Seriously now, did you expect anything different from these Dallas Mavericks?
A frustratingly inconsistent team that led the NBA in close victories also had more than its share of blowout losses and inexplicable letdowns. So after the Mavs rallied from 13 down to win Game 1 on Sunday, you knew - well, at least some of us did - that a repeat performance in last night's Game 2 was unlikely, even improbable.
I could X and O the 21-point loss, or I could just say this: The Mavs were blown out, dominated in every facet of the game.
"Disappointing game from our perspective," said Mavs coach Rick Carlisle. "San Antonio really brought up their level of aggression. We've got to regroup and we've got to do a lot of things better."
The Spurs jumped out 8-1 and were never really threatened. After the Mavs fell behind 51-30, they got no closer than nine.
Why?
*Tony Parker, harassed and outplayed by J.J. Barea in the opener, got where he want when he wanted, scoring 38 points on a variety of jumpers, floaters and layups. *The Spurs aggressively trapped Jason Terry, and double-teamed Barea coming off the pick-and-roll. I'm not rescinding my apology to Barea, but his 2-of-8 night (the Mavs were minus-21 with him on the floor) is probably the rule more than the exception. Said Barea, "They killed us at everything tonight." *Dirk Nowitzki had only 14 points on 3-of-14 shooting. After averaging almost 26 points per game in the regular season - 4th in the NBA - he's combined for only 33 in the first two games.*Making the night even more unbearable for Mavs' fans, some douchedork hippie Spurs fan with skunk hair, Santa beard and garish black shirt adorned with orange basketballs continuously pounded a drumstick onto a blue, plastic noisemaker right next to Channel 21's under-the-basket microphone, making us all think a woodpecker had invaded Bob Ortegel's suit pocket. Never thought I'd long for the soothing sounds of Sacramento's cowbells.
To sum it up, the Mavs trailed 87-65 early in the fourth quarter when Nowitzki lined up an open, straightaway 3-pointer. It came up a club short, harmlessly and haplessly hitting nothing but hardwood.
Said Mavs' play-by-play voice Mark Followill:
"Whoa!"
Indeed. I say the winner of Thursday night's Game 3 at American Airlines Center wins the series. And after last night's uninspired performance, hard to believe it's going to the Mavericks.
