[GSW/DAL] "We're going to go like hell."
- Thread starter Mr. S£im Citrus
- Start date
The thing is that GSW almost gave Game 4 away at the end behind a couple of Dirk 3s and not hitting their free throws. Baron Davis made only one of two with a three point lead, and I was thinking to myself that those are the types of plays that 8 seeds don't convert, and it comes back to haunt them.
It didn't in that game, but down the stretch tonight, not converting did cost GSW a first round series win. They had the Mavs on the ropes...they just had to throw the knock-out punch, but they couldn't connect for the last 3.5 minutes. It's very difficult to dispatch with the #1 seed for a reason, and GSW found out tonight exactly why.
And even though there are two games left, Game 6 seems to me to be a must win for GSW. They have their crowd, and they are playing for a piece of history. If that isn't enough to get it done, I have a hard time seeing a road team as bad as GSW was this year winning a Game 7 in the AAC.
The other concern for GSW is that Dirk may have been shaken out of his series-long slumber. He's the best offensive player in this series, even if he hasn't been playing like it, but if he does start playing like the MVP, I don't think GSW will prevail.
It didn't in that game, but down the stretch tonight, not converting did cost GSW a first round series win. They had the Mavs on the ropes...they just had to throw the knock-out punch, but they couldn't connect for the last 3.5 minutes. It's very difficult to dispatch with the #1 seed for a reason, and GSW found out tonight exactly why.
And even though there are two games left, Game 6 seems to me to be a must win for GSW. They have their crowd, and they are playing for a piece of history. If that isn't enough to get it done, I have a hard time seeing a road team as bad as GSW was this year winning a Game 7 in the AAC.
The other concern for GSW is that Dirk may have been shaken out of his series-long slumber. He's the best offensive player in this series, even if he hasn't been playing like it, but if he does start playing like the MVP, I don't think GSW will prevail.
If fan support can make the difference, the Warrior fans will simply not allow their team to lose game 6. I predict Oracle will be rocking from the moment the Warriors come out for pre-game warmups and won't stop. And, for what it's worth, I can't help but think that Nellie may have one or two tricks left up his sleeve.
As far as the sports psychology business goes all I have to say is a well-coached team eith a huge home court advantage can bounce back from anything.
I seriously doubted whether the Kings could come back after blowing a 17 point lead against the Lakers in Game 4 of the WCF and watching Horry drain the game winner. When the Horry shot went it, I thought we were done. I never gave up rooting, but I thought we were done.
But what happened- Rick had the team ready to go, told them to put the game behind them and play their game. Arco was CRAZY for game 5, the Kings came out and played their game. They ended up taking a Game 5 many didn't give them much of a chance in.
The point is that losing like the Warriors did doesn't mean they have no shot in Game 6. Nellie will have the ready to go, and the Arena will be rocking. Plus, everyone seems to think that Dallas will have all of this confidence because of this win- in truth I think they will feel more lucky than confident. This game was not the dagger to the Warriros that some think...l
I seriously doubted whether the Kings could come back after blowing a 17 point lead against the Lakers in Game 4 of the WCF and watching Horry drain the game winner. When the Horry shot went it, I thought we were done. I never gave up rooting, but I thought we were done.
But what happened- Rick had the team ready to go, told them to put the game behind them and play their game. Arco was CRAZY for game 5, the Kings came out and played their game. They ended up taking a Game 5 many didn't give them much of a chance in.
The point is that losing like the Warriors did doesn't mean they have no shot in Game 6. Nellie will have the ready to go, and the Arena will be rocking. Plus, everyone seems to think that Dallas will have all of this confidence because of this win- in truth I think they will feel more lucky than confident. This game was not the dagger to the Warriros that some think...l
the stephan jackson ejected was the lamest thing i've ever heard of. he got ejected for CLAPPING. are you freaking KIDDING me? meanwhile jason terry uses both elbows to THROW baron davis to the FLOOR and he only gets a flagrant foul? no ejection? if he doesn't get suspended for that, the league is truly being biased. jackson's ejection should be reviewed as it was CLEARLY unwarrented.
dallas is in big trouble. they got bailed out tonight. lest we forget they gave up a TWENTY ONE point lead at HOME in an elimination game. golden state flat out gave that game away. seriously, i would have no faith in the mavs in a game 7. they were up 21 at HOME! they let the warriors fight back and go up by 9!!!! how the heck is that a realiable team?
GS gets game 6. oracle is going to sound like arco did during the WCF run a few years ago. bank on it
dallas is in big trouble. they got bailed out tonight. lest we forget they gave up a TWENTY ONE point lead at HOME in an elimination game. golden state flat out gave that game away. seriously, i would have no faith in the mavs in a game 7. they were up 21 at HOME! they let the warriors fight back and go up by 9!!!! how the heck is that a realiable team?
GS gets game 6. oracle is going to sound like arco did during the WCF run a few years ago. bank on it
I understand that GSW wasn't playing with it's full complement of players the entire season, so their overall road record may be misleading. Still, I'm not sure the point about GSW being as good as a 6 or 7 seed is relevant --- the Nuggets are down 3-1 to the Spurs, and the Lakers are down 3-1 to the Suns right now. I'm not anticipating either team getting up off the mat against their opponents, and in truth I don't think GSW would've done much better against the Spurs or the Suns....Dallas is just their dream matchup, so they are taking full advantage.
I'm not a die hard Mavs fan, but if I were I'm sure I'd have a relatively reasonable explanation for why the Mavs performed so poorly against GSW during the regular season this year. At the very least Dallas sat its key players against GSW in the last game the two teams played in the regular season, and I seem to recall that one of the other games didn't feature a full complement of Mavs' players (although I cannot recall who).
But you are right about the matchup problems which GSW causes for Dallas, and if anything is going to get GSW into the second round, it will be those matchup problems. However, I'd be surprised if GSW shoots the ball as well from 3-point land again this series. Game 5 to me was their game for the taking, and they failed to take it. Game 5 was the type of game a lower seeded, relatively inexperienced playoff team cannot afford to let slip through
its fingers, but they did just that.
I'm not a die hard Mavs fan, but if I were I'm sure I'd have a relatively reasonable explanation for why the Mavs performed so poorly against GSW during the regular season this year. At the very least Dallas sat its key players against GSW in the last game the two teams played in the regular season, and I seem to recall that one of the other games didn't feature a full complement of Mavs' players (although I cannot recall who).
But you are right about the matchup problems which GSW causes for Dallas, and if anything is going to get GSW into the second round, it will be those matchup problems. However, I'd be surprised if GSW shoots the ball as well from 3-point land again this series. Game 5 to me was their game for the taking, and they failed to take it. Game 5 was the type of game a lower seeded, relatively inexperienced playoff team cannot afford to let slip through
its fingers, but they did just that.
Unfortunately, Game 5 didn't win the Kings the series like it should have, and as we all painfully recall, the Kings couldn't close out the Lakers in the last two games for a variety of reasons (officiating, Shaq's best free throw shooting stretch of his life, the Kings worst free throw shooting game at the worst possible time, etc.). When I look back at that series, Game 4 is the killer. That is the game in that series the Kings should have won, and had they done so, Game 6 and Game 7 would've never been an issue in the first place.
I see Game 5 tonight as the same type of game for GSW. If they end up losing the series, no matter what happens in Games 6 and 7, they will have to look back at the game where they had a 9 point lead with under 4 minutes left and they couldn't close the deal. They shouldn't be thinking about Game 6 right now...they should be out celebrating one of the biggest surprises (to many, if not to most/all) in NBA playoff history.
You are right that GSW still has two shots to finish off the Mavs, but I am guessing that they had their best shot in Game 5. I'll be watching to see if GSW proves me wrong.
I see Game 5 tonight as the same type of game for GSW. If they end up losing the series, no matter what happens in Games 6 and 7, they will have to look back at the game where they had a 9 point lead with under 4 minutes left and they couldn't close the deal. They shouldn't be thinking about Game 6 right now...they should be out celebrating one of the biggest surprises (to many, if not to most/all) in NBA playoff history.
You are right that GSW still has two shots to finish off the Mavs, but I am guessing that they had their best shot in Game 5. I'll be watching to see if GSW proves me wrong.
Baron Davis fould out on a phantom foul call where he didn't even touch his man and Jackson gets thrown out because Ken Mauer(who has suffered from short mans disease for many years) doesn't like him clapping. This gives Stern the opportunity to suspend Jackson for the next game and will give the Mavs the advantage so they can possibly make it to game 7 since all the other series aren't going very well or at least aren't exciting.
Welcome to the NBA playoffs Warriors fans!!!
Welcome to the NBA playoffs Warriors fans!!!
Stephen Jackson will NOT be suspended
Breaking news:
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/05/02/sports/s124734D68.DTL
I'm laughing at Avery Johnson right now, that the pressure's all on Golden State. So, if the Warriors win game 6 (I think that's a longshot, by the way), does that mean Cuban will call Stern and ask them to extend the series to nine games? Will Cuban demand that he gets to ref the game?
What a DUMB statement. The pressure's all on Dallas, going into the Oracle Snakepit, with losing meaning they get to make a tee-time this Sunday.
I sort of like GS's chances here. When the Lakers beat the Kings, the Kings had 2 chances to win 1; the Warriors have 3 chances, and that's huge.
If they lose tomorrow, I think the odds are seriously against them in game 7.
If GS wins tomorrow, well, there ain't gonna be no game 7.
Someone explain to me why there isn't more pressure on Dallas TOMORROW. Game 7, I get it, the pressure is worse for the Warriors, but only because of the venue.
Breaking news:
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/05/02/sports/s124734D68.DTL
I'm laughing at Avery Johnson right now, that the pressure's all on Golden State. So, if the Warriors win game 6 (I think that's a longshot, by the way), does that mean Cuban will call Stern and ask them to extend the series to nine games? Will Cuban demand that he gets to ref the game?
What a DUMB statement. The pressure's all on Dallas, going into the Oracle Snakepit, with losing meaning they get to make a tee-time this Sunday.
I sort of like GS's chances here. When the Lakers beat the Kings, the Kings had 2 chances to win 1; the Warriors have 3 chances, and that's huge.
If they lose tomorrow, I think the odds are seriously against them in game 7.
If GS wins tomorrow, well, there ain't gonna be no game 7.
Someone explain to me why there isn't more pressure on Dallas TOMORROW. Game 7, I get it, the pressure is worse for the Warriors, but only because of the venue.
I think there is more pressure on Dallas, of course, since they're the number one seed.
However, I don't think Golden State will play as loosely as they have in the first 5 games of the series since they're actually playing for something now and they really stand to lose something if Dallas somehow pulls it out.
I think in a way it's demoralizing the way they lost last night. I honestly think it would have been better for them to lose by 30, or to lose a close one after trailing the whole game, instead of going up by 9 with 3 minutes left and pulling a complete choke job.
I like Golden State to win, but I wouldn't put it out of the question for the Mavs to find a way to pull it out.
However, I don't think Golden State will play as loosely as they have in the first 5 games of the series since they're actually playing for something now and they really stand to lose something if Dallas somehow pulls it out.
I think in a way it's demoralizing the way they lost last night. I honestly think it would have been better for them to lose by 30, or to lose a close one after trailing the whole game, instead of going up by 9 with 3 minutes left and pulling a complete choke job.
I like Golden State to win, but I wouldn't put it out of the question for the Mavs to find a way to pull it out.
