Game 6: Dallas at Portland Both teams started out shooting very well and it looked like we had a barn burner of a game as Dallas went up 16-9 with 7:20 remaining on their 4th 3-pointer already. Just goes to show that looks can be deceiving as Dallas went ice cold after their hot 6-8 FG start and Portland kept taking full advantage of Dallas' porous defense inside in getting easy buckets. Dallas led 18-11 with 6:15 left and Portland went on a 16-4 run to take a 27-22 lead with a minute left. A dunk by Dirk Nowitzki (his only points of the quarter) ended the scoring and Portland led 27-24 after 1. Dallas shot just 3-15 FG after their strong start and was out-rebounded a pathetic 13-3 (and the 3 boards all belonged to Michael Finley). Things got worse in the 2nd quarter as Dallas' shooting touch remained invisible and Portland's touch got better. Portland opened the 2nd quarter with a 15-1 monster run to go up 42-25 with 7:05 to go as Dalls missed their first 8 shots. Dallas finally got their first basket of the quarter with 6:50 left. Portland rattled off 6 straight points to push their lead into the 20s at 52-29 with 3:35 remaining and led in the 20s the rest of the quarter. Portland scored the last 5 points of the quarter to go up 64-38 at the half. Portland shot 16-27 FG while Dallas shot just 5-19 FG as the Blazers dominated the 2nd quarter in out-scoring Dallas 37-14. They again had 10 more rebounds than Dallas in out-rebounding them 16-6. Things did not get better for Dallas in the 3rd quarter as Portland scored the first 4 points of the quarter to take their first 30 point lead at 68-38 with 11 minutes left. The blowout was on early as Dallas got no closer than 26 points in the quarter. Nowitzki, who was having a dismal game, got pulled 4 minutes into the quarter and Steve Nash sat for the rest of the game a minute later. Portland led 97-66 after 3. Dallas reserves did a little better than the starters and kept Portland's lead in the 20s. Portland won easily 125-103. What a disaster. And here I thought Dallas got out all their duds in the blow out loss in Game 4 and the team goes and shows that they can be equally inept in another playoff game. Dallas, as they have been in the past 3 games, could stop nothing in defense as Portland got most of their points from the inside. And Dallas' strength was lacking in the this game as the team couldn't buy a shot after a strong start. Dallas shot 6-8 FG, including 4 3-pointers, to open the game and then shot 8-34 FG (23.5%) for the rest of the 1st half. No defense, no rebounding, and no offense results in a large blowout. It was so bad that the Mavs' garbage players, who normally struggle to score, brought the team's stats totals up to less horrendous numbers and almost had as many points during the 4th quarter as Dallas had in the 1st half (37 to 38). Through 3 quarters, Dallas shot 35.9% FG (16-28 FG in the 4th) while Portland shot 63.3% FG (50% in the 4th) and Portland out-rebounded Dallas 36-17 (Dallas won the rebounding war 15-9 in the 4th). Yuch. The series is now tied. It's only the 3rd time in league history that a team down 0-3 has tied the series at 3-3. No team has ever come back from being down 0-3 to win a series. Game 7 is Sunday at 2:30 pm in Dallas and on ABC. It's win or go home for the summer. Portland had a balanced attack with 6 players in double-digits and enjoyed themselves in the blowout win. Zach Randolph was the high man with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Ruben Patterson chipped in 20 points off the bench including 8-10 FG. Bonzi Wells had 18 points on 9-14 FG and 6 rebounds. Arvydas Sabonis was overly productive with 16 points including 7-8 FG and 8 rebounds in just 12 minutes (some in the 1st half). Rasheed Wallace had 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists and Damon Stoudamire had 14 points and 6 rebounds. I had to question Maurice Cheeks bringing in Scottie Pippen for the first time midway through the 3rd quarter and the team up by 30 points. The team didn't need him in this game and you're just asking for trouble playing someone whose knee has been bothering him [no, Cheeks' and Pippen's comments about getting a rhythm didn't change my mind about playing being very dumb]. Pippen played 7 minutes. The only downer for Portland was that Dale Davis left the game early in the 1st quarter with a pulled groin and did not return. After being the only Mav to show up for all of the first 5 games, Dirk Nowitzki had a terrible game with just 4 points on 2-11 FG, no rebounds, and 1 assist. For the 1st 5 games, he averaged 34.8 points on 54.5% FG (12.2-22.4) and 7.8-8.8 FT and 10.2 rebounds. He left the game early in the 3rd quarter and sat out the rest of the game. Steve Nash and Michael Finley started strong, but like everyone else, had didn't have much after the 1st quarter. Nash had a game high 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals in 24 minutes - he sat most of the 2nd half. Finley played more in the 3rd quarter and finished with 20 points and 5 rebounds. Nick Van Exel never got going [and never forced his shot, which he does sometime when the team struggles] and finished with just 4 points including 1-3 FG, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists in 17 minutes. The big men, as had been the case the past 3 games, didn't give much and combined for just 4 rebounds. Raef LaFrentz had 4 points on 2-7 FG and 2 rebounds in 25 minutes, Shawn Bradley had 5 points including 2-6 FG and 0 rebounds in 15 minutes, and Eduardo Najera had 8 points and 2 rebounds in 22 minutes. Raja Bell was the 3rd and only other Mav in double-digits with 11 points including 4-5 FG, all in garbage time. Adrian Griffin was the high rebounder with 8 boards in garbage time. Quotes Maurice Cheeks: "Again, tonight was a case of our defense. I think our defense was good. Our defense allowed us to get some fast breaks, get some open baskets. But pretty much it was a case of our defense just being very good. Guarding the screen-and-roll. Guarding Nash. Guarding Finley. Guarding Nowitzki. And again I think they missed some early on that they normally make. Nowitzki had a tough shooting night. Throughout the series Nash has tough shooting nights, but tonight he was very good. He got out and was being very aggressive. And I just think it was the difference. I rarely look at the stats sheet, so I can't comment on the numbers that people have, but I think Zach played a very good game. Our starters were into the game right away. The one thing that we talked about is that we had to go out and take hold of the game. I think early on we did it. They got some breaks early on, but for the most part, our defense was very good. It was just very good over all - rebounding the ball, getting some easy baskets. And that's just what turned the game around." Cheeks: "Our defense is a little better, but they have some offensive players on this team, we all know that. They have guys who can put points on the board. They have Finley, they have Nash, they have Nowitzki, they have Van Exel. We built a quick lead and it didn't allow Van Exel to really get in the game. And then Nowitzki missed some tough shots. Steve Nash was aggressive early, but our defense stayed strong. Overall, everyone that stepped on the floor, our defense was very good. We're defensive minded. And I think that's the whole key to this series, is our defense. I've said it all along that they have offensive players. They have guys who can score the ball and our defense has been the thing that turned this series around." Cheeks on Davis: "He's day-to-day. [laughs] Really, he's day-to-day. I don't know. I hope he plays. I don't know the seriousness of his injury right now, but I really expect him to play - I hope he plays, but I don't know if he'll play, but I hope he plays." Cheeks on playing Pippen: "Well, I just wanted to get him just a little rhythm out on the floor so that in the 7th game he wouldn't just go out there cold turkey of not having played in one game. So we gave him 4 or 5 minutes. Got him in and got him in the rhythm of going up and down the floor and then got him out of the floor." Cheeks: "After we were down 0-3, the one thing I talked about was the series is not over until 1 teams wins 4 games. That's been my whole message the whole time that until someone wins 4 games, it's not over. that's held true. We had to win the game on Sunday to go back to Dallas. And once we got back to Dallas, we'd give ourselves a chance to win if we continued to play defense the way we have and that's been the whole way to turn the series around is that we defended. If we have a chance of winning the 7th game, it's because of our defense. And both teams played hard. [laughs]" Cheeks: "Once the ball goes up on the floor, we're all equal. It's not about 1 team having the upper hand. Once the ball goes up, we're all equal. And they're going back to Dallas. We've obviously have won 1 game back in Dallas. That gives you a little bit of momentum. But once the ball goes up, everything is equal. The 7th game, you got to just let it all hang out." Cheeks: "That's it? Both teams played hard." Rasheed Wallace: "It wasn't just myself, everyone was a contributor. Dale, when he was in there, Zach, it was good team defense." Wallace: "We believed from the beginning and the fans here, they believed in us. There were a couple people here that counted us out, but everyone was out here today and they saw it. We were just not ready for it to end. I'm ready to take that road trip back to Texas." Wallace on Davis: "Dale will be ready. Fortunately we were up by so much, he didn't have to come back out. He was just resting it up, getting ready for Sunday." Bonzi Wells: "Once you get down 0-3, it's kind of tough. Some teams would maybe want to give up. But we just told ourselves if we take it 1 game at a time, why can't it be us? Why don't we be the team to make history?" Scottie Pippen: "We could have rolled over in this series, but this team showed pride. We have some warriors here. The greatest thing about watching this whole thing is that guys have accepted their roles." Pippen: "I didn't want a DNP-CD. I wanted to get out there and get a couple of minutes in and try to get a little rhythm." Ruben Patterson: "We just came out and played hard. The crowd got into it, we were hitting shots, with a crowd like that, it gets us energized. Damon played well. I played well. It was a total team effort. And people was doubting us, when we was down 3-nothing. We said that we was going to take 1 game at a time and we fought our way back to tie the series. So we're glad to go back to Dallas for game 7. It's going to be wild." Patterson on the shimmy he did after a dunk: "Probably a little Harlem shake. Got it from Antoine Walker. No, I'm just playing. I was just out there having fun. Like I said, when I get dunks, get fast breaks, you know, the crowd was in it, I was energized, and it was just fun. It felt good to go to game 7. You know, it's going to be loud in Dallas. We've just got to go with the same type of attitude and effort like we did tonight and it's going to be on." Patterson: "You know, I think they a little scared right now. I think they got their backs against the wall because we was down 3-nothing and we fought back. Now going into game 7, they know that we going to be tough, we going to be ready. It's going to be very intersting. I can't wait 'til Sunday." Damon Stoudamire if they fed on other's doubts: "I don't know that we fed on it. We just wanted to get 1 victory. And then once you get 1 victory, anything can happen. I've been in a 7-game series where I was down 3-1 before, a couple of my teammates have, so I don't think that we ever have paniced. We knew we had to get 1 game in order for it to be a series, and once we won 1 game, it was just 1 game at a time after that. And I think that's been our focus and we haven't looked past any game. We got it to 3-1 and then we got it to 3-2 and then everybody was asking, you know, if you win, but we wasn't even talking about a game 7 until we got a game 6. And now we're in a position of where we want to be." Stoudamire: "For me, it's just been an opportunity for me to play. It's been a tough season for me. Everybody knows my story. But I've just been able to come out here and show people that I still got a lot of game in me. I never doubted myself, and I know my teammates never doubted me, and the coaching staff never gave up on me or they wouldn't of put me out there. It just felt good for me to come out here and be able to play and contribute." Stoudamire on the rebounding difference: "In the past when we've played Dallas, that's normally how we've beat them - we pound the glass. Over the past course of the last 3 games, our guards especially have been rebounding, helping the big guys out, and I think that's why we've had such a big differential in the rebounding department against Dallas. We just need to continue that. We've got a lot of guys that can rebound. We got Zach coming in there. We got Rasheed, we got Dale, you know, we got Sabonis, we got Ruben, Bonzi. Me and Bonzi have been rebounding really well from the back court. So we have a lot of good rebounders and that's what we have to continue to do on Sunday." Don Nelson: "Well, we have, from my end, we have no excuses. We got a butt kicking tonight and those things happen in our league. We've been in tougher spots than this before and we're going to treat it as such. Played 82 games to get home court advantage, and that is what we have. It's a 7-game series, it's a 1-game series now. And I like our chances. We got to go home and re-group and I think we will. We need a lot of help from our fans. I think your team got it here. I thought the fans here were really fantastic. They really helped the momentum of that game. We need the same from our fans. We need a little boost and I think they are going to give it to us." Nelson: "No. No, I didn't see this coming. I thought we would re-group. We did play a fine game at our place and lost and I just thought this would be a real close ball game." Nelson: "You know, it's a 1-game series. I don't think that we're going to go in there with bruised feelings or bruised ego. We're going to go and play. We're confident. We're a good team. We're at home. And we have to play better, there is no question about it." Nelson on the 2nd quarter: "Well, everyone was talking about 3rd quarters before, now it's the 2nd quarter. I don't know. The bottom fell out. It didn't seem to matter what we did. They got on a run and got momentum and we didn't. I don't know if anybody's had a near shoulder location. Dirk's had several of them. I don't know that that had an affect on him or not. We're not using that as an excuse for sure, but he seemed a little short on his shots and never could get much into the rhythm. I thought they did a good defensive job on him, but that still has never stopped him before. He had an ice pack on that shoulder at practice yesterday and said it was fine, so we're not going to use it, but I'm just saying that I think that there is something there that he's got to work through mentally." Nelson: "They just did more of the same that they have been doing. Dominated us on the boards again. I thought they were really active defensively. Played with a lot of emotion. I loved our 1st quarter. I thought we were really good in the 1st quarter. Nash had it going, we were running our offense effectively, and that was without Dirk being much of a factor. Looked like Fin was going to have a good game. But the bottom fell out after that and it wasn't much of a game. We just dismiss it as that and go on." Nelson: "These guys have never been in a Game 7. It'll be a new experience. And a good one." Dirk Nowitzki: "I just never got into the game. I never got a clean look at the basket." Nowitzki: "Today obviously we couldn't rebound. This has been a key for us the whole year. If we don't rebound the ball, we're in trouble. Today was just an awful rebounding game again." Steve Nash: "For me, I just think we need to believe. We go on Sunday, we believe in ourselves, we battle with our backs against the wall, there is no question in my mind that we can win that game. Tonight I don't think we did that. We didn't come out like it was do or die and we didn't battle like we need to. So what ever it takes by Sunday, we need to re-adjust and in that frame of mind." Nash: "We got out-worked, and I don't think we played with enough belief. They just kicked the [bleep] out of us. It was just a case of us not battling. We just need to believe." Shawn Bradley: "We want to continue to play. We are better than that performance that we had out there tonight. We need to come with everything that we have in game 7. The playoffs are games of momentum, we had it in the 1st 3 and they had it in the 2nd 3. Now we need to change it back to us." Portland Trailblazers 125, Dallas Mavericks 103 at Portland (May 2) 1st 2nd 3rd 4th - Final 2FG 3FG FG% FT% Portland 27 37 33 28 - 125 .616 .444 .598 .920 Dallas 24 14 28 37 - 103 .400 .529 .424 .762 Halftime: Portland 64-38 3rd Q: Portland 97-64 Technicals: Bonzi Wells 2:29 2nd, Zach Randolph 7:48 3rd, Ruben Patterson 3:04 3rd, Raja ell 6:29 4th Refs: Bernie Fryer, Mark Wunderlich, Tom Washington Attendance: 20,602 (sellout) Did not play due to injury: Derek Anderson (left knee surgery) Portland Trailblazers REB Player MIN FGM-FGA 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA PTS O-T AST TO PF STL BLK Rasheed Wallace 32 4-7 2-4 3-3 13 1-6 6 2 2 0 2 Zach Randolph 34 6-10 0-0 9-9 21 4-10 2 2 4 0 0 Dale Davis 9 2-3 0-0 0-0 4 1-1 0 0 0 0 1 Bonzi Wells 34 9-14 0-1 0-0 18 1-6 3 3 4 0 1 Damon Stoudamire 27 5-10 2-3 2-2 14 1-6 4 2 3 1 0 Arvydas Sabonis 12 7-8 0-0 2-2 16 2-8 1 1 1 0 1 Jeff McInnis 21 3-8 0-1 1-2 7 1-3 6 1 2 1 1 Ruben Patterson 29 8-10 0-0 4-5 20 1-2 4 3 2 1 0 Antonio Daniels 22 2-3 0-0 0-0 4 0-0 5 0 1 0 0 Scottie Pippen 7 1-2 0-0 2-2 4 1-2 1 0 0 0 0 Qyntel Woods 13 2-7 0-0 0-0 4 1-1 0 1 3 0 0 Totals 48 49-82 4-9 23-25 125 14-45 32 16 22 3 6 Dallas Mavericks REB Player MIN FGM-FGA 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA PTS O-T AST TO PF STL BLK Raef LaFrentz 25 2-7 0-1 0-0 4 2-2 0 0 4 0 1 Dirk Nowitzki 28 2-11 0-1 0-0 4 0-0 1 1 3 0 0 Shawn Bradley 15 2-6 0-0 1-2 5 0-0 1 1 0 1 0 Michael Finley 33 7-16 3-5 3-3 20 3-5 1 0 2 1 1 Steve Nash 24 6-14 3-5 6-6 21 0-1 6 3 2 3 0 Eduardo Najera 22 3-6 0-0 2-4 8 2-2 1 1 1 0 0 Nick Van_Exel 17 1-3 0-0 2-2 4 1-2 3 2 1 0 0 Adrian Griffin 20 2-7 0-0 0-0 4 4-8 1 2 3 0 0 Tariq Abdul-Wahad 17 4-8 0-1 1-2 9 2-6 4 0 0 0 0 Raja Bell 15 4-5 2-2 1-2 11 1-2 3 1 3 0 0 Evan Eschmeyer 12 3-4 0-0 0-0 6 1-1 1 0 4 1 0 Walt Williams 12 3-5 1-2 0-0 7 1-3 4 0 0 0 0 Totals 48 39-92 9-17 16-21 103 17-32 26 11 23 6 2 patricia Go Mavs!