Dallas Mavericks Playoff Thread

[LongJim]

And from ESPN:

"But as the NBA playoffs roll on — and the unfortunate, game-changing calls mount — Bavetta will be right there in the middle of it all.

He'll blow his whistle and come flying out from under the basket as we wait to see if it will be a block or a charge, half-knowing that the call will undoubtedly be contradicted by replay. Bavetta will plant his feet close together, put his hands on his hips and thrust his groin forward in his slightly pornographic signature move. It's a block. (Except, of course, that the defender was set and his heels were three feet outside the circle.)

When he was being profiled as the ABC News Person of the Week earlier this year, Bavetta said, "I've always considered myself as a grade-B actor — someone who is down in the credits, also starring. The players are the stars of the performance, and the game is the performance."

Words to ref by. Too bad Dick Bavetta ignores them."

[Coach]

Tonight was a heartbreaker. Nash just took the game over in the end. Let's hope Howard is OK.

[Quoner]

Tonight was a heartbreaker.  Nash just took the game over in the end.  Let's hope Howard is OK.

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Refs.

Watch Diaw's "footwork" at the end there. Simply "amazing"

[PerryG2480]

I think that the Mavs main mistake was that they were willing to compromise and fell right into the Suns style of play. We can't play 120 pt. games with this team in my opinion. There were very few centers used, and the Mavs didn't figure out that the paint would be open all night (and series) long until the second quarter.

I have faith though, Avery will make the proper adjustments. The better team wins a 7 game series nearly all the time.

[UNTLifer]

What is Howard's injury and what is his status for the remainder of the series/playoffs?

Down here in Houston, the Chronicle doens't provide much information.

[Coach]

DALLAS (AP) -- The Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks have overcome injuries all season. So it's no surprise they're both scrambling to change their lineups after losing starters in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals.

Phoenix guard Raja Bell will miss at least Game 2 on Friday night because of a calf injury that could be severe. Dallas forward Josh Howard has a bone bruise on his left ankle and coach Avery Johnson said it would be a game-time decision on whether the versatile scorer and defender will be available.

"There's some soreness there," Johnson said following a workout Howard missed. "We'll see if he can be much improved tomorrow."

Phoenix's Shawn Marion said his twisted left ankle was sore Thursday, but that he'll definitely play Game 2 Friday night.

"It's hurting, but I'm going to be good," said Marion, who hurt the same ankle in the second round. "It's better than I expected."

The Suns lead the series 1-0 after a 121-118 victory Wednesday night.

Bell said he felt something pop in his leg, dropping him to the court with 5:27 left in the fourth quarter. He was helped off the court and later felt it stiffen. While teammates practiced Thursday, Bell was on his stomach having his calf treated by a trainer.

"It was pretty scary," he said. "I'm optimistic. Hopefully it's something that's just really tight today and it'll start loosening up for me in the next day or so."

Bell said he was told he could miss a week, but doesn't expect it. However, the extent of the injury isn't known.

The team opted not to take an MRI because it wouldn't change how he was treated, coach Mike D'Antoni said.

"There's no way he can (play) tomorrow," D'Antoni said. "After that, it's day-to-day and we'll have to see."

D'Antoni said Leandro Barbosa will start in Bell's place, with Eddie House and possibly James Jones getting added minutes, too. Phoenix already has won once this postseason with Barbosa replacing Bell -- Game 6 of the first round against the Los Angeles Lakers when Bell was suspended for a hard foul on Kobe Bryant.

"I think we'll be fine," said Bell, who left the arena on crutches. "We've had to do it so many times this year that nothing needs to be said. Plus, I don't see myself as a guy the team can't live without."

Howard was hurt six minutes into the game and didn't return. His injury initially was ruled a sprain, but changed to a bruise following an MRI early Thursday.

He scored six points in six minutes and was expected to guard Marion and possibly Nash. He's averaged 15.5 points and six rebounds per game in the playoffs, only slightly below his regular-season totals.

Dallas won all 21 games this season when he scores at least 20 points. The Mavs also were 16-7 in games that he missed.

Johnson was coy about how he'd replace Howard in the lineup. Adrian Griffin and Keith Van Horn both saw extended action in Game 1, both filling in for Howard and taking over at center in a small lineup.

"We'll figure out who we start and how we want to attack," Johnson said.

While Johnson dismissed questions about Bell's absence, D'Antoni kind of liked the idea of Howard being hurt.

"That helps," he said. "If (Dirk) Nowitzki would get sick, that'd be even better."

[Coach]

Two guys that barely made the court in game 1, Howard and Diop, were the difference to me tonight. Diop wasn't a Mutumbo in his prime lane clogger, but it was a big difference from Wednesday. Howard kept the Suns on their heels with his drives to the rim and kept plays alive with hustle and energy.

The Suns will have energy from the home court, and Bell may return at any time, so that will give them a boost. However, I wonder how long it will be before the shorter bench and already playing in two 7 game series will start to catch up with the Suns. Game 3 should be tight again.

[Guest e-bone]

Also, there will only be 1 day of rest in between each game of this series. So there won't be any 3 day layoff to let Nash rest like what happened in the Clippers series. The eventual set it of fatigue for the Suns, and with Howard showing no signs of injury last night I believe it is only a matter of time before the Mavs win this series.

[Coach]

Holding the Suns to only 88 at home was huge. They played smart and tough in the second half to take the lead and hold it.

The stat of the night...the Suns, at home, were held to four fast break points.

[gksmith]

On Friday the DMN had an article "Screen Gems for the Mavs" in the Guide Live section (Section G).

The article mentioned some of the stuff they put on the screen during timeouts, before the game, et al. The 3 that were mentioned were "Goin to the Playoffs" (ala South Park), "The Avery Bunch," and "Raiders of the Lost Trophy." These are pretty funny.

Goin to the Game you will have to get off of Janimation.com directly (no way to link to the actual video). I have linked to You Tube for the other two below.

Janimation "Goin to the Playoffs"

Raiders of the Lost Trophy

[Coach]

My favorite:

[gksmith]

I'm sorry....I have to put this in here.

With Dirk singing David Hasselhoff, you can watch this to keep time with "I'm Looking for Freedom."

[UNTFan23]

Please make it stop.

[eagle60]

The Mavs looked as out-of-it in Game 4 as the Suns did in Game 3. Now the series will really get serious!

[Coach]

What a performance by the Big German.

50 points, 12 boards, 3 assists

[LongJim]

What a performance by the Big German.

50 points, 12 boards, 3 assists

The Mavs need to keep driving the lane. If they can keep doing that and working the ball inside first, they'll beat PHX tomorrow.

Great game by Dirk.

[Quoner]

The Mavs looked as out-of-it in Game 4 as the Suns did in Game 3.    Now the series will really get serious!   

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Be sure to give Tim Thomas a kiss from me.

[Coach]

Here is an interesting stat about Dirk's game last night here. Dirk's game was the best performance of the playoffs using the ESPN formula (the formula is on the bottom of the page).

Also, it's a shame that Tim Thomas doesn't get an assist for helping set Dirk off like that.

The Sports Guy's latest, a lot of it is about Dirk.

Edited June 2, 2006 by Coach

[Guest e-bone]

There was a clip on Sportscenter of Tim Thomas being asked in a post game interview about his confrontation with Dirk. Thomas said something along the lines of he would never hear the end of it from people back home if he let Dirk punk him, as a jab at Dirk. Well Timmy, Dirk dropped 50 points on you. You got punked.

[UNTFan23]

As deadly accurate as Tim Thomas was behind the arc that game, the Suns never fed him the ball in the 4th quarter.

[Coach]

Mike Dan Tony said post game that he doesn't run plays for players, that their shots come within the offense.

Tip off is over 9 hours away, and I can't wait. This is as excited as I have been for an NBA game since MJ was a Bull.

[Quoner]

As deadly accurate as Tim Thomas was behind the arc that game, the Suns never fed him the ball in the 4th quarter.

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Thomas was open all of the third because the right people to guard him were in foul trouble and just too many people did not know where to go. Armstrong got lost on 2 of them and then you had the Van Horn factor going.

Once the Mavs regained composure and got Howard out on the floor, Thomas never really got a look.

You are right though, the beauty of the D'Antoni system is that you never feed the hot hand.

Do you think Thomas is so big on protecting his rep because of when he was called a "kitty cat" in the Knicks/Nets series a few years ago?

Once a kitty, always a kitty...no matter how fake tough you act.

[Coach]

Finally!

I was telling my wife the other day that being a Mavs and Rangers fan, you always end up defending yourself...not a problem anymore for the Mavs.

Dirk, Josh, and Jason poured it on in the second half to overcome an 18 point defecit and win the West.

The Mavs vs. Shaq, Wade and the Heat in the Finals...this is greatness.

[NorthTexasFan]

I can't wait as well. I believe it's time for Hack-a-Shaq!

[Coach]

Did TNT ever mention this during the game?

From Marc Stein, espn.com "Daily Dime"

Dirk Nowitzki. Dwayne Wade.

They're the two best players in the conference finals and soon to be NBA Finals rivals.

Yet that's not all they have in common.

Just as Wade played ill in Miami's Game 6 clincher Friday night, Nowitzki did the same in Dallas' Game 6 victory Saturday at Phoenix.

Remember how the Mavs announced Friday that they were giving Nowitzki "a day off" after his 50-point masterpiece in Game 5?

The rest of the story: Nowitzki apparently got food poisoning from his postgame meal late Thursday night and was confined to his bed until Dallas flew to Phoenix on Friday afternoon.

Mavs coach Avery Johnson, after covering for his ailing star in the buildup to Dallas' 102-93 series-clinching victory, finally hinted at Nowitzki's distress in his postgame remarks, saying: "Dirk came back. [He] wasn't feeling particularly good, couldn't practice yesterday."

He came back with 24 points, 10 boards and three blocks in 44 minutes. It wasn't vintage Nowitzki, especially when set against the standards he's carrying now, but he personally outscored Phoenix -- with 14 points -- during the 33-12 run that erased the 60-45 lead held by the Suns with 6:34 to go in the third quarter.