Oklahoma City Thunder compel Dallas Mavericks to step back - NBA update
Dallas Mavericks struggled and whined but couldn’t avert the inevitable. They had a couple of near misses in Oklahoma City but in the 3rd home game they lost everything. They were outscored, outmatched and outrebounded
and in the end received a 95-79 defeat.
The reigning MVP champs were not the mere shadow of what they were last year. Losing 3 straight in the first round was watershed and now it seems they will be out in the 1st round. For Dirk Nowitzki it was nothing less
than a stunner, last year’s NBA finals MVP declared the loss as a big step back ward.
"I don't think we took a step forward as a team," Nowitzki said. "We took a step back."
This claim substantiates the general understanding in NBA that no team has ever made it back after losing 3 straight, deep down Nowitzki and the squad knew that they were striving for a lost cause.
The defending champs with the most seasoned squad and home ground-crowd to cheer, yet they were moaning and complaining every time a whistle was not blown in their favour. Truth is that they have accepted OKC as a better, stronger
and quicker team.
Mavs rooster oozing with veterans subjugated to players who grew up fancying them, Nowitzki and company succumbed to player like Kevin Durant, James Harden Russell Westbrook (Barely in mid 20’s). They didn’t just trounce Mavs they
compelled players like Nowitzki and Jason Terry to melt down. In all of the past 3 games the pair stood hapless at the death a point where they are feared the most.
Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins are the Thunder’s best Defence options and combined the duo shadowed Nowitzki, compelling him to make crucial turnovers at the dying moments of all three games.
Dirk is the centrepiece in Mavs equation, they have to rely upon in him for scoring and rebounding but when he is contained Dallas are maimed. Jason Terry is a support but he is not the pivot. In the 1st two games Dirk
had 25 and 31 points respectively and Dallas managed to hang tough till the end. However in the 3rd game he netted 17, allowing OKC to bag the game much early.
Even Nowitzki admitted that they are not the same team as they were last year.
Well, we're a different team than a year ago, I think that's over with," said Nowitzki. "We had to focus on what we have this year and try to make the best of it."
The same assignment is shared by Serge Ibaka, Kevin Durant and James Harden the troika is impossible to be shadowed, cap one and the other will do the damage.
There defensive methodology was questioned and the lack of officiating was accused for Mavs’ fiasco, truth is that officiating has nothing to do with it Mavs are simply not good enough to stand a chance before Thunder.
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