There’s nothing I fear more than a 20 point first half lead. Because you know it won’t last, especially against a team as good as the Mavs and a player as good as Dirk. And then when Dirk picked up his 4th foul in the first half, I just had this sense of dread: “Uh oh; this is way too easy. We’re being set up for a massive comeback.”
And it came. It came on the back of Roddy Beaubois. It came on the back of Dirk Nowitzki. It came on the heels of an understandable Spurs letdown. But it came early, and once the Mavs neutralized the game, it was easy to get over, move on, and play out the game like we all knew it would be: super competitive and down to the wire.
We won the game as we’ve won so many in the last 13 years, with poise, execution, and solid D down the stretch. I can’t say enough about the job McDyess did on Dirk, nor the emergence of George Hill as one of our top scorers and crunch-time performers. We knew we needed a 4th scorer and star this year, we just all thought it would be Jefferson. But with Hill’s emergence, this team has a totally new look and swagger about them, and must certainly scare the rest of the West. And despite average numbers, I was quite pleased with what we got from Jefferson. If he can settle into the role as energy/defense player, get us some cheap baskets in transition and putbacks, and stick the jumpshot every so often, he’ll continue to be an integral piece of the puzzle.
All credit to the Mavs: they are a great team, and I echo Pop’s sentiment that I hope we never have to play them again. Despite the hatred between the two teams, I have nothing but respect for Dirk and Kidd and Carlisle, and am always terrified when Terry, Barea and (now) Beaubois are on the court. I even kind of like Cuban, at least when he’s not talking shit about the Spurs. The Mavs were the team I least wanted to play in the first round, and I’m grateful to be done with the series and the havoc it wreaks on my nerves!
Up next, another old friend: The Phoenix Suns. I hope to be back with a series preview sometime on Sunday.
