Mavs vs. Blazers

by **Brave Sir Rubin** on Sat Apr 26, 2003 3:23 pm

Dallas 115, Portland 103

great game for dirk with 42 and 10...

6 mavs were in double figueres...

meanwhile th eblazers were terrible...only sabonis and patterson showed some signs of life....

sweep?

YouTube · by **Andrew** on Sat Apr 26, 2003 3:35 pm

I was going to make a Mavs/Blazers topic, but you beat me to it.

The Blazers are definitely missing the services of Pippen and Anderson, though neither have been all that effective during their appearances in the first two games (or in Pippen's case, Game 1).

As you mentioned, the Blazers played pretty poorly as a whole except for Sabonis and Patterson (Bonzi had a fairly good outing, though he shot poorly and only scored 15). Meanwhile, the Mavericks their solid performance, Nowitzki was again outstanding (42 points on 15/20 shooting, 10 rebounds and 3 assists).

I think the sweep is inevitable.

by **MVP** on Sat Apr 26, 2003 4:57 pm

Yeah, it's a sweep. The Blazers don't have what it takes. A high payroll with no hope at all. The team needs a make-over. Yeah, I know they are playing a great team in Dallas, plus they are missing Pip and DA, but the Blazers don't have team chemistry.

YouTube · by **Andrew** on Sat Apr 26, 2003 5:06 pm

It seems to be a Blazers' trait. Even in the days of Clyde Drexler, they were known as a team that could self-destruct in big games. Cheeks did a pretty good job up until the final month of the season, but the usual glaring problem raised its ugly head again - a lot of talent, but the pieces don't fit.

by **Boyk** on Sat Apr 26, 2003 7:57 pm

hey just askin??
what happened to Derek Anderson???
how bad is the injury??

by **Brave Sir Rubin** on Sun Apr 27, 2003 2:20 am

i dunno exactly what he injured...but i know that he's out at least for the rest of the playoffs...

YouTube · by **mp3** on Sun Apr 27, 2003 6:19 am

the blazers should of done more with Damon Stoudamire in the regular season , he's playing well but doesnt look like he's on the same page as the rest of the team.

by **Clinton** on Sun Apr 27, 2003 10:25 am

Anderson had surgery to repair torn cartilage in his left knee. He is out indefinately.

YouTube · by **Andrew** on Sun Apr 27, 2003 9:00 pm

The Mavericks are the only team who still has a chance to sweep in the first round. With Pip and now DA out, and the rest of the Blazers simply not playing to the best of their abilities (very quiet game for Sheed in Game 3), it should be a done deal.

YouTube · by **Andrew** on Mon Apr 28, 2003 2:12 pm

Jinxed again! The Blazers won 98-79 to stave off elimination. Still, I feel this is just salvaging pride before they are knocked out (see Trailblazers, Portland: First Round, Game 3, 1998 NBA Playoffs).

by **airtsinelas** on Mon Apr 28, 2003 2:20 pm

Feel sorry for these Blazers, they are a talented team with no chemistry. I think this will be the factor if Mo Cheeks will be fired by season's end.

YouTube · by **Andrew** on Mon Apr 28, 2003 2:27 pm

That would be a shame, Cheeks has done a pretty good job with a team that always leads the league in turmoil. I think the Blazers' management should look at retooling the team - building a team that has both talent and chemistry, instead of 12 pieces that don't fit together.

YouTube · by **mp3** on Tue Apr 29, 2003 4:06 am

i think the blazers would be better trading half there team this off season, start fresh. trade Stoudamire, sign and trade Bonzi , trade DD, and get Zach Randolph into the starting lineup.

YouTube · by **Andrew** on Tue Apr 29, 2003 7:05 pm

Agreed. No need to trade everyone away a la Jerry Krause and the breakup of the Bulls, but it's time to ditch the ridiculously deep roster and build one that has the right blend of stars and role players. The Blazers need to learn from history, especially their own - teams that look unbeatable on paper usually don't win it all.

YouTube · by **Andrew** on Thu May 01, 2003 3:18 pm

The Blazers are showing some signs of life, while the Mavericks were off their game (except for Nowitzki, who continues to his impressive scoring run). Portland is still on the verge of elimination, but it looks as though the 7 game series is working in their advantage. Let's not forget, if it was still a 5 game series, they would have been swept by now.

by **Steve04** on Fri May 02, 2003 2:30 am

This is the exact reason why the Mavs cannot beat the Kings.

If you do not have the mental toughness to close out a series and step down on your opp. neck while you have them pinned, then how are you going to be able to engange in and win an all out brawl against a team like the Kings who are much better than the Blazers?

YouTube · by **Andrew** on Fri May 02, 2003 1:06 pm

The Mavericks still hold the advantage though, since they only need to win one more game, while the Blazers must win two. If Portland can pull if off, it will surely be one of the greatest comebacks in playoff history, having won 4 straight after being down 3-0. But like I said, if this was any other year post-1984, the Blazers would be gone by now. Perhaps Dallas only prepared for a 5 game series.

Or perhaps the new format is giving teams who do not come out strong at the beginning of the first round series too great of a second chance. But since that's the way it is these days, it's up to the Mavericks to win four games as the new format dictates. Even if they couldn't sweep, they should have won it in Game 5.

by **Matthew** on Fri May 02, 2003 1:11 pm

Good points about The Kings being superior to the Blazers and why Dallas can't win. But remember the Lakers in 2000 lost 2 straight to the Kings and then beat (at the time) a superior phoenix( superior to sacramento) 4-1.

If you get a huge lead in a series, you can sometime afford to "wait for the right time" to finish them off. I wouldnt recomend it though, and I agree, Sacramento will beat the Mavericks like last season

YouTube · by **mp3** on Sat May 03, 2003 7:46 am

Sacramento will beat the Mavericks like last season

i agree, i think IMO that the kings low post game will be the factor in this one. both teams like to run, both teams have a loaded roster but for me i think the kings have the better defence and that's what will decide it :wink:

by **air gordon** on Sat May 03, 2003 8:16 am

game 6: blazers have some momentum after the win in dallas. and with pip back and playing at home, the blazers have to be feeling good about their chances tonite.

btw- i would hope wallace gets more shots- dirk won't be getting his 40 if 'sheed makes him play some 'd'

YouTube · by **Andrew** on Sat May 03, 2003 1:43 pm

If NBA.com's live scores are anything to go by, the Blazers are giving the Mavericks a hard time. Nowitzki has been quiet, 2 points on 1/7 shooting thus far, LaFrentz is scoreless. If the Blazers play like this for the rest of Game 6 and the resulting Game 7, then the Mavericks are looking at an early exit - and a much needed retooling in the offseason.

YouTube · by **Andrew** on Sat May 03, 2003 3:27 pm

Blazers win 125-103 to force a seventh game in Dallas. Tales has informed me that Nowitzki's shoulder is apparently bothering him, which will obviously be a factor in the decisive game if his condition does not improve. The Blazers have made a pretty good run these past few games, as Rasheed Wallace might say, they've been playing hard. So much for all the "sweep is inevitable" stuff I said earlier.

by **Matthew** on Sat May 03, 2003 6:49 pm

Heheh.. well I was pulling for portland. Still one more game

And who said going 7 games in the first round is a bad idea? :lol:

YouTube · by **Andrew** on Sat May 03, 2003 7:08 pm

And who said going 7 games in the first round is a bad idea?

The Mavericks, probably. :wink:

by **MVP** on Sun May 04, 2003 1:15 pm

I'm picking the Mavs to win it in game 7...purely based on history. No team in NBA history has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit.

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