Enter the Giant

[Evilmav2]

A Bradley Story

With 6:32 left in the third quarter of game two of the Mavs/Utah first round playoff series, the score is 69-65 in favor of Utah. The Jazz had taken the previous game in the confident fashion that most of the national sports media had expected, ultimately winning a hard fought contest by seven points. In what begins as one ordinary, well executed offensive play by the Jazz, the future of the bourgeoning Mavericks takes a step forward.

Donyell Marshall cuts to the middle of the lane a half step ahead of the defending Juwan Howard. Stockton whips the ball to the streaking Marshall and it looks like it's going to be an easy two on a layup. Suddenly the surprisingly agile Shawn Bradley drops from his position sealing off Olden Polynice and elevates to challenge the cutting Marshall. Marshall has seen this before, but still cannot quell the momentary fear of the block, so he hoists his running layup attempt a half step too soon, and the ball carooms off of the front of the rim. At this same instant future hall of famer Karl Malone spins out of the attempted block out of Dirk Nowitzki and drops to the rim in what should be perfect position for an easy offensive rebound. However, Malone didn't count on the pivoting raised elbow of big Shawn Bradley. The resounding crack of the collision of the head of the 6-9 Malone and the elbow of the 7-6 Bradley make such a terrible sound that the TNT commentators on the sideline are momentarily stunned. In this same fatefull two seconds, Juwan Howard pulls in the defensive board that Bradley's elbow has provided, and passes a quick outlet to Steve Nash who races up the court and drops an assist to the trailing Howard Eisley.

The events of the next five minutes make what could have been just a four point swing become something very important indeed. While Nash and Eisley convert their fast break bucket, Malone has been screaming at the ref, incensed by the lack of a foul called on Bradley. Because of his hall of fame credentials (and possibly the very agitated Utah fans) the referee fails to call a technical on the incensed Malone and the situation becomes ugly. Sensing the potential trouble, and realizing how important this moment could become, Jerry Sloan calls a 30 second timeout and yells for Malone to come to the bench. However, Malone isn't finished talking to the ref, so the verbally berated ref pulls his whistle and blows a technical foul. While this is going on, Bradley is pushing through the physically peacemaking Juwan Howard and yelling at Malone to "Shut your big mouth! Just play the game!". Malone pushes through the similarly peacemaking Polynice and Stockton just as the second technical foul whistle is blown. In the ensuing physical scrum that occurs in the next 15 seconds, Bradley stumbles to the floor as the weight of bodies being pushed by Malone's sudden attack knock him over. While this collision only lasted a few seconds, the Utah Jazz would feel the consequences not only for the rest of the Summer, but also for the rest of their lives.

Malone was ultimately led off of the court, and the energized and young Mavs eventually beat the disheartened and old Jazz by 16 points. The home court advantage that the regular season's campaign had built was washed away in the span of one play. Basketball great Karl Malone was unable to return to the court until game 5 in Utah, after being suspended for two game. The Mavericks lost Big Shawn for game 3 in Dallas, but took the contest easily, winning by 9. Impressively, the Jazz won game four without Malone in a close game mostly due to the playoff heroics of John Stockton, who added to his history of playoff heroics with a 19 assist game. Surprisingly, game five was somewhat anticlimactic, as Dirk Nowitzki scores 35, and Finley scores 28 in a commanding win by 15 points.

To most national observers of this series, it has become very apparent that the long talked about "Window of Opportunity" for the Jazz has finally, resoundingly, crahed shut. At the same time, the national media can see that the Mavericks are not just a "team of the future", but are actually one of the four or five best teams in country. This impression is firmly justified as the confident Mavs storm their way back to the Western Conference finals where they ultimately lose 4-2 to the San Antonio Spurs... All of this occurred with the help of one intimidated shot, and one hard swung elbow...

[LonestarROB]

[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img] .

[Mav_on_the_Move]

So it is written, so may it come to pass.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img]

[erub]

we'd get the spurs in the semifinals [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

[Evilmav2]

Malone still has an appointment with a certain 7-6 man's elbow to meet in game two. It's going to happen...

[Mavinator]

This story brought a tear to my eye...

[madape]

Bradley will bring blood to Malone's eye.

[turbo.mav]

reading that story was making my heart beat fast

[TheKid]

If I can just get the elbow, I'm going to be ecstatic!!!

[dallaslaker]

*sniff* *sniff*

[Evilmav2]

It's going to happen tonight...

[ReggieThetaChi]

Malone deserves an ass whooping. I think he'll get it tonight. The Militant Mormon's gonna throw down with some mad multi-wife flavor, yo!

[Mavs_Whiner]

Yeah..... Since we historically choke in and around the playoffs we should just waive Eisley and sign a BattleBot as out backup point guard so we can maim our way to the second round!!!! Less basketball talk and more whining and violence talk..... thats MAVS hoops!

[scooterj5]

Ok.... violence..... you mean like Karl Malone's elbows?

[Mavs_Whiner]

Exactly! lets talk about the other teams elbows!............

Does anyone remember Jeff Hornaceks elbows??? That guy was a runaway TRAIN!


MAVS in 2001!

[TheKid]

Well the Giant entered lastnight and I'm still waiting to see some heroics!!!! I'm not saying he played terrible, but I'm not SURELY not saying he played great by any stretch of the imagination.

[LAM0015]

mavs whiner is definitely trying to get a rise out of people....that's cool, sounds like something i would do.

[Evilmav2]

"...we[The Mavs] historically choke in and around the playoffs"? When has that happened Mavswhiner? 1986?

[madape]

Replace Karl Malone with Olden Polynice and the narrative is right on target. Shawn was able to lure Officer Olden into a touble tech ejection. Way to go Shawn!!!

Next time try to infuriate someone that actually contributes. Don't waste your time on Olden! I'd actually like to see more of him in this series.

[scooterj5]

Good to see Bradley not fight back against Polynice in the ejection incident

[LonestarROB]

I'm still waiting for one word of this story to come true [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img] .