Can Dallas whip up some home cookin’ for Game 4?
by Maurice Bobb / @ReeseReport
Like we always do at this time…
Game 4 of the 2011 NBA Finals is upon us here in the Big D and Adam Figman and I are once again in the trenches to give, give, give, give it all we got. As I spew every interesting facet of this contest between the 2-1 series leading Miami Heat and the “must win Game 4″ Dallas Mavs, A Fig will be holding down the SLAM Twitter at @SLAMonline for your RT-ing pleasure.
As always, the side stories to this series are all over the place. First, there’s LeBron James and his supposed legacy killing deferment to Dwyane Wade in the fourth quarter. It’s not enough to win a championship. No, not for LBJ. He has to be the Finals MVP to live up to who Scottie Pippen built him up to be and who NBA fans want him to be.
Then there’s Jason Terry. After getting called out by Dirk Nowitzki earlier today for his less than clutch play, look for The JET to try to get off the runway. It may be tough, though, since turbulence stands at 6’8, 250 pounds.
If the Mavs don’t win this game, everyone will say what they’re already thinking, but were afraid to say out loud: This series is over.
Strap up NBA Fans, this one should be one for the books.
7:04 – Word has it that JJ Barea will be replacing DeShawn Stevenson in the starting lineup tonight. If so, that’s a clear sign that Dallas wants to attack Miami right out of the gate.
7:15 – New Golden State Warriors Head Coach Mark Jackson just said to put in bold letters that the Warriors will make the playoffs next year. Mama, there goes that…wishful thinking?
7:34 – Mavs just took to the court for layup drills. Naturally, the fans on hand applauded.
7:35 – Heat came out to the disapproval of the fans. I think I heard a couple of cheers, though. Maybe it’s your boy Eboy.
7:41 – Adam and I had our row to ourselves Sunday night, except for Rachel Nichols sitting with us for a brief spell. Now our row is full with guys speaking Spanish from media outlets I’ve never heard of. As long as they don’t say “Pinche” I’m good. Ha!
7:51 – Both teams lined up for National Anthem and Starting Line Up announcements.
7:53 – Kelly Clarkson singing the anthem. Good choice.
7:56 – Mavs spared no expense for their starting line up announcement. Video on jumbotron is really high quality.
8:05 – Game time! Who you got? Mavs? Heat? Let’s get it!
8:07 – First basket of the game? Dirk Nowitzki.
8:08 – Second basket of the game? Dirk Nowitzki. Mavs up 4-0.
8:09 – Chris Bosh finally gets the Heat on the board with 9:31 to go in the First Qtr.
8:11 – And the Oscar goes to… Mike Bibby!
8:12 – Bosh ties it at 6 with less than 7 minutes left in the 1st.
8:13 – Jason Terry checks into the game for the first time tonight. Will the JET get off the runway?
8:19 – Tyson Chandler brings the ruckus on a dunk. Mavs up 12-8.
8:20 – The Custodian misses a three ball and commits a turnover. Sub!
8:21 – JET with a WTF shot that goes in. Bosh draws foul on Chandler on the other end.
8:23 – JET lines up for a three and drains it. Maybe The German should call him out more in the media.
8:28 – That look JET threw Mario Chalmer’s way had a very “whoop yo ass” vibe to it.
8:30 – Brendan Haywood back!
8:31 – I’ll say this for Chalmers: he brought a lot of that rock chalk Jayhawk fire with him to Miami.
8:33 – JET missed both gimmies. Not a good sign.
8:33 – Seriously, the instant replay is going to get one of these refs hurt badly.
8: 35 – Cardinal back in? Ok, did Corey Brewer piss in Carlisle’s Cheerios?
8:36 – End of the First Quarter. Score tied at 21.
8:37 – Fans shooting half court shots for a big screen TV. Two of them actually hit ‘em. Will the televisions be on eBay tomorrow?
8:40 – Bosh is the first player to double figures with 10. In other news, Barea is shooting worse than a drunk guy playing Pop a Shot.
8:46 – Haslem has 3 fouls already.
8:48 – Bosh with the uppies.
8:49 – Bosh has 14 points. Only player on the court in double figs.
8:54 – Stevenson with another three ball.
Sidenote: You can almost see the desire Terry has to please Big Brother Dirk out there.
8:59 – Dallas retakes the lead: 38-34.
9:02 – Nice dish to Anthony by LeBron for the duece!
9:03 – D. Wade with the nice English on the lay up. I would hate to play him in pool.
9:05 – Fans here in Big D extra amped after watching “The Time Is Now” vid on the Jumbotron. Troy Aikman, Tony Dorsett, Emmitt Smith and Nolan Ryan all featured.
9:08 – Wade joins Bosh in double figures. He has 13.
9:11 – End of the first half. Heat up 47-45.
9:35 – Mavs take 49-47 lead on Barea pull up J.
9:36 – Apparently, Dirk has a three-digit temperature. Flu game flow?
9:37 – LeBron really not himself so far. Has three fouls now.
9:38 – Bosh doesn’t like lil JJ.
9:39 – Great acting job by Bosh to get that foul call. He has 20 after a couple of freebies.
9:42 – Can’t wait to see what Gregg Doyle asks LeBron at tonight’s presser.
9:43 – Damn, D. Wade, that was just NASTY!
9:45 – I need a replay of that Wade cross. That was filthy McNasty!
9:47 – LeBron has 4 points right now. FOUR points.
9:50 – The Custodian a Bosh Stopper?
9:51 – First miss for The German at the charity stripe in these Finals.
9:56 – Nice try, Brian Cardinal, but you don’t get those calls vs. LeBron.
9:58 – Wade with the uppies for an alley. Nix “The Flash” nickname, Wade…you’re Batman.
10:02 – End of the 3rd. Heat up 69-65.
10:03 – The Maniacs, Mavs’ rotund dancers, shakin’ their girth to delight of home crowd.
10:05 – Last 12 minutes of action. Who wants it more?
10:06 – Dirk with the shooter’s bounce to start the fourth.
10:08 – Mike Miller, cashing three point checks.
10:09 – Carlisle wants a breather. Heat off to a 9 point lead. Adjustments, adjustments, adjustments…
10:12 – Terry for two.
10:13 – Terry, with the near celebration in front of the Heat bench.
10:16 – Wade back.
10:17 – Wade is killin’ ‘em like F-A-B-O-L-O-U-S.
10:19 – DENIED by the rim!
10:20 – Mavs literally fighting for their LIFE right now.
10:22 – Can’t believe Mavs are even close with the way Wade is playing.
10:23 – And JET gives Mavs their first lead in a LONG time. 79-78.
4:36 left to play. This is superstar makin’ time!
Sidenote No. 2: Dallas has some serious Bettys. Damn.
10:30 – Dirk missing wide open looks. No bueno para Big D.
10:32 – Dirk to the line. He could use the breather.
10:35 – HUGE rebound by Chandler.
10:36 – Wade missed the last FT. 82-81 Mavs.
10:39 – The crowd is crazy loud right now for their Mavs.
10:39 – Now THAT was CLUTCH!!!
10:41 – Can the Mavs hold?
10:42 – Mavs up 84-83. Playing not to lose?
10:43 – Terry can meet Dirk’s media challenge with these two FTs.
10:44 – Mavs up 86-83. Ain’t nobody got no timeouts left.
10:47 – That’s it SLAM Fam. Mavs win Game 4 86-83. As always, thanks for rocking with us.
10:46 – Mavs hold on to win Game 4 86-83. Terry answers the call to finish with 17 points.
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He was a solid starter for the Wilves, and has to see Cardinal, Mahinmi get mins in the Nba Finals while he stays benched?
No yse for his length or speed, Coach? He hit on your wife, didn’the, Carlisle?
I called this…
See Roddygate, ’09/10 playoffs.
The ball hits nothing but twine
Hilarious
Bosh swishing everything, Wade being vintage Dwyane and an ailing Dirk.
If Bron starts making shots too, this one’s over.
Oh well, that’s why they play the whole 48 mins.
Sat.my.name, Bron.
Why are you NOT playing him again?
He poisoned your cat?
Set fire to your car?
Beat your angry birds score?
Dirk is not making that 4th qtr solo comeback with a fever. That patent belongs to Jordan.
Only took him 4 games too.
Wade: heart
Dirk: Heart (fever be damned)
Deshawn: heart
Chandler: always, always heart
And it all starts with Stevenson. No question.
Still lots of time left. Trix AND Stevenson need to be out there playing D now.
Way to ball tonight.
Dirk better not be roped into hours of postgame interviews tonight. Rest and medication, asap.
(sorry Max)
GET HIM HOME AND GIVE HIM SOME HONEYTEA!
so lebron is the leader?
-Lebron blew it. He performed horribly. The loss was his fault alone, not Wade’s free throw or his fumble in the final seconds. Wade had to do that cause Bron wasn’t. It’s fine feeding the hot hand, but if you can’t heat up yourself when yer doing that, then something is wrong with ya.
-Why is it suddenly Wade’s team though? Does a leader not play during the first three rounds of the playoffs and only the finals? I mean, the talk is insane. The blame should be on Lebron because he IS the leader and he IS the better player. If Wade is the better player and the leader, this is Wade’s fault and he messed up. If Lebron is the leader and the better player, it’s Lebron’s fault.
Some people want to have it both ways.
If LBJ can’t get it done in the Finals, then he’s a choker. Yes, Wade messed up in the end of Game 4, but he has been the baddest man on the court (along with Dirk) in the NBA Finals.
The Heat is Wade’s team, but Bron is the better player.
Why?
Lebron has carried the team throughout the playoffs. Because of the awful showing of Lebron in the Finals, Wade and Lebron’s stats are pretty even, but take away the Finals and it shows Lebron has carried the team there. Why is Wade allowed to disappear in key moments in the playoffs and still be deemed the “leader” but Lebron isn’t?
The Mavericks are double teaming Lebron to his left and right and Lebron hasn’t felt comfortable trying to split it for some reason. They are alternating the team’s two best defenders on him and letting Wade go one-on-one. Of course Wade is going to perform better. This is not to say Lebron should be only putting out eight points— he’s clearing having trouble being effective while differing to Wade— but it’s amazing how everyone had their mouths shut about Lebron throughout the playoffs as he decimated his opponents and once a team focuses on shutting down Lebron and dares his teammates to win, suddenly everything Lebron has accomplished disappears and only the Finals matters— which is absolute crap, because if it wasn’t for Lebron, they would have never gotten there.
And who cares if Lebron is leading his team in assists and alternating defending wings and post players continuously.
I just don’t think it is Wade’s team. I think Wade has taken over because of the mismatches.
Here’s a question for y’all: if the Heat played Dallas in the conference finals and Chicago in the Finals, and Wade/Lebron performed the same in the series, is it suddenly Lebron’s team?
this has always been Lebron’s team. It was decided when he left CAvs and joined Wade. That alone is the hardest fact. If it “becomes” Bron’s team, that would be the day Wade loses his ump in his game due to aging. His older and Lebron can and should take over bcoz his a unique player physcically and ahs enought talent to utilize this advantage.Wade is just ordinary but does things extraordinarily. Only 2 other guys I know who’s Younger, doing things freakishly at thier small size and u know who they are.
oh my bad. D. Wade’s team.
Wade’s team.
I thought u guys knew it by now, hahaha
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