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Round One, Game One: Mavs vs Warriors Open Thread

436_tiny by Wes Cox on in News

Sorry guys, no need to watch tonight's game -- or the rest of the series either.

For all wondrous gifts of MVP candidate Dirk Nowitzki and the skills of Josh Howard and Jason Terry, who among the Mavericks besides Jerry Stackhouse can summon toughness on demand?

While the series promises a clash of styles -- the Warriors' small ball vs. the Mavs' disciplined schemes -- there is a very good chance that the W's not only can establish their tempo but also impose their will. That they can outrun the Mavericks and outfight them.
Game Links
Game One (Player Ratings) -- Game Two (Palyer Ratings) -- Game Three -- Golden State of Mind


Discuss the game here.

GO MAVS

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You're right
We shouldn't even try.  I mean, we would have beat them in the regular season if we could have, right?

by BrodyV on Apr 22, 2007 7:45 PM CDT   0 recs

Ooops
Sorry, forgot to close my <snark> tag

by BrodyV on Apr 22, 2007 7:46 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Exactly
Not only will the Warriors win, they'll "impose their will".

by Wes Cox on Apr 22, 2007 8:05 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

warriors sweep
four blowouts

by dignan on Apr 22, 2007 8:12 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

According to EJ in the studio
George is starting the game, not Damp...they're playing small?

by Marie on Apr 22, 2007 8:34 PM CDT   0 recs

According to KTXA 21...
Starting line-up:

JET, George, Josh, Dirk, Devin

by ptrck on Apr 22, 2007 8:38 PM CDT   0 recs

Yay, the Czar is back!
Though I wish he was teamed up with Marv and Kerr.

by Marie on Apr 22, 2007 8:46 PM CDT   0 recs

First thoughts
They've seen something on film about Richardson that has led to those fouls.  Avery's a coach after all.

Seeing George hit that 3 was great.  That shot's going to be there for him.

Dirk needs to get an early shot to fall, but he's making great decisions with the ball.

Howard's got active hands.  But he needs to have a good offensive quarter.

by BrodyV on Apr 22, 2007 8:56 PM CDT   0 recs

Dirk got fouled
When trying to get the offensive board.  Not sure how Stack could miss that easy layup.

by Marie on Apr 22, 2007 9:07 PM CDT   0 recs

Dallas
doing a good job making Golden State play half court defense. Now they just need to make their shots.

by Wes Cox on Apr 22, 2007 9:10 PM CDT   0 recs

They've missed several easy shots
Like that layup from Devin off the timeout.  

by Marie on Apr 22, 2007 9:12 PM CDT   0 recs

The referees have whistles
I know they do.  I hear them when someone calls timeout...

But that's about it.  The Joey Crawford fallout has gone far too far.  I noticed it during the Suns game too, they're letting absolute muggings happen under the basket on anything other than fast break drives.  But I basically haven't seen an over the back foul called today.

by BrodyV on Apr 22, 2007 9:29 PM CDT   0 recs

I'm not sure our offense could look any worse righ
Man it just looks awful. Their zone is really disrupting us. We just look like we're in such a hurry.

BTW, I almost never post here, but I lurk a lot, and dallas-mavs.com is down from all the traffic, so I'm bringing my game thread thoughts over here.

I need an outlet. :-)

by jthig32 on Apr 22, 2007 9:33 PM CDT   0 recs

Hey, welcome
And join in on the venting.

by Marie on Apr 22, 2007 9:36 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Oh yeah
It's toast...

by jthig32 on Apr 22, 2007 9:41 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I didn't even know there was a dallas-mavs.com
Is that the same place as Mavs Central?  Not the same place as dallasbasketball.com, right?

by Marie on Apr 22, 2007 9:43 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Wow...
What a really stupid foul. I'll take it.

by jthig32 on Apr 22, 2007 9:36 PM CDT   0 recs

Ok...
Someone explain to me, why Dirk can't get position on the low block against the people that are guarding him.

I understand he's not comfortable trying for that position against people more his size. I understand he's more comfortable at the top of the key.

But with the people on the floor, you have GOT to punish them down low. Get position on the stinking block!

by jthig32 on Apr 22, 2007 9:43 PM CDT   0 recs

Dirk
is doing a good job getting position when a smaller player is guarding him. What he is NOT doing well is making clean passes out of the double team which comes every time. It seems like every pass he makes is off target or being deflected. Nellie is doing a great job exploiting Dirky's only weakness.

by Turkish41 on Apr 22, 2007 9:55 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Dirk
Really needed that jumper that he hit with 4 mins left.  He's not on yet, but it looks like he's working his way out of the funk.

Howard is having a great night, as is Harris- they aren't doing stat sheet things necessarily, but they are doing absolutely everything else.

by BrodyV on Apr 22, 2007 9:44 PM CDT   0 recs

Argh!
They keep missing the easy shots!

by Marie on Apr 22, 2007 9:46 PM CDT   0 recs

Mavs shot 29%
and it's tied.

Nice.

by Wes Cox on Apr 22, 2007 9:48 PM CDT   0 recs

Okay, tie game
Could be worse.  Dirk needs to get his shot going...I love how they're tapping the ball back out for second-chance shots, but nothing's going in.

by Marie on Apr 22, 2007 9:49 PM CDT   0 recs

Who in the world
Would have said 38-38 at half time?

Pietrus, um, threw a punch at Josh Howard coming down with the last defensive rebound of the first half.  Not an elbow.  A closed fist came swinging out from the ball.

Why did it take this long to get Dampier into the game?  I've counted 2 offensive rebounds in less than 2 minutes played.

by BrodyV on Apr 22, 2007 9:50 PM CDT   0 recs

Like Charles Barkley
I'm wondering why Avery went small.  I thought they weren't going to play small and use Damp/Diop.

by Marie on Apr 22, 2007 9:52 PM CDT   0 recs

I was surprised as well
but this quote from Avery made me think it might be coming.
"Sometimes when you play against teams like this, you tend to not want to run. We want to run."

by Wes Cox on Apr 22, 2007 9:57 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Barkley...
Totally agree with Barkley here. We shouldn't be changing our freaking starting lineup to play the freaking Golden State Warriors.

by jthig32 on Apr 22, 2007 9:53 PM CDT   0 recs

Unbeliveable
Mavericks fans everywhere are in accord with Chuck.  Jeeze.

by BrodyV on Apr 22, 2007 9:53 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

4 for 4
freakin Warriors

by Frisco Zig on Apr 22, 2007 11:40 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I don't get it
With Biedrins in there, you've GOT to get Damp in the game. Come on....

by jthig32 on Apr 22, 2007 10:10 PM CDT   0 recs

Oh my God
Dunk the f-ing ball!!!  

by Marie on Apr 22, 2007 10:11 PM CDT   0 recs

All right, guys!
Maybe they should bench Dirk instead of starting him...just kidding...

by Marie on Apr 22, 2007 10:17 PM CDT   0 recs

Thoughts
  1.  You dropped what, 300 bucks on playoff tickets? Scream, assholes.

  2.  I'm going to see how many offensive rebounds Diop and Damp get, and then bang my head against a wall that many times in protests of them not starting.

  3.  I wonder if GSW fans think that George can play a little bit of defense now?

  4.  Pan roasted chicken with red potatoes and a garlic and rosemary sauce?  Best thing the French ever came up with.

by BrodyV on Apr 22, 2007 10:21 PM CDT   0 recs

I just noticed
That Stack hasn't been very effective tonight.

by Marie on Apr 22, 2007 10:28 PM CDT   0 recs

Without looking at the box score
I don't remember him scoring

by Wes Cox on Apr 22, 2007 10:31 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Good freaking God
Stop Baron Davis!  19 in the freaking quarter!

by Marie on Apr 22, 2007 10:37 PM CDT   0 recs

Everyone in the whole world
knew Baron was going to shoot a three there -- except Buckner

by Wes Cox on Apr 22, 2007 10:37 PM CDT   0 recs

stack
he is honestly trying to give me a heart attack

by aarontangsays on Apr 22, 2007 10:39 PM CDT   0 recs

Took long enough!
For that Pietrus foul to be called

by Marie on Apr 22, 2007 10:45 PM CDT   0 recs

Terry
doin some of Humble Billy's work with the claps

by aarontangsays on Apr 22, 2007 10:47 PM CDT   0 recs

Mavs in the penalty
for the final 8 minutes. That could be huge.

by Wes Cox on Apr 22, 2007 10:53 PM CDT   0 recs

Yeah, they need to stay aggressive
And hopefully earn some free points at the line...though Dirk bricked that one.

by Marie on Apr 22, 2007 10:55 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Place would have exploded
if Dirk made that 3.

by Wes Cox on Apr 22, 2007 10:57 PM CDT   0 recs

Good look.
They're just not falling tonight. worst case scenario. Baron Davis is a beast.

by DitchThePlaybook on Apr 22, 2007 10:58 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I'd bet he's hurt
That's the only thing I can think of, that he re-injured his shoulder in practice sometime over the weekend, and AJ didn't want to say anything about it until he could see if he could go or not.

by BrodyV on Apr 22, 2007 11:15 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Which
Would also explain the moronic decision to play smallball.

by BrodyV on Apr 22, 2007 11:19 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

And suddenly
the refs are calling everything...

by Wes Cox on Apr 22, 2007 11:04 PM CDT   0 recs

a big dose of devin
im in need.

by bradybob on Apr 22, 2007 11:08 PM CDT   0 recs

Well
he just got crushed by Jason Richardson

by Wes Cox on Apr 22, 2007 11:09 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

But
It was completely clean.  No foul on the play.  No reason for a ref to even look at it.

My.  God.

It's going to take someone getting paralyzed by being rammed head first into the goalpost, or a Joe Thiesman like broken leg from Bruce Bowen sticking his feet under people before the NBA realizes that a foul can occur after the play is over from a basketball standpoint.

by BrodyV on Apr 22, 2007 11:18 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Seriously
I wish you were wrong.

by Wes Cox on Apr 22, 2007 11:19 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Dude
I just had a thought.  What if karma dictated that player be Dwyane Wade?  Would David Stern's head explode?  Can I root for this to happen, or would the karma backfire?

by BrodyV on Apr 22, 2007 11:21 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

new gameplan
give it to harris

by aarontangsays on Apr 22, 2007 11:09 PM CDT   0 recs

Where the f--is the foul?!
What more do the refs want?!

by Marie on Apr 22, 2007 11:09 PM CDT   0 recs

Maybe the next game
Avery shouldn't go small...and they need to do a better job on Baron Davis.

by Marie on Apr 22, 2007 11:13 PM CDT   0 recs

going to be some soul searching tonight...
...and a clinic on defending the perimeter tomorrow.

by bradybob on Apr 22, 2007 11:13 PM CDT   0 recs

Quick
Without thinking about it- How many NBA referees can you name?  I've got 5 off the top of my head.

How many NFL referees can you name?

How many NHL referees?

I'm not saying the Mavs are getting jobbed.  They've played like shit.  But here we are in the playoffs, where the refs are supposed to be the best of the best, and the calls are worse than my rec league.  And it's all Joey Crawford's fucking fault.

by BrodyV on Apr 22, 2007 11:14 PM CDT   0 recs

well
fuck

by zkmavz on Apr 22, 2007 11:16 PM CDT   0 recs

this is horrible
thankfully i also got to see a spurs collaspe, otherwise, i wouldnt be able to show my face at skool tomorrow
if david stern were a bug... i would squash him with my shoes

by kmacsm on Apr 22, 2007 11:17 PM CDT   0 recs

STACK!!!!!!
why the hell does Stack think he is michael jordan?!?!?! He is the difference maker for this team and he played like balls...props to the Warrior THE ACTUALLY SHOWED UP!!!! We need to figure out who the hell we are and why we are the number one seed!!!  This was embarassing...

by smt83 on Apr 22, 2007 11:19 PM CDT   0 recs

I hate to say it
But I thought Dirk wasn't as aggressive as he could have been in the second half.  They were in the penalty with about eight minutes left; I feel that they all should have followed Devin's example and taken it hard to the rack each time.  Then again, the penalty wouldn't matter if the refs don't call the fouls.

I agree, the Mavericks did not play well today and I feel deep down that might've had to do with Avery's decision to cater to Nellie's style of play rather than staying with Dampier or Diop to start the game.

The Warriors have all the confidence in the world and they have every right to be with the way they finished the last string of games.  But so do the Mavericks, who have had a hell of a season.  Don't buy into the mind games or the sideline stories; just play Mavericks basketball, damn it.

by Marie on Apr 22, 2007 11:23 PM CDT   0 recs

Why we lost
Dirk 4-16.
Stack 0-6
35% shooting as a team.

Jesus.

Fortunately, this is why the first round is now a seven game series.

by BrodyV on Apr 22, 2007 11:26 PM CDT   0 recs

dirk...
Dirk isn't living up the the MVP title...he has to step it up...he played like he was in 1st gear all night...I don't know what it is but the Warriors bring out the worst in us...WE NEED A LEADER...WHERE IS THE LEADER ON THIS TEAM...DIRK? J-HO? JET? Nobody tonight....

by smt83 on Apr 22, 2007 11:28 PM CDT   0 recs

if dirk gets mvp
i hope he gives it back... either that or stop being a bitch

by zkmavz on Apr 22, 2007 11:29 PM CDT   0 recs

Yeah
The MVP did not step up today.  Too many fadeaway jumpers, a couple of missed free throws, not enough aggression...it's like he let the other team get to him.

by Marie on Apr 22, 2007 11:36 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I don't get it.
If the NBA was a 6'9" and under only league, I think I'd pick the Warriors to win the title. The reason they WON'T win the title is because you get punished by good teams for playing that kind of lineup.

So what do we do? We bench our centers. What the hell? Our biggest advantage over the Warriors is our rebounding, and you just totally give that away by playing the lineups we did.

Sure we outrebounded them techincally, but look at the offensive rebounds and tell me that wasn't the difference in the game.

I just don't get it.

by jthig32 on Apr 22, 2007 11:29 PM CDT   0 recs

One for one
In the only ones that matter.

Three more coming up.

by BrodyV on Apr 22, 2007 11:46 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

soooooooo.....
you won the series then right? is that what that means?  That has to be the dumbest stat ever.

by chevs10zr2 on Apr 22, 2007 11:58 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

about the most relevant
stat there is guy

It's the Mavs series to loss.  Don't get me wrong but there is no doubt that the Warriors present weird match up problems for you

Before last night I read a lot of excuses.

Spurs Warriors and we get swept. Warriors Suns?  Maybe we win 1

 Warriors Mavs?  Well there is just something about that match-up

by Frisco Zig on Apr 23, 2007 1:31 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

wtf
was that even a playoff game? where are the cowbells? where is dirk? where is damp? For once barkley made a good comment... WHERE IS THE LINEUP THAN WON US 67 F-ING games!!!!?????

by chevs10zr2 on Apr 22, 2007 11:32 PM CDT   0 recs

And yes, like how some people have pointed out
The crowd did not seem into the game and did not come to life until the latter stages.  It did not feel like a playoff atmosphere.  God, does Nellie have that much effect on this team that even the crowd is taken out of the equation?

by Marie on Apr 22, 2007 11:34 PM CDT to parent up