article on Mavs road to championship

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http://www.star-telegram.com/287/story/285246.html

Not posting this to say that the Mavs will win it all this year, but just for people and other Mavs fans who do nothing but dog on the Mavs now just because they had a couple heartbreaking playoff losses. most all of the great teams in history lost in the playoffs a number of times before getting over the hump. don't forget, that this is now the 4th year that this core has been together. in 04-05, the teams was pretty much completely revamped. The Mavs are a hell of a team, whether they lost in the first round last year or not. getting 67 wins is very impressive. all teams face their own obstacles, and the Mavericks obstacle (as most other teams, including Jordan's Bulls, Isaiah's Pistons, Shaq/Kobe Lakers, etc...) was their mentality.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

should be the shortest article known to man.

[101A]

http://www.star-telegram.com/287/story/285246.html

Not posting this to say that the Mavs will win it all this year, but just for people and other Mavs fans who do nothing but dog on the Mavs now just because they had a couple heartbreaking playoff losses. most all of the great teams in history lost in the playoffs a number of times before getting over the hump. don't forget, that this is now the 4th year that this core has been together. in 04-05, the teams was pretty much completely revamped. The Mavs are a hell of a team, whether they lost in the first round last year or not. getting 67 wins is very impressive. all teams face their own obstacles, and the Mavericks obstacle (as most other teams, including Jordan's Bulls, Isaiah's Pistons, Shaq/Kobe Lakers, etc...) was their mentality.
Those other great teams lost in the conference, or NBA finals; not in the 1st round. They also progressed, improved their position until they got over that hump. The Mavs back slid. I'm not writing off the Mavs, I think they are the most likely team to knock off the Spurs, I'm just saying the comparison isn't really there.

[stretch]

Those other great teams lost in the conference, or NBA finals; not in the 1st round. They also progressed, improved their position until they got over that hump. The Mavs back slid. I'm not writing off the Mavs, I think they are the most likely team to knock off the Spurs, I'm just saying the comparison isn't really there.
In the end, it really doesn't matter when you lose. Its the fact that you lost. Everyone knows that the Mavericks were clearly a title contender last year. It's no different than saying that since the Spurs lost to the Mavs in the second round, that they aren't as good of contenders, since they didn't make it back to the finals, or even conference finals. They just met a tough matchup in an early round. Same for the Mavericks. Pretty much any other team that they could have faced in the first round would have been 5 games, or a sweep, and everyone knows it. But Golden State was a nightmare matchup. And losing in the finals multiple times IMO requires just as much, if not more questions about whether a team has the mental capacity to win it all or not, than what the Mavericks have had to face

[Spawn]

Those other great teams lost in the conference, or NBA finals; not in the 1st round. They also progressed, improved their position until they got over that hump. The Mavs back slid. I'm not writing off the Mavs, I think they are the most likely team to knock off the Spurs, I'm just saying the comparison isn't really there.

It does not matter when you lose my friend. Just like a shirt I once had said, "second place is the first loser."