DEFENSE! Mavs Go Up 2-1 With Outstanding Defensive Effort

Dirk Nowitzki Caps Tim Duncan en route to 88-67 Mavs Win



This game wasn't even close. After getting out to an immediate 8-0 lead, the Mavericks never looked back; leading the rest of the game. "Genius" coach Popovich pulled his starters half-way through the 3rd quarter. I like that even though the Spurs waved the white flag so easily, (something to do with their French point guard and team leader?) Dallas didn't pull their regulars until the 4th quarter.

The 88-67 final scored actually makes this game seem more close than it actually was. This Spur's team had 42 points through three quarters! That's one thing San Antonio can hang their hat on after this game; their 3rd string players are better than the Mavs'. They outscored the Mavs 25-13 in the fourth quarter.

In my 15 years (9 good ones) of watching the Mavericks, I have NEVER seen a defensive effort like this. Here are some notes from the game:

• This was the lowest scoring output in San Antonio playoff history, and also the lowest allowed in Mavericks playoff history.

• San Antonio shot 32 % from the field (2-17 from behind the arc), which was again, thanks to garbage time. They shot 28% through the first 3 quarters, when the game mattered.
• The Mavs had 8 steals and 8 blocks, many of them on Tony Parker underneath the basket.
  
• Jason Kidd looked like he was about 10 years younger, controlling Parker's offensive capabilities (Parker shot 5-14 from the field) and forcing him into mistakes.
  
• Erick Dampier showed up big and didn't need to put Parker on his back so I was obviously wrong in my game 3 preview. He CAN block shots, and got three of them. One especially spectacular in that he caught Parker from behind and rejected the ball off the backboard.
  
• Brandon Bass blocked a few shots into the fifth row, dominating Drew Gooden who he was matched up with most of the night.
• Josh Howard played with a defensive tenacity that hasn't been seen much this season, but that showed up at exactly the right time. J-Ho had some turns against Parker, along with Kidd and helped to slow down the Frenchman, resulting in immediate surrender. Howard might have had the most complete defensive game statistically among the Mavs with 2 steals and 2 blocks.
  

Defense has been a "priority" all year long. Last night, the Mavericks finally showed us on the floor how important it is and what kind of team this can be if they actually practice what they preach.

Little JJB's first playoff start was a good one. I thought they were going to go with JET here to get him off in this series, but Carlisle went another way and man did it work perfectly. Barrea started out on fire and immediately got the crowd into it. He made all of his 4 shots in the first quarter, 3 of them layups and the other a 3 pointer. Barrea finished the game with 13 points, 7 assists, and a steal on 5-8 shooting. Tony Parker finished with 12 points and 3 assists.

Dirk was Dirk tonight as he led the team with 20 points while making 8 of his 12 shots from the floor. Last night it didn't matter what kind of defensive strategy San Antonio was going to try on Dirk. He made his shots, contested or uncontested, as usual. That made the game much easier for him and he mixed in some pump fakes, head fakes, and ball fakes to get the defenders off their feet which freed him up for open shots and lanes to the basket.

This was a do-or-die game for the Mavs (as playoff Mavs/Spurs playoff tendency's having to do with game 3's suggest) and they treated it like one. I think Gregg Popovich summed it up best after the game:
"Look at the stats. Good Lord, have some mercy, will ya? They kicked our ass every way but loose!’’