Michael Finley hit a lot of big shots during his days with the Mavericks.
He hit another one Wednesday.
The Mavericks appeared locked into a first round match-up with Denver shortly before 9:30 Wednesday night. They had stormed back against Houston while New Orleans clung to a lead over San Antonio.
But Finley's three-pointer at the buzzer sent the game into overtime. The Spurs went on to win to set up the sequel to this I-35 rivalry.
No longer must the Mavericks face a Nuggets team that swept them during the regular season. Denver's youth and superior athletic ability is no longer a concern.
The Mavericks now face a Spurs team they have played well against for quite some time.
The Mavericks eliminated San Antonio in a classic, seven-game series three years ago - the Mavericks and LA Lakers are the only teams in the NBA to beat the Spurs in the playoffs when Tim Duncan has taken the court - and split the season series with them this season.
It's hard to say who had a bigger fourth quarter for the Mavericks this night - Finley or Jason Terry.
The Mavericks averaged 101.8 points against the Spurs during the regular season and shot 48.1 percent from the field. Dirk Nowitzki averaged 25.7 points and 9.7 rebounds. Josh Howard missed one game, but averaged 20.6 points and shot 53.6 percent from the field in the three games he did play.
Jason Kidd had one clunker of a game against the Spurs in a 93-76 loss in February. He averaged 16.7 points, 10.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds in the other three.
"It's a great match-up," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said. "These are two teams that know each other well. We have respect for them, and I believe they have respect for us. "We look forward to a great series."
The Spurs won't have Manu Ginobili for this series. But San Antonio beat the Mavericks without Ginobili and Tim Duncan once this season.
Ginobili's absence ends San Antonio's championship chances for this season. But any player or team thinking the Spurs will be an easy out because they don't have Ginobili had better think again.
The Mavericks don't think that.
"You're talking about a team that knows how to win," Kidd said. "You can talk about age or whatever it may be, but they have a great coach. And Duncan, (Tony) Parker, Finley, those guys all know how to win.
"We've got our hands full."
Especially with Parker. The Spurs' point guard averaged 31.2 points, 7.2 assists and shot 51.5 percent from the field in the four games against the Mavericks. Kidd said Parker should be considered for first team All-NBA.
"They have a great point guard who is not even in the MVP talk," Jason Terry said. "But this guy is an MVP. He's playing at the highest level I've seen him play since he's been in the league.
"It's going to be exciting."
And a more comfortable fit for the Mavericks than facing Denver.
Heck, no one envisioned it around 9:30 Wednesday night. The Dallas Mavericks were locked into a first-round match up with a Denver team that swept them during the regular season.
Then San Antonio's Michael Finley struck. His three-pointer sent the Spurs' game against the New Orleans Hornets into overtime and allowed San Antonio to pull out an improbable victory. And that set up this improbable and highly entertaining match-up.
The Mavericks vs. the Spurs.
Again.
"It's a great match-up," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said after his team disposed of Houston. "These are two teams that know each other well. We have respect for them, and I believe they have respect for us.
"We look forward to a great series."
A lot has changed for both teams since the Mavericks eliminated the Spurs in a classic, seven-game series three years ago. There will be no Manu Ginobili for the Spurs. Devin Harris, a key in that series for the Mavericks, has been replaced by Jason Kidd.
But the rivalry remains.
It will be fun.
"Memories," Jason Terry said. "Everything is there. It's going to be history in the making."
DALLAS — It had to be the fastest trip ever from Denver to San Antonio. The Dallas Mavericks made it Wednesday night in just a tick over 5 minutes.
One moment, with New Orleans holding a four-point lead over the Spurs with 13 seconds to play, the Mavs were heading for the Rockies to face the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the NBA playoffs. One 25-foot Michael Finley jumper at the buzzer and a five-minute Tim Duncan-dominated overtime later, and the Mavs were River Walk bound.
How do you feel about your old friend Finley now, Mark Cuban?
Of course, the Mavs had to do their part to make all this happen, too, and they did, rallying from a 14-point third-quarter deficit to shock the Houston Rockets 95-84 at the AAC.
The dramatic confluence of events sets up a rematch between old playoff rivals, Dallas and San Antonio.
Privately, this is what the Mavs had hoped would happen. Of the three playoffs scenarios they faced going into the game, sticking around to mess with Texas was easily a more attractive alternative than traveling to Denver. And between the Rockets and the Spurs, nobody really wanted to spend seven games swapping elbows in the paint with Houston monster Yao Ming.
Not that Duncan is any day at the beach, mind you, but the Mavs have been there, done that. It’s obvious they feel confident they can do it again.
So do I, strangely enough. I sense another one of those seven-game slugfests coming on, and I’m giddy enough over the Mavs’ gritty performance Wednesday night to even pick them to win it.
Of course, this is the same guy who’d started a column midway in the third quarter ripping the Mavs for letting the Rockets, who led by 14 at the time, hammer them into submission on their own court in a game that meant so much to both teams. I was in the process of describing in detail why Dallas had no chance of winning a first-round series against anybody, especially the athletic Nuggets.
Fortunately, this laptop has a nifty little delete button that I’ve learned to use quite handily.
Wishy-washy? Absolutely.
But that’s what the Mavs have done to us all season. They’ve turned our emotions into a yo-yo, up and down, up and down, until we’re so dizzy, we don’t know what to think any more.
For all their inconsistency, Wednesday night’s victory was the Mavs’ 50th of the season, their ninth straight season with 50 wins. Only one other NBA team has a streak of 50-win seasons that long.
The San Antonio Spurs, of course.
"We’re going down to the River Walk, a place we’ve been many times before," said Jason Terry, who finished with 23 points, 14 in the fourth quarter. "A lot of memories there. This will be history in the making."
Why do the Mavs have such confidence against the Spurs?
Well, Manu Ginobili won’t be playing, and that will certainly make a difference, but the Mavs would have a little swagger going into this series even if he was healthy.
The Mavs realized they could play with the Spurs when they beat them in that heavyweight playoff series three years ago, en route to the NBA Finals. Only the Mavs and Lakers own a postseason series victory over a Duncan-led Spurs team in this century (Duncan was out when the Spurs lost to the Suns in 2000).
"Getting past them was a stepping stone," Terry agreed. "It gave us confidence that we can take down a powerhouse, and that’s what they are."
The Mavs, losers in the first round in each of their last two playoff appearances, appear to be peaking, playing their best basketball at the right time. They’re finding energy from their bench and not just from sixth-man Terry.
Head coach Rick Carlisle turned to Brandon Bass and Ryan Hollins in desperation midway in the third quarter against the Rockets, trying to find some way to slow Yao Ming, who had scored 19 points in the first half and whose presence in the paint on the defensive end was clearly intimidating the Mavs.
"Bass and Hollins got us going defensively and got the crowd into it," Carlisle said. "[Bass] is a foot shorter than Yao, but he did it with his legs, his body and his heart. He really, really worked out there and he made Yao work and our defense took a quantum leap when you’ve got a guy working like that."
By the fourth quarter, Yao was obviously out of gas, and the Mavs were putting the pedal to the metal. Josh Howard, who didn’t score in the first half, hit 13 in the third quarter and then Terry took over in the fourth. And Dirk, of course, poured in 30.
The key was the Mavs’ defense, though. They held the Rockets to 14 points in the final quarter.
"The fourth quarter pretty much summed it up," said Houston forward Shane Battier.
It was a microcosm of the Mavs’ season, really. When they had to, when they really wanted to, they usually played like a playoff team. When they showed no interest or heart, when they thought they could mail it in, they played like a really lousy lottery team.
They just made the quickest trip of their lives Wednesday night and now they’re right where they want to be.
Let a fresh, new season begin and the yo-yoing stop.
04-16-2009
timvp
Re: View From The Other Side: Mavs Articles
I already want to see Jason Terry get punched in the face by Kurt Thomas.
04-16-2009
Mugen
Re: View From The Other Side: Mavs Articles
Quote:
Originally Posted by timvp
i already want to see jason terry get punched in the face by kurt thomas.
+ 1000000000101010101010
04-16-2009
Spork KIller
Re: View From The Other Side: Mavs Articles
JJ Barea has his wish come true, facing the spurms in the first round...
Mavs will destroy the boring spurms in 6 games and you can quote me on that!
04-16-2009
DespЏrado
Re: View From The Other Side: Mavs Articles
Quote:
Ginobili's absence ends San Antonio's championship chances for this season.
Thanks for the bulletin board material. Time to end the Mavericks fading chances at ever competing for a championship in the Dirk era.
04-16-2009
JWest596
Re: View From The Other Side: Mavs Articles
Dallas writers trying to convince themselves.
04-16-2009
Shank
Re: View From The Other Side: Mavs Articles
Quote:
Originally Posted by DespЏrado
Thanks for the bulletin board material. Time to end the Mavericks fading chances at ever competing for a championship in the Dirk era.
If a 4-time champion needs "bulletin board material", it's over before it even started.
04-16-2009
ElNono
Re: View From The Other Side: Mavs Articles
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shank
If a 4-time champion...
And don't you forget that...:lobt2::lobt2::lobt2::lobt2:
04-16-2009
Viva Las Espuelas
Re: View From The Other Side: Mavs Articles
Quote:
Originally Posted by timvp
I already want to see Jason Terry get punched in the face by Kurt Thomas.
I already want to see Jason Terry get punched in the face by anybody. especially when he does that little faggity plane move.
04-16-2009
mavsluva
Re: View From The Other Side: Mavs Articles
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spork KIller
JJ Barea has his wish come true, facing the spurms in the first round...
Mavs will destroy the boring spurms in 6 games and you can quote me on that!
And if you're wrong, will you promise to drive around your hometown with "I love the Mavs" shoe polished on your car? This should be a nonissue since you're apparently able to see the future....
04-16-2009
LEONARD
Re: View From The Other Side: Mavs Articles
Mavs are rollin'...Spurs aren't...
Couldn't have gotten a better 1st rd matchup... :fro
04-16-2009
ElNono
Re: View From The Other Side: Mavs Articles
Quote:
Originally Posted by LEONARD
Mavs are rollin'...Spurs aren't...
Couldn't have gotten a better 1st rd matchup... :fro
You call a 2 game winning streak 'rolling'? LOL, then the Spurs are stomping considering they won their last 4...
04-16-2009
dirk4mvp
Re: View From The Other Side: Mavs Articles
Yeah they way they rolled over the shitpile kings was real impressive.
Not much different than the way the Mavs rolled over the Wolves...
04-16-2009
dirk4mvp
Re: View From The Other Side: Mavs Articles
Mavs didn't have to have a shot clock violation fuck up to win that.
Mavs in 5. Spurs are old and done.
04-16-2009
BigVee
Re: View From The Other Side: Mavs Articles
Sounds like the players, fans and writers in Dallas got what they wanted. Good for them. We will see how it plays out.
04-16-2009
DPG21920
Re: View From The Other Side: Mavs Articles
Quote:
Originally Posted by dirk4mvp
Mavs didn't have to have a shot clock violation fuck up to win that.
Mavs in 5. Spurs are old and done.
OMG :lmao:lmao:lmao Spurs are old and done. That is hilarious. I have never heard that before. You are too funny. Too fu*king funny! You have to be the most original and hilarious person alive. :lmao:lmao:lmao
lol hypocrite
04-16-2009
dirk4mvp
Re: View From The Other Side: Mavs Articles
Got off my nuts and stop following me, faggot.
lol spurs
04-16-2009
DPG21920
Re: View From The Other Side: Mavs Articles
Quote:
Originally Posted by dirk4mvp
Got off my nuts and stop following me, faggot.
lol spurs
Who viewed my homepage?
lol ownage
04-16-2009
dirk4mvp
Re: View From The Other Side: Mavs Articles
fishsticks fishsticks fishstick! I saw it on a cartoon! funny funny funny!
04-16-2009
DPG21920
Re: View From The Other Side: Mavs Articles
Quote:
Originally Posted by dirk4mvp
fishsticks fishsticks fishstick! I saw it on a cartoon! funny funny funny!
:lmao:lmao:lmao OMG that is so funny! Almost as funny as a group up man-pleasing d-bags always posting lol after everything. Then, you post the Spurs are old, :lmao, how do you come up with the fresh material??!
lol Hugo
04-16-2009
BOHOLANO#21
Re: View From The Other Side: Mavs Articles
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spork KIller
JJ Barea has his wish come true, facing the spurms in the first round...
Mavs will destroy the boring spurms in 6 games and you can quote me on that!
aren't you supposed to go fishing already? what an idiot:lol
04-16-2009
BOHOLANO#21
Re: View From The Other Side: Mavs Articles
Quote:
Originally Posted by dirk4mvp
Yeah they way they rolled over the shitpile kings was real impressive.
JJ Barea has his wish come true, facing the spurms in the first round...
Mavs will destroy the boring spurms in 6 games and you can quote me on that!
agreed, the spurs will survive to Game 6 at least, and get ticked out by our guys in blue. :toast
04-16-2009
Spursmania
Re: View From The Other Side: Mavs Articles
This is gonna be good. As usual Mav fans being cocky for nothing. No accomplishments whatsoever, and still brag about being a superior basketball team. What a joke. Even without Manu and Duncan on one leg, Dallas will have an extremely difficult time trying to knock us out. Good luck, you'll need it!
04-16-2009
lefty
Re: View From The Other Side: Mavs Articles
I hate JT, but he and Kidd gave props to TP :tu
04-16-2009
SpursFan8179
Re: View From The Other Side: Mavs Articles
Terry and Kidd gave props to TP because they ain't won jack and never will. The Spurs expectations every year are to win championships. The Mavs expectations are to make it out of the first round. Crap team, horrible town, POS fans.
04-16-2009
Rummpd
Re: View From The Other Side: Mavs Articles
Fact is that without Harris the Mavs are a team playing over their heads and will go down in no more than 6. Parker is simply going to light up the Mavs.
04-16-2009
loveforthegame
Re: View From The Other Side: Mavs Articles
It's funny how many people in Dallas are thanking Finley for hitting that shot. They are so confident that they'll beat the Spurs. I'll be surprised if there not sending him gifts for it.
I not only want to see the Spurs wipe that smug look off Dallas face but see Finley be a big reason for it too.
04-16-2009
BigVee
Re: View From The Other Side: Mavs Articles
Quote:
Originally Posted by lefty
I hate JT, but he and Kidd gave props to TP :tu
And we all know how sincere Terry is...give thanks to God one minute, sock a guy in the balls the next.
04-16-2009
silverblackfan
Re: View From The Other Side: Mavs Articles
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rummpd
Fact is that without Harris the Mavs are a team playing over their heads and will go down in no more than 6. Parker is simply going to light up the Mavs.
Agreed. Tony should have a field day on the Mavs. With the rest, Tim should dominate and the team will use this first round to get the engine primed for the second round. I just don't think Dallas has enough to come back from being down 0-2. The Spurs should cement this series by winning the first two games at home.
04-16-2009
Horse
Re: View From The Other Side: Mavs Articles
Quote:
Originally Posted by dirk4mvp
Mavs didn't have to have a shot clock violation fuck up to win that.
Mavs in 5. Spurs are old and done.
I tell you who is old. jason kidd is old and I can't wait to see him try and stay in front of Parker. Remember last season or 07 when denver was the hottest team coming in? Then when we woke up we beat the shit out of them. The Spurs biggest problem devin harris is in nj now Fuck the mavs!
04-16-2009
Strike
Re: View From The Other Side: Mavs Articles
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spork KIller
JJ Barea has his wish come true, facing the spurms in the first round...
Mavs will destroy the boring spurms in 6 games and you can quote me on that!
Who will the Suns beat? Awwww, sorry about that.:depressed
04-16-2009
41times
Re: View From The Other Side: Mavs Articles
Quote:
Originally Posted by Viva Las Espuelas
I already want to see Jason Terry get punched in the face by anybody. especially when he does that little faggity plane move.
don't worty you will get used to seeing that "plane move" a lot over the next 2 weeks.
04-16-2009
Dingle Barry
Re: View From The Other Side: Mavs Articles
It amuses me quite a bit how the Mavs and/or their faithful think everything is just roses against SA because of the gifted '06 series win.
What they seem to gloss over, beyond their general playoff history, is that any heart and swagger that '06 Mavs team had was ripped out against Miami and then shat upon by Golden State before being swept away along with Avery.
04-16-2009
jcrod
Re: View From The Other Side: Mavs Articles
Tough series, anyone on both sides who thinks its going to be a cake walk for either team is mistaken. I didn't want to face the Mavs, Dirk and Terry gives us trouble and Josh always plays well.
Looking back at the classic '06 series between the Mavs and Spurs might not tell you much about what will happen over the next few weeks.
Both teams have undergone a ton of changes over the last few years. There will be four players on each team who played in Game 7 -- the best day in Mavs' history? -- that will be active during this series.
The Mavs have Dirk, Jason Terry, Josh Howard and Erick Dampier. Jerry Stackhouse, who played a major role in that series, will wear a suit and watch on the bench.
The Spurs have Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Bruce Bowen and Michael Finley. Manu Ginobili, who played a major role in that series, will wear a suit and watch on the bench.
The Mavs have a new coach, a new point guard and a completely new bench.
The Spurs have surrounded Duncan and Parker with some new shooters (Roger Mason and Matt Bonner). Bowen has become a bit player. They've boosted the bench with the late-season addition of Drew Gooden. But the biggest change in San Antonio has been Parker's progression from a good point guard to an elite player.
One thing that hasn't changed: These teams know each other well and don't like each other much, which should make for another memorable series.
You can make the case that Tim Duncan has been the NBA's most dominant player during the last dozen years. But Tony Parker is the Spurs that should most concern the Mavs entering this playoff series.
"He's been killing us," Dirk said of Parker, who averaged 31.3 points in four games against the Mavs this season, more than he did against any team other than Minnesota.
Notice a trend? Parker is going to get his points. The Mavs can't let him get his teammates involved, too.
Easier said than done, of course. And it's not just about limiting Duncan. Remember that Parker's biggest night against the Mavs came with Duncan joining Manu Ginobili on the bench in street clothes.
Kidd will have to guard Parker some, but Kidd is better suited to defend wings, especially when he's playing with a small backcourt partner like Jason Terry or J.J. Barea. Those two guys will have to take their turns. So will Antoine Wright. Maybe Josh Howard, too. They'll double-team him on occasion to try to force the ball out of his hands. And the Mavs will mix in some zone.
"We tried several different things," Rick Carlisle said. "He's an extremely difficult matchup. He might be the quickest point guard, he and Chris Paul. He's a great player.
"We're going to have to have multiple things ready and multiple players ready to guard him. You know, it's a challenge. It's a great challenge."
04-19-2009
LEONARD
Re: View From The Other Side: Mavs Articles
Quote:
Originally Posted by ElNono
You call a 2 game winning streak 'rolling'? LOL, then the Spurs are stomping considering they won their last 4...
