Game 3: Dallas is extremely impressive

[Mavs<Spurs]

As everyone here knows, I hate the Mavs. Nevertheless, I have to give major props to the Mavs. I know they lost, but Dallas looks like they are so much better than Miami.
It's difficult to know where to start, but allow me to say that they are one of the top 3 defensive teams in the league and might legitimately claim to be the best. When you can hold a team like Miami, which shoots extremely well from the field especially at home, to below 50 % from the field at home, that is very impressive.

Dallas ability to penalize Miami's weakness on the perimeter (esp Jason Williams and by using the screen and roll) is telling. Dallas' defense has made an already turnover prone Miami team look extremely weak with the ball. It is almost surprising when Miami gets a shot up. For that reason (so many turnovers resulting in fewer shot attempts), it does not matter if Miami gets a lot of high percentage shots up. Moreover, they have been particularly effective in defending Miami, holding them to a low field goal percentage.

Furthermore, Dallas looks like the smarter team and Miami looks stupid. So many fundamentals of basketball violated, it looks like they need to watch the Steve Nash video or go to basketball camp. Jumping with the basketball prior to making a pass, technical fouls...

Shaq appears the only player aware of the problem since he is the only one who really made it clear that he is aware of this glaring weakness in the postgame press conference.

Dallas, on the other hand, really had this game won. Only a magnificent fourth quarter by Wade saved by Miami from a sweep.

Miami will not win any more games like this (ie with 20 turnovers) or very few of them.

It is difficult to see how anybody could be confident about a Miami victory in game 4 and I say that as someone who wants them to win. The turnovers have been a problem in every game, the screen and roll has been a problem in every game, the perimeter advantage of Dallas has been a problem in every game. The other players have not stepped up when Shaq has been double teamed. As a result, Shaq has been made much less effective than if he had better teammates (other than Wade despite all of his mental mistakes).

We will see what happens in game 4, but the trends from games 1 and 2 continued in game 3 and those trends will normally result in a Dallas victory (unlike game 3).

Major props to Dallas.


Go Heat.

[Shank]

Have I ever said anything bad about you? If so, I take it back. This is one of the most level-headed things I've read on this board in some time. Not looking for Dallas to be validated or anything, just feel you did a good job of taking a step back and looking at things for the way many others believe them to be.

Just sucks we're going to have to see 2 days of Wade-sucking before Game 4. It's already begun on Sportscenter. Somehow every player for the Heat is amazing and Miami is a bunch of worldbeaters now. Wade was insane and it came down to an uncharacteristic Dirk miss and a late Mavs meltdown for them to take the game by a mere 2 points.

Oh, and Keith Van Horn.

[Mavs<Spurs]

Have I ever said anything bad about you? If so, I take it back. This is one of the most level-headed things I've read on this board in some time. Not looking for Dallas to be validated or anything, just feel you did a good job of taking a step back and looking at things for the way many others believe them to be.

Just sucks we're going to have to see 2 days of Wade-sucking before Game 4. It's already begun on Sportscenter. Somehow every player for the Heat is amazing and Miami is a bunch of worldbeaters now. Wade was insane and it came down to an uncharacteristic Dirk miss and a late Mavs meltdown for them to take the game by a mere 2 points.

Oh, and Keith Van Horn.

It pains me to say this, but I have to be honest: Dallas looks like the best team in the NBA and I will be extremely shocked if they don't win this Finals and prove that to be true.

In addition to their other advantages, Avery has really impressed me as a coach. The thought process in putting this team together was tremendous. He saw this before anybody else did (or did something about it)- recent postgame press conference.

Anybody in their right mind think that Miami will win both games 4 and 5 after this game 3 with 20 turnovers? Are they really counting on Dirk to miss another free throw and Shaq to make two (or Payton's jumper at the end of the game)? If so, they will be disappointed. That was an entire series of extremely improbable events in a row just to win by 2 points when they should have been desperate (and played their best). Those multiple rare events will not reoccur. And I don't see any solutions to their problems.

Props to Dallas, their coach and their players. They came in knowing they were the better team and looking at their play, they were rightfully confident of that fact.

Just got to tell the truth, even if it is painful.

[Shank]

Well, I'd hope none of the Mavs fans can rest until this whole thing is over. Nothing will come easy in this series.

But let me go back to something I mentioned earlier - the ESPN sucking of the Heat. Payton takes 4 steps and scores his only points of the night and somehow we're seeing vintage GP again. Shaq's FT woes are over. Dwayne Wade could lose both legs and still have the heart to play on (by the way, it's physically impossible to fall down 7 times and get up 8). Rachel Nichols still hasn't blinked. It's maddening.

[Mavs<Spurs]

BTW, any of those commentators who take something from this other than the fact that Dallas is clearly the much better team are either much, much smarter than me or are watching a different finals. I am looking at high percentage, fundamentally sound basketball and I find that the better team, the winning team, usually plays that type of basketball more often than the losing team. Dallas is the team that plays high percentage, intelligent, fundamentally sound basketball.

I used to say allas (Dallas has no D). Now, I have to change it to Dallas.

You don't need my validation to perceive the obvious.

However, the fact that someone who does not even like the Mavericks can see this means that it is pretty blatant.

If you can't see this, you are as blind as the person who can't see the sun at high noon on a cloudless day in West Texas. (That's blind!!!)

[Shank]

We can tap the brakes on the idea that Dallas is an amazing defensive team. They certainly work better on the defensive end and the numbers might reflect that, but they have lapses where the D just goes to crap. We saw that a couple times in Game 3. Until I see 48 minutes of sheer effort, I'll remain reserved. I'll give them props because it's getting to where it needs to be, but no one should confuse the Mavs defense with that of SA or Detroit.

- some segment about Wade and how he saved a bunch of poor Ethiopian kids from a flaming bus en route to scoring 40+ is on deck on Sportscenter.

[Mavs<Spurs]

Well, I'd hope none of the Mavs fans can rest until this whole thing is over. Nothing will come easy in this series.

But let me go back to something I mentioned earlier - the ESPN sucking of the Heat. Payton takes 4 steps and scores his only points of the night and somehow we're seeing vintage GP again. Shaq's FT woes are over. Dwayne Wade could lose both legs and still have the heart to play on (by the way, it's physically impossible to fall down 7 times and get up 8). Rachel Nichols still hasn't blinked. It's maddening.

First, anyone who plays knows Payton's shooting form isn't good. I will say without fear of contradiction that he does not shoot well from the field by percentage. We can call him one timer.

I'm not trying to jinx them. I'm just speaking the truth. Dallas' players aren't going to be overconfident. In fact, they will be motivated by the loss.

Remember what the experts were saying about Detroit against LA in 2004?

Look at the patterns. With the trends we see (and they don't look to be changing), it is an anomaly when Miami wins.

Let them fall all over themselves about the win. It was 1 game. It required multiple miracles and included the very reasons why Dallas will win game 4.

They're just trying to build ratings.

Sometimes the experts miss the obvious. This is one of those cases.

[Mavs<Spurs]

We can tap the brakes on the idea that Dallas is an amazing defensive team. They certainly work better on the defensive end and the numbers might reflect that, but they have lapses where the D just goes to crap. We saw that a couple times in Game 3. Until I see 48 minutes of sheer effort, I'll remain reserved. I'll give them props because it's getting to where it needs to be, but no one should confuse the Mavs defense with that of SA or Detroit.

- some segment about Wade and how he saved a bunch of poor Ethiopian kids from a flaming bus en route to scoring 40+ is on deck on Sportscenter.

Our defense this postseason was not that great. No doubt the matchups made it worse, but this postseason revealed weaknesses. Moreover, Detroit's defense was not as good this year as previously.

Detroit was not able to keep Miami's shooting percentage down and did not force as many turnovers.

So, I put Dallas up there in terms of defense for a reason. I'm not overreaching. Believe me, I wouldn't give credit to Dallas unless I felt it was due.

If you want a negative, being outrebounded by 14 (?) boards isn't good.
But then look at Dampier (14 points 9 rebounds) which is almost what Shaq did. Of course, Shaq was doubled and Dampier really wasn't. Still, a good sign for Dallas.

[East Coast Babe]

As everyone here knows, I hate the Mavs. Nevertheless, I have to give major props to the Mavs. I know they lost, but Dallas looks like they are so much better than Miami.
It's difficult to know where to start, but allow me to say that they are one of the top 3 defensive teams in the league and might legitimately claim to be the best. When you can hold a team like Miami, which shoots extremely well from the field especially at home, to below 50 % from the field at home, that is very impressive.

Dallas ability to penalize Miami's weakness on the perimeter (esp Jason Williams and by using the screen and roll) is telling. Dallas' defense has made an already turnover prone Miami team look extremely weak with the ball. It is almost surprising when Miami gets a shot up. For that reason (so many turnovers resulting in fewer shot attempts), it does not matter if Miami gets a lot of high percentage shots up. Moreover, they have been particularly effective in defending Miami, holding them to a low field goal percentage.

Furthermore, Dallas looks like the smarter team and Miami looks stupid. So many fundamentals of basketball violated, it looks like they need to watch the Steve Nash video or go to basketball camp. Jumping with the basketball prior to making a pass, technical fouls...

Shaq appears the only player aware of the problem since he is the only one who really made it clear that he is aware of this glaring weakness in the postgame press conference.

Dallas, on the other hand, really had this game won. Only a magnificent fourth quarter by Wade saved by Miami from a sweep.

Miami will not win any more games like this (ie with 20 turnovers) or very few of them.

It is difficult to see how anybody could be confident about a Miami victory in game 4 and I say that as someone who wants them to win. The turnovers have been a problem in every game, the screen and roll has been a problem in every game, the perimeter advantage of Dallas has been a problem in every game. The other players have not stepped up when Shaq has been double teamed. As a result, Shaq has been made much less effective than if he had better teammates (other than Wade despite all of his mental mistakes).

We will see what happens in game 4, but the trends from games 1 and 2 continued in game 3 and those trends will normally result in a Dallas victory (unlike game 3).

Major props to Dallas.


Go Heat.

Great post!! I agree with you about Dallas looking smarter than Miami. I did not see the post game interviews, but Shaq is smarter than he looks, huh? It is interesting to me that he realizes that they are making too many turnovers, and are shooting less than desired from the field at home, and just making too many mistakes, among other things. I think that is what you are saying. Wade was insane tonight, and because I would like to see the Mavs win, I hope Wade got that kind of game out of his system for the rest of the series! The game did not look good for the Mavs early on, but then they came back to go ahead by 13 and thought, now that is what championship teams can do! I was dissappointed when they lost by 2. But when you consider that the Mavs won at home twice by double digits and could have pulled it off last night, maybe the Heat's win was not really that good. After all it was only 2 points. Enough to win, but certainly not convincing!

[Amarelooms]

Good post for once on here. Hopefully the Mavs can bounce back but losing like this can also be difficult and change the momentum. I have no doubt the Mavs are the better team but playing on the road for 3 straight...anything can happen. Key is to win one of the next two and come back at worst up 3-2. Time will tell....

[leemajors]

Have I ever said anything bad about you? If so, I take it back. This is one of the most level-headed things I've read on this board in some time. Not looking for Dallas to be validated or anything, just feel you did a good job of taking a step back and looking at things for the way many others believe them to be.

Just sucks we're going to have to see 2 days of Wade-sucking before Game 4. It's already begun on Sportscenter. Somehow every player for the Heat is amazing and Miami is a bunch of worldbeaters now. Wade was insane and it came down to an uncharacteristic Dirk miss and a late Mavs meltdown for them to take the game by a mere 2 points.

Oh, and Keith Van Horn.

wade deserves all the credit in the world for that performance. is it really any different than the constant mav-sucking we have been subjected to for the last couple of weeks? sportscenter is sportscenter, i am just glad stuart scott isn't hosting it much anymore.

[Islymore]

Great post Manurules... I have to give you major props... Bc I know how much it is like torture to actually add that D to allas... Lol.

No but fareal - I pegged this game to be the one that Dallas losses. Miami just had too much motivation at home with their fans, on their court. I still believe this series is going only 6 games.

DWade was a beast last night, with 5 fouls for the remaining what? 4 mins? He put the Heat on his back and made sure they walked away with a win. Shaq even came to play and Walker shuffled his feet way too much for my personal liking. Even the Mitten showed up for his one shot! So the Heat played okay.

I dont think that game should be that much motivation however. Bc Dallas played horribly. Defensively and offensively. And even with Miami rolling offensively - they still only won by 2 pts, 2 pts that I attribute to a stupid foul in the final minute of the game. I'm sure AJ will wear them out with watchin footage and practicing. It was just an off night. And then when the Mavs had the lead, they seemed to suddenly start playing carelessly - like they too wanted Miami to win. It happens. But I should think that ppl realize Dallas has a knack for winning on the road EVEN IN THE PLAYOFFS and ppl shouldnt think Miami is gonna win all 3 in a row...

Im saddened by the fact that Josh's 25-0 stat is officially broken... but I'll take the 1 loss... and still root for him to hit his 20 pts.

[1Parker1]

Apparently the Mavs don't suck. I guess it's time to change my sig...

[leemajors]

Great post!! I agree with you about Dallas looking smarter than Miami. I did not see the post game interviews, but Shaq is smarter than he looks, huh? It is interesting to me that he realizes that they are making too many turnovers, and are shooting less than desired from the field at home, and just making too many mistakes, among other things. I think that is what you are saying. Wade was insane tonight, and because I would like to see the Mavs win, I hope Wade got that kind of game out of his system for the rest of the series! The game did not look good for the Mavs early on, but then they came back to go ahead by 13 and thought, now that is what championship teams can do! I was dissappointed when they lost by 2. But when you consider that the Mavs won at home twice by double digits and could have pulled it off last night, maybe the Heat's win was not really that good. After all it was only 2 points. Enough to win, but certainly not convincing!

dallas always does enough to hang around, save for the one game phoenix blew them out. they do a great job at not letting the opponent get out to a huge lead. miami probably can't win convincingly at this point, and even if they were up big they don't have enough of a bench to maintain a huge lead without leaving their starters in. but they don't need to win convincingly, they just need to win. wade is going to have to keep this up for them to have a shot.

[Islymore]

Do you think that is likely @LeeMajors... Wade playin like he did last night for the next two games? Do you think that AJ wont find some way to attempt to contain him? Just askin...

AJ has been pretty good with the chess playin...

EDIT: AND SHANK -

They certainly work better on the defensive end and the numbers might reflect that, but they have lapses where the D just goes to crap. Until I see 48 minutes of sheer effort, I'll remain reserved. I'll give them props because it's getting to where it needs to be, but no one should confuse the Mavs defense with that of SA or Detroit.

Def gotta agree with you here... but I still would put them up there.
Defensively - I'd say it was DET, SA, DAL... or SA, DET, DAL - whichever variation suits... So... I give alotta props to them - but like you said - I'm still waitin to see it for 48 whole minutes. *maybe I'll settle for like 45*

[LEONARD]

Good post!!

Before Payton made that shot, I was thinking "Damn, that dude needs to hang it up!" Not after the season though...BEFORE game 4!! He's horrible...give him credit for making 1 shot when it counted though...

Not worried...the Mavs are obviously the better team...

Mavs in 6

[leemajors]

Do you think that is likely @LeeMajors... Wade playin like he did last night for the next two games? Do you think that AJ wont find some way to attempt to contain him? Just askin...

AJ has been pretty good with the chess playin...

EDIT: AND SHANK -


Def gotta agree with you here... but I still would put them up there.
Defensively - I'd say it was DET, SA, DAL... or SA, DET, DAL - whichever variation suits... So... I give alotta props to them - but like you said - I'm still waitin to see it for 48 whole minutes. *maybe I'll settle for like 45*

wade shot an unholy pct. vs detroit, i would say he is more than capable of keeping it up. it's probably more a matter of how much his knee bothers him and whether he gets enough help. if avery pays too much attention to wade it can open it up for shaq and everyone else. it's just whether everyone else can step up. i don't think avery wants to compromise his whole defense just to stop wade.

[LEONARD]

wade shot an unholy pct. vs detroit, i would say he is more than capable of keeping it up. it's probably more a matter of how much his knee bothers him and whether he gets enough help. if avery pays too much attention to wade it can open it up for shaq and everyone else. it's just whether everyone else can step up. i don't think avery wants to compromise his whole defense just to stop wade.

I think he should...

Williams
Walker
Posey
Haslem

If those guys beat the Mavs with jumpers, then they can have it...especially Walker...give him TONS of room and let the "volume shooter" got to work

[bulletedge]

Wade had an awesome game. But Dirk hasn't had a good- or even normal- shooting game in this series. If he doesn't pick it up the Mavs might have a little trouble with the Heat. Not only did he miss the last free throw but earlier in the game he missed two FTs in a row. I can't remember the last time I have seen him do that. Dirk is scoring fairly well but his shot is very obviously off.

I am still saying as I have all along that Dallas wins in six. I hope I'm right.

[MadDog73]

Wade had an awesome game. But Dirk hasn't had a good- or even normal- shooting game in this series. If he doesn't pick it up the Mavs might have a little trouble with the Heat. Not only did he miss the last free throw but earlier in the game he missed two FTs in a row. I can't remember the last time I have seen him do that. Dirk is scoring fairly well but his shot is very obviously off.

I am still saying as I have all along that Dallas wins in six. I hope I'm right.

If that happened, the stats don't support it. Dirk went 10-12 from the FT line, so he only missed two total, and one was at the end.

[Islymore]

Yeah Im with you @ bullet... I been sayin in 6 since the WCFs.

Thats my whole thot process. The Mavs as a whole havent really had a great night as a team. It's okay for one person to get hot... but what does Miami expect to see when the Mavs have a game like game 2 vs SA... or even game 2 vs Phx.

What answers will Miami have for a night when Josh and Dirk click offensively from tipoff?

That is not to take nothing away from Miami bc they played well when it came time to play well... but... I just dont see Miami playing well for 2/3 games.

If that happened, the stats don't support it. Dirk went 10-12 from the FT line, so he only missed two total, and one was at the end.

and I think there was a lane violation on one he missed, that turned into a make for him...

[Mavs<Spurs]

If that happened, the stats don't support it. Dirk went 10-12 from the FT line, so he only missed two total, and one was at the end.

What you said makes sense. However, actually Dirk did miss two fts in a rowat one point. And yet Dirk made 1 out of 2 from the line on that same trip to the free throw line . Moreover, he was not fouled while shooting a 3 point shot. Dirk's shot when he was fouled that time did not fall and he was fouled in the act of shooting.

Mystery: how can all of that be true?

Answer: think Shaq. What always happens when Shaq goes to the free throw line.



So, in this case, the other poster was correct.

[Mavs<Spurs]

Yeah Im with you @ bullet... I been sayin in 6 since the WCFs.

Thats my whole thot process. The Mavs as a whole havent really had a great night as a team. It's okay for one person to get hot... but what does Miami expect to see when the Mavs have a game like game 2 vs SA... or even game 2 vs Phx.

What answers will Miami have for a night when Josh and Dirk click offensively from tipoff?

That is not to take nothing away from Miami bc they played well when it came time to play well... but... I just dont see Miami playing well for 2/3 games.



and I think there was a lane violation on one he missed, that turned into a make for him...

You gave it away. I was leaving it as a mystery for him.

[leemajors]

i know the mavs haven't really clicked for a whole game, but neither have the heat. they played fairly well in the first half and great in the 4th, but they keep having some real clunkers in the 2nd and 3rd quarters every game. i don't think the heat will win the series, but they do have a chance, and a great chance to make this a real compe ive series. that's all i'm hoping for at this point since i don't like either team too much. i would rather the heat win, but they probably won't. if they cut down on the turnovers they could really get going after that comeback in the 4th.

[bulletedge]

Well- I'll admit to having more than a few tails while watching the game with some buddies...but I think they called a lane violation on Dirk's second FT miss so he got a do-over.

It just looks like to me that Dirk is struggling with his shot- and has been for all three games of this series. To be honest, it seems like he is- dare I say it- choking a little bit. At the very least he is way off. He also fired up an airball on his patented fallaway in the lane...from inside the foul line. Can't remember when I have seen him miss everything from that range.

Dirk needs to step up for Dallas to win. I think (and hope) that he will.