WCF Game Four: Mavs at Thunder

[fluid.forty.one]

Alright, let's bring it in here.

The naysayers led by John Hollinger were licking their lips Saturday night while the Thunder were mounting their furious, FT filled comeback. Isn't this what we saw against Portland in game 4? Isn't this what Wade did to us in the Finals? Surely, these Mavericks will crumble and go down 2-1 without home court.

Well, these aren't your 2006 or 2007 Mavericks, ladies and gentlemen. We put our Golden State ghosts to rest when we slayed the Portland Trailblazers on the road. Fueled by the sacrificial blood drinking of Dallas native Lamarcus Aldridge, the Mavericks plowed ahead to avenge poor Katelyn Faber by giving Kobe a taste of his own medicine on national television… 4 games in a row.

And after all of that, the veteran Mavs were given 9 days off to think about what they were close to being a part of. After all of the drafts, all of the trades. After Roy Tarpley, Mark Agguire and Rolando Blackman… the 3 Js… Michael Finley and Steve Nash… Walker and Jamison…. the failed great white centers Bradley, LaFrentz and Leattner. After Don Nelson and Avery Johnson. After "not being able to control what the ball do".

After all those years of ups, downs, wins, losses, blood, sweat and tears… How do these Mavs want to be remembered. What will be their legacy?

They will be Champions.

5 more wins after tonight. Go Mavs.

[LonghornDub]

This GDT is hot. I feel a little flustered.

[OSU_MAV]

Good stuff!

I want to put a complete stranglehold on the series tomorrow. Let's go Mavs!

[chumdawg]

Originally Posted by fluid.forty.one

After all those years of ups, downs, wins, losses, blood, sweat and tears… How do these Mavs want to be remembered. What will be their legacy?

They will be Champions.

I feel you right there, dog. Ups, downs, wins, losses, blood and sweat and tears. The time is now. The time is NOW!

[Flacolaco]

Is it time for another game already?

In the East they get to rest like 3 weeks between games for some reason...

[DirkFTW]

Try not to scream. It only makes your brain aware of how jacked up your jugular is right now.

[beatLA]

I want 3-1.I want everybody talking about Mavs again!

[Mav Addict]

They now have been leg swept...let's show them why we are the best road team in the league

[Mavsfan4ever]

I want that 7th technical on Westbrook on our way to a mauling of OKC.

[EdwardCYH]

Originally Posted by Mavsfan4ever

I want that 7th technical on Westbrook on our way to a mauling of OKC.

I don't agree with that. Westbrook actually helps us when he's on the court.

[Windmill360]

There is no spoon.

[mavs777]

Originally Posted by Flacolaco

Is it time for another game already?

In the East they get to rest like 3 weeks between games for some reason...

Oprah

[monty55555]

Go Mavs!!!!!

[Mavericks Rockets Fan]

I don't care if we are playing against OKC and the refs, we can still beat them...GO MAVS!

[twelli]

Hope the Mavs go into the game with the mind set "Let's make this the last game in OKC". Last time they dictated the tempo from the beginning, making the game a slow grind out style of game forcing the Thunder to play in the half court. That's the way to do it. We are good in the open court but not better than them. Like some sports writer wrote somewhere, OKC is a young team with less experience and less discipline. Therefore they struggle making plays in the half court. Milk every possession, let the final score be in the low 80's for both teams if necessary. They are prone to get impatient and frustrated, that's what young players do.

Westbrook is the key player. He's a good player, but not a very intelligent one and he's young. We have to exploit his weakness, and that is his decision-making, not being sure when to pass and when to shot. Our defense has to be confusing to him. And get him in foul trouble earlier. Make sure he gets an offensive foul or two and sits on the bench for long periods. He hates that, and when he comes back he'll be over anxious to make up for lost time, leading to bad decision.

We still need to do a better job on the defensive board. No more second-chance points for Collison or Ibaka.

OK. Let's do it. We won both game in LA. We can win both in OKC.

[Rick41]

Let's do this.

MFFL.

[beatLA]

Originally Posted by twelli

Hope the Mavs go into the game with the mind set "Let's make this the last game in OKC". Last time they dictated the tempo from the beginning, making the game a slow grind out style of game forcing the Thunder to play in the half court. That's the way to do it. We are good in the open court but not better than them. Like some sports writer wrote somewhere, OKC is a young team with less experience and less discipline. Therefore they struggle making plays in the half court. Milk every possession, let the final score be in the low 80's for both teams if necessary. They are prone to get impatient and frustrated, that's what young players do.

Westbrook is the key player. He's a good player, but not a very intelligent one and he's young. We have to exploit his weakness, and that is his decision-making, not being sure when to pass and when to shot. Our defense has to be confusing to him. And get him in foul trouble earlier. Make sure he gets an offensive foul or two and sits on the bench for long periods. He hates that, and when he comes back he'll be over anxious to make up for lost time, leading to bad decision.

We still need to do a better job on the defensive board. No more second-chance points for Collison or Ibaka.

OK. Let's do it. We won both game in LA. We can win both in OKC.

So nice pre-game talk.RC and players should read this.

[rabbitproof]

Teeth breaking party!

[left texas]

Go Mavs!!!

[Scott McGuire]

I feel a big Durant game coming tonight, but I also feel a big Dirk game too. I don't think the refs will let Collison mug Dirk all night, and even if they do he figured out a way around it.

That's why he's my favorite player ever... He's playing chess out there with his adjustments.

[kg_veteran]

The time is NOW!

Mavs win.

[Lestat_1795]

Yes, the time is now!

[thunderfan]

Probably won't happen, but if OKC wants a better shot against Dallas, they'll bench Perkins, start Ibaka on Chandler and Collison on Dirk. Dallas is a unique matchup and Perkins isn't suited for it. Besides, Collison is the gay lover of all of the refs in the NBA so he has favor and can foul all he wants with no call.

[Rick41]

Originally Posted by thunderfan

Probably won't happen, but if OKC wants a better shot against Dallas, they'll bench Perkins, start Ibaka on Chandler and Collison on Dirk. Dallas is a unique matchup and Perkins isn't suited for it. Besides, Collison is the gay lover of all of the refs in the NBA so he has favor and can foul all he wants with no call.

Wat?

[beatLA]

Originally Posted by thunderfan

Probably won't happen, but if OKC wants a better shot against Dallas, they'll bench Perkins, start Ibaka on Chandler and Collison on Dirk. Dallas is a unique matchup and Perkins isn't suited for it. Besides, Collison is the gay lover of all of the refs in the NBA so he has favor and can foul all he wants with no call.

I don't like this in GDT...

[thunderfan]

Originally Posted by Rick41

Wat?

That's just a little sarcasm. Seems a lot of people have these conspiracy theories that the refs love OKC and were letting Collison do as he pleased last game - got away with murder, so to speak. It was my attempt at humor.

[thunderfan]

Originally Posted by beatLA

I don't like this in GDT...

I'm sorry. I was trying to offer up an opinion on the matchups.

[thunderfan]

In the three games, Oklahoma City has been outscored 39-17 in the opening minutes of the first quarter until a reserve checks into the game. Overall, the deficit to begin each half is 57-31. Take those minutes away and the Thunder are comfortably outscoring Dallas.

To put a finer point on things, let’s replace the word “starters” with “Kendrick Perkins.” In his 82 minutes on the court, the Thunder have been outscored by a whopping 32 points. In his 62 minutes on the bench, the advantage has titled nearly as strong the other way: the Thunder are plus-23.

And those slow starts? They’ve magically ended at the exact second Perkins departed. Oklahoma City trailed by five in Game 1 before he went out, by nine in Game 2, and by 15 in this one — 29 points worth of deficits to make up the rest of the night. The Thunder overcame it in Game 2 by scoring on nine straight possessions right after Perk went to the bench; in the other two games, the hill was too big to climb.

[rabbitproof]

Ah, the elusive lose-lose trade.

[dude1394]

F'em

[Ninkobei]

I wonder if FTs will be close to even this game. Dallas' game doesnt revolve around them getting fouls called, while the Thunder's game does. If dallas is within 10 FT's of OK I will be giddy.

I expect the Thunder to come out full of energy and maybe playing a bit wildly. Dallas will come out calm and collected.

[41mvp]

Go Mavs!!!
Our time is now!!!

[xrobx]

referee assignments

Official 1 Official 2 Official 3 Alternate
Dan Crawford Tony Brothers Ken Mauer Michael Smith

perhaps the time isn't now after all

[thunderfan]

Originally Posted by xrobx

referee assignments

Official 1 Official 2 Official 3 Alternate
Dan Crawford Tony Brothers Ken Mauer Michael Smith

perhaps the time isn't now after all

Yeah, you guys are screwed. Ken Mauer has a KD shrine in his house. I'm pretty sure the other two guys are being paid by David Stern to fix the game because David Stern loves OKC.

[sefant77]

[joemoeschmoe]

Originally Posted by thunderfan

In the three games, Oklahoma City has been outscored 39-17 in the opening minutes of the first quarter until a reserve checks into the game. Overall, the deficit to begin each half is 57-31. Take those minutes away and the Thunder are comfortably outscoring Dallas.

To put a finer point on things, let’s replace the word “starters” with “Kendrick Perkins.” In his 82 minutes on the court, the Thunder have been outscored by a whopping 32 points. In his 62 minutes on the bench, the advantage has titled nearly as strong the other way: the Thunder are plus-23.

And those slow starts? They’ve magically ended at the exact second Perkins departed. Oklahoma City trailed by five in Game 1 before he went out, by nine in Game 2, and by 15 in this one — 29 points worth of deficits to make up the rest of the night. The Thunder overcame it in Game 2 by scoring on nine straight possessions right after Perk went to the bench; in the other two games, the hill was too big to climb.

You gotta credit your sources when you plagiarize them

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playof...underG3-110522

[xrobx]

Originally Posted by thunderfan

Yeah, you guys are screwed. Ken Mauer has a KD shrine in his house. I'm pretty sure the other two guys are being paid by David Stern to fix the game because David Stern loves OKC.

it's okay, i'm glad they're getting these guys out of the way now instead of later in the series. we'll still have home court advantage no matter what happens tonight anyway.

[joemoeschmoe]

I find it hard to believe that this game can be called in a more lopsided fashion than game 3 -- even with Dan Crawford out there.

[thunderfan]

Originally Posted by joemoeschmoe

You gotta credit your sources when you plagiarize them

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playof...underG3-110522

Apologize. Was not trying to claim that as my own. I copied it from dailythunder. I submitted it and realized I should've done that, but didn't go back in to edit.

[sinsin]

i m so nervous

going to be a tough game