imagine what amarelooms is talking about right now, that dude never lets it rest! :lol

i thought he was rooting for the spurs in the next round? what's the deal? i think i'm rooting for the spurs, we must put an end to this small ball nonsense, even my bf is talking about getting a whole bunch of shooters back on the team, wtf?!?!?!?!?

[picnroll]

you should, familiarity is comforting
Truthfully, as a fan I believe you. The longer the playoffs go on the more is invested emotionally. But Cuban? He has to know that f1) his team just lost him a bundle in playoff revenue to offset expenses , 2) that's not the message the owner of a team should be saying, and 3) the psyche of this team going forward has been damaged, maybe beyond repair.

[degenerate_gambler]

3) the psyche of this team going forward has been damaged, maybe beyond repair.


that's putting it mildly..

[ponky]

Truthfully, as a fan I believe you. The longer the playoffs go on the more is invested emotionally. But Cuban? He has to know that f1) his team just lost him a bundle in playoff revenue to offset expenses , 2) that's not the message the owner of a team should be saying, and 3) the psyche of this team going forward has been damaged, maybe beyond repair.


lol, c'mon it's cuban, he knows it, he's just fronting...i agree with you except for the last part...i mean look at finley who shot 1-17 in an elimination against the spurs back in 2001, back when he was THE man in dallas...he rebounded just fine!!! :lol :lol :lol

yeah, so before anyone jump's on my ass, i was mostly kidding with that finley comment...as for the team's psyche, stack and jho will be fine, they played well and dirk will be alright once the f.o. realizes that you can't mold someone into such a role or you'll fuck him up

[nkdlunch]

he's still in shock. :lmao

[Cry Havoc]

Josh Howard was a fake All-Star and should never have made the All-Star team. He's not that good.

Um. Howard was the Mavs best player throughout the series, chief. He was the only one (besides the streaky shooting of Stack) that kept this team from getting historically swept. Howard is a beast, and I'd love to have him on the Spurs.

[Islymore]

Um. Howard was the Mavs best player throughout the series, chief. He was the only one (besides the streaky shooting of Stack) that kept this team from getting historically swept. Howard is a beast, and I'd love to have him on the Spurs.
:clap

[efrem1]

actually, it's not as bad as last year...this loss is bad but we didn't go through so much like beating the spurs, suns, getting up two games on the heat only to get so close and lose it all in stupid fashion...in some weird way it's not quite so bad because mavs didn't do shit so they don't deserve shit and anyone who has followed the warriors/mavs series knew it was a nightmare matchup for the mavs, most just didn't want to believe it outside of oakland...had we gone to a game seven and lost to the spurs in the wcf or had we gone to the finals and lost again, i'd be very depressed for a long time. i thought i was depressed last night, i'm somewhat over that faze.

Ponk, let me tell you. As an old time Spurs fan, I was sad when Rod Strickland threw that no look pass against the Blazers in 1990, but at least I look forward to improvement in the next year. When the Spurs got ousted by the run TMC Warriors the next year, I was sadder. Cuban knows this had to hurt more.

[RonMexico]

actually, the loss that should've hurt the suns most was the loss of amare last year since you guys were so sure you could beat us in the wcf considering we had dispatched that team that likes to bully up on you, the spurs. come back in about a week and a half when your team is bumped and i'll share my can of worms with you.

Actually, what's disappointing is that Tim Thomas sparked the clutchest playoff game of Dirk's career and turned the entire series. By saying we were "so sure that we would beat the Mavs," you're telling me that the guy who has gone 2-13 in an important game on the road and routinely put up 0'fers in the 4th quarter of the Finals goes off for his only 50 point playoff game ever in a game the Suns were leading and I'm supposed to be like, "yeah, the Mavs were so much more dominant"?

If you're going to try and claim that Dirk and the Mavs didn't benefit from mental breakdowns by two players (Ginobili and Thomas) to get into the Finals last year, then you're crazy. It's not just the loss of Amare, but that Suns team last year definitely could have beaten the Mavs... but they did decide to waste a lot of energy on the two LA teams.

[RonMexico]

Um. Howard was the Mavs best player throughout the series, chief. He was the only one (besides the streaky shooting of Stack) that kept this team from getting historically swept. Howard is a beast, and I'd love to have him on the Spurs.

He's as non clutch as Dirk. Kori already pointed it out: he did not have a SINGLE made field goal in the last 5 minutes of any of the 6 games against the Warriors.

Some all-star. Looks like he fired blanks with his GF too so she had another guy's kid.

[Bruno]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxhh-p3cboM

[LEONARD]

This was 10x easier to handle than the finals...

I seriously just laughed and turned off the TV and went to bed last night... *shrug*


Like Charles Barkley said, the first of the playoffs is to get rid of the teams that can't play good basketball.

Barkley also picked the Mavs...before the series...and in 5 games after game 2...

[LEONARD]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxhh-p3cboM

Wow, not bad actually...

[dallaskd]

...This is just the first round."


I don't know, it's been a rough time for Dallas

cuban is a rich dumbshit.

[dallaskd]

unless he trades dirk for garnett.

[dallaskd]

id rather lose in the finals, at least then you could say you went.

[baseline bum]

I don't think anything can be worse than the way they lost last year, which I still do not understand, even after seeing their tank job this playoff... Miami really was/is that bad. However, this is now the benchmark for choking. This is the series everyone will point to whenver the subject of NBA flameouts comes up. Dallas is to the NBA as the Houston Oilers were to the NFL.

[ponky]

Actually, what's disappointing is that Tim Thomas sparked the clutchest playoff game of Dirk's career and turned the entire series. By saying we were "so sure that we would beat the Mavs," you're telling me that the guy who has gone 2-13 in an important game on the road and routinely put up 0'fers in the 4th quarter of the Finals goes off for his only 50 point playoff game ever in a game the Suns were leading and I'm supposed to be like, "yeah, the Mavs were so much more dominant"?

If you're going to try and claim that Dirk and the Mavs didn't benefit from mental breakdowns by two players (Ginobili and Thomas) to get into the Finals last year, then you're crazy. It's not just the loss of Amare, but that Suns team last year definitely could have beaten the Mavs... but they did decide to waste a lot of energy on the two LA teams.

LMAO, ok RM, keep talking shit....see you next week at that fishing hole, don't be late.

[Bibby_Gurl]

The Fishing Hole Is The Place To Be This Summer Ain't It.

[Bibby_Gurl]

Or should I say, This Spring.

[ponky]

I don't think anything can be worse than the way they lost last year, which I still do not understand, even after seeing their tank job this playoff... Miami really was/is that bad. However, this is now the benchmark for choking. This is the series everyone will point to whenver the subject of NBA flameouts comes up. Dallas is to the NBA as the Houston Oilers were to the NFL.


That's because people are dumbasses and only casual observers of basketball. The media is in it solely for ratings and will play the 1-8 seed thing until it's dead. Dirk's no-show is a huge story and I agree that it should be dissected and bashed for awhile until nobody cares, but the Mavs' loss itself shouldn't be as surprising as some are making it out to be. Anyone who follows the NBA, has followed Davis' career, who knows how well the Warriors have played when all their players are healthy, and who knows how much the Warriors have been the only team to really rankle the Mavs these last two years, should know better but they'd rather follow the hype about the loss because it's more fun to talk smack, that's part of the reason people watch sports, to talk smack and chest thump.

[ponky]

Or should I say, This Spring.


:lol


sure is, and the suns always seem to make it right before june, sometimes they're late and come in a couple of days after, but we certainly can expect them no later than the first week of june....of course, to ronmexico, that is an accomplishment :rolleyes

[johngateswhiteley]

LMAO, ok RM, keep talking shit....see you next week at that fishing hole, don't be late.

you're such an idiot. i don't know why you keep saying phoenix is going to beat the Spurs this round...keep dreaming mavfan.

[DarrinS]

That's because people are dumbasses and only casual observers of basketball. The media is in it solely for ratings and will play the 1-8 seed thing until it's dead. Dirk's no-show is a huge story and I agree that it should be dissected and bashed for awhile until nobody cares, but the Mavs' loss itself shouldn't be as surprising as some are making it out to be. Anyone who follows the NBA, has followed Davis' career, who knows how well the Warriors have played when all their players are healthy, and who knows how much the Warriors have been the only team to really rankle the Mavs these last two years, should know better but they'd rather follow the hype about the loss because it's more fun to talk smack, that's part of the reason people watch sports, to talk smack and chest thump.


Ponky,

Why didn't the Mavs try to eliminate GS from the playoffs in that last reg season game? It seems pretty important now.

[angel_luv]

The Maverick fans who aren't really upset today are those who have resigned themselves to the fact that Dallas= Choking- end of every play off story.

[Bibby_Gurl]

you're such an idiot. i don't know why you keep saying phoenix is going to beat the Spurs this round...keep dreaming mavfan.

I Think Ponky Wants The Spurs To Win, Am I Wrong OR Not Catching On?

[ponky]

Ponky,

Why didn't the Mavs try to eliminate GS from the playoffs in that last reg season game? It seems pretty important now.


Big mistake by Avery. Guy's going to make a few mistakes, young coach. I'd love to know what he was thinking by resting the guys, like if it was just to rest the guys or also to psycheout the Warriors and make them think that matching up against them in the playoffs was not going to faze the Mavs. Hindsight is great but does nothing for you when you have to make a decision unless you remember it next time...and Avery will, he's smart enough to work through it and change some things.

[dallaskd]

[QUOTE=johngateswhiteley]you're such an idiot.QUOTE]

:rolleyes

[ponky]

The Maverick fans who aren't really upset today are those who have resigned themselves to the fact that Dallas= Choking- end of every play off story.


yeah, that's me, ignorant mavs fan who will blindly root for her team year in and year out because i know they'll choke every year after seeing it happen two years :rolleyes

they choked in the finals last year, this year they just got plain beat down by a team that his their number, no room to choke because they were never up in the series

[johngateswhiteley]

I Think Ponky Wants The Spurs To Win, Am I Wrong OR Not Catching On?

she's made reference to it in more than a couple posts...

[Bibby_Gurl]

Why're some of you Mav fans changing your teams now? That's really pussy-ish. True fans. my ass.

[dallaskd]

The Maverick fans who aren't really upset today are those who have resigned themselves to the fact that Dallas= Choking- end of every play off story.

pretty much.im used to it by now. untill cuban gets the balls to pull of a major trade or sign a big time FA nothing will ever suprise me about this team.

[ponky]

you're such an idiot. i don't know why you keep saying phoenix is going to beat the Spurs this round...keep dreaming mavfan.


:lmao....umm, i guess if the spurs are the suns and i've confused the teams...way to read carefully moron, i've only posted maybe 5-6 posts saying the spurs will roll over the suns with little problems...i was talking to ronmexico, a suns fan


JUST SAY NO TO ILLITERACY!

[dallaskd]

JGW cant call anyone an idiot.

[ponky]

Why're some of you Mav fans changing your teams now? That's really pussy-ish. True fans. my ass.


oh i'm not changing my teams, i'm sticking with the mavs but i don't just turn off the tube and stop watching the nba playoffs when my team gets bumped, i'm ultimately a big fan of the nba. i have to pick some team to root for when watching a game, otherwise it's no fun. they aren't going to be *my team* by any means, i just root for them during the series, depending on the matchup.

[angel_luv]

yeah, that's me, ignorant mavs fan who will blindly root for her team year in and year out because i know they'll choke every year after seeing it happen two years :rolleyes

they choked in the finals last year, this year they just got plain beat down by a team that his their number, no room to choke because they were never up in the series

I wasn't targeting you with my comment. I am sure Mavs have some die hard fans= though for the life of me I don't know why.
( Sorry, can't seem to help myself :lol)

About you guys getting beat:
The Mavericks can play- they just didn't this series. When Golden State won it was in great part because they out hustled your team and Dirk ( likely others) didn't perform to even half their potential.

Call it what you like- choking, under acheiving, quitting- your boys did really badly and will be hearing about it for a long time.

[angel_luv]

And actually Ponky, I do feel sorry for you since I think you really are an actual Mavs fan.
It sucks when your guys lose. So sorry for your sake.

[johngateswhiteley]

:lmao....umm, i guess if the spurs are the suns and i've confused the teams...way to read carefully moron, i've only posted maybe 5-6 posts saying the spurs will roll over the suns with little problems...i was talking to ronmexico, a suns fan


JUST SAY NO TO ILLITERACY!


...what a huge blunder, can't believe i am apologizing to a mavfan. my bad.

anyway, eat shit mavfan....and if you are not to busy, die.

[RonMexico]

Big mistake by Avery. Guy's going to make a few mistakes, young coach. I'd love to know what he was thinking by resting the guys, like if it was just to rest the guys or also to psycheout the Warriors and make them think that matching up against them in the playoffs was not going to faze the Mavs. Hindsight is great but does nothing for you when you have to make a decision unless you remember it next time...and Avery will, he's smart enough to work through it and change some things.

You were applauding him for doing it though! And then ripping on the Suns for trying to beat the Rockets and losing!

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

Anyone watch Chuck and Co. Rag Mark Cuban for saying there wasn't anything personal in the loss against Nellie, like how it's akin to seeing his friends who are going out with his ex-girlfriends? :lol

[ponky]

And actually Ponky, I do feel sorry for you since I think you really are an actual Mavs fan.
It sucks when your guys lose. So sorry for your sake.

Thanks, sorry about the Raptors...at least you have the Spurs! :lol

[ponky]

...what a huge blunder, can't believe i am apologizing to a mavfan. my bad.

anyway, eat shit mavfan....and if you are not to busy, die.


:lmao

[ponky]

You were applauding him for doing it though! And then ripping on the Suns for trying to beat the Rockets and losing!


just remember, week and a half from now, you'll be joining me at the fishing hole and don't bring your ref bitching either or i'll die laughing

[RonMexico]

just remember, week and a half from now, you'll be joining me at the fishing hole and don't bring your ref bitching either or i'll die laughing

We don't need Joey Crawford to win.

[angel_luv]

Thanks, sorry about the Raptors...at least you have the Spurs! :lol


Thanks. I am so proud of the Raps- they had a tremendous season.

Why don't you root for the Spurs with us. You might even want to keep them. :)

[td4mvp3]

it just seems inconceivable to me that this year's loss doesn't hurt more than the finals loss. they were the presumptive favorites, had beaten every other team and enjoyed some psychological benefit of that, and, if we are to believe them, thought they honestly were better than golden state. everything that made the finals loss so painful also applied to this year's loss except this year had the added ignomity of such a high record and becoming the first no 1 to lose to a no 8. what's more, there is no shame in losing in the finals, almost regardless of how it happens, because at least the team showed enough heart and talent to make it that far get their chance. the only team that could talk down to the finals runners up were the winners, but the others weren't good enough to make it. at least with the finals situation, the mavs could claim being naive about the pressure of the finals, avery's inexperience, the shaq-wade combo, the refs, the toll of battling through phoenix and the spurs, just all sorts of reasons. here, the team just gets manhandled and never adjusts, never does the obvious put-dirk-on-the-block, barely played defense and flatout quits in the second half. the finals loss had its excuses but this series' loss becomes inexcusable.

[LEONARD]

it just seems inconceivable to me that this year's loss doesn't hurt more than the finals loss. they were the presumptive favorites, had beaten every other team and enjoyed some psychological benefit of that, and, if we are to believe them, thought they honestly were better than golden state. everything that made the finals loss so painful also applied to this year's loss except this year had the added ignomity of such a high record and becoming the first no 1 to lose to a no 8. at least with the finals situation, the mavs could claim being naive about the pressure of the finals, avery's inexperience, the shaq-wade combo, the refs, the toll of battling through phoenix and the spurs, just all sorts of reasons. here, the team just gets manhandled and never adjusts, never does the obvious put-dirk-on-the-block, barely played defense and flatout quits in the second half. the finals loss had its excuses but this series' loss becomes inexcusable.

Yes, it's inexcusable...but they still had a LONG way to go to actually win a title this season...

Houston / Utah winner (no cake walk)
Spurs / Suns winner
Finals

3 tough series. Chances are greater that they would NOT have won the title than that they would've...

They were 2 GAMES away from a title last year...hell, more like 1 game about 10 min's away...

[td4mvp3]

Yes, it's inexcusable...but they still had a LONG way to go to actually win a title this season...

Houston / Utah winner (no cake walk)
Spurs / Suns winner
Finals

3 tough series. Chances are greater that they would NOT have won the title than that they would've...

They were 2 GAMES away from a title last year...hell, more like 1 game about 10 min's away...
but i'd think that the fact that the title was so close at hand would make this loss even worse. you, as the mavs, know that every other team aside from the warriors are teams you can and have beaten. once beyond gsw, despite how tough the opponents are, you KNOW you can make it because you did so last year. but then, to see that opportunity (especially with miami already out) and then not come anywhere near to fulfilling the potential, seems like it would spur some deep soul-searching and re-evaluation. i mean, they changed so little of the team precisely because the team came so close last year; how can keeping that team together be justified now? the finals defeat can still produce some pride, some sense of achievement that can help sustain and galvanize people. losing the first round, in this manner, with all the baggage that comes with it, simply seems like a bigger deal precisely because it destroys whatever goodwill and progress suggested by last year's performance.

[td4mvp3]

the other thing is, everyone knows someone is going to lose the championship. whatever team loses will always point to how close they got, but in truth, does it really matter if you lost in four games or by one point in game 7? both situations would suck but it happens. the benefit of the loss is that you build from it and go after it again. none of that happens by going out in the first round, especially with all the scorn, pressure and mockery that will follow the mavs from now on. maybe it really doesn't hurt as much right now, but 5 years down the road? it'll be a lot like that whole .4 mess spurs fans still cringe at.