Los Angeles Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks - Round up of NBA Conference semi-finals (Part 1)
Before coming into the Western Conference semi-finals, Dallas Mavericks won their quarter-finals series against the Portland Trail Blazers 4-2, while the Los Angeles Lakers over threw the New Orleans Hornets en route to the second-round.
Game-1: Dallas Mavericks 96 – Los Angeles Lakers 94
Dirk Nowitzki led the Dallas Mavericks in a 96-94 triumph over the mighty Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Centre on May 2, 2011.
Nowitzki scored 28 points along with 14 rebounds including two go-ahead free throws.
In the first quarter both teams remained quite close, but the Mavs were finally able to clinch the quarter in their favour by 25-23. The Lakers, who were trailing by 2-points into the second quarter, launched a belligerent assault
on the Mavs and outplayed them with a 30-19 run and pushed the score to 53-44 at the halftime.
Although the Lakers dominated the Mavs in the third frame as well and led them by 78-71, when the quarter closed, but they blew away their 16-point lead and allowed Dallas to end up within the range.
Dallas big comeback rally was led by Nowitzki in the third and he carried the same momentum in the next, as he punched another 11 points in the fourth quarter and kept the Mavs right behind the Lakers until 19 seconds were left
in the game, when Dirk hit two free throws and Jason Kidd wrap up the proceedings in Dallas’ favour by striking a crucial second free throw after missing the first.
Even after losing the 16-point lead in the second-half the Lakers had two golden opportunities to erase the Mavericks comeback surge in the final seconds of the game, but Kobe Bryant led them down on both occasions.
Bryant was the major contributor for the Lakers, scoring 36 points and grabbed five rebounds too.
Game-2: Dallas Mavericks 93 – Los Angeles Lakers 81
Nowitzki marshalled the Mavs once again as they rattled the Lakers in 93-81 victory and won their second straight game to go up 2-0 in the series on May 4, 2011 in L.A.
Nowitzki added 24 points and clutched seven rebounds along with two assists and Shawn Mario had 14 points to stun the erratic Los Angeles.
This time first half belonged to the Mavs, as they led the Lakers 26-20 in the first quarter and then by 51-49 into the break. The third quarter remained the lowest scoring frame of the entire game, but Mavs managed to stretch
the advantage to 68-62.
The Lakers got to within 75-69, courtesy a 7-2 surge with 7:08 to go in the fourth quarter, but the Mavs, behind Jose Juan Barea's infiltration, scored nine points that left the Lakers unanswered.
Andrew Bynum scored 18 points and grasped 13 rebounds for the Lakers.
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