3 Cheers - Game 5, Round 1

MAVS 118 vs. WARRIORS 112

Dear Mavs,

You're not off the hook just yet.  I'm still mad at you.  You shouldn't even be in this spot in the first place.  Are you proud that you went on a 15-0 run in the last 3 minutes to overcome a 9 point deficit and win?  Or do you stop and think that you were up 21 on this Warriors team and clearly in the driver's seat, only to wind up blowing the lead and be down by 9 with 3 minutes to go in your season?

Dear sweet and beautiful baby Jesus,

Well look who decided to show?

Much Dude love, Amen.

3 CHEERS:

1. Mavs 6 Shooter - I was going to leave Jason Terry out of this with his awful shooting, but who's ever heard of a 5 Shooter?  Dirk finally awoke to take the game back and save the season at the end of the game.  He finished with 30 points, 12 boards, 3 assists and one huge block during that final push.  He also started getting back to the line, hitting 14 of 15 free throws.  Josh Howard was steady for the first 3 quarters, totaling 23 points, 8 boards, 5 assists and 3 steals.  Little Devin Harris was the big dog in the 4th quarter, totaling 16 points and 7 assists and largely staying out of foul trouble.  Jerry Stackhouse brought 15 points, even though his shooting was atrocious.  JET only had 11 points with horrible shooting but got the offense rolling to start the game.  The biggest surprise was DeSagana Diop.  This cat had a career high 11 points, didn't miss a shot from the field, grabbed 7 boards, collected a steal and a block, and he only turned the ball over once.  He also stayed out of foul trouble.  This game was won by these 6 guys, and I had to recognize all of them.  It was like a relay race.  Howard starts off, then passes the baton to Stack, who passes it to Harris, who passes it to Dirk.  Cheers all around.

2. Mavs Finishing, Finally - For the bulk of this game, the Mavs were staying true to their series-long tendency to fade out at the end of quarters . . . until the 3:21 mark in the fourth.  Baron Davis had just stroked his last 3 pointer, giving him 27 points on the night, to put the Warriors up 112 to 103.  But the Mavs went on a 15-0 run, with Dirk scoring 12 of those.  Harris also contributed by relentlessly driving to the hoop and converting.  Never doubt the heart of a champion . . . or a team that decided with 3 minutes left in the season that they didn't want to be a part of the most embarrassing first round upset in the history of basketball.

3. Comebacks - The Mavs had theirs at the end of the game, which was the one that counted.  But the Warriors had theirs, too.  They were down 53-32 in the second quarter, then went on a 35-14 run spanning halftime to tie the game at 67 a piece with 7 minutes to play in the third.  Of course, when you have fast, athletic players who love to jack up uncontested 3 pointers and drill them at a 16 of 35 clip, it's not too hard to understand how a 21 point lead can disappear so quickly.

3 JEERS:

1. Mavs Bench - I mentioned the 6 Shooter, which included Stack.  Stack is technically a part of the bench, but he plays starter's minutes.  We got a decent (and surprise) performance from Austin Croshere, who hasn't played significant minutes this whole series.  But even if you add Cro's and Stack's numbers together with the rest of the bench and compare it to the Warriors, we got outscored by the Warriors bench 34-27.  Take Stack away, like I normally do since Stack usually outscores opponent's benches on his own, we were out scored 34-12.  We were out rebounded 19-8.  For one of the deepest teams in the league (not to mention a team that supposedly built their roster with defensive minded big guards to keep the Wades, Kobes, and McGradys in check) it's unacceptable to have that kind of output.  With the exception of Devean George's 2 steals and Cro's 3 3-pointers, there was no sign that any of these guys participated in the game.  That has to change because against a fast paced team like Golden State, we need to be able to rest our big guns for more than 30 seconds at a time.  The 6 Shooter stepped up, now it's the bench's turn to join the club.

2. The Instigator - In every playoff series, I find someone on the opposing team to hate.  Baron Davis would be nice, but he's been too good to really hate.  Stephen Jackson would be nice, but he's too easy to hate.  Jason Richardson would be nice, but he's too nice to hate.  So I've decided it's Matt Barnes.  He's an instigator, and I don't like it.  He's a Bruce Bowen starter kit.  He even got into a fight with his own teammate, Baron Davis, during the game.  Is it any coincidence that he's fouled out of at least 3 of the 5 games we've played so far?  He tries to start crap with the opponent to get them to flinch because it's the only way to mask the fact that he's not a good basketball player and all he can do is wait around at the 3 point line and hope for an open shot.  Yep, sounds like Bowen to me.  Good enough reason to hate him.

3. Refs Inconsistency - Again, I'm trying to take the approach this year that the refs aren't responsible for wins and losses, but the inconsistencies are too stunning to me to not comment on.  Get this: in the first quarter, the two teams shot a combined 18 free throws.  I figure the game is going to be whistle happy.  Then in the second quarter, they shoot a combined 5 free throws.  The style of play didn't change, but they just stopped calling fouls on plays that they were calling fouls on in the first quarter.  But wait, there's more.  In the third quarter, they combined to shoot 19 free throws.  Ahhh, and two of those free throws were due to technical fouls called on the Mavs.  Do you see a trend?  One quarter, tight.  Next quarter, lenient.  So you would expect the fourth to have fewer foul shots.  NO!!!  They combine for 20 free throws, two of which came due to technical fouls on the Warriors (more sarcastic clapping).  Again, I think in the grand scheme of things, the officiating was balanced.  The Warriors had 28 fouls, the Mavs had 23.  But the Warriors had 2 guys foul out and one guy ejected.  Stackhouse got a technical for complaining (like no other player does that, but at least he didn't clap), and JET got a tech for "taking down" Baron Davis.  I will give the ref that called that tech the benefit of the doubt.  He was right next to them when they both got tangled up out of bounds, but he was behind them.  The emotions at that point of the game, added with the lack of perspective, would easily lead you to believe that when the two got tangled up, the one that didn't hit the floor was the aggressor.  However, if a guy of JET's stature can toss a guy of Baron "Sail the Seven Seas" Davis's size with that little effort, then there was probably some flopping involved, especially when Davis laid there for 2 minutes writhing and clutching the side of his skull . . . the side that didn't even make contact with the floor during the fall.  Nice acting job, Davis.  Pirates of the Caribbean Part 4 is auditioning next week.  I understand that it's the equivalent of trying to find the Golden Ticket in every Willy Wonka chocolate bar you buy, but I just wish that I could watch a game that, lots of whistles or no whistles, is consistent between the two teams and consistent from opening tip to final buzzer.

RANDOM CRAP!

• The Dude and Mrs. Dude are discussing Mavs shirts before the game.  We were wondering why the Mavs didn't counter the Warriors "We Believe" campaign.  Mrs. Dude wanted to see shirts that said "We Believe More" or "We Believe Better Than You".  I wanted to see shirts that said "We've Got Spirit, We've Got Heart, Golden State Warriors Smell Like Fart".  Fire up the silk screen machine.  I think we have a best seller.
• Is it just me, or does Andris Biedrins look like Zoolander with that well sculpted hair style?
• Former The Apprentice contestant Kristine Lefebvre has decided to pose for Playboy magazine.  A lawyer that was trying to land a profitable and respected job with a high powered entrepreneur has probably just squashed all opportunities of ever landing a job like that again.  So why would she do this and possibly ruin her chances at a high powered corporate career of some kind?  She claims that since she's a cancer survivor she's doing it to raise awareness.  I have a very good feeling that when guys start buying the magazine and looking at pictures of her naked, she'll raise something, but it won't be awareness.  And what's with all this "raising awareness" bull crap that people throw around?  It's not like nobody's heard of cancer.  How about you find a cure instead of just telling people that the disease exists?  Lance Armstrong doesn't raise awareness.  He raises money to cure it.  And he's never had to get naked to do it.
• So long as we are on the social commentary rant, Mrs. Dude had a great point the other day that I have failed to mention.  Do you think that if the Virginia Tech shootings had happened a week earlier, Don Imus would still have a job?
• In addition, where was Rev. Al Sharpton during all the Virginia Tech candlelight vigils, leading the brigade against cruelty and intolerance?
• Sorry.  Back to basketball.
• I read this in the Dallas Morning News, compliments of the great David Moore: In this week's episode of The Sopranos, Tony placed a bet on the San Antonio Spurs.  He turns on the TV to hear a broadcaster say that Stackhouse just hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to lead the Mavericks to a 109-108 win over the Spurs.  Stackhouse's response was "I better watch my neck.  I'd rather be on Tony's side."
• Not that I could blame Tony Soprano for betting against the Mavs at this point.
• My friend "Evin", the penisface, and I have made amends.  Actually, we were never mad at each other.  That's how guys work.  Anyway, he made it up to me by typing his own 3 Cheers for me.  I felt obliged to print them, but if they aren't funny or intelligent it's not my fault.  Read on:
• "Here is my brief version of 3 cheers.  I figure since I am staying up to watch this madness I could put my opinion in the ring.  Unfortunately I did not take notes so this is all on memory.
  Devin Harris - The little dude is taking over the paint!! watch out yo!!  Although little in the NBA, he probably towers over all of us, but for all of us who are 5'8, 5'9...we must root for the little man!!!
  Dirk -  Perhaps Dirk should change up his little tick of using his right hand to tug at his left shoulder strap on his jersey.  Instead, use his left hand to the right shoulder.  That may be the "Tin Cup move his change from right pocket to left pocket to cure the yips on the driving range of the US open" fix to get Dirk going and continue his presence throughout the entire game.   Silly, I know, but just a thought.
  Stack -  Alley OOP reverse slam!!!!  All that needs to be said!!!
  Actually going to make it 4 cheers...sorry
  Avery -  Calling out the whinny Dirk the day before the game.  He may have awoken the sleeping German!  Now all that is left to do is charter a flight for Hasslehoff to Oakland tomorrow.
  As a MAV's fan for the sake of the man who called me a penis head on his blog,  I do hope the Mav's can complete the comeback.  As a sports fan who has watched these 5 games, especially the last two nights with great interest, I don't have much confidence going into tomorrow night for the Mav's.  The Mav's needed a 15-0 run to win on their HOME COURT to pull this out.  Up by 21 in the first half, only to lead by 7 at the half.  Then to be down by 9pts with 3 minutes left.  That is a 30 pt swing in 2 qtrs on their HOME COURT.  notice the emphasis on HOME COURT!!!
  I thought maybe if the Mav's won last night,  the pressure would be on GS to close it out at home so they wouldn't have to go back to Dallas.  But GS took the MAV's best shot and was still up by 9 with 3 mins left, IN DALLAS.  GS has a confident swagger about them and as much as I want Dallas to win, I do not have much confidence going into tomorrow night.  I hope I am wrong for the sake of the man who called me a penis head.
• I will note that I didn't edit any of this, and for the record, I called him a penisface, not a penis head.  There's a difference, and that's why we are still friends.

From here on out, they are all elimination games for the Mavs.  We dodged the first one, but there are two more, with the next one being in Believer-ville.  I ain't comfortable, but at least the blog goes on another day.  Go Mavs!!