Sun-tastic!
Game Six of the Western Conference Semifinals game between Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns did not come in a better situation.
I had my broadband TV on for about a week and one reason I took it is that I want to take a better view of the NBA Playoffs where the Phoenix Suns, the team I am rooting for the past dozen of years is still in the running.
The game was scheduled perfectly at 9AM on a Saturday where I expected myself to be still in bed at the time. The heavy rain last night that soaked my feet helped me get a well-deserved night's sleep and further tempered my excitement.
The last game was held in Phoenix where the Suns won the pivotal game and had the psychological advantage in them over the Mavs; 84 percent of Game 5 winners in a tied best-of-seven contest wins the series. Amare Stoudemire, the 22 year old power forward masquerading as center in coach Mike D'Antoni's high octane offense concluded that the Mavericks have no way overcoming themselves from the 3-2 deficit. It propelled the team confidence to new heights, a boost from Game 2 where the shallow bench was further depleted with Joe Johnson's eye socket injury that prompted sixth man Jim Jackson to be part of the starting line up with point guard Steve Nash, wingman Quentin Richardson, Stoudemire and the Matrix, Shawn Marion.
What's revealing as the series wore on was Nash's revelation games. He scored 48 points in Game 3. He got a triple double in Game 4. It disproves his critics who claimed he did not deserve winning the Most Valuable Player award. Notable non-believers were Orlando Magic's Grant Hill and TNT analyst Charles Barkley. Incidentally, Barkley led the 1992-93 Phoenix Suns into the NBA Finals, losing in six games to the Chicago Bulls behind John Paxson's (now the Bulls' General Manager) game-winning, championship-clinching three pointer off an assist from Michael Jordan.
In my opinion, all the Barkley criticism is probably because he was sore with the management once he got traded to Houston. He then mended fences with then ex-Suns GM Jerry Colangelo and was one of the members of the Suns Ring of Honor. That year, when I was in early college, was the time I adopted the Suns as my NBA team.
Back in July of 2004, Nash's acquisition raised eyebrows from many members of the media. At 31 he may have had the best basketball years behind him. His sixty plus million contract with the Suns seem too steep that even deep-pocketed Mark Cuban would not bother to consider.
In retrospect, not signing Nash and instead opting for a younger center in Erick Dampier was considered a logical choice for a team that was more known for offense than defense. Lack of legitimate center (Shawn Bradley is more like Manute Bol) hinders star Dirk Nowitzki from operating in the perimeter in his advantage as a seven footer. Trading Antoine Walker for Jason Terry and Alan Henderson made sense too. With the dream series pitting Steve Nash, the current league MVP against his former team (Nash jerseys in Mavericks store still sell for 7 bucks) is a chance to show them what they were missing and what they are messing with.
With MVP numbers in this series, Nash has seriously proven that he deserved the award. And while he did not need to explain it, his 48 point performance in Game 4, triple double in Game 5, and later near triple double again (only one rebound was needed) to end the Mavs season, Nash did make Cuban look bad in not signing him.
After trailing 16 points midway in the third quarter, the Suns blew away the Mavs and chipping the lead all the way to that last shot in regulation play. With Dallas leading by 3 and less than 10 seconds to play, Jason Terry squandered an almost sure win by allowing Steve Nash to take an open three in the left wing. Nash made it, as are his next four shots in overtime.
Terry had a solid game of 36 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists but those were soon negated when he did make than defensive lapse. He was interviewed by Jim Gray during halftime and all he said was about urgency in offense and defense. None of that mattered as the team than needed to win, leading by 16 going to the fourth quarter lost the game at home.
The game is an instant classic.
Three errors the Mavs made during the crucial minutes of fourth quarter extending to the overtime period:
1. Jason Terry stepped back to give Steve Nash a clean look at the basket for the game-tying three-pointer.
2. Dallas did not call a timeout (apparently responding to the shocking no-timeout move by Phoenix that led to the Nash three pointer) with Jerry Stackhouse rushing to make the desperate last shot.
3. Dirk Nowitzki's hurried position in taking the shot from the three point line off an inbound pass. He missed his last six shots.
In a deliberate and well planned game like this, mental lapses can take over a weaker team as the team with more heart will have more chances of winning the game and eventually the series.
PS I have been doubted as a Suns fan (I bet on Phoenix when they rose from the ashes this season from a woeful 29-53 record in 2003-04.)
One little proof I have been monitoring the team in years:
http://www.basketballdraft.com/inside_game/jack_mccallum/news/2001/12/14/nba_mailbag/
I had my broadband TV on for about a week and one reason I took it is that I want to take a better view of the NBA Playoffs where the Phoenix Suns, the team I am rooting for the past dozen of years is still in the running.
The game was scheduled perfectly at 9AM on a Saturday where I expected myself to be still in bed at the time. The heavy rain last night that soaked my feet helped me get a well-deserved night's sleep and further tempered my excitement.
The last game was held in Phoenix where the Suns won the pivotal game and had the psychological advantage in them over the Mavs; 84 percent of Game 5 winners in a tied best-of-seven contest wins the series. Amare Stoudemire, the 22 year old power forward masquerading as center in coach Mike D'Antoni's high octane offense concluded that the Mavericks have no way overcoming themselves from the 3-2 deficit. It propelled the team confidence to new heights, a boost from Game 2 where the shallow bench was further depleted with Joe Johnson's eye socket injury that prompted sixth man Jim Jackson to be part of the starting line up with point guard Steve Nash, wingman Quentin Richardson, Stoudemire and the Matrix, Shawn Marion.
What's revealing as the series wore on was Nash's revelation games. He scored 48 points in Game 3. He got a triple double in Game 4. It disproves his critics who claimed he did not deserve winning the Most Valuable Player award. Notable non-believers were Orlando Magic's Grant Hill and TNT analyst Charles Barkley. Incidentally, Barkley led the 1992-93 Phoenix Suns into the NBA Finals, losing in six games to the Chicago Bulls behind John Paxson's (now the Bulls' General Manager) game-winning, championship-clinching three pointer off an assist from Michael Jordan.
In my opinion, all the Barkley criticism is probably because he was sore with the management once he got traded to Houston. He then mended fences with then ex-Suns GM Jerry Colangelo and was one of the members of the Suns Ring of Honor. That year, when I was in early college, was the time I adopted the Suns as my NBA team.
Back in July of 2004, Nash's acquisition raised eyebrows from many members of the media. At 31 he may have had the best basketball years behind him. His sixty plus million contract with the Suns seem too steep that even deep-pocketed Mark Cuban would not bother to consider.
In retrospect, not signing Nash and instead opting for a younger center in Erick Dampier was considered a logical choice for a team that was more known for offense than defense. Lack of legitimate center (Shawn Bradley is more like Manute Bol) hinders star Dirk Nowitzki from operating in the perimeter in his advantage as a seven footer. Trading Antoine Walker for Jason Terry and Alan Henderson made sense too. With the dream series pitting Steve Nash, the current league MVP against his former team (Nash jerseys in Mavericks store still sell for 7 bucks) is a chance to show them what they were missing and what they are messing with.
With MVP numbers in this series, Nash has seriously proven that he deserved the award. And while he did not need to explain it, his 48 point performance in Game 4, triple double in Game 5, and later near triple double again (only one rebound was needed) to end the Mavs season, Nash did make Cuban look bad in not signing him.
After trailing 16 points midway in the third quarter, the Suns blew away the Mavs and chipping the lead all the way to that last shot in regulation play. With Dallas leading by 3 and less than 10 seconds to play, Jason Terry squandered an almost sure win by allowing Steve Nash to take an open three in the left wing. Nash made it, as are his next four shots in overtime.
Terry had a solid game of 36 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists but those were soon negated when he did make than defensive lapse. He was interviewed by Jim Gray during halftime and all he said was about urgency in offense and defense. None of that mattered as the team than needed to win, leading by 16 going to the fourth quarter lost the game at home.
The game is an instant classic.
Three errors the Mavs made during the crucial minutes of fourth quarter extending to the overtime period:
1. Jason Terry stepped back to give Steve Nash a clean look at the basket for the game-tying three-pointer.
2. Dallas did not call a timeout (apparently responding to the shocking no-timeout move by Phoenix that led to the Nash three pointer) with Jerry Stackhouse rushing to make the desperate last shot.
3. Dirk Nowitzki's hurried position in taking the shot from the three point line off an inbound pass. He missed his last six shots.
In a deliberate and well planned game like this, mental lapses can take over a weaker team as the team with more heart will have more chances of winning the game and eventually the series.
PS I have been doubted as a Suns fan (I bet on Phoenix when they rose from the ashes this season from a woeful 29-53 record in 2003-04.)
One little proof I have been monitoring the team in years:
http://www.basketballdraft.com/inside_game/jack_mccallum/news/2001/12/14/nba_mailbag/
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