Mavs in Six!

In-Game Thoughts

Words cannot express how frustrated this Mavs fan is continuing to watch Dwyane Wade go to the free throw line when fouled on the floor.  It's also frustrating to see Rick Carlisle get Teed up arguing a LeBron James elbow to Dirk Nowitski's chest while Wade berated an official about a no-call and no one seemed to care.
I lived through enough of that officiating crap in 2006 when Dallas went through this in the NBA Finals and the Seattle Seahawks were violated in the Super Bowl.
Besides, Miami doesn't need the help when the Mavs are turning the ball over so much.

On The Mark

The Oklahoma City/Dallas series was a fun one to watch for someone who is a fan of both teams.  And though I personally cheered for the Thunder during the past week, it should be noted that OTA made its official prediction just before Game One.
I'm going to go put my Mavs jersey back on and get ready for the NBA Finals now...

OKC/DAL Game Five: 12 Down, 4 To Go

Once again

DAL/OKC Game Four: Age Before Beauty

When James Harden fouled out with 4:34 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Oklahoma City Thunder still had a 12-point advantage over the Dallas Mavericks.  But no one in a white jersey wanted to put the Mavs away and Dallas fought back.
The veteran Mavericks took advantage of a little momentum, a young Thunder team, and an incredibly hot shooting German and sucked life out the OKC Arena in overtime.  Dallas won Game Four 112-105 to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the Western Conference Finals.
Oklahoma City looked to put the terrible shooting of Game Three behind them and started off beautifully going 9-9 from the field and opening up an 18-6 lead to open the contest.  But wave after wave of Thunder scoring runs were patiently weathered by the older and more experienced Mavs.  And eventually the offensive meltdown caught up to OKC when Dallas closed out regulation with a 17-2 run, capped off by two Dirk Nowitski free throws with 6.4 seconds remaining.
When searching for answers about this game, the Thunder can also look at the 23 turnovers and missed free throws down the stretch.
Nowitski outdueled Kevin Durant 40-29 in points scored, but it was when those points were scored that told the story.  Nowitski lit up the basket once again in the fourth quarter with shots that looked physically impossible.  And Durant’s offense slipped quietly out of the building.
And the bench battle went to the Mavs again – Jason Terry’s 20 points were just a bit better than the 12 from Nick Collison combined with Harden’s seven.

DAL/OKC Game Three: Muted Thunder

Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said the Oklahoma City Thunder responded in Game Two.  He went on to say that the Mavs would have to respond to that responding in Game Three.

Respond they did.  

Dallas regained home-court advantage with a 93-87 win in Oklahoma City on Saturday night.

Dallas got out to an early lead and on more than one occasion in the second period led by 23 points.  The Thunder looked like as though they thought the game was being in Edmond and showed up late to the party.  Their offense didn’t begin to get underway until late in the third quarter. 

In addition, the highest scoring team in the playoffs this season nearly set an NBA playoff record for long-range shooting futility by going 1-17 behind the arc.

Granted, OKC mounted an impressive rally and pulled to within four in the final minute, but the hole they dug themselves was just too great.

A big key to the Game Three win for the Mavs was incredible ball movement in the first half.  Dallas just looked like they were in a different gear through the first 24 minutes and every pass went exactly where and to whom it needed to go.  Also, the experience of the Mavericks with Dirk Nowitski, Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion, Jason Terry, and the rest seemed to be a major factor as the series shifted sites.

And Marion threw his name in the hat for Best Performance by a Player in a Supporting Role with a team-high 18 points (matching Dirk’s scoring output) and was everywhere he needed to be with rebounds, deflections and steals.

The media made such a big deal about Russell Westbrook’s pine time in the fourth quarter of Game Two, but guard play wasn’t the main issue in the early going in this one.  In the first-ever conference finals game in Oklahoma City, the Thunder collectively looked tight and tense. 

As for Westbrook, he looked none the worse for wear, or the media’s overhyped beatdown.  He looked more like the Westbrook of Game Seven in the Memphis series and scored as well as distributed.

Kevin Durant, on the other hand, fell prey to the tough Dallas defense and couldn’t ever get going.

With Game Four looming on Monday, the Thunder need to spend a little more time in the shootaround to try to overcome the 36 percent performance from tonight.   The shots are going to have fall more in the first half for OKC if they are going to respond to the response of the response.

OKC/DAL Game Two: Second Team Wins The Second Game

So Dirk is human.
It was likely that Nowitski wouldn’t match the 48 points he had in Game One, and this was so for a number of reasons – Coach Scott Brooks would come up with a different defensive scheme; a new officiating crew might not send him to the line 24 times (and he may actually miss!); and hey, 48 points is a lot!

But even with a 16-point fourth quarter, it still seemed as though Dirk had come down to earth.

James Harden, on the other hand, was headed for orbit as the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Dallas Mavericks, 106-100, and gained a split in the Metroplex.

Harden and the OKC bench appeared to take personally that Jason Terry outscored them all by himself on Tuesday night.  Harden had a career scoring night with 23 points and was 4 for 7 from outside the arc.  The Thunder’s second unit plus Kevin Durant played almost the entire final period and earned their time on the court.

In fact, after Russell Westbrook picked up his fourth foul at the end of the third quarter, he never re-entered the contest.  It was somewhat surprising because Westbrook completely turned his game around from Game One.  He had 18 points in three quarters and shot the ball much better.  He looked like a point guard, not just a ball handler.

Give credit to Coach Brooks who decided that chemistry of a set of five was bigger than the play of one and kept the crew on the court that was doing the damage to the Mavs.  Make no mistake, the starting five for the Thunder need to remain starters.  But Harden, Eric Maynor, and Nick Collison were the difference makers tonight.

The Thunder goes home on Saturday night to face the Mavericks in OKC Arena knowing they have wrested home-court advantage away from the Red River rivals.

OKC/DAL Game One: All Dirk, All The Time

There was no one in the states of Texas or Oklahoma, much less in the American Airlines Center, who could guard Dirk Nowitski on Tuesday night.  He has been just about as unstoppable as one player can be in the 2011 playoffs.  The Dallas Mavericks took Game One over the Oklahoma City Thunder, 121-112.
The 13-for-13 free throw shooting performance in the third quarter was just an added bonus to go with the turn-around jumpers and all-around great play.  Dirk had 48 points on the strength of 12-for-15 from the field and had an NBA record 24 made free throws with no misses.  The Thunder had no answet for Nowitski's offense and it seemed that the only reason he stopped scoring was so he could let J.J. Barea go off on Nate Robinson in the fourth quarter.
In Kevin Durant's first conference finals appearance, he put on a show of his own.  He shot 10-for-18 from the field and his free throw was almost as good at 18-of-19.
And as much as Russell Westbrook looked like a great point guard in Game Seven of the Memphis series on Sunday, he looked as though the ball was stuck to his hands tonight.  Creating only three assists to go along with shooting 3-of-15 from the field simply is not going to get it done in the conference finals.
But the fantastic and timely shooting by Jason Terry and gutsy play from Shawn Marion was overshadowed by an incredible scoring display from the 7-foot Maverick veteran, who didn't even attempt a three-pointer in this one.
It was simply a show for the ages.  If you didn't see this one, set up your DVR for the first time it shows up on ESPN Classic.
Coach Scott Brooks has to go back to the drawing board for Game Two on Thursday.

Do I Really Want To Make This Prediction?

I have been a fan of the Dallas Mavericks since the '80s.  But I always said that if Oklahoma ever got a major professional team I would cheer for it.
Now I have the dream matchup in the conference finals I have looked forward to.
So before the tip, and though I will be cheering for the Thunder, I'm going to say...          Mavs in 5.

.......

Westbrook Was The Difference In Game Seven

Although I have grown to like Russell Westbrook and what he does for the Oklahoma City Thunder, I really wondered if he was worthy of being selected to the 2010-2011 All-NBA Second Team.  Those wonderings have gone by the wayside after his Game Seven performance.

The Thunder won today 105-90 over the Memphis Grizzlies to advance 4-3 in the Western Conference Semifinals, cementing a matchup with the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Finals.  You can also catch OKC Thunder updates on OSN.

And Westbrook’s triple-double was not only impressive, but also a performance fitting of a high-caliber point guard.  His 14 points were matched by 14 assists, with 10 boards thrown in for good measure.  Westbrook was all over the court finding open teammates and having a sixth sense as to where rebounds would fall.

Westbrook shot only 25 percent from the field, but was 6 for 6 from the free throw line.  His assists more than made up for the lack of points scored and likely was a better scenario.  Although he exploded for 40 points in the Game Four triple-overtime overnight watch party, it seemed to be more of a one- (and sometimes two-, with Kevin Durant) man show.

Today’s display showed a true point guard who got his team involved in all facets of the game. Westbrook’s hustle has never been in question, but the ball distribution during the playoffs has at times had room for improvement.

The Thunder is now two steps further into the NBA playoffs than the franchise has been since its trek to OKC.  More challenges lie ahead against a Maverick team that looks better than it has in the postseason in the last five years.  But if Westbrook can match the heads-up play and fantastic execution of today’s Game Seven feats, the Thunder has a real chance to be playing in June.

In-Game Thoughts

MIdway through the second quarter in flooded Memphis, the Grizzlies have almost doubled up the OKC Thunder, 35-18.  As for this Thunder fan, I want to change the channel.
It does give me time to consider how little credit the Dallas Mavericks have been getting in their sweep of the Lakers.  No, the disorganized, dysfunctional group that have worn purple and gold through the playoffs don't look anything like the teams have brought back hardware to the Left Coast.  But that's not to say that the Lakers lost all four games.
The Mavericks won those games.  And there is a difference.
So Media-types, of which I am somewhat, stop being apologists and give Carlisle and the boys in blue their due.  They won it and won it with defense, a facet of the game unheard of in past two decades in the Metroplex.
In fact, they look to be toward a rematch of the 2006 Finals.  There's a matchup Dirk Nowitski and Jason Terry would likely be very interested in.

Out Of The Abundance Of The Heart, The Forearm Shoveth

Classless.  That’s one of the many words with a negative connotation that have been used to accurately describe what Andrew Bynum did to J.J. Berea on Sunday afternoon.
Bynum later said that he just fouled somebody.
“It was embarrassing to have the smallest guy on the court keep running down the lane and making shots,” Bynum said.
Really?!  Then stop him!  At least foul him hard in the first quarter while you’re still in the game. To try to cause a person’s chest to collapse in midair in the fourth quarter when your team is down 30+ points and you’re about to get swept in the series is beyond disgraceful.
The problem here is that this kind of attitude has been in there all along.  It simply found an outlet Sunday.  Most players would not even think about doing something like that, and therefore, will never do anything like that.  But when the action comes out like that, it becomes apparent that the intent was there the whole time.
Bynum’s issue was not the scumbag moment that was witnessed against the Mavs.  It’s a matter of the heart that has likely been brewing for a long time.  Until that, whatever “that” is, is solved, expect more of the same in the future at a seemingly unexpected moment.  If it’s on the inside, it will eventually come out.

3-0!

  Dirk Nowitski and Jason Terry are two of the people who likely remember the Great Collapse of '06 the best.  They are doing their part to make sure there is no sequel five years later.
  The Dallas Mavericks have taken the 2-0 series lead and raise it to 3-0 tonight with a 98-92 win at home.  Nowitski had 32 points and nine rebounds while Terry had 23 points of the bench.
  Bench play was once again a factor tonight as the Mavs' bench outplayed their L.A. counterparts.  The Mavs' bench outs the Lakers' bench 42-15.
  And the Mavs have outscored the Lakers in the fourth quarter in all three games.
  The series is not over yet, but another collapse is more unlikely now.

Tabulating the Score

  The OTA Predictions started off 2011 with a 2-2 NFL Wildcard Weekend record.  I wasn’t terribly surprised by the Packers/Eagles outcome, but the Colts’ loss caused frustration in the house because Mrs. OTA is a big Peyton Manning fan.

  I will say, however, that I am glad to have been time-stamped and date-stamped on record as having picked the Seahawks’ win.  There is no revisionist history here.

Observations and Ruminations

What Have We Learned This Week?

  There is a reason why they play the game.  How many times does that phrase get brought out after a game like the Seahawks/Saints game?  But it’s deserved after a week of the national media treating the Seahawks like an eight-seed in a six-team tournament.  When NFL segments got into picks throughout the week, the hosts and analysts would just breeze through this matchup that really was not worth discussion to get on to other “real” contests.

  I mean, it’s not like we should take into consideration that a good quarterback might have a stellar performance at least one more time in his career.  We could discount the fact that the stronger defense might leave holes in coverage that the above quarterback could pick apart.  That strong defense of the defending world champions just might not bring it for 60 minutes and at the end allow one of the most impressive runs in NFL playoff history because eight players missed tackles.

 No, this one did not play out “like it should have” on paper.  But the Seahawks did win that game.  It might mean a thing in Sunday’s matchup in Chicago, but for now at least, a team that still has a losing record is alive and well in the NFL playoffs.

Return of the Predictions

  It’s been awhile since we’ve done predictions here at Outside the Arc, so let’s start the new year with some NFL Wild Card picks.

• New Orleans at Seattle   Well, I really hate to pick against my Seahawks … so I won’t.  The Saints have lost another running back and they will be hurting without Pierre Thomas.  Sure Reggie Bush will likely score his first rushing TD of the season, but it won’t be enough.  The NFC West champs, complete with the return of Matt Hasselbeck, will play inspired ball in front of the home crowd. > ‘Hawks 26, Saints 24

• N.Y. Jets at Indianapolis   Is there anything that can make Rex Ryan shutup?  I’d say Kryptonite, but he’s no Superman.  Peyton Manning, on the other hand…

Manning’s skill and ability to control a game + Jets’ secondary issues = another Colts victory over Rex Ryan. >  Indy 38, N.Y. 21

• Baltimore at Kansas City   Baltimore doesn’t seem to garner the same attention that Indianapolis and New England do.  Manning and Tom Brady have something to do with that, as well.  But the Ravens are steady on offense and solid on defense.

  Kansas City has surprised many people this season. They won’t surprise Baltimore, even in Arrowhead. > Ravens 20, Chiefs 13

• Green Bay at Philadelphia   Seriously, does anyone really believe the rumors that Michael Vick is going to be benched for this playoff game?  Barring a traumatic injury or being sacked 8-9 time in the first half, this just isn’t going to happen.

  The way the games have fallen, the league (and networks) have given us as the final game of the weekend what will likely be a shootout.  Vick and Aaron Rodgers both have led their teams well this season and both offenses can score.  The Eagles will score just a little bit more at home and avenge their early season loss to the Packers. > Philly 41, G.B. 38