samikeyp
05-04-2007, 06:58 AM
This is the sort of thing that can cripple a franchise. Now that the Mavs have blown this series...the franchise very well could be damaged for years to come. The only knock on their recent success over the last few years is they haven't finished the job. They had a 67 win season, but they can't get past an 8 seed. The pressure will increase exponentially. They started to unravel after game 4. Dirk was whining about things being too difficult and AJ had to slap him down for that. He has MVP talent but not that killer instinct that is required to be truly great. He may win the MVP but Dallas losing the series validates him for what he will be labeled...a regular season star. He showed signs of this in the Finals and earlier this year when he got into a pissing match with DWade over the refs last year. Stackhouse and Terry do not have too many years left. Howard is a stud but if the team starts crumbling, he won't stay. The Mavs would have been a little dinged if they went far in the playoffs but didn't win it all. Now that they been the victim of the biggest playoff upset...they will feel it for years.