Game 5: Mavs 106, Spurs 93 (4-1)

Game 5 Notes ...

Even though I knew the Spurs were not right going into the series, and even though I thought the Mavericks would eventually win this series...I didn't think that the series would end like this. In front of their fans, and in their house. Sweet.

The Mavs won Game 5 in San Antonio with great poise and great execution. So much so that they never trailed and although the game was not without drama, the only mystery on display on Tuesday night was wondering how the Mavs would answer each Spurs surge with a surge of their own. Many moments with many fist pumps from many couches across North Texas. And if anyone in South Texas forgot why the Spurs spent so much of the series double teaming Dirk, they were reminded tonight.

All 6 of the Mavericks who get most of the minutes (Dirk, Jet, Josh, Damp, JJB, and Kidd) all played solid games or better. You weren't sure how tough the Spurs were going to make closing out the series for the Mavs, but they left no doubt in the 2nd and 3rd Quarters when they threw everything they could at Dallas. But each time the Spurs knocked the Mavs out of rhythm, they were answered. The most memorable rally might have been when the Tim Duncan show cut the lead to 63-59. The Mavs get a timeout, and Dirk takes over with back to back hoops, followed by Josh Howard's 3 pointer and the lead goes back to 11 only 90 seconds after the time out.



So, is this fool's gold? Many will not be impressed with this series win because of who the Mavs beat. Many will rationalize it as "low-hanging fruit" against a team begging to get beat. But, I am torn. On one hand, I recognize that it was a perfect match-up for Dallas and maybe they are not back to being a playoff squad worth believing. On the other hand, I think the Mavericks now have a certain self-belief back and maybe their fragile psyche has been revived enough to give Denver/New Orleans (c'mon, we all know it is Denver) everything they can handle. The truth shall be told. Bottom line with me? At least we now have a debate on the topic worth having. Last year our only debate was wondering when Cuban will pull the plug on this nonsense.

Anyway, to the diehards of this team, take a few hours to enjoy this. We have certainly seen that playoff series wins are rare and are not to be marginalized. 8 teams win a series each year, so in a league of 30, that is not too shabby. These guys had their manhood challenged several times and answered many questions. Now, they live to fight another bully and further restore their league-wide reputation. And they didn't even have to wait until the summer of 2010 to smile again.

More random notes from the kill-shot game of the series:

* Dirk was dominant. He was really, really good. Once again, if there were coaching errors in this series, they appeared to come from the San Antonio bench, and this time they decided to start the game with Bruce Bowen on Howard, Parker on JJB, Finley on Kidd, and Bonner trying to defend Dirk 1-on-1? Ummmm. Dirk scored 11 of the Mavs first 16, and the Mavs were up 16-6. Time out, Spurs. Change your strategy, but was the damage already done? The margin for most of the rest of the game was about 10 points. Dirk had 31 points, 9 rebounds, 3 sneaky-nice assists, and some solid defense on Tim Duncan in spurts. Well done, big man.

* Speaking of Duncan, that was a defiant effort from the big man. He was awesome and not ready to go out quietly. I wonder if he will ever be right in the spring time again, where you can routinely expect 26 and 13 from him. He appears to be aging pretty quickly and now you can still count on 2 or 3 games per series that are high quality, but 2 or 3 others where he is quiet. But, who can blame him? He has some serious miles on his tires. Check this out. 899 regular season games for 33,000+ minutes. AND, 160 playoff games for 6400 more minutes. AND, 128 games at Wake Forest for 4500 more minutes. AND All-Star games, International games, and pre-season games. He is 33, but how many miles is that for normal big-men who are not rode as hard? Can you ever count on him to be "the man" moving forward? I am not saying he will be a spare from here on out, but for a Spurs team that has had a superstar post-man for pretty much the last 20 seasons, are they finally going to have to see the world from a place where the rest of us see it? It is like the Cowboys and Quarterbacks. I am pretty sure they don't even know how spoiled they have been down there.

* Happy Birthday, Josh Howard. Another big performance from the man many of us gave up on in 2008. Now, I might be back to where I was about 3 years ago on the guy. I might not be interested in trading him unless someone wants to overpay. What a difference 45 days makes.

* George Hill = promising. Bonner, Mason, Gooden, Thomas? I would not buy much stock in that crew. And you know something? Neither would Greg Popovich. Trouble for the Spurs is this: All of them are under contract for 2009-10 except Drew Gooden. I am not sure he will be invited back. I know in 2006 everyone talked "end of an era" and then they turned around and won it all in 2007. But, I don't think a healthy Manu bridges the gap between where they are and a 5th banner.

* Erick Dampier, who knew you had it in you? 2 Double-Doubles in 1 series? 12 rebounds and 11 points in Game 5? Now, before you put your feet up, let's formulate a gameplan to bang with Nene for 7 games. The Mavs will be short a few bullies in that match-up, so we need some toughness from Big Damp.

* This might be the portion of the blog where I complain about the evolution of basketball. I like the NBA game, and I enjoy the 3-pointer as much as the next guy. But, geez, this idea of passing up wide-open 7 foot shots to find a guy in the corner for an equally open 23 footer is not what Dr Naismith had in mind. It has gotten so out of hand that you don't even expect a guard to shoot in the paint anymore (unless it is Tony Parker going in for another lay-up) because they just want to kick it back out. Did you see Dirk actually leave Tim Duncan all by himself under the hoop because he was more worried about George Hill standing open in the corner? There is no defensive principle ever taught in basketball by any coach that would ever tell you to leave the best center of this generation wide open under the rim because you are worried about an open 3 from the corner. But that is what these guys have processed in their brains. A wide-open 2 is less painful to give up than a wide-open 3. Crazy.

* The game had another quarter to go, but Jason Kidd delivered the dagger at the end of the 3rd Quarter with his bomb from the Spurs bench. And he knew it, too. 82-67 was pretty much all she wrote. It was also very cool to see Terry get loose, finally. When he hits a big shot, his march back down the floor is a thing of beauty.

* I think I may need to be reminded why Tony Parker is thought of as 3rd best in the Chris Paul/Deron Williams/Parker debate. If forced to pick one for my team, I might have to take the Parisian Torpedo. Or maybe that is a 58 point home loss talking for me.

* For as miserable as the man appears to be when things aren't going right, I would imagine that Mark Cuban is having a nice day. Say what you want, but the man does not make knee-jerk decisions. He had many opportunities to blow this thing up, and yet for better or for worse, he has stayed the course.

Winning is fun. Winning against a rival who is never shy to remind you that they are better than you is even more fun. Enjoy. More battles are ahead.

Enjoy your summer, Spurs. You obviously bring out the best in the Mavs.

Carlisle > Avery

Tuesday: Carlisle > Avery ...

Yes, I said it. I said it Sunday at this very blog and then I had the audacity to say it again on the radio on Monday. Let me repeat for emphasis for anyone not sure if I mean it.

Rick Carlisle is coaching this team better than Avery Johnson could.

This, of course, will send some people to their emails to fire me back a retort about "Avery got them to the NBA Finals", and that is true. He did. He got the mentally strong Dallas Mavericks of 2006 to the NBA Finals, and for that, Avery Johnson should be credited heavily. As for the mentally weak Dallas Mavericks of 2007 and 2008? Not so much.

I am not comparing Carlisle '09 to Avery '06. In fact, I was a huge fan of Avery '06. But, then he lost his head - and in doing so, the Mavs lost their nerve. He seemed to alienate many of his assistant coaches and many more of his players between June '06 and April '08. He forgot what made this team special 24 months prior and seemed to go somewhat crazy in his efforts to find a solution that he could never locate. The premise of firing Avery Johnson was an easy conclusion . He lost the team. So, therefore, he lost his job.



Meanwhile, here is Rick Carlisle, who has yet to win a series with the Mavericks. So, I understand some recoiling in anger by "Avery Loyalists" if it sounds like I am comparing both of their bodies of work when I say Rick Carlisle is making sense out of Avery's mess. I am not looking at their full Mavericks resumes. In that competition, Avery Johnson is arguably the most successful coach in Mavericks history - after all, he is the only coach to get this team to an NBA Finals and the only coach to help a Maverick win the MVP (Just ask him).

But, in the name of elaboration, allow me to say why the abrasive Carlisle is more appealing to me right now than Avery '08; I saw this team out-coach its opponent in a playoff series (to this juncture). I saw a Mavericks coach deploy a bench player (JJB) who gave the opponent's coach fits (You may recall Avery had the opposite done to him in the Golden State Series). I saw a Mavericks coach require the opponent's coach - who has 4 rings - to counter his adjustments by starting Bruce Bowen in Game 4. I saw a Mavericks coach push the Spurs coach to run up a white flag in Game 3 with 20 minutes of basketball left. And, most importantly, I saw a Mavericks coach figure out a plan when the opponent took away what the Mavs like to do offensively.

That means the Mavericks have a coach in '09 that can do something that their coach could not do in '07 or '08; adjust to the series when the series is not adjusting to him.

And when he did make his adjustments, the Spurs looked out-matched. We shall see if he can get the toughest of the 4 wins to close the series, but I love knowing that the Mavericks have Plan B and Plan C when Plan A is not working on offense.

Avery Johnson could not make sense of this roster just 1 year ago if Dirk and Jet were not stuck on automatic. It turned into desperation 3 pointers from other players in hopes of turning the game. Now, we have more frequency in trips to the paint and to the rim. Erick Dampier, who Avery campaigned to get in a trade and then who Avery took off the floor in the Golden State series, now appears to be one of the main reasons the Mavs have found success in Games 1-4. And a win without Dirk leading them? How about 3 wins without Dirk dominating with the ball?

This Carlisle is making me think he has a few tricks up his sleeve.

So, if you are confused, I am not saying Carlisle winning 3 games in the first round of a series is better than Avery's entire body of work. I AM saying that Rick Carlisle has the 2009 Dallas Mavericks - with all of their limitations - playing better than Avery Johnson could get them to play.

It doesn't mean that they will be in the 2009 NBA Finals. If they beat the Spurs tonight, it is possible that they will lose in Round 2 (although I am willing to play the series), but this is about whether or not the Mavericks are playing to the best of their ability. And I think they finally are. Let's see if Carlisle can continue to out-maneuver Popovich and find another decent road performance in a hostile environment.

But, let the record show from this corner of the blogosphere: The decision the Mavericks made last year to end the Avery Johnson era has proved to be the proper one.

Game 4: Mavs 99, Spurs 90 (3-1)

Game notes here ....

First off, sorry for the tardiness on getting this post up, but sometimes stuff like the NFL Draft and church get in the way. I'll try not to let it happen too often, because this was a game worth writing about.

Now, on to the Game 4 victory that was very enjoyable to ponder for the last several hours. Sometimes, when you are really close to something, you do not see the full reality. I wonder if that is the case with the Mavericks and many of us (including me) as I consider what happened Saturday afternoon.

Let me explain: There are a few beliefs many of us subscribe to. They are, 1) This team is as good as Dirk makes it on offense. And if Dirk doesn't carry this team to a big win, then this team is as good as Jason Terry makes it. The reason we say that is that those are two guys who can score on this team. Everyone else needs transition or a loose ball or a wide open shot. But, in the half-court offense, only two guys can consistently get a hoop and the opposition cannot stop them: Dirk and Jet. Those two must be better than the best two on the team the Mavs are playing. The other belief is 2) The Dallas Mavericks are the same team that we have seen in 2007 and 2008.



Is it time we look at our beliefs a bit closer? Because, Dirk and Jet accounted for 22 points on 7 for 26 shooting, while Tim Duncan and Tony Parker scored 68 points on 25 for 42 in a Mavericks playoff win. 68 for them, 22 for us. Remember, "you can't win if your best players aren't your best players", right?

OK, and about this team being the same team in 2007 and 2008. When those moments happened in Golden State, where they took Dirk out of his game by physical, aggressive double teams, wasn't the major flaw that nobody from Dallas knew how to adjust and figure out ways to get meaningful baskets? Um, the Mavericks scored 77 points from scorers 3-12 on their roster. The Spurs? 22.

This team appears far more equipped to survive a night where Dirk is limited. In fact, if I am not mistaken, it almost appears like they don't mind you trying to do that. I am trying to make sure my eyes are not deceiving me, but that is what I am seeing in these 4 games. It could just be in this particular match-up with a Spurs team that doesn't resemble the Spurs, but tell me I am wrong. If you take away these Dirk and Jet, then these other guys know how to punish you. Avery, I believe your successor has made sense out of your mess on offense.

Now, they still have no idea what to do with a quick point guard, and I am not sure the Mavs have out-played the other PG in a series since the 1980's, but it appears that this series has turned into the battle of the supporting casts, and the ability for the Mavs to make Tim Duncan work pretty hard on each end of the court. Do that, and Tony Parker can get all the baskets he desires (especially before the intermission) and Dallas is going to happily look the more energetic team in the 2nd half. Meanwhile, the rest of the Spurs have almost no offensive rhythm as they have stood and enjoyed the Tony Parker show - so when they do need to hit a shot to help the cause, they don't seem to have the radar locked in.

I am not sure what the Spurs are going for with their roster, but it certainly does not seem to be rising to the occasion. Somewhere between Robery Horry and Matt Bonner it would seem they have lost the plot. They continue to offer roster spots and major minutes to Michael Finley, Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas, and Drew Gooden who collectively just do not add much of a spark at all. The die-hard Spurs fan might suggest this is all about Manu Ginobili being hurt, but regardless of the outcome of this series, if they don't address the rest of their roster soon, the Spurs prime will have expired.

Anyway, with a 3 games to 1 advantage, here are some random notes from a fun Saturday afternoon:

* Jason Kidd was superb. I have said it before and I will say it again. There are two ways to look at trades, and one is "the future". But the other, "the present" should not be completely ignored. And in the present, there is no question in my head that he has made this a better Mavericks team. I know that won't help you feel better about 2011, but Jason Kidd has provided such a higher basketball IQ for the squad it is not even funny. He is a basketball genius from the way he thinks the game. He defends with his head, he takes the ball away, he sees passes you don't see, and I have really found it shocking how he well he shoots the wide-open shots. In this sports age where we only see what a guy doesn't do, I would like to speak up for Jason Kidd and appreciate what he does do. I swear I have not seen a smarter player in a Mavericks uniform. He just doesn't ever hurt you with his decisions. And when you have him, all of the sudden, some of your other players who may be less than brilliant between the ears do seem to get smarter.

* When you lose by only a few possessions, and let's not forget, this game was not a 9 point game, you can't help but notice you missed a ton of free throws. 22-34 (64.7%) is not going to cut it, and Tim Duncan himself missed 7 of them. It is easier to ignore a small issue like poor free throw shooting when Tim dominated every game. But, the 2009 version of Duncan needs to hit those shots with far greater regularity.

* Dirk, I am a bit worried, brother, with 12 points. But, I do like his patience, and I do like his readiness to seize the moment on that last drive to the lane. Oh, and the 13 rebounds. That, too.

* I thought Josh Howard played very well once again. His ability to score in so many ways is very, very imperative to this effort. If I had to put my finger on one major difference that Rick Carlisle and the coaches have made from the 2007 debacle it is showing Josh how dangerous he can be when a team puts its best defensive game plan on Dirk and Terry. That usually results in Josh being guarded by someone down the roster, and he is making a habit of destroying them. Finley? Please. Josh just darted past him again.

* Ryan Hollins, love your energy. But, seriously, you don't have to yell at Tim Duncan when you score your only basket of the game and your second hoop of the series. I loved everything else. The boards, the blocks, and the energy. Just, ease up on the taunt. That was pretty weak.

* But, back to why this team is different than the 2007 team that faded in Oakland, I think the bench has a lot to do with it. I often say it is the same guys, andit kind of is; Dirk, Jet, J-Ho, Damp. But, the bench back then was Stackhouse, Buckner, Diop, Ager, and George. Now, it is Wright, Singleton, Bass, Barea, and Hollins. Differences that jump out at you? These 5 guys are all better athletes and they all bring tremendous energy. Every single one of them was a very subtle roster adjustment that did not get any headlines, but the effect is noticeable. They now have a bench that can change the tone of the game.

* I thought it was very classy of Tony Parker to check with Josh Howard after the jump ball in the final minute when it appeared Josh rolled his left ankle again. Parker did not want to cause an injury on that play and in a league that has plenty of goons (Mr Posey?) I thought we should point out a class act when we see one.

* Damp was good again, too. Once again, it might prove this is a perfect match-up for the Mavericks, but it seems obvious that while some people did not want the Mavs to play him at all (recalling the Bass campaign of 10 days ago) - he gives '09 Duncan problems. That doesn't mean that Yao and Tyson Chandler will be scared, and I still don't think there is a Lakers player he can guard, but in this particular match-up he has done fine work.

* Now, history lesson: In 2006, the Mavericks split in San Antonio, and then swept 3 and 4 in Dallas. What happened next? The Spurs won 5 at home, and 6 in Dallas, setting up the epic Game 7 battle back down there. So if you think this series is over, you better recognize that the Spurs have seen this episode before. They are still thinking one game at a time, and win 3 in a row with two at home will not cause them to surrender. So, enjoy a slow Sunday and Monday, but come Tuesday, the Mavs are greatly advised to go for the dagger in Game 5. Show no mercy. Wounded animal theory in full effect. Jet?...Dirk?...Hello?

* I must credit Mike Fisher for taking the words right out of my brain : No matter what happens from here on out: Are you sure you wanted the Mavs to “tank’’ and to “blow it up’’ and to introduce the cancer of aimless losing into their franchise, all so they could have the 14th pick in the draft? Well said, Mike.

Game 5 - Tuesday night. Where Daggers could happen

Game 3: Mavs 88, Spurs 67 (2-1)

My Notes from Game 3's unlikely route ...

The bad news is that if you were looking for the normal ice-cream headaches and adrenaline rushes that accompany playoff basketball, you may have had to find another fix for that. The good news is that the stress-free Game 3 at the American Airlines Center was the equivalent of a 1st round TKO in a prize fight. From the moment the game started, it appeared the Mavs were committed to pushing the tempo and running the ball. They were committed to staying after the glass aggressively. They were committed to getting the ball to Dirk in different spots to keep the double teams from being so easily applied. And they were committed to defense.

No complacency tonight, my friends. How could that possibly be the same team we saw in Game 2? And the beauty of a 7 game series is that across Texas right now, the Spurs are asking the same thing for entirely different reasons in their city. How could they possibly be the same team their city saw in Game 2? Ah, the drama builds.

So what worked? Everything. They decided to play the JJB card again by sending Barea into the starting line-up to guard Mason initially. But, the actual idea of switching out Antoine Wright for JJB was a simple tempo move. And since it worked with such precision and decisive authority, the Spurs were on their heels from the opening tip. A couple Barea lay-ups and a couple Josh Howard floating shots and the Mavs were up 10-2. The Spurs would get the lead down to 7 at 23-16, but according to my memory that was as close as they would get.



The defense was wonderful. Erick Dampier did not perform any body slams on Tony Parker, but he did get after the defense with great conviction. Brandon Bass was swatting Drew Gooden's weak garbage into the crowd. Josh Howard was jumping in passing lanes and introducing George Hill to the concept of the block from behind. If they played like that on more occasions, nobody would dare accuse the Mavs of being a weak defensive club.

But, as we know, it takes two teams to contribute to such a monumental landslide as we saw Thursday night. And let's face it, the Spurs missed shots they generally make. Tim Duncan went 2-9 and just about all of his shots were shots he normally converts. The Spurs missed many open 3's, and once the flood gates opened it was over.

It honestly is not easy to pick particular items that were the keys to victory, because everything went right. For, San Antonio, nothing went right. Taking care of the home court is imperative, and they are now 1 for 1. It is one win, albeit an extremely decisive win, and now the Mavericks must show what they are made of on Saturday against an annoyed Spurs team in what seems like just hours.

Notes and Observations from a shockingly easy Game 3 Win:

* In some sports, like my beloved NHL, I often wonder the importance of being at home. It seems that in hockey most of the time a team has the ability to play a similar style both at home and on the road. But, as it pertains to the Dallas Mavericks, especially the 2009 Dallas Mavericks, it is vital that they are at the AAC to play an attacking style of basketball. On the road, they settle. They settle for the first comfortable shot they find, and they settle for low-effort defense. At home, the crowd must inspire them because they do not seem to settle. They get to the rim with far greater frequency, and they play the passing lanes so much better. I know it is not uncommon to get more calls at home, too, but for the Mavs, the style of their offense in particular is way too different at home and on the road. It is actually quite frustrating when they launch jumpers all night for their road games and then act surprised when they fail to get the same results that they get in Dallas.

* Usually, the plus-minus stats give somewhat mis-leading information. But, tonight, I see Erick Dampier was a +37 which I would be willing to bet was his career high. JJB was +36. And boy, was he good. Love that young man right now, and I certainly wonder if he will play less than 30 minutes in any of the remaining games in this series. Tony Parker was a -31. Not to jump to conclusions of superlatives, but I will also wager that was his career low. Anything higher than 20 either way is generally remarkable. So, +37 is off the charts. Damp for president. 2 points never looked so huge.

* Things I don't remember seeing before? The Spurs had quarterly scoring totals of: 16, 14, 12, and 25. That is right. They had 42 points at the end of 3 Quarters. In fact, they were barely above a point a minute for a good portion of the entire first 36 minutes. Crazy. And how about this - do you ever recall an NBA game where the high scorer for one team had 12 (Parker)? How high school is that? The entire Spurs starting front line combined for 6 points as Duncan had 4, Bonner went off for 2, and Finley took the doughnut.

* Speaking of Matt Bonner, I want Dirk to punish him. It is one thing for Stephen Jackson to knock you out of your game with the belly to belly defense, but don't you dare allow Bonner to get away with that, Dirk! In Game 3, Dirk did a nice job of dismantling that dude, perhaps because they stopped with the high post and put him out wide on the point guard's extended right. Game 4, if they insult you again by putting that silly red head anywhere near you, big fella, it is time for him and Greg Popovich to pay.

* Without being a Spurs historian, I would suggest in games where Jacque Vaughn plays more minutes than Tim Duncan, the Spurs record is not very good. That happened in Game 3. 16:18 to 15:30.

* When talking with the great Bob Ortegal on Thursday's radio presentation, he indicated what we have all be told our entire lives: "Rebounding is effort". Sometimes, your shots won't fall, but all you have to do is show interest to get rebounds. On Monday, the Mavericks were out boarded 44-28 in San Antonio. In game 3, The Mavericks had 28 rebounds....at Halftime. And they won the battle 51-41, despite almost 20 minutes of garbage time.

* Here is the difference between Greg Popovich and Rick Carlisle. If Carlisle would have took out the starters with 7:42 to go in the 3rd Quarter of a pivital Game 3 (even down 26 points) I would have been irate. I might have driven down to the arena and been waiting outside the lockerroom to try to get at him. Sorry, but you don't surrender a playoff game. You just don't. 7 minutes left in the game? Sure. But, in the NBA where everyone makes a run, who says they don't have it down to 12 at the end of the 3rd Quarter? Will anyone rip Popovich on this topic? Are you kidding me? 4 rings, my friend. He can send out his training staff to play the 4th Quarter if he wants to and nobody is going to challenge his jewelry. And there is the difference between the coaches.

* I thought Josh Howard was money on both ends of the floor. Man, he can really help this thing when he does what he does. I don't mean to type this same paragraph every single game, but the difference he can make is like no other player on the roster. I was pretty interested in the 2 man game that Josh and Damp were running against Finley and Duncan. It looked like they wanted Duncan to try to cover Josh, and then have Damp roll to the hoop with Finley. You have to love playoff match-ups.

* At least we know George Hill will shoot. 10 shots? So much for being nervous.

* OK. I say this with extreme caution, but after 3 games, I am ready to say it with at least some level of courage. Tim Duncan really is not right. He just looks tentative on offense - against Dampier! And on defense, I am not saying he is a non-factor, but he is quite ordinary. Duncan is arguably the best big man of this generation, so I will believe he is human when the Mavericks get to 4 wins, but this is not the same Duncan we have watched do whatever he wants whenever he wants.

* Jet is troubled by Bruce Bowen. There is no doubt about it. I would have been curious to see what Terry's final line is if the Spurs wouldn't have tapped out so early in the game, but when Bowen is guarding him, it appears Terry is having a difficult time getting loose.

So, let's be honest. Do you have any idea what happens next? Would any result on Saturday surprise you? These 3 games have all been very, very different. One good sign is that the Mavs always seem to bring their game at home, so if the Spurs are going to get Game 4, it is going to require the most titanic of efforts. If not, the Mavs will have a commanding 3-1 lead. Of course, they also had that after 4 games in 2006, but still needed OT in Game 7 to get the close.

This is getting very interesting. Any chance they will change the tip time on Saturday so it doesn't conflict with the NFL draft?

Game 2: Spurs 105, Mavs 84 (1-1)

Game 2 Notes Here...

Complacent - Adj pleased, especially with oneself or one's merits, advantages, situation, etc., often without awareness of some potential danger or defect; self-satisfied.

Used in a sentence? The Mavericks seemed that they might have been a tad complacent on Monday night.

Here is today's question as we look back at a Game 2 effort that would have to be labeled as extremely poor: were the Mavs complacent? Or, were they simply the team that played road games like this all season? In 2006, if they would lose a game like this, it would be considered out of character, and perhaps complacency had set in on a road trip where they wanted to get a win, and since they got it on Saturday they felt quite satisfied with themselves heading into Monday. But, in a season where they went 18-23 on the road -- and where the Mavs have had losses of 19 or more at: New Jersey, Memphis, Phoenix, Milwaukee, Boston, Utah, Golden State, and Cleveland -- it is tough say with certainty that it was complacency. It might just be the 2009 Mavs being the 2009 Mavs.



I didn't like the intensity. I didn't like the effort. I certainly didn't like the energy. Were they not being greedy? Were they resting on their laurels? It would appear so.

But. The game of basketball is pondered and discussed on a regular basis in all sorts of places including this one. And sometimes we get a bit too complex in our discussion when all we need is simple. Here is a simple take on Game 2 for the Dallas Mavericks: They missed shots. They missed almost all of their shots. The only guy who ever showed any competency from the perimeter (a place they insist on living) was Jason Kidd. He did hit shots from deep, but he was not joined by Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry, or Josh Howard at any point. The Mavs did not hit shots. If they don't hit shots, they don't have a chance. If they could get 30+ points from layups from a guy like Tony Parker, I am sure they would. But they don't. They launch jump shots. They must go in. Said another way, they can have all the intensity they want and if the occasional jumper doesn't swish, they are screwed.

So what do we have in this series? How could these two games look so different? What do we believe? Are the Mavs the team that can exhaust Tony Parker like we saw in Game 1, or can the Spurs flip a switch and run the Mavs out of the gym like they did in Game 2?

Questions abound as we head to Dallas for Games 3 and 4. Two games the Mavericks better win unless they are comfortable with their season ending in another one and done.

And now, thoughts and observations from Game 2:

* Based solely on the merits of the last three playoff years, I have to admit what my eyes are telling me: Dirk still looks pretty lost out there on offense. This may go back to the premise of Dirk's effectiveness is completely linked to the result of his shots. But, much like the body language he sent out in Golden State and New Orleans, Dirk does not look like a defiant superstar who is just waiting to eat your heart for dinner. Three years ago in this series, Dirk looked like a guy who was determined to send San Antonio out of the playoffs. Since the Western Finals against Phoenix, his floating through these games are tough for me to defend. He must be the tip of the arrow. He must not be denied. Am I wasting my time asking for this in 2009?

* If the strategy against Tony Parker was to try to tire him out by giving him lanes to the basket, then mission accomplished. That one-man lay-up line was crazy. Surely there has to be another option. The fact that he only finished with 37 is based completely on Popovich and the Spurs changing objectives on offense to preserve Parker for future battles. If the object of the game was for Parker to score 50, there is no doubt in my mind he could have done it. I think 60 was in play as well. He was awesome. The folly of believing J.J. Barea is this Tony Parker stopper is somewhat reminiscent of the time the Houston Rockets thought Ryan Bowen had the formula for stopping Dirk in the 2005 Playoffs. Barea is a nice story, but Parker has about 100 playoff performances to prove that nobody hiding on your bench can stop him.

* The one chance the Mavs might have had last night (it could be debated how good a chance this actually was) was early in the third quarter as the Mavs were on a mini-run that had them within 9, at 61-52. J.J. Barea was dribbling around the Spurs defense looking for an opening and lost control a bit and fired the ball out of bounds on a pass intended for Josh Howard. If that drops, perhaps the lead goes to 6 and the game is on. But, it didn't, and the Spurs scored the next 8 straight, and the lead was back up to 17.

* Nowitzki and Terry combined for 46 points per game in the regular season. In Game 1, the two combined for 31 points. In Game 2, they combined for 30. With those numbers, aren't we somewhat shocked this series is at 1-1?

* I really appreciate Jason Kidd hitting these shots. In fact, he has such a tricky smooth 3, that it seems to me that he is one of the best options in the fourth quarter when you must hit a shot. But, does anyone in all of basketball shoot more long 2's than Jason Kidd? I don't mean inside the line; I mean three pointers where his front foot is clearly on the line. I swear it is every game with the guy. Like a wide receiver that has a foot out of bounds, Kidd somewhat sabotages his great play by not paying a bit more attention to detail. Once in a while, you can forgive the foot on the line 2, but he does it often enough that it grows annoying.

* The Mavericks are a decent rebounding team. They should be as good or better than the Spurs. But, they were absolutely embarrassed on the boards in Game 2. The Spurs were up 24-12 on the glass at the half, and for the game, 44-28. The Mavs had just 5 offensive rebounds, which is only 1 more than Matt Bonner's 4. Yeesh.

* I think Popovich did a masterful job with his defensive schemes. I will be quite curious if Rick Carlisle has an answer for that on Thursday. This is where we find out how good a coach he is. Locked in a strategy chess match with a coaching Jedi for two weeks will separate the average from the exceptional.

* Great to see the rich guy with the long gray hair and the hot pink Mavs clappers can get those same front row tickets in San Antonio, too. I think he is surviving the recession.

* Please take the ball to the hole early. Anyone?

* One thing I never get tired of in the NBA is the amazing effectiveness of the pick and roll. No matter how complicated basketball gets and no matter what new ideas great coaching minds might come up with, at the end of every season, we see the basketball is nothing more than the simple 2-man game that we all tried to master in 5th grade. It is so simple, and so unstoppable.

Bottom line after Game 2? We know this will be a long series. We know the Mavs' manhood is going to be challenged with the physical play that they don't seem to always enjoy. We know they got their one win in San Antonio.

I think we also know that the odds of the Mavs going 3 for 3 in Dallas are not favorable. You must assume the Spurs get one in Dallas, which means you have to win another in San Antonio. The roller coaster ride of a seven game series is on full display right now, and we will see how the Mavs respond in a very pivotal game 3.

Thursday night.

Game 1: Mavs 105, Spurs 97 (1-0)

Read all About the Game 1 win here ...

It has been a while. You know, since you felt that undeniable feeling of accomplishing a small mission in the post-season. The feeling of the Mavericks putting an opponent to the sword on their home floor. In an arena filled with their fans, in their city, and seemingly with their good fortune.

And while the local basketball squad - that has been left for dead by many of its fans - is a long, long way from redemption, every journey begins with a step, and that step was taken last night in an impressive and somewhat stunning 105-97 win in San Antonio against the Spurs.

Do you remember June 3, 2006? I do. I remember it well. It seems like it was not that long ago on one hand, the night the Mavericks earned their ticket to the 2006 NBA Finals with a victory over the Suns in Phoenix. And, it is the last time the Mavericks won a playoff game outside of the American Airlines Center. When you pull out a calendar, you see it has been a long time since we rock and rolled. Mavs 102, Suns 93



Do you want to know what 1,050 days of playoff heartbreak looks like? Here are the 9 consecutive failed road tests during that time:

June 13, 2006 Heat 98, Mavs 96
June 15, 2006 Heat 98, Mavs 74
June 18, 2006 Heat 101, Mavs 100 (OT)
April 27, 2007 Warriors 109, Mavs 91
April 29, 2007 Warriors 103, Mavs 99
May 3, 2007 Warriors 111, Mavs 86
April 19, 2008 Hornets 104, Mavs 92
April 22, 2008 Hornets 127, Mavs 103
April 29, 2008 Hornets 99, Mavs 94

Wow. Imagine the Heart Breaks. The self-doubt. The calls from us all to "give it up" and "blow it up". There is a lot of emotional baggage jammed into those 9 horrid nights. And if it is impossible for those of us who enjoy this team to look those last 1,050 days in the eye, I can only imagine how it feels for Dirk, Jet, Josh, and Damp to deal with the criticism, the humiliation, and even the laughs.

Let's keep this in perspective. The bar has certainly been lowered. The team is not held to the "NBA Title or Bust" mantra of 2007. Heck, this team has backed expectations back to a point where I think a first round win would be considered a successful season. And let's not forget their foe is nowhere near the threat of the 2006 or 2007 San Antonio Spurs. That is a depleted team that appears to have very little beyond its two "all-world" performers who are still in uniform. And last, but not least, in the "let's keep perspective" department, let's not forget this is Game 1. A game the Spurs are actually quite used to losing, and frankly, not uncomfortable with that concept either.

But.

We didn't know if the Mavericks (this verison of them) still had this in them. We didn't know if the emotional scars of failures of the last 1,050 days would keep them from sticking the sword into the heart of an opponent begging for mercy. We didn't know if they would be able to venture into enemy grounds and make the plays at crunch time to put one in that elusive win column. Now we do.

Game 1 of a seven game series represents roughly 14% of the series. That means that 86% of the basketball in this series has yet to be played. We don't call an election after 14% of the votes have been counted, and we certainly won't consider that win any more than a nice way to start, but...

The following are my random notes and observations from a win that proved this team is not completely helpless on the road in the 2009 NBA Playoffs:

* So let me get this straight; The Mavs do not get exceptional performances from Dirk, Jason Kidd, nor Jason Terry. The Spurs get 51 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists, and 78 minutes from Tim Duncan and Tony Parker and as a team shoot 11-14 from 3-point range for an unreal 79%. The game is in San Antonio, and the Mavericks won...with some level of ease? Yes, please.

* If you are like me, about 18 months ago, you wondered what exactly JJ Barea had done to earn a spot in the NBA. Also, if you are like me, about 4 months ago, you begged his forgiveness for judging a book by its cover. If you aren't like me, and still have questions about his value or worth, then you might not want to apply for an NBA GM openings. Imagine, the Mavs have a point guard who causes the opponent complete mismatch fits! And make no mistake about it, he does. Tony Parker must have been so excited to play against Jason Kidd and Antoine Wright heading into this series. And now, after one game, you got the sense that everyone saw Barea get in his head a bit. Even Popovich indicated that it appeared Parker was interested in getting in a one-on-one battle to the detriment of the Spurs. When Barea drew back to back offensive fouls off of Parker, it certainly seemed that Barea had earned his way into the series. The back-up point guard for San Antonio has been a position of need for about 5 years now, and while I don't think Jacque Vaughn is even on the radar, I would not be shocked to see George Hill get a chance on Monday. There is no way Parker can take on Barea and Kidd for 48 minutes. Pop took Parker out of the game in the 3rd Quarter for a grand total of 38 seconds. The depth issue is remarkable at guard for San Antonio.

* Meanwhile, on the show this week, I made the bold claim that while I admit Josh is the key to this offense (if he settles for jumpers and more jumpers this team is doomed) I also made the claim he is only the 4th most valuable Maverick. How can that be? Which do I have wrong? In 2008-09, Dirk has been the best player. Then, the debate will be Jet vs. Kidd for who is 2 and who is 3. So, that logically leaves Josh as the 4th best player in the mix. So, why, is the difference he makes so obvious? In the 3rd Quarter last night, in a game in which the Spurs were not going to make things easy on Dirk or Terry at all, Josh started hitting one shot after another. In the first 9 minutes of the 3rd, the Mavs went from down 5 to up 9 points. That +14 stretch was almost all Josh. I honestly feel that he has restored almost all of his trade value (of course, why would you trade THIS version of Josh?) over the last 4 weeks - both by his presence and his absence. I still think he settles too much from the perimeter (3 for 8 last night from 17+ feet; 6-10 inside 15) but nights like last night he absolutely makes this team so much tougher to guard.

* Why do I enjoy wins in San Antonio so much? I like to see their fans mad. And that isn't tough. What is more fun than the collective groan of 18,000+ every single time they show a replay on the scoreboard? The Spurs have been fouled on every play, and yet never commit a foul. There are few things more enjoyable in sports than seeing the Spurs fans angry.

* Tony Parker is amazing. His quickness is phenomenal, and the Mavs really don't have any answer. Barea in doses, but for the most part, he is going to get his. But, if you contest him at the rim a bit, you can at least make him sweat. Does he get the proper credit for his awesomeness in the West? Seems like CP3 and Deron Williams get most of the ink, and I wonder if Parker gets ignored a bit because he is not the new kid on the block. At 26, it seems like he has been in the NBA forever. Can you believe the Spurs wanted Kidd when he was a free agent over Parker?

* If you think Matt Bonner has a bag of nothing, what do you think Fabricio Oberto must think? He can't get off the bench because of Bonner. Insult of insults.

* Let's not sleep on Bruce Bowen. Sure he has limitations at this age, but he still makes Dirk mad. He still can defend Terry. And he still doesn't miss the 3 from the corner. I think he is a factor in this series, and the Spurs are still happy to have him around.

* Brandon Bass might have been the MVP of last night's game. Dirk gets his 3rd foul and the Mavs are doomed, right? Well, Bass comes into the game and starts scoring and scoring. You knew good things were happening when he banked one off the top of the backboard. He is athletic and hustles. He is energy and ability wrapped into one. Like Barea, you don't want to over-expose him, but in doses, he is very valuable. And like Barea, any team in the NBA could have had him for nothing. Donnie Nelson is not dominating on draft day like he once did, but let's not act like he still isn't a very solid personnel mind.

* By the way, the impossible happened last night. At 1:05 left in the 1st half, Tim Duncan admitted to a foul. Erick Dampier was fouled, and Duncan did not complain, he did not out-stretch his arms in disbelief. He simply raised his arm and accepted the possibility that he might have violated a rule. Sorry about me, Spurs fans.

* I know this is also pretty sorry of me, but once again, Dampier played very, very well. And that just made me mad. Why can't I just enjoy it when he plays well? Why does it have to make me mad when I wonder why he doesn't act like he cares a bit more often? Seriously, the Mavs don't win without Damp playing strong and tough in the paint. Good work, big Damp.

* It was written that we would only know the true wisdom of the coaching change if Rick Carlisle gets it done in the playoffs. Well, so far so good. He is 1-0 on the road in the playoffs, snapping Avery's 9 game road losing streak. Let's not rest on those laurels.

Not sure I would expect any more wins in this series if Terry and Nowitzki are going to play such an average game, but it is surely a nice bonus. They needed a split in the first two in San Antonio, and they got one. Now, you must get greedy. Make them mad. Depress them. Demoralize them. With a win on Monday night, the Spurs will be up for a long, tough series. With a loss, they will start rationalizing how nice it will be to get Duncan a long summer of rest and get Manu healthy. I know I am really pushing my luck here, but I think the Mavs need to pounce while they are vulnerable.

Monday Night, Game 2 awaits. Where Amazing is showing a sign of happening.

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