Mike Fisher has his game notes and noticed the same thing I did. Gregg Popovich didn't so much make adjustments in this series as he did just try everything in hopes of finding something.
This wasn't some deep, strategic chess game on Pop's side; this was a helter-skelter grab-bag.
Lawn Jarts. That's what it was. Lawn Jarts out in Pop's backyard.
One game he's reliant on Drew Gooden. In G5, the veteran big didn't even play. George Hill played a role in G5; he'd barely gotten a whiff in the previous four. Bowen's a scrub but then he's a starter. Udoka is an invisible man for a week but on Tuesday he spent the entire second half guarding All-World Dirk Nowitzki.
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Sefko recaps the game and points out a stat that I hadn't noticed.
"This is our best basketball of the year," Erick Dampier said. "That's a big key for us, to be playing well at the right time."
Added Jason Kidd, who had 23 assists and only three turnovers in the series: "It's a relief."
3 turnovers in 5 games! That's impressive.
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David Moore says the Mavs are at the best when they play as an underdog.
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Gil LeBreton says the Mavs surprised him.
So, how did this happen? How did the Mavericks, as the story goes, tire of former coach Avery Johnson's persistence, yet 12 months later rout the Spurs with persistent defense?
How did they get this far after beginning the season by losing seven of their first nine?
Not trying to take anything away from what the Mavs just did, but they were pretty clearly just the better team in this one. Just ask Tim Duncan.
"They had more firepower than us. They played better than us. However you want to put it, obviously they were the better team this year. That's all you can say."
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Mike Fisher gives his series MVP award to Josh Howard, and it's pretty hard to disagree with that.
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Tim Cowlishaw, who picked the Spurs, says Dirk and josh will have to conitnue to play like they did in game five for the Mavs to best the Nuggets.