Mavericks' playoff run was a journey of runaways, rallies and redemption

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What a trip

Mavericks' playoff run was a journey of runaways, rallies and redemption

By ART GARCIA
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

FIRST ROUND

Defeated Portland 4 - 3

Historical value: For a franchise that's never experienced a four-game playoff sweep until this week, the Blazers series offered the best chance before nearly becoming the biggest choke in NBA playoff history.

What happened: The Mavs raced to a 3-0 series lead against a Portland team dealing with a late-season slump and myriad problems on and off the court.

Taking command

All appeared to go according to plan as Dirk Nowitzki opened the series with 46 points in a 96-86 victory. He scored 42 as the Mavs won Game 3, the first in Portland, 115-103.

The Blazers, as famously uttered by Dallas guard Nick Van Exel, thought the Mavs were "soft." Had the softies proven Portland wrong?

"I guess that we can play with the big boys," Nowitzki said at the time. "Nobody really believed that we really could win this series, and now we're up 3-0.

"I think that's big for us, and it shows that, even though we're not the toughest team in the league, we can still hang around and beat those tough, physical teams."

Not so fast, Dirk

The Blazers stared down elimination in Game 4 and didn't blink. Portland erased a three-point halftime deficit with a 28-6 third-quarter run and cruised. Zach Randolph led six Blazers in double figures with 25 points as the series headed back to Texas.

Looking to end a series at home for only the third time ever, the Mavs had control of Game 5 going into the stretch run. Nowitzki was at his best again, and Van Exel was doing the job off the bench.

Then came the collapse. The Blazers took their first lead (99-98) on Rasheed Wallace's 3-pointer with 1:06 left, as Portland ended the game on a 17-5 run.

The series was 3-2 heading back to Portland.

"It's not time to panic," Nowitzki said. "But we've got to do a better job on the boards and in getting to loose balls. If we do that, we're confident we can win one of the next two."

Playing before a lively Rose Garden crowd, the Blazers burned the Mavs in an easy 125-103 Game 6 rout. Nowitzki scored only four points.

"You wrote us off," Wallace said, "but we were the only cats that believed."

No NBA team before or since has lost a series after leading 3-0. The Blazers became only the third team to force a Game 7.

Panic, anyone?

"This team has never even played in a seventh game, so it'll all be a new experience and a fairly good one," Mavs coach Don Nelson said. "You just get seasoned."

Before the deciding contest at American Airlines Center, Nelson turned the pregame locker room over to a certain point guard who was left off the playoff roster and acting as an assistant coach.

"I liked what Avery said in the coaches' meeting, so I told him to go tell the team," Nelson said.

Taking the words of Avery Johnson to heart, the Mavs ended the series with a 107-95 triumph.

Nowitzki scored 31 points, his fourth game of at least 30, Van Exel had 26 points, and Steve Nash added 21 points and seven assists.

"I didn't want to go home," Michael Finley said. "We'll probably enjoy this one for a couple of hours, and then start thinking about Sacramento."

IN THE KNOW

First-round results

Gm Site Result Top performers
1 at Dallas W, 96-86 Dirk Nowitzki, 46 pts, 10 reb Rasheed Wallace, 29 pts, 7 reb
2 at Dallas W, 103-99 Steve Nash, 28 pts, 8 ast Bonzi Wells, 45 pts, 5 3-pt
3 at Portland W, 115-103 Nowitzki, 42 pts, 10 reb Ruben Patterson, 19 pts, 9 reb
4 at Portland L, 98-79 Nowitzki, 26 pts, 11 reb Zach Randolph, 25 pts, 15 reb
5 at Dallas L, 103-99 Nowitzki, 35 pts, 11 reb Wells, 15 pts, 8 reb, 7 ast
6 at Portland L, 125-103 Nash, 21 pts, 6 ast, 3 stl Randolph, 21 pts, 10 reb
7 at Dallas W, 107-95 Nowitzki, 31 pts, 11 reb Damon Stoudamire, 17 pts, 9 ast


SEMIFINALS

Defeated Sacramento 4 - 3

Historical value: It was the second of three consecutive playoff meetings between the Mavs and Kings. It was also the only time during the three-year run the Mavs beat Sacramento.

What happened: Starting at home for the first time in the semifinal round didn't mean much against the rested Kings, who dispatched Utah quickly and were waiting for the Mavs.

Van Exel's message

With one day off after the Portland series, the Mavs lost the home-court edge as Sacramento rolled to a 124-113 victory behind 26 points from Peja Stojakovic.

While some cited the lack of rest as the downfall in the opener, Dallas guard Nick Van Exel pointed to the overwhelming amount of praise given to the Kings by the Mavs.

"I would like to go in battles knowing that everybody that's in the locker room with me is going to say [forget] them," Van Exel said, using a word somewhat more unforgiving. "I'm not trying to hear that, 'Wow, these guys are the greatest thing on this planet, these guys pass the ball so well, they do this so great, they do that so great.'

"I could care less about that. I want guys who say, '[Forget] these dudes.'"

If he wasn't heard before, Van Exel didn't have any trouble getting his message out for the rest of the series. Treating the Kings without an ounce of respect, Van Exel (36 points) helped unleash an unparalleled 83-point barrage in the first half of Game 2.

The record output led to a 132-110 blowout. Bigger than the loss for the Kings: They also lost star power forward Chris Webber in the third quarter to a severe cartilage tear in his left knee.

Webber was done for the series.

Shootout in Sacramento

If Game 3 wasn't the greatest game in Mavs playoff history, it's on the really short list. The cowbell-induced lunacy of Arco Arena provided the backdrop for a 141-137 double-overtime thriller.

The Mavs bombed away, attempting a league playoff-record 42 3-pointers and nailing a team-record 19. Walt Williams' 3-pointer with less than a minute to go in the second extra session proved the game-winner for Dallas.

Van Exel set a new playoff high with 40 points. Williams scored all 10 of his points after regulation. Dirk Nowitzki played all 58 minutes, scored 25 points and pulled down 20 rebounds. Steve Nash had 31 points and 11 assists, and Michael Finley scored 20.

"It was a terrific basketball game," Mavs coach Don Nelson said. "It's one the NBA can be proud of."

Playing the next night, the Kings found an energy reserve and coasted to a 99-83 victory to knot the series 2-2. Despite the lifeless effort, the Mavs took the home-court edge back to American Airlines Center for Game 5.

Nash scored 25 points, and Nowitzki finished an assist shy of his first triple-double as the Mavs prevailed 112-99.

The Kings won Game 6 in Sacramento 115-109. The Mavs had a chance to take the lead late, but Williams missed a 3-pointer with 11.7 seconds left.

Long time coming

Game 7 wasn't a classic in the classic sense. It was, however, for the Mavs and their long-suffering fans. Dirk Nowitzki scored 30 points as the 112-99 victory propelled the Mavs to the Western Conference Finals.

"I was here in the dog days when 20 wins were considered a successful season," Michael Finley said. "For us to come that far in such a short time is very gratifying for me. I'm just happy for the fans who stuck with us through the tough times."

IN THE KNOW

West semifinals results

Gm Site Result Top performers
1 at Dallas L, 124-113 Steve Nash, 20 pts, 7 ast Peja Stojakovic, 26 pts, 9 reb
2 at Dallas W, 132-110 Nick Van Exel, 36 pts, 5 3-pt Chris Webber, 31 pts, 11-14 FT
3 at Sac. W, 141-137 (2OT) Van Exel, 40 pts, 7 ast Stojakovic, 39 pts, 8 reb
4 at Sac. L, 99-83 Raja Bell, 16 pts, 7-11 FG Stojakovic, 15 pts, 12 reb
5 at Dallas W, 112-99 Dirk Nowitzki, 16 pts, 15 reb Doug Christie, 21 pts, 9 reb
6 at Sac. L, 115-109 Van Exel, 35 pts, 5 3-pt Stojakovic, 24 pts, 10 reb
7 at Dallas W, 112-99 Nowitzki, 30 pts, 19 reb Mike Bibby, 25 pts, 5 ast

WEST FINALS


Lost to San Antonio 2 - 4

Historical value: The Mavs' second trip ever to the West Finals comes against two-time MVP Tim Duncan and the Spurs, who are four years removed from their first and, at that point, only title. San Antonio and Dallas were the only teams to win 60 games that season.

What happened: Coming off another seven-game series and another one-day break, the Mavs should have been roadkill for Game 1 in the Alamo City.

Not quite

Dirk Nowitzki's 38 points were enough to outlast Tim Duncan's 40, as the Mavs took a surprising 1-0 lead with the 113-110 victory. The Spurs did have an 18-point first-quarter lead, but the Mavs chipped away, mostly from the free-throw line.

After Eduardo Najera missed their first foul shot, the Mavs knocked down 49 straight.

"Thank God for the free throw," Mavs coach Don Nelson said. "We shoot it better than anybody in basketball, and we're probably the only team in the league who has a free-throw coach."

Nelson wasn't thanking anyone for the invention of the whistle in Game 2. NBA official Joey Crawford had more impact than anyone named Nowitzki or Duncan, and the Spurs tied the series with a 119-106 victory.

Nelson and Del Harris were ejected in the first half. Nowitzki had three fouls before the game was seven minutes old. Nowitzki and Nick Van Exel also picked up technicals.

The Spurs shot 45 free throws to the Mavs' 22.

"We have great officials in this league, and we got our money's worth," Mavs owner Mark Cuban said, tongue buried in cheek.

An unfortunate twist

More than just a game was lost in Game 3 at American Airlines Center. The Mavericks lost their best player in the 96-83 setback.

Dirk Nowitzki severely sprained his left knee in the fourth quarter -- Spurs guard Manu Ginobili landed on Nowitzki's left foot causing his knee to buckle -- and the Mavs seemed poised to buckle as well.

"The news on Dirk is not good," Don Nelson said immediately after the game. "I wouldn't expect he would play the next game, and I don't know that he'll play again in the series."

Off the court for the rest of the series, a soap opera starring Nelson, Mark Cuban and team doctor T.O. Souryal was born with Nowitzki's knee at the center of the bizarre love triangle.

On the court in Game 4, the Mavs just didn't have enough firepower. A nine-point lead in the third quarter was erased by a Tony Parker 20-4 run and the Spurs held on for a 102-95 win.

The Mavs made the trip south trailing 3-1 in what was certain to be their last game. San Antonio led by 17 in the third quarter of Game 5 and moved into cruise control.

The unexpected followed. Michael Finley (31 points) led a second-half charge, and the Mavs outscored San Antonio 29-10 in the fourth quarter to post a 103-91 victory.

With a chance to tie the series at home, the AAC faithful hoped for a Nowitzki-turned-Willis Reed moment in Game 6. It didn't happen.

End of the road

Though Dirk Nowitzki wanted to play, Don Nelson didn't let his star suit up. That didn't seem to matter when the Mavs took a 13-point lead early in the fourth quarter.

Cue 37-year-old Steve Kerr. Making his mark on TNT shortly before joining the network full time, Kerr spotted up for three 3-pointers during a series-clinching 23-0 run.

The Spurs advanced to the NBA Finals with the 90-78 victory.

"I don't know what to say," Nelson said. "We were playing so well, then the bottom dropped out in the fourth quarter."

Despite the regular-season success and long postseason run -- the Mavs became the first team to play at least 20 playoff games (10-10) and not reach the Finals -- the off-season promised uncertainly, not stability.

Nelson retreated to Maui uncertain whether he'd return as coach. Knowing his trade value would never be higher, Nick Van Exel knew he was as good as gone.

And though no one could have predicted it at the time, the Big Three only had one more season together.

IN THE KNOW

West Finals results

Gm Site Result Top performers
1 at San Antonio W, 113-110 Dirk Nowitzki, 38 pts, 15 reb Tim Duncan, 40 pts, 15 reb
2 at San Antonio L, 119-106 Michael Finley, 29 pts, 10 reb Duncan, 32 pts, 15 reb
3 at Dallas L, 96-83 Nowitzki, 15 pts, 9 reb Duncan, 34 pts, 24 reb, 6 blk
4 at Dallas L, 102-95 Nick Van Exel, 22 pts, 8 reb Duncan, 21 pts, 20 reb
5 at San Antonio W, 103-91 Finley, 31 pts, 8 reb, 5 stl Duncan, 23 pts, 15 reb
6 at Dallas L, 90-78 Raef LaFrentz, 12 pts, 12 reb Steve Kerr, 12 pts, 4-4 3-pt