In one corner, there were the L.A. Lakers. The two time defending NBA Champions, coached by the legendary Phil Jackson. They are led by the ultra intense Kobe Bryant, who practically seems to will his teams to victory. They are a team forged by the wars of the playoffs, tempered and galvanized by winning, and winning often.
In the other corner, there were the Dallas Maverics. A team that never played to expectations when the playoffs arrived, choking under the spotlight. Their owner Mark Cuban was known not just for helping to pull the Mavs out of continued mediocrity, but more for his continual wars with the officials and the league. Their biggest name, Dirk Nowitski, has the same reputation as his team - a force in the regular season, but invisible when it mattered most.
During the first round, the Lakers had issues with the New Orleans Hornets, specifically Chris Paul. The Lakers were the older team, and it would make sense that smaller, quicker guards would give them issues. However, the Lakers responded as they always have under Phil Jackson, and won that series in six games. Nothing to worry about here, just a minor blip on the radar.
Like the Lakers, the Mavs won their series in six games. However, that was the only similarity. They got to face off with another team that perennially disappoints in the playoffs in the Portland Trailblazers. They watched a 22 point lead slip away during Game 4 of that series. While they did end up winning the final two games, absolutely nothing suggested that the Mavs would pose any threat for the Lakers. In fact, the Mavs were actually the older team in the matchup.
So, the Mavs and Lakers were set to face off in the playoffs for the first time ever. This seemed surprising, given how both were constantly playoff teams over the past decade. Yet, they never ran into each other, mainly due to the Lakers extended runs in the playoffs, and the Mavs history of early exits. Easy series win for the Lakers, especially with home court advantage, right?
In Game 1 of the second round, the Lakers jumped out quickly, holding a 16 point lead in the second half. Looked like the same ol' Mavs, a team that just could not handle the glare of the playoff spotlight. Then something strange happened - they fought back. Rallying behind Dirk, the Mavs took their first lead with 19.5 seconds left, holding on as Kobe missed his final shot. Strange, but nothing to worry about yet. After all, the Lakers lost Game 1 in the first round and came back to win the series.
So, on to Game 2. Here the Lakers would redeem themselves and show that they were still the team to beat, right? Wrong. The Mavs utterly dominated the Lakers in practically all facets of the game, hitting clutch free throws and making three pointers while the Lakers found the rim with amazing consistency. Once again, Kobe did his best to keep them in the game, but defensive lapses continued to lead to easy baskets. In fact, this caused center Andrew Bynum to claim that there were 'trust issues' with the Lakers, particularly on defense. Hmm..... Now some cracks were beginning to appear in the armor.
To Game 3. This time, the Lakers were without Ron Artest, who was suspended for a game after his clothesline to J.J. Barea in the final minutes of Game 2. To start the game, Jackson rolled the dice and came out with a jumbo front line, with two seven footers in Bynum and Pau Gasol, and the 6'10 Lamar Odom. The lakers controlled the paint for much of the first half, holding a 51-47 lead at halftime. The game would go back and forth, with the Lakers holding a seven point lead with 5:05 left to play. The Lakers can't blow a second game in the series, right?
Wrong. The Mavs, once again led by Dirk, rallied with an 18-6 run to win the game by six. Phil Jackson had never coached a team that fell behind in a series 3-0. In fact, he had only been behind in a series 2-0 on six other occasions. Uncharted territory for both the Lakers and for the Mavs, who never had this type of playoff experience.
Now, there was no chance the Mavs would sweep the Lakers, right? I mean, this is still the two time defending champions, with a Hall of Fame coach and one of the top two players in the league on their side. While no NBA team had ever blown a 3-0 lead in a playoff series, it felt like the Mavs would be the team to do so, given their playoff history. So, the Lakers had to win Game 4, right? Wrong again.
The Mavs jumped out quickly on the Lakers, hitting a record 20 3-pointers as they would go on to rout the defending champions in a 122-86 victory. Continuing their pattern of playing Jason Kidd on Kobe, and defending the perimeter, the Mavs were in control from the start. While they only led by 4 after the first quarter, it felt like a much bigger deficit. As soon as the second quarter started, the Mavs just continued to pull away, and the Lakers frustrations began to show, as Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum got thrown out of the game for cheap shots just 45 seconds apart.
All in all, not quite the ending for Phil Jackson that anyone expected. His last series in the playoffs culminating in his first time being swept as a coach? To the Mavs, a team with a history of underachieving? To quote Vizzini from The Princess Bride - INCONCEIVABLE!!
Now the west is wide open for the Mavs, as they match up well with either Oklahoma City or Memphis. Could the Mavs finally get back to the Finals, and avenge having the championship stolen from them in 2006?
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