Sunday, May 14, 2006

Game 3: Dallas 104, San Antonio 103




"And A Child Shall Lead Them"...

I cannot think of any more electric feeling as a sports fan as what I experienced at Game 3. The American Airline Center was bonkers, and it was one of those rare sports nights where you are just happy you were an eye witness.

In the end, the Mavericks stole it. That isn’t to say they weren’t the better team in Game 3 or in the series, because honestly, through 12 quarters of basketball I think anyone in their right minds would admit that it is Tim Duncan playing the role of William Barret Travis (edited after Sam Houston debacle) as he and his merry band try to stay alive and protect their Alamo, despite odds that suggest it is a matter of “when” and not “if” the Alamo falls.

But, despite the Mavericks demonstrating their superiority through 3 games, in the 4th Quarter of Game 3, I believe most of us who like to see the Dallas boys do well would have likely reveal that we felt an ill wind blowing through the city. It appeared the Spurs were throwing every thing they had left, and finding a new level of excellence that their opponent could not match. They had weathered the Mavericks best punch, and now would take a hard fought battle like they had so many times before.

So when the Mavericks proved victorious, to win one of the biggest games in the history of the franchise, and will play on Monday for a chance to grab the series by the proverbial throat, you can understand why coaches through the years ask us all to “enjoy the journey”. Playoff runs that require 16 wins for the ultimate champion are about unforgettable nights along the way. There is certainly no reason to suggest that we should prepare for a championship parade around here yet, but Saturday night in Dallas was part of the 2006 playoff journey that I will never forget.

Bob’s Blog exclusive Sports Quick Hits from Game 3:

• Clearly, the biggest play of the game seemed to be the 6th foul on Tim Duncan when Dirk stepped on his foot, sprained his ankle (for the 86th time of his career), drew a foul, and in doing so disqualified the most unstoppable player in this series. There is much complaining about the call, but I must mention that this is pretty normal protocol for referees all season long. If you trip a player, you committed a foul. There is not question of intent, or what part of your body. Is it fair that Duncan was banished from the game for a play in which he did not commit any level of physical contact aside from being stepped on? No. But welcome to basketball. Now, Tony Parker should have likely been given a call when he was tripped on the other end moments earlier, but the Dirk call seemed correct based on precedents set hundreds of times.

• Devin Harris is amazing. Still wonder about his judgment, and I still wonder about his perimeter shot, but I do not wonder about his cajones and his talent. What a player. This was in the post game notes: “Devin Harris scored a career-high (regular season or playoffs) 24 points tonight after scoring 20 points in Game 2. Harris has now scored 20+ points five times in his career (regular season and playoffs). Three of those games have come against the Spurs.”. Nice!

• Jerry Stackhouse, on the other hand, seems to be a meltdown waiting to happen in the most crucial moments of a key game. Let’s consider the evidence: Game 1 of this series and his multi-faceted meltdown in San Antonio (or the Mavericks could have a 3-0 lead in this series), the end of Game 6 in the Phoenix game last year (I was reminded by P1 Jared) when he ignored pleas for a timeout and took a shot at the end of regulation, and of course last night, when he took a very ill-advised shot with 13 seconds left, then botched the free throw in a way that would have been embarrassing for a high school kid, let alone a 10 year NBA veteran. For a guy who is supposed to be “nails”, I am not feeling it right now.

• There is no question that the Spurs enter Game 4 with confidence. They scored 23 points in the final 7 minutes of the Game 3, when Dallas was doing everything they could to get stops. Ginobili proved unguardable on his way to the basket, and the Mavs have not come close to limiting Duncan at all. The Spurs know that if they get Monday, then it is a best-of-3 series with the first and last contest at their barn. If anyone thinks for a second that this series is close to in the bag, please seek professional help.

• Wherever this run takes us, let’s not forget the key moments from Erick Dampier. His follow-up dunk in the 4th quarter is another case of the big fella showing up at the key moments in this series. Keep it up. Diop, too.

• And now, my review of Dirk’s game: Very solid, and very patient. I need to see more offense run through him down the stretch of the 4th quarter, but let’s not lose sight of 27 points and 15 rebounds. Also, let’s not lose sight of that great assist to Stackhouse with 30 seconds to play. Nice pass by a guy who can’t pass. I still think he is going to have to take over a game on offense at crunch time (like Duncan does) before this series is over, but they are up 2-1 without that happening, so what do I know?

• Tim Duncan whines.

• Joey Crawford thinks people pay to watch him.

• Marquis Daniels should call timeout every time he has the urge to jack up a jump shot from over 10 feet.

• Jason Terry was very good for most of the time. When his shot is falling, nobody can guard him. I think we are all starting to see how Harris and Terry will both have a future with this team for a long, long time. Harris will never go back to the bench, but most nights, you can win with both of them in your backcourt.

• Michael Finley drives the basket now? And he guards Dirk? I guess you can do more when they cut your minutes.

• Beat SA…Beat SA…Beat SA…



"Foul? You must be joking!"

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sorry, Yank, but Sam Houston wasn't at the Alamo. You must thinking of William Travis.

Anonymous said...

I suppose Efren Herrera was at the Alamo too. Clearly we are not dealing with the historian in the next cubicle over.

Anonymous said...

Yeah Bob...you'll have to save that analogy for when the Mavs play the San Jacinto Bobcats...or somesuch.

I would've gone with Davy Crockett myself.

Sturminator said...

serves me right to speed read an account of the Alamo as I was trying to get out the door to dinner. Guilty. Substitute another dead guy and try to follow the premise the best you can.

Thanks-

Andy Douthitt said...

Great quote at the beginning Bob...

You are tellin' me. Devin is a maniac going to the hole, and that "and one" layup off the glass that he has down pat is a thing of beauty.

The MAvs almost screwed around and gave it away last night though. Thank God that it is the first one to four. It doesn't matter how you get there, just get there before the other team and you win the series.

By the way, that giant on purpose bank off the glass last night by Stackhouse was something I will still get woken up in the middle of the night by. Whoops... Church basketball league stuff at its finest!! On to game 4... unbelievable!!

Anonymous said...

"Tim Duncan whines."

Bob, how about "The Spurs whine!"

Never have I seen an NBA Champion whine like these San Antonio Spares. And my NBA Playoff-watching days go all the way back to the 1978 Finals between the Bullets and Sonics, in the days when a game in Seattle aired live at 10:00pm local time - no big TV contracts back then. We're talking Bullets, Sonics, Lakers, Celtics, 76ers, Pistons, Bulls, Rockets, and older Spurs (led by the classy David Robinson). [b]NO CHAMPION[/b] whines like these "Timmy" Duncan-led Spurs.

It reminds me in an odd way of the old mid-1980s Georgetown Hoyas. When the ball went out-of-bounds, those guys were all conditioned to point their way, as though the refs would somehow be swayed. Only the Spurs are conditioned to throw their hands in the air, palms-up, and say "What?" whenever the whistle blows. Heck, Bruce Bowen did it last night even when it was clear the call was not on him.

They need to change the SA arena's name to "The Pampers Center."

Anonymous said...

My wife, who knows nothing to little about basketball, was watching the game with me. Even SHE hates the way the Spurs whine after every call.

She could never understand why I couldn't like an athlete and wish bad things upon them, but now she HATES the Spurs. She even called Barry a "whiny b*tch." Now I know why I married her.

Best post-game quote by a German-born Maverick after a Game 3:
Talking about Stackhouse missing the FT on purpose, "I was trying to figure out what the hell he was doing."

As we all were, Dirk. As we all were.

Anonymous said...

Bob how did you like sitting by Boogy Bob? I was literally sitting one section over from you, I was debating with my wife if I should go talk to you or not, mainly because I could not tell if that was you. I am not trying to be offensive or anything but I thought that could not have been you because i tough this bob sturm look alike person was in much too good physical shape and his wife could not be that good looking, but man I was wrong After listening to post game wrap up on the ticket, you came on and when you ranted about the spurs fans and someone mentioned you were near boogy bob, thats when it was clear that you were actually that close. I should have tested you show off super bowl winner/mvp year skills. Well hopefully next time you are in the ol' 300s i will drop bye and say hi.

Anonymous said...

Sports Sturm,

I am told that Dirk threw Stack under the bus during a postgame interview. I admit that along with everyone else I was wondering what he was thinking, but why is Dirk making these comments after THEY WIN THE GAME?!! Is there some tension between these two that we are unaware of?

Anonymous said...

I'm so tired of all you Mavs fan talking about how the Spurs whine! You only say this because you hate the Spurs and they have kicked the Mavs a$$ the last few years. Cuban whines more than any human and Dirk thinks he has never committed a foul in his life. Look at the NBA, every team whines, even your beloved Mavs. If the Spurs would have been the team that shot 50! free throws and the Mavs would have lost you Mavs fan would have been the one whining!!

Anonymous said...

I'm the guy who posted #7.

Read the comment again. "NO CHAMPION whines like these 'Timmy' Duncan-led Spurs."

I'm a basketball fan. Think the Mavs are OK, and they have their whiney moments. Cuban's the worst. Dirk's gotten better. They haven't had a major league whiner since Van Exel left.

Now, Anonymous poster #11, think about your beloved Spurs back when A.J. and D.R. led the team. Back then, Timmy-boy was criticized for being too unemotional. Perhaps the classy Mr. J. and Mr. R. told him to shut up and play. But they're gone now. Now he has the hands-up "Who Me?" thing going every minute of every game.

The Spurs whine - more than the Pistons, more than the Shaq & Kobe Lakers, more than ANY champion I've seen in almost 30 years. Deal with it.

JY said...

When you win 3 NBA championships in 7 years and hold a decisive Win-loss record against the Mavs in the playoffs, you can whine too. Only NBA champions are allowed to whine.

I watched that whole game, and even through my silver and black tinted glasses, that was the worst officiated basketball game that I have ever seen. Too many missed calls and too many calls that should not have been. I will give Mavs fans that bad call on the clear block from behind by Josh Howard against Ginobli that was called against Mavs, but the tripping call against Barry when Dirk was falling out of bounds going for the ball, are you kidding me, they never even made physical contact. And the call that Bob mentioned, the call that sent Duncan to the bench. It is now a foul for you to stand completely still with your arms up, for someone to step on your foot, throw the ball at the basket and then fall down, that is a foul on Duncan.... please.

I really thought that the Mavs were going to win this one anyways, I did not see the Spurs coming back from that 10+ point deficit. Can't wait for the game tonight. Anyone know a good place to watch the game, I don't have cable at my place (I know, I know...). I need someplace I can take the squid too, so not a sports bar, but a cool restraunt atmosphere or somesuch. Thanks... JY

Anonymous said...

To the other Jared:

If you actually watched the comments, they weren't that bad. He said them with a smile on his face. He was giving him a bit of a hard time, that's all.

I don't think there's a problem there at all.

Anonymous said...

Yeah....you can take that crap right back to San Antonio. I think they have cable down there nowadays.

Mavs in 5!!!!!
P1 Mike