Game T-4: Go Mavs!

Just four more wins and all those depressing years during the early-to-mid '90s are going to be washed away in sheer euphoria.

This is why you support your team through thick-and-thin through however many years. It's a heck of a lot more fun if you've been there for the dark deep valleys when the glorious summit is in sight...

One of my friends emailed me asking:

Is it safe to declare that Dirk is the greatest Maverick player in history?

My response was:

At this stage, probably so. To round out my starting five, I'd add: Mark Aguirre, Derek Harper, Ro Blackman, and Jason Kidd.

There are a number of folks who you could argue are in the next tier - Finley (who is probably the toughest omission from above), Perkins (who was overshadowed by the others on that mid-80s team), Schrempf (who only gave us a glimpse of what he'd later become), Nash (who only became an two-time MVP after leaving Dallas; but arguably he's still the same player - and Kidd was better by a country mile), Mashburn (who had his moments, but I don't think he ever cared as much as we all wanted), and Tarpley (who sadly never learned how to put down the crack pipe). As for current Mavs, Howard has the most potential of the current Mavs to join this second-tier group. Harris may surprise me though too if he stays long enough.

Prior to the Cuban era, the best Mavs team was probably the 1988 Mavs when they took the Showtime Lakers to the 7th game of the Conf. Finals. The 1987 Mavs, while having a better regular season record, just completely choked in that playoffs.

Just think happy thoughts...

[/sports/mavericks/2005-2006] permanent link

Game 25: History, but not what I wanted to see!

Kobe. 62 points. 3 quarters.

Mavs. 61 points. 3 quarters.

Yah, that was a fun game to watch in person. Not.

Towards the middle of the third quarter, my dad leaned over to me and says, "At least we're seeing history."

During that quarter after Kobe broke 50, I called my friend whose season tickets we were sitting in to say, "Um, you're watching this on TV, right?" He was TiVoing it and was only at the second quarter. He said, "Kobe's been on fire." I said, "You ain't seen nothing yet."

All hope was lost after Steve Javie called the idiotic technical foul on Dirk. My dad couldn't understand why the Lakers fans were booing Javie at the introductions; he understood by the time of the technical foul and the ridiculously tight game they were calling why he merited the boos. After that, we just knew AJ was going to be tossed. My mood quickly descended into, "They're not going to win, so let's watch Kobe beat my team single-handedly."

*sigh*

One of my friends had an email in my inbox when I got home that said: Subject line: "Two words." Body: "Kobe. Bryant."

What are friends for?

[/sports/mavericks/2005-2006] permanent link

Game 1: Thrilla in 'Nix

So you say Phoenix had the best home-court record last year? We'll bring it wherever we need to.

Down by 17 with 7 minutes left in regulation? No worries. We got Dirk (and Van Horn) raining threes.

Miss a bunch of FTs that would ice the game in OT? It's just part of the ebb and flow. JET makes another clutch shot at the end of OT.

Don't score 100 points until the end of the first overtime? Phoenix and Dallas? It's just part of a defensive renaissance.

Oh, yah. Screams of double overtime joy.

If only every NBA team could play like the Mavs and Suns. But, then, the NBA wouldn't be worrying about a dress code. By the way, nice coat, Mark! I think he was trying to out-spiffy Craig Sager who looked mellow in comparison.

[/sports/mavericks/2005-2006] permanent link

The anti-home-court advantage prevails

In other news, Dirk & Co. won their first game of the series tonight at Houston. Finley came alive with 20 points. More than anyone else, I think the fortune of the Mavs are tied to Finley. If he does well, he takes the pressure of Dirk. If he throws up bricks, then they don't have a legitimate scorer to ease the pressure off Dirk. Stackhouse isn't consistent enough to be considered a truly legitimate scorer who will keep the opposing teams honest.

I'm hopeful, but not optimistic that they can pull it out. Game 4 will be crucial. (Statin' the obvious, but that's my duty!)

Nutty shot by Carter in the MIA-NJ game at the end of the first OT. But, the Nets really didn't deserve to win that game. Actually, neither did the Heat. Yet, in the end, someone had to win it.

[/sports/mavericks] permanent link

T-Mac takes control...

T-Mac took the Rockets on his shoulder and silenced Dirk & Co.

The Mavs will try to even the series tonight. Go Mavs!

[/sports/mavericks] permanent link