It's Official: Dallas Mavs vs OKC Thunder Round 1

[Como11]

Everyone comparing last year to this year needs to stop.

Yes, people were wrong about us last year in the playoffs. Just because we had ONE season where we proved everyone wrong, it does not mean we are going to do it again. AND, it does not mean that everyone who thinks we are losing this season is wrong. You cannot always point to last season as a reference to us winning. That was LAST YEAR.

We are a completely different team. A very INCONSISTENT team. Mediocre compared to last year's.

A lot of you are being delusional and are still on a championship high.

We are losing this series easily.

[spreedom]

As much as I hate to say it, I think they're going to beat us pretty handily this year. But our chemistry stinks, our offense looks bad more often that not, we don't have any inside presence, and we probably can't count on our bench to give us much of anything. I think the Thunder are going to the Finals.

I hope I'm wrong.

[kg_veteran]

Chuck has spoken. Read my sig and weep, OKC (and NBA).

[MarcusFreeman]

If you are, I have two tickets for seats in the 112 row - quite close to the action and side by side to each other. Contact me asap the game is on schedule for tomorrow @8:30! Mr.JasonDickson@Yahoo.com

[JeffViggiano]

we are good.i don't know how good...we will see.

go mavssssssssssssssss

[rabbitproof]

For the series, the Mavs must pounce early. If we can get the 1-1 split early, I think we got this. This is where Harden being a bit woozy may help.

If we go down 0-2, I become very, very skeptical. Winning 4 of 5 is going to be very hard against Oklahoma.

Looking at the teams up and down, Oklahoma is ahead in just about every area. The goal has to be keeping it close and taking it over with better execution and composure in the clutch. I know Westbrook and Durant have hashed things out but if a game gets close, I like our down the stretch chances.

[Underdog]

Mavs' Mark Cuban: West wide open

ATLANTA -- Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban believes the Western Conference is there for the taking as the NBA playoffs get under way this weekend.

"Like I've said all year long, the regular season means next to nothing," Cuban said Thursday. "Every single team, even the Spurs for a period there when they go through a tough part of their schedule, struggle. ... There was nobody that was overly impressive. So we'll see what happens."

Cuban isn't concerned that the defending champions ended the regular season with consecutive losses or that 30 defeats in this lockout-shortened 66-game season equaled the Mavericks' total from last season's 82-game regular season and playoffs combined.

The Mavs owner believes the remaining veteran nucleus of Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry and Shawn Marion -- plus newcomers such as Vince Carter and Delonte West -- can still make a deep push in the postseason.

"We've got veterans and we've gone this way in the playoffs," Cuban said. "Our guys are strong-willed, strong-minded. You don't last in the league as long as Dirk, J-Kidd, Trix [Marion], Vince. You don't last as long as those guys and have the success that they've had without being strong-minded."

Dallas begins its title defense in earnest at Oklahoma City on Saturday night. The Thunder, led by three-time league scoring champ Kevin Durant and explosive point guard Russell Westbrook, remain heavy favorites to emerge from the West despite losing their long-held grip on the No. 1 seed to the Spurs.

Yet, even the Spurs, who won 50 games for a 13th consecutive season, aren't perfect, according to Cuban. The Spurs lost last season in the first round as the No. 1 seed.

"The Spurs have been playing great, obviously, because they've been shooting really well," Cuban said. "But, we've been that team before, too, and they were that team last year."

The Mavs ousted the Thunder in five games in the West finals, winning twice at Oklahoma City, including rallying from a 15-point deficit in Game 4 to take a 3-1 lead. Oklahoma City turned the tables during the regular season, winning three of four by being the better team in crunch time.

Durant won the first meeting at Oklahoma City with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer and the Thunder twice won games that were tied in the final two minutes.

The Mavs, who have endured a string of injuries this season, have not played like a championship-caliber squad during the regular season. Since their high-water mark of 20-11 on Feb. 17, Dallas went 16-19 the rest of the way.

"I still like where we're at now," Nowitzki said. "We still can be a dangerous team. It's what we talked about all season: get in the playoffs. We just got to let it all rip and see what happens this weekend."

http://espn.go.com/dallas/nba/story/...pen-postseason

[Kidd Karma]

Originally Posted by rabbitproof

For the series, the Mavs must pounce early. If we can get the 1-1 split early, I think we got this. This is where Harden being a bit woozy may help.

If we go down 0-2, I become very, very skeptical. Winning 4 of 5 is going to be very hard against Oklahoma.

Looking at the teams up and down, Oklahoma is ahead in just about every area. The goal has to be keeping it close and taking it over with better execution and composure in the clutch. I know Westbrook and Durant have hashed things out but if a game gets close, I like our down the stretch chances.

Exactly, close going into the 4th. half court execution.

[LonghornDub]

Originally Posted by Como11

Everyone comparing last year to this year needs to stop.

Yes, people were wrong about us last year in the playoffs. Just because we had ONE season where we proved everyone wrong, it does not mean we are going to do it again. AND, it does not mean that everyone who thinks we are losing this season is wrong. You cannot always point to last season as a reference to us winning. That was LAST YEAR.

We are a completely different team. A very INCONSISTENT team. Mediocre compared to last year's.

A lot of you are being delusional and are still on a championship high.

We are losing this series easily.

Derp.

[purplefrog]

My gut tells me that Rick has been working on some new stuff that will be unveiled against OKC. i've just go this feeling that the playoff Mavs are going to be a whole new animal and will be difficult to prepare for.

Mavs in 5.

[MavsFTR]

I was looking at clips from last year's series on YouTube. Dirk was so incredible that round. We're gonna need that type of production from him again to stand a chance this year.

[sefant77]

So...i remember the "expert picks" from last year....

[Kidd Karma]

Clean sweep for OKC.

[DirkFTW]

Originally Posted by sefant77

Ugh, Bowen among those believing the most in our abilities? I feel dirty.

[Bayliss]

DFTW has the best Sig.

[Midnight Toker]

The Thunder got this.

[nowhereman]

Already saw you on embarassing yourself on insidehoops. Go back there to troll, asshat.

[Thomas86]

I expect Durant and Westbrook to get thoes superstar calls in this series but if Ibaka and Harden are getting them too then Mavs don't have a chance at all to beat the Thunder.

[deamon]

Mavs in 7.

[dude1394]

Originally Posted by thunderfan

Minutes aren't really down. Just a general lack of energy on defense. Sacramento scored 40 on them in the first QUARTER the other night. They're all pretty much 21-24 years old though, they aren't burnt out physically I can assure you that.

If they are not tired then I would have to conclude they are lacking in fortitude to let the spurs catch and pass them late. I expect they are more tired than you think.

[dude1394]

F'em

[mavsman]

OKC's a good team. Their time will come. Right after Dirk retires.

[spreedom]

This message is hidden because Midnight Toker is on your ignore list.

[chumdawg]

Just heard Brooks say that JJ Barea not being with the Mavs anymore is the crucial difference in the two series.

Can't say that I don't disagree.

[tgfan]

Originally Posted by Aggie E

Dallas does not match up well with LAL this year. No Chandler really shows against that team. While OKC has no offensive center so Dallas can play Wright more. Marion can check Durant and Dallas will get help from Westbrook as long as they frustrate him. THIS IS THE BEST POSSIBLE MATCHUP of any of the top 4 seeds Dallas could face...Also truth is that James Harden may not be 100% after Ron Artest tried to knock him head off

I agree that Dallas CAN play Wright more vs OKC, but the big question is if RC WILL play Wright more. Or will he continue to start Haywood, who is way too slow for the Thunder and will cause us to fall behind early in games?

Also, this is going to be all about effective defensive rotations and blocking out. We cannot allow Westbrook, Durant, and Ibaka to crash in on the boards and repeatedly get second chance points. The Mavs are going to have to be constantly paying attention to where these guys are. And I agree Marion is going to have to come up big on Durant-make him work so hard that his shot is off just enough to clank some of those shots.

[Jproxursoxoff]

I correctly called all 15 rounds of the playoffs last year (and 11 of them in the exact number of games). I gotta go with my instinct here:

OKC in 5.

The Mavs season will be over in less than two weeks. The pain, however, will last all summer.

I pray to God I am wrong.

[cowboyuptx]

It's the same as last year... All we need to do is keep it reasonably close until the the time when Kidd returns in the 4th, usually around the 7 minute mark... That's when we get serious...

Then it's our closers vs their closers, Dirk vs Durant... Last season Dirk was the best closer in the game bar none, and I don't think he's fallen off, he's ready... The Mavs have two very good defenders to throw at the Thunder back-court, it was Kidd and Marion who really shut down the Thunder late in those playoff games...

Throw the records out, throw the stats out, this is gonna be a fight! Kidd is healthy and very well rested, most of the team is healthy and well rested... I'm telling ya, keep it close and Kidd, Dirk, Marion, and Terry is sill pretty damn tough closing unit to beat... Terry needs to match Harden's output... This is a series that favors his style, he'll get shots, he needs to make them...

[xrobx]

Originally Posted by Jproxursoxoff

I correctly called all 15 rounds of the playoffs last year (and 11 of them in the exact number of games). I gotta go with my instinct here:

OKC in 5.

The Mavs season will be over in less than two weeks. The pain, however, will last all summer.

I pray to God I am wrong.

One thing you're definitely wrong about is the "pain" lasting all summer, I'm personally fine if we don't win. We won last year, and we have tons of cap space to bring in some big free agents, I'm actually excited about the off-season. Dirk already won a ring and will still have it regardless of what happens during this asterisk marked season.

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by xrobx

One thing you're definitely wrong about is the "pain" lasting all summer, I'm personally fine if we don't win. We won last year, and we have tons of cap space to bring in some big free agents, I'm actually excited about the off-season. Dirk already won a ring and will still have it regardless of what happens during this asterisk marked season.

Agree 100% - it's a miracle in the first place that these Mavs are trying to repeat another championship, rather than trying not to repeat another first round exit.

Anything that happens from here on out is gravy...

[Jproxursoxoff]

To win this series, we're not only gonna have the beat the Thunder, but we're also gonna have to bear the OKC crowd AND THE REFS!!!! It's just a really tall task. Im not putting it past them, because I know what these vets are capable of. I'm just extremely nervous.

[thunderfan]

Originally Posted by chumdawg

Just heard Brooks say that JJ Barea not being with the Mavs anymore is the crucial difference in the two series.

Can't say that I don't disagree.

I agree. Barea did some amazing things vs OKC last year and he continues to this year with Minnesota. He seems to have their number in a way. He came out and put up like 14-18 points in a single quarter last time out vs OKC. The guy is simply hard to keep out of the paint, which forces Ibaka and others to help out. And these shot blockers never seem to bother Barea. Ibaka could be 15 feet up in the air and Barea would float it over him. As you saw in one game this year against OKC, if Ibaka is allowed to patrol the lane, he can be a HUGE factor. That game he had 10+ blocks against Dallas, I think Carlisle pretty much said the guy made Dallas not even want to attempt to enter the paint. But if a guy like Barea is forcing Ibaka off his post, it makes a difference.

[thunderfan]

Bottom line with this series - I agree with the guy that says throw away the records and stats and all of that. Dallas scares fans in OKC. I think most agree OKC is the better team at this point, but like I said before - when you have Dirk, Kidd, Marion, and Carlisle, you're playing with fire.

[Dirkgreatness]

I'm really hoping that Dirk goes into Playoff God mode again and JET plays like he did in the finals last year. Hopefully VC will play with a chip on his shoulder as well. Hard to imagine we'll go deep in the playoffs this year but then again i didn't expect last years squad going into the playoffs to make it that far either. Anyways, Mavs take this in 7!!!!

[Jproxursoxoff]

Originally Posted by xrobx

One thing you're definitely wrong about is the "pain" lasting all summer, I'm personally fine if we don't win. We won last year, and we have tons of cap space to bring in some big free agents, I'm actually excited about the off-season. Dirk already won a ring and will still have it regardless of what happens during this asterisk marked season.

Woah woah woah. I wasn't referring to the pain of the organization, the players or any of you guys. I was strictly referring to myself. I WILL be sad this summer when (or if) the Mavs aren't in the Finals. Like Dirk always says, when you dont win it all, you're ending the season on a loss and thats never fun.

[adonis]

If we snatch Deron in the offseason, this will be the WCF for many years to come, similar to Chicago-Miami in the East.