Every Internet surfer has their websites. You know, the ones they check every single time they open their browsers. Email accounts. Facebook. The No Joshin' blog. You've got your favorites.
One of my go-to websites is dallasmavericks.com, the official homepage of the Dallas Mavericks. And each time the site loads, an awkward inition thought enters my mind. I feel frustration and anger toward the webmaster. How dare he not update the site to include the playoffs! Why isn't he telling us about how great our Mavericks are doing?! The main story is nothing more than Dirk Nowitzki making the All-NBA 1st Team. What about postseason basketball?!
Then I flash back to what I still am unable to block out of my mind. A sea of yellow t-shirts comprising the largest basketball crowd ever in California cheering on their team without the assistance of the jumbotron to lead them. I flash back to Baron Davis jumping head-first into Nowitzki, beginning to fall and throwing a prayer of a 3-pointer toward the basket. Swish.
I flash back to hearing ESPN spending every moment discussing the collapse of the Mighty Mavericks to their former coach and a bunch of players no one else wanted. I flash back to standing in my friend Jeff's apartment watching the game, my hands on my head, thinking that I was powerless to help the Mavs. I couldn't cheer them on in person. I wouldn't be seeing any playoff basketball this year.
I turned on TNT last night, and there were the Golden State Warriors in front of that monster crowd playing the Utah Jazz for a chance to go to the conference finals. The playoffs continue, even without the Mavericks. Dallas was eliminated and still the postseason exists. It doesn't seem right. It doesn't seem possible.
The dream season ended in nightmare fashion for Dallas. And every time I log onto the team website I must relive the nightmare. The lack of Mavericks playoff updates is all the reminder I need. I curse the webmaster, wishing he could put some good news up for me, for all Mavs fans everywhere.
But he can't. He can't tell us about playoff games that aren't happening. He can't keep us posted on the results of a team no longer playing.
But still I check my websites every day. Email. Facebook. Dallasmavericks.com. Every day the others offer me something new. And every day I hope that after reading new email and adding new friends, I can get a glimpse of Dirk's dominance. But there's nothing new to say. Only the pain of the Mavs meltdown remains.
I can't wake up from this nightmare. I guess I should just block the Mavs website until next October. Perhaps that's the only way to protect myself from painful flashbacks.
Showing posts with label Mavericks 2006-07. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mavericks 2006-07. Show all posts
Monday, May 14, 2007
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Playoff layoff
Maybe you can't always see it on the court. You certainly can't see it in his postseason results. But it was obvious in his postgame press conference: Tracy McGrady has a lot of heart. He cares. Losing phycially pains him.
Once again, T-Mac failed to make it out of the first round, as his Houston Rockets lost the final two games of their seven game series with the Utah Jazz. As far as the series goes, I'll just say the Jazz played great, but I don't know if I can say "they wanted it more." Not only is that very cliche, but could anyone really "want it more" than McGrady?
At his postgame presser, he kept repeating the words, "I tried. I tried." Finally, after a long pause, he mumbled under his breath something to the effect of "I can't do this," and he got up and left. He couldn't face the fact that he once again will not be moving on to the second round.
And that's what makes me mad about the Mavericks. Where is that emotion? Where is that frustration? Where is that pain of being left out of the second round and becoming the first 1-seed to lose to an 8-seed in a seven-game series?
That may be the reason Dallas is in fact at home while the Golden State Warriors will face the Jazz in round two.
Now I don't mean to say the Mavericks and their players don't care. They do. And I think their long offseason and harsh scrutiny from every basketball expert and blogger will be punishment enough.
Here's what espn.com quoted Dirk Nowitzki about this offseason...
Two straight offseasons left to wonder "how did we lose that series?"
Last year, they dropped four straight to the Heat in the finals. This year, they became the laughing stock of the league after winning 67 games in the regular season before their playoff meltdown.
So while a dynamic player like Tracy McGrady thinks about how he can't get out of the first round, Dirk and company must sadly think about the same thing. They must also consider the fact that they faced the wrong team at the wrong time. No one in these playoffs is hotter than Golden State. Check their regular season 3-point shooting percentages versus the playoffs. It's obvious. And good for Golden State. They got hot when they needed to.
But for Dallas, they already felt the Heat last year in the finals. Now they need to find the heart of a Warrior if they're ever going to win it all.
Once again, T-Mac failed to make it out of the first round, as his Houston Rockets lost the final two games of their seven game series with the Utah Jazz. As far as the series goes, I'll just say the Jazz played great, but I don't know if I can say "they wanted it more." Not only is that very cliche, but could anyone really "want it more" than McGrady?
At his postgame presser, he kept repeating the words, "I tried. I tried." Finally, after a long pause, he mumbled under his breath something to the effect of "I can't do this," and he got up and left. He couldn't face the fact that he once again will not be moving on to the second round.
And that's what makes me mad about the Mavericks. Where is that emotion? Where is that frustration? Where is that pain of being left out of the second round and becoming the first 1-seed to lose to an 8-seed in a seven-game series?
That may be the reason Dallas is in fact at home while the Golden State Warriors will face the Jazz in round two.
Now I don't mean to say the Mavericks and their players don't care. They do. And I think their long offseason and harsh scrutiny from every basketball expert and blogger will be punishment enough.
Here's what espn.com quoted Dirk Nowitzki about this offseason...
"I think I did a decent job in the regular season of taking over when I had to," he said. "For whatever reason, this playoff series I couldn't do it. I couldn't put my stamp on it the way I wanted to. It was definitely very disappointing. I still think I have pretty good leadership skills. I just didn't show it this playoff series."
Although Nowitzki said "you go down as a team," he knows it's not that simple, not for a perennial All-Star who is the face of the franchise. Thing is, his own expectations are just as high, which is why the six-game ousting by Golden State, and how little he did to stop it, will eat at him all summer -- just like Dallas' collapse against Miami in the finals bothered him all last summer.
"That's the kind of person I am. I always take things very, very hard on myself," he said. "I don't need media people to tell me that I did bad. I know I didn't play my best in the playoffs. ...
"I understand the business by now. If you play well and you win, you're the greatest. And if you lose, you're the worst player in the league. It's obviously not the position I want to be in, but it's nothing I can change now. I believe that everything happens for a reason. Hopefully I can learn from this experience."
Two straight offseasons left to wonder "how did we lose that series?"
Last year, they dropped four straight to the Heat in the finals. This year, they became the laughing stock of the league after winning 67 games in the regular season before their playoff meltdown.
So while a dynamic player like Tracy McGrady thinks about how he can't get out of the first round, Dirk and company must sadly think about the same thing. They must also consider the fact that they faced the wrong team at the wrong time. No one in these playoffs is hotter than Golden State. Check their regular season 3-point shooting percentages versus the playoffs. It's obvious. And good for Golden State. They got hot when they needed to.
But for Dallas, they already felt the Heat last year in the finals. Now they need to find the heart of a Warrior if they're ever going to win it all.
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Mavericks meltdown
There's only one word to describe what happened during the second half: embarrassment.
No Joshin' pick: Mavericks in 5
Series result: Warriors in 6
I'm embarrassed for the Mavericks, and I'm embarrassed as a fan. This loss may be the most humiliating in the history of all Dallas-area sports. This hurts, and I don't know what else to say about it. I don't know if anything short of a championship next year will stop the hurt.
If they fall short, then everyone will look at this now-ended season as "their best chance to win" and remember how they couldn't get out of the first round. If the Mavs never win a title during the Dirk years, everyone will remember this series. This series, when Nellie destroyed and humiliated and crumbled the marble statue of a superstar he built. This could very well have been the end of the Mavericks. I don't know, and I hope it wasn't.
I hope it wasn't.
How do you top a 67-win season? I guess the answer is: add AT LEAST four wins. Ideally 16. But the Mavs couldn't do either. And now they are going to be looked at as the benchmark for professional sports collapses.
MVP for Dirk?
Only if it stands for Most Vanished Player.
No Joshin' pick: Mavericks in 5
Series result: Warriors in 6
I'm embarrassed for the Mavericks, and I'm embarrassed as a fan. This loss may be the most humiliating in the history of all Dallas-area sports. This hurts, and I don't know what else to say about it. I don't know if anything short of a championship next year will stop the hurt.
If they fall short, then everyone will look at this now-ended season as "their best chance to win" and remember how they couldn't get out of the first round. If the Mavs never win a title during the Dirk years, everyone will remember this series. This series, when Nellie destroyed and humiliated and crumbled the marble statue of a superstar he built. This could very well have been the end of the Mavericks. I don't know, and I hope it wasn't.
I hope it wasn't.
How do you top a 67-win season? I guess the answer is: add AT LEAST four wins. Ideally 16. But the Mavs couldn't do either. And now they are going to be looked at as the benchmark for professional sports collapses.
MVP for Dirk?
Only if it stands for Most Vanished Player.
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
1st round report: Back to the Bay
After blowing a 21-point first-half lead to Golden State, the Mavericks' season began slipping away. With each Warriors three pointer (16 of them, to be exact), the sad realization that Dallas' 67-win season would end in record fashion - just not the record they want.
Instead of becoming the only 1-seed to lose to an 8-seed since the NBA went to a seven-game first-round format, Dirk Nowitzki became a Superman-like figure, showing up when all seemed lost. Surely there wasn't enough time left for him to save the day? Turns out there was plenty of time; and don't call me Shirley. All of the sudden, fans in the Double-A C pointed toward the rafters as someone disguised as an MVP flew down and crushed the enemy Warriors with a mighty blow while rescuing the damsel in distress.
Dirk's performance in the closing minutes of Game 5 can only be described as heroic. He scored 12 points during the Mavericks 15-0 run over the final 3:07 to lead the Mavericks back into this series. Now the NBA's best team this season will head back to Oakland for Game 6.
The fans at Oracle Arena will be loud and obnoxious, doing all they can to affect the Mavs' attempt to force a Game 7 back in Dallas. If Golden State puts on another 3-point shotting clinic, Dallas will be in trouble. There's not a lot you can do when the other team hits three after three after three. But if Dirk can find a phonebooth, the only thing that will save the Warriors is kryptonite.
Instead of becoming the only 1-seed to lose to an 8-seed since the NBA went to a seven-game first-round format, Dirk Nowitzki became a Superman-like figure, showing up when all seemed lost. Surely there wasn't enough time left for him to save the day? Turns out there was plenty of time; and don't call me Shirley. All of the sudden, fans in the Double-A C pointed toward the rafters as someone disguised as an MVP flew down and crushed the enemy Warriors with a mighty blow while rescuing the damsel in distress.
Dirk's performance in the closing minutes of Game 5 can only be described as heroic. He scored 12 points during the Mavericks 15-0 run over the final 3:07 to lead the Mavericks back into this series. Now the NBA's best team this season will head back to Oakland for Game 6.
The fans at Oracle Arena will be loud and obnoxious, doing all they can to affect the Mavs' attempt to force a Game 7 back in Dallas. If Golden State puts on another 3-point shotting clinic, Dallas will be in trouble. There's not a lot you can do when the other team hits three after three after three. But if Dirk can find a phonebooth, the only thing that will save the Warriors is kryptonite.
Monday, April 30, 2007
A Golden (State) opportunity, or worldwide crisis?
Smash the glass, and pull down on the handle.
Sound the alarms and set off the sprinklers. Dallas is officially in the middle of a crisis situation. The league's best team (which I must now qualify as the league's best regular season team) is down 1-3 to the 8th seed in the Western Conference.
This is no longer a "fun series between two competitve teams." This series could shake the foundation of our society. No 1-seed has ever lost to an 8-seed in a seven-game playoff series in the NBA. If Golden State wins, the Internet will crash and computers will fail. All the cages at the zoo will open, allowing for a stampede through the streets of America's major cities. Pure water sources will face contamination. Tidal waves will surge inland, washing away any traces of society, leaving only the plains of the Midwest. Locusts will swarm. The sun will set only never to rise again. Remember what they thought Y2K might do? This would be worse. Much, much worse. If Golden State defeats the 67-win Dallas Mavericks, all civilization as we know it will simply cease to exist.
At least, maybe in Dallas.
The Warriors passed out T-shirts to their fans before Game 3 at Oracle Arena in Oakland with one simple message: WE BELIEVE. Now, basketball fans nationwide are starting to understand what they mean. Why wouldn't they believe? They're up 3-1 with two no-pressure games to close out the series. Even if the Mavs win Game 5 in Dallas, what in Games 3 and 4 make you think they can deal with that crowd up in the Bay Area?
I got into an argument of sorts (commenting back and forth on a post) discussing the Dallas fans and their loyalty when a fellow blogger, whom I always make sure to read, called out the Mavericks for turning in such a lousy playoff performance for their fans. But perhaps decades of apathetic crowds and leaving the arena early to beat traffic in Big D have caused the winds of karma to shift. She will smite the Mighty Mavs to punish their fans who only now that they are on top have flocked to the AAC for each game.
Dallas is in trouble. Dirk is M.I.A. (and I don't think it's a coincidence that MIA is also the code for the team that won four consecutive games in last year's finals to take the title from a Dallas team that was 6:30 away from a 3-0 series lead).
For Dallas, its options are clear:
Sound the alarms and set off the sprinklers. Dallas is officially in the middle of a crisis situation. The league's best team (which I must now qualify as the league's best regular season team) is down 1-3 to the 8th seed in the Western Conference.
This is no longer a "fun series between two competitve teams." This series could shake the foundation of our society. No 1-seed has ever lost to an 8-seed in a seven-game playoff series in the NBA. If Golden State wins, the Internet will crash and computers will fail. All the cages at the zoo will open, allowing for a stampede through the streets of America's major cities. Pure water sources will face contamination. Tidal waves will surge inland, washing away any traces of society, leaving only the plains of the Midwest. Locusts will swarm. The sun will set only never to rise again. Remember what they thought Y2K might do? This would be worse. Much, much worse. If Golden State defeats the 67-win Dallas Mavericks, all civilization as we know it will simply cease to exist.
At least, maybe in Dallas.
The Warriors passed out T-shirts to their fans before Game 3 at Oracle Arena in Oakland with one simple message: WE BELIEVE. Now, basketball fans nationwide are starting to understand what they mean. Why wouldn't they believe? They're up 3-1 with two no-pressure games to close out the series. Even if the Mavs win Game 5 in Dallas, what in Games 3 and 4 make you think they can deal with that crowd up in the Bay Area?
I got into an argument of sorts (commenting back and forth on a post) discussing the Dallas fans and their loyalty when a fellow blogger, whom I always make sure to read, called out the Mavericks for turning in such a lousy playoff performance for their fans. But perhaps decades of apathetic crowds and leaving the arena early to beat traffic in Big D have caused the winds of karma to shift. She will smite the Mighty Mavs to punish their fans who only now that they are on top have flocked to the AAC for each game.
Dallas is in trouble. Dirk is M.I.A. (and I don't think it's a coincidence that MIA is also the code for the team that won four consecutive games in last year's finals to take the title from a Dallas team that was 6:30 away from a 3-0 series lead).
For Dallas, its options are clear:
- Copy the heroics of the Phoenix Suns come-from-behind series win over the Lakers last season; or...
- Become one of the more laughable statistics in NBA postseason history.
Choose wisely, Mavericks. The fate of the world rests in your hands.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
NBA 1st round thoughts
Dallas Mavericks vs. Golden State Warriors
Series tied 1-1
No Joshin' prediction: Mavericks in 5
Perhaps Pam Oliver was wrong. Maybe Don Nelson isn't God.
Then again, maybe God is doing to Baron Davis what he did to the Pharoh in Egypt: hardening his heart. Davis received two technical fouls after jawing with the refs during Game 2 in the Mavs-Warriors series. He only had 13 points as the Mavs evened the series, 1-1. There were questionable calls going both ways, but this game came down to Dallas playing their style of basketball.
Erick Dampier started for Dallas, and the big men of Big D saw significantly more court time than in the disastrous Game 1.
The Warriors match up great with Dallas - at least they match up a lot better than any other middle-of-the-road team. But the Mavs look like they've regained their composure, and Golden State is losing theirs. The number of technicals don't lie. At times during Game 2, these teams seemed as if they were on the edge of going Miami-FIU.
The bad blood may boil over, but that's only because Dallas is getting hot. (And that's not just a homer pick). However it will be very interesting to see how Dallas handles the atmosphere at Oracle Arena this weekend. Oakland hasn't seen playoff basketball in almost a decade and a half. Think Black Hole but for basketball. Oakland sports fans scare me, but as long as they don't get in the head of the Mavs, the top seed will continue their winning ways.
San Antonio Spurs vs. Denver Nuggets
Series tied 1-1
No Joshin' prediction: Spurs in 6
Uh oh. The sleeping giant of the post season woke up. San Antonio reluctantly let go of their walkers. They stiff-leggedly hobbled onto the court. They weazed and ached. Pants up to their armpits. Their grandkids sat courtside. But once the ref tossed the ball up in the air, the Spurs dropped 50 years ... and the Nuggets.
Denver had an eight-man rotation that included just seven points off the bench. But Denver didn't have any man that could match up with Manu. Ginobili came off the bench for 17 points (30 points off the bench for San Antone).
Duncan's team-high 22 points weren't nearly as impressive as his game-high five blocks. That's where the momentum came into play. Duncan's D reasserted the Spurs as the wiley playoff veterans they are. A.I and Melo can still take another game, but don't count on more than that.
Miami Heat vs. Chicago Bulls
Bulls lead series 2-0
No Joshin' prediction: Heat in 7
I know, I know. The Heat are beating outplayed by a younger, faster Chicago team. The Bulls are up 2-0, and Miami has no chance. By the way, I've heard this story before. I heard it *ugh* last June in the NBA Finals.
If the Heat do in fact drop Game 3, it's over. And Tuesday's Game 2 turned into a Chicago route reminiscent of the season-opener in Miami.
Still, it's Shaq and Dwyane Wade in the playoffs. Riley is the coach. This is like picking against Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. Until I see them beaten, I have to go with them.
Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Laker (no "s" necessary)
Suns lead series 2-0
No Joshin' prediction: Suns in 5
Phoenix proved too tough for Kobe Bryant, but when the league's leading scorer nets only 15 points, LA doesn't have a shot. Nor do they have a viable second option. That's why the Suns blew out the Lakers in Game 2.
It occurred to me that if one guy on the Lakers is going to take all the shots, the least the other four could do is box out and grab a rebound. Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom combined for 22 boards, but apparently it wasn't enough.
I liked what I saw from Kobe in Game 1, but I didn't see any of that git up in the Lakers on Tuesday. Bryant may still steal a game for them, but for the hopeful fans of the Southland, Game 2 should answer all your questions about just how good this Lakers team is: not very.
Series tied 1-1
No Joshin' prediction: Mavericks in 5
Perhaps Pam Oliver was wrong. Maybe Don Nelson isn't God.
Then again, maybe God is doing to Baron Davis what he did to the Pharoh in Egypt: hardening his heart. Davis received two technical fouls after jawing with the refs during Game 2 in the Mavs-Warriors series. He only had 13 points as the Mavs evened the series, 1-1. There were questionable calls going both ways, but this game came down to Dallas playing their style of basketball.
Erick Dampier started for Dallas, and the big men of Big D saw significantly more court time than in the disastrous Game 1.
The Warriors match up great with Dallas - at least they match up a lot better than any other middle-of-the-road team. But the Mavs look like they've regained their composure, and Golden State is losing theirs. The number of technicals don't lie. At times during Game 2, these teams seemed as if they were on the edge of going Miami-FIU.
The bad blood may boil over, but that's only because Dallas is getting hot. (And that's not just a homer pick). However it will be very interesting to see how Dallas handles the atmosphere at Oracle Arena this weekend. Oakland hasn't seen playoff basketball in almost a decade and a half. Think Black Hole but for basketball. Oakland sports fans scare me, but as long as they don't get in the head of the Mavs, the top seed will continue their winning ways.
San Antonio Spurs vs. Denver Nuggets
Series tied 1-1
No Joshin' prediction: Spurs in 6
Uh oh. The sleeping giant of the post season woke up. San Antonio reluctantly let go of their walkers. They stiff-leggedly hobbled onto the court. They weazed and ached. Pants up to their armpits. Their grandkids sat courtside. But once the ref tossed the ball up in the air, the Spurs dropped 50 years ... and the Nuggets.
Denver had an eight-man rotation that included just seven points off the bench. But Denver didn't have any man that could match up with Manu. Ginobili came off the bench for 17 points (30 points off the bench for San Antone).
Duncan's team-high 22 points weren't nearly as impressive as his game-high five blocks. That's where the momentum came into play. Duncan's D reasserted the Spurs as the wiley playoff veterans they are. A.I and Melo can still take another game, but don't count on more than that.
Miami Heat vs. Chicago Bulls
Bulls lead series 2-0
No Joshin' prediction: Heat in 7
I know, I know. The Heat are beating outplayed by a younger, faster Chicago team. The Bulls are up 2-0, and Miami has no chance. By the way, I've heard this story before. I heard it *ugh* last June in the NBA Finals.
If the Heat do in fact drop Game 3, it's over. And Tuesday's Game 2 turned into a Chicago route reminiscent of the season-opener in Miami.
Still, it's Shaq and Dwyane Wade in the playoffs. Riley is the coach. This is like picking against Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. Until I see them beaten, I have to go with them.
Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Laker (no "s" necessary)
Suns lead series 2-0
No Joshin' prediction: Suns in 5
Phoenix proved too tough for Kobe Bryant, but when the league's leading scorer nets only 15 points, LA doesn't have a shot. Nor do they have a viable second option. That's why the Suns blew out the Lakers in Game 2.
It occurred to me that if one guy on the Lakers is going to take all the shots, the least the other four could do is box out and grab a rebound. Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom combined for 22 boards, but apparently it wasn't enough.
I liked what I saw from Kobe in Game 1, but I didn't see any of that git up in the Lakers on Tuesday. Bryant may still steal a game for them, but for the hopeful fans of the Southland, Game 2 should answer all your questions about just how good this Lakers team is: not very.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
DAVIS DOES-in DALLAS
I don't want to talk about it. I don't want to think about it. I don't want to see replays of it.
And either you know what I'm talking about or you just don't, but I don't feel like even acknowledging it. This is one of the most shocking and upsetting occurances I've witnessed in a while. This is USC-UCLA football from this fall. This is Edmonton Oilers run to the finals last season. I know how Yankee fans feel after seeing today's four consecutive Red Sox home runs. It's unbelieveable and disgusting all at the same time.
The taste in my mouth is pure vineager. This smells of rotten eggs. It's nails on a chalkboard, and I can't stop from cringing.
From a game play standpoint, my criticism is in line with Charles Barkley. Why did the Mavericks change things up to match up with Golden State. Dallas is the top seed. The Warriors should have to play to the Mavs tempo, not the other way around. Instead the Mavs went small-ball, and Erick Dampier and DeSagana Diop became nothing more than glorified shadows. They were ghosts. Hell, they were outcasts tonight.
Now the best team in basketball faces an uphill battle to return to the NBA Finals, hell, to the second round.
Thanks to an unconcious performance by Baron Davis, the Warriors are leading this series. And Dallas is left wondering "what the #%$&!" As a Mavericks fan, so am I. I don't know what happened tonight. I don't want to continue thinking about what happened tonight. I just want to get some sleep tonight and wait for Wednesday's rematch.
And either you know what I'm talking about or you just don't, but I don't feel like even acknowledging it. This is one of the most shocking and upsetting occurances I've witnessed in a while. This is USC-UCLA football from this fall. This is Edmonton Oilers run to the finals last season. I know how Yankee fans feel after seeing today's four consecutive Red Sox home runs. It's unbelieveable and disgusting all at the same time.
The taste in my mouth is pure vineager. This smells of rotten eggs. It's nails on a chalkboard, and I can't stop from cringing.
From a game play standpoint, my criticism is in line with Charles Barkley. Why did the Mavericks change things up to match up with Golden State. Dallas is the top seed. The Warriors should have to play to the Mavs tempo, not the other way around. Instead the Mavs went small-ball, and Erick Dampier and DeSagana Diop became nothing more than glorified shadows. They were ghosts. Hell, they were outcasts tonight.
Now the best team in basketball faces an uphill battle to return to the NBA Finals, hell, to the second round.
Thanks to an unconcious performance by Baron Davis, the Warriors are leading this series. And Dallas is left wondering "what the #%$&!" As a Mavericks fan, so am I. I don't know what happened tonight. I don't want to continue thinking about what happened tonight. I just want to get some sleep tonight and wait for Wednesday's rematch.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
NBA Playoffs Preview
It's playoff time, baby!
16 teams being their quest for a world championship. The rest get ready to play ping pong and scout top draft picks. But would you rather have a #1 overall pick or be the #1 overall team?
Exactly. So instead of a draft preview, I'm taking a look at each first round playoff series.
Western Conference
(1) Dallas Mavericks vs. (8) Golden State Warriors
A lot of people are really enjoying this whole storyline of Don Nelson - the architect of this Mavericks team - now leading the Warriors against the best team in the Association. The only player on the current Mavericks squad that Nellie really got a good chance to coach is Dirk. The bigger story is the student-vs.-teacher coaching match up of Nellie and Avery Johnson. Nellie allowed Johnson to coach several games before finally stepping down and turning the team over to him.
From a match up standpoint, Dallas is clearly a better team. I know they lost the season series to the Warriors, but that was the regular season. In the playoffs, Dallas will be on a mission to get back to the finals and complete the championship run they let slip through their grasp last June. The Warriors may surprise the Mavericks by even winning a game at the American Airlines Center, but don't let that fool you. This series is all Dallas.
No Joshin' around, my pick: MAVERICKS in 5
(2) Phoenix Suns vs. (7) Los Angeles Lakers
A rematch of last year's first round match up. The Lakers had a 3-1 lead, but the Suns stormed back and made a run all the way to the Western Conference finals. Too bad the Lakers aren't equiped to enact any sort of revenge. This is the ultimate one-on-five series. Kobe has little help around him for the postseason. Who on this Lakers roster has demonstrated an ability to step up in the clutch other than No. 24?
Now perhaps that's because Kobe would rather take a triple-teamed buzzer-beater than pass off to Smush Parker (and, by the way, that's the correct decision by Bryant), but there isn't anyone else capable of draining the do-or-die shot. Kobe may have a few 50-point games in this series, but 50 points isn't enough to be a Suns team that averaged a league-high 110.2 points per game.
No Joshin' around, my pick: SUNS in 5
(3) San Antonio Spurs vs. (6) Denver Nuggets
Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and the wisdom of Gregg Popovich. Do I even need to explain my rational with this series?
Okay, Nuggets fans, let me clarify something for you. Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson are great players. They are phenominal players. They are each capable of being the centerpiece of the team. And that's the problem. Who's taking the final shot when the game is on the line? When Iverson was traded from Philadelphia, I thought it was a great move for Denver. They have a great deal of talent, but that talent - other than Iverson - doesn't know how to win in the postseason. In Denver wants a chance to win, Melo should differ to A.I. as much as possible. I know this is an older Iverson than the one who led the Sixers to the NBA Finals in 2001, but he's still capable of dropping 40 in any postseason game.
The Spurs are going to be tough to be, though. Too tough. Forget the Alamo. They are remembering Ginobili's Game 7 foul on Dirk last year that sent Dallas to the Conference Finals. The Spurs are not a team that loses in the first round, and certainly not to Denver.
No Joshin' around, my pick: SPURS in 6
(4) Utah Jazz vs. (5) Houston Rockets
Thank goodness for Houston they finally have home court advantage in the first round. (They finished one game better than the Jazz to secure a home series.) The Rockets haven't advanced in the playoffs since the Charles Barkley days I believe. Yikes! Tracy McGrady has never been out of the first round. And it always seems that Yao and T-Mac play better when the other is injured (which is pretty often).
Utah has a big edge in the coaching match up. Jerry Sloan versus Jeff Van Gundy? Not even close. Sloan has been winning since T-Mac was in diapers. But home court will finally pay off for the Rockets, who went 28-13 in Houston. This may be ther first winnable series they actually win in a long time.
No Joshin' around, my pick: ROCKETS in 6
Eastern Conference
(1) Detroit Pistons vs. (8) Orlando Magic
Detroit is far and away the best team in the JV conference. Their 91.8 points allowed are the best of any team in the East. Orlando's Dwight Howard will get to showcase his talent on a national stage, but much like Kobe vs. the Suns, he won't be able to do any significant damage. The Pistons are a complete team, and the Magic won't have a healty Darko.
16 teams being their quest for a world championship. The rest get ready to play ping pong and scout top draft picks. But would you rather have a #1 overall pick or be the #1 overall team?
Exactly. So instead of a draft preview, I'm taking a look at each first round playoff series.
Western Conference
(1) Dallas Mavericks vs. (8) Golden State Warriors
A lot of people are really enjoying this whole storyline of Don Nelson - the architect of this Mavericks team - now leading the Warriors against the best team in the Association. The only player on the current Mavericks squad that Nellie really got a good chance to coach is Dirk. The bigger story is the student-vs.-teacher coaching match up of Nellie and Avery Johnson. Nellie allowed Johnson to coach several games before finally stepping down and turning the team over to him.
From a match up standpoint, Dallas is clearly a better team. I know they lost the season series to the Warriors, but that was the regular season. In the playoffs, Dallas will be on a mission to get back to the finals and complete the championship run they let slip through their grasp last June. The Warriors may surprise the Mavericks by even winning a game at the American Airlines Center, but don't let that fool you. This series is all Dallas.
No Joshin' around, my pick: MAVERICKS in 5
(2) Phoenix Suns vs. (7) Los Angeles Lakers
A rematch of last year's first round match up. The Lakers had a 3-1 lead, but the Suns stormed back and made a run all the way to the Western Conference finals. Too bad the Lakers aren't equiped to enact any sort of revenge. This is the ultimate one-on-five series. Kobe has little help around him for the postseason. Who on this Lakers roster has demonstrated an ability to step up in the clutch other than No. 24?
Now perhaps that's because Kobe would rather take a triple-teamed buzzer-beater than pass off to Smush Parker (and, by the way, that's the correct decision by Bryant), but there isn't anyone else capable of draining the do-or-die shot. Kobe may have a few 50-point games in this series, but 50 points isn't enough to be a Suns team that averaged a league-high 110.2 points per game.
No Joshin' around, my pick: SUNS in 5
(3) San Antonio Spurs vs. (6) Denver Nuggets
Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and the wisdom of Gregg Popovich. Do I even need to explain my rational with this series?
Okay, Nuggets fans, let me clarify something for you. Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson are great players. They are phenominal players. They are each capable of being the centerpiece of the team. And that's the problem. Who's taking the final shot when the game is on the line? When Iverson was traded from Philadelphia, I thought it was a great move for Denver. They have a great deal of talent, but that talent - other than Iverson - doesn't know how to win in the postseason. In Denver wants a chance to win, Melo should differ to A.I. as much as possible. I know this is an older Iverson than the one who led the Sixers to the NBA Finals in 2001, but he's still capable of dropping 40 in any postseason game.
The Spurs are going to be tough to be, though. Too tough. Forget the Alamo. They are remembering Ginobili's Game 7 foul on Dirk last year that sent Dallas to the Conference Finals. The Spurs are not a team that loses in the first round, and certainly not to Denver.
No Joshin' around, my pick: SPURS in 6
(4) Utah Jazz vs. (5) Houston Rockets
Thank goodness for Houston they finally have home court advantage in the first round. (They finished one game better than the Jazz to secure a home series.) The Rockets haven't advanced in the playoffs since the Charles Barkley days I believe. Yikes! Tracy McGrady has never been out of the first round. And it always seems that Yao and T-Mac play better when the other is injured (which is pretty often).
Utah has a big edge in the coaching match up. Jerry Sloan versus Jeff Van Gundy? Not even close. Sloan has been winning since T-Mac was in diapers. But home court will finally pay off for the Rockets, who went 28-13 in Houston. This may be ther first winnable series they actually win in a long time.
No Joshin' around, my pick: ROCKETS in 6
Eastern Conference
(1) Detroit Pistons vs. (8) Orlando Magic
Detroit is far and away the best team in the JV conference. Their 91.8 points allowed are the best of any team in the East. Orlando's Dwight Howard will get to showcase his talent on a national stage, but much like Kobe vs. the Suns, he won't be able to do any significant damage. The Pistons are a complete team, and the Magic won't have a healty Darko.
To sum up just how much trouble Orlando is in: they are going to be missing Darko. This is the same guy who sat the bench while Detroit cruised past the Lakers to win it all a few years ago.
No Joshin' around, my pick: PISTONS in 4
(2) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (7) Washington Wizards
This series may have been a great second-round series had Gilbert Arenas not gotten hurt. The Wiz certainly wouldn't be a 7-seed. Instead Washington is in a freefall. They don't have Arenas or Caron Butler - their two best players - and Cleveland has some guy you may have heard of named LeBron James.
This series will give James an opportunity to learn to make big-time postseason shots. We saw this year in the regular season he doesn't have the killer instinct of guys like Arenas or Kobe Byrant, but a series against a weak opponent may help him figure out how to be that buzzer-beating sniper.
Thanks to these injuries, fans are being deprived of a great series. And the Wizards are being deprived of any chance to move on.
No Joshin' around, my pick: CAVS in 4
(3) Toronto Raptors vs. (6) New Jersey Nets
This series will be one of the closest in the first round. A vetern Nets team led by Jason Kidd and Vince Carter will have to contain the younger and more explosive Raptors. Toronto's combination of Chris Bosh and TJ Ford are going to be tough to stop. Some argue that the Raptors' youth could come back to bite them, but in the first round of the playoffs, experience isn't as important as energy.
The Nets can get out in transition, and Richard Jefferson is always a threat to have a big game when opponents get too focused on Carter and Kidd. Toronto has home court, and that's important because this series is going to Game 7.
No Joshin' around, my pick: RAPTORS in 7
(4) Miami Heat vs. (5) Chicago Bulls
The Bulls were a preseason favorite out of the East. That didn't seem to work out. They will have home court in this series thanks to a better regular season record than Miami. The home court won't matter as much, however. Miami is capable of splitting the first two games in the Windy City, and they are more-than capable of winning at home (see 2006 NBA Finals).
Once again, the focus will be on Shaq against Ben Wallace, who Chicago acquired specifically for the playoffs to stop the Diesel. Only problem is that Shaq has been unstoppable. Since the Heat were left for dead when Dwyane Wade got hurt, Shaq took over. He put this team on his back and led them from out of the playoffs all the way to the fourth seed.
In the Bulls pick up the pace and force Miami to run, the older Heat team is in trouble. And I've never been a big Antoine Walker fan at all, however if he does get hot it could be an unavoidable dagger to the Bulls. Walker will be a bigger factor in this series than people think. He will take a great number of shots, and his shooting percentage will help decide this series. If he's off, Wade will have to make the concious decision of passing to a well-guarded Shaq or even James Posey instead of a wide-open black-hole shooter like Walker.
The Bulls have a lot of talent, but I can't pick against Shaq in the playoffs. Not after all he did in the second half of this regular season.
No Joshin' around, my pick: HEAT in 7
Thursday, April 19, 2007
NBA: Nothing But Anticipation
It's been a long 11 months. Finally, the NBA season is starting once again.
For Dallasites and Mavs fans nation-wide, the regular season has been fun to watch but nothing more. Hooray, the Mavs won the regular season. Awesome. If winning the regular season counted, the San Diego Chargers would be Super Bowl champs (and I think we all know just how likely that is).
For teams like Golden State and - well - the entire Eastern Conference, the regular season means a new opportunity. Yes the Warriors are in the playoffs, ending their postseason drought, but for the regulars (Dallas, San Antonio, Phoenix) the last 82 games have been nothing more than a means to an end.
These teams all knew they'd be in the playoffs at the top of the Western Conference (and really at the top of the league), so they just had to put up with an 82-game schedule.
Now the fun begins. The NBA playoffs begin Saturday. At that time, every question about this regular season will be answered (including "Where's Joey Crawford?"; A: at home!). Every fan across the league who asked "how much does a December win over a team like Phoenix mean?" will see if their club can duplicate the same success.
So while other team's fans are now turning their attention to the city's respective baseball team (once again, the Eastern Conference), I plan to stock up on Dr Pepper as well as chips and guacamole. I'm ready to watch. I'm ready for the postseason. And nothing short of tickets to a game will get me off my couch.
On that note, if you know someone who has tickets to Games 3 & 4 of the Mavs/Warriors first round series in Oakland, please let me know. Thanks.
For Dallasites and Mavs fans nation-wide, the regular season has been fun to watch but nothing more. Hooray, the Mavs won the regular season. Awesome. If winning the regular season counted, the San Diego Chargers would be Super Bowl champs (and I think we all know just how likely that is).
For teams like Golden State and - well - the entire Eastern Conference, the regular season means a new opportunity. Yes the Warriors are in the playoffs, ending their postseason drought, but for the regulars (Dallas, San Antonio, Phoenix) the last 82 games have been nothing more than a means to an end.
These teams all knew they'd be in the playoffs at the top of the Western Conference (and really at the top of the league), so they just had to put up with an 82-game schedule.
Now the fun begins. The NBA playoffs begin Saturday. At that time, every question about this regular season will be answered (including "Where's Joey Crawford?"; A: at home!). Every fan across the league who asked "how much does a December win over a team like Phoenix mean?" will see if their club can duplicate the same success.
So while other team's fans are now turning their attention to the city's respective baseball team (once again, the Eastern Conference), I plan to stock up on Dr Pepper as well as chips and guacamole. I'm ready to watch. I'm ready for the postseason. And nothing short of tickets to a game will get me off my couch.
On that note, if you know someone who has tickets to Games 3 & 4 of the Mavs/Warriors first round series in Oakland, please let me know. Thanks.
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