Reply With Quote
quack quack
No drama this time -- Mavs collapse early
By JAIME ARON, AP Sports Writer
MIAMI (AP) -- With an arena full of white-clad fans on their feet, one sat glumly in the front row, slumped back with arms crossed over his black shirt.
Mark Cuban wasn't enjoying himself one bit.
ADVERTISEMENT
Midway through the fourth quarter of Game 3 of the NBA finals, his team appeared headed for its first le. Midway through the first quarter of Game 4 on Thursday night, they were headed for nothing but trouble.
With Dirk Nowitzki leading them in the wrong way, the Dallas Mavericks misfired early and often in a 98-74 loss to the Miami Heat on Thursday night. The humiliation was best summed up by their seven-point fourth quarter; that's two fewer than any team scored in any of the 1,384 quarters in NBA finals history.
"We couldn't get much going," said Nowitzki, who scored 16 points, but shot 2-of-14, marking his fewest baskets of the season.
Nowitzki's last field goal came 1:18 into the second quarter. The Mavs already were behind, and they could never recover. Every time they put together a little run, they couldn't sustain it.
There was one possession with five straight misses. They put up three bricks in a row on another trip. For the night, they shot a playoff-worst 32 percent, going an abysmal 3-of-22 on 3-pointers.
Their point total also was a playoff-low. To put it in perspective, consider that they'd scored at least 77 in the other games this series -- after three quarters!
"I think we got the shots we wanted," said Jerry Stackhouse, who shook things up with a hard foul on Shaquille O'Neal in the third quarter. "We just didn't knock them down. ... We know we're better shooters than (32) percent."
A series the Mavericks were so close to leading 3-0 is now 2-2 and guaranteed of going back to Dallas.
The good news for the Mavs is that if they end up winning this series, they'll do so at home for the first time this postseason. But the breaking news is that after a fourth-quarter collapse and a blowout, they don't look anything like champions. All those historic stats about teams that win the first two games at home are starting to seem like burdens more than omens.
Now it's up to coach of the year Avery Johnson to figure out a way of getting them to snap out of this funk. He has two days to do so, with Game 5 not until Sunday night.
"We've been mentally tough all year," Johnson said. "You're talking about the same team that won Game 7 in San Antonio against a world champion."
Johnson tried shaking things up by inserting speedy Devin Harris into the starting lineup. He seemed to give Dallas some early energy, sparking an attacking offense that drew five fouls in the first six minutes.
But when the whistles stopped, so did the Mavericks. They were behind by five when the first quarter ended and wound up down by double-digits the entire seconds half.
They were outrebounded by 12, making it two straight in double-digits. That only happened twice all season. Dallas has won the battle of the boards only once this series after going an NBA playoff-record 17-0 in that category coming into this round.
The worst sign could be Nowitzki's struggles. With Miami making things rough on him physically, he's been held under 20 points twice this series and three times in his last seven games; he'd been over 20 in 42 straight up to then.
"I'm not really worried about my offensive game," he said. "I just got to make shots."
Now the age-old question of whether it's more devastating to lose a heartbreaker (like, say, blowing a 13-point lead with 6:34 left) or a blowout becomes a timely one in the Dallas locker room.
Afterward, though, players stuck to their talking points: All Miami has done is won its home games, like the Mavs did in Dallas; and the series is back to 0-0.
"It's the NBA finals, it's going to be tough all the way through," said guard Jason Terry. "Nobody said it was going to be easy. Give them a lot of credit for tying up the series."
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_yl...v=ap&type=lgns
quack quack
It would've been nice to have that happen in our series during games 3 and 4 down the stretch. Maybe then, the Heat would've been playing a champion instead of a team that wilts when the protection is lifted.
Eh, the better team won round 2
thats why mavs is the flukers of all time...hahahha!
Game 7 in San Antonio?
That won't mean if the Mavericks lose this series. All it will show is that you can win YOUR NBA LE AGAINST THE SPURS but when it comes winning the big games, the Mavericks will be known as the biggest chokers of all time.
Remember this, Spurs fans have celebrated THREE LES. How many les have you celebrated??
We have a history major on the forums?
He brings up a good point. I felt Dallas was better against the Spurs and earned their victory in that series fair and square. I congratulated Mavs fan then (unlike many did to me in 2003) and if they pull off this series (which is far from over) I will do the same but Greg does make a good point. Playoff victories are meaningless unless your team wins it all. The trophy is the only thing that matters.
No just an individual that's been to three nba le series and celebrations...how many have u been too?
Not many celebrations here in Memphis....
Why live in the past, though? Can't face the fact the Spurs got beat?
mavs are just idiot all the time...hahhaha!!
fluke fluke fluke!
You were homeschooled weren't you?
my point exactly...they haven't done anything yet. Literally. Memphis is like, what, 0-12 all time in playoff games or something?Not many celebrations here in Memphis
I think you missed something...Can't face the fact the Spurs got beat?
So yes, I can deal with it.He brings up a good point. I felt Dallas was better against the Spurs and earned their victory in that series fair and square. I congratulated Mavs fan then (unlike many did to me in 2003) and if they pull off this series (which is far from over) I will do the same but Greg does make a good point. Playoff victories are meaningless unless your team wins it all. The trophy is the only thing that matters.
Quite the contrary, the Xplorers were the Arena Football champs. I wasn't at the parade though.my point exactly...they haven't done anything yet. Literally. Memphis is like, what, 0-12 all time in playoff games or something?
Ahh my bad!
and you DIDN'T go to the parade?!?!?!?!
and you call yourself a fan!
:p
I'll let you know while I'm in South Beach tomorrow and Sunday at game five while you sit in Memphis.Not many celebrations here in Memphis....
Why live in the past, though? Can't face the fact the Spurs got beat?
And since all teams are measured on past success, don't you think it is kind of poignant that we talk about your team's le history? Oh wait you guys don't have any.
Yes, I was talking to Bam-Bam, not you.Ahh my bad!
Bam-Bam?
Was Pebbles there too? Always thought she was hot. :p
So basically, the Celtics own you right? Even now?
The "my bad" was in reference to the Arena Football post.
She had a cold. She couldn't make it.
Damn because she is hot.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
