Mavericks look to close out Sweep at Home

The Dallas Mavericks are on the verge of doing the unthinkable. Taking down the Los Angeles Lakers in a sweep wasn’t even a thought in basketball handicappers heads prior to the start of this second round series. To lose 1 game at home would have been considered a shocking upset, but the Lakers have lost both of their home games as well as their first game in Dallas on Friday.

I’m still trying to figure out whom to give the credit to. Has Dirk and the rest of the Mavs starters done enough to stop the Lake Show on their own or has it been a total collapse on the Lakers end that has given Dallas this 3-0 lead. Either way this is a huge surprise to al of us, and we are all still trying to figure out if this is real or not. A win in game 4 on Sunday by the Mavericks will ensure that we’re not all dreaming. It’s not over til it’s over, but this one is pretty close. I’m sure that most die-hard Lakers fans including Kobe Bryant himself still believe that they can somehow found a way to pull this series out, but I just don’t see it.

Perception is sometimes a long way from reality. We have all perceived this Lakers team as being the best in the league since the All-Star break, but they have fallen flat on their faces since a 5 point loss to Denver on April 3rd. Losing 5 out of their last 7 games may have been written off as a lack of inspiration or motivation, but Los Angeles was still in the hunt for a top seed in the Western conference at that point.

Many factors can be attributed to the lack of success against Dallas this round. I feel that they have simply been out-played by an improved team that has a renewed sense of defense. The addition of Tyson Chandler has given the Mavs the size they needed inside to contend with the Lakers big men. Secondly, we can look at the age of the 2-time defending Champions. Kobe’s best years are far behind him, and Derek Fisher is a liability on defense. Bench play has been a hot topic as Steve Blake, Matt Barnes and Shannon Brown have been unable to fulfill their expectations offensively when on the court. It’s unclear which of these factors has played the biggest role in getting the Mavericks out to a 3-0 lead in this series, but the Lakers will need to remedy a few if not all of them if they are to prevent a sweep by Dallas on Sunday.

Dirk Nowitzki has been one of the best players in the league for several years, but seldom gets the respect he deserves because he plays for Dallas. There is no disputing his ability to shoot the rock. He can make almost any shot from any angle, and have proven so over the first 3 games of this series. Shooting guard Jason Terry is in his 11th year in the league, but still manages to play at a high level. If these 2 combined with the veteran play of Jason Kidd can sustain their calm demeanor and workman-like attitude in game 4, this series could be over before it started. Tune in Sunday as the Lakers try to save some face with a win at Dallas.

 

Related posts:

1. Mavericks try to Close-Out Thunder Wednesday Night
2. Lakers vs. Mavericks in Second Round Showdown
3. Western Conference Finals Game 1: Mavericks vs. Thunder
4. Celtics Look to Retain Home Court Advantage in Game 3
5. Mavericks & Hornets lock up in Western Conference Battle

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