Just a couple of quick notes as I plan on forgetting about this sorry performance (except for Popeye's) and enjoy Thanksgiving. The Mavs started off really strong and looked like they were going to blow LA away. On strong defense and aggressive offense, the Mavs built a quick 10 point lead and had at least 4 highlight plays (two full court passes from Kidd to Jackson for the easy jams, an amazing interior pass to Kidd who, mid-air, one hand grabbed it an got two off the push shot, and some others). LA called time-out and I remembered that I was supposed to be taping this game for Mark. I inserted the tape and the Mavs went down hill from there. (BTW, Mark, my parents think taping games for you is a jinx. Miami, Chicago, and now LA.) Don't ask me what happened, I couldn't tell you. Whenever the Mavs seemed ready for a rally, Nick Van Exel or Sedale Threatt would swish a 3. Once again, the Mavs did not help themselves by missing 10 free throws (though LA also missed 9 free throws). The refs were letting the players play and not calling much - a nice change from the way most games this season have gone. The 3rd quarter looked good, but the Lakers didn't stumble. The Lakers had a 14 to 9 point lead throughout the 3rd and into the 4th. In the 4th, the Lakers had a strong rally 3 or 4 minutes into the 4th and blew the lead up to 20. The coaches kept most of the starters in the game the rest of the way. The Mavs did cut it back down to 10 with about 2 minutes left, but the Lakers didn't let it get closer than that. Tarpley did not play at all in the 4th quarter and was very disappointed that he did not. Terry Davis looked good hustling and fighting for rebounds. Popeye Jones looked great. 5 or 6 of his 7 field goals probably came off of offensive rebounds. Anyways, if you celebrate it, have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone. We all have basketball to be thankful for this season. patricia LA Lakers FG 3pt FT Reb Player Min M-A M-A M-A Pts O-T Ast TO F Stl Blk Cedric Ceballos 38 9-11 0-0 6-11 24 4-8 3 3 4 4 1 Antonio Harvey 43 8-2 0-0 0-2 16 1-6 2 1 3 2 3 Vlade Divac 37 12-3 0-0 3-3 27 0-6 2 3 2 0 3 Eddie Jones 11 0-2 0-0 1-2 1 0-1 2 0 3 1 0 Nick Van_Exel 32 6-0 3-4 0-0 15 0-2 8 3 1 3 0 Sam Bowie 13 1-0 0-0 0-0 2 0-2 0 0 3 0 1 Anthony Peeler 9 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0-1 3 0 1 0 0 George Lynch 10 1-0 0-1 0-0 2 1-2 0 0 1 1 0 Tony Smith 21 5-3 0-2 3-3 13 1-1 2 0 2 1 0 Sedale Threatt 24 7-3 2-4 2-3 18 1-4 6 0 2 0 0 Anthony Miller 2 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0-0 0 0 2 0 0 Totals 240 49-88 5-11 15-24 118 8-33 28 10 24 12 8 Dallas FG 3pt FT Reb Player Min M-A M-A M-A Pts O-T Ast TO F Stl Blk Popeye Jones 34 7-2 0-0 1-2 15 9-16 7 4 2 0 0 Jamal Mashburn 40 11-9 1-6 6-9 29 3-6 3 1 3 2 0 Roy Tarpley 21 2-0 0-1 0-0 4 1-6 2 2 1 0 1 Jim Jackson 41 9-12 0-2 9-12 27 2-6 5 3 4 0 0 Jason Kidd 33 5-3 0-1 1-3 11 3-5 6 2 1 2 0 Lorenzo Williams 16 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 2-5 1 0 3 0 0 Lucious Harris 16 1-0 0-1 0-0 2 0-0 0 1 1 0 0 Doug Smith 4 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0-0 2 0 3 0 0 Terry Davis 14 4-1 0-0 0-1 8 2-6 0 2 0 0 0 Donald Hodge 11 2-0 0-1 0-0 4 0-0 0 1 2 0 1 Tony Dumas 10 2-0 2-3 0-0 6 3-4 0 1 2 0 0 Totals 240 43-27 3-15 17-27 106 25-54 26 17 22 4 2 1 2 3 4 - Final 2FG 3FG FG% FT% LA Lakers 31 32 24 31 - 118 .571 .455 .557 .625 Dallas 30 20 27 29 - 106 .482 .200 .439 .630 Technical fouls: illegal D LAL 2:15 3rd, Coach Motta 11:32 4th. Officials: David Jones, Joe Forte, Woody Mayfield. Attendance: 11,124 (in their dreams - includes no-show season ticket holders. The place was empty).