4:38 PM
The Dallas Mavericks rained threes all over the Los Angeles Lakers on their way to a 122-86 blow-out win, and completion of a series sweep of the defending NBA Champions. Jason Terry tied an NBA postseason record with 9 three-pointers, and the Mavericks as a team tied an NBA postseason record with 20 three-pointers as the Dallas Mavericks pounded the already-defeated Los Angeles Lakers into submission by half time. The 36-16 scoring in the 2nd Quarter tells the whole story for the game, and the series. The ejections of Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum in the 4th Quarter tell the story of a team that finished far from the example of Zen focus and mastery that head coach Phil Jackson's mystique has generated over the years.
The Lakers' recent run of three NBA Finals appearances meant this team played an additional 67 games above their regular season 82 games (more than any other team in the NBA) because of their three deep playoff runs. Add in this season's 10 playoff games, and you have 77, almost an additional season's worth of games. The fatigue finally set in, and the Lakers just didn't have anything left in the tank.
The story of the game was Jason Terry's 11 three-pointers and 32 points. Dirk Nowitzki basically got to take the day off thanks to Terry's and Peja Stojakovic's shooting (Peja knocked down 6 of 6 from beyond the arc, for a total of 21 points). The Mavericks shot an absolutely unbelievable 62.5% from beyond the three-point line, and generated 60 points alone from their 20 three-pointers.
Another big story which will go largely under-reported will be the interior play down low of Tyson Chandler. All season long his teammates give him the credit for giving this jump-shooting team a defensive and tough presense in the paint.
The Dallas Mavericks advance to the NBA Western Conference Finals, and will now await either the Oklahoma City Thunder or the Memphis Grizzlies to play for the right to represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals.
Posted in: NBA News
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