After a disastrous game four in Portland, the Dallas Mavericks won the next two games and closed out their first round series.
Wait, what?
The Mavericks overcame adversity?
The same Dirk-led Mavericks that collapsed and whined their way through the 2006 Finals?
The same Dirk-led Mavericks that won 67 regular season games, but couldn't win four playoff games against Golden State?
The same Dirk-led Mavericks that have been relatively non-existent in the playoffs for the past three seasons?
Yes, those very Dirk-led Mavericks.
Before the playoffs, it seemed to be the trendy upset to pick Portland over Dallas. They matched up well, they could shut down Dirk, and the Mavericks love to choke, right?
Wrong.
The Mavericks took advantage of their superior shooting, and they even employed a zone that confused the Blazers. Simply put, Dirk was a beast. Plus, even though they choked once, the Mavericks responded with two solid victories.
Dallas went on the road and closed out a series in a tough environment, and even though the fourth quarter was a bit shaky, they weathered a storm to eliminate a dangerous Portland team.
Now, are they capable of upsetting the two-time defending NBA Champion Lakers? Well, they may have more of a chance than you might think.
The Mavericks can shoot, and they can spread the Lakers out. Obviously, Los Angeles has size, but Dallas can counter that size.
With Dirk, they are able to pull some size away from the rim. He can light the Lakers up, and if he does, the defending champions are in trouble.
With Tyson Chandler, the Mavericks can actually combat the Lakers' size. By no means is he as skilled as Andrew Bynum or Pau Gasol, but he works hard and can do some damage. In game five against Portland, he posted 14 points and 20 rebounds (13 offensive), and he gave the Blazers fits.
If he plays big against the Lakers, the Mavericks will be in good shape.
With Jason Kidd, the Mavericks can take advantage of the Lakers' most glaring weakness: point guard. Derek Fisher is a great guy and leader, but he is not capable of defending Jason Kidd one on one. Kidd should be able to dominate, which will put a lot of pressure on the Lakers to score.
The Lakers stumbled against the New Orleans Hornets, and Kobe Bryant's ankle injury could linger into this series. While the champs have been able to turn the switch on and off, they can't afford to risk that in this series.
Dallas is looking for one road victory. If the Lakers don't show up in either game one or two, the Mavericks could steal home-court advantage. If they are able to earn home-court, the Mavericks will be in the driver's seat.
As a general rule, you never bet against the defending champions.
The Lakers hiccuped in last year's first round, and a lot of people questioned them. Then, they were crowned champs. So, by no means am I guaranteeing a Mavericks upset.
That being said, don't be surprised if Dirk Nowitzki quiets his critics and takes down the defending champions.
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