National attention

[MFFL]

Column: Shaq, Riles Headed for a Fall
By JIM LITKE
AP Sports Columnist
Posted June 12 2006, 7:31 AM EDT


The two guys with their legacies awaiting only a final chapter did little and said even less about the outcome.

The Heat's Shaquille O'Neal, who already owns three NBA championship rings but desperately wants another without Kobe Bryant as his sidekick, was outscored and outrebounded Sunday night in Game 2 by Erick Dampier -- the first time that happened in 25 head-to-head meetings.

Pat Riley, who has four rings from coaching the Lakers' "Showtime" teams but none since, was similarly outfoxed by Mavericks counterpart Avery Johnson -- for the second time in as many games.

But before anybody jumped to the logical conclusion, namely that Dallas should pack a broom as the finals head east to Miami for three games, Riles reminded everyone his team has stumbled down this road before -- as recently as the Eastern Conference playoffs.

"Everybody has written our team off, even in Chicago, when we lost two games in Chicago. Then we got buried by New Jersey in the first game and we were history. Then we were history against Detroit. Even when we were ahead 3-1, we were history.

"So I'm sure we're history right now," he added. "We'll see what happens at home."

The normally loquacious O'Neal held his tongue after the Mavericks' 99-85 win gave them a 2-0 lead in the series. That bit of restraint cost him $10,000, and the Heat organization another $25,000, but saved him at least that much in embarrassment.

Two years ago, not long after Shaq fled LA for Miami, Dampier signed a big deal in Dallas and immediately declared himself the second-best center in the league. O'Neal responded by renaming Dampier "Erica," then got a little extra mileage out of the gag by insisting the only place Dampier would be a dominant center was in the WNBA. And when an injury in the playoffs last year limited his effectiveness, he couldn't resist telling reporters he was "playing like Erick Dampier."

Shaq should be so lucky. Out of shape or patience, or maybe both, he was outplayed by Dampier everywhere on the court and across the stat line. As promised, the Heat pounded the ball down into O'Neal in the post on their opening possession and he dropped in a nifty layup. But the Mavericks settled into essentially the same defense as in Game 1, doubling and tripling O'Neal on every subsequent touch, forcing him to pass the ball out of the post and daring his supporting cast, again, to beat them.

In his prime, O'Neal would have gone over or through Dampier and his second, DeSagana Diop, as often as necessary, but now he needs help. The Heat provided more than the first time around, but not much. They shot 41 percent from the floor, after a frightful 37-percent performance in the opening game.

Dallas, meanwhile, added a variety of screens at the other end of the floor to create room for Dirk Nowitzki to operate, which in turn freed up Jerry Stackhouse for a handful of wide-open jumpers, and the outcome was effectively sealed at halftime. Shaq sat most of the second half, Riley conceded, to conserve energy in what was by then a lost cause.

Teams that come out flat in finals series rarely recover -- 25 of the 27 that took a 2-0 lead have gone on to win -- but most respond by changing things up in a hurry. Riley's strong suit as a coach has always been motivation, as opposed to strategy, but he looks like someone who has run out of answers.

When he deep-sixed Stan Van Gundy and traded a seat in the executive suite for one on the bench, the plan was to coax more effort from a veteran team.

"I don't think it had anything to do with energy," Riley said about Sunday night's loss. "The whole thing now is about the next game, and trying to leave this behind us. Maybe set a fire under us to do something different than what we did here."

Of course, that was the plan after the Heat got pounded in Game 1. Miami is fighting a deficit in the effort department, but it's hardly the only one. O'Neal can rouse himself to take over games for a short time, but the cavalry isn't going to arrive in time. The Heat still have no answer for Nowitzki, or Josh Howard or Stackhouse. And no matter how many inspirational ploys Riley cooks up in the locker room, it's clear he's out of ideas once Miami sets foot on the court.

For different reasons, he and Shaq got so swept up in the idea that these finals would be their crowning achievement, the payoff for doing things the way they always had in the past, that they never drew up a Plan B. And now it's too late.

Yet when someone asked Dwyane Wade, the young superstar who was supposed to pick up the slack, what the Heat had to change heading into Game 3, he didn't hesitate.

"Everything," he said.

[MFFL]

Column: Heat Talking Better Than They Play
By BRIAN MAHONEY
AP Basketball Writer
Posted June 12 2006, 1:32 AM EDT


DALLAS -- They promised more Shaq and they promised more toughness. Give the Miami Heat credit -- at least they talk a good game. They sure haven't played one yet.

And if they keep stumbling the way they did Sunday night, they won't have too many more chances to get it right before they head home for the summer.

The Dallas Mavericks' 99-85 victory in Game 2 of the NBA finals was never in doubt in the second half. Miami's stars didn't shine, and its bench flopped again.

The Heat vowed things would be different than they were in their 90-80 loss in Game 1, when Miami got only 11 shots for Shaquille O'Neal and felt they didn't play with their usual defensive toughness.

And they were right -- this game looked nothing like Game 1. It was more like the Mavs' 112-76 rout of the Heat here back in February.

One of the things written on Miami's lockerroom board before the game was "Choke their air space!"

The only ones choking are the Heat.

So far, the only thing entertaining about these NBA finals are the comedy spots the Mavs play on their overhead scoreboard. They've already turned O'Neal into King Kong and the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man from "Ghostbusters."

We're still waiting on Shaq the dominant basketball player.

In fact, if you watched the sport for the first time Sunday, you would have thought the best center on the floor was Erick Dampier, who finished with six points and 13 rebounds.

O'Neal was limited to five points and five shots in 28 minutes. He grabbed six rebounds -- one fewer than he managed in the opener.

Dwyane Wade had 23 points, but shot only 6-of-19 while hardly looking like the player who carved through New Jersey and Detroit in the last two rounds.

Miami goes home needing four wins in five games against a team it has now lost to in 12 of the last 14 meetings. And that won't be easy since the Mavs seem to have responses for everything the Heat can throw at them.

The Heat already knew they couldn't run with the Mavs, who are both too quick and too deep. So if they can't win by slowing it down and pounding it into O'Neal, what can possibly be left for Miami?

The Heat seemed to break the favored Pistons' spirit in the Eastern Conference finals when Detroit couldn't stop Wade or O'Neal. But the Mavs have answers for those players that nobody in the East does, and the Heat looked lost Sunday without someone to lead them.

Dallas coach Avery Johnson used 10 players in the first half alone, and six of them are capable of taking turns on Wade. Unable to use his slashing ability to get into the line like he did in Miami's prior series, Wade was particularly frustrated, picking up a technical foul in the second quarter.

And O'Neal has seemed confused by the way the Mavs are playing him. They've doubled him with both big men and guards, and even tripled him. There were times it seemed as though O'Neal was getting rid of the ball too quickly.

And -- surprise, surprise! -- he continues to struggle at the free-throw line. He went 1-for-7 Sunday, dropping him to 2-of-16 in the series. When he finally made one early in the third quarter, the American Airlines Center crowd actually cheered.

By then, Dallas was already ahead 52-34, so the home fans could spare a little charity. The Heat never got much closer, and Heat coach Pat Riley spent a good deal of the third quarter standing on the sidelines with his hands on his hips.

O'Neal joined him on the sidelines for good during that period -- not long after he was still standing near midcourt when Dampier beat him down the floor for a fast-break dunk.

By then, there was nothing left for Miami to say. Shaq certainly wasn't about to start -- he refused to talk to reporters after the game.

Maybe things will be different when the series shifts to South Florida. Perhaps Wade, who has been weakened by a lingering illness, will rediscover his explosiveness. And O'Neal might regain the form that made him a three-time NBA finals MVP.

Those questions will wait for Miami. But for now, it seems the only ones with answers are the Mavs.

[MFFL]

Posted on Sat, Jun. 10, 2006
Mavericks' versatility getting the best of HeatBY STEPHEN A. SMITH
Philadelphia Inquirer

DALLAS - After one game of the NBA Finals, one 32-point explosion by Jason Terry, one sighting of the perpetually invisible Erick Dampier, it is clear Pat Riley's Miami Heat are in deep, deep trouble.

A team whose bench was outscored, 24-2, in Thursday night's 90-80 loss to the Dallas Mavericks is in trouble.

When the opposing team uses 10 players, nine of whom received double-digit minutes, and you are barely seven deep, you're in trouble.

When you are the Miami Heat and you've sent just two players (Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade) to the free-throw line the entire game, you're in big trouble.

Especially when you are going against these Dallas Mavericks.

It's not an accident that after just one game, Riley looks as if he's aged in dog years. The "Winner Within" - as the title of his book indicated - can spout about his team's being "disgusted" all he wants to. But chances are the Heat are more disenchanted with the problems they face than the inconsistent play they exhibited in Game 1.

"We just watched an hour and a half of tape, and I think our players are absolutely disgusted," Riley said. "And they should be disgusted. But disgusted and frustrated have nothing to do with anger."

Perhaps it should be anger. That may be the only line of defense left for the boys from Miami.

The Dallas Mavs don't have Shaq at their disposal, so, they have successfully implemented an alternative so far. With Dampier and a guy named DeSagana Diop as your two 7-foot centers, give coach Avery Johnson credit. He knows versatility is the Mavs' best option in this series.

So when Dirk Nowitzki, arguably the best player throughout these playoffs, was shooting 4 for 14 from the field, and Josh Howard, arguably the Mavs' best all-around player, was going 3 for 14, it was Terry who stepped up to the plate, hitting 13 of 18 shots, exposing elder legs like Gary Payton.

But that wasn't all.

Devin Harris, Dallas' backup point guard, was clearly quicker than anyone placed in front of him. Jerry Stackhouse looked like Michael Jordan compared with anyone coming off Miami's bench.

Keith Van Horn was seen making a contribution. The Mavs held the Heat to 13 and 12 points in the second and fourth quarters, respectively. And unlike Miami, Dallas made perimeter shots.

"I just tried to play my game," Terry said. "Remain disciplined. Remain focused on the game plan. Just trying to pick my spots when to attack. I saw opportunities and I took advantage of them. Hopefully, I'll be able to do the same in Game 2, along with a few of our other guys."

It shouldn't be difficult, judging by what everyone saw, because Payton and Jason Williams still will be defending Terry. Neither Payton nor Williams is as quick. Neither can negate Terry's perimeter shot. And since only a fool would expect Nowitzki and Howard to duplicate their subpar performances in Game 2 on Sunday night, that perplexed look the Heat wore on their faces not only appears justified, but prophetic.

Miami's only hope appears to be throwing the ball inside to Shaq, allowing him to pick apart Dallas' defense, which, in turn, will put more pressure on its offense.

If that sounds desperate, it might be because desperation is the name of the game right now. Not just for Miami Heat fans, but anyone rooting for a competitive series.

"We've just got to stick to our script," Shaq said, one day after shooting 8 for 11 in a losing effort. "You know, we've been an inside-out team most of the year. Most of the times, we've been very successful, especially in the postseason. So, if they are going to double early like that, I would like to get it a lot and keep everybody involved.

"That's what we did in the first half, and we just made a lot of mental errors. We've just got to make some adjustments. We pretty much know how they are going to play us now, and we've just got to play smart, just play aggressive and show a little more effort."

News flash: This isn't about effort. It's about skill.

Miami has Shaq and Wade. Dallas has everything else in abundance, plus Nowitzki.

Before this series began, the slogan was, "We'll see what happens."

Chances are, most of us think we know. Already.

[MFFL]

Posted on Sat, Jun. 10, 2006
Mavericks' system working against HeatBY SAM SMITH
Chicago Tribune

DALLAS - Chicago Bulls fans should be smiling while watching this NBA Finals.

This is what they should be thinking: The Dallas Mavericks, with a 1-0 lead with Game 2 here Sunday, appear to have too much for the Miami Heat. And there's probably just one Maverick who would be an improvement on his Bulls counterpart.

Of course, a lot of teams said that about Michael Jordan and the six-time champion Bulls: If we had Jordan ...

But no one is mistaking Dirk Nowitzki for Michael Jordan.

"I thought I was nervous, forcing shots, wasn't accurate, wasn't active, wasn't aggressive," Nowitzki said about his Game 1 performance of 16 points, zero in the fourth quarter, on 4-of-14 shooting.

Not to say the Mavs were tight, but they looked like Mark Cuban in T-shirts.

Anything else?

"Defensively, I could have done a lot better," Nowitzki said. "I could have helped a lot more, could have rebounded better."

Nevertheless, the Mavericks won, 90-80.

That's not very encouraging for the Heat. It's obvious where Miami will be passing the ball Sunday after Shaquille O'Neal took only 11 shots in more than 38 minutes for a measly 17 points while Antoine Walker lofted 19 shots, shot no free throws and committed six turnovers.

"It will be a different game," O'Neal promised.

So, which Shaq will we see?

O'Neal has raised his game at key times in these playoffs - the big Game 6 clincher in Chicago and the Game 6 closer against the Pistons with Dwyane Wade ailing. O'Neal averaged 21.7 points and 10.5 rebounds in the conference finals, his best round in these playoffs. But he has scored fewer than 20 points nine times in the playoffs.

Before his 17 points Thursday night, O'Neal had scored fewer than 20 only once in 20 Finals' games. That was Game 3 against Detroit in 2004, and in the next game he had 36 points and 20 rebounds. Detroit was notable in that series for single coverage on O'Neal that enabled him to average 26.6 points and 10.8 rebounds. Then other teams also began to guard O'Neal as if he were an actual human being rather than double-team him.

In Game 1, though, the Mavs went with a hard double-team on O'Neal often, and it seemed to bother Miami.

The Heat dealt with it well early, leading by 11 as O'Neal had four first-quarter assists on several clever passes out of the pressure. But the questions about the Heat and its makeover last summer arose again as the perimeter guys, old and slow, failed to spread the court for O'Neal and allowed Dallas to sag in on him. The Lakers, O'Neal's previous team, always had three-point threats that Miami doesn't possess. The Heat making the Finals seemed to make the makeover issue moot, but it's back.

O'Neal typically has been the beast of the Finals. He averaged 38 points and 16.7 rebounds in 2000, 33 points and 15.8 rebounds in 2001 and 36.3 points and 12.3 rebounds in 2002. Now he's being tested again.

But so is Miami, in much the same way the Bulls tested it in Round 1.

Neither the Nets nor Pistons ran the Heat with side pick-and-rolls and back-and-forth movement as the Bulls did, and as Dallas did in Game 1. It was the script for beating Miami, but neither the Nets nor Pistons bothered to use it. Run them and involve them in pick-and-rolls. Dallas usually sets a goal of 50 to 60 per game, as the Bulls often do. If you do that, you make O'Neal come out. Then you retreat and expose Miami's suspect perimeter.

"(Chicago) played with tremendous speed, a lot like Dallas, multiple pick-and-rolls," Heat coach Pat Riley said.

It was one reason Jason Terry was so open so often, though the Dallas players are good at seeking shots. The Bulls' perimeter play was designed more to find open shooters.

Though Terry was terrific with a game-saving 32 points in Game 1, I would take Ben Gordon over him. Both are small shooting guards. I'm not sure who plays point guard for the Mavs, but I would take Kirk Hinrich over any of them, perhaps Devin Harris. Adrian Griffin? He had a nice eight-point contribution, but Wade had him spinning like a revolving door.

Josh Howard? He has elevated his game, though it got stuck in Game 1 with 10 points on 3-of-14 shooting. You certainly could make a case for taking Luol Deng or Andres Nocioni in his spot.

Tyson Chandler? But Dallas is playing DeSagana Diop, whose line of zero points, zero assists, two blocks and two rebounds as the starting center makes Chandler look good.

OK, Nowitzki. He's good. He's terrific. His run through the Spurs and Suns when he averaged almost 30 points and 15 rebounds in a two-week stretch probably was the best in the playoffs.

But the Bulls get a bit of him if they can bring back Darius Songaila, a big man who shoots and can make a play off the dribble. And don't forget the Bulls have the No. 2 pick in the NBA draft and maybe $15 million for free agents.

The Pistons recently have been the NBA model, the team of hard-working guys with no superstar. Now one can look at Dallas. The Mavs have the superstar, but they can win when he's not near his best with a relentless system of play, good shooting and an attacking mentality. It has Miami trailing and opens up a whole series of possibilities for a lot of NBA teams.

[u2sarajevo]

Originally Posted by MFFL

Posted on Sat, Jun. 10, 2006
Mavericks' system working against HeatBY SAM SMITH
Chicago Tribune

DALLAS - Chicago Bulls fans should be smiling while watching this NBA Finals.

This is what they should be thinking: The Dallas Mavericks, with a 1-0 lead with Game 2 here Sunday, appear to have too much for the Miami Heat. And there's probably just one Maverick who would be an improvement on his Bulls counterpart.

Giggle. I remember telling myself that when we had the 3 J's, comparing rosters to the Bulls.

Well, it does make you feel better.... even though it's most likely false hope. I wonder though, does this guy underrate Howard?

[Mavinator]

Haha I am fond of the Bulls but that is one of the more retarded "analyses" I've ever read... Bulls are superior to the Mavs at every position except PF? Gosh yes, they're really knocking on the door of a dynasty over there...

Thanks for the articles tho MFFL, I really appreciate folks like you and kriD keeping me updated on this kinda stuff...

[kg_veteran]

Sam Smith cracks me up. If the Bulls can just come up with a guy like Nowitzki (instead of Mike Sweetney), the Bulls will be Finals bound.

A lot of teams could make that claim.

[dirno2000]

What do you expect from a guy who still contends that the Spurs are the best team he's seen in this year's playoffs?

It’s not just writers though. Before the series began, a couple of Miami’s players were saying that Chicago prepared them for Dallas.

The two-headed center continues to be the most overlooked factor in the Mavs success. Yea, we’re fast and we like to run but we also have two centers who can bang, block shots and rebound at a high rate.

[Thespiralgoeson]

Posted on Sat, Jun. 10, 2006
Mavericks' versatility getting the best of HeatBY STEPHEN A. SMITH
Philadelphia Inquirer

DALLAS - After one game of the NBA Finals, one 32-point explosion by Jason Terry, one sighting of the perpetually invisible Erick Dampier, it is clear Pat Riley's Miami Heat are in deep, deep trouble.

F*ck Stephen Asshole Smith.

Erick Dampier has done nothing but help his team win and still morons like this guy mock him. I think there's a special place in hell for dumbass sportswriters.

[CwDogg]

I like how he said Darius Songaila is their "Dirk Nowitski"
A guy who has never been a starter is comparable to a 1st team NBA player.

How can a guy be so oblivious to such obvious things.

[Five-ofan]

Saying songaila can provide a little bit of nowitski is like saying marquis daniels can provide a little bit of lebron. I mean hey theyre both black and can dribble.

[nashtymavsfan13]

Originally Posted by MFFL

Josh Howard? He has elevated his game, though it got stuck in Game 1 with 10 points on 3-of-14 shooting. You certainly could make a case for taking Luol Deng or Andres Nocioni in his spot.

Tyson Chandler? But Dallas is playing DeSagana Diop, whose line of zero points, zero assists, two blocks and two rebounds as the starting center makes Chandler look good.

Wow, these two statements are pathetic.

[nashtymavsfan13]

Originally Posted by CwDogg

I like how he said Darius Songaila is their "Dirk Nowitski"
A guy who has never been a starter is comparable to a 1st team NBA player.

How can a guy be so oblivious to such obvious things.

What bugs me more though is when a Mavs fan can't spell Nowitzki correctly