That was the kind of game you enjoy regardless of the outcome, but don't read that the wrong way. It still sucked. Dirk summed it up.
We had plenty of chances. It was definitely a fun game to be a part of. It was going back and forth in the second half. People were making plays all over the court. Definitely a fun game, but definitely a disappointing loss
The "chances" part is what makes it disappointing. For all the good things Dallas did last night, there was stuff in overtime that justified the eventual outcome. Particularly the perimeter defense which they actually got away with for the most part. They also bit on every pump fake and played a little too rushed on defense -- doing more running at defenders then actual defending.
"We battled. We just weren't good enough over however many minutes it was." - Rick Carlisle
They were also tired, says Mike Fisher.
Basically, for 22 straight minutes, Dallas used a six-man rotation.
That speaks to the magnitude of the thing, and to the intensity. But maybe we shouldn't be shocked by the 13-6 run. Dirk played 52 minutes (!), entering the game with 6:07 remaining in the second quarter and never exiting after that. Fairly demanding, those 40 un-interrupted minutes of basketball, eh?
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Caplan recaps the game and notices the third quarter should have gone better for Dallas.
Turnovers were crucial. When the Mavs study the game film they'll look at a statistically odd third quarter in which they shot 85.7 percent (12-of-14), made three more free throws than the Spurs and outrebounded them, yet gained no ground and trailed 81-79.
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Sefko has some praise for Jason Kidd. He would be my choice for the Mavs player of the game as well.
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Hubbard has an article on JJ.
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Mike Fisher has the definitive must read article on the craziness that has become Josh Howard conspiracies -- faking an injury, being held out for a trade, the reason the Mavs have started winning etc...
I'd like to quote whole thing, but just go read it.
Josh Howard is out. Josh Howard is out because he's hurt. (No surgery needed, no structural damage, but still hurt.) Josh Howard will return when he's no longer hurt. And barring a non-conspiratorial trade that comes to fruition at some future point in his career, Josh Howard will make the Mavs better when he does.