How big is Game 4?

[pkdumas]

So how big is Game 4? I personally think it's the biggest game in Mavs franchise history and 100% of the pressure will be on us as well as one of the rowdiest crowds you will ever see. Many of the games in last year's playoffs could have been considered bigger in our franchise's history IF we had won the title. But all of those big games from last year only make Sunday night's game that much bigger. Here's the implications I see based on the two potential outcomes of game 4:

MAVS WIN:
-------------
a) we live to fight another day and are arguably back in the driver's seat with two of the next three at home.


MAVS LOSE:
--------------
a) our goose is cooked
b) Dirk accepts the most embarrasing MVP trophy ever awarded in the history of major sports.
c) Mark Cuban sells the team.
d) Jerry Stackhouse gets traded.
e) Stephen Jackson goes to jail.
f) Dallas realizes they have the only superstar on the planet that can't create his own shot against any defense.
g) The Mavs ponder the direction of the team in the off-season... Do they retool to try to keep up with the new NBA (phoenix and golden state), something we ironically used to be? Or is that knee-jerking considering we finally retooled to have the upper hand over teams such as San Antonio? Is it our fate that the only two teams in the league that give us problems (phoenix, golden state) end up on our path to the title? If we made trades to be more like them, do we then get matched up San Antonio instead in the playoffs next year? It's all about seeding and matchups and we just got hosed. Maybe it's our own fault for not trying against the Warriors in the regular season, yet beating up on the Clippers.

To all you glass is half full types, I'm sorry that the sky is falling, but I'm not the one who dropped it.

WOW. A lot is riding on this one game. Good luck, Mavs. I stand behind you, despite my signature (humor is my only escape at this point in the series).

[MavsWiLLHaVeRinGs]

Biggest game of the entire season.

[mattyd]

Not the biggest game in franchise history - that would be game 3 of the NBA Finals last year.

But this is a game they cannot afford to lose.

[jthig32]

It difinitely could set off a chain reaction if they lose.

BTW, Stack is a free agent, so unless it's a sign and trade, we won't be trading him.

And I don't think Cuban would sell the team.

[GermanFan]

Well i guess i don't agree with you guys

Even if we loose we go back home and take care of business at home and after that its 3:3 and it's a totally different pressure on GS in a game 7 the Mavs been there done that so
i dont go and say it is over just then yet

I would still have hope

[Nemesis]

^how do you figure this?

it is 2 - 2 -1 -1 -1

we will be down 3 - 1 coming back home for 1, then if we win, we will be 3 - 2 playing away..if we lose this game our goose is cooked... personally, i don't care anymore.

[GermanFan]

ups so 3:2 than back to gs oki not 3:3 but still i dont think we are doomed until it is too late

i hope the season doesn't end that early but i will enjoy it as long as we play

Nemesis you dont care anymore after we lost 2 games :/

[Five-ofan]

we are winning game 4 so it doesnt matter.

[GermanFan]

Originally Posted by Five-ofan

we are winning game 4 so it doesnt matter.

we have to wait all the way to sunday (the last game again ?)

[AxdemxO]

Originally Posted by Five-ofan

we are winning game 4 so it doesnt matter.

Same was said for game 3. Some people just never want to be honest. If we lose game 4 its over.

[GermanFan]

We have lost 2 games even 3 in a series before

MAVERICKS 4, SUNS 2 (2006)
MAVERICKS 4 SPURS 3(2006)
No. 4 Dallas 4 vs. No. 5 Houston 3 (2005
Mavs 4, Kings 3 (2003)
Mavs 4, Blazers 3 (2003)

There are not many short series for Mavs and i think only one sweep (last year)

[StackAttack]

Game 4's are always huge in a a 2-1 series. If the team that's down wins, all of a sudden it's a series once again, knotted at 2-2. If the team that's up wins, they've got all the momentum in their favor, going up 3-1 with at least 1 home game to go (in this case, just 1).

[rakesh.s]

the warriors are glued into the driver's seat..mavs won't be in it even if they win game 4

GS has supreme confidence and their whole team shoots 50% in Dallas. If the mavs lose game 4 though, the series is over...this is Miami all over again.

[Nemesis]

^totally agree, unfortunately...

[nowhereman]

it's a game in the first round. game 5 last year was the biggest game in the history of the franchise. second place goes to game 6 in the '03 conference finals.

it ain't over 'til it's over. i think we're forgetting about just how good our team can be. hopefully we come out focused and execute like we know we can.

[purplefrog]

Originally Posted by rakesh.s

the warriors are glued into the driver's seat..mavs won't be in it even if they win game 4

GS has supreme confidence and their whole team shoots 50% in Dallas. If the mavs lose game 4 though, the series is over...this is Miami all over again.

Things like confidence can change quickly. If the Mavs get their heads on straight then they win the series. I still believe they are the far superior team and if Avery can make one significant adjustment a confident Warriors team becomes the team that Nellie told us all was just happy to be in the playoffs. In other words, if the Mavs can just make Nellie's words come true for a game or two the Warriors will fold and walk away with a feelling of accomplishment. This is still a very winnable series.

[Dirkadirkastan]

Originally Posted by nowhereman

it's a game in the first round. game 5 last year was the biggest game in the history of the franchise. second place goes to game 6 in the '03 conference finals.

it ain't over 'til it's over. i think we're forgetting about just how good our team can be. hopefully we come out focused and execute like we know we can.

GAME SEVEN LAST YEAR.

Do you guys not remember how much has been affected by that series win? If we lost, we'd still be talking about how we can't beat the Spurs. "Mavs" and "championship" would never be seen in the same sentence.

[pkdumas]

Originally Posted by nowhereman

it's a game in the first round. game 5 last year was the biggest game in the history of the franchise. second place goes to game 6 in the '03 conference finals.

Sorry fellas, Sundays game is our biggest game EVER. Game seven against the Spurs last year was the biggest at the time and we won it, putting us in the true contender catergory. The problem is, that set up an even bigger game in game 3 against Miami in the Finals. Since we gave that away, the mantra all year has been "finish", because anything else is a let-down, thus setting up tomorrow's game, which trumps last year's finals.

Every Mavericks fan, every NBA fan, every NBA analyst, every Mavs coach, every Mavs player has acknowledged that this year is do or die. Do not underestimate the proverbial "window of opportunity". After a while, players lose momentum and confidence in their ability to go all the way, and going all the way starts to feel like a longer and steeper climb each time you don't live up to expectations. If we were to lose Sunday, which we will not, we have two offseason options... a) try again next year and hope for the seeding gods not to spite us again and hope we are not emotionally stale or b) blockbuster trade of say Howard and Terry for someone like Paul Pierce or some superstar (chemistry would become a big question mark). I don't even know if a trade like that is possible. With all the talent in the NBA you seemingly need two superstars (although I don't think the Pistons have ANY superstars) to get it done. And JET and Howard are not superstars. I guess we'll have to be like the Pistons and do it with team chemistry and good timing.

[SeattleMavsFan]

our only problem is that we just don't stop taking f'n jumpers! it's not rocket science that when we drive the lane, we either score or get fouled. How hard is this for avery and the other players to understand? If we do lose this series, i fully expect stackhouse to leave and cuban to make a monster trade or sell the team. we just need one guy who can consitently create his own shot and/or drive the lane. Or a legit big man with an OFFENSIVE inside presence. big off season coming up.

[Dtownsfinest]

Its a big game but even then if we lose I wouldn't rule the Mavs out just based off the fact that the Warriors are a young team and have 0 playoff experience. But its definately a must-win. If we can only beat them 1 out of 4 games how in the hell can we pull off 4 in a row?

[Big Shot Rob]

Most important game of the year in the NBA.

As important as game 7 against the Spurs last year.

No doubt its important--but I still predict Mavs win Sunday.

[nowhereman]

Originally Posted by pkdumas

Sorry fellas, Sundays game is our biggest game EVER. Game seven against the Spurs last year was the biggest at the time and we won it, putting us in the true contender catergory. The problem is, that set up an even bigger game in game 3 against Miami in the Finals. Since we gave that away, the mantra all year has been "finish", because anything else is a let-down, thus setting up tomorrow's game, which trumps last year's finals.

there's no saying that if we win the series we'd win a championship this year. if we'd won the finals last year, we wouldn't even be in this situation. if we'd won game 5 in '03, or game 5 last year, we'd be a good bet to have won championships. the stakes were just so high.

not saying this game isn't one of the biggest ever for the mavs..

[nashtymavsfan13]

Whoever wins game 4 will win this series. The Mavs will win game 4. The Mavs will go on to win the series.

[some-dude]

Originally Posted by nashtymavsfan13

Whoever wins game 4 will win this series. The Mavs will win game 4. The Mavs will go on to win the series.

Its great to think that, but from a purely basketball stand point the Mavs have shown nothing that they can beat the Warriors on the road. Warriors attack the basket, they get the crowd pumped, build their 8-10 point lead, sustain it through the first half, mavs lack energy in third, warriors pull away.

Maybe game 4 wll be different, but as of now W's have a huge edge. Game 4 will not be an easy game by any means.

[come_on_now]

Originally Posted by mattyd

Not the biggest game in franchise history - that would be game 3 of the NBA Finals last year.

But this is a game they cannot afford to lose.

In hindsight, yes, Game 3 turned out being the biggest game. But.. the biggest game they were cognizant of was most definately Game 6. Win or go home in the Finals is as big as it gets for your fate.

[twelli]

As good as the Warriors have played in their two wins, I feel they are not stable enough to sustain it and as long as the Mavs keep their cool, stick to their game plan and execute the way they have shown they are capable of, the Warriors will find themselves in trouble before they know it. The Warriors have made some very lucky plays, while the Mavs have missed tons of shots they usually make. So in all likelihood, the Mavs should win the next two games and probably the 6th game as well. It's all about momentum. And even if we lose the 4th game, let's see how capable the Warriors are to actually clinch a series.

[twelli]

BTW, wasn't the biggest game in recent Mavs history game 7 against the Spurs last year?

[pkdumas]

Originally Posted by nowhereman

there's no saying that if we win the series we'd win a championship this year.

Right. But since we haven't won the championship yet, it still makes each new do-or-die tournament game with this Mavs roster the biggest ever. And I'd say Game 4 is do-or-die.

[lori72]

I knew even with our record realistically it would be hard to go back to the finals, but going out in the first round is just embarrassing. everyone will be talking about it. please let us win game 4. then it will be a new series.